3/18/25 • General

Ninth Annual “Feeding the Economy” Report Demonstrates Immense Impact of the American Food and Agriculture Industry Amidst Economic Challenges

American agriculture contributes $9.5 trillion in economic value and 1 million jobs to national economy

March 18, 2025

Washington, D.C.–Today, 36 food and agriculture groups released the ninth annual Feeding the Economy report, a farm-to-fork study of the entire agricultural supply chain. The report analyzes the robust direct and indirect economic contributions of one of America’s most essential industries to U.S. jobs, wages, economic output, and taxes.

The 2025 report confirms the agriculture industry is at the heart of the U.S. economy, generating more than $9.5 trillion in economic value, which amounts to 18.7% of the overall national economy. While these findings highlight the enormous impact of the agriculture industry, this is a modest decrease compared to 2024, when agriculture contributed more than $9.6 trillion to the economy, about 20% of total economic output.

“Despite difficult economic times for producers and a whole host of challenges for the nation’s ag manufacturers, the American food and agriculture sector remains a critical player in the overall U.S. economy,” said Corn Refiners Association President and CEO John Bode. “Together, producers, processors, retailers, chefs, manufacturers, transportation professionals, and the scientific community they depend upon are truly Feeding the American economy.

“To ensure the strength of the national economy and one of its most essential industries, it is critical to understand the immense impact of the agriculture industry on a range of economic indicators, including jobs, wages, taxes, and exports.”

Additional highlights from the 2025 Feeding the Economy report include:

  • The agriculture industry has shown significant growth since the pandemic, increasing its economic output by close to 25% and demonstrating the industry’s resilience and innovation amidst global supply chain challenges. 
  • Direct employment in food and agriculture has grown by more than 1 million jobs since 2020, contributing to overall American job growth and high U.S. employment rates.
  • The United States exports nearly $183 billion in food and agriculture products, critical to the strength and growth of our industry.

Despite these considerable gains and notable contributions to the U.S. economy, certain emerging trends represent an industry under pressure. Direct and indirect industry wages have grown year-over-year but have failed to keep pace with inflation, reflecting nationwide economic stressors and the high cost of labor for employers. Additionally, the number of agricultural manufacturing jobs has fallen year-over-year and is down nearly 30,000 jobs since 2020.

Sponsoring organizations from the food and agriculture industries who helped make the 2025 study possible provided commentary on this year’s findings. The full list of sponsoring organizations includes:

  • American Bakers Association
  • American Beverage Association
  • American Farm Bureau Federation
  • American Frozen Food Institute
  • American Peanut Council
  • American Soybean Association
  • Association of Equipment Manufacturers
  • Biotechnology Innovation Organization
  • Consumer Brands Association
  • Corn Refiners Association
  • CropLife America
  • Edible Oil Producers Association
  • The Fertilizer Institute
  • FMI-The Food Industry Association
  • Global Cold Chain Alliance
  • International Dairy Foods Association
  • International Fresh Produce Association
  • Meat Institute
  • National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
  • National Association of Wheat Growers
  • National Corn Growers Association
  • National Fisheries Institute
  • National Grain and Feed Association
  • National Grocers Association
  • National Milk Producers Federation
  • National Oilseed Processors Association
  • National Pork Producers Council
  • National Restaurant Association
  • North American Millers’ Association
  • Peanut and Tree Nut Processors Association
  • Plant Based Products Council
  • SNAC International
  • The Sugar Association
  • United Soybean Board
  • U.S. Dairy Export Council
  • U.S. Grains Council

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The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) is the national trade association representing the corn refining industry of the United States. CRA and its predecessors have served this important segment of American agribusiness since 1913. Corn refiners manufacture sweeteners, starch, advanced bioproducts, corn oil and feed products from corn components such as starch, oil, protein and fiber.