USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) conducts high-quality, objective economic research to inform and enhance public and private decision making on emerging issues in agriculture, food, the environment, and rural America. Ag and Food Statistics: Charting the Essentials covers key food and agricultural indicators and illustrates the scope of ERS’s work through a series of charts and maps. This booklet provides a sample of those maps and charts available on the ERS website at www.ers.usda.gov/essentials. Organized into nine topics, Charting the Essentials anticipates questions, such as: How much do agriculture and related industries contribute to the U.S. economy? What economic forces are shaping rural America? What are the top destinations for U.S. agricultural exports? What percent of income do U.S. households spend on food? Charting the Essentials provides a resource for public officials, researchers, educators, students, journalists, and anyone looking for current information on these topics. Visit the ERS website where you can view and download these charts and maps, as well as a variety of reports and other products, such as Charts of Note and Amber Waves online magazine.