The U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and private land holdings provide for a large livestock industry. Alfalfa and wild meadow hay provide for winter feed and hay for sale outside the county. The cattle industry is counted on to provide an average of $28,000,000 per year to the economy of the county.

Ponderosa pine, a renewable resource, has played an important role in the economy of Harney County. The Malheur and Ochoco National Forests provide logs for lumber product. Harney County companies produce high grade pine lumber, engineered structural lumber products and furniture. Exotic woods and greens are found in abundance: sage, mountain mahogany, juniper, aspen, tamarack and several species of fir.
 

A very promising resource (as yet, largely undeveloped) is geothermal energy. Extensive areas with known or suspected underground hot water reservoirs have been located. Geothermal energy is being used in at least one manufacturing facility for heating.
 

Vast quantities of water appear to be available in the Harney Basin, which serves a collecting basin and storage area covering thousands of square miles of drainage. Deep well water from Burns and Hines and other parts of the county is suitable for distribution as bottled water.
 

Minerals found in Harney County in commercial quantities include pumice, zeolite, diatomaceous earth, cinnabar (mercury ore), copper, gold, silver and related minerals. Commercial deposits of uranium ore have also been identified.
 

Rock hounding enthusiasts can find large quantities and varieties of obsidian, agate, petrified wood, jaspers, opalite and others.