Farm and farm-related industries accounted for almost 18 percent of total U.S, employment in 1988. This share is based on a broad definition of the agricultural sector, including not only farm production but also industries that mine, manufacture, and sell farm inputs; process commodities; and sell consumer goods. Employment in these industries is used to measure the size and importance of the agricultural sector in U.S. regions and metropolitan (metro) and nonmetropolitan (nonmetro) areas. Defining and measuring the agricultural sector helps inform decisionmakers who must weigh the demands of agriculture against competing economic activities when making policy, developing programs, and allocating budget dollars.