The Economic Importance
of Food and Fiber
A Spotlight on Greene County, Georgia
Prepared for:
Greene County Cooperative Extension
February, 2007
by:
The Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The University of Georgia
Agriculture in Georgia
¾ Georgia's 2005 Farm Gate Value was
$10.6 billion. Adding the value of
landscape services increased the total
agricultural production value to $12.3
billion.
¾ Total food and fiber production and
directly related businesses account for
a $52.7 billion output impact on
Georgia's $614 billion economy.
Production Agriculture: 2005
Georgia Total
Agricultural
Production Value
$12.3 Billion
Poultry &
Eggs
36.7%
Landscape
services
14.0%
Other Income
5.4%
Fruits & Nuts
2.2%
Forestry &
Products
5.7%
Ornamental
Horticulture
7.3%
Vegetables
5.2%
Livestock &
Aquaculture
10.6%
Row &
Forage Crops
13.0%
$0 - $20
$20 - $45
$45 - $80
$80 - $200
$200 - $317
2005 Farm Gate
Value by County
in Millions of Dollars
What We Know
about Greene County
¾ 2005 Farm Gate Value in Greene Co.
was $57.8 million. Adding $3 million
of landscape services increased the
total agricultural production value to
$60.8 million.
¾ The highest value commodity group
was poultry/eggs, representing
31.6% of the total agricultural
production value.
Greene County
2005 Agricultural Production Value
2005 Agricultural Production
Orn Hort
11.3%
Fruits-NutsOther
Veges
0.6%
0.1%
Landscape
services
4.9%
Poultry-Eggs
31.6%
Forestry
15.3%
LivestockAquaculture
29.8%
Row-Forage
crops
6.4%
2005 Top Farm Gate Commodities
Container
Nursery
Horses 0.7%
Beef 1.9%
6.3%
Hay
6.4%
Quail
9.7%
Hunting
Leases
0.4%
Greenhouse
10.9%
Dairy
13.5%
Total AG Value = $60.8 million
Rest of
Commodities
1.0%
Broilers
33.3%
Timber
16.1%
Trends in Greene County:
Number of Farms & Average Farm Size
Number of Farms, Greene County
Average Farm Size
1600
400
Greene Co.
Georgia
1400
300
A cres
1200
1000
800
600
218
205
200
100
400
255
200
Source: 1945
-
2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
R
02
20
97
87
92
19
19
19
78
82
19
19
69
74
19
19
59
64
19
19
54
19
19
1945 1949 1954 1959 1964 1969 1974 1978 1982 1987 1992 1997R 2002
19
45
0
49
0
Trends in Greene County:
Land in Farms & Farms by Size
Acres X 1,000
Land in Farms
Greene County
Percent of Farms by Size, 2002
50
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Greene Co.
Georgia
40
30
52.2
20
10
9
19 2
97
R
20
02
87
19
82
19
78
19
74
19
69
19
64
19
59
19
54
Source: 1945
-
19
50
19
19
19
45
0
1-9 acres
2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
10-49
acres
50-179
acres
180-499
acres
500-999
acres
1000+
acres
Trends in Greene County
Number of Farms by Commodity
1987
1992
1997
2002
180
157
160
140
120
94
100
80
60
40
17
20
16
0
Beef Cows
Source: 1987
-
Broilers and other Meattype Chickens Sold
2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
Milk Cows
Hay
How Do We Compare ?
Georgia, Greene and Surrounding Counties
Farm Gate Value
$ Per Farm (thousands)
$ Per Acre
$3,000
$2,500
$2,848
$2,000
$2,146
$1,500
$1,471
$1,263
$1,000
$500
$0
$957
$209
$1,107
$227
$554
$162
$263
$214
$282
$442
$266
ia
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Gr
Mo
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Ha
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Sources: 2002 Census of Agriculture and 2005 Farm Gate Value Report
$67
What We Did
¾ The Center for Agribusiness
and Economic Development
performed an analysis of the
county’s economy, focusing
on the role of
food and fiber.
What We Asked
County Economy Modeled
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?
Greene County Economy
Agriculture OUTPUT
Output in $ Millions
60.808
5.609
86.471
145.959
16.751
59.022
48.190
95.432
85.841
Percent
10.1
0.9
14.3
24.2
2.8
9.8
8.0
15.8
14.2
Agriculture
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total County Economic Output = $604.1 million
Greene County Economy
Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses OUTPUT
Agriculture + Direct
Output in $ Millions
85.331
5.609
86.471
121.437
16.751
59.022
48.190
95.432
85.841
Percent
14.1
0.9
14.3
20.1
2.8
9.8
8.0
15.8
14.2
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total County Economic Output = $604.1 million
An Economic Snapshot
of Greene County
¾ How much of Greene County’s total
economic output comes from food and
fiber production?
¾ AG value alone of $60.8 million consisting
of Farm Gate Value and landscape
services comprises 10.1% of the county’s
economy.
¾ AG plus directly related businesses (ex.
logging, etc.) comprise 14.1% of the
county’s economy.
Food and Fiber Production, Processing and Direct
Manufacturing as % of Total Output
0 - 10%
10 - 20%
20 - 40%
40 - 60%
60 - 84%
Greene Co.
14.1%
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
Greene County
Agriculture IMPACT
Direct $ Millions
60.808
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
60.808
Indirect $ Millions
0
0.000
0.210
0.210
1.127
3.271
2.555
3.453
2.833
13.659
Agriculture
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total
Total Impact of Production AG = $103.4 million–12.3% of total economy
Greene County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses IMPACT
Agriculture + Direct
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total
Direct $ Millions
85.331
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
85.331
Indirect $ Millions
0
0.000
0.254
0.304
1.344
4.359
3.467
4.717
3.664
18.109
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related = $103.4 million—17.1% of total economy
Greene County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Industries
Employment IMPACT
Direct
1,024
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Indirect
0
0
3
1
17
52
22
87
4
Agriculture + Direct
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related Employment = 1,209 Jobs
What These Numbers Mean:
A Brief Explanation
¾ Direct impact is $85.3 million. This
includes food and fiber production,
processing and directly related
manufacturing.
¾ Indirect impact from the Trade sector is
$4.4 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.
Greene County Food and Fiber
Impact Conclusions
¾ The total impact of food and fiber
production, processing and direct
manufacturing is $103.4 million.
¾ The total output is $604.1 million.
¾ Thus, food and fiber (directly and
indirectly) account for 17.1% of the
total output.
Food and Fiber Production, Processing and Direct
Manufacturing Impact as % of Total Output
0 - 10%
10 - 20%
20 - 40%
40 - 60%
60 - 100%
Greene Co.
17.1%
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
#0703A
February, 2007