Agriculture: About 3/4 of Utah's agricultural income is generated by livestock and livestock products. Beef cattle and milk lead the way in this sector. Hogs are also an important source of livestock income. Other products are eggs and sheep. Utah is a leading sheep state. Hay is Utah's largest crop, grown to feed beef and dairy cattle. The wheat, barley and corn crops are also important. Leading fruits are apples, cherries and peaches. Leading vegetables are potatoes and onions. Potted flowers and ornamental shrubs are also part of Utah's farm economy. [Find out more]
Manufacturing: Computer and electronics products, including communication equipment, computer microchips and scientific instruments, make up Utah's leading manufactured products list. Ranking second is primary metals manufacturing, producing steel, aluminum and copper in the state. Processed foods and beverages (dairy products, baked goods, meat products, snack foods) rank third.
Services: The community, business and personal services group provides the most valuable services industries in Utah including private health care, hotels and ski resorts, law firms, engineering companies, software development and repair shops. Ranking second is the finance, insurance and real estate group. Population growth has benefited the real estate sector. A large banking company and several credit card companies have established operations in Utah. The wholesale trade (food products, mined products, motor vehicles) and retail trade (automobile dealerships, discount stores, grocery stores, restaurants) services group ranks third in the state. Most of Utah's services are centered in metropolitan areas of the state.
Mining: Petroleum and copper are the most valuable mined products of Utah followed by natural gas. Uranium is mined when economic conditions make it profitable. Utah is the only state that produces gilsonite, a pure form of asphalt used in dark colored printing inks and paints, oil well drilling muds and cements, asphalt modifiers, foundry sands additives and a wide variety of chemical products. Magnesium and natural salts are produced from the Great Salt Lake. Utah is the country's leading producer of molybdenum and potassium salts. Other mined products include sand and gravel, clay, gemstones, gypsum and phosphate rock.
Natural Resources: Utah's natural resources include a depth of rich mineral deposit and some mountain and valley soils. Coal, petroleum, natural gas and uranium are prevalent in Utah along with some of the country's richest deposits of oil shale and tar sands. Rich deposits of copper, gold, molybdenum and silver are found in the state. The Great Salt Lake is a source of magnesium and salts. Coal and copper are official symbols of Utah.