Southeast Alabama Agriculture Overview

Peanuts
   The dependence on peanuts to the district economy is significant, and has been so for decades. Alabama as a state ranked third in the U.S. in peanut production in 1996.

  Inset: A Houston County farmer digging peanuts.   

   All of the district counties rank in the top 8 peanut producing counties statewide. Houston County ranks first, followed by Henry County second, Geneva County third, Coffee County fourth, Barbour County fifth, Dale County sixth and Covington County eighth.

   Peanuts accounted for $118.7 million in cash receipts in 1996, compared to $139.4 million in 1995 or a decline of 15 percent. Houston County produced 19 percent of the total peanut receipts in 1996, down from 22 percent of total receipts in 1995. Henry County and Geneva County followed in cash receipts respectively. Peanuts are grown primarily in 14 counties in southeastern and southern Alabama due to its soils, climate and marketing points.

   The peanut program continues to receive pressure from congressional factions seeking to eliminate the government price support or quota system on peanuts. This holds the prospect of economic devastation to district peanut producers should the program be cut as it is one of only two crops that can be produced to return profits to district producers.