HUNTSVILLE — As Alabamians prepare for Thanksgiving, a holiday that centers around food, family and the harvest, it’s worth reflecting on where that food comes from – and who produces it.
While the U.S. food system is supported by global trade, the vast majority of what Americans eat is still grown or raised at home
A new analysis from Farm Flavor maps the nation’s agricultural hubs at the county and state levels and shows Alabama as No. 23 in the nation with a $9,982,732,403 market value of agriculture products sold.
And North Alabama provides much of the bounty that winds up on our dinner tables.
“DeKalb, Lawrence, and Marshall counties are three of Alabama’s agricultural heavyweights, together accounting for nearly 20% of the state’s total agricultural output — driven largely by poultry and egg production,” said the report’s author Hannah Hill. “DeKalb leads the state by a wide margin, generating about $863 million in agricultural sales each year. Marshall follows close behind as the state’s third-largest producer with $528 million, and Lawrence ranks seventh with $357 million.
“By comparison, Madison County is much smaller at $123.4 million and is driven primarily by crop production, with agriculture playing only a modest role in its overall economy.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, imports account for less than 20% of U.S. food and beverage spending, underscoring the central role of domestic agriculture in feeding the nation.
The report uses the latest federal data to examine agricultural productivity across the country, highlighting regional differences in what is grown and where. It explores trends in agricultural output, identifies the predominant products in different areas, and ranks the nation’s top agricultural states and counties based on the total market value of goods produced.
In Alabama, poultry and eggs are the most valuable agriculture products, according to the report. The state reported $1,929,000,528 in crop sales and $8,053,731,875 in livestock and other animal sales.
Across Alabama, there are 37,362 farms and the agriculture industry has 26.6% of the state’s total land area, providing 1% of total employment.
For reference, here are the statistics for the entire United States – Market value of agricultural products sold is $599,995,091,745; most valuable agricultural products: Grains, oilseeds, dry beans, dry peas; crop sales: $310,033,985,236; livestock and other animal product sales: $289,961,105,404; number of farms: 1,900,487; agriculture share of total land area: 38.9%; agriculture share of total employment: 1.2%.
DeKalb County is the state’s top producer and 78th in the nation with $862,958,279 in agricultural sales, according to the report. Poultry and eggs are the most valuable ag products. Crop sales total $48,103,487 with $814,854,792 in livestock and other animal sales.
There are 1,744 farms in DeKalb County with agriculture encompassing 44.2% of the total land area and the ag industry accounts for 2.5% of total employment.
Figures from the other counties in North Alabama (market value of ag products sold; most valuable product; crop sales; livestock and other animal sales; number of farms; agriculture share of total land area; agriculture share of total employment).
- Cullman County (157th nationally) – Market value of agricultural products sold: $623,066,154; poultry and eggs are most valuable product; $26,827,518 in crop sales; $596,238,636 in livestock and other animal sales; 1,574 farms; 38.8% of total land area; 1.9% of total employment
- Marshall County – Market value of agricultural products sold: $528,458,911; poultry and eggs are most valuable product;crop sales: $21,799,637; livestock and other animal product sales: $506,659,274; number of farms: 1,324; agriculture share of total land area: 43.3%; agriculture share of total employment: 1.6%
(Farmers Co-op Facebook) - Lawrence County – Market value of agricultural products sold: $356,872,389; poultry and eggs are most valuable product; crop sales: $93,043,971; livestock and other animal product sales: $263,828,418; number of farms: 1,139; agriculture share of total land area: 47.4%; agriculture share of total employment: 2.3%
- Franklin County – Market value of agricultural products sold: $280,750,425; poultry and eggs are most valuable product; crop sales: $13,897,103; livestock and other animal product sales: $266,853,322; number of farms: 747; agriculture share of total land area: 31.8%; agriculture share of total employment: 1.5%
- Jackson County – Market value of agricultural products sold: $233,366,154; poultry and eggs are most valuable product; crop sales: $59,015,458; livestock and other animal product sales: $174,351,801; number of farms: 1,233; agriculture share of total land area: 36.7%; agriculture share of total employment: 1%
- Marion County – Market value of agricultural products sold: $216,578,931; poultry and eggs are most valuable product; crop sales: $12,895,062; livestock and other animal product sales: $203,683,869; number of farms: 612; agriculture share of total land area: 23.7%; agriculture share of total employment: 1.6%
- Limestone County – Market value of agricultural products sold: $190,047,495; Grains, oilseeds, dry beans, dry peas; crop sales: $105,958,919; livestock and other animal product sales: $84,088,576; number of farms: 996; agriculture share of total land area: 71.2%; agriculture share of total employment: 1.3%
- Morgan County – Market value of agricultural products sold: $166,365,303; poultry and eggs are most valuable product; crop sales: $24,097,592; livestock and other animal product sales: $142,267,711; number of farms: 1,102; agriculture share of total land area: 37.8%; agriculture share of total employment: 1.7%
- Madison County – Market value of agricultural products sold: $123,368,137; Grains, oilseeds, dry beans, dry peas; crop sales: $118,359,037; livestock and other animal product sales: $5,009,100; number of farms: 928; agriculture share of total land area: 36.2%; agriculture share of total employment: 0.4%
- Lauderdale – Market value of agricultural products sold: $111,363,532; Grains, oilseeds, dry beans, dry peas; crop sales: $65,724,823; livestock and other animal product sales: $45,638,709; number of farms: 1,130; agriculture share of total land area: 42.5%; agriculture share of total employment: 0.%
Since the mid-20th century, U.S. agriculture has undergone a quiet revolution: farm output has more than doubled even as the total use of inputs – such as land, labor, capital and intermediate inputs like fertilizer – has remained largely unchanged.
This growth in productivity is the result of sustained investment in agricultural research, technological innovation, improved crop and livestock genetics, and more efficient farm management practices.
Today’s farms often rely on precision agriculture tools such as GPS-guided tractors, drones for crop monitoring and AI-powered software to optimize planting, irrigation and harvest decisions.
The Most Popular Agricultural Products in Each State
Source: Farm Flavor analysis of USDA Census of Agriculture data
States With the Greatest Agricultural Output
Source: Farm Flavor analysis of USDA Census of Agriculture data
Farm Flavor is a digital publication that provides data-driven reporting of U.S. agriculture, crops, livestock, agritourism and farm-to-table food, often in partnership with state departments of agriculture.
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