Study Shows How Farming Feeds Alabama’s Economy

Mar 26, 2024

By Marlee Jackson

Food and agriculture directly account for 334,548 jobs in Alabama, according to a Feeding the Economy report released on National Ag Day March 19.

The annual study gives credence to the Alabama Farmers Federation’s Farming Feeds Alabama message, said Federation President Jimmy Parnell.

“Farming and farm products provide security for so many American families, not just in the food they eat but in the jobs they’re able to keep,” said Parnell, a Chilton County farmer whose family runs a timber and cattle operation. “We need to remember that and support the folks who keep this country going.”

The Federation is a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation, which helps sponsor the economic impact report.

Nationally, food and agriculture directly support nearly 24 million jobs, which is 15% of U.S. employment. Those industries are responsible for more than $9.6 trillion of the country’s economic activity. That’s 20% of total U.S. output.

Feeding the Economy’s report accounts for work from nearly 2 million American farmers, plus millions of food scientists, production workers, logistics experts, truck drivers and engineers who work in more than 200,000 manufacturing, processing and storage facilities.

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Video: Cheapest States to Buy Farmland in America

The United States has more than 895 million acres of farmland, which includes all rural land tied to farming operations, from highly fertile Midwest cornfields to vast grazing ranges in the West, as well as the undeveloped rural land, which is often sold as ranches, homesteads, or uncultivated lots. Nowadays investing in rural land is very lucrative even billionaires like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Warren Buffett have bought up thousands of acres of farmland across America. In contrast to investors, agricultural companies, and business moguls, some buy farmland for their own requisites, like starting a small farmstead, creating a cottage, and becoming self-resilient. In this video we have ranked the top cheapest states to buy farmland according to the per-acre land value, which is accumulated from the United States Department of Agriculture. The USDA’s per-acre land values come from an annual survey, which is cross-checked with actual sales data, appraisals, and market trends to ensure accuracy. So here are The top Cheapest States to Buy Farmland.