Follow-up to my message above regarding produce production costs.
It turns out that there is a direct comparison available:
https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=ARIZONA
https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=NEBRASKA
While there are things grown in Arizona that are not grown in Nebraska (cotton and lemons, for example) due to the climate, direct comparisons are illustrative:
Corn, grain:
Nebraska: 194 bu/acre, 5.4 $/bu
Arizona: 181 bu/acre, 6.6 $/bu
Hay:
Nebraska: 2.46 tons/acre, 140 $/ton
Arizona: 7.94 tons/acre, 205 $/ton
Continuing down the list, there are some items that the yields/acre are higher in the desert and some that are not. I did not, however, see any single item grown in both places where the cost per bu (or cwt or lb) is lower in Arizona.