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

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

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

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

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

Number of Farms and Land In Farms USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS), "Farm Real Estate Historical Series Data, ", Statistical Bulletin No. 855 YearNumber of FarmsLand in Farms (in acres) ,00021,300, ,00021,200, ,00017,600, ,00016,200, ,00015,000, ,00014,600, ,00012,500, ,00011,800, ,00010,700, ,000 9,800,000

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

Who Produces How Much (from 1997 Ag Census) Farm size range% Total Farms%Total Ag Sales Less than $10, $10, , $50,000 – 99, $100,000 – 249, $250,000 – 499, $500,00 or more

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 acres of land, and who often raise some livestock Hobby farmers and hobby cattle growers

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