Agriculture Crop Production

The US agricultural crop production industry includes over 1 million farms with harvested cropland operating on 300 million harvested acres, with combined annual revenue of $175 billion. Major companies include Dole Food Company and Fresh Del Monte Produce. As a whole, the industry is fragmented: 10 percent of companies account for one-third of revenue. Vegetable and melon farms are more concentrated, with the top 10 percent of companies representing two-thirds of industry revenue.

Crop farming is the growing and harvesting of field crops such as grain, oilseed, tobacco, dry beans, and potatoes; vegetables and melons; fruits and nuts; and floriculture.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven by federal agricultural policy programs, food consumption trends, and the grain and oilseed export market. The profitability of individual companies depends on maximizing crop yield and minimizing disease risk. Large companies have advantages in highly automated technologies and access to the latest in seed and crop technologies. Small operations can compete effectively by harvesting heirloom, non-genetically modified (GM), or specialty products. The industry is labor-intensive: average annual revenue per employee (operator and hired laborers) is $100,000.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Major products are corn for grain (30 percent of industry revenue); soybeans (15 percent); fruits and nuts (10 percent); and hay (10 percent). Other major crops include wheat, vegetables and melons, cotton, and potatoes. Of all farms, 15 percent are grain or oilseed, accounting for two-thirds of all cropland revenue and ...