Back to Agriculture Home Agriculture Home      Back to Agriculture Statistics Education      Back to Agriculture Overview Statistics               


Southeast Alabama Agriculture Overview


Major Income Sources

    Agricultural income from farming continues to be a very important part of the total income received by Alabama's farmers. The four major sources of farm income are: livestock and poultry; crops; forest products; and non-farm commercial timber.

  Inset:  The Boll Weevil Monument,  Enterprise.   

   Recent data released by the Alabama Agricultural Statistics Service show that Alabama farmers received a record $ 3.69 billion from farm marketing's and related activities in 1996, 9 percent above 1995 total cash receipts. Total farm and forestry receipts, including non-farm commercial timber, reached $4.24 billion in 1996, also a record for the state. The top five commodities for cash receipts were: (1)poultry; (2) cattle and calves; (3) cotton; (4) nursery, sod and greenhouse products; and (5) peanuts.

   Statewide, livestock and poultry continue to be the major source of farm income.

Inset:  Coffee County Extension Agent Richard Petcher gives some Coffee County mules a tasty treat.
                                                                       

This category in 1996 returned $2.3 billion in total cash receipts to Alabama producers. This compares to $2.1 billion in cash receipts in 1995, or an increase of five percent.

   Broiler receipts, the largest individual commodity in Alabama's total cash receipts, reached $1.63 billion, up 14 percent from 1995. Cattle receipts were down 7 percent to $286 million as cattle prices were depressed for calves stockers and cows. Egg receipts totaled $225 million in 1996, up 4 percent and also a record level for Alabama. Hog, dairy and catfish receipts rose in 1996, with catfish sales reaching a record $52.8 million.

   Total livestock and poultry receipts, at $2.36 billion, were about nine percent above 1995 totals.

   Cotton receipts continue to climb in Alabama and the district. 1996 total cash receipts hit $265 million, an increase of 58 percent, from the drought and insect plagued 1995 crop year.

   Greenhouse, nursery, and sod sales hit $190 million, up six percent from 1995.

   Peanut returns were down 15 percent to $119 million due to a variable production year and lower prices. Soybean and corn receipts were up 51 percent and 37 percent respectively.

   Total crop cash receipts were $815 million, up 16 percent from 1995.