Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection
Wisconsin has a strong agricultural heritage. Those traditions carry on today making Wisconsin one of the most diverse agricultural states in the nation, producing a variety of dairy, livestock, vegetables and specialty crops. Wisconsin agriculture also generates $51.5 billion to the state's economy.
Most people know Wisconsin as America's Dairyland. As of January 2007, our state's 1.25 million dairy cattle produced more than 2 billion pounds of milk, a national leader next to California. The milk is then used by our cheese makers, who rely on 160 years of quality and craftsmanship to produce more than 600 varieties, types and styles of award-winning cheese, from traditional cheddar and mozzarella to hand-crafted artisan styles.
Wisconsin's cranberry bogs lead the nation in production. Wisconsin also ranks first in the country for mink pelts, corn for silage and snap beans for processing. The Badger State ranks in the top five for oats, tart cherries, maple syrup, mint oil, and carrots, sweet corn and green peas for processing
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Top 5 agriculture commodities, 2006
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|
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Value of receipts
thousand $
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Percent of state total
farm receipts
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Percent of US value
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1. Dairy products
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3,075,492
|
45.3
|
13.1
|
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2. Cattle and calves
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936,588
|
13.8
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1.9
|
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3. Corn
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789,388
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11.6
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3.6
|
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4. Soybeans
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275,120
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4.1
|
1.6
|
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5. Greenhouse/nursery
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245,000
|
3.6
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1.5
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|
|
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All commodities
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6,791,282
|
|
2.8
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Farm income and value added data
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|
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2005
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2006
|
|
|
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Number of farms
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76,500
|
76,000
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|
|
|
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Thousands $
|
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Final crop output
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1,888,782
|
2,136,961
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+ Final animal output
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5,092,558
|
4,674,269
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+ Services and forestry
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1,216,311
|
1,267,211
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= Final agricultural sector output
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8,197,652
|
8,078,441
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|
|
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- Intermediate consumption outlays
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4,308,617
|
4,416,686
|
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+ Net government transactions
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255,913
|
63,351
|
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= Gross value added
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4,144,948
|
3,725,106
|
|
|
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- Capital consumption
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1,151,316
|
1,203,857
|
|
|
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= Net value added
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2,993,632
|
2,521,249
|
|
|
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- Factor payments
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1,367,898
|
1,429,865
|
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Employee compensation (total hired labor)
|
655,913
|
663,847
|
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Net rent received by nonoperator landlords
|
273,938
|
269,085
|
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Real estate and nonreal estate interest
|
438,047
|
496,933
|
|
|
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= Net farm income
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1,625,734
|
1,091,384
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http://datcp.state.wi.us