More Than 46 Million Jobs are Tied to Food

The farms dotted all over the U.S. vary in crops, size, structure, setting, and more, but they have the same goal — feeding people. According to a new report, they also feed into the $8.6 trillion economic engine that is America’s food and agriculture sector. That number represents nearly one-fifth of the country’s economic activity.

The report, titled “Feeding the Economy,” is published annually and supported by a range of U.S. farmer and agricultural groups. The recently released 2023 edition shows that every state grew its agricultural economic output compared to 2022.

The bulk of economic activity can be contributed to the fact that agriculture is directly responsible for 22.92 million jobs, or almost 15% of U.S. employment. This number includes jobs on more than 2 million farms and in agribusinesses.

Important Information:

Meat USDA Expands Meat and Poultry Processing Options

he U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the availability of up to $125 million through two new grant programs that will create more options for meat and poultry farmers by investing in independent, local meat and poultry processing projects that increase competition and enhance the resiliency of the food supply chain.

These new grant programs, the Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant Program and the Local Meat Capacity Grant Program, are part of the broader $1 billion American Rescue Plan investment by the Biden-Harris Administration to expand processing capacity for small and midsized meat and poultry processors.

Beef Leadership Institute Inaugural Members

Thirteen representatives from all facets of Wisconsin’s beef industry were selected to participate in the first Wisconsin Beef Leadership Institute hosted by the Wisconsin Beef Council and the Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association.

“We are incredibly impressed with the quality and diversity of applicants in this first year of the Wisconsin Beef Leadership Institute,” Kaitlyn Riley, Wisconsin Beef Council director of communications and outreach said. “From dairy and beef farmers to leaders in the food service industry, the beef supply chain is well represented. They are eager to learn, and it’s our goal to enhance their spokesperson development.”

Animal Protein APHIS Needs Help with Scrapie Surveillance

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is looking to increase sheep producer participation in scrapie surveillance.

“The United States is nearing the goal line after a 70-year battle against scrapie, a fatal disease that affects the brain of sheep and goats. While the current program has been very successful in drastically reducing the amount of scrapie in the U.S., we are still finding scrapie positive animals. The most recent two cases of scrapie found in the U.S. were sampled at slaughter...

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