Editing Highland County, Virginia (section)

==Economy==
[[File:Cows Blue Grass, Virginia.jpg|thumb|left|Cattle near Blue Grass]]
In October 2013, Highland County's labor force was composed of 1,142 people and had an [[unemployment rate]] of 5.3%.<ref name="bls">{{cite web|title=Labor force data by county, not seasonally adjusted, October 2012-November 2013(p)|publisher=United States Bureau of Labor Statistics|url=http://www.bls.gov/lau/laucntycur14.txt|format=TXT|access-date=January 9, 2013}}</ref>  Historically, agriculture has played a significant role in the economy of Highland County.  [[Cattle]] grazing is especially suited for the area as the mountainous terrain leaves only a small fraction of the total land suitable for cultivation.<ref name="handbook19-20">[[#OrenHandbook|Oren]], 1922, pp. 19-20.</ref>  Agricultural purposes use approximately 36% of the county's land.<ref name="land use">{{cite web|title=Comprehensive Plan: Land Use|publisher=Highland County|url=http://www.highlandcova.org/Compplan/Landverb.htm|access-date=January 9, 2014}}</ref>  In 2012, agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting accounted for 7.8% of the jobs in the county.<ref name="community profile5">''[[#profile|Community Profile: Highland County]]'', p. 5.</ref>  According to 2007 census data, there were 239 farms, {{convert|76764|acres|km2}} of farmland, and {{convert|8581|acres|km2}} of harvested cropland in the county.  [[Wool]] production is a significant industry in the county,<ref name="community profile5"/> which was ranked fifth in Virginia in 2010 for the largest number of lamb and sheep with approximately 4,500 head. Highland County in 2010 had approximately 8,000 head of cattle, 53rd in the state, and produced 15,700 tons of [[hay]] in 2009, also ranked 53rd in the state.<ref name="agr data">{{cite web|title=County Data Summary: Crops, Livestock, and Census Data by County: Halifax-King & Queen|publisher=National Agricultural Statistics Service, United States Department of Agriculture|url=http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Virginia/Publications/Annual_Statistical_Bulletin/page94-9510.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Virginia/Publications/Annual_Statistical_Bulletin/page94-9510.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|page=95|access-date=January 9, 2014}}</ref>  The county has {{convert|211300|acres|km2}} of [[Lumber|timberland]], of which the majority is on private lands.<ref name="timber data 73">{{cite web|title=Virginia's Forests|author=Anita K. Rose|publisher=United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service|url=http://www.dof.virginia.gov/stateforest/resources/USDA-RB-SRS-159.pdf|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20130813125704/http://www.dof.virginia.gov/stateforest/resources/USDA-RB-SRS-159.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 13, 2013|page=73|year=2007|access-date=January 9, 2014}}</ref>  Between 1986 and 2001, the average annual average harvest value of timber in the county was $1,248,889, ranked 54th in the state.<ref name="timber value">{{cite web|title=Harvest Value Listed By County Name|publisher=Virginia Department of Forestry|url=http://dof.virginia.gov/econ/stats/harvest-val-county-name.htm|access-date=January 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109171613/http://dof.virginia.gov/econ/stats/harvest-val-county-name.htm|archive-date=January 9, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The largest employment sector in the county in 2012 was government, accounting for 34.1% of jobs. Among government jobs, local government jobs represented the majority, with 25.7% of jobs in all sectors. The finance and insurance sector accounted for 9.6% of all jobs, and health care and social assistance accounted for 8.2%. Construction held 7.2% of jobs, followed by retail trade with 6.8%. The remainder of jobs were distributed among various other sectors.<ref name="community profile5"/>  The largest employers were Allen Lowry Logging and Highland County Public Schools.<ref name="community profile6">''[[#profile|Community Profile: Highland County]]'', p. 6.</ref>

Highland County is located in the [[Appalachian region]] as defined by the [[Appalachian Regional Commission]] (ARC).<ref name="ARC list">{{cite web|title=Counties in Appalachia|publisher=Appalachian Regional Commission|url=http://www.arc.gov/counties|access-date=January 14, 2014}}</ref>  The county {{As of|2014|lc=y}} is considered to have a "transitional" economy by the ARC, meaning it ranks "between the worst 25 percent and the best 25 percent" of counties and it is in a transitional period between weak and strong economies.<ref name="ARC data">{{cite web|title=County Economic Status, Fiscal Year 2014: Appalachian Virginia|publisher=Appalachian Regional Commission|url=http://www.arc.gov/reports/region_report.asp?FIPS=51999&REPORT_ID=45|access-date=January 14, 2014}}</ref>