Cover of Amber Waves, April 2007 issue
Amber Waves: The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America

April 2007

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Statistics Heading
 
Farm, Rural, and Natural Resources Indicators
empty cell

Annual percent change

item

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06
2006-07

Cash receipts ($ billion)

215.5

237.9

238.9 242.7 258.7f 10.4 0.4 1.6 6.6

Crops

109.9

114.3 114.0 121.6 133.5f
4.0
-0.3
6.6
9.8

Livestock

105.6

123.6 125.0 121.2 125.2f
17.0
1.1
-3.1
3.3

Direct government payments ($ billion)

16.5

13.0 24.3 16.3 12.4f
-21.2
86.9
-32.8
-23.8

Gross cash income
($ billion)

247.8

267.8 280.9 277.1 289.8f
8.1
4.9
-1.4
4.6

Net cash income
($ billion)

70.0

81.5 81.2 66.7 67.2f
16.4
-0.4
-17.9
0.8

Net value added
($ billion)

102.0

128.9 120.4 109.7 118.5f
26.4
-6.6
-8.9
8.0

Farm equity ($ billion)

1,182.7

1,380.1 1,589.6 1,693.2 1,759.0f
16.7
15.2
6.5
3.9

Farm debt-asset ratio

14.2

12.9 11.9 11.8 11.8f
-9.2
-7.9
-1.0
0.1

Farm household income ($/farm household)

68,597

81,596 81,420 79,851 81,588f
18.9
-0.2
-1.9
2.2

Farm household income relative to average U.S. household income (%)

116.1

134.8 128.5 na na
16.1
-4.7
na
na

Nonmetro-metro difference in poverty rates (%points)1

2.1

na 2.3 na na
na
na
na
na

Cropland harvested (million acres)

315

312 312p na na
-1.0
0.0
na
na

USDA Conservation Program expenditures
($ billion)2

4.3

5.1 na na na
18.6
na
na
na
Food and Fiber Sector Indicators
empty cell

Annual percent change

item

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06
2006-07

U.S. gross domestic product ($ billion)

10,961

11,713 12,456

na

na
6.9
6.3
na
na

Share of GDP in agriculture and related industries (%)1

4.8

4.7 4.5 na na
-2.1
-4.3
na
na

Share of GDP in agriculture (%)1

0.8

1.0 0.8 na na
19.2
-16.3
na
na

Total agricultural imports ($ billion)2

45.7

52.7 57.7 64.0 na
15.3
9.5
10.9
na

Total agricultural exports ($ billion)2

56.0

62.4 62.5 68.7 na
11.4
0.2
9.9
na

Export share of the volume of U.S. agricultural production (%)1

21.1

20.9 20.1p na

na
-0.9
-3.8
na
na

CPI for food
(1982-84=100)

180.0

186.2 190.7 195.3 na
3.4
2.4
2.4
na

Share of U.S. disposable income spent on food (%)

9.8

9.7 9.9 na na
-1.0
2.1
na
na

Share of total food expenditures for at-home consumption (%)

52.0

51.5 51.5 na na
-1.0
0.0
na
na

Farm-to-retail price spread (1982-84=100)

225.6

232.1 239.2 na na
2.9
3.1
na
na

Total USDA food and nutrition assistance spending ($ billion)2

41.8

46.2 50.9 53.0 na
10.5
10.2
4.1
na

f = Forecast. p = Preliminary. na = Not available. All dollar amounts are in current dollars.
1 The methodology for computing these measures has changed. These statistics are not comparable to previously published statistics. sources and computation methodology are available at:   www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/About/IndicatorsNotes.htm

2 Based on October-September fiscal years ending with year indicated.

Chart: Consumer price indexes for food and nonfood

Chart: The share of food away from home in total food expenditures has risen steadily

Chart: EU, Canada, and Mexico are top three sources of U.S. agricultural imports

For more information . . .

AO tables
Get the statistical indicators formerly provided in Agricultural Outlook magazine.