WSP10065 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

1 G4:') A number of significant trends are taking place in the Colorado farm and food system, as well as in other sectors of the state, Over time, these trends affect both the relative and absolute contributions of agriculture to the state's economy. Changes in Department of Commerce data collection methods, surveys, and definitions make direct comparisons between this report and our earlier work @difficult However, revised 1974.87 data suggest that agriculture remllins a vital and important con- tributor to the state's economic well being, The farm and food system was also a leading contributor to Colo- rado's economic recovery during the mid-1980s, Trends in Income Appendix Table A-3 contains historical detail on income in the farm and food system sectors and for the state in totaL U.S, Department of Commerce estimated labor and proprietor income from farming has been quite variable over 1974-87 period and as a percent of the state total has fallen from 4.84 percent to 2,05 percent However, since 1982 farm earnings have risen steadily from $388.3 million to $788,6 million in 1987, As a percent of the state total, farm earnings have increased from a low of 1.31 percent to the 1987 level of 2,05 percent In the agribusiness sector income as a percent of the state total was 7,99 percent in 1974 and has fallen to 4,69 percent as of 1987. Here again, . agribusiness income was at a low 10 1982 (4,07 percent oftotal state income) but has rebounded from that low. Since 1974, the share of Colo- rado labor and proprietor income coming from the farm and food system has declined from 12.8 percent to 9.85 percent However, since 1977, the decline has been a modest 0.53 percent Figure 8 presents these data in graphic form with income in the agricultural sectors expressed as a percent of total state income,' I I 'Iii J 20% 10% lB% 17% lB% 16% 14% 13% 12% 11% 10% B% B% 7% B% 6% 4% 3% 2% 1% 0% ~-~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~: B D Farjo (HeaRl8 Trends in Employment Technological change has in- creased efficiency and reduced labor requirements in farm production over the past 50 years--these ,changes are still taking place, From 1973-1987" estimated hired farm etrfployment 10 Colorado decreased froln 64 thousand to 42 thousand (Appendix Table A-4) , A second major trend sl).ows employ- ment in agribusiness decreasing from 95 thousand to 79 thousand during this same period. However, popula- tion growth and changing consumer demands for more con,!,enient, processed food and for: meals a wa y from home has resulted in a rapid growth in employment!in the food wholesaling and retailing sector. From 1973 to 1987, employment in the food wholesale and retail seCtor more than doubled from 76 thousand to 152,7 thousand. These trends have resulted in total farm and food system employ- ment increasing from 171 thousand to 232 thousand during tqese 14 years, <) firm . faml In percentage terms, growth in farm and food system employment has not quite kept pace with the growth in total Colorado employment (Figure 9), Hired farm labor has declined from 8 percent to 3.5 percent of the state work force and agribusi- ness employment has declined from 12 percent to 6.5 percent of the totaL For the farm and food sector, employ- ment has declined from 22 petcent to 19,1 percent of total state e~ployment during the 1973 to 1987 peflod. Some of these trends in income and employment are sig~ifica,:t, ~ut must be kept in perspective, Signifi- cant growth in the state's economy between 1973 and 1985 occurred in the metropolitan counties and in sectors outside the farm and food , Department oj Commerce estimates oj labor and proprietor income in agricul- ture use procedures which are consistent with other sectors ,'n the economy. These estimates differ from USDA and Colo- rado Agricultural Statistics estimates.