Deep economic roots in Minnesota

Agriculture and food industries have been an essential part of Minnesota’s economy going back over 150 years. The state’s fertile lands and favorable climate allowed farming to emerge as its first modern industry. Demand for milling led to the birth of the Twin Cities, and the need to move farm products helped shape the state’s vast network of railways, waterways, highways and the Duluth seaport we see today.

• $105.6 billion – total economic impact of agriculture production and processing
• $6.4 billion – value of Minnesota agricultural exports
• $16.7 billion – annual sales of farm commodities

Minnesota’s agriculture and food industries create and support hundreds of thousands of jobs, spark new innovations and fuel a variety of businesses and industries across every legislative district — from farm inputs/services, equipment, financing and technology to food processing, distribution, transportation and retail.

Minnesota food and ag — creating jobs today… and tomorrow

Minnesota’s agriculture and food processing industries support over 388,000 jobs across the state. Most of these jobs are off-the-farm, including a significant number of jobs in the Twin Cities for the processing, distribution, supply and service sectors.

• Minnesota is the third-largest employer of food scientists and technologists in the nation
• Minnesota employs over three-and-a-half times the concentration of food scientists and other technical workers as the national average
• The Minnesota ag and food sector is committed to recruiting and employing a diverse workforce and creating opportunities for all

Future workers

With many Greater Minnesota school districts focusing on vocational and technical education programming in addition to traditional higher education preparation, Minnesota students will continue to have strong job opportunities working in agriculture.

• Nearly 10,000 members of the National FFA Organization are in Minnesota
• Many students are opting for farm-related trades and returning home with specialized degrees or certifications in industries like welding, mechanics, tech, biochemistry, biophysics, large animal veterinary care and environmental engineering
• 18 Minnesota colleges have agriculture programs

Sources: 2021 MDA Minnesota Agricultural Profile; 2020 USDA NASS Minnesota’s Rank in U.S. Agriculture; 2020 DIS Economic Contributions of MN Ag and Forestry; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; National FFA Organization; Agriculture-Schools.com