Surprisingly to some, agriculture is one of the largest industries in the United States. Its sectors are diverse and range from farms and forestry to textile manufacturing and foodservice. In fact, America is one of the world’s top exporters and the largest market for agricultural products. This nation is the #1 producer and exporter of corn, followed closely by soybeans.

According to the USDA, in 2019, the Agriculture industry brought $1.109 trillion to the United States gross domestic product (GDP). The industry also provides over 22 million jobs. Let’s take a look at the fastest growing agricultural sectors according to the latest 2019 data available.

Food and Beverage

The Food and Beverage sector is the fastest-growing agricultural sector. This includes food and beverage stores, food service, eating and drinking entities, and manufacturing. It single-handedly provided 16.2 million jobs in 2019 and contributed over 1,000 billion dollars to the United State’s GDP.

Within the food and beverage sector, meat and poultry production is the largest sub-sector and accounts for over 29%, followed by bakery products at a little over 15%.

Textile and Apparel Manufacturing

Coming in as the second-fastest-growing sector is Textile and Apparel Manufacturing. In 2019, this agricultural sector contributed around 350 billion dollars to the GDP. This sector is crucial to the United States economy for various reasons, including:

• Creating jobs in rural areas
• Provide crucial supplies to the United States military
• The leader in textile research and development

The textile and apparel manufacturing sector uses technology to make quick advancements, including body armor and apparel with medical monitoring properties, to name a few.

Forestry and Fishing

Forestry and Fishing is the third-largest agricultural sector, contributing about 100 billion dollars to the United States GDP. This sector is vital to the nation’s economy because it provides countries worldwide with food products and other raw materials such as paper. As with most sectors, technology allows Forestry and Fishing to make rapid advancements and increase the total amount of product produced.

Are You Making the Right Hires?

There is no doubt that the agricultural industry is the heartbeat of the world. It is our source for food, clothing, structures, and so much more. Staying at the forefront of the agricultural sectors starts with making the right hires. Partnering with one of the nation’s leading agricultural staffing agency will help you do just that. Morris Bixby specializes in finding the highest quality agricultural candidates to fit your personnel needs! Contact us today, and let’s get started!