Major crops include corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, potatoes, strawberries, sweet corn, beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and watermelon. Hog farms, commercial horse facilities, and a variety of businesses related to outdoor recreation also contribute to the economy of South Virginia Beach. Strawberry field in South Virginia Beach using drip irrigation and a plasticulture system, techniques designed to improve crop quality and minimize water use. At least 380,000 gallons per day are withdrawn from the shallow aquifer system in South Virginia Beach. This is a conservative estimate, accounting only for water withdrawn for domestic supply and assuming each person uses 75 gallons per day.
Domestic supply accounts for most of the ground-water use in South Virginia Beach.
The only crops that are irrigated extensively are strawberries, tomatoes, and, occasionally, sweet corn. Farmers rely on precipitation and a system of runoff collection and retention ditches to provide sufficient water for the other major crops. An increase in irrigation likely will accompany the shift in crops as fruit and vegetable growers attempt to ensure the quality of their products to maximize their market value. North Virginia Beach Virginia Beach north of and including the Transition Area is highly urbanized and has a population of nearly 420,000. Tourism, military operations, retail and wholesale trade, and light industry constitute the economy of this region.