With recent stimulus packages and bailouts, “billions” is a word that gets thrown around lot, but how about “trillion” – $2.5 trillion, to be exact.  That’s the total asset value of farms in the United States.

Economic Value
Here’s something that will surprise you… agriculture generates 20% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product! From raw commodities like cotton and peas to manufacturing like farm tractors and food processing machines, the agriculture industry means big-time products and services. That trickles down to touch every aspect of the economy, such as income taxes and property values. No wonder the U.S. economy cannot be strong unless our agriculture industry is prosperous.

Jobs
You don’t have to be a farmer or rancher to have a job in agriculture. Careers in the industry range from geneticist to graphic artist. That’s why 1 in 4 American jobs is agriculture-related. Just look at your own little circle. Who do you know that works for a food company, a greenhouse, a trucking firm, or even advertising agency specializing in golf course management.

Trade
Think of the last time you saw a TV story about people in other nations embracing an American import. Was it an iPhone, McDonalds… or maybe even Mickey Mouse? It probably wasn’t a barge full of corn, but in fact, agriculture is America's #1 export. About 17% of raw U.S. agriculture products are exported every year.

How much is 17%? The United States exports $43.5 billion in agriculture products and important $26.4 billion in farm products, equaling a positive net trade balance of $17.1 billion. For every hour of the day, the U.S. exports $6 million worth of agricultural products.

How about in English this time? On average, for every three acres an American farmer plants, one acre’s worth is exported. About 1/4th of gross farm income is due to exports.

Source: Agriculture Council of America, ERS