Alabama Department of Labor Commissioner Tom Surtees announced today that Alabama’s preliminary February unemployment rate is 7.2%, up from January’s rate of 6.9%, and equal to February 2012’s adjusted rate. February’s rate represents 154,885 unemployed persons, compared to 148,663 last month, and 155,673 last year.

In Macon County, the unemployment rate for February was 10.0%, up from 10.4% in January, and up from 9.7% a year ago.

“While we did experience a slight uptick in the unemployment rate this month, we also saw an increase in the number of people working, both over the past month and the past year,” said Surtees. “We’ve also seen an increase in the number of people in the labor force.

W. Gaines Smith, retired director of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and 4-H alumnus, was inducted into the Alabama 4-H Wall of Fame March 19 at the Alabama 4-H and Youth Development Center in Columbiana. He was one of 24 inductees honored during special ceremonies at the Alabama 4-H Environmental Science Education Center. Smith was nominated by Alabama 4-H.

The Alabama 4-H Wall of Fame recognizes individuals and organizations that have had a significant effect on the 4-H Youth Development program, its members and leaders. The Alabama 4-H Club Foundation, Inc., and Alabama 4-H honors, remembers and pays tribute to those who influenced the lives of Alabama youth by their commitment "To Make the Best Better."

W. Gaines Smith is the only director of the Extension System or its predecessor, The Alabama Cooperative Extension Service, to have worked at every level of Extension in Alabama.

Gov. Robert Bentley signed the Irrigation Tax Credit Improvements bill into law Tuesday to encourage more farmers to install irrigation systems and construct reservoirs. Now, farmers can claim the irrigation tax credit over five years from the date a qualifying project is completed.

Alabama has approximately 120,000 acres of irrigated land, whereas Mississippi and Georgia have more than 1.5 million irrigated acres each. Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, said he hopes this legislation will make Alabama farmers more competitive and lessen the need for imported corn.
 
"Right now, we're importing corn from the Midwest," Orr said "Why can't we grow that corn here in Alabama with irrigated fields and higher yields and support our state's row crop farmers?