Dec 2, 2021USDA-NASS releases ag labor wage numbers
The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service released a farm labor report in late November, as well as the full U.S.
Mountain I (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming)
There were 23,000 workers hired directly by farms in the Mountain I Region during the reference week of Oct. 10-16, 2021, according to the Agricultural Labor Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Farm operators paid hired workers an average wage rate of $15.74 per hour, compared to $15.48 in October 2020. The number of hours worked averaged 45.2 for hired workers during the reference week, compared with 50.9 hours in October 2020. Field workers averaged $15.13 per hour, livestock workers averaged $15.24 per hour, and field and livestock workers combined earned an average of $15.18 per hour.
During the reference week of July 11-17, 2021, there were 26,000 workers hired directly by farms in the Mountain I Region Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage rate of $15.10 per hour, compared to $15.10 in July 2020. The number of hours worked averaged 43.7 for hired workers during the reference week, compared with 48.3 hours in July 2020. Field workers averaged $14.48 per hour, livestock workers averaged $14.69 per hour, and field and livestock workers combined earned an average of $14.58 per hour.
Mountain II Region (Colorado, Nevada, Utah)
There were 17,000 workers hired directly by farms in the Mountain II Region during the reference week of Oct. 10-16, 2021, according to the Agricultural Labor Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Farm operators paid hired workers an average wage rate of $16.55 per hour, compared to $15.42 in October 2020. The number of hours worked averaged 44.4 for hired workers during the reference week, compared with 41.3 hours in October 2020. Field workers averaged $15.93 per hour, livestock workers averaged $15.78 per hour, and field and livestock workers combined earned an average of $15.87 per hour.
During the reference week of July 11-17, 2021, there were 20,000 workers hired directly by farm in the Mountain II Region Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage rate of $15.82 per hour, compared to $15.28 in July 2020. The number of hours worked averaged 41.0 for hired workers during the reference week, compared with 41.0 hours in July 2020. Field workers averaged $14.98 per hour, livestock workers averaged $15.33 per hour, and field and livestock workers combined earned an average of $15.12 per hour.
United States
There were 772,000 workers hired directly by farm operators on the Nation’s farms and ranches during the week of Oct. 10-16, 2021, up 2% from the October 2020 reference week. Workers hired directly by farm operators numbered 797,000 during the week of July 11-17, 2021, up 3% from the July 2020 reference week.
Farm operators paid their hired workers an average gross wage of $16.59 per hour during the October 2021 reference week, up 5% from the October 2020 reference week. Field workers received an average of $16.08 per hour, up 5%. Livestock workers earned $15.45 per hour, up 6%. The field and livestock worker combined gross wage rate, at $15.92 per hour, was up 5% from the 2020 reference week. Hired laborers worked an average of 42.0 hours during the October 2021 reference week, down slightly from the hours worked during the October 2020 reference week.
Farm operators paid their hired workers an average gross wage of $16.59 per hour during the July 2021 reference week, up 6% from the July 2020 reference week. Field workers received an average of $16.10 per hour, up 7%, while livestock workers earned $15.19 per hour, up 5% from a year earlier. The field and livestock worker combined gross wage rate, at $15.85 per hour, was up 7% from the July 2020 reference week. Hired laborers worked an average of 41.0 hours during the July 2021 reference week, down 1% from the hours worked during the July 2020 reference week.
The 2021 all hired worker annual average gross wage rate was $16.38 per hour, up 6% from the 2020 annual average gross wage rate. The 2021 field worker annual average gross wage rate was $15.77 per hour, up 7% from the 2020 annual average. The 2021 livestock worker annual average gross wage rate was $15.08 per hour. The 2021 annual average combined gross wage for field and livestock workers was $15.56, up 6% from the 2020 annual average of $14.62 per hour.
