What Is Some Produce That Is Grown in Mississippi?

Mississippi, like other Southern states, receives a lot of money for its cotton production.

Mississippi's No. 1 industry is agriculture. This industry employs nearly 20 percent of the state's work force in one way or another. The average size of a farm in Mississippi is 262 acres, and the richest soil is in the delta. Agriculture contributes about $5 billion to the state's economy.

Cotton

Mississippi farmers grow and harvest cotton in varying forms. Around 420,000 acres are employed to grow cotton to its full growth, but 10,000 acres are left unharvested. The state yields approximately 993 pounds and produces 848,000 bales. Cotton seed, on the other hand, produces around 291,000 tons per year. The full-grown cotton brings in $308 million, while cotton seed provides the state with $44 million a year. The northwest part of Mississippi grows some cotton, but the northeastern region grows the majority of the crop.

Forestry

The state tree of Mississippi is the magnolia tree, but the forestry industry focuses on "cut Christmas trees and short rotation woody crops," according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As of August 2011, forestry earned approximately $1.1 billion per year for the state, ranking eighth in the U.S. Around 19,600,000 acres of Mississippi are designated for forest growth. Forest landowners in Mississippi equal approximately 125,000 people.

Vegetables

Mississippi's most profitable vegetable is the soybean, bringing in $821 million per year and producing 76 million bushels. In 2009, soybeans were responsible for 16.4 percent of total state farm receipts, or 2.4 percent of U.S. value. There are approximately 2,695 soybean farms in the state. High-ranking vegetable produced in the state included corn ($555 million) and sweet potatoes ($56 million).

Grains

The state of Mississippi grows rice, hay and wheat. Rice brings in the most money at $224 million from 341 farms. The state produced about 1 million tons of rice. Mississippi farmers grew 1.82 million tons of hay with 700,000 acres, earning $116 million. Approximately 105,000 acres produced 5.25 million bushels of wheat, bringing in $23 million in 2010.

References

• Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce; Mississippi Agriculture Overview
• City Data; Mississippi Agriculture
• Union of Concerned Scientists; Mississippi
• U.S. Department of Agriculture; 2010 State Agriculture Overview
• U.S. Department of Agriculture; A Look At Mississippi Agriculture

Resources

• U.S. Department of Agriculture; Mississippi State Fact Sheets