$10.4 trillion U.S. food and agriculture industry is a primary engine for national commerce and trade
By Jennifer Shike, Farm Journal’s PORK
Less than 2% of U.S. jobs are on farms, but when you include food manufacturing, wholesale, and retail, agriculture supports 24 million jobs, or 15% of the workforce beyond the farm. (Farm Journal’s Pork)
Did you know that close to one in every three jobs nationwide is tied to food and agriculture?
The latest Feeding the Economy Report says food and agriculture support about 49 million jobs, which is about 30% of total U.S. employment. (https://feedingtheeconomy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Feeding-the-Economy-Report-2026.pdf)
Although less than 2% are on the farm, when you add food manufacturing, wholesale and retail, that equates to another 24 million jobs, or about 15% of the workforce.
Each year, the Feeding the Economy Report measures the downstream, off-the-farm economic impact of U.S. agriculture. Danny Munch, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, says the report tracks three layers of impact.
“When you combine those layers, ag supports about $10.4 trillion in economic output, or about one-fifth of the entire U.S. economy,” Munch declares on his Newsline podcast. To hear the podcast, visit https://www.fb.org/newsline/feeding-the-economy-report-shows-agricultures-significant-economic-impact.
The U.S. agricultural industry grew by nearly $900 billion over the past year, according to a study that is led each year by the Corn Refiners Association and sponsored by three dozen agriculture and food organizations, including the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).
