United States
| AGRICULTURE |
|
Although agriculture employs a very low percentage of the working population, it is an essential sector of the American economy. Indeed, it makes the United States the strongest agricultural power in the world and plays a key role in the recovery of the country's commercial balance. The United States is, for example, the world's leading grain producer, mainly with corn and soybeans.
Agricultural population (in thousands)
Total population
297 043
Agricultural population
5 828
Non agricultural population
291 215
Source : 2004, FAOSTAT
Land use
Cultivated surface area
416 902 000
Irrigated surface area
22 385 000
Number of farms
n.c.
Number of tractors
4 760 000
Source : 2003, FAOSTAT
Production indicators
Main crops
| Product | Production (in thousands) | Harvested surface (1000 ha) | Yield by hectare (kg/ha) |
| Maize | 282311 | 30399 | 9287 |
| Soybeans | 83368 | 28848 | 2890 |
| Wheat | 57280 | 20274 | 2825 |
| Sugar cane | 25308 | 373 | 67768 |
| Sugar beet | 25087 | 501 | 50038 |
Source : 2005, FAOSTAT
Livestock
| Specie | Headcount (in thousands) |
| Chickens | 2035000 |
| Cattle | 95848 |
| Turkeys | 88000 |
| Pigs | 60645 |
| Horses | 9200 |
Source : 2005, FAOSTAT
Fishing (in metric tons)
| Shellfish, mollusks and cephalopods | Saltwater fish | Freshwater fish |
| 1 099 217 | 3 465 911 | 295 885 |
Source : 2005, FAOSTAT