Farm Management
USDA Groupings
The state of Alabama is divided into six geographic regions. These are defined by the USDA as Agricultural Statistical Districts. Each group of counties represents similar geography, climate, and cropping practices. A contribution analysis was performed on each region to provide a better understanding of how the agricultural and forestry industries contribute to the local economy.
The total contribution and total employment are the sum of direct effects, indirect effects, and induced effects in each region. Summing all of the individual regions does not equal the total statewide contribution and employment due to leakages and local effects that are treated differently when modeled as a collective statewide economy.
- Ag District 10: Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Morgan, and Winston Counties
- Ag District 20: Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Jackson, Marshall, and St. Clair Counties
- Ag District 30: Bibb, Chambers, Chilton, Clay, Coosa, Fayette, Jefferson, Lamar, Lee, Pickens, Randolph, Shelby, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, and Walker Counties
- Ag District 40: Autauga, Bullock, Dallas, Elmore, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Montgomery, Perry, and Sumter Counties
- Ag District 50: Baldwin, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe, Washington, and Wilcox Counties
- Ag District 60: Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, and Russell Counties
Total Contribution and Total Employment in Each Region
| Ag District | Total Contribution | Total Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $12.9 billion | 44,766 |
| 20 | $15.2 billion | 51,136 |
| 30 | $18.8 billion | 66,035 |
| 40 | $6.7 billion | 26,653 |
| 50 | $13.3 billion | 41,992 |
| 60 | $8.4 billion | 29,912 |
Table 3 illustrates the total economic contribution of food-and-fiber agriculture and forestry as well as a regional breakdown of the major components. The single largest sector in the state is forestry processing, which is also the two largest regional totals in Agricultural District 30 followed by Agricultural District 50. The third largest sector is food processing in Agricultural District 20. While agricultural production is spread throughout the state, the greatest contribution is in Agricultural District 20. Meanwhile, the smallest overall contribution and generally smallest or close to smallest within category breakdowns is notably in Agricultural District 40.
Table 3. Total Economic Contribution by Region
| INDUSTRY | Total State Effect (in $1,000) | Ag District 10 Total Effect (in $1,000) | Ag District 20 Total Effect (in $1,000) | Ag District 30 Total Effect (in $1,000) | Ag District 40 Total Effect (in $1,000) | Ag District 50 Total Effect (in $1,000) | Ag District 60 Total Effect (in $1,000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Inputs | $3,930,510 | $516,585 | $155,075 | $1,421,060 | $171,755 | $1,445,352 | $148,590 |
| Agricultural Production | $12,096,171 | $1,834,851 | $4,097,196 | $1,368,558 | $854,624 | $930,630 | $2,424,751 |
| Food Processing | $23,445,868 | $4,206,450 | $6,033,866 | $5,648,241 | $2,002,662 | $2,504,160 | $2,742,154 |
| Fiber Processing | $4,067,741 | $353,714 | $1,180,167 | $1,221,189 | $204,577 | $279,067 | $701,744 |
| Agricultural and Forestry Services | $3,108,761 | $443,713 | $295,145 | $1,127,925 | $365,943 | $510,680 | $259,057 |
| Forestry Inputs | $230,165 | $7,345 | $96,849 | $44,791 | $350 | $58,577 | $4,581 |
| Forestry Production | $1,028,931 | $94,302 | $83,660 | $230,362 | $163,911 | $312,837 | $122,651 |
| Forestry Processing | $29,387,540 | $5,443,600 | $3,336,180 | $7,722,646 | $2,933,961 | $7,289,321 | $2,040,606 |
| Total Contribution | $77,295,686 | $12,900,560 | $15,278,137 | $18,784,773 | $6,697,782 | $13,330,624 | $8,444,135 |
Adam N. Rabinowitz, Associate Professor and Extension Economist, and Dennis Brothers, Associate Extension Professor, both with Auburn University
This is an excerpt of Agriculture & Forestry Grow Alabama: An Economic Contribution Study, ACES-2817