Agricultural Products / Food Production
Alabama ranks #3 in the U.S. in the production of broilers and other poultry, and substantially contributes to the ever-growing worldwide demand for proteins. Agribusiness has cultivated a positive impact on North Alabama’s regional economy as our counties rank among Alabama’s top-ten producers in the following categories:
- Broilers:
#1 DeKalb, #2 Cullman, #4 Marshall - Cattle:
#4 DeKalb, #5 Cullman #8 Jackson #9 Lawrence - Corn:
#1 Madison, #2 Lawrence, #3 Colbert, - Cotton:
#1 Madison, #2 Limestone #3 Cherokee #4 Lawrence #5 Lauderdale
- Dairy Cattle & Milk:
#1 Morgan #2 Cullman #8 DeKalb - Greenhouse, Nursery & Floriculture:
#5 Cherokee - Soybeans:
#1 Limestone, #2 Lawrence #3 Madison #4 Colbert #5 Lauderdale - Vegetable & Melon Farming:
#5 Cullman #6 DeKalb #8 Jackson
Update June, 2020
Source: 2017 Census of Agriculture County
North Alabama’s further-processors and packaging operations are served by a plentiful, clean water supply and are within close proximity to maintenance, rendering, and cold storage service suppliers. Our central-South location also positions them between two of the nation’s largest freight centers, Atlanta and Memphis, and within 500 miles of half of the U.S. population.
Largest Food-Related Employers
- AlaTrade
- Albertville Quality Foods
- American Proteins
- Aviagen Group
- Bunge Oils
- Del Monte
- Gemstone Foods
- Golden Rod Broilers
- Koch Foods
- Pilgrims Pride
- Saputo Dairy Foods
- Sunrise Foods
- Sunshine Mills
- Tyson Foods
- Wayne Farms
Links
- Keystone Group, the nation’s third largest multi-protein supplier, has its U.S. Proteins group headquartered in Huntsville.
- Alabama Agribusiness Council
- Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries
- Alabama Cooperative Extension Service
- Alabama Cooperative Economic Impact Reports