Agriculture is Big Business in Tennessee
November 2, 2004
Farming and related industries provided over 582,000
jobs in Tennessee in 2001, or about 16.8% of total state employment,
according to the USDA’s Economic Research Service. For comparison,
about 14.6% of total national employment was provided by the agricultural
sector in 2001. 2001 is the latest year for which industry level
data are available.
More than one-third of farm and farm-related jobs were in farm
production and closely related industries. These industries provide
inputs and services to farms, process farm products, and market
agricultural goods. Farm production employment, which includes farm
proprietors and hired farm workers, provided nearly 107,400 jobs.
The input and service industries, including farm machinery and equipment,
fertilizers, pesticides, and commodity brokers, provided about 20,000
jobs. Agricultural processing and marketing industries, which prepare
and handle agricultural products after they leave the farm, provided
nearly 74,000 jobs.
Industries indirectly related to farming, including wholesale and
retail trade in agricultural products and indirect agribusiness
like fertilizer and chemical mining, provided over 381,000 jobs.
These industries accounted for the largest share of farm and farm-related
employment in Tennessee as well as the nation as a whole.
More than 177,000 farm and farm-related jobs were located in non-metropolitan
Tennessee counties in 2001. These jobs accounted for about 23.1%
of all non-metro employment in Tennessee. Farming and its closely
related industries provided more than one-half of these jobs.
Nearly 405,000 farm and farm-related jobs were located in metro
Tennessee counties in 2001. Agricultural wholesale and retail trade
industries were an important source of jobs for metro workers, accounting
for approximately 70% of farm and farm related employment.
More information is available on the web at:
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/FarmandRelatedEmployment/
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