The Economic Importance
of Food and Fiber
A Spotlight on Taylor County, Georgia
Prepared for:
Taylor County Cooperative Extension
October, 2006
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 Taylor County
¾ 2005 Farm Gate Value in Taylor Co.
was $43.1 million. Adding $4.1
million of landscape services
increased the total agricultural
production value to $47.2 million.
¾ The highest value commodity group
was poultry/eggs, representing
39.4% of the total agricultural
production value.
Taylor County
2005 Agricultural Production Value
2005 Agricultural Production
Fruits-Nuts
7.0%
Landscape
services
8.7%
Other
11.5%
Layers
1.7%
Rest of
Commodities
11.8%
Hay
1.0%
Watermelon
2.1%
Orn Hort
4.0%
Vegetables
2.4%
Turfgrass
3.2%
Forestry
8.2%
LivestockAquaculture
8.3%
2005 Top Farm Gate Commodities
Poultry-Eggs
39.4%
Row-Forage
crops
10.5%
Peaches
7.2%
Beef
7.4%
Cotton
7.5%
Hunting
Leases
7.9%
Total AG Value = $47.2 million
Timber
8.7%
Broilers
41.4%
Trends in Taylor County:
Number of Farms & Average Farm Size
Number of Farms, Taylor County
Average Farm Size
500
1400
400
1000
300
A cres
1200
800
Taylor Co.
Georgia
328
218
200
600
227
200
100
Source: 1945-2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
R
02
20
97
92
19
19
87
19
82
19
78
19
74
19
69
19
64
19
59
19
54
19
1945 1949 1954 1959 1964 1969 1974 1978 1982 1987 1992 1997R 2002
19
45
0
49
0
19
400
Trends in Taylor County:
Land in Farms & Farms by Size
Land in Farms
Taylor County
Percent of Farms by Size, 2002
50
Taylor Co.
Georgia
Acres X 1,000
250
40
200
30
150
100
74.5
50
20
10
0
9
19 2
97
R
20
02
19
87
19
82
19
78
74
19
69
19
64
19
59
19
19
54
19
50
19
19
45
0
1-9 acres
Source: 1945-2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
10-49
acres
50-179
acres
180-499
acres
500-999
acres
1000+
acres
Trends in Taylor County
Number of Farms by Commodity
120
106
1987
1992
1997
2002
100
85
80
60
40
20
11
10
0
Cattle and Calves Inv
Broilers and Other
Chickens Sold
Source: 1987-2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
Cotton
Hay
How Do We Compare ?
Georgia, X and Surrounding Counties
Farm Gate Value
$ Per Farm (thousands)
$1,600
$1,400
$1,200
$1,000
$800
$600
$400
$200
$0
$ Per Acre
$1,435
$1,018
$1,087
$985
$749
$578
$741
$716
$262
$456
$215
$190
$232
$214
$182
$228
$74
$115
ia
ot
ch hley
on
on
lor ford acon
i
g
b
s
a
y
l
r
r
e
p
a
a
o
w
P
T
T
U
M
Sc
Ma
a
Ge
r
C
Sources: 2002 Census of Agriculture and 2005 Farm Gate Value Report
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?
Taylor County Economy
Agriculture OUTPUT
Output in $ Millions
47.171
2.935
9.538
55.528
75.744
15.439
12.465
37.675
46.433
Percent
15.6
1.0
3.1
18.3
25.0
5.1
4.1
12.4
15.3
Agriculture
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total County Economic Output = $302.9 million
Taylor County Economy
Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses OUTPUT
Agriculture + Direct
Output in $ Millions
58.549
2.935
9.538
44.150
75.744
15.439
12.465
37.675
46.433
Percent
19.3
1.0
3.1
14.6
25.0
5.1
4.1
12.4
15.3
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total County Economic Output = $302.9 million
An Economic Snapshot
of Taylor County
¾ How much of Taylor County’s total
economic output comes from food and
fiber production?
¾ AG value alone of $47.2 million consisting
of Farm Gate Value and landscape
services comprises 15.6% of the county’s
economy.
¾ AG plus directly related businesses (ex.
logging, ag support services) comprise
19.3% 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%
Taylor Co.
19.3%
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
Taylor County
Agriculture IMPACT
Direct $ Millions
47.171
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
47.171
Indirect $ Millions
0.000
0.000
0.060
0.022
2.511
1.570
1.041
1.961
2.386
9.553
Agriculture
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total
Total Impact of Production AG=$56.7 million—18.7% of total economy
Taylor County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses IMPACT
Agriculture + Direct
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total
Direct $ Millions
58.549
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
58.549
Indirect $ Millions
0.000
0.000
0.067
0.025
2.841
1.810
1.260
2.448
2.680
11.133
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related = $69.7 million--23% of total economy
Taylor County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Industries
Employment IMPACT
Direct
728
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Indirect
0
0
1
0
16
23
10
61
3
Agriculture + Direct
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related Employment = 842 Jobs
What These Numbers Mean:
A Brief Explanation
¾ Direct impact is $58.5 million. This
includes food and fiber production,
processing and directly related
manufacturing.
¾ Indirect impact from the Trade sector is
$1.8 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.
Taylor County Food and Fiber
Impact Conclusions
¾ The total impact of food and fiber
production, processing and direct
manufacturing is $69.7 million.
¾ The total output is $302.9 million.
¾ Thus, food and fiber (directly and
indirectly) account for 23% 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%
Taylor Co.
23%
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
#06-22A
October, 2006