According to the USDA, farm workers make up only 1.2% of the total US workforce. The median family income for owners of small farms is $98K and higher for larger farms.
I looked this up because it seems like everyday “the plight of our struggling farmers” is mentioned in the news, by economists, pundits and politicians.
And yet – they only make up a little more than 1% of our workforce.
So why do they garner so much attention?
I have some opinions that are solely based on speculation so I won’t bother writing about them. Instead, I’ll keep this post short and sweet.
You saw the numbers above. If you want more details, click the link to the USDA website for more data.
Perhaps it’s time to ask ourselves why we are so focused on supporting farmers vs. spreading our support to the other 99% of the US workforce – many of whom earn far less.
As for myself, I think I will tune out when someone starts waxing poetic about the plight of our farmers.