University of Tennessee Extension recently released reports outlining the estimated agricultural contributions of all 95 counties in Tennessee including Moore County. The updated reports highlight agriculture’s impact on the output and employment of each county in 2021, providing key information for local and regional policymakers, the agricultural community and general public.

In it, they estimate that for 2021, Moore County’s total direct agricultural output was estimated at $561.9 million. With multiplier effects, agricultural output had a total estimated economic impact of $603.6 million. These results mean that for every dollar of direct output from agriculture, the total economic impact on the county’s economy is $1.07 (i.e., the 603.6 divided by the 561.9).

It also states that 902 workers are employed in county agriculture. With multiplier effects, an estimated 1,119 jobs are generated by county agriculture, or one direct agricultural job leads to 1.24 jobs (i.e., 1,119 divided by 902) in the county (Figure 1, “Employment”).

For comparison, Coffee County had the largest contribution with direct agricultural outputs estimated at $1,088.8 million. Of the surrounding counties, Franklin County had the lowest total direct agricultural outputs estimated at $126 million. Bedford County came in at total direct agricultural output estimated at $869.6 million. Lincoln County reported total direct agricultural output is estimated at $613.4 million.

“While agriculture continues to make an important contribution to economic activity, there have been few efforts to estimate agriculture’s contribution to local economies for every county in a given state,” says author David Hughes, professor and Greever Chair in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. “These reports represent UT Extension’s ongoing efforts to identify and meet key needs in Tennessee.”

The reports define agriculture as crop and livestock production; food and fiber processing, such as ice cream plants and textile mills; farm inputs, such as fertilizer plants and feed mills; and forestry-based production, such as sawmills and paper mills. County contributions also include a multiplier or spinoff value that accounts for the impact on the non-agricultural part of the economy. Examples of multiplier effects include local spending by agricultural workers and owner-operators, and farmers and other agricultural businesses purchasing local inputs such as utilities.

“The reports document the continuing importance of agriculture at the county level in Tennessee, even in highly urbanized areas,” says Hughes.

The updated contributions are based on the 2021 economy and are available online attiny.utk.edu/countyimpacts. •

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