Agriculture is Mississippi’s number one industry, employing approximately 17.4% of the state’s workforce either directly or indirectly. Agriculture in Mississippi is a 9.72 billion-dollar industry. There are approximately 34,700 farms in the state covering 10.4 million acres. The average size farm is composed of 300 acres. Agriculture makes a significant contribution to all 82 counties. In celebration of the efforts of those who work so hard to feed and clothe us, we present this overview of Mississippi’s top 15 agricultural crops.
1. Poultry / Eggs – $3.84 Billion
- Approximately 715 million broilers were produced in 2022.
- 1,237 broiler farms.
- 1,459 million eggs produced in 2022.
- 234 farms with 100+ layers.
2. Soybeans – $1.78 Billion
- 2,280,000 acres harvested in 2022.
- 127,680,000 bushels produced in 2022.
- 3,087 farms.
3. Forestry – $1.3 Billion
- 19,235,186 acres in 2022.
- 125,000 forest landowners.
4. Corn – $631.3 Million
- 550,000 acres harvested in 2022.
- 91,850,000 bushels produced in 2022.
- 1,427 farms.
5. Cotton – $624.5 Million
- 525,000 acres harvested in 2022.
- 1,130,000 bales produced in 2022.
- 780 farms.
6. Cattle/Calves – $318 Million
- 910,000 head in 2022.
- 15,980 farms.
7. Catfish – $258 Million
- 34,100 acres of production in 2022.
- 205 operations.
8. Hay – $164 Million
- 1.4 million tons produced in 2022.
- 610,000 acres harvested.
- 11,565 farms
9. Sweet Potatoes – $112 Million
- 5.4 million hundredweight produced in 2022.
- 29,500 acres harvested.
- 172 farms.
10. Hogs – $112 Million
- 170,000 hogs and pigs.
- 437 farms.
11. Horticutural Crops – $111 Million
Horticulture crops include vegetables, melons, potatoes, fruits, tree nuts, berries, nursery, greenhouses, floriculture, sod and Christmas trees.
12. Rice – $97 Million
- 6,216,000 hundredweight rice produced in 2022.
- 221 farms.
13. Wheat – $35.5 Million
- 3,975,000 bushels produced in 2022.
- 53,000 acres harvested.
- 162 farms.
14. Milk – $25 Million
- 7,000 milk cows in 2022.
- 55 Grade A dairy herds.
15. Peanuts – $12.6 Million
- 53.3 million pounds produced in 2022.
- 13,000 acres harvested.
- 113 farms.
Mississippi Value of Production Estimates, December 2022.
Source: Mississippi State University, Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine;
Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation
