Characteristics of Missouri's food, agriculture and forestry workforce

Abstract

"Missouri's food, agriculture and forestry industries are an important part of the state's economy, and employ workers in every county. Analyzing available Labor Market Information allows us to better understand the employment patterns of the 98 NAICS-based industries that comprise food, agriculture and forestry in Missouri.1 These data show several key employment trends, including: Food, agriculture and forestry employers are located throughout the state - urban counties contain the most jobs, but employment is most concentrated in rural counties. Total wage and salary employment has remained relatively steady over the past two decades. Food, agriculture and forestry industries employ workers from a broad set of occupational groups. The majority of jobs require training and experience, more so than post-secondary education. This brief describes these trends in greater detail. Understanding this information, is a critical first step toward crafting strategies that help food, agriculture and forestry employers better meet their workforce needs."--First page.