The Contribution of Crop Protection Products to the United States Economy

On November 8, 2011, CropLife America (CLA) released the results of a report authored by agronomist Mark Goodwin (Mark Goodwin Consulting Ltd.), using the resources of economists and agricultural sources within the U.S. government, detailing how the use of crop protection products help invigorate the U.S. economy and spur job growth. “The Contribution of Crop Protection Products to the U.S. Economy” reveals that the benefits of using crop protection products extend beyond the farming industry into additional sectors, such as manufacturing, food services, construction and transportation. The total spin-offs resulting from crop protection usage in these sectors, and others, generate $33 billion in wages for more than 1.05 million Americans.

In addition, the report found that crop protection products:
 

• Add $82 billion in crop value at the farm gate;
• Account for virtually all of the surplus food America can export internationally;
• Save American families more than 40 percent of their grocery bills (fruits, vegetables);
• Allow for farmers to engage in conservation tillage, and those growers now save 558 million gallons of fuel per year, equaling 22.2 billion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.

Using the resources of economists and agricultural resources of the U.S. government, the report provides a detailed picture of the many ways modern agriculture not only increases crop yields but also adds economic value through jobs, wages and lower prices at the grocery store.