Agriculture continues to play an important role in Utah’s economy, according to a Utah State University study.
The study found that when taking into account related industries such as food processing, agriculture contributed $17.5 billion to the state’s economy in 2011, or 14.1 percent of the total. It also found that agricultural production and processing directly and indirectly generated about 78,000 jobs and $2.7 billion in compensation.
The study, released by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food offices, took a broader view of agriculture’s impact than previous studies by examining all related sectors.
According to study co-author Paul Jakus, an economics professor at USU, most people overlook the processing sector, which includes plants where dairy and meat products are made. The food processing sector accounts for 15 percent of all manufacturing jobs in Utah, with the jobs averaging more than $18 per hour.
The strongest sector in Utah’s agricultural market is dairy farming, accounting for 22.5 percent of the cash receipts in 2011. Cattle comes next at 19.4 percent, followed by hay at 15.4 percent.
Topics Agribusiness
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