Farmers and ranchers in South Dakota and three other states hired 32-thousand workers during the week of April 8-14, 2018, and paid them an average of $14.70 per hour.
The US Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service says the number of employees is unchanged from the April 2017 reference week, but the pay is up five percent.
Along with South Dakota, the Northern Plains Region includes Kansas, Nebraska and North Dakota.
Farms and ranches in the four states employed 25-thousand workers during the week of January 7-13, 2018, down seven percent from the January 2017 reference week. Farm operators paid workers an average of $14.82 per hour during the January 2018 reference week, up five percent from January 2017.
Field workers received an average of $14.52 per hour, down 29 cents. Livestock workers earned $13.47 per hour compared with $12.47 a year earlier. The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $14, was up 45 cents from the April 2017 reference week. Hired laborers worked an average of 41 hours during the April 2018 reference week, compared with 40.2 hours worked during the April 2017 reference week.
Field workers received an average of $14.76 per hour, unchanged from January 2017. Livestock workers earned $13.47 per hour, up 70 cents. The field and livestock worker combined wage rate at $14.05, was up 55 cents from the 2017 reference week. Hired laborers worked an average of 41.4 hours during the January 2018 reference week, compared with 38.4 hours worked during the January 2017 reference week.
