Agriculture & Forestry Sector Industry Profile

Companies in this industry sector grow crops, raise or fatten animals for animal products, and grow and harvest timber. Major crop production companies include AMAGGI, Chiquita, Dole Food Company, Fresh Del Monte Produce, Sunkist Growers, and Total Produce; major animal production companies include Agri Beef, Dairy Farmers of America, JBS, and WH Group. Major timber operations include PotlatchDeltic, Resolute Forest Products, Stora Enso, and Weyerhaeuser.

The global value of agricultural production was about $4.4 trillion in 2016, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Brazil, the US and China are among the top crop and animal producers. Top timber sources include Canada, China, Russia, and the US.

The US agriculture and forestry sector includes about 2 million farms and about 9,000 timber companies with combined annual revenue of about $400 billion.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven by government agricultural policy programs, food consumption trends, and lumber demand. Profitability depends on efficient operations. Large companies have advantages in vertically integrated operations and economies of scale in purchasing and marketing. Small operations can compete effectively by supplying local markets, specializing in heirloom or organic crops or those that have not been genetically modified (GM), or raising animals in less restrictive environments on hormone-free diets.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Major crops include sugarcane, corn, rice, and wheat. Major animal products include pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry.

Crop Production

Crop farming operations consist of soil preparation; planting; ...