The fresh produce industry is operating at full speed, boasting 1.2 million jobs directly tied to the fresh produce industry in 2022, according to an industry impact report released by the International Fresh Produce Association. What’s more, employment totals continue to rise, putting the fresh produce industry on track to reach pre-pandemic employment levels this year.
“Fresh produce and floral products are important to every single American, as we not only seek to provide nutrients to keep people healthy but employ millions of Americans and pump billions of dollars into the U.S. economy,” Cathy Burns, CEO of IFPA, said in a news release. “This study, the first of its kind, highlights our vital role and affirms our commitment to making sure we continue this critical mission, supplying insights into our industry as Congress prepares to reauthorize the Farm Bill.”
The Economic Impact of the U.S. Fresh Produce and Floral Supply Industry report offers a holistic analysis of the fresh produce industry’s impact on U.S. jobs, taxes and wages.
Highlights in the report include:
- Total labor income from the produce and floral industries totals about $120.1 billion;
- The produce industry added $339.4 billion to the national output in 2022;
- In 2021, the fresh produce industry totaled 1.13 million workers;
- The number of employees in the fresh produce and floral supply industry declined by 4 percent because of COVID-19-related slowdowns;
- In 2017, pre-pandemic employment in the fresh produce and floral industries totaled 1.18 million workers;
- Twenty-nine states have more than 10,000 jobs attributable to the produce and floral industries; only ten states have less than 4,000;
- Over 600,000 jobs, or 54% of produce and floral industries, are workers in the production sector.
- Wholesale and retail employment make up 38% of the industry with the remaining 9% of employment in food service; and
- California employs 35% of fresh produce and floral workers in the U.S.
The report was compiled for IFPA by Jack Kleinhenz of Kleinhenz & Associates and released in advance of the IFPA’s Washington Conference, where advocates plan to hand-deliver the report to members of Congress.
