Industry Expertise: Food Processing

Food processing companies are doing the math and discovering that the low cost of doing business in the Midwest can bring big savings to their bottom line.

• Employment

• Median hourly wages

• Number of employees

• Total establishments

• Food processing state rankings

• Top agricultural products sold in Alliant Energy states

• Agriculture in the Alliant Energy service territory

• Top 10 U.S. leaders in certified organic crop acreage (2001)

• Number of certified organic operations, 2001

• Certified organic crop acreage, 2001

Map: Agriculture in the Alliant Energy service territory
[PDF format]

Employment

SOC Code

Occupation title

U.S.

Ill.

Iowa

Minn.

Wis.

51-3011

Bakers

159,420

8,520

1,580

2,870

4,930

51-3092

Food Batchmakers

80,080

4,760

1,730

2,420

3,550

51-3093

Food Cooking
Machine Operators
and Tenders

38,780

2,220

540

650

1,220

51-9111

Packaging and
Filling Machine
Operators
and Tenders

401,520

25,090

5,370

8,500

15,790

53-7064

Packers and
Packagers, Hand

868,390

48,540

9,410

16,500

24,720

Median hourly wages

SOC Code

Occupation title

U.S.

Ill.

Iowa

Minn.

Wis.

51-3011

Bakers

$10.13

$9.83

$9.82

$10.94

$9.50

51-3092

Food Batchmakers

$10.67

$11.18

$12.06

$11.75

$11.94

51-3093

Food Cooking
Machine Operators
and Tenders

$10.05

$12.47

$10.68

$11.07

$12.73

51-9111

Packaging and
Filling Machine
Operators
and Tenders

$10.56

$9.77

$13.33

$11.43

$11.82

53-7064

Packers and
Packagers, Hand

$8.17

$8.68

$8.28

$8.99

$9.28

Number of employees

1993₁

2002₂

Percent Growth

United States

1,573,848

1,607,161

2.1%

Illinois

81,292*

81,353

0.1%

Iowa

46,760

49,027

4.8%

Minnesota

40,868

44,195

8.1%

Wisconsin

53,254*

65,890*

23.7%

Total establishments

1993₁

2002₂

Percent Growth

United States

21,365

28,930

35.4%

Illinois

959

1,253

30.7%

Iowa

426

483

13.4%

Minnesota

544

701

28.9%

Wisconsin

844

1,031

22.2%

Food processing state rankings

All Employees
Payroll
($1,000)

Value-Added By
Manufacturer
($1,000)

Value-Added
Per Employee

U.S.

43,586,136

193,223,762

$117,747

Illinois

2,780,223

13,973,091

$157,383

Iowa

1,608,200

7,892,823

$161,243

Minnesota

1,412,476

5,714,935

$127,628

Wisconsin

1,913,498

7,719,549

$121,894

Top five agricultural products sold in Alliant Energy states

Illinois

1. Grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas

2. Hogs and pigs

3. Cattle and calves

4. Nursery, greenhouse, floriculture and sod

5. Milk and other dairy products from cows

Iowa

1. Grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas

2. Hogs and pigs

3. Cattle and calves

4. Poultry and eggs

5. Milk and other dairy products from cows

Minnesota

1. Grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas

2. Hogs and pigs

3. Milk and other dairy products from cows

4. Cattle and calves

5. Poultry and eggs

Wisconsin

1. Milk and other dairy products from cows

2. Grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas

3. Cattle and calves

4. Vegetables, melons, potatoes and sweet potatoes

5. Poultry and eggs

Agriculture in the Alliant Energy service territory

U.S.

Ill.

Iowa

Minn.

Wis.

Dairy cows

# of animals (1,000 head)

Lbs. of milk (million)

8,990.5

169,758.0

108

2,051

196

3,804

465

8,458

1,245

22,074

Beef cattle

# of animals-1,000 head)

32,860.3

432

984

395

245

All hogs

# of animals (thousands)

60,040.0

3,950

15,800

6,400

490

Chicken layers

# of animals (thousands)

339,989.0

3,875

41,222

11,310

4,320

Oats

# of acres (1,000 acres)

4,601.0

60

220

350

380

Soybeans

# of acres (1,000 acres)

73,404.0

10,300

10,600

7,500

1,720

All corn

# of acres (1,000 acres)

78,736.0

11,200

12,400

7,200

3,750

Top 10 U.S. leaders in certified organic crop acreage (2001)

Rank

State

Acres

Largest crop (by percentage)

1

Colorado

581,614

Pasture

2

Texas

266,320

Pasture

3

Montana

209,026

Pasture

4

California

163,612

Other cropland, vegetables

5

North Dakota

159,301

Grains

6

Minnesota

103,297

Grains

7

Wisconsin

91,619

Grains, beans

8

Idaho

84,049

Hay

9

Iowa

80,354

Grains, beans

10

South Dakota

57,417

Grains

Number of certified organic operations, 2001

Rank

State

# of Operations

3

Wisconsin

469

4

Minnesota

421

5

Iowa

384

19

Illinois

118

U.S. total

6,949

Certified organic crop acreage, 2001

Iowa

Rank

Acres

Corn

2

15,232

Oats

2

6,435

Soybeans

2

27,226

Illinois

Rank

Acres

Corn

8

4,333

Oats

5

2,154

Soybeans

10

6,879

Minnesota

Rank

Acres

Corn

1

19,461

Oats

4

3,146

Soybeans

1

29,958

Wisconsin

Rank

Acres

Corn

3

13,360

Oats

3

3,304

Soybeans

3

22,050