Millions of people are employed annually in the vital industry of agriculture in the United States. Scientists, farmers, food specialists, ecologists, environmental specialists, and professionals in animal care can all find plenty of work in the agriculture industry.
Leading the way in agricultural science, the US is a valuable role model for other nations looking to address the world’s food problems.
The globe can always rely on American agriculture to provide safe, reasonably priced food and agricultural products. In the 2017 fiscal year, the United States exported $141 billion worth of agricultural products, the third biggest amount ever recorded. The country also generated a $22 billion agriculture trade surplus, a 30% rise over 2016.
Among others, below are some major importance of Agriculture;
Creating a Strong Supply Chain: Transporting commodities like agricultural products involves the use of road, rail, and ocean freight. A global supply chain may be impacted by delays in the shipment of agricultural items from a Los Angeles port to China and vice versa.
For instance, the Iowa Soybean Association reports that a number of reasons, such as delays in the shipments of crops from South America, caused sales of Iowa’s soybean crops to soar in 2021. In this instance, Iowa gained an advantage in terms of competition. Crop delays, however, may also be harmful to areas that are anticipating shipments, reducing the amount of goods available on store shelves and impacting livelihoods.
Provision of Essential Raw Materials: One of the main components of the world economy is raw materials. The inability to obtain raw materials prevents producers from producing goods. The basic resources steel, minerals, and coal are not used in agriculture. Nonetheless, a lot of basic resources come from agriculture, like herbs that give food taste and lumber used in construction. For instance, corn is used to grow food and provides the raw material needed to make ethanol, a kind of fuel. Another illustration would be resins, which are plant-based compounds used in a variety of industrial applications like paints, varnishes, and adhesives for building.
Encouraging Economic Development: Because agriculture is linked to other economic sectors and promotes job creation and economic development, it has an impact on global trade. According to USAID, nations with robust agricultural sectors see increases in employment across other industries. Because farmers in these nations innovate using technology and farm management techniques to increase agricultural output and profitability, they also have greater per capita incomes than countries with stagnant or declining agricultural productivity.
Top Agricultural States in the US
Missouri: Rich in history and offering a wide variety of agricultural products, Missouri’s agriculture sector plays a crucial role in the state’s economy. It is one of the US’s most productive agricultural states. The state’s share of the US’s overall commodity receipts in 2022 was 2.8%.
South Dakota: A key component of the state’s economy, South Dakota’s agriculture sector produces a wide variety of agricultural goods. The principal products of the state’s agriculture industry are soybeans and corn. The agricultural sector in South Dakota is an essential one that not only supports nearby communities but also makes a substantial contribution to the country’s overall agricultural environment.
Georgia: Georgia is a prominent agricultural state in the US, renowned for producing a wide variety of agricultural products. Georgia produces a number of well-known agricultural goods, such as cotton, peanuts, and broilers. The state received 2.4% of all commodities received in the US in 2022.
Arkansas: Arkansas’s economy depends heavily on agriculture, which also makes a major contribution to the state’s total economic output. Arkansas produces a wide range of agricultural goods, including rice and soybeans, due to its unique geography and climate. It is one of the US’s most productive agricultural states.
Wisconsin: Wisconsin’s economy heavily depends on the state’s agricultural industry. It is one of the US’s most productive agricultural states. The state received 3.1% of all goods received by the US in 2022. In terms of maize and cranberry production, Wisconsin leads the nation.
Ohio: Ohio An important industry that makes a big difference in the state’s economy and sense of culture is agriculture. The agriculture sector in Ohio is essential to the state’s employment market and the production of a wide variety of goods. Ohio is a top producer of dairy products and livestock.
