While certainly agriculture would not create large numbers of jobs, it would still be a good idea to combat the replacement of agricultural land with economically non-productive residential sprawl, as has taken over so much rich agricultural land in the Central Valley and in parts of the Midwest.
The American dream is to live in your own single family home. We'd have to have a major shift in societal values and expectations before people from all income groups will be clamoring to live in apartment buildings again.