AUGUSTA, Ga.
(AP) Agriculture tractor jobs are expected to rise by about 20 percent from their current level and to increase from more than 4,500 to more than 5,000 over the next decade, according to a report from the National Association of Manufacturers.
Agricultural scientists, a subset of agricultural workers, also will see their average annual pay jump by $1,500, or nearly 4 percent, to $51,000, the association reported Wednesday.
Agri-giant General Mills said Wednesday it will hire about 1,000 more employees this year.
The company said it will spend more than $2 billion in the next two years to expand its production capacity.
The association report also says food services, retail and hospitality industries will grow by about 10 percent each.
Restaurants, bars and coffee shops, among others, will see the biggest increases in annual pay.
The report says food service workers will see an increase of $4,000 each year to $52,000.
The same amount of wage growth will go to food service positions at large retailers.
The trade group representing about 4 million U.S. workers is forecasting the nation’s $1.9 trillion gross domestic product will be about $2.4 trillion in 2021.
The economic report is based on a projection that the unemployment rate will fall to 6.6 percent in 2021, the last year for which reliable data is available.