BOISE—An analysis by the Idaho Department of Labor projects the state will add about 2,100 agricultural-related jobs by 2022.
According to the report, there are 17,127 jobs in Idaho in the “farming, fishing and forestry” category, the vast majority of those farm-related. It projects job growth in that category will average 12.3 percent through 2022, when there will be an estimated 19,227 jobs in that category.
The analysis also projects strong job growth among other categories strongly influenced by agriculture such as “transportation” and “production,” which includes food processing.
The analysis projects transportation jobs in Idaho will total 49,592 in 2022, a increase of 5,985 or 13.7 percent annually, and production jobs will reach 45,962, an increase of 5,507 or 13.6 percent annually.
Those sectors of the economy “are certainly tied to the agricultural industry here,” Bob Uhlenkott, IDL chief research officer, said. “Agriculture is actually quite a large portion of Idaho’s economy. It’s one sector that has thrived in Idaho.”
University of Idaho agricultural economist Garth Taylor said the report is good news for the state’s farming sector but it’s also important to point out that the new jobs are likely to be positions supported by agriculture.
It’s unlikely the number of farmers or traditional on-the-farm laborers will increase much, he said, since those numbers have remained steady in Idaho for a long time as technological advances have allowed farmers to increase productivity with the same or fewer workers.
“In my opinion, it’s going to be those not-on-the-farm type of jobs, unless it breaks a major trend,” he said. “Labor’s the one thing (farmers) have really saved on and ... I don’t see that as being anything but a continuing trend. That’s what we want.”
According to the IDL analysis, much of the projected job growth is indeed in farm support positions such as agricultural equipment operators, animal breeders, graders and sorters of agricultural products, farm product raw material wholesalers, support activities for animal production and agricultural inspectors.
Source: www.capitalpress.com