The number of hired farm workers and wage rates increased during this past April, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service.
There were 630,000 workers hired directly by farm operators on farms and ranches throughout the country during the week of April 10-16, 2022. It increased by 3% from the April 2021 reference week. By comparison, workers hired directly by farm operators during the week of Jan. 9-15 numbered 507,000, up slightly from the January 2021 reference week.
Like all other input costs, wage rates have experienced a significant increase from the previous year. Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $17.22 per hour during the April 2022 reference week. It was an increase of 8% from the April 2021 reference week.
Field workers received an average wage of $16.50 per hour during the April 2022 reference week. That is an increase of 9%.
Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $17.63 per hour during the January 2022 reference week, up 9% from the January 2021 reference week. Field workers received an average of $16.54 per hour, up 9%.
