North Dakota
Agriculture and You!

For additional information check out the following:
ND Agricultural Statistics Service

Agriculture Is North Dakota's # 1 Industry

• More than 25 percent of North Dakota’s population is employed directly by agriculture or in agriculture-related business.

• With cash receipts of more than $3 billion, agricultural production and manufacturing make up more than 37 percent of North Dakota’s economic base.

• North Dakota consumers spend only 11 percent of their gross income on food, compared to 25 percent in Germany and 37 percent in Ireland.

• North Dakota has 30,500 family farms and ranches. The average North Dakota farm is 1,318 acres, compared to the national average of 469 acres.

• Each North Dakota farmer grows enough food to feed 129 people.

North Dakota ranks first in the nation
in the production of the following
commodities:

1997               Percent of U.S.

Durum Wheat                     66%
Spring Wheat                     38%
Barley                                  27%
Sunflowers                          50%
Pinto Beans                        41%
All Dry Edible Beans          24%
Flaxseed                             81%
Canola                                 65%

             Source: North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service

North Dakota's Top 5 Agricultural Exports

Wheat & Products                    $1.2 billion
Feed grains & Products        $151 million
Sunflowers & Oils                   $124 million
Vegetables & Preparations    $ 91 million
Soybeans & Products             $ 67 million

Overall                                $ 1.7 billion

New value-added agricultural processing facilities directly add $84.5 million to North Dakota's economy, along with $160 million in secondary jobs and general commerce.

North Dakota's Agricultural processing industry produces high quality products from farm and ranch commodities.  These products include:

Flour, Pasta, Canola Oil, Cereal, Ethanol, Meat Products, Corn Sweetner, Potato Chips
Bread and Baked Goods, Gourmet Foods, Cheese and Ice Cream, Straw Board
Snack Foods Condiments, French Fries and Decorative Items

Did You Know?

North Dakota farmers and ranchers annually produce:

* Enough wheat for 108 billion sandwiches

* Barley for 42 billion cans of beer

* Potatoes for 2 billion servings of french fries

* Durum for 93 servings of pasta for every American

* Beef for 2 billion hamburgers

* Wool for 640,000 sweaters

* Enough milk for 1.6 billion glasses

* Pork for 65 million porkchops

* Sunflowers to fill over 400 million bags of sunflower seeds

    North Dakota farmland    would cover 12 million city blocks!