meta U.S. average farm wages jumps 4% :: The Bullvine - The Dairy Information You Want To Know When You Need It

U.S. average farm wages jumps 4%


dairychilliwackcows-1[1]The number of hired workers on U.S. farms in October rose 8%, and they earned a little more (4%) in the past year according to a semiannual Farm Labor report from USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service.

Workers hired directly by farm operators numbered 841,000 for the reference week of Oct. 11-17, 2015, up 8% from the corresponding week a year earlier. Hired laborers worked an average of 41.7 hours during the week, compared with 41.3 hours a year earlier.

Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $12.82/hour during the October 2015 reference week, up 6% from a year earlier. By work type:

• Field workers received an average of $12.11/hour, up 5% from a year earlier.

• Livestock workers earned $12.02/hour, up 6%.

• The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $12.09/hour, was up 5% from October 2014.

 

U.S., regional average

farm wage rates ($/hour)

 
 

Field

Livestock

Field/Livestock

Northeast I

12.25

12.24

12.25

Northeast II

12.15

11.48

11.90

Appalachian I

10.65

11.13

10.75

Appalachian II

11.34

10.96

11.25

Southeast

10.72

11.34

10.85

Florida

10.75

11.50

10.83

Lake

12.53

12.20

12.40

Cornbelt I

12.63

11.68

12.45

Cornbelt II

12.82

12.48

12.70

Delta

10.57

10.89

10.65

Northern Plains

14.59

13.86

14.30

Southern Plains

10.91

11.25

11.10

Mountain I

11.79

11.59

11.70

Mountain II

11.49

10.64

11.15

Mountain III

11.05

11.86

11.35

Pacific

14.12

12.41

14.00

California

11.85

13.15

12.05

Hawaii

12.70

14.70

12.85

U.S. 

12.11

12.02

12.09

Source: USDA National Ag Statistics Service survey

Week of Oct. 11-17, 2015

Sample size: 13,000 farms with more than $1,000 in annual sales

 

When combined with January, April and July quarterly reports, the 2015 U.S. all hired worker annual average wage rate was $12.54/hour, up 4% from the 2014 annual average wage. The 2015 U.S. field worker annual average wage rate was $11.72/hour, up 4% from the 2014 annual average. The 2015 U.S. annual average combined wage for field and livestock workers was $11.74, up 4% from the 2014 annual average of $11.29/hour.

All wage rates are calculated based on total wages paid and total hours worked during the survey reference week. Wages paid other than hourly (bi-weekly, monthly, etc.) are converted to an hourly basis. Wages paid by piece rate (per quantity of produce picked, etc.) are also converted to an hourly basis.

Benefits, such as cash bonuses, housing or meals, are not included in the average wages.

Average wage rates increased from the previous year in nearly all regions (see list below), with largest increases in the Corn Belt I, Florida, Mountain III (Arizona and New Mexico), and Southern Plains regions.

 

Region/States

Northeast I: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont.

Northeast II: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania.

Appalachian I: North Carolina, Virginia.

Appalachian II: Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia.

Southeast: Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina.

Lake: Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin.

Cornbelt I: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio.

Cornbelt II: Iowa, Missouri.

Delta: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi.

Northern Plains: Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota.

Southern Plains: Oklahoma, Texas.

Mountain I: Idaho, Montana, Wyoming.

Mountain II: Colorado, Nevada, Utah.

Mountain III: Arizona, New Mexico.

Pacific: Oregon, Washington.

For the full report, click here.


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