The 2025 Feeding the Economy Report says over 47 million people in the U.S. work in the agricultural and food industries. That is 29 percent of the U.S. population, and that number may be surprising to people, depending on where they live. One interesting thing about agriculture is the sheer number of jobs that aren’t considered “ag” careers, which play a role in producing food and getting it to consumers. For example, ag business careers include everything from lawyers to human resources to office managers. There are careers in environmental services and natural resources, including careers like fisheries workers, ecologists, ethanol producers, and aquaculture workers. Ag mechanics are another key part of ag careers and include truck drivers, service techs, livestock haulers, and others. Food science is another area that includes careers like produce inspectors, food safety managers, dietitians, and many more. There are also many careers in animal and plant science.
How many ag and food careers are there?
