Farm Labor Report – Colorado, Nevada and Utah

MOUNTAIN II REGION (COLORADO, NEVADA, UTAH)

There were 17,000 workers hired directly by farms in the Mountain II Region (Colorado, Nevada, and Utah) during the reference week of April 9-15, 2023, according to the Agricultural Labor Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage rate of $17.50 per hour, compared to $17.34 in April 2022. The number of hours worked averaged 41.3 for hired workers during the reference week, compared with 42.1 hours in April 2022. Field workers averaged $16.80 per hour, livestock workers averaged $16.02 per hour, and field and livestock workers combined earned an average of $16.42 per hour.

During the reference week of January 8-14, 2023, there were 13,000 workers hired directly by farms in the Mountain II Region. Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage rate of $17.82 per hour, compared to $17.48 in January 2022. The number of hours worked averaged 41.5 for hired workers during the reference week, compared with 41.6 hours in January 2022. Field workers averaged $16.80 per hour, livestock workers averaged $16.31 per hour, and field and livestock workers combined earned an average of $16.53 per hour.

UNITED STATES

There were 651,000 workers hired directly by farm operators on the Nation’s farms and ranches during the week of April 9-15, 2023, up 3 percent from the April 2022 reference week. Workers hired directly by farm operators numbered 511,000 during the week of January 8-14, 2023, up 1 percent from the January 2022 reference week.

Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $18.08 per hour during the April 2023 reference week, up 5 percent from the April 2022 reference week. Field workers received an average of $17.26 per hour, up 5 percent. Livestock workers earned $16.48 per hour, up 4 percent. The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $16.99 per hour, was up 4 percent from the 2022 reference week. Hired laborers worked an average of 40.6 hours during the April 2023 reference week, up 2 percent from the hours worked during the April 2022 reference week.

Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $18.55 per hour during the January 2023 reference week, up 5 percent from the January 2022 reference week. Field workers received an average of $17.67 per hour, up 7 percent, while livestock workers earned $16.71 per hour, up 4 percent from a year earlier. The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $17.26 per hour, was up 5 percent from the January 2022 reference week. Hired laborers worked an average of 38.9 hours during the January 2023 reference week, down 1 percent from the hours worked during the January 2022 reference week.

For a full copy of the Farm Labor report, please visit www.nass.usda.gov.