Alabama cotton fields (Huntsville: how much, house, schools)

[harry chickpea]

I am not sure how much people understand about the need to grow crops in different areas in case of localized disasters. I've been aware of it, seeing firsthand how crop failures in Florida affected citrus pricing and (before NAFTA) vegetable pricing throughout the country.

Tonight, CBS News had a whinge about the cotton crop failures in West Texas due to drought, implicitly claiming unmitigated disaster for everyone in the country. When I go down into town, I pass cotton fields that make me proud. Many of them have been harvested, but some that haven't yet been are the prettiest sights you ever want to see.

Alabama is a major producer of cotton. That is more than just a bragging point. It is a core industry that supports textiles, and there is a strategic need for us to insure that no matter which country gets invaded, which country decides it does not like us, that we can grow what we need, extract minerals that we need from the earth, and resist blackmail and pressures by those who do not have our interests at heart.

The follow-up to that whinge was a local story. Chass Bevill was interviewed, and frankly the interview, on the surface, was less than flattering to him. However, when I listened to him, and understood what his stance was, I took him for the Don Quixote that he is and admire him. Too much of the easy pickin' land is being sold off for uses that can create problems in the long run.

Just because large tracts of land that grow crops can easily grow profitable single family dwellings that will require police and fire protection, new schools, added commercial sprawl, new roads, does not mean that is a good idea to sell that land.

We are fortunate in North Alabama to have places like Desoto State Park, where natural wonders are protected from unthinking development. We are NOT fortunate in other areas, where PRIME agricultural land is at risk to the highest bidder in a time when family farms are being driven out of business.

Housing close to work makes for easy access and the development of a tight community center that has shopping and restaurants and all the goodies. Converting cotton fields to housing is an abomination that destroys that concept, destroys our agricultural resilience, is an ecological disaster, and an affront to the core values of the state.

[pathrunner]

Thank you for this. This is exactly what I've periodically been saying on here. It happened to California and other parts of the country. Southern California was riparian and is now chaparral. That is extreme. I have no idea whether Alabama would be quite as adversely affected by the above, but it surely will be impacted.

[johnsonkk]

When the crop land is within 255/research, it’s amazing the farmland is t being sold already. The land by the Huntsville airport is incredibly expensive and it takes persistence to not sell. Look at Clift farms; they finally said enough and sold. Everyone has a price when it comes to land sales. Though I’m not sure why that one house next to the new Facebook storage centers was the one holdout and it’s not farmland.

[Suesbal]

South Alabama is also an area with lots of cotton production.

[Mississippi Alabama Line]

Farmers aren't being driven out of business by the developers. They are being driven out by cheaper products in other countries where land/etc. isn't as valuable. And this isn't new, farmers started planting pine trees 40 years ago to make money because farming wasn't profitable. These developers are just a way out as a last resort (AND, at a very good price tag for the farmer, as the land is now much more valuable).

As far as preserving wetlands.....well, we have environmental rules for that and it is on the developer (and regulating agency) to make sure it happens.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

When the crop land is within 255/research, it’s amazing the farmland is t being sold already. The land by the Huntsville airport is incredibly expensive and it takes persistence to not sell. Look at Clift farms; they finally said enough and sold. Everyone has a price when it comes to land sales. Though I’m not sure why that one house next to the new Facebook storage centers was the one holdout and it’s not farmland.

I always figured the small cotton field on the north end of the airport was so visitors flying in could see a real cotton field, first thing. Probably couldn't build anything that close to the north end of the east runway anyway.

[Southern man]

I grew up in the 40’s and 50’s in Alabama and to this day I can remember the smell of cotton poison. I kind of liked the smell.

[johnsonkk]

Cotton has sat around $0.80/lb for decade except the spike this past spring.

https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/cotton

[columbusboy8]

Originally Posted by Suesbal

South Alabama is also an area with lots of cotton production.

AND peanuts!!

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by Southern man

I grew up in the 40’s and 50’s in Alabama and to this day I can remember the smell of cotton poison. I kind of liked the smell.

Yes, I remember that smell. I suppose it was DDT?