Agriculture: Nebraska's most important farm products are beef cattle, corn, soybeans and hogs. Livestock products account for about 2/3 of Nebraska's farm income and beef cattle are the most important source, followed by hogs. Corn is Nebraska's most important crop, with much of it going to feed cattle and hogs. Other leading crops are soybeans, hay, grain sorghum and wheat. Other crops raised in Nebraska include beans, sugar beets and potatoes. [Find out more]
Manufacturing: Food processing (meat products, breakfast cereal, livestock feed, baked goods, dairy product, soft drinks)is the leading manufacturing activity in Nebraska by a wide margin. The state is one of the world's major meatpacking centers. The production of chemicals (pharmaceuticals, pesticides, fertilizer) ranks as Nebraska's second most important manufacturing enterprise. Machinery (farm equipment, telecommunications equipment, scientific, medical and surgical instruments) ranks third.
Services: Private health care, data processing companies, engineering companies, law firms and repair shops are the leading income producers in the services industries. Ranking second are the wholesale (farm products, farm supplies, food products) and retail (automobile dealerships, grocery stores) trade sector and the insurance, finance and real estate sector. Omaha is a Nebraska financial center. Ranking third are the government services (electrical utilities, public schools, public hospitals, military bases, Indian reservations) and transportation, communication and utilities sectors. Nebraska is the only state where publicly owned utilities provide 100% of the electrical power.
Mining: Petroleum, sand and gravel, and clays for bricks, tiles and pottery. Limestone is mined for construction, making cement and soil treatment.
Natural Resources: Soil and water are Nebraska's most important natural resources. The state lies above a layer of porous rock and other materials called the High Plains Aquifer. This water-saturated layer is like a large underground lake, spreading from Texas to South Dakota. Two thirds of the High Plains Aquifer lies under Nebraska. Nebraska may have more underground water than any other state. Nebraska's mineral resources are scarce; some petroleum and natural gas; some sand and gravel; some limestone and clays.
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