According to a 2015 Decision Innovation Solutions study, farming impacts the state economy by providing billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs.
In 2012, production agriculture and agriculture-related industries accounted for 432,831 jobs, or about 1 in every 17 jobs in Illinois.
Crop farming is a significant part of agriculture’s economic contribution. Statewide output attributed to crop production and further processing is more than $56.7 billion and is responsible for 197,353 jobs.
Livestock farming also is a significant part of agriculture’s economic contribution. Statewide output attributed to livestock production and further processing is $14.1 billion and is responsible for 52,124 jobs.
READ MORE: View the entire 2015 Illinois Agriculture Economic Contribution study