ERS

Thanks to increasing labor costs, more and more fruit and vegetable growers are looking to rely on mechanical aid when it comes to harvest and improving efficiencies.   “A good example is in the Washington state apple industry growers are using platforms now where there are teams of workers could ride on the platform between orchard rows and move up and down that we don't have to lug around ladder

Data published this week by ERS shows rotational grazing adoption varies by region.  Rotational grazing is a management practice in which livestock are cycled through multiple fenced grazing areas to manage forage production, forage quality, animal health, and environmental quality.  In a re...

U.S. farm cash receipts from animals and animal products totaled $195.8 billion in 2021, led by receipts for cattle and calves at $72.9 billion, or 37%.  USDA’s Economic Research Service reports that poultry and egg products made up the next largest share of 2021 cash receipts at $46.1 billion, or 2...

According to ERS, the value of U.S. agricultural imports grew an average of 4% a year between fiscal years 2012 and 2022.  Total U.S. agricultural imports rose from $139 billion to $194 billion, with growth concentrated in select commodity groups.  Horticu...

Over the last two decades, the strongest rural job gains were in smaller industries that tend to employ high-skill workers.  USDA's Economic Research Service reports the highest growth was in the real estate industry.  Also showing rapid growth was the administrative services industry, which includes office administration, facilities support, business support services, security services, conventio

NASS says it will publish the first official estimate of the 2023-2024 winter wheat crop planted area on Thursday, January 12th.  U.S. Wheat Associates and America’s wheat-importing customers will be watching trade estimates before the report is issued.   Wheat ...

In a few weeks when American producers close the books on 2022 they will have taken the overall farm sector income to record high levels.  ERS recently released its new farm income forecast for 2022 and it shows net cash farm income will be just under $188 billion.   “...

According to ERS, cover crop mixes account for 18%-25% of acres with cover crops.  However, the use of single-species cover crops is more common.    For corn fields in 2021, almost 75% of acres with cover crops used a grass or small grain cover crop, such as cereal rye, winter wheat, or oats.  At 44% of ac...

American farm establishments received 14.5 cents per dollar spent on domestically produced food in 2021; a decrease of 1.0 cent from a revised 15.5 cents in 2020.  The figure is the lowest recorded farm share value in nearly three decades, according to ERS.  The rem...

In 2021, households that included an adult with disabilities reported higher food insecurity rates than households with no adults with disabilities.  ERS reports that in 2021, for U.S. households that included an adult out of the labor force because of a disability, 28% were food insecure.  Am...