Agriculture is an important sector in U.S. economy, and its contribution to the nation’s well-being can’t be underestimated. It is estimated that about 4.8 million farms are located in the U.S., and the industry employs about 2.6 million people. This means that approximately one percent of the whole U.S. population is involved in agriculture. The data also suggests that farmers and ranchers have an average age of nearly 59 years, and about 55% of them are male.
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service provides annual population surveys and other data related to U.S. farmers. From this survey, it is estimated that approximately 15% of the country’s population relies on the production of food, fiber, and fuel, directly or indirectly. Women are estimated to account for the largest portion of this percentage (37%). However, their contribution to the industry is often undervalued given the number of tasks they perform, such as raising and tending livestock and taking part in a wide range of agricultural activities.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture also provides information on how much land is used for agricultural production. According to the agency, the area of cropland dedicated to agriculture in the U.S. accounts for roughly 41% of the total land mass. This amounts to approximately 836 million acres of land. This means that more than one-third of the country’s land mass is used for the production of food, fiber and fuel.
In terms of the economic impact of agriculture, it is estimated that the industry accounts for nearly $1.1 trillion in economic activity annually. The industry contributes significantly to the nation’s food supply, and it also creates jobs in rural areas. In addition, agricultural production accounts for 6 percent of U.S. GDP, making it one of the largest sectors in the economy.
Moreover, the industry’s impact extends beyond U.S. borders. U.S. agricultural exports produce an additional $160 billion in revenues each year, making the United States one of the world’s largest exporters of agricultural products. And with the growing demand for organic food, it is expected that the U.S. agriculture market will continue to grow. This expectation has been reinforced by the recent investments made in the industry by some of the country’s leading companies.
Employment in Agriculture
Despite its importance to the U.S. economy, the agriculture industry has long been associated with low wages and high job insecurity. It is estimated that the total population engaged in agriculture amounts to 5.3 million individuals, and it is home to nearly two-thirds of the total population employed in the U.S. The 2019 data shows that most of this population is comprised of men (almost 81%) and the average age of workers is almost 50 years.
Analysis of the distribution of wages in the agriculture industry in the U.S. has concluded that a large portion of the workforce is not earning a living wage. In fact, it is estimated that only 35 percent of the workers make enough money to support their families. This can be attributed to the fact that the vast majority of farm labor positions are not unionized and do not benefit from collective bargaining agreements.
Moreover, agricultural workers also face a number of other challenges, such as exposure to hazardous conditions, including exposure to pesticides, heat, dust, and extreme temperatures. Many of these conditions can have long-term effects on the health of workers, and employers are increasingly under pressure to address these health and safety concerns.
Furthermore, the seasonal nature of agricultural work often means that it is difficult for workers to find steady employment. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that the majority of agricultural workers (53%) work less than 35 hours per week, with 30 percent of them working less than 20 hours a week. This can create considerable instability and financial insecurity.
Impact of COVID-19 on Agriculture
The coronavirus pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the agriculture sector, with disruption to global food supply chains, as well as increased pressure on food producers and workers. As of 2020, the USDA estimated that the pandemic could cost the U.S. economy upwards of $47 billion in direct and indirect agricultural losses. The impact of these losses is likely to be worse in rural areas and for small and mid-sized farms.
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the government has implemented a number of measures to help farmers and agricultural workers. The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, for example, provides financial assistance to farmers, producers and processors affected by the pandemic. In addition, the USDA has expanded its SNAP program to ease food insecurity in more rural parts of the country. These measures have been welcomed by the agriculture industry, but they haven’t been enough to fully counter the effects of the pandemic.
The agriculture industry has also seen an increase in demand for its products, with government statistics revealing a major decrease in domestic consumption of food. This has created a surge in demand for agricultural products, and producers have had to adapt to meet this increased demand. Despite this, there are still significant challenges facing the industry, as producers struggle to bridge the gap between supply and demand.
In addition to the financial losses, the pandemic has resulted in a decrease in labor in the agriculture industry. The number of workers employed in agriculture has decreased significantly, resulting in a major labor shortage in rural areas. This has created additional pressure on farms and producers, as they are unable to meet their labor needs, and it has also resulted in increased levels of stress for those who remain employed.
Digital Agriculture
In recent years, agricultural firms have begun to turn to technology and digital tools to address some of the challenges being faced by the industry. The advent of digital agriculture has allowed for the use of automated systems, automated tools, and robotic technologies, which can be used to monitor, manage, and operate the activities of farms. In particular, digital technologies can be used to monitor yields, optimize crop production, and collect data on soil and field conditions.
The use of digital technologies in agriculture is believed to be beneficial in several ways. For example, digital tools can help farms become more efficient and reduce the cost of production. In addition, digital tools can also help to increase yields, reduce the environmental impacts of farming, and improve the safety of farms. For example, the use of drones can be used to identify pests and diseases, as well as detect hazardous conditions, such as soil erosion.
More importantly, digital agriculture can help to improve the sustainability of agriculture. By improving the efficiency of farms, digital agriculture can help to reduce waste, conserve resources, and reduce climate change-related threats. This can be achieved through the use of computer vision technologies, which can detect soil and field conditions, as well as the use of artificial intelligence techniques, which can be used to optimize the production of crops.
Digital agriculture is also being used to improve the quality of produce. For example, digital technologies can be used to track fruits and vegetables as they make their way through the supply chain, and by doing so, producers can ensure that the produce is of the highest standard. Digital tools can also be used to reduce food waste, as they can be used to monitor expiration dates and enable produce to be sold before it spoils.
Impact of Technology on Employment
The use of digital tools in the agriculture sector has raised questions about the potential impact on employment. Many experts have suggested that digital technologies, such as robotics and automation, could lead to large scale job losses in the industry, as they could reduce the need for manual labor. However, others argue that digital tools could lead to an increase in demand for skilled labor, as they require employees to have certain technical and problem-solving skills.
Furthermore, the use of digital tools can also result in the creation of new jobs in the agriculture sector. For example, the use of digital technologies can lead to the creation of jobs in data analysis and research, as well as jobs in the development and maintenance of the hardware and software used in the technology. In addition, the use of digital technologies can also lead to the creation of jobs in the areas of logistics, distribution, and marketing of agriculture products.
Ultimately, the use of digital technologies has the potential to improve the efficiency and sustainability of the agriculture industry, and this could have a positive impact on employment in the sector. However, it is important to note that technology cannot be seen as a panacea for all of the challenges faced by the agriculture sector. Ultimately, it remains important for the government to introduce measures that address the underlying causes of the labour challenges faced by the industry.
