Editing Tri-Cities, Washington (section)

===Agriculture===
The Tri-Cities economy has historically been based on farming and the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. From Pasco's [[incorporation (municipal government)|incorporation]] in 1891 to present day, the Tri-Cities have had a large degree of farming thanks to irrigation by the three nearby rivers. [[Wheat]] is the most commonly grown product; however, large amounts of [[apple]]s, [[maize|corn]], [[grape]]s are also grown, along with [[potato]]es, and other products including [[asparagus]]. Cherries are also grown in the region.

[[File:Wheat field located east of Douglas Fruit Company in Pasco.jpg|thumb|320x265px|left|Photo taken along Clark Rd in Pasco, WA.]]

Grapes grown in the region are essential to the wine industry. Wineries draw a large population of tourists. With 160 wineries in the Columbia Valley,<ref name="Wine Country">{{cite web |title=The Heart of Washington Wine Country |url=http://www.visittri-cities.com/visitors/wine/ |work=Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau |access-date=June 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621131742/http://www.visittri-cities.com/visitors/wine/ |archive-date=June 21, 2013 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> this industry accounts for $1 billion annually in Benton County alone.<ref name="Wine Industry">{{cite web |last=Perdue |first=Andy |title=New study shows Washington wine industry worth $8.6 billion |url=http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/04/24/1915381/wine-state-industry-worth-86-billion.html |work=Tri-City Herald |access-date=June 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507215339/http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/04/24/1915381/wine-state-industry-worth-86-billion.html |archive-date=May 7, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Tri-Cities' climate allows the region to have a broad and sustainable agricultural economy. Local industries provide employment for thousands of people in the Tri-Cities area. Some of the top 20 employers in agriculture include ConAgra, Tyson Foods, and Broetje Orchards.<ref name=Tridec>{{cite web |title=Major Industry Employers |url=http://www.tridec.org/site_selection/tri-cities_demographics/major_industry_employers/ |work=Tri-City Development Council |access-date=June 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130213065319/http://www.tridec.org/site_selection/tri-cities_demographics/major_industry_employers/ |archive-date=February 13, 2013 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Agriculture makes up 9.5% of employment in Tri-Cities<ref name="Washington Crops">{{cite web |last=Pihl |first=Kristi |title=Washington No. 1 in ag&nbsp;– and the Mid-Columbia grows most of those crops |url=http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/09/02/2083910/washington-no-1-in-ag-and-the.html |work=Tri-City Herald |access-date=June 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130630113338/http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/09/02/2083910/washington-no-1-in-ag-and-the.html |archive-date=June 30, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and local businesses combined employ thousands of people. In 2012, the state of Washington was rated No. 1 in the nation when it comes to growing apples, hops, spearmint oil, sweet cherries, pears, concord grapes and processing carrots.<ref name="Washington Crops"/> The Mid-Columbia region including the Tri-Cities grows most of these crops. The region's climate and irrigation from nearby rivers, like the Columbia, Snake, and Yakima rivers, allow farmers to produce corn, hay, wheat and potatoes. In Washington there are 39,500 farms; 1,630 of these farms are located in Benton County and 891 are located in Franklin County.<ref name="Washington Crops"/>