The Economic Importance
of Food and Fiber
A Spotlight on Colquitt County, Georgia
Prepared for
Colquitt County Cooperative Extension
May, 2008
by:
The Center for Agribusiness
and Economic Development
College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences
The University of Georgia
Total Population
Colquitt County
46,027
45,442
44,814
42,053
36,645
35,376
32,200
34,048
33,999
2010 Trend CAED
2010 OPB
2007 Est.
2000
1990
1980
1970
1960
1950
33,012
30,622
1940
1930
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
Primary data sources: U.S. Census Bureau, decennial censuses & estimate; OPB (State Office of
Planning & Budget); CAED (Center for Agribusiness & Economic Development).
50,000
Population Change: 2000-2007
LOSS
0 – 7.2%
7.2 – 16.6%
16.6 – 39.0%
39.0 – 61.5%
Avg. GA
County = 9.9%
GA = 16.6%
US = 7.2%
Colquitt Co.
6.6%
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau (3/08)
Percent of Land in Cropland & Forestland: 2002
23 – 40%
40 – 55%
55 – 70%
70 – 85%
85% or more
GA Total = 78.5%
GA Avg. Co. = 77.3%
Metro Avg. Co. = 70.7%
Nonmetro Avg. Co. = 82.6%
Colquitt Co.
85.8%
Primary data sources:
U.S. Census of Agriculture, 2002
Forest Statistics for Georgia, 1997
Components of 2007 Property Tax Gross Digest
Colquitt County
Residential
42.2%
Ag-PreferentialEnviron-Conserv
15.6%
Heavy
Equipment
0.04%
Commercial
20.2%
Timber *
0.7%
Mobile Home
2.4%
Motor Vehicle
10.8%
40% Assessment Value of Property
Gross Digest = $819,963,223
COUNTY Homestead & Property Exemptions = $67,396,358
Net M&O Digest = $752,566,865
Value of exempt property = $95,559,382
* Timber taxed at 100% based on previous year sales
Public Utility
3.9%
Primary data source:
GA Dept. of Revenue
Industrial
4.2%
County Property Tax Digest Comparisons: 2007
County
% Residential
% Agri- % Com- % In% Motor
cultural mercial dustrial Vehicle
%
Other
COLQUITT
42.2
15.6
20.2
4.2
10.8
7.0
BROOKS
27.4
44.5
6.3
7.8
7.6
6.5
COOK
32.1
27.4
20.1
6.2
8.2
5.9
MITCHELL
28.4
35.7
14.2
8.6
6.9
6.2
THOMAS
37.1
24.9
20.5
5.2
8.2
4.1
TIFT
37.1
11.8
24.0
13.0
9.6
4.6
WORTH
33.2
37.6
9.5
2.7
9.7
7.4
Avg. GA Co.
41.9
22.5
12.8
7.6
7.4
7.7
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Revenue
Revenue : Expenditure Ratios
$ of Revenue for Each $ of Expenditure
$1.92
$2.86
Farm/Forest
$1.01
$1.18
$2.70
$3.19
$1.17
Commercial
$1.93
$1.25
$3.45
Residential
$0.00
Cherokee
Jones
Carroll
Oconee
US Avg
$0.64
$0.87
$0.83
$0.90
$0.87
$1.00
$2.00
$3.00
Dorfman, Jeffery, The Economics of Growth, Sprawl and Land Use Decisions (presentation), Dept. of Ag &
Applied Economics, UGA, January 2004.
$4.00
Agriculture in Georgia
¾ Georgia's 2007 Farm Gate Value was
$11.6 billion. Adding the value of
landscape services increased the total
agricultural production value to $13.6
billion.
¾ Total food and fiber production and
directly related businesses account for
a $59 billion output impact on
Georgia's $735 billion economy.
Production Agriculture: 2007
Georgia Total
Agricultural
Production Value
$13.6 Billion
Poultry &
Eggs
39.8%
Landscape
services
15.3%
Fruits & Nuts
1.8%
Forestry &
Products
4.4%
Other Income
4.5%
Ornamental
Horticulture
Vegetables
5.6%
6.6%
Livestock &
Aquaculture
9.8%
Row &
Forage Crops
12.3%
$0 - $20
$20 - $45
$45 - $80
$80 - $200
$200 - $390
2007 Farm Gate
Value by County
in Millions of Dollars
What We Know
about Colquitt County
¾ 2007 Farm Gate Value in Colquitt Co.
was $389.2 million. Adding $984
thousand of landscape services
increased the total agricultural
production value to $390.2 million.
¾ The highest value commodity group
was poultry/eggs, representing
46.8% of the total agricultural
production value.
Colquitt County
2007 Agricultural Production Value
2007 Agricultural Production
Fruits-Nuts
0.5%
Orn Hort
1.9%
Other
4.5%
2007 Top Farm Gate Commodities
Landscape
services
0.3%
Poultry-Eggs
46.8%
Vegetables
27.7%
Rest of
commodities
22.5%
Cantaloupe
1.4%
Broilers
42.7%
Beef Cows
1.5%
Peanuts
2.6%
Layers
3.0%
Forestry
1.3%
LivestockAquaculture
4.2%
Row-Forage
crops
12.8%
Cucumbers
3.5%
Bell Peppers
Greens
4.9%
4.1%
Total AG Value = $390.2 million
Cotton
Cabbage 7.5%
6.4%
Trends in Colquitt County:
Number of Farms & Average Farm Size
Number of Farms, Colquitt County
Average Farm Size
500
4000
3500
Colquitt Co.
Georgia
400
Acres
3000
2500
2000
388
300
218
200
1500
588
500
100
Source: 1945-2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
R
02
20
97
92
19
19
87
19
78
82
19
19
69
74
19
19
59
64
19
19
54
19
1945 1949 1954 1959 1964 1969 1974 1978 1982 1987 1992 1997R 2002
19
45
0
49
0
19
1000
Trends in Colquitt County:
Land in Farms & Farms by Size
Land in Farms
Colquitt County
Percent of Farms by Size, 2002
40
Colquitt Co.
Georgia
Acres X 1,000
350
30
300
250
228.2
200
20
150
100
10
50
19
45
19
50
19
54
19
59
19
64
19
69
19
74
19
78
19
82
19
87
19
9
19 2
97
R
20
02
0
0
1-9
acres
Source: 1945-2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
10-49
acres
50-179
acres
180-499 500-999
acres
acres
1000+
acres
Trends in Colquitt County
Number of Farms by Commodity
350
1987
1992
1997
2002
300
250
244
200
148
150
139
100
59
50
16
14
N/A
0
Beef cows
Layers 20+ wks
Broilers sold
Cotton
Source: 1987-2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
Peanuts
Veges sold
How Do We Compare ?
Georgia, Colquitt and Surrounding Counties
Farm Gate Value
$ Per Farm (thousands)
$1,800
$1,600
$1,400
$1,200
$1,000
$800
$600
$400
$200
$0
$ Per Acre
$1,674
$1,519 $1,441
$1,706
$907
$1,076
$684
$533
$662
$235
$412
ia
ks
itt
g
o
u
r
o
o
lq
Br
Ge
Co
$404
$537
$412
$207
ll
k
as
e
o
h
o
m
C
o
tc
Th
Mi
t
Tif
Sources: 2002 Census of Agriculture and 2007 Farm Gate Value Report
$251
rth
o
W
What We Did
County Economy Modeled
¾ The Center for Agribusiness and Economic
Development performed an analysis of the
county’s economy, focusing on the role of
food and fiber.
¾ How much of the county’s total current
economic output comes from food and fiber
production and directly related processing?
(A Snapshot of the Economy)
¾ What is the total (direct and indirect) Impact
of food and fiber production and directly
related industries?
Colquitt County Economy
Agriculture OUTPUT
Output in $ Millions
Percent
Agriculture
390.215
17.4
Construction
88.770
3.9
Manufacturing
785.113
34.9
Trans-Utilities-Info
99.435
4.4
Trade
216.311
9.6
Finance-Ins-RE
110.945
4.9
Services
260.478
11.6
Govt & Other
296.885
13.2
Total County Economic Output = $2.248 billion
Colquitt County Economy
Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses OUTPUT
Output in $ Millions
Percent
Agriculture + Direct
667.426
29.7
Construction
88.770
3.9
Manufacturing
507.903
22.6
Trans-Utilities-Info
99.435
4.4
Trade
216.311
9.6
Finance-Ins-Real Est
110.945
4.9
Services
260.478
11.6
Govt & Other
296.885
13.2
Total County Economic Output = $2.248 billion
Colquitt County Employment
Total Jobs = 22,325
AG + Directly
Related
5,951
26.7%
Construction
931
Manufacturing
4.2%
2,539
11.4%
Trans-UtilitiesInfo
1,046
4.7%
State & Federal
Government
1,393
6.2%
Public
Education
2,476
11.1%
Other Services
2,799
12.5%
Trade
2,759
12.4%
Professional
Services
1,676
7.5%
Primary data source: Center for Agribusiness & Economic Development, UGA
Finance-InsReal Est
755
3.4%
An Economic Snapshot
of Colquitt County
¾ How much of Colquitt County’s total
economic output comes from food and
fiber production?
¾ AG value alone of $390.2 million
consisting of Farm Gate Value and
landscape services comprises 17.4% of
the county’s economy.
¾ AG plus directly related businesses (ex.
poultry processing, sawmills, etc.)
comprise 29.7% of the county’s economy.
Food and Fiber Production and Directly Related
Manufacturing as % of Total Output
0 - 10%
10 - 20%
20 - 30%
30 - 50%
50 – 77%
Colquitt Co.
29.7%
What is the Impact?
¾What is the total (direct and indirect)
impact of food and fiber production and
directly related industries?
¾This scenario illustrates how other
industries are affected by the presence
of food and fiber in the county. The
indirect impacts measure output created
due to food and fiber production and
processing in the county.
What Impact Means:
A Brief Explanation
¾ The impact numbers capture the
ripple effects that food and fiber
create in the county’s economy.
Many other sectors rely in part on the
existence of food and fiber for sales.
Labor
Seed
Utilities
Colquitt County
Agriculture IMPACT
Direct $ Millions
Indirect $ Millions
390.215
0
Agriculture
0
0.776
Construction
0
10.125
Manufacturing
0
14.704
Trans-Utilities-Info
0
25.914
Trade
0
11.457
Finance-Ins-RE
0
29.646
Services
0
19.554
Government
390.215
112.176
Total
Total Impact of Production AG = $502.4 million
22.4% of total economy
Colquitt County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses IMPACT
Direct $ Millions
Indirect $ Millions
667.426
0
Agriculture + Direct
0
1.390
Construction
0
11.871
Manufacturing
0
28.823
Trans-Utilities-Info
0
39.031
Trade
0
17.539
Finance-Ins-RE
0
46.920
Services
0
26.069
Government
667.426
171.642
Total
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related = $839.1 million
37.3% of total economy
Colquitt County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Industries
Employment IMPACT
Direct
Indirect
5,951
0
Construction
0
16
Manufacturing
0
62
Trans-Utilities-Info
0
346
Trade
0
467
Finance-Ins-Real Estate
0
105
Services
0
782
Agriculture + Direct
0
27
Government
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related Employment = 7,757 Jobs
34.7% of total employment
What These Numbers Mean:
A Brief Explanation
¾ Direct impact is $667.4 million. This
includes food and fiber production,
processing and directly related
manufacturing.
¾ Indirect impact from the Trade sector is
$39 million. This captures the effects of
farmers (direct source) buying supplies
(seed, fertilizer, work boots) from local
stores. These stores must increase their
output to meet farmer demand.
What These Numbers Mean:
A Brief Explanation (continued)
¾ As local stores increase their output, they
may demand more stock from local
wholesalers (also in the Trade sector).
Local wholesalers demand more from
local manufacturers, thus increasing
activity in the Manufacturing sector.
¾ Local stores also hire employees to assist
farmers. They take home wages and buy
groceries at the local store which
increases demand there.
Colquitt County Food and Fiber
Impact Conclusions
¾ The total impact of food and fiber
production, processing and direct
manufacturing is $839 million.
¾ The total county output is $2.2 billion.
¾ Thus, food and fiber (directly and
indirectly) account for 37.3% of the
total county output.
Food and Fiber Production and Directly Related
Manufacturing IMPACT as % of Total Output
0 - 10%
10 - 25%
25 - 40%
40 - 60%
60 - 84%
Colquitt Co.
37.3%
Contact Information
Prepared by:
Sue Boatright and Archie Flanders
Center for Agribusiness & Economic Development
“Adding Value to Georgia's Agricultural Economy
Through Research and Extension“
To learn more about your county, go to:
http://www.caed.uga.edu/
...click on “Georgia Statistics System”
Special County Area Report
#08-08A
May, 2008