The Economic Importance
of Food and Fiber
A Spotlight on Putnam County, Georgia
Prepared for:
Putnam County Cooperative Extension
January, 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 Putnam County
¾ 2005 Farm Gate Value in Putnam Co.
was $59.9 million. Adding $3.4
million of landscape services
increased the total agricultural
production value to $63.2 million.
¾ The highest value commodity group
was livestock/aquaculture,
representing 50.8% of the total
agricultural production value.
Putnam County
2005 Agricultural Production Value
2005 Agricultural Production
Orn Hort
0.8%
Vegetables
0.5%
Forestry
5.7%
LivestockAquaculture
50.8%
Fruits-Nuts
Other
0.0%
7.1%
2005 Top Farm Gate Commodities
Landscape
services Poultry-Eggs
26.2%
5.3%
Row-Forage
crops
3.5%
Ag-Based & Hay Silage
Nature-Based 1.9% 1.7%
Tourism
3.2%
Hunting
Leases
4.2%
Horses
6.0%
Timber
6.1%
Beef
9.4%
Total AG Value = $63.2 Million
Sweet Corn
0.6%
Rest of
Commodities
1.3%
Dairy
38.0%
Layers,
Hatching Egg
& Table Egg
27.7%
Trends in Putnam County:
Number of Farms & Average Farm Size
Number of Farms, Putnam County
Average Farm Size
400
1000
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Putnam Co.
Georgia
218
181
A c re s
300
225
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
49
54
19
19
1945 1949 1954 1959 1964 1969 1974 1978 1982 1987 1992 1997R 2002
19
45
0
Trends in Putnam County:
Land in Farms & Farms by Size
Acres X 1,000
Land in Farms
Putnam County
Percent of Farms by Size, 2002
40
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Putnam Co.
Georgia
30
20
40.7
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 Putnam County
Number of Farms by Commodity
120
97
100
1987
1992
1997
2002
80
71
60
35
40
20
0
Beef Cows
Source: 1987
-
Milk Cows
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
$1,471
$957
$1,107
$591
$1,263
$1,173
$554
$618
$400
$200
$0
$209
$266
$109
$227
$162
$284
m
ia
in
er
ck
ne
a
g
p
o
e
w
r
n
s
c
e
t
o
ld
n
Ja
Gr
Pu
Ge
Ba
Ha
$112
s
ne
o
J
Sources: 2002 Census of Agriculture and 2005 Farm Gate Value Report
M
$214
a
org
n
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?
Putnam County Economy
Agriculture OUTPUT
Output in $ Millions
Percent
Agriculture
63.221
7.7
Construction
85.657
10.4
Manufacturing
195.226
23.8
Trans-Utilities-Info
78.034
9.5
Trade
115.760
14.1
Finance-Ins-RE
41.569
5.1
Services
116.050
14.1
Government
126.034
15.3
Total County Economic Output = $821.6 million
Putnam County Economy
Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses OUTPUT
Output in $ Millions
Percent
Agriculture + Direct
92.893
11.3
Construction
85.657
10.4
Manufacturing
165.554
20.2
Trans-Utilities-Info
78.034
9.5
Trade
115.760
14.1
Finance-Ins-RE
41.569
5.1
Services
116.050
14.1
Government
126.034
15.3
Total County Economic Output = $821.6 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 $63.2 million consisting
of Farm Gate Value and landscape
services comprises 7.7% of the county’s
economy.
¾ AG plus directly related businesses (ex.
logging, sawmills, etc.) comprise 11.3%
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%
Putnam Co.
11.3%
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
63.221
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
63.221
Indirect $ Millions
0
0.264
0.242
2.801
3.548
1.934
3.122
2.240
14.149
Agriculture
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total
Total Impact of Production AG = $77.4 million—9.4% 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
92.893
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
92.813
Indirect $ Millions
0
0.321
1.927
4.235
4.958
2.477
4.183
3.018
21.118
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related = $114 million—13.9% of total economy
Putnam County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Industries
Employment IMPACT
Direct
687
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Indirect
0
4
8
27
63
16
82
4
Agriculture + Direct
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related Employment = 892 Jobs
What These Numbers Mean:
A Brief Explanation
¾ Direct impact is $92.9 million. This
includes food and fiber production,
processing and directly related
manufacturing.
¾ Indirect impact from the Trade sector is
$4.958 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 $114 million.
¾ The total output is $821.6 million.
¾ Thus, food and fiber (directly and
indirectly) account for 13.9% 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%
Putnam Co.
13.9%
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
#0701A
January, 2007