By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

Agriculture, food production, and food processing sectors of Marion County contribute $370.5 million to the county economy, according to the latest economic analysis by Kansas Department of Agriculture.

KDA economist Kellen Liebsch said the analysis is based on data provided by county ag producers and related businesses to the state and federal government.

Beef cattle ranching and farming produces by far the greatest contribution, $114.6 million, followed by grain farming at $51 million.

Approximately 850 people are employed in these two industries.

Food manufacturing produces $50 million. Other top 10 contributors are support activities, farm machinery and equipment manufacturing, wholesale trade, oil seed farming, and other crop farming.

The agriculture sector employs 1,222 people, or almost 22 percent of the work force in the county, which produces a total output of $302.8 million, or about 87 percent of the gross county product.

Agriculture creates indirect effects of almost $50 million in purchases made by farmers and ag businesses from supporting industries within the state.

More than $18 million is attributed to benefits created when employees of ag industries and supporting businesses spend their wages on goods and services within the state.