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December, 2011
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Pick up our monthly e-mail newsletter to stay informed of the importance of agriculture in Mississippi! |
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Mississippi’s Heritage.
Mississippi’s Future.
Mississippi Agriculture: a $7.2 billion industry.
Agriculture is Mississippi’s number one industry, employing roughly 260,000 people — 17% of the state's workforce — either directly or indirectly.
Agriculture contributes $9 billion in income — a full 15% of the state’s total — and an additional $14 billion in value-added income, representing 16% of the state’s total. Plus, an estimated $2.7 billion annual economic impact from hunting, fishing, and other natural resource related enterprises.
Missisippi boasts over 42,000 farms covering nearly 11 million acres of farmed land — an area that’s substantially larger than the entire state of Maryland! Mississippi also boasts 19.6 million acres of forest land; 14,000 miles of streams; and 640,000 acres of ponds and lakes! Of these staggering numbers, it is clearly the Mississippi family farmer who contributes the most to our lives.
On average, Mississippi farms are composed of 263 acres, and are spread across every region of the state with the highest concentration of cropland located in the Delta. Farms, and agriculture in general, make a significant contribution to all of Mssissippi’s 82 counties. And Mississippi farmers provide a variety of products that we enjoy daily. From poultry, beef and pork products to cereals, grains, vegetables and fibers.
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