Wyoming Farms and Ranches: Agriculture History, How Ranches Make Money and Strategy
Guide updated November 2026
Wyoming farms and ranches are among the largest in the country by land per operation. The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 10,544 farms on 28,776,321 acres, an average of 2,729 acres, and sales of agricultural products totaled about $1.6 billion, with livestock making up roughly 78 percent.
| Farms and land in farms | 10,544 farms on 28,776,321 acres, average 2,729 acres (2022 Census of Agriculture) |
|---|---|
| Top commodities | Cattle and calves, hay and other crops, sheep and wool, grains, sugar beets and dry beans |
| Market value of ag products sold | $1,600,189,000 in 2022, of which $1.24 billion livestock and $358.0 million crops |
| State agriculture department | Wyoming Department of Agriculture |
| Land-grant extension | University of Wyoming Extension |
| Farm Bureau | Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation |
Agriculture in Wyoming: A Short History
Wyoming agriculture began with open-range cattle and sheep in the 1860s and 1870s, and the Union Pacific Railroad opened eastern markets. The Wyoming Stock Growers Association, based in Cheyenne, grew from this cattle era, and ranches such as Pitchfork on the Greybull River (1878) and the Wyoming Hereford Ranch near Cheyenne (1883) date from these years. The 1886-87 winter, which drove ranches such as Wyoming Hereford into receivership, taught the state that hay, shelter and water mattered as much as grass.
Irrigation brought hay, sugar beets, barley and beans to river valleys, while sheep ranches, such as Julian Land and Livestock near Kemmerer, built fine-wool flocks. In recent decades the pattern has consolidated: the number of farms fell 11.7 percent between 2017 and 2022 while average farm size rose 12.3 percent.
How Farms in Wyoming Make Money
Commodity sales
Cattle are the state's engine. The 2022 Census reports 1,247,971 head on 4,995 farms and cattle and calf sales of $1.08 billion from 4,608 farms. Other crops and hay brought in $184.4 million from 3,052 farms, and grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas brought in $152.9 million from 800 farms.
Value-added and direct sales
Sheep, goats, wool, mohair and milk together brought in $44.3 million from 681 farms. Wool can earn more with certifications, as Julian Land and Livestock shows with its Responsible Wool Standard and Nativa Precious Fiber labels, and some ranches, including Padlock Ranch, raise calves for the Country Natural Beef program.
Agritourism, leases and diversification
Guest ranch stays, hunting, horse sales and internships add income, as seen at Padlock Ranch and Pitchfork Ranch. Many ranches also depend on federal and state grazing leases, which tie private deeded land to public land and shape both costs and drought plans.
Agriculture Strategy for Wyoming Farms
Soils, water and climate
Wyoming is high, dry and windy, so water development decides what a ranch can do. SR Cattle Company near Sheridan installed several miles of pipeline that opened previously unusable land, converted well pumps to solar, replaced chemical brush treatments with controlled burns and ran a flea beetle program against leafy spurge. Padlock Ranch added more than 20 miles of livestock water pipeline and cross fencing for rotation.
Production and risk
Rotational grazing, riparian protection and year-round grazing lessen winter hay costs, while drought and winter storms remain the largest risks. Federal crop insurance, the USDA livestock disaster programs, NRCS cost-share and state-level programs are standard tools, and the Wyoming Stock Growers Association's Environmental Stewardship Award and the Leopold Conservation Award recognize the ranches that manage best.
Technology and inputs
The University of Wyoming runs a 140-day central ram test, running since 1961, that evaluates growth, feed efficiency, muscling and wool traits, and the top 30 percent of rams qualify for the Certified Rambouillet Index. Seedstock buyers use performance data and sale catalogs, such as the Wyoming Wool Growers ram sale, to choose genetics that suit the range.
Farm Business Strategy in Wyoming
Margins and markets
With average sales of $151,763 per farm in 2022, up from $123,313 in 2017, margins depend on controlling costs per cow or ewe and on timing sales. Branded programs, seedstock sales and direct beef give ranches a premium over commodity prices.
Land, credit and succession
Large ranches carry high land values and heavy credit needs. The USDA Farm Service Agency state office offers farm loans and disaster programs, and conservation easements such as those held through the Wyoming Stock Growers Agricultural Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy protect working ranches from subdivision. Fifth-generation successions like those at Julian Land and Livestock and SR Cattle Company are the result of years of planning.
Marketing and diversification
Guest stays, hunting access, horse sales and branded beef widen the customer base. Telling the ranch's story pays: Pitchfork's history from 1878, Wyoming Hereford's registered herd from 1883 and Padlock's Leopold award all support premium pricing.
Farm Insight: Wyoming Trends to Watch
Watch consolidation and scale. The 2022 Census shows 1,394 fewer farms than in 2017 but slightly less land lost, a 0.8 percent decline, so remaining operations are getting bigger. Succession and land access will decide which ranches stay in family hands.
Expect water and conservation to stay central. The Leopold-winning ranches profiled here all improved grazing and water, and those improvements lower costs. Operators who document stewardship may find more markets, from certified wool to natural beef.
Wyoming farms and ranches are the only places in America where the neighbor 'down the road' might be forty miles away, and the mailbox needs its own zip code. Readers of farm.FM for farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes have long recognized the Wyoming wind as the real co-owner of every hat. The ranch families here, with their flea beetle armies, long water pipelines and generations of practice, have earned our affection.
farm.FM calls itself the nation's first satirical farm site, and between the headlines it spins Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers; a good place to start reading is this farm.FM columnist's archive.
Elite Farms and Ranches in Wyoming
These 5 operations are profiled in full, with history, how each makes money, lessons for other farms and published contact details.
Elite operations in Wyoming
- Julian Land and LivestockElite operation. Kemmerer, Wyoming. Julian Land and Livestock near Kemmerer, Wyoming: fifth-generation Rambouillet sheep ranch, about 10,000 ewes, fine wool. History, revenue streams and lessons.
- Padlock RanchElite operation. Ranchester, Wyoming. Padlock Ranch, Ranchester, Wyoming: 1943 family cattle ranch of about 475,000 acres, Leopold winner. History, revenue streams, lessons and contact details.
- Pitchfork RanchElite operation. Meeteetse, Wyoming. Pitchfork Ranch near Meeteetse, Wyoming: cattle ranch founded 1878 in the Greybull River valley, about 100,000 acres. History, revenue streams and contacts.
- SR Cattle CompanyElite operation. Sheridan, Wyoming. SR Cattle Company (Kane Ranch) near Sheridan, Wyoming: 1882 family cattle ranch of about 30,320 acres, 2016 Leopold winner. History, strategy and lessons.
- Wyoming Hereford RanchElite operation. Cheyenne, Wyoming. Wyoming Hereford Ranch near Cheyenne, founded 1883: registered Hereford seedstock, famous bulls and fall sales. History, revenue streams and lessons.
Who to Contact in Wyoming: Agriculture Offices and Associations
- USDA NASS 2022 Census, Wyoming - State farm numbers, land and sales
- USDA NASS 2022 Census table 41, Wyoming - Cattle, hay, grains and sheep sales
- Wyoming Stock Growers Association - State cattle producer association with stewardship and centennial programs
- University of Wyoming ram test - Extension performance test for Wyoming sheep
- USDA FSA Wyoming - State office for farm loans and disaster programs
- University of Wyoming Rural Law Center - Agricultural law and resource links
- Wyoming Livestock Roundup - State livestock newspaper covering sales and contests
Wyoming Farming FAQ
How many farms are in Wyoming?
The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 10,544 farms on 28,776,321 acres, an average of 2,729 acres.
What is Wyoming's biggest agricultural commodity?
Cattle and calves: the 2022 Census reports $1.08 billion in sales and 1,247,971 head.
Is sheep farming still important in Wyoming?
Sheep, goats, wool, mohair and milk together brought in $44.3 million from 681 farms in 2022, and ranches such as Julian Land and Livestock run flocks of about 10,000 ewes.
Where can ranchers get loans or disaster help?
The USDA Farm Service Agency Wyoming state office handles loans and disaster programs, and the Wyoming Stock Growers Association supports cattle producers.
Wyoming farms succeed by managing water, grass and succession across very large landscapes. Browse the profiled operations below to see how cattle, sheep and heritage ranches in the state make their living.