Wellton, Arizona

McElhaney Feedyard, a 115,000-head feedyard completed in 1963, is located in the Mohawk Valley near the Gila Mountains in the town of Wellton, Arizona.

Wellton, a town of 1,900 to 2,900, experiences tremendous population growth during the winter months as “snowbirds” from the western U.S. and Canada escape the winter to enjoy the warm Arizona climate. Wellton has a rich western history stemming from its roots as a water stop for the railroad (hence the name Wellton or “Well Town”) and the Butterfield Stage Coach. Wellton is located 30 miles east of Yuma, Arizona, where the sun shines more often than any other city on earth, and 55 miles north of the Mexican border.

Many people think of Arizona as a big, dusty desert and are surprised to learn that agriculture is Yuma County’s No. 1 industry. In fact, it is the winter vegetable capital of the world. Yuma County, with its rich soil, ample labor, high-quality irrigation water, mild winters, little danger of hard frost, more than 350 days of plentiful sunshine a year and longest growing season in the country, is an ideal area to raise cattle.

McElhaney was originally built by the McElhaney Cattle Company.