Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Third Butler/Cunningham Conference on Agriculture and the Environment Rural Redesign: The Transformation of Alabama’s Rural Landscape.

Similar presentations


Presentation on theme: "Third Butler/Cunningham Conference on Agriculture and the Environment Rural Redesign: The Transformation of Alabama’s Rural Landscape."— Presentation transcript:

1 Third Butler/Cunningham Conference on Agriculture and the Environment Rural Redesign: The Transformation of Alabama’s Rural Landscape

2 Steering Committee: Mike Kilgore, ALFA Joseph Molnar, Auburn University Mike Polioudakis, Auburn University Wayne Shell, Auburn University Herb Vanderberry, USDA

3 2002 Conference: Common Misbeliefs About Alabama Agriculture 2003 Conference: Trends and Opportunities for Rural Land Use

4 Alabama Population 2000 (US Census Data) Total Population4,447,100 Urban Population2,465,539 Rural Population1,981,561 –Rural Non-farm Population 1,927,390 –Farm Population 54,171 Total Housing Units1,963,711 Urban Housing Units1,080,525 Rural Housing Units 883,186 –Rural Non-farm Housing Units 862,385 –Farm Housing Units 20,801

5 Various Land Uses 2004, in acres Open Water1,123,2493.3% Developed454,4861.3% Barren884,8912.6% Wetlands2,212,7326.6% Deciduous Forest7,860,34523.3% Evergreen Forest6,657,41419.8% Mixed Forest7,801,35323.2% Total Forest22,319,11266.3% Pasture/Hay3,453,37710.2% Row Crops3,110,7949.2% Total Farmland6,564,17119.5% TOTAL STATE33,682,203

6 Number of Farms and Land In Farms USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS), "Farm Real Estate Historical Series Data, 1950-1992", Statistical Bulletin No. 855 YearNumber of FarmsLand in Farms (in acres) 1950220,00021,300,000 1954168,00021,200,000 1959129,00017,600,000 1964102,00016,200,000 1969 85,00015,000,000 1974 78,00014,600,000 1978 59,00012,500,000 1982 55,00011,800,000 1987 49,00010,700,000 1992 46,000 9,800,000

7 Revenue from Major Ag Sources (from USDA Bulletin 45, page 44-45) Standard Ag (crops) 583,800,000 (row crops, orchard, etc.) Floriculture 66,234,000 Animal husbandry2,378,300,000 (including aquaculture) Hunting, fishing, recreation2,400,000,000 Forestry 735,150,000

8 Who Produces How Much (from 1997 Ag Census) Farm size range% Total Farms%Total Ag Sales Less than $10,00068.9 2.7 $10,000 - 49,00016.5 4.5 $50,000 – 99,999 3.3 3.1 $100,000 – 249,000 3.5 7.6 $250,000 – 499,000 3.316.2 $500,00 or more 4.565.9

9

10 Various “New” Residents Old farmers with small plots of land Retired people looking for a cheap place to live People on pensions Poor people in general, many of whom have moved back to the countryside Mobile home park residents Ex-urbanites with a job in town and 1-30 acres of a home site Ex-urbanites with 10-200 acres of land, and who often raise some livestock Hobby farmers and hobby cattle growers

11 Selected Results from 2002 Poll on Attitudes Toward Rural Life 56% think Alabama is a leading agricultural state 77% think Alabama soil and water is well suited for agriculture 90% think that the climate is well suited for agriculture Over 50% know that the number of farms has declined 53% know that farming is generally not profitable 73% know that farmers need a second income 60% are willing to pay more for food to protect farms 76% are willing to limit imports to protect farms Only 4% felt that agriculture was a leading cause of pollution

12


Download ppt "Third Butler/Cunningham Conference on Agriculture and the Environment Rural Redesign: The Transformation of Alabama’s Rural Landscape."

Similar presentations


Ads by Google