The ethanol industry in Nebraska provides over 1,000 jobs in operating plants.  According to the Nebraska Ethanol Board, the average annual wage is around $50,000, which is well above the Nebraska average of $34,000.  Consider the following workforce trends reported by the Nebraska Department of Labor:

• From 2000 to 2006, employment within the ethanol industry increased by 250 percent while the state’s total employment grew by 2 percent.
• Total wages in the ethanol production industry grew by 427 percent while the state’s total wages grew by 25 percent.
• Ethanol’s average annual wages grew by 50 percent while the state’s average annual wages grew by 22 percent.