March 2022
Mexico: economy and poverty
The Mexico economy rebounded from recession in 2020, expanding by five percent in 2021; growth is projected to slow to two percent in 2022. The government did not spend heavily to aid businesses and families adversely affected by the pandemic, which kept public debt below 60 percent of GDP. Inflation topped six percent and Mexico’s GDP per capita of $8,400 was an eighth of the US average of $67,200 in 2021.
Continue reading "Mexico: economy and poverty "... / View PDF of "Mexico: economy and poverty
Changes in US Farm Labor: 1948-2017
Human history is the story of ever-fewer people producing ever-more food. Rising agricultural productivity enabled the development of cities and nonfarm activities that now employ three-fourths of the world’s 3.6 billion workers and generate over 90 percent of the world’s $85 trillion GDP.
Continue reading "Changes in US Farm Labor: 1948-2017"... / View PDF of "Changes in US Farm Labor: 1948-2017
EU Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
The 27-member EU (without the UK) has 450 million residents who have an average GDP of Euro 30,000 or $33,000. The US has 330 million residents and per capita GDP of $60,000.
Continue reading "EU Fresh Fruits and Vegetables"... / View PDF of "EU Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Ag Automation
A Global Harvest Automation Report (GHAR) released in February 2022 found that fruit and vegetable farmers expect a third to two thirds of their pre-harvest work to be automated by 2025, but they foresee slower mechanization of harvest tasks. The report emphasized that mechanizing farm tasks now done by hand is hard, as indicated by the fact that three fourths of ag tech startups have not yet generated revenues. Most ag tech startups have fewer than five functioning prototypes and fewer than 10 paying customers.
Continue reading "Ag Automation"... / View PDF of "Ag Automation
US and Global Ag Outlook
US farmers had cash receipts of $362 billion in 2020, including $165 billion from the sale of livestock and $198 billion from the sale of crops, plus government payments of $46 billion and other farm-related income of $34 billion. Farm cash receipts are expected to increase to $438 billion in 2031, including $214 billion from livestock, $224 billion from crops, $7 billion in government payments, and $36 billion in farm-related income.
Continue reading "US and Global Ag Outlook"... / View PDF of "US and Global Ag Outlook
