News

Study shows agriculture contributes over $37 billion to Minnesota economy

New data highlights the contribution agriculture makes to Minnesota’s economy.

More than two dozen leading ag stakeholder groups including the Minnesota AgriGrowth Council released a study conducted by Decision Innovation Solutions.

AgriGrowth executive director Tamara Nelsen tells Brownfield the findings indicate agriculture and related industries contribute more than $37 billion in total value added.

“That’s a tremendous number (and) hopefully in the next census of ag it’ll be $40 billion. We will hopefully have recovered from COVID.”

She says the study also shows nearly 400,000 jobs are attributable to the ag sector.

“And many, many billions of dollars in output, and in terms of contributions to household income because of all the businesses, associations, etc that employ folks in this sector of agriculture, food and forestry.”

Nelsen says altogether, the study paints a complete and detailed picture of what agriculture means to Minnesota.