AGRICULTURE

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(01 - 09)

Employment change from last quarter	+34.4
Employment change from year ago	+ 5.3
Wage change from year ago	+10.3

QUARTERLY

The Agriculture industry seasonally advanced adding 8471 employees over the quarter for an increase of 34.4%. Per standard trends Agriculture Services (07) reported the greatest quarterly gain adding 6124 employees. Better than three-fourths of the employment or 5607 were added as a result of seasonal staffing for lawn & garden services. Farm labor for early season tasks such as planting and thinning added 334. Veterinarians for pets, animal hospitals and boarding kennels expanded adding 209. Employment in Agriculture Prod-Crops (01) rose by 2059. Increases are typical for the quarter. Expansions occurred in all subsectors but were strongest in Horticulture Specialties, up 954, which contains nursery and bedding plant production, and Vegetable & Melon production up 745. Agri Prod-Livestock (02) gained 234 employees. Livestock Except Dairy & Poultry added 166 as a result of expansions mainly in beef production. Dairy farms added 58 employees with growth almost exclusive to Weld County.

ANNUAL

Annually, Agriculture employment grew 5.3% and added 1671 employees. The strongest growing subsector was Agriculture Services (07), which increased by 1759 employees. Strong new home building and population expansions heightened demand for landscaping, lawn mowing and fertilizing services generating most of the employment gain in Agriculture Services. Some gain was seen in Veterinary Services up almost 284. Farm labor decreased by 95 over the year possibly the result of a late spring frost that cut into fruit production. Agri Prod-Livestock (02) added 112 workers. Increases were the result of staff expansions at many dairy farms. Agri Prod-Crops (01) fell by 221 employees. Within Agri Prod-Crops Vegetable & Melon production added 100 but declined by 254 in Horticulture Specialties. A portion of the decline in Horticulture Specialties resulted from high employment a year ago when one employer took on staff to build an extension to its under cover production facilities.

Colorado Employment and Wages (ES202) Second Quarter 1999