July 2021
California: FLC Employment Down and Wages Up in 2020
Average employment in California crop agriculture rose eight percent from 2001 to 2020, from 345,000 to 372,000. However, direct-hire crop employment (NAICS 111) fell by 15 percent to 160,000, while crop support employment (1151) rose by 35 percent to 212,000. Crop support firms include custom harvesters and farm management companies, but the largest crop support sector is farm labor contractors (115115).
Continue reading "California: FLC Employment Down and Wages Up in 2020"... / View PDF of "California: FLC Employment Down and Wages Up in 2020
Covid Will Accelerate Automation
The covid pandemic encouraged many service firms to substitute technology for people to limit people-to-people contacts, such as using order-taking apps in restaurants. Many of the new technologies proved to be successful, which may reduce employment in hotels and restaurants over time as wages rise and employers have difficulty recruiting and retaining hotel clerks and restaurant staff.
Continue reading "Covid Will Accelerate Automation"... / View PDF of "Covid Will Accelerate Automation
Labor Law Enforcement: FLSA and NLRA
An analysis of the labor law violations detected by federal investigators concluded that US firms can increase their profits by violating minimum wage and other labor laws because the probability of detection is low and the penalties for violations are small. Labor law enforcement depends on tight labor markets that help workers to reject jobs with employers who violate labor laws and empower worker to file complaints with enforcement agencies.
Continue reading "Labor Law Enforcement: FLSA and NLRA"... / View PDF of "Labor Law Enforcement: FLSA and NLRA
Peru: Fruit Exporting Superpower?
Peru exported fruit worth $3.8 billion in 2020, making Peru one of the top 10 fruit-exporting countries. Chile is the leading Southern Hemisphere fruit exporter, but the value of Peru’s farm exports exceed those of Ecuador and South Africa.
Continue reading "Peru: Fruit Exporting Superpower?"... / View PDF of "Peru: Fruit Exporting Superpower?
USDA Projections to 2030
USDA’s projections of agricultural production and trade during the 2020-30 decade anticipate stable production and prices of field crops such as corn and soybeans, and slightly rising production and prices for milk and meat due to increased demand for these animal products abroad. The US is expected to remain a net exporter of agricultural commodities, but the agricultural trade surplus is projected to decline as fruit and vegetable imports rise faster than exports.
Continue reading "USDA Projections to 2030"... / View PDF of "USDA Projections to 2030
