Amber Waves cover, June 2009
Amber Waves: The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America

June 2009

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

Annual percent change

item

2005

2006

2007

2008
2009
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08 2008-09

Cash receipts ($ billion)

241.0 240.9

288.5

324.2 282.1f 0.0 19.8 12.4 -13.0

Crops

116.1 122.3 149.9 183.1 163.6f
5.3
22.6
22.1
-10.6

Livestock

124.9 118.6 138.6 141.1 118.4f
-5.0
16.9
1.8
-16.1

Direct government payments ($ billion)

24.4 15.8 11.9 12.2 12.5f
-35.2
-24.7
2.5
2.5

Gross cash income
($ billion)

279.6 273.3 316.7 356.2 315.9f
-2.3
15.9
12.5
-11.3

Net cash income
($ billion)

86.8 68.8 78.2 97.5 69.8f
-20.7
13.7
24.7
-28.4

Net value added
($ billion)

120.7 101.7 117.0 135.7 108.4f
-15.7
15.0
16.0
-20.1

Farm equity ($ billion)

1,583.0 1,720.0 1,841.2 1,766.6 1,704.8f
8.7
7.0
-4.1
-3.5

Farm debt-asset ratio

11.0 10.6 10.4 11.9 12.3f
-3.6
-1.9
14.4
3.4

Farm household income ($/farm household)

81,086 81,251 88,912 80,090p 75,895f
0.2
9.4
-9.9
-5.2

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

128.0 122.1 131.5 117.0 na
na
na
na
na

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

2.3 3.4 3.5 2.2 na
na
na
na
na

Cropland harvested (million acres)

314 303 312 316p na
-3.2
na
na
na

USDA Conservation Program expenditures
($ billion)2

4.3 4.3 4.4p 5.0f na
0.0
2.3
13.6
na
Food and Fiber Sector Indicators
empty cell

Annual percent change

item

2005

2006

2007
2008
2009
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09

U.S. gross domestic product ($ billion)

12,422

13,178

13,808 14,265 na
6.1
4.8
3.3
na

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

4.5 4.3 4.6 na na
na
na
na
na

Share of agriculture in GDP (%)1

0.8 0.7 1.0 na na
na
na
na
na

Total agricultural imports ($ billion)2

57.7 64.0 70.1 79.3 73.4f
10.9
9.5
13.1
-7.4

Total agricultural exports ($ billion)2

62.5 68.6 82.2 115.5 96.6f
9.8
19.8
40.5
-16.4

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

21.5
23.0

23.8p na na
na
na
na
na

CPI for food
(1982-84=100)

190.7 195.3 202.9 214.1 218.0f
2.4
3.9
5.5
1.8

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

9.7 9.8 9.7 9.6 na
na
na
na
na

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

51.4 51.5 51.5 51.5 na
na
na
na
na

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

239.2 246.2 248.1 267.0 na
2.9
0.8
7.6
na

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

50.9 53.1 54.3 60.9 na
4.3
2.3
12.2
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.

 

Pie charts (3): In 2008, small farms held most farm assets. . .including land. . .but million-dollar farms produced more than half of agricultural output

For more information . . .

AO tables