Agriculture in West Virginia produces significant amounts of income, provides full and part-time employment for substantial numbers of people, helps to make rural areas pleasant places to live, and creates amenities for residents visitors to the state. Agriculture in the State follows the trends in U.S. Agriculture. However, farms in the state are smaller and a larger proportion of its farm income is derived from livestock and livestock products with the poultry industry now surpassing beef cattle as the largest source of farm income.