Strong prices, high yields send crop values to record high By Linda Breazeale MSU Ag Communications
Mississippi’s agricultural commodities are predicted to reach a record-high value of more than $6.7 billion for 2011. Mississippi State University Extension Service economists compiled the numbers from poultry, forestry, agronomic crops, catfish and livestock for the annual value estimate. If government
payments are factored in, the state’s value of production reaches $7 billion for the first time in history. Extension agricultural economist John Michael Riley said the record is a result of high yields and strong market prices for most commodities in 2011. “Livestock and the major row crops had strong markets during the year,” Riley said. “But farmers did not get a break
in the cost of production. Land prices, chemical prices, labor costs, fuel, energy and equipment are all increasing each year.” The state’s top three commodities remain poultry and eggs ($2.44 billion), forestry ($1.04 billion) and soybeans ($860 million). Their values changed little from 2010. 2011 Value of Production
1. Poultry & Eggs 2. Forestry 3. Soybeans 4. Cotton 5. Corn 6. Catfish 7. Cattle/calves 8. Rice 9. Hay 10. Wheat 11. Hogs 12. Horticultural Crops 13. Sweet Potatoes 14. Milk 15. Grain Sorghum 16. Peanuts
$2.44 billion $1.04 billion $860 million $599 million $595 million $222 million $155 million $153 million $138 million $127 million $104 million $94 million $66 million $42 million $22 million $16 million
TOTAL
$7 billion
Commodity Total Government Payments
MARCH/APRIL
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
$6.7 billion $357 million
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