The Value of Agriculture to Nebraska
The Nebraska Farm Bureau weighed in this week on a new report released by the University of Nebraska that shows agriculture remains a critical component of the state’s economy. The 2017 Economic Impact of the Nebraska Agricultural Production Complex report notes that agriculture accounts for nearly 34 percent of Nebraska’s business sales, 22 percent of the gross state product, and nearly a quarter of the state’s jobs. In 2017, 321,000 workers were employed in a position connected to Nebraska’s ag industry. In a statement, Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson pointed to the critical role production agriculture plays in job creation. “The report clearly demonstrates how the work of our farm and ranch families continue to serve as seeds that subsequently help sprout into jobs in the areas of food processing, ag-based manufacturing, biotechnology, and transportation,” said Nelson.
