Potato Grower

WWW.POTATOGROWER.COM 35 percent since the 2019 report) Total Food and Ag Industry Eco- nomic Impact: $8.6 trillion (up 21.8 percent since the 2019 report) The strength and growth highlight- ed in this year's report reinforce that agriculture is evolving and innovat- ing to meet the demands of the 21st century. According to the U.S. Depart- ment of Agriculture, between 1948 and 2019, land use for agriculture decreased by 28 percent while land productiv- ity grew nearly four times and labor productivity grew more than 10 times. In fact, agri- culture's total factor produc- tivity growth rate is among the highest of U.S. sectors. "Agriculture is foundational to the U.S. economy, reaching far beyond the farm gate, supporting over 46 million jobs. In manufacturing, more than twice as many Ameri- cans are manufacturing agri- cultural products as cars and trucks," said Corn Refiners Association President and CEO John Bode. "The resilience of the food and agriculture sector is clear – all 50 states increased economic output in the 2023 report." This latest report, along with additional quotes from sponsoring organizations, can be found at www. FeedingTheEconomy.com. PG New Report Reveals Growing Footprint, Influence Of Food & Ag Sector In U.S. Economy, Beating Pre-Pandemic Levels Washington, D.C. – Recently, 25 food and agriculture groups released the 7th annual Feeding the Economy report, revealing 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 percent increase since the 2019 report. Providing data on jobs, wages, and economic output, this farm-to-fork analysis illustrates the food and agri- culture 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 agri- culture supply chain, increasing nearly 2 percent 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 re- flecting a rebound in national economic activity. The largest gains in total output were from Hawaii (31 percent), North Dakota (26 percent), New York (23 percent), Nevada (22 percent), and Flor- ida (21 percent). Key findings from national data include: Total Jobs: 46,283,917 (up 1.5 per- cent since the 2019 report) Total Wages: $2.61 trillion (up 26.2 percent since the 2019 report) Total Taxes: $947.93 billion (up 3.8 percent since the 2019 report) Exports: $202.2 billion (up 24.4 4110-7Greentronics13s.indd 1 4110-7Greentronics13s.indd 1 1/31/23 8:38 AM 1/31/23 8:38 AM • • • • •

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