Booming Arkansas Industry: Agriculture
By Arkansas Next on Wednesday, September 14, 2022
► Agriculture is Arkansas' largest industry, adding $19 billion to the state's economy each year.
(bls.gov)
► Between January 2015 and April 2020, there have been 94 economic development projects in the food & beverage manufacturing industry in Arkansas, with 5,004 new jobs and $2.3 billion of proposed investments.
(Arkansas Economic Development Comission)
Meet The Pros
► Poultry production is responsible for 25% of the agriculture jobs in Arkansas.
(Arkansas Economic Development Commission)
► Timber & Forest Products industry’s impact on the state economy totals $6.5 billion.
(Arkansas Department of Agriculture)
Arkansas’ Top Agri Exports
1. SOYBEANS RICE
2. RICE
3. COTTON
4. BROILER MEAT
5. SOYBEAN MEAL
6. OTHER POULTRY PRODUCTS
7. VEGETABLE OILS
8. GRAIN PRODUCTS, PROCESSED
9. CORN
10. FEEDS AND OTHER FEED GRAINS
Agriculture and forestry use more than 95% of Arkansas’ land resources, with 42% of land comprised of farms and 55% of land comprised of forestland.
• 19 million acres of forest
• 14 million acres of farmland
• 8.1 million acres of livestock and hay
• 5.9 million acres of crops
(University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research & Extension)
► Arkansas is seeing a growing demand for agriculture equipment operators, for instance, where employment grew 18.4% in Arkansas in 2021 alone.
(bls.gov)
More Jobs in Agriculture
Agricultural Equipment Operators
Drive and control equipment to support agricultural activities such as tilling soil; planting, cultivating and harvesting crops
Education Level Needed: One or more years of on-the-job training
Mean Salary in Arkansas: $34,560
Agricultural Inspectors
Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment and facilities
Education Level Needed: Associate degree or higher
Mean Salary in Arkansas: $40,180
Animal Caretakers
Feed, water, groom or otherwise provide care to maintain well-being of animals
Education Level Needed: High school diploma/GED
Mean Salary in Arkansas: $27,720
Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products
Purchase farm products either for further processing or resale
Education Level Needed: Associate degree or higher
Median Salary in Arkansas: $82,340
Conservation Scientists
Manage, improve and protect natural resources to maximize their use without damaging the environment
Education Level Needed: Associate degree or higher
Median Salary in Arkansas: $73,210
Environmental Engineering Technicians
Apply theory and principles of environmental engineering to modify, test and operate equipment and devices
Education Level Needed: Associate degree or higher
Median Salary in Arkansas: $44,190
Farm Workers
Attend to live farm, ranch, open range or aquacultural animals
Education Level Needed: One or more years of on-the-job training
Median Salary in Arkansas: $24,920
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, timber tracts or other agricultural establishments
Education Level Needed: High school diploma/GED
Median Salary in Arkansas: $56,610
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of agricultural, forestry, aquacultural and related workers
Education Level Needed: High school diploma/GED
Median Salary in Arkansas: $71,680
Food Scientist and Technologist
Work with food scientists or technologists to perform standardized qualitative and quantitative tests to determine physical or chemical properties of food or beverage products
Education Level Needed: Associate degree or higher
Median Salary in Arkansas: $81,000
Forest and Conservation Technicians
Provide technical assistance regarding the conservation of soil, water, forests or related natural resources
Education Level Needed: Associate degree or higher
Median Salary in Arkansas: $44,620
Landscape Architects
Plan and design land areas for projects such as parks and other recreational facilities
Education Level Needed: Associate degree or higher, Apprenticeship
Median Salary in Arkansas: $90,990
Loggers, Fallers and Harvesters
Cut trees with hand-held power chain saws or mobile felling machines; harvest thousands of acres of forests
Education Level Needed: High school diploma/GED
Median Salary in Arkansas: $39,360
Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors and soil incorporation
Education Level Needed: High school diploma/GED
Median Salary in Arkansas: $32,080
Precision Agriculture Technicians
Apply geospatial technologies, including geographic information systems (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS), to agricultural production
Education Level Needed: Associate degree or higher
Median Salary in Arkansas: $42,390
Growing Demand for Agri Pros Nationwide
► Arkansas is one of the few states where average per capita farm income exceeds non-farm per capita income. That means agri pros are earning good money compared to their peers.
► In the next 50 years, farmers around the world will have to feed more people than we did the previous 100 years.
► It's easy to find work in Arkansas' leading exports, many of which lead the U.S. in production. Harvest a healthy paycheck through a job in rice, soybeans, cotton and wheat — not to mention poultry, dairy, cattle, catfish, pork, forestry and horticulture careers. The options are seemingly endless in agriculture!
(Arkansas Farm Bureau)
