James Sept-Oct 2021 web - Flipbook - Page 9
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JAMES
he numbers speak for themselves: One in
seven Georgians work in agriculture, forestry or a related field; agriculture contributes approximately $73.3 billion annually to
Georgia’s economy; and the 2016 total farm gate value for
the state was $13.75 billion. (The farm gate value is the
market value of a product minus the selling costs.)
The Georgia Farm Bureau is quick to point out that the
Peach State is blessed with a climate that allows
tremendous opportunities for farmers. Virtually any crop or animal can be grown
successfully somewhere within the
state. And while Georgia is known
for sweet peaches, peanuts, pecans, and those delicious Vidalia
onions, the state’s agriculture
picture is so much larger.
Georgia is perennially the
number one state in the nation
in the production of peanuts,
broilers (chickens), pecans,
blueberries and spring onions.
We are also at or near the top
when it comes to cotton, watermelon, peaches, eggs, cucumbers, sweet
corn, bell peppers, tomatoes, cantaloupes, rye and cabbage. Producers across
the state raise cattle, horses, goats, sheep,
hogs, poultry, turkeys and alligators. No matter which
part of our state you visit, you’ll see some form of agricultural production.
According to the most recent census of agriculture,
Georgia’s farm producers sold more than $9.2 billion
worth of products in one year. The census showed more
than 42,000 farms operating across the state, with 9.6
million acres in production in one year, and more than
17,000 of those farms raised cattle— either beef cows or
dairy cows.
As for row crops, more than 2,600 farms grew cotton
during 2012, planting nearly 1.3 million acres. Peanut
farmers across the southern and eastern areas of Georgia
SEPTEMBER/ OCTOB E R 2021
produced 3.2 billion pounds of peanuts. Farmers across
the state planted over 310,000 acres of corn and produced
52.4 million bushels.
According to the University of Georgia Center for
Agribusiness & Economic Development, the state’s forest industry accounts for a total economic contribution
to Georgia’s economy of $17.7 billion and supports more
than 73,300 jobs in Georgia. And our state has more
commercial forest land (24.4 million acres)
than any other state.
Overcoming challenges
to farming
Farming remains the foundation of the state’s economic
well-being and Georgia Farm
Bureau Director of Public Policy
Jeffrey Harvey doesn’t expect
this to change anytime soon.
“There are a lot of challenges
involved with being a farmer—
but those who farm in Georgia
love their job, and love their way
of life,” Harvey says. “Farmers understand their responsibilities and
they take them seriously. Farmers are
an optimistic group, and they are resilient. Hurricane Michael literally blew away
one of the best crops ever, but farmers picked up and
moved on. They are a hard group to break.
“Like everyone else last year and into 2021, farmers
faced COVID problems and accompanying labor shortages. But they always find a way to rebound and move
forward,” Harvey adds.
Georgia’s Rich History of Agriculture
Agriculture is Georgia’s oldest and largest industry and
has played a dominant role in Georgia’s economy for almost
three centuries, beginning with the settlement by English
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