Alabama Farmers and Consumers Bulletin: History, Publisher, Classifieds and Staff
Profile updated November 2026
The Alabama Farmers and Consumers Bulletin is the monthly market bulletin of the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, published since 1916. For generations Alabama farm families have used it to buy and sell cattle, hay, machinery, seed, honey and land through short classified ads placed directly by farmers.
| Published since | 1916 |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) |
| Production | Alabama Gazette Publishing, LLC, under contract since late 2019 |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Readership | More than 6,000 readers statewide each month (2020) |
| Website | ALFarmBulletin.com, launched 2020 |
| Official website | ALFarmBulletin.com announcement |
History of Alabama Farmers & Consumers Bulletin
The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries was created by the General Assembly on February 23, 1883, and opened that September at the Agricultural and Mechanical College, now Auburn University, before moving to Montgomery in 1886. A Division of Immigration and Markets was established in 1915, and the department's market bulletin for farmers has been published since 1916.
For decades the Bulletin was a plain newsprint publication mailed to paid subscribers. By May 2016 it carried Volume 64, No. 5, with Amy Belcher as editor and subscriptions of $12.95 a year for Alabama residents. Its rules were strict: only paid subscribers could advertise, ads were free to them, and each was capped at 20 words.
In late 2019 ADAI contracted with Alabama Gazette Publishing, LLC, to produce the Bulletin, which became a full-color magazine with expanded features and outreach. In August 2020 the publisher introduced ALFarmBulletin.com, where Alabama and out-of-state readers can subscribe and pay online.
Alabama Farmers & Consumers Bulletin Today
The Bulletin remains a monthly publication of the state agriculture department, combining farmer-to-farmer classifieds with department news and features. The department is led by Alabama's elected Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries and oversees 18 divisions, including Plant Protection, Food Safety, Animal Industries, Weights and Measures, the Farmers Market Authority and Livestock Market News.
What Alabama Farmers & Consumers Bulletin Is Publishing Now
Farmer-to-farmer classifieds
Sections cover cattle, aquaculture, eggs and poultry, hay and feed grain, horses and mules, livestock dogs, machinery, farms for sale, farm labor, plants and seeds, syrup, honey and bees, sheep and goats, swine, and trucks and trailers.
Rules that keep it agricultural
Ads must concern farm or forestry products or equipment and list a price; dealers and commercial sellers are excluded, land must be at least 10 acres, only working dogs may be listed and poultry must be in the National Poultry Improvement Plan.
Department news and features
The color magazine format adds articles on Alabama agriculture, department programs and consumer information alongside the classifieds.
Alabama Farmers & Consumers Bulletin Editors and Staff
Editors named on Bulletin mastheads and the department's editorial contact list:
- Amy Belcher - Editor (2016 masthead); current editorial contact
- Laura Mitchell - Editorial contact
- Erica J. West - Former Project Manager (2016 masthead)
- Anita Miller - Former Circulation Manager (2016 masthead)
Who Reads the Alabama Farmers and Consumers Bulletin
Readers are Alabama cattle producers, hay growers, small farmers, beekeepers, horse owners and rural landowners looking for a fair deal from a neighbor rather than a dealer. Alabama agriculture is led by poultry, cattle, timber, cotton and peanuts, and the Bulletin's classified sections mirror that mix. Cattle alone accounted for $72.9 billion, or 37%, of U.S. animal receipts in 2021, according to USDA ERS.
Few things are as honest as a 20-word ad for a used hay rake with the price right there in plain sight. For readers who appreciate that economy, farm.FM runs farm satire and farm humor about Alabama auction barns, plus ranch humor for the cow-calf crowd. Its farm jokes, unlike Bulletin ads, are not limited to 20 words.
Readers who want the full experience can pair the jokes with Tractor Tunes, the country music for farmers that farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, plays between stories. This author page is a fine starting point.
Alabama Farmers & Consumers Bulletin Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Alabama Gazette: Introducing ALFarmBulletin.com - the 2020 relaunch announcement.
- Encyclopedia of Alabama: Department of Agriculture and Industries - history of the publishing agency.
- State of Alabama: Agriculture and Industries agency details - official state listing for ADAI.
- USDA ERS: Animal product receipts - national cattle and poultry receipts.
- USDA NASS Quick Stats - Alabama crop and livestock statistics.
Alabama Farmers & Consumers Bulletin FAQ
How long has the Alabama Farmers and Consumers Bulletin been published?
Since 1916, by the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries.
Who can advertise in the Bulletin?
Paid subscribers, free of charge, for farm and forestry products and equipment; dealers and commercial sellers are excluded.
How do I subscribe?
Through ALFarmBulletin.com, which takes Alabama and out-of-state subscriptions online.
How often does the Bulletin come out?
Monthly.
More than a century on, the Alabama Farmers and Consumers Bulletin is still where Alabama farmers sell a bull, a baler or a load of hay to each other.