Local Leaders Launch Farm City Week, Highlight $915 Million Impact

Local leaders and business groups gathered at Powell Farm on November 19 to begin Farm City Week with a focus on the economic and community importance of farming in Autauga County. District 2 Commissioner John Thrailkill presented the county's first proclamation formally designating November 21 through November 27 as Farm City Week, highlighting the sector that underpins food supply, employment, and local commerce.

“There's nothing that a farmer doesn’t touch,” Thrailkill said. “We tend to take that for granted, so take a moment this week to talk to a farmer and learn a little more about what they do.” Prattville Mayor Bill Gillespie, Pine Level Mayor Zachary Bigley, and Billingsley Mayor David Hanson also presented proclamations recognizing the deep ties between their communities and the agricultural industry.

The figures cited at the kickoff put the scale of that relationship in sharp relief. Agriculture, forestry, and related industries are estimated to generate $915 million in annual economic impact and support more than 7,300 local jobs. Those jobs span farm labor, food processing, equipment and supply services, transportation, and retail, creating income streams that flow into local businesses, schools, and municipal budgets.

Farm City Week included events intended to connect urban and rural residents and to celebrate leaders in the sector. Festivities continued on November 20 with the annual Farm City Banquet, where the Prattville Chamber honored Business Leader of the Year, Farmer of the Year, and student winners in poster, essay, and video contests. The Prattville Chamber events page provided additional details for residents who wanted to participate or follow award announcements.

For Autauga County the immediate implications are practical and fiscal. A sector producing nearly a billion dollars in annual impact helps stabilize the county labor market and supports small businesses that serve farm families. It also concentrates policy attention on agriculture related needs, including workforce development, rural infrastructure such as roads and broadband, land use and conservation, and access to financial services and markets. As local leaders highlight the industry this week, those policy areas will influence whether the county can sustain and grow the economic contribution of agriculture over the next decade.

Community engagement is part of that effort. Farm City Week offers an invitation for residents to learn where their food and wood products come from and to consider how consumer choices and local policies affect livelihoods. With the formal proclamation and a series of events behind them, county officials and business leaders say they hope the week will translate into greater awareness and support for an industry that remains central to Autauga County's economy. For more information, residents were referred to the Prattville Chamber events page.