LINCOLN, Neb. May 22, 2024 – In the Northern Plains Region (Kansas, Nebraska, North
Dakota, and South Dakota) there were 37,000 workers hired directly by farm operators on farms
and ranches during the week of April 7-13, 2024, unchanged from the April 2023 reference
week, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Workers numbered 30,000 during the week of January 7-13, 2024, down 9% from the January 2023 reference week.
Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $19.68 per hour during the April
2024 reference week, up 6% from the April 2023 reference week. Field workers received an
average of $21.12 per hour, up $1.77. Livestock workers earned $17.17 per hour, up $0.33 from
a year earlier. The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $18.90, was up $1.03 from
the April 2023 reference week. Hired laborers worked an average of 44.4 hours during the April
2024 reference week, compared with 41.8 hours worked during the April 2023 reference week.
Farm operators in the Northern Plains Region paid their hired workers an average wage of
$19.77 per hour during the January 2024 reference week, up 5% from the January 2023 reference
week. Field workers received an average of $21.61 per hour, up $1.58. Livestock workers earned
$17.18 per hour, up $0.08 from a year earlier.
The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $18.73, was up $0.68 from the January 2023 reference week. Hired laborers worked an average of 42.8 hours during the January 2024 reference week, compared with 40.0 hours worked during the January 2023 reference week.
