The Farquhar Cattle Ranch was purchased in 1940 to supplying the Department with beef. Located in Hale County, the 4,610-acre Ranch is approximately eight miles east of Greensboro, and extends from Highway 69 to the Black Warrior River. The Ranch was named to honor of a long-term ranch superintendent, Charles Farquhar, whose efforts culminated the ranch into an efficient working prison farm. The Ranch maintains minimum and trusty custody inmates, which when not working on the Ranch, provide free labor to community work projects for local county, city, and other government agencies.

The Ranch’s primary operations are cattle and catfish production. A herd of bout 625 mature cattle are kept on 1,800 acres of grazing pastures. The adult herd is culled annually of nonproductive cows, which are sold at competitive bid at a stockyard. The calves are weaned and also sold through an open auction. The Ranch keeps about 300 acres for hay production, as well as having some timberland.

The catfish production is a commercial operation with 35 ponds on 400 acres. Of the ponds, 15 are production ponds, 4 are used primarily for brood ponds, and 16 ponds for fingerlings. A hatchery produces the fingerlings, which are used for restocking the production ponds after the fish are sold. Any surplus fingerlings are sold through open bid to local catfish farmers.

In addition to the revenues generated from the cattle and catfish operations, further revenues are generated from the sale of quail, pecans, horses, and goats.