The Economic Importance
of Food and Fiber
A Spotlight on Charlton County, Georgia
Prepared for:
Charlton County Cooperative Extension Service
August, 2005
by:
The Center for Agribusiness and
Economic Development
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The University of Georgia
Agriculture in Georgia
¾ Georgia's 2004 Farm Gate Value
of agricultural production was
$10.3 billion.
¾ Total food and fiber production
and directly related businesses
account for $52 billion of
Georgia's $556 billion economy.
Production Agriculture: 2004
GA Farm Gate
Total Value
$10.3 Billion
Other
Income
4.6%
Fruits &
Nuts
2.2%
Forestry &
Products
5.9%
Livestock &
Ornamental
Vegetables Aquaculture
Horticulture
12.7%
7.1%
6.4%
Poultry &
Eggs
46.2%
Row &
Forage
Crops
15.0%
0 - 20
20 - 45
45 - 80
80 - 200
200 - 325
Farm Gate Value
in Millions of Dollars
What We Know
about Charlton County
¾ Agricultural production in
Charlton County generated
$20.3 million in 2004.
¾ The highest value commodity
group was forestry & products,
representing 49% of the total
agricultural production value.
Charlton County
2004 Agricultural Production Value
2004 Agricultural Production
and AG/Landscape Services
Fruits-NutsVeges
0.3%
Orn Hort
6.9%
Forestry
48.7%
Other
8.9%
2004 Top Farm Gate Commodities
AgLandscape
Svcs
Poultry-Eggs
1.4%
24.2%
Row-Forage
crops
2.5%
LivestockAquaculture
7.2%
Horses
2.9%
Field nursery
1.8%
Hay
1.2%
Tmber
49.1%
Beef
Container 3.3%
nursery
4.2%
Breeder pullet
units
5.8%
Broilers
7.1%
Deer hunting
leases
8.0%
Total AG Value = $20.3 million
All others
4.9%
Layers
11.7%
Trends in Charlton County:
Number of Farms & Average Farm Size
Number of Farms, Charlton County
Average Farm Size
500
300
Charlton Co.
Georgia
400
Acres
200
100
300
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
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 Charlton County:
Land in Farms & Farms by Size
Percent of Farms by Size, 2002
40
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Charlton Co.
Georgia
30
20
10
9
19 2
97
R
20
02
87
19
82
19
78
19
74
19
19
69
64
19
59
19
54
19
19
19
19
50
0
45
Acres X 1,000
Land in Farms
Charlton County
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 Charlton County
Number of Farms by Commodity
80
1987
1992
1997
2002
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Beef cows
Cattle & calves
Corn for grain
Tobacco
Source: 1987-2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
Hay
Woodland
How Do We Compare ?
Georgia, Charlton and Surrounding Counties
Farm Gate Value
$ Per Farm (thousands)
$ Per Acre
$1,400
$1,200
$1,000
$800
$1,341
$957
$1,209
$1,044
$776
$684
$600
$400
$200
$209
$198
$82
$275
$314
$157
$0
ia
ey
en
on
l
g
t
d
t
r
l
o
m
ar
an
r
h
Ge
Ca
B
C
ch
n
i
Cl
Sources: 2002 Census of Agriculture and 2004 Farm Gate Value Report
re
a
W
What We Did
¾ The Center for Agribusiness
and Economic Development
performed an analysis of each
county’s economy, focusing
on the role of
food and fiber.
What We Asked
County Economy Modeled
¾ How much of a 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?
Charlton County Economy
Production Agriculture-OUTPUT
Agriculture
Construction
Manufacturing
Transp/Utilities/Info
Trade
Fin/Ins/Real Est
Services
Government
Total
Output in $ Millions
Percent
20.252
6.781
95.669
11.740
19.469
10.582
56.131
44.526
7.6
2.6
36.1
4.4
7.3
4.0
21.2
16.8
$265.2 million
--
Charlton County Economy
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses
Agriculture + Direct
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans/Info/Util
Trade
Finance/Ins/RE
Services
Government
Total
Output in $ Millions
Percent
79.470
6.781
36.452
11.740
19.469
10.582
56.131
44.526
30.0
2.6
13.7
4.4
7.3
4.0
21.2
16.8
$265.2 million
--
An Economic Snapshot
of Charlton County
¾ How much of Charlton County’s total
economic output comes from food and fiber
production?
¾ AG value alone of $20.3 million, consisting
of Farm Gate Value and landscape services,
comprises 7.6% of the county’s economy.
¾ AG plus directly related businesses (ex.
logging/sawmills, farm equipment mfg.,
etc.) comprise 30% 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%
Charlton Co.
30%
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
Charlton County
Production Agriculture IMPACT
Agriculture
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans/Info/Util
Trade
Fin/Ins/Real Est
Services
Government
Total
Direct $ (millions)
Indirect $ (millions)
20.252
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3.514
0.024
0.069
0.580
0.626
0.374
0.662
0.699
$26.8 million – 10.1% of total economy
Charlton County
Agriculture and Directly Related Businesses IMPACT
Agriculture + Direct
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans/Info/Util
Trade
Fin / Ins / Real Est
Services
Government
Total
Direct $ (millions)
Indirect $ (millions)
20.252
0.000
59.218
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
3.514
0.069
20.411
2.116
2.425
1.400
2.517
2.449
$114.4 million – 43% of total economy
Charlton County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Industries
Employment IMPACT
Agriculture + Direct
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans/Info/Util
Trade
Fin/Ins/Real Est
Services
Government
Total Employment
Direct
Indirect
444
0
0
306
0
0
0
0
40
0
1
99
16
39
17
62
1,027
What These Numbers Mean:
A Brief Explanation
¾ Direct impact is $79.5 million. This
includes food and fiber production,
processing and directly-related
manufacturing.
¾ Indirect impact from the Trade sector is
$2.4 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.
Charlton County Food and Fiber
Impact Conclusions
¾ The total impact of food and fiber
production, processing and direct
manufacturing is $114.4 million.
¾ The total output is $265.2 million.
¾ Thus, food and fiber (directly and
indirectly) account for 43% of the
total output.
Food and Fiber Production, Processing and Direct
Manufacturing Impact as % of Total Output
0
10
20
40
60
-
10%
20%
40%
60%
100%
Charlton Co.
43%
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
#05-12A
August, 2005