Southeast Alabama Agriculture Overview

Cotton
   Cotton production has seen a significant increase in the district over the past 5 years, and now accounts for $54 million in annual cash receipts as of 1996 data, compared to $15 million in 1990. Cotton income now ranks third behind broilers and peanuts in the district.

   Several new modern cotton gin facilities and warehouses have been built on the district over the past 4 years, which have created a new interest in growing cotton. New gins have been built in Coffee County, Henry County, Geneva County and Dale County to provide local access to producers to gin, store and market their cotton.

Inset: In recent years, Wiregrass farmers have taken a renewed interest in cotton.

   Local agricultural officials predict that cotton acreage will increase in the district as the peanut program declines. Two district counties - Houston and Geneva - are among the top 10 cotton production counties in the state. Limestone County led Alabama with production of 101,350 bales in 1996. In the district, Houston County led the district in cotton production and ranked seventh statewide with 1996 production of 34,410 bales, followed by Geneva County, which ranked ninth with 32,620 bales.

   Other district cotton production for selected counties is as follows: Coffee County, 27,410 and Henry County, 25,570 bales. Yields in the district per acre averaged 526 pounds among the seven counties, which compares to 734 pounds per acres statewide according to 1996 data.

   From 1992 to 1996, the number of farms in Alabama declined from 46,000 to 45,000 and total farmland declined from 9.8 million acres to 9.7 million acres. Average farm size remained relatively stable at 213 and 216 acres respectively.

   1996 agricultural data indicating cash receipts from farm marketing's for each district county is shown in the Statistics section. Coffee County continues to lead the district in total cash receipts in 1996 with $120.9 million. This is down 1% from 1995. Geneva County ranks second with $97.6 million, followed by Covington County at $53.8 million, Houston County with $48.5 million, Dale County with $40.7 million, Henry County at $39.3 million and Barbour County with $26.4 million.

   Growing conditions vary greatly from year to year, and many farmers are dependent upon sufficient rainfall to produce adequate yields on dryland crops as irrigation is estimated to be in use on 40%-50% of the land in the district. Irrigation continues to be promoted by county agents in the district, however, many farmers have been prohibited from the concept perhaps due to the high cost of equipment and systems to adequately irrigate their crops.