Michigan Department of Agriculture

Agriculture is Michigan’s second largest industry and an integral component to the state’s economy. This dynamic sector generates $60.1 billion every year and employs more than one million residents. Over the last six years, agriculture’s importance has been reflected in the more than $8.5 billion it has received in public and private investment.

Michigan produces over 200 commodities on a commercial basis, making it second only to California in agricultural diversity.  It leads the nation in the production of 20 commodities, including tart cherries, blueberries, Niagara grapes, cucumbers for pickling processing, 13 floriculture categories, and three varieties of dry beans. It also has 29 other commodities that rank in the top 10. Nearly $1 billion is generated through exports of these diverse agricultural products.

Michigan has about 10.1 million acres of farmland, and the state is home to 53,000 farms averaging 191 acres each.  More than 35 percent of the state’s total farmland is in some form of preservation agreement.

Visit the Michigan Department of Agriculture website for more information.

Top 5 agriculture commodities, 2006

 

Value of receipts
thousand $

Percent of state total
farm receipts

Percent of US value

1. Dairy products

936,320

20.9

4.0

2. Greenhouse/nursery

642,393

14.3

3.8

3. Corn

552,798

12.3

2.5

4. Soybeans

453,919

10.1

2.7

5. Cattle and calves

294,626

6.6

0.6

 

All commodities

4,487,765

 

1.9

 

Farm income and value added data

 

2005

2006

 

Number of farms

53,000

53,000

 

 

Thousands $

       Final crop output

2,498,476

2,881,081

+     Final animal output

1,773,576

1,705,595

+     Services and forestry

841,786

802,101

=   Final agricultural sector output

5,113,837

5,388,777

 

-      Intermediate consumption outlays

2,519,268

2,504,899

+     Net government transactions

170,050

2,356

=   Gross value added

2,764,619

2,886,234

 

-      Capital consumption

719,799

754,033

 

=   Net value added

2,044,820

2,132,201

 

-    Factor payments

775,701

811,018

         Employee compensation (total hired labor)

478,914

498,638

         Net rent received by nonoperator landlords

66,628

51,273

         Real estate and nonreal estate interest

230,159

261,107

 

=   Net farm income

1,269,119

1,321,183


http://www.michigan.gov/mda/