Agricultural Economic Development
- 266,392 jobs in the state
- 15.3 percent of the state’s wages and salaries
- 18.6 percent of all industry sales
- 17.5 percent of value-added
- $3.73 billion in local, state, and federal tax revenue contributions
- 10.9 million total acres are in production
- 133,306 acres is the average county number of acres in production
- 345 acres is the average farm size of operation
- 497 farms offer agritourism and recreational activity
- $3.10 million in gross revenue from agritourism and recreational activity
- $77,600 is the average county gross revenue from agritourism and recreational activity
- 349 farms sell direct-to-retail or direct-to-institution
- 1,206 farms sell direct-to-consumer
- $4.02 million in total direct-to-consumer sales
- 94 farmers markets exist across the state (Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, 2017)
- Total farm acreage: Bolivar, Sunflower, Yazoo, Washington, Tallahatchie, Leflore, Panola, Coahoma, Hinds, and Holmes (Figure 1)
- Average farm size: Tunica, Issaquena, Sharkey, Washington, Sunflower, Leflore, Coahoma, Bolivar, Humphreys, and Tallahatchie (Figure 2)
- Agritourism and recreational activity: Tunica, Sharkey, Leflore, Coahoma, Quitman, Kemper, Calhoun, De Soto, Franklin, and Benton (Figure 3)
- Direct-to-consumer sales: Chickasaw, Greene, Scott, Simpson, George, Tate, Panola, Harrison, Hinds, and Covington (Figure 4)
- Number of farmers markets: Harrison, Hinds, Jackson, Forrest, Calhoun, Madison, Neshoba, Alcorn, Washington, and Chickasaw (Figure 5)
The Top 10 Figures
Publications
News
Have you considered becoming a vendor at your local farmers market? It’s important to do some research, check regulations, and make a plan before you begin a business or begin selling your products at one.
These tips can help you create a plan for selling at farmers markets and other similar venues.
POPLARVILLE, Miss. -- Current and prospective market vendors can learn valuable marketing skills in a Feb. 9 workshop in Poplarville. Farmers Market Vendor Workshop: Boosting Your Revenue will teach participants valuable skills to help them increase sales. The workshop is open to vendors who sell at festivals, farmers markets and other similar venues.
The U.S. passion fruit industry is small, but a team of researchers want to help it grow through a grant awarded to Mississippi State University. Eric Stafne, fruit and nut specialist with the MSU Extension Service, is leading a research project aimed at gathering input from growers, marketers, consumers and buyers. The research team wants to better understand the current industry and its future direction.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Two years have passed since the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the U.S., but problems the virus caused in the country’s grocery supply chain could remain well into 2022, which will likely mean higher beef prices for consumers.
Josh Maples, an agricultural economist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said labor reductions caused beef shortages, which have increased the price of this commodity across the country.
Cottage food laws enacted to allow new entrepreneurs to start small-scale food businesses in their homes were updated recently to stay current with the business climate.
Success Stories
From the youngest to the oldest generations, thousands of people are visiting, shopping, and enjoying themselves at the Hernando Farmers’ Market, held Saturdays on the historic DeSoto County Courthouse lawn.
The market has more than just fresh produce. It connects the community by uniting the shoppers, producers, and artisans who come.
