Feeding The Economy, an economic impact study commissioned by 25 food and agriculture groups, reveals new data on jobs, wages, and economic output at district, state, and nationwide levels. This 2023 report highlights some impressive strides since the 2019 report:
Food and agriculture industries and their suppliers contribute over $8.6 trillion to the U.S. economy, nearly one-fifth of total national output and a 22% increase since the 2019 report. Providing data on jobs, wages, and economic output, this farm-to-fork analysis illustrates the food and agriculture sector’s impact on local and nationwide economic activity. The data also underscores this sector’s resilience and reliability amid unprecedented global and domestic crises, including the commodity shock following the war in Ukraine and continued supply chain disruptions.
This year’s report shows the U.S. food and agriculture sector directly supports nearly 23 million jobs, provides $927 billion in wages, and is particularly vital to rural communities across America. Notably, the 2023 report reveals that the manufacturing of agricultural products accounts for nearly one-fifth of total manufacturing jobs in the U.S. Overall, more than 46 million jobs are supported across the food and agriculture supply chain, increasing nearly 2% since the 2019 report despite the economic challenges and disruptions associated with the global pandemic.
All 50 states displayed increased economic output in the 2023 report compared to the 2022 report, largely reflecting a rebound in national economic activity. The largest gains in total output were from Hawaii (31%), North Dakota (26%), New York (23%), Nevada (22%), and Florida (21%). Key findings from national data include:
Total Jobs: 46,283,917 (up 1.5% since the 2019 report)
Total Wages: $2.61 trillion (up 26.2% since the 2019 report)
Total Taxes: $947.93 billion (up 3.8% since the 2019 report)
Exports: $202.2 billion (up 24.4% since the 2019 report)
Total Food and Ag Industry Economic Impact: $8.6 trillion (up 21.8% since the 2019 report)
The strength and growth highlighted in this year’s report reinforce that agriculture is evolving and innovating to meet the demands of the 21st century. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, between 1948 and 2019, land use for agriculture decreased by 28% while land productivity grew nearly four times and labor productivity grew more than 10 times. In fact, agriculture’s total factor productivity growth rate is among the highest of U.S. sectors.
Take a county level dive into agriculture's huge impact on our economy