Farm and farm-related industries account for almost 18 percent of total U.S. employment in 1988. This share is based on a broad definition of the agricultural sector, including not only farm production but also industries that mine, manufacture, and sell farm inputs; process commodities; and sell consumer goods. Many jobs in industries that…

Over 20.7 million jobs, or 19 percent of total U.S. employment, were classified as farm and farm related in 1987, but many were only peripherally related to agriculture. Almost 71 percent of these jobs were in metropolitan areas. Gains in total agricultural employment were limited to farm-related industries, whereas farm production jobs continued…