Black Belt is a term that is applied to several areas of Mississippi and Alabama, the heart of the Old South, which are characterized by black soil and excellent cotton-growing conditions. The Black Belt area was historically important as the main cotton producer in the United States in the mid-1800's. Unfortunately, the combined effect of soil depletion, erosion, the boll weevil and economic conditions have largely eliminated cotton from the region. Livestock, peanuts and soybeans have become the area's chief crops.