YAKIMA - The Employment Security Department reports that preliminary estimates illustrate that Grant County's nonfarm employers totaled 320 more jobs in March 2014 than in March 2013, a 1.2 percent upturn.

Following is a summary of these recent over-the-year changes by industry:

• Mining, logging, and construction declined from 1,160 jobs in March 2013 to 1,070 in March 2014, a 90 job and a 7.8 percent downturn. Most of these jobs are in construction. Grant County's construction industry has stagnated or contracted for an extended period.
• Manufacturing decreased between the Marches of 2013 and 2014, from 4,400 to 3,850, a 550 job and 12.5 percent contraction. Approximately 430 fewer jobs were available this March in nondurable goods manufacturing (primarily at food processing companies).
• Retail trade stores provided 3,220 jobs in March 2013 and 3,270 in March 2014, a 1.6 percent increase and a gain of 50 part- or full-time jobs.
• Transportation, warehousing, and private utilities netted 90 more jobs in March 2014, an 8.8 percent year-over-year expansion. Trucking firms account for the lion's share.
• Professional and business services gained 460 jobs, a strong 37.1 percent increase, between the Marches of 2013 and 2014. On an annual average basis this category increased from 1,250 in 2012 to 1,440 in 2013, a 190 job and 15.2 percent increase. Professional and business services is a broad category that includes legal offices, accounting and tax preparation firms, private security companies, temporary job placement agencies, etc.
• Education (private) and health services lost 200 jobs from March 2013 to March 2014, a 7.1 percent downturn. On an annual average basis education and health services provided 2,870 jobs across Grant County in 2012 and 2,800 in 2013, a 70 job and 2.4 percent contraction.

According to Employment Security, the agricultural employment and wage report for March 2014 showed the total number of agricultural jobs rose 9.7 percent over the year in the Columbia Basin Area 4, which includes Adams and Grant counties.

Total agricultural employment was 9,850 in March 2013 versus 10,810 in March 2014, a 960-job increase. A little more than 80 percent of agricultural jobs provided in this two-county area are on farms and orchards in Grant County.

Seasonal agricultural employment in the Columbia Basin's Area 4 decreased from 4,750 in March 2013, to 3,520 in March 2014, 25.9-percent downturn.