Thirty-five food and agriculture groups released the 10th annual Feeding the Economy report, a farm-to-fork study of the entire agricultural supply chain. The report analyzes the direct and indirect economic contributions of one of America’s most essential industries to US jobs, wages, economic output and taxes.
The 2026 report confirms that America’s food and agriculture industries remain a cornerstone of the US economy, generating more than $10.4 trillion in economic value—representing nearly 20% of the overall national economy. This marks an increase of nearly $894 billion year-over-year, reflecting growth across the agricultural value chain amid ongoing inflation pressures, a challenging farm economy, and an uncertain global trade environment.
America’s food and agriculture sector supports 48.7 million jobs across the economy, including nearly 24.3 million direct jobs in farming, manufacturing, processing, distribution, retail and foodservice. Direct employment has grown 6.5% over the past decade, though job growth slowed in the past year as parts of the sector faced economic pressures.
Additional highlights from the 2026 Feeding the Economy report include:
– Food and agriculture generate more than $3 trillion in wages for American workers, with wages rising 4% year-over-year and 13% over the past decade, generally outpacing inflation.
– Food manufacturing remains the largest manufacturing sector in the United States, employing more than 2.28 million workers.
– US food and agriculture exports totaled more than $177.3 billion, though exports declined by roughly $5.4 billion year-over-year, underscoring the importance of maintaining strong trade agreements and expanding market access for American producers.
– The food and agriculture sector generates $1.35 trillion in tax revenue for federal, state, and local governments, a 7% increase year-over-year.
“The Feeding the Economy report affirms the vital role food and agriculture play in our nation’s economic resilience and food security. Commercial bakers have long been proud partners to American agriculture, sourcing 85% of their core ingredients from domestic farmers. This enduring connection between bakers and farmers helps the baking industry generate nearly 800,000 American jobs and ensure families across the country can count on nutritious, delicious, accessible, and affordable baked goods every day,” Eric Dell, ABA president and CEO, said in a statement.
Despite the industry’s continued economic impact, the report reveals several emerging challenges. Direct employment in production agriculture and food manufacturing remained largely flat year-over-year, reflecting pressures on farmers, producers and rural communities. Export values have also declined in inflation-adjusted terms over the past decade, further demonstrating the importance of stable and reliable international markets for US agriculture.
Sponsoring organizations from the food and agriculture industries, who helped make the 2026 study possible, provided commentary on this year’s findings. The full list of sponsoring organizations includes:
American Bakers Association
American Beverage Association
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Frozen Food Institute
American Soybean Association
Association of Equipment Manufacturers
Consumer Brands Association
Corn Refiners Association
CropLife America
Edible Oil Producers Association
Farm Credit Council
The Fertilizer Institute
FMI- The Food Industry Association
Global Cold Chain Alliance
International Dairy Foods Association
International Fresh Produce Association
Meat Institute
National Association of Manufacturers
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Corn Growers Association
National Farmers Union
National Grain and Feed Association
National Grocers Association
National Milk Producers Federation
National Oilseed Processors Association
National Pork Producers Council
North American Millers’ Association
Peanut and Tree Nut Processors Association
Pet Food Institute
Plant Based Products Council
The Sugar Association
US Dairy Export Council
US Grains & BioProducts Council
United Soybean Board