James Jan-Feb 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 59
University of Georgia
to compile a list of
local producers and
we had folks who
were selling directly
to consumers.”
“That’s how it
all got started and
then it grew into a
larger brand. And it
became so popular that in the fall of
Georgia Grown program, Strickland
2020 I went to the board and said,
has increased the community’s
partnership with them, as well as de- ‘Hey, we need a logo for this.’ It’s also
veloped their own marketing brand— a great place-making tool because
MADICO MADE. The program is the we are often confused from Morgan
County or Madison Georgia.”
Chamber’s marketing initiative that
It is a version of a shop local
celebrates the people, places and
products of Madison County. A little program but goes far beyond similar
different than Georgia Grown, MAD- programs and has a natural tie-in
with the Georgia Grown program.
ICO MADE has become the brand
that everyone in the community can This spring, Madison County will be
debuting the first Georgia Grown
get behind. The College and Career
Trail in northeast Georgia, along
Academy celebrates graduates that
Highway 98. Georgia Grown Trails
are MADICO MADE and the local
are designed to highlight all agriculdistillery in Comer uses local grains
ture-related tourism hot spots. U-pick
and honey that is MADICO MADE.
farms, dairies, vineyards & wineries,
“It’s everything from the workfarm tours, bed and breakfast places,
force to whiskey,” says Strickland.
restaurants using local and regional
“The program started out of our
products and specialty food stores
agricultural promotions committee
are all included.
in 2020,” she continues. “During
It’s a wonderful partnership:
Covid, when people were looking for
locally sourced food, we worked with The Madison County Chamber is
a member of Georgia Grown and
our local extension office from the
many MADICO MADE members are
members of Georgia Grown.
“We are working to do larger,
county-wide signage to talk about
agriculture being so huge here and
how many people approximately
Madison County feeds a day and
stuff like that,” Strickland says.
“An example of how the brand is
used is one of our MADICO MADE
ambassadors is making a piece
of pottery. When they ship out to
customers, or when they give a gift
bag, they put our MADICO MADE
label on it, and the same with the
whiskey and the same with the
wine and all of that.”
“It’s not just limited to agriculture products or the workforce or
handcrafted items. Any business
that is unique to Madison County,
a restaurant can still be a MADICO
MADE ambassador.”
And her final thought: “ Now
we hope that they serve some local
products in their dishes and they
usually do, but that’s also just us
trying to get people to shop locally.”
Baker Owens is a staff writer for James and James
Magazine Online.
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