The Economic Importance
of Food and Fiber
A Spotlight on Putnam County, Georgia
Prepared for
Putnam County Cooperative Extension
January, 2008
by:
The Center for Agribusiness
and Economic Development
College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences
The University of Georgia
Total Population
Putnam County
21,128
19,930
2010 Trend CAED
2006 Est.
18,812
2000
14,137
1990
10,295
1980
1950
8,394
7,798
7,731
1940
8,514
1930
8,367
1970
1960
0
6,000
12,000
18,000
Primary data sources: U.S. Census Bureau, decennial censuses & estimate; CAED (Center for
Agribusiness & Economic Development).
24,000
Population Change: 2000-2006
LOSS
0 – 6.4%
6.4 – 14.4%
14.4 – 34%
34 – 53.4%
Avg. GA
County = 9.1%
GA = 14.4%
US = 6.4%
Putnam Co.
5.9%
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau (3/07)
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%
Putnam Co.
85.6%
Primary data sources:
U.S. Census of Agriculture, 2002
Forest Statistics for Georgia, 1997
Components of 2006 Gross Property Tax Digest
Putnam County
Residential
64.2%
Heavy
Equipment
0.04%
Timber *
0.3%
Ag-PreferentialEnviron-Conserv
9.9%
Mobile Home
0.4%
Motor Vehicle
4.0%
Public Utility
8.2%
Industrial
3.2%
Primary data source:
GA Dept. of Revenue
Commercial
9.7%
40% Assessment Value of Property
Gross Digest = $1,425,646,243
STATE Homestead & Property Exemptions = $94,652,008
Net M&O Digest = $1,330,994,235
Value of exempt property = $37,540,928
* Timber taxed at 100% based on previous year sales
County Property Tax Digest Comparisons: 2006
County
% ResiDential
% Agri- % Com% Incultural mercial dustrial
% Motor
Vehicle
%
Other
PUTNAM
64.2
9.9
9.7
3.2
4.0
9.0
BALDWIN
55.9
6.7
17.0
5.8
7.6
6.9
GREENE
66.1
17.0
8.8
2.7
2.8
2.6
HANCOCK
40.8
32.1
4.0
0.6
3.7
18.8
JASPER
39.4
42.1
3.3
3.8
5.6
5.8
JONES
55.4
13.3
9.4
2.1
10.5
9.0
MORGAN
31.5
43.6
11.6
5.6
4.9
2.7
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 2006 Farm Gate Value was
$10.4 billion. Adding the value of
landscape services increased the total
agricultural production value to $12.2
billion.
¾ Total food and fiber production and
directly related businesses account for
a $34.5 billion output impact on
Georgia's $55 billion economy.
Production Agriculture: 2006
Georgia Total
Agricultural
Production Value
$12.2 Billion
Landscape
services
Other Income
14.7%
5.3%
Poultry &
Eggs
36.1%
Fruits & Nuts
2.5%
Forestry &
Products
5.5%
Ornamental
Horticulture
6.3%
Vegetables
6.8%
Livestock &
Aquaculture
10.4%
Row &
Forage Crops
12.4%
$0 - $20
$20 - $45
$45 - $80
$80 - $200
$200 - $385
2006 Farm Gate
Value by County
in Millions of Dollars
What We Know
about Putnam County
¾ 2006 Farm Gate Value in Putnam Co.
was $60.6 million. Adding $3.3
million of landscape services
increased the total agricultural
production value to $63.9 million.
¾ The highest value commodity group
was livestock, representing 44% of
the total agricultural production
value.
Putnam County
2006 Agricultural Production Value
2006 Agricultural Production
Orn Hort
0.7%
Forestry
5.0%
LivestockAquaculture
44.1%
Fruits-NutsVeges Other
0.6% 7.6%
Landscape
services
5.1%
Poultry-Eggs
32.7%
2006 Top Farm Gate Commodities
Ag/Nature
based
tourism
Hunting
3.2%
leases
4.1% Timber
5.3%
Horses
5.9%
Silage
2.7%
Hay
1.6%
Beef
8.2%
Row-Forage
crops
4.1%
Dairy
32.1%
Total AG Value = $63.9 million
Sweet corn
0.5%
Other
commodities
1.9%
Layers
34.5%
Trends in Putnam County:
Number of Farms & Average Farm Size
Number of Farms, PutnamCounty
400
300
Acres
225
218
181
200
100
Source: 1945-2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
R
02
20
97
87
92
19
19
19
78
82
19
19
69
74
19
19
64
19
59
19
49
54
19
1945 1949 1954 1959 1964 1969 1974 1978 1982 1987 1992 1997R 2002
19
45
0
19
1000
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Average Farm Size
Putnam Co.
Georgia
Trends in Putnam County:
Land in Farms & Farms by Size
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Percent of Farms by Size, 2002
40
Putnam Co.
Georgia
30
20
40.7
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
Acres X 1,000
Land in Farms
Putnam County
10
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 Putnam County
Number of Farms by Commodity
1987
1992
1997
2002
120
97
100
80
71
60
35
40
20
0
Beef Cows
Milk Cows
Source: 1987-2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
Hay
How Do We Compare ?
Georgia, Putnam and Surrounding Counties
Farm Gate Value
$ Per Farm (thousands)
$ Per Acre
$1,600
$1,400
$1,200
$1,000
$800
$600
$1,490
$967
$957
$620
$460
$464
$400
$200
$0
$209
$1,215
$1,179
$269
$85
$198
$182
$286
$84
$206
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r
s
c
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r
o
e
d
o
t
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J
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Gr
Mo
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Pu
Ba
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Sources: 2002 Census of Agriculture and 2006 Farm Gate Value Report
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?
Putnam County Economy
Agriculture OUTPUT
Agriculture
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Output in $ Millions
Percent
63.908
103.745
239.899
78.700
149.179
44.699
134.077
136.169
6.7%
10.9%
25.2%
8.3%
15.7%
4.7%
14.1%
14.3%
Total County Economic Output = $950.4 million
Putnam County Economy
Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses OUTPUT
Output in $ Millions
102.643
Percent
10.8%
Construction
103.745
10.9%
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
201.164
21.2%
78.700
149.179
44.699
134.077
136.169
8.3%
15.7%
4.7%
14.1%
14.3%
Agriculture + Direct
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total County Economic Output = $950.4 million
An Economic Snapshot
of Putnam County
¾ How much of Putnam County’s total
economic output comes from food and
fiber production?
¾ AG value alone of $63.9 million consisting
of Farm Gate Value and landscape
services comprises 6.7% of the county’s
economy.
¾ AG plus directly related businesses (ex.
logging, sawmills, etc.) comprise 10.8%
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%
Putnam Co.
10.8%
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
Putnam County
Agriculture IMPACT
Direct $ Millions
63.908
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
63.908
Indirect $ Millions
0
.315
.329
3.154
3.607
2.214
3.794
2.302
15.714
Agriculture
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total
Total Impact of Production AG = $79.6 million—8.4% of total economy
Putnam County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses IMPACT
Agriculture + Direct
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total
Direct $ Millions
65.753
0
36.890
0
0
0
0
0
102.643
Indirect $ Millions
0
.394
2.695
5.172
5.417
2.918
5.099
3.264
24.959
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related = $127.6 million—13.4% of total economy
Putnam County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Industries
Employment IMPACT
Direct
663
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Indirect
0
4
10
32
58
18
86
4
Agriculture + Direct
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related Employment = 876 Jobs
What These Numbers Mean:
A Brief Explanation
¾ Direct impact is $65.8 million. This
includes food and fiber production,
processing and directly related
manufacturing.
¾ Indirect impact from the Trade sector is
$5.4 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.
Putnam County Food and Fiber
Impact Conclusions
¾ The total impact of food and fiber
production, processing and direct
manufacturing is $127.6 million.
¾ The total output is $950.4 million.
¾ Thus, food and fiber (directly and
indirectly) account for 13.4% of the
total output.
Food and Fiber Production and Directly Related
Manufacturing IMPACT as % of Total Output
0 - 10%
10 - 25%
25 - 40%
40 - 60%
60 - 84%
Putnam Co.
13.4%
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
#0802A
January, 2008