Expectedly, Agriculture employment rose over last quarter as the growing season got underway. Employment grew 37.4% adding 8058 employees. Agriculture Services (07), which constitutes a little more than half of the industry employment generated almost 70% of the quarterly growth adding 5551 employees. The majority of employment growth resulted from seasonal work in lawn and garden maintenance. Some increases were seen in farm labor due to planting and thinning work. Agri Prod-Crops (01) also experienced seasonal growth gaining 2237 employees. Horticulture Specialties (018) was the largest subsector to increase generating almost half of the gain. The subsector contains greenhouses, sod farms and nursery stock growers which generally expand staff during the early planting period. The second strongest subsector was Vegetables and Melons (016) up 650 employees. Growth was seasonal and tied to planting, thinning and cultivating.
ANNUAL
Employment in the Agriculture industry grew 6.7% over second quarter a year ago adding 1846 employees. Almost 75% of the annual growth occurred in Agriculture Services (07) which expanded by 1374 employees. It=s largest share of new employees came from the expanding lawn and garden service business adding over 1000 employees. Veterinary Services (074), also classified under Agriculture Services added 275. The second largest growing sector of Agriculture was Agri Prod-Livestock (02) up 372 employees. Over-the-year expansions at a number of hog production facilities generated the majority of the increase. Small gains were seen in Dairy Farms (024) up 71 employees over a year ago. Better than half of the gain occurred between first and second quarter of 1997. Agri Prod-Crops (01) increased by 115 employees. Its strength appeared in Horticulture Specialties (018) due to increased demand for nursery and greenhouse products.
Colorado Employment and Wages (ES202) Second Quarter 1997
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