Agriculture & Economy
Cotton and irrigated farming built Hale County's economy
Hale County became one of Texas's leading farming counties, built on cotton, grain sorghum, wheat, corn, and Ogallala-fed irrigation.
Cotton was first planted in Hale County in 1903. After 1910, farmers started pumping water from the Ogallala Aquifer underground. That made large-scale irrigation possible. By 1982, the county had 468,000 acres of irrigated land. In one year it produced nearly 85,000 cotton bales.
Feedlots, grain elevators, and farm-equipment businesses all grew up to support the farming trade. Starting in 1912, the Texas Land and Development Company brought settlers to Hale County. The company sold pre-improved land that already had buildings and farm equipment on it. That growth helped Plainview become a regional market town.
Farming is still the main driver of the local economy today. If you are moving here, expect to live near active farms. Irrigation equipment, crop-dusting aircraft, and farm machinery are everyday sights and sounds in Hale County.
Source to confirm: Handbook of Texas – Hale County