USDA ERS – Ag and Food Sectors and the Economy

The U.S. agriculture sector extends beyond the farm business to include a range of farm-related industries. Agriculture, food, and related industries contributed 5.6 percent to U.S. gross domestic product and provided 10.4 percent of U.S. employment; Americans’ expenditures on food amount to 12.8 percent of household budgets, on average. Among Federal Government outlays on farm and food programs, nutrition assistance far outpaces other programs.