The Feeding the Economy report is an annual study measuring the economic impact of the entire U.S. food and agriculture value chain, including farming, ranching, food manufacturing, processing, distribution, retail, and foodservice.
The report highlights how these industries support jobs, economic growth, and communities across urban, suburban, and rural America.
The 2026 (tenth annual) Feeding the Economy report highlights the importance of the food and agriculture supply chain to the U.S. economy and the need for comprehensive policies to support and bolster the farm economy. When farmers and ranchers succeed, America succeeds.
According to the report, America’s food and agriculture industries generate more than $10.4 trillion in economic activity, representing nearly 20% of the total U.S. economic output. Some key findings include:
- The U.S. food and agriculture industries support nearly 49 million workers – about 1 in 5 American jobs.
- Direct employment in the sector has grown 6.5% over the last decade.
- Food and agriculture employment generates more than $3 trillion in wages for American workers.
- America’s food and agriculture sectors are responsible for $1.35 trillion in government tax revenue.
- Exports dropped about $5.4 billion YOY, demonstrating why securing and maintaining strong trade deals is critical for American agriculture.
- U.S. equipment manufacturers, support 2.2 million jobs and contribute $415 billion annually to U.S. GDP.
This report arrives at a critical time for the North American food and agriculture sector, as the industry faces pressure stemming from economic strain inflation and trade uncertainty. However, it is evident that despite these stressors, the ag industry is still an economic powerhouse.
EDITOR’S TAKE:
Yes, agriculture and the entire food and fuel system do play an enormous role in our overall economy. In addition, it is a “strategic national security” component of the economy. One has to look no further than some of the struggling nations across the globe to witness just how basic and important agriculture is to a thriving economy. With less than 2% of our population involved directly in farming, that allows the other 98% to pursue other careers. It is difficult to overstate the importance of agriculture in our economy and our everyday lives.
Once you truly realize and appreciate just how important agriculture is to not only the national economy, but your market area, then you can better understand how the CAD program can help you penetrate that market in a very rewarding way. With the new tools that are available from your CAD team, we can also help you measure the market potential, devise a marketing strategy and measure success compared to that plan. We are here to help! Be sure to contact The Certified Ag Group team and let us know how we can be of assistance.
