While Garland was originally founded as an agricultural community reliant on cotton, onions, and cattle, modern-day Garland is a fully developed urban and suburban environment. Traditional farming and agriculture no longer play a role in the city's direct economy.
However, the legacy of agriculture remains embedded in the city's massive food processing industry. Facilities within the city limits process and package millions of pounds of food products distributed nationally. On a local level, agriculture is limited to residential gardening, local nurseries, and community gardens supported by local sustainability initiatives.