Earlier this year, the Farm City Committee of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce attended a statewide luncheon. During the event, the local group received several prestigious awards, including be named the runner-up in its division for overall effort and events.

That’s no surprise, considering the long and beneficial farm-city partnership in Pike County and the impact of agriculture on our community.

That impact was reiterated again this week, as the Alabama Agribusiness Council released its study detailing the impact of agriculture throughout the state.

Here in Pike County, the numbers are impressive: $539.1 million in economic impact and 4,138 jobs.

Nearly one-fourth of our county’s estimated 17,700 jobs come from agriculture (including forestry and related industries), as does nearly 20 percent of our total economic activity.

We depend on agriculture for jobs, tax revenues and economic stimulus. Farms, forestry and related industries not only put food on our tables – whether its from poultry farming or row cros – but they also put tax revenues into our county and municipalities, helping funds roads, schools and essential government services.

Statewide, agriculture and its related industries are eresponsible for almost 40 percent of our GDP and employees nearly 22 percent of the state’s workforce, proving that farming does more than just feed Alabama.

So each fall, when we celebrate Farm-City Week and all its related activities, we’re really taking time to acknowledge once again how critical agriculture, forestry and realted industries are to Pike County and our state.