View original document

The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.

Burgundy Book
A report on economic conditions in the Louisville zone
Third Quarter 2014
The Louisville zone of the Federal Reserve comprises southern Indiana and western
Kentucky and a total population of approximately 3.4 million people, including the
almost 1.3 million who live in the Louisville MSA.

Manufacturing Sector Continues to Hum
Along Nicely

Data Snapshot
County unemployment rates (SA, Q2-14)

6.8%

By Kevin L. Kliesen, Business Economist and Research Officer

In an August survey, a slight majority of Louisville zone business
contacts expected economic conditions to improve over the second
half of 2014.
The Louisville zone’s unemployment rate averaged 6.8 percent in the
second quarter of 2014, modestly below its first-quarter average (7.2
percent). The unemployment rates in the zone’s MSAs ranged from
5.4 percent in Evansville to 7.2 percent in Elizabethtown.
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in most MSAs in the second
quarter of 2014. Growth was the strongest in Bowling Green. In the
Louisville MSA, employment growth was especially brisk in manufacturing, professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality.
Indiana continued to see strong growth in manufacturing employment in the second quarter.
In the Louisville MSA, total home sales and single-family building
permits declined in the second quarter, but home prices edged
higher. Residential permit activity picked up in most other MSAs in
the second quarter.
Although auto dealer contacts noted strong sales in the second
quarter, the growth of auto loan balances in the major MSAs trailed
the national growth rate. Household delinquency rates for mortgages
and credit cards declined significantly in the second quarter.
Commercial bank profits (return on average assets) and asset quality
increased at Kentucky and Indiana banks in the second quarter. A
third of bankers surveyed expect loan growth to increase over the
next three months.
According to the USDA’s latest estimates, Indiana farmers are projected to harvest a record corn crop this fall. However, the Kentucky corn
crop is projected to be significantly below last year’s bumper crop.

less than 5%
7% to 8%

5% to 6%
over 8%

Nonfarm payroll employment by industry
Percent change from one year ago (Q2-14)
-2

-1

0

1

Total NonFarm (100%)
Trade, Trans, and Utilities
(21%)
Education and Health (14%)
Prof. and Business Services
(13%)
Government (13%)

Manufacturing (12%)
Leisure and Hospitality
(11%)
Financial Activities (7%)

Nat. Res., Mining, and
Construction (4%)
Other Services (4%)
Information (2%)

This report is published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

6% to 7%

Louisville

US

2

3

4

Third Quarter 2014

How to read this report

Table of Contents

Unless otherwise noted, city names refer
to the metropolitan statistical areas
(MSAs), which are geographic areas that
include cities and their surrounding
suburbs, as defined by the Census Bureau.

Labor Markets ........................................................................... 3

Statistics for the Louisville zone are based
on data availability and are calculated as
weighted averages of either the 88
counties in the zone or the five MSAs. As of
2012, approximately 60 percent of the
zone’s labor force was located in an MSA.
Specifically: 39 percent in Louisville, 11
percent in Evansville, 4 percent in Bowling
Green, 4 percent in Owensboro, and 3
percent in Elizabethtown; 40 percent of
the zone’s labor force was located in nonmetropolitan areas.

Banking and Finance ................................................................. 7

Arrows in the tables are used to identify
significant trends in the data. The direction
of the arrow indicates the sign (up/down)
and the color indicates the economic
significance (green = good, red = poor).
Arrows appear only when the change from
previous quarter is greater than 1 standard
deviation. For example, the standard
deviation of the change in the US unemployment rate is 0.4 percent. If the US
unemployment rate declined from 8.4
percent to 8.2 percent, no arrow would
appear; but if it declined from 8.4 percent
to 7.9 percent, a green down arrow would
appear in the table.
Selected variable definitions are located in
the appendix.

Manufacturing and Transportation ........................................... 4
Real Estate and Construction .................................................... 5
Household Sector ...................................................................... 6

Agriculture and Natural Resources ........................................... 8
Appendix ................................................................................... 9

Join Our Panel of Business Contacts
The anecdotal information in this report was provided by
our panel of business contacts, who were surveyed between
August 8 and August 16.
If you’re interested in becoming a member of our panel, follow this
link to complete a trial survey:
http://research.stlouisfed.org/outlooksurvey

Selected quotes from business contacts
are generally verbatim, but some are
lightly edited to improve readability.

or email us at beigebook@stls.frb.org.

For more information contact the St.
Louis office:
Charles Gascon
charles.s.gascon@stls.frb.org
Media inquiries:
mediainquiries@stls.frb.org

Views expressed do not necessarily reflect official positions of
the Federal Reserve System.

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis — Louisville Zone

2

Labor Markets

Third Quarter 2014

Labor Costs and Wages Expected To Increase
By Maria A. Arias, Research Associate

"We have had to raise wage rates to obtain individuals
with qualified skills."



The unemployment rate across the zone remained elevated relative to the national average,
with the exception of Evansville. Payroll employment grew modestly in most of the zone's MSAs
during the second quarter (see table).



Business contacts in the Louisville area are
moderately optimistic about the labor market
conditions for the remainder of the year: 52
percent of contacts expect employment to
remain the same, 38 percent expect it to increase
toward the end of the year, and the remaining 10
percent expect employment to be somewhat
lower than the same time last year.



Year-over-year wage growth was mixed across
the zone's MSAs during the second quarter,
continuing to exceed the 2 percent national
average in Bowling Green (11 percent) and
Owensboro (6 percent) while declining in the
remaining MSAs. Wage growth in Louisville
matched the national average into the third
quarter, rebounding from the decline seen
through 2013 and early 2014 (see figure).



Anecdotal information suggests wages will
continue to increase slightly toward the end of
the year: 57 percent of the contacts surveyed
expect wages to remain the same, while 42
percent expect wages to be somewhat higher or
higher than last year.

—Louisville area retailer

"Finding entry-level engineers has not been difficult,
though their abilities are limited. Finding experienced
engineers and designers has been very difficult due to
the broad-based demand for their skills."
—Louisville area business contact

Earnings growth rebounds from prior year's lows
Average hourly earnings, percent change from one year ago
10

8
6
4
2
0
-2
-4
-6
-8
2010
Source: BLS.

Louisville

US
2011

2012

2013

Louisville

2014

Evansville

Bowling
Green

Elizabethtown Owensboro

US

Unemployment rate (Q2-14) (%)

7.1

5.4

6.7

7.2

6.7

6.2 ▼

Nonfarm employment (Q2-14)

1.1

0.3

2.1

-0.2

0.9

1.8

Goods-producing sector

1.6

-0.5

-1.1

0.0

3.6

Private service-providing sector

1.0

0.7

2.7

0.6

-0.2

2.1

Government sector

0.9

0.0

3.1

-1.8

1.6

0.1

▲

▲

1.9

Note: Unl es s otherwi s e noted, va l ues a re percent cha nge from one yea r a go. Arrows i ndi ca te a s i gni fi ca nt (± 1 s ta nda rd devi a ti on)
cha nge from the previ ous qua rter. See a ppendi x for notes a nd s ources .

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis — Louisville Zone

3

Manufacturing and Transportation

Third Quarter 2014

Louisville Manufacturing Improves at Steady Clip
By Sean P. Grover, Senior Research Associate

“The tight market for skilled or readily trainable labor
is getting to a point where it is affecting our abilities to
expand production and increase plant investments.”
—Louisville area manufacturer

“Many of our local industries are expanding production and output, but seem to be accomplishing this by
extending the work-week and hours worked by current
employees, rather than hiring new employees.”
—Central Kentucky manufacturer

Aggregate manufacturing hours in Louisville swiftly
outpace US



Manufacturing employment in Louisville picked
up strongly in the second quarter. The 2.4 percent
reading, significantly above the national average,
was led by a surge in durable goods manufacturing employment. Transportation employment in
Louisville also showed solid improvement at 2.0
percent, although less than the nation’s 2.7
percent gain.



Kentucky showed no change in manufacturing
employment, with counterbalancing changes in
durable and nondurable goods employment. In
contrast, Indiana manufacturing employment
increased 3.1 percent, led by durable goods.
Kentucky showed a significant increase in transportation employment at 1.3 percent, while
Indiana showed a slight decrease.



Aggregate weekly manufacturing hours among
production employees in Louisville exceeded prerecession levels in the second quarter, strongly
outpacing the national average.



Despite strong manufacturing activity, many zone
contacts expressed reluctance to expand and
concern about the difficulty in finding skilled or
readily trainable labor.



Manufacturing exports improved for both
Kentucky and Indiana in the second quarter.
Kentucky manufacturing exports increased 11.6
percent, with strength from textiles and furniture.
Indiana’s exports were led by leather products
and transportation equipment, increasing 4.2
percent. Both states strongly outpaced the
national average.

Production and nonsupervisory employees, Jan 2008 = 100
105

Louisville

100

Kentucky

95

US

90

85
80
75
70

2008
2009
Source: BLS.

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Louisville

Kentucky

Transportation employment (Q2-14)

2.0

1.3

Manufacturing employment (Q2-14)

2.4

Durable goods
Nondurable goods
Manufacturing exports (Q2-14)

Indiana
▲

US

-0.1

2.7

0.0

3.1

0.9

3.6

2.1

4.1

1.4

0.1

-3.4

0.7

0.1

--

11.6

4.2

1.4

Note: Va l ues a re percent cha nge from one yea r a go. Arrows i ndi ca te a s i gni fi ca nt (± 1 s ta nda rd devi a ti on) cha nge from the
previ ous qua rter; s ee a ppendi x for notes a nd s ources .

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis — Louisville Zone

4

Real Estate and Construction

Third Quarter 2014

Commercial Real Estate Market Improves as Tenants Look at Downtown Space
By Diana Cooke, Research Associate

“Real estate is on an upswing, but feels downward
pressure from the regulations affecting all areas of the
process.”



The residential market showed signs of growth in
the second quarter. In the majority of the zone’s
MSAs, year-over-year growth in sale prices were
significantly greater than in the previous quarter
(see table). In Louisville, home prices have
increased 3.7 percent since a year ago.



Contacts in the Louisville area noted that a
combination of increasing demand, limited lot
development, and high costs of input materials
are driving sales prices higher. Realtors in the
Evansville area reported pent-up demand and
multiple offers on single-family homes.



Total home sales are down 3.5 percent in Louisville (see table). Contacts attributed this decrease
to tighter credit restrictions and a lack of inventory in the market.



The commercial real estate market improved in
the second quarter; the year-over-year change in
asking rents increased in the office, retail, and
apartment market (see figure).



Contacts in Louisville reported that tenants are
increasingly interested in the higher vacancy and
compressed rental rates of the downtown office
market. Construction of speculative office space in
Louisville further points to a rebound in this
sector.

— Louisville area realtor
“With the popularity of downtown and all the activity
that is taking place...I know several things that are
right on the verge of happening.”
— Owensboro area contact

Uptick in rent growth in Louisville commercial real estate
Percent change from one year ago
4
3
2
1
0
-1

Office
Retail
Apartment

-2
Q3-11
Source: Reis.com.

Q3-12

Q3-13

Q2-14

Non-residential market (Louisville, Q2-14)

Apartment

Office

5.3

15.3

Vacancy rate (%)
Asking rent

2.3

▲

▼

1.2

Retail

Industrial

9.5

6.6

1.8

▲

Percent change from one year ago
Note: Apartment, offi ce, and retai l val ues are from Rei s .com. Indus tri al val ues are es ti mates from Cas s i dy Turl ey.

Residential market (Q2-14)
CoreLogic Home Price Index

Louisville
3.7

▲

Clarksville
-0.2

▲

Elizabethtown
-3.1

▲

Evansville

15.4

US

-1.1

8.3

Single-family building permits

-14.3

2.0

21.4

3.1

0.0

New and existing home sales

-3.5

--

--

--

-5.8

▼

Note: Va l ues a re percent cha nge from one yea r a go. Arrows i ndi ca te a s i gnfi ca nt (±1 s ta nda rd devi a ti on) cha nge from previ ous
qua rter. See a ppendi x for notes a nd s ources .

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis — Louisville Zone

5

Household Sector

Third Quarter 2014

Income Growth Uneven Across the Zone
By Peter B. McCrory, Research Associate

“Overall consumer spending appears to be stronger
but [consumers are] still seeking value.”



Per capita income growth was uneven in Kentucky
and Indiana in the first quarter. Relative to one
year ago, Indiana’s income grew by 0.5 percent—
a slight decline from its 0.9 percent growth in the
previous quarter. Income grew by 2.5 percent
year-over-year in Kentucky, up from the prior
quarter’s 1.3 percent growth. Both states,
however, trailed income growth in the nation.



Auto dealer contacts noted that strong secondquarter sales activity made up for the rough start
to the year due to inclement weather.



In line with strong sales, households in the
Louisville zone increased auto debt balances, but
at less than half the rate of households across the
nation. Once again, non-auto debt balances
declined year-over-year as households continued
to repair their balance sheets.



In October 2013, households in Indiana and
Kentucky began reducing their SNAP participation.
For eight straight months, these states have
outpaced the nation in reducing participation, a
trend that shows no sign of abating (see figure).
This suggests that households in the zone face
increasingly stable financial conditions, which will
likely foster improved consumer sentiment.

— Owensboro area banker

“We have one major employer that has been slowly
doing layoffs (announced well in advance). This is
causing conservative purchasing behavior.”
– Western Kentucky banker

Households reduce SNAP participation across the zone
Percent change in persons participating from one year ago
3
2
1
0
-1
-2
-3
-4

US
Indiana & Kentucky

-5
-6
May-13

Aug-13

Nov-13

Feb-14

May-14

Source: USDA.

Louisville Zone
Per capita personal income (Q1-14)

Indiana

Kentucky

US
▲

--

0.5

2.5

2.8

Mortgage

-3.5

-2.8

-3.6

-1.8

Credit card

-3.8

-5.0

-4.0

-4.6

Auto loan

2.5

3.1

1.4

5.5

▲

Per capita debt balances (Q2-14)

90+ day delinquency rates (Q2-14) (%)
Mortgage

1.7

▼

2.0

▼

1.8

▼

3.0

▼

Credit card

5.9

▼

6.2

▼

6.2

▼

7.5

▼

Auto loan

2.8

3.2

3.1

3.1

Note: Unl es s otherwi s e noted, va l ues a re percent cha nge from one yea r a go. Arrows i ndi ca te a s i gni fi ca nt (±1 s tanda rd devi a tion)
cha nge from the previ ous qua rter. See a ppendi x for notes a nd s ources .

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis — Louisville Zone

6

Banking and Finance

Third Quarter 2014

Banking Conditions on Upswing in Louisville Zone
By Michelle Neely, Economist

“People are more conscious of their credit scores and
have worked harder to bring them into good shape.”
—Louisville area banker

“The market is becoming more competitive as banks
that were previously sidelined due to credit and capital
issues are becoming healthier and are now seeking to
expand their business lending.”



One-third of bankers surveyed expect loan
demand to increase over the next three months.



Return on average assets (ROA) increased at both
Kentucky and Indiana banks in the second quarter.
Averages in both states lagged that of District
banks overall but were on par with national peer
results.



The average net interest margin (NIM) rose
slightly at Indiana and Kentucky banks in the
second quarter, reversing the declines of the
previous quarter. Profits rose at Indiana banks
because of the increase in the average NIM as
well as a sharp decline in net noninterest expenses. In Kentucky, the increase in ROA can solely be
attributed to the bump in the average NIM as net
noninterest expenses and loan loss provisions
were basically unchanged.



Asset quality once again improved in both states.
In the second quarter, the ratio of nonperforming
loans to total loans fell 11 basis points to 1.24
percent at Indiana banks and fell 22 basis points
to 1.69 percent at Kentucky banks.

—Southern Indiana banker
“Competition for quality loans continues to be very
brisk. Loan covenants are loosening for commercial
and industrial loans.”
—Louisville area banker

Profit rates converge at Indiana, Kentucky banks
Return on average assets at commercial banks, percent
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5

US

0.0

Kentucky

-0.5

Indiana

-1.0
2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Source: FRED.

Kentucky

Indiana

8th District

US Peer Banks

Return on average assets

0.96

0.99

1.10

1.00

Net interest margin

3.80

3.77

3.77

3.82

Nonperforming loans / total loans

1.69

1.24

1.54

1.60

115.32

79.89

Banking performance (Q2-14 )

Loan loss reserve coverage ratio

89.94

▼

▼

95.63

Note: Va l ues a re percenta ge poi nts . Arrows i ndi ca te a s i gni fi ca nt ( ± 1 s ta nda rd devi a ti on) cha nge from the previ ous qua rter. See
a ppendi x for notes a nd s ources .

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis — Louisville Zone

7

Agriculture and Natural Resources

Third Quarter 2014

Another Strong Harvest Expected in Indiana
By Lowell R. Ricketts, Senior Research Associate

“Reduced commodity prices are having the greatest
impact at this time. Weather hasn’t been a major
factor this quarter. Farm to table restaurants and
farmers markets are providing good demand for fresh
fruit and vegetables with some local produce being
shipped as far away as Florida.”



Agricultural bankers surveyed expect that availability of loanable funds will be higher in the third
quarter relative to a year earlier (see right table).
Responses were mixed for the other survey
categories.



Kentucky coal production increased in the second
quarter relative to a year ago, continuing the
positive rebound that started in the first quarter
(see left table).



According to the U.S. Census of Agriculture, farm
income across Indiana increased by 171 percent
from 2007 to 2012 (see figure). This well outpaced
the 77 percent growth seen for the nation overall
and dwarfed the 33 percent growth for Kentucky.



Corn production in Kentucky is expected to
decline significantly relative to last year’s record
harvest (see left table). However, production
levels are estimated to be 11 percent higher than
in 2011 and 92 percent higher than in 2012. In
contrast, 2014 Indiana corn production is expected to be slightly higher than last year’s record
of over a billion bushels.

—Western Kentucky banker
“High-priced farmland, lower row crop prices and
higher input prices will make it less profitable to farm
during the remainder of 2014.”

Farm income surges in Indiana over five-year period
Total receipts, millions of 2012 $
800
700

30,000
25,000

Kentucky

600

Indiana

500

Millions

— Western Kentucky banker

20,000

US (Right axis)

400

15,000

300

10,000

200

5,000

100
0

0
1997

2002

2007



Kentucky soybean yields are projected to decline
around 19 percent from their record 49.5 BU/acre
in 2013. Consequently, production levels are
projected to drop significantly despite the higher
level of plantings.

2012

Source: USDA Census of Agriculture; s ee a ppendix.

Indiana
Natural resources (Q2-14)
Mining and logging employment
Coal production
Production (2014)
Corn
Cotton
Rice
Sorghum
Soybean

Kentucky

US

3.9

0.4

5.0

6.6

4.8

0.8

1.1 ▼
---5.8

-17.7 ▼
----16.7 ▼

0.8
35.6 ▲
20.5 ▲
10.3
16.0

Louisville zone Ag. bankers' expectations
Q3-14 vs. Q3-13
Lower Higher
Loan demand
17
17
Available funds
0
33
Loan repayments
0
0
Farm income
0
0
Capital spending
14
14

Net
0
33
0
0
0

Note: Percenta ge of res pons es . See a ppendi x
for notes a nd s ources .

Note: Va l ues a re percent cha nge from one yea r a go. Arrows i ndi ca te a
s i gni fi ca nt (± 1 s tanda rd devi a tion) cha nge from the previ ous qua rter or yea r.
See a ppendi x for notes a nd s ources .

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis — Louisville Zone

8

Appendix

Third Quarter 2014

Cover Page
Sources
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Unemployment rate, nonfarm payroll employment.

Labor Markets

Nondurable goods manufacturing sector is defined by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics as industries with a NAICS classification code of 311
(Food Manufacturing); 312 (Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing); 313 (Textile Mills); 314 (Textile Product Mills); 315 (Apparel
Manufacturing); 316 (Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing); 322
(Paper Manufacturing); 323 (Printing and Related Support Activities);
324 (Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing); 325 (Chemical
Manufacturing); and 326 (Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing).

Table Sources
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Unemployment rate. Nonfarm employment and contributions
by sector.
Notes
Goods-producing sector comprises the manufacturing and natural
resources, mining, and construction sectors.
Private service-providing sector includes the following sectors:
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities; Information; Financial Activities;
Professional and Business Services; Education and Health Services;
Leisure and Hospitality; and Other Services.
Unemployment rate data are seasonally adjusted.

Manufacturing and Transportation
Table Sources
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Real Estate and Construction
Table Sources
CoreLogic
Home price index, including distressed sales.
Census Bureau
Year-to-date single-family building permits.
Greater Louisville Association of Realtors
Year-to-date new and existing home sales.
Notes
Asking rent is the publicized asking rent price. Data are in current
dollars.
Vacancy rate is the percentage of total inventory physically vacant as
of the survey date, including direct vacant and sublease space.
New and existing home sales consists of single-family home sales.

Transportation employment: includes transportation and
warehousing industries.
Manufacturing employment: total, durable, and nondurable
goods.
World Institute for Strategic Economic Research
Manufacturing exports: dollar value.
Notes
Manufacturing labor input is defined as the average weekly hours
worked by production and nonsupervisory employees in the
manufacturing industry multiplied by the monthly average of total
number of production and nonsupervisory employees in the
manufacturing industry.
Transportation employment in Louisville covers transportation,
warehousing, and utility industries. About 90 percent of the reported
jobs are contributed by transportation and warehousing industries.
Manufacturing exports are defined as the total dollar amount of
exports by the manufacturing industries.
Durable goods manufacturing sector is defined by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics as industries with a NAICS classification code of 321
(Wood Product Manufacturing); 327 (Nonmetallic Mineral Product
Manufacturing); 331 (Primary Metal Manufacturing); 332 (Fabricated
Metal Product Manufacturing); 333 (Machinery Manufacturing); 334
(Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing); 335 (Electrical
Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing); 336
(Transportation Equipment Manufacturing); 337 (Furniture and
Related Product Manufacturing); and 339 (Misc. Manufacturing).

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis — Louisville Zone

Household Sector
Table Sources
Equifax based on authors’ calculations
All figures are based on a 5 percent sample of individual credit
reports. Balances are geographic averages of various debt
categories. The mortgage category includes first mortgages and
home equity installment loans, but home equity lines of credit
are omitted. Auto loans include those financed by finance
company or bank loans. Credit cards are revolving accounts at
banks, bankcard companies, national credit card companies,
credit unions, and savings and loan associations.
Haver Analytics
Per capita income.
SNAP participation.
Notes
Delinquency rates are calculated as the percentage of payments past
due by more than 90 days, weighted by the dollar value of the loan.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a welfare
program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture that provides nutritional assistance to eligible, low-income
individuals and families. It is the largest program in the country’s
domestic hunger safety net. Participation is measured as the
seasonally adjusted number of persons participating in the program.

9

Appendix

Third Quarter 2014

Banking and Finance
Table Sources
Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council
Return on average assets: USL15ROA. Net interest margin:
USL15NIM. Nonperforming loans: USL15NPTL. Loan loss reserve/
Total loans: USL15LLRTL. Net loan losses/Average total loans:
USL15LSTL.
Note: The data available in the table can be found in FRED.
Notes
Loan loss provisions are expenses banks set aside as an allowance for
bad loans.
Nonperforming loans are those loans managers classify as 90 days or
more past due or nonaccrual, which means they are more likely to
default.
Loan loss coverage ratio is loan loss reserves divided by nonperforming loans.
US peer banks are those commercial banks with assets of less than
$15 billion.
Due to the seasonal nature of bank return on average assets and net
interest margin, the arrows in the table denote significant changes
from one year ago.

Agriculture and Natural Resources
Table Sources
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Survey of Agricultural Credit
Conditions
Agriculture bankers’ expectations of loan demand, available
funds, loan repayment rates, farm income, and capital spending
are relative to one year ago. Respondents can answer
“increase,” “decrease,” or “no change.”
Energy Information Administration (EIA)
Coal production.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Mining and logging employment.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Crop production estimates.
Total farm income taken from the Census of Agriculture. The
Census is conducted every five years; the last survey was in
2012. Consequently, farm receipts shown in the figure are only
available at 5-year intervals and a linear trend was used for
interpolation of missing values.

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis — Louisville Zone

10