Vermont Agriculture

Most of Vermont’s land is hilly and rocky, making it an ideal place to raise livestock such as cows, sheep, goats and llamas. The terrain is a testament to Vermont’s nickname, the Green Mountain State, named for the Green Mountain ridge running down the center of the state. There are other mountain ridges as well – the Appalachian, Hoosac and Taconic. The land is also great for growing hay and Vermont is the largest hay-producing state in New England.

Dairy accounts for nearly 65% of Vermont’s agricultural cash receipts. Most major cattle breeds are found in the state, along with many breeds of sheep, llamas, alpacas, goats, chickens, turkeys, emus and rare poultry types. Vermont is famous for being the home of the Morgan horse breed. A variety of crops are produced, too, including apples, honey, corn, Christmas trees, maple products and more. More than 6,000 farms averaging 180 acres in size work to produce these commodities.