The U.S. farming and agriculture industry clearly led a recent Gallup poll of Americans’ views of 25 industries. This poll in the U.S. reflects what global customers of U.S. agriculture, including the soybean industry, have already found – that U.S. farmers continue to provide a reliable supply of agricultural products through the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Farming and agriculture had been among the top industries in the past, but this is the first time in 20 years it was ranked No. 1, with a 69% positive rating, an increase of 11 percentage points over 2019. The closely related grocery and restaurant industries ranked 2 and 3 in the poll. These rankings reflect attitudes toward industries delivering essential goods and services during the ongoing spread of the coronavirus.

U.S. farmers managed to successfully plant and protect the 2020 crop during various shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders across the country this spring. At the same time, they cared for livestock and poultry, maintaining supply and managing through temporary closings and reduced capacity at many packing plants.

Learn more about how U.S. agriculture compares to views on other major industries.