We know agriculture is a cornerstone of the American economy. But on National Ag Day last week, we got some specifics. Tell us about this, Commissioner.

We are members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), which works with 35 other groups to commission the annual Feeding the Economy report.

This report shows the direct and indirect economic contributions of agribusiness.

Positives:

• The agriculture industry generates more than $9.5 trillion in economic value, which amounts to 18.7% of the overall national economy.
• Supports $2.82 trillion in wages.
• The US exports nearly $183 billion in food and agriculture products, critical to the strength and growth of our industry.

Less positive trends:

• Industry has seen a slight decrease in economic value since 2024.
• The number of agricultural manufacturing jobs has fallen year-over-year and is down nearly 30,000 jobs since 2020.

Overall direction since the pandemic shows strength of American agriculture:

• Agriculture industry has increased its economic output by 25% since pandemic.
• Direct employment in food and agriculture has grown by more than 1 million jobs since 2020.