El Paso ranks above average in pay for agricultural workers, study reports

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Agricultural staff throughout the nation face grueling circumstances and low wages, however A mannequin new report suggests above common pay for these Inside the Borderland.

A new report examined Definitely one of the biggest-paying places for agricultural staff and finds El Paso is one of them.

Agriculture has (and proceeds to be) A pair of of the important industries for America’ financial system however proceeds to face many challenges.

Local climate change, For event, has triggered hotter temperatures and extra frequent extreme climate events like droughts and fires; these events threaten crops, livestock, and forests. 

Furtherextra, agricultural exports have been negatively-impacted by commerce disputes with completely different nations, whereas agricultural gear has Discover your self to be Valuelier to import. 

On prime Of these challenges, the agriculture enterprise has confronted An prolonged-time period decline as a share of the financial system. 

Farms alone represented Greater than three % of the GDP Inside the early Nineteen Sixties however now solely make up Decrease than one % of the U.S. GDP.

Employment decides additionally Carry out indicators of agriculture’s evolving position Inside the financial system. The complete Quantity of staff in agriculture and associated industries has been steadily declining As a Outcome of The prime of World Wrestle II.

The U.S. financial system boasted Greater than 8 million staff supporting agriculture Inside the late Nineteen Fifties, and that decide was lowered by half over The subsequent twenty yrs. 

Right now, agriculture-associated employment lingers round 2.3 million, Based mostly on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

One problem for the decline is that mechanical improvements have lowered The want for guide labor, as completely different sectors of the financial system have grown and provided new alternatives.

Working circumstances for agricultural staff stay A pair of of In all probability the most troublesome and dangerous of any profession, whereas staff proceed to face A pair of of The backside wages out of any profession Inside the U.S. 

Knowledge from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reviews that the median pay for farming, fishing, and forestry occupations is Decrease than $30,000 per yr, or roughly 30 % under the median throughout all occupations, which is $41,950.

Below is A information abstract that compares El Paso’s statistics for agricultural staff to nationwide costs:

El Paso common National common Median annual earnings for agricultural staff (adjusted): $30,616 Median annual earnings for agricultural staff (adjusted): $29,670 Median annual earnings for agricultural staff (unadjusted): $26,850 Median annual earnings for agricultural staff (unadjusted): $29,670 Quantity of agricultural staff: 150 Quantity of agricultural staff: 478,770 Value of dwelling (As in contrast with nationwide common): -12.3% Value of dwelling (As in contrast with nationwide common): N/A

Supply: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

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