Hourly Ag Wages Rise, Hours Fall Slightly in Latest Report
There were 45,000 workers hired directly by farms in the Lake Region (Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) during the reference week of January 9-15, 2022, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Farm Labor report.
Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage rate of $17.71 per hour, $1.59 above January 2021.
The number of hours worked averaged 39.1 for hired workers during the reference week, compared with 41.0 hours in January 2021.
During the reference week of April 10-16, 2022, there were 56,000 workers hired directly by farms in the Lake Region (Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin).
Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage rate of $17.45 per hour during the April 2022 reference week, $1.70 above April 2021.
The number of hours worked averaged 38.4 for hired workers during the reference week, compared with 40.9 hours in April 2021.
There were 630,000 workers hired directly by farm operators on the Nation’s farms and ranches during the week of April 10-16, 2022, up 3 percent from the April 2021 reference week.
Workers hired directly by farm operators numbered 507,000 during the week of January 9-15, 2022, up slightly from the January 2021 reference week.
Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $17.22 per hour during the April 2022 reference week, up 8 percent from the April 2021 reference week.
Field workers received an average of $16.50 per hour, up 9 percent. Livestock workers earned $15.82 per hour, up 7 percent.
The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $16.27 per hour, was up 8 percent from the 2021 reference week.
Hired laborers worked an average of 39.7 hours during the April 2022 reference week, down 3 percent from the hours worked during the April 2021 reference week.
Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $17.63 per hour during the January 2022 reference week, up 9 percent from the January 2021 reference week. Field workers received an average of $16.54 per hour, up 9 percent, while livestock workers earned $16.12 per hour, up 8 percent from a year earlier.
The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $16.37 per hour, was up 9 percent from the January 2021 reference week.
Hired laborers worked an average of 39.3 hours during the January 2022 reference week, down 2 percent from the hours worked during the January 2021 reference week.