In the Upper Midwest and Great Plains region of the United States, agriculture is a fundamental driver of the economy and a primary steward of the landscape. The seven-state region of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota represents a dominant part of the nation’s agricultural sector, producing more than 30% of the nation’s economic output from agriculture in 2021 (USDA Economic Research Service). The region occupies more than 40% of the nation’s cropland and nearly 20% of the nation’s pastureland as of the 2017 Ag Census (USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service).
This article by the Center for Agricultural Profitability provides some statistical perspectives of Nebraska agriculture to better exemplify its impact on regional and national ag production.
