NDSU researchers Dean Bangsund and Nancy Hodur, Gov. Doug Burgum and Greg Lardy, vice president of agricultural affairs at NDSU, share agriculture’s economic contributions during a news release in the state capital. Nancy Johnson | courtesy photo
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Researchers from North Dakota State University (NDSU) recently completed an initial study of the economic contributions of agriculture to the state of North Dakota. The results show it contributed nearly $31 billion to the economy and more than 110,000 jobs.
The NDSU Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics and the NDSU Center for Social Research have partnered to capture the economic contributions of all aspects of agriculture in a single, comprehensive assessment.
“This research marks the first time that agriculture has been broadly defined to include all aspects of industry,” said Nancy Hodur, director of the NDSU Center for Social Research. “Previous studies only looked at a single segment of agriculture, such as a single commodity.”
“Agriculture in North Dakota is much more than agricultural production and involves handling, transportation, processing and manufacturing,” says Dean Bangsund, research scientist with NDSU’s Division of Agribusiness and Applied Economics. “When all agriculture is combined, its impact is significant.”
Key data of the study show:
- Agriculture accounts for 20% to 25% of the state’s economy.
- The total economic contribution is US$30.8 billion.
- Every fifth job in the country is borne by agriculture.
- Of the 110,480 agricultural jobs in the state, about 43,000 jobs are directly involved in agricultural production and processing, and about 67,400 jobs are needed to support the agribusiness.
- Labor income for agricultural activities is $7 billion.
NDSU researchers Dean Bangsund and Nancy Hodur, Gov. Doug Burgum and Greg Lardy, vice president of agricultural affairs at NDSU, share agriculture’s economic contributions during a news release in the state capital. Nancy Johnson | courtesy photo
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“The data shows that the impact of agriculture extends well beyond farms and rural communities,” says Hodur. “This study shows the breadth of agriculture and its importance not only to rural North Dakota but to the entire state.”
“Agriculture is critical to North Dakota’s economy and a driver of economic activity in all 53 counties,” said Greg Lardy, NDSU vice president of agricultural affairs. “This study provides the baseline data needed to move the industry forward. As the state adds additional value-added processing capacity, the economic contribution of agriculture will continue to grow.”
The study was funded by the American Crystal Sugar Company, the Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative, the North Dakota Corn Utilization Council, the North Dakota Dry Bean Council, the North Dakota Farmers Union, the North Dakota Soybean Council, the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, the Northern Canola Growers Association, Northern Pulse Growers Association and Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association.
A detailed summary of the report is available online at http://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/ag-home/publications/north-dakota-agriculture-industry-economic-contribution-analysis.
–NDSU extension
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