BOISE, Idaho — For National Agriculture day, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture wanted to shine a light on the billion-dollar industry within the State –Agriculture.
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"We often say Idaho agriculture is the state's strongest industry, and depending on the year, it's often the number one industry in the state," said Chanel Tewalt, Director for the Idaho State Department of Agriculture.
Each farm feeds, on average, 166 people per year, and in Idaho, there are nearly 25,000 farms and ranches.
Throughout the State, more than 185 commodities are produced, and 30 of those commodities rank among the top 10 in the nation. Idaho is the 3rd largest agriculture state in the west.
It remains a fundamentally important part of the Idaho economy. In 2021 the agriculture cash receipts were $8.6 billion, and processed food and beverages sales were $11.6 billion.
"And our export industry is worth over $2 billion in exports and meats, grains, seeds, all sorts of agriculture commodities across Idaho," said Sydney Plum, Idaho State Department of Agriculture Public Information Officer.
Jobs related to agriculture also have a significant impact on the Idaho economy. It provides over 370,000 jobs during peak season, 34% of which are undocumented.
