Contributed by USDA – National Agricultural Statistics Service
April Hired Workers Down 11 Percent; Wage Rate Increased 6 Percent from Previous Year
There were 613,000 workers hired directly by farm operators on the Nation’s farms and ranches during the week of April 11-17, 2021, down 11 percent from the April 2020 reference week. Workers hired directly by farm operators numbered 506,000 during the week of January 10-16, 2021, down 11 percent from the January 2020 reference week.
Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $15.97 per hour during the April 2021 reference week, up 6 percent from the April 2020 reference week. Field workers received an average of $15.19 per hour, up 7 percent. Livestock workers earned $14.81 per hour, up 5 percent. The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $15.06 per hour, was up 6 percent from the 2020 reference week. Hired laborers worked an average of 40.9 hours during the April 2021 reference week, up 1 percent from the hours worked during the April 2020 reference week.
Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $16.21 per hour during the January 2021 reference week, up 6 percent from the January 2020 reference week. Field workers received an average of $15.23 per hour, up 7 percent, while livestock workers earned $14.87 per hour, up 5 percent from a year earlier. The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $15.08 per hour, was up 6 percent from the January 2020 reference week. Hired laborers worked an average of 40.2 hours during the January 2021 reference week, unchanged from the hours worked during the January 2020 reference week.
Northeast Region I (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont)
There were 21,000 workers hired directly by farms during the week of January 10-16, 2021. All hired workers worked an average of 41.6 hours during the survey week. The average wage rate for all hired workers was $16.51 per hour. Field workers earned an average of $16.23 per hour and livestock workers averaged $13.89 per hour, and field & livestock workers combined earned an average of $14.90 per hour.
There were 32,000 workers hired directly by farms during the week of April 11-17, 2021. All hired workers worked an average of 41.0 hours during the survey week. The average wage rate for all hired workers was $16.69 per hour. Field workers averaged $16.18 per hour, livestock workers averaged $14.62 and field & livestock combined earned an average of $15.55 per hour.
Northeast Region II (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania)
There were 19,000 workers hired directly by farms during the week of January 10-16, 2021. Hired workers worked an average of 39.1 hours during the survey week. The average wage rate for all hired workers was $16.60 per hour. Field workers earned an average of $16.41 per hour and livestock worker averaged $14.27 per hour. Field & livestock workers combined earned an average of $15.40 per hour.
There were 25,000 workers hired directly by farms during the week of April 11-17, 2021. Hired workers worked an average of 39.9 hours during the survey week. The average wage rate for all hired workers was $16.05 per hour. Field workers earned an average of $15.49 per hour and livestock workers averaged $14.31 per hour. Field & livestock workers combined earned an average of $15.05 per hour.
