The Economic Importance
of Food and Fiber
A Spotlight on Candler County, Georgia
Prepared for
Candler County Cooperative Extension
October, 2010
by:
The Center for Agribusiness
and Economic Development
College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences
The University of Georgia
Total Population
Candler County
14,216
12,561
10,680
9,577
2020 OPB Proj.
2015 OPB Proj.
2009 Estimate
2000
7,744
7,518
1990
1980
6,412
6,672
8,063
1970
1960
1950
9,103
8,991
1940
1930
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000
Primary data sources: U.S. Census Bureau, decennial censuses & estimate; GA Office of Planning & Budget
projections.
Population Change: 1930-2009
30
25
Percentage Change
20
15
10
5
0
-5
-10
-15
-20
1930-40
1940-50
1950-60
U.S.
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau
1960-70
1970-80
Georgia
1980-90
1990-00
2000-09
Candler Co.
Population Change: 2000-2009
LOSS
0 – 9.1%
9.1 – 20.1%
20.1 – 40.0%
40.0 – 77.4%
Candler Co. =
11.5%
Avg. GA
County = 12.0%
GA = 20.1%
US = 9.1%
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau (3/10)
% of Land in Cropland & Timberland
14 - 64%
64 - 75%
75 - 83%
83 - 92%
92 - 99%
Candler Co. = 74%
GA Avg. Co. = 76%
GA Total = 78%
GA Metro = 68%
GA Nonmetro = 83%
Primary data sources:
U.S. Census of Agriculture, 2007
USDA Forest Service, 2007
Graphic by Center for Agribusiness
& Economic Development, UGA
Components of 2009 Property Tax Gross Digest
Candler County
Ag-PreferentialEnviron-Conserv
40.7%
Residential
29.3%
Timber *
0.4%
Mobile Home
0.9%
Motor Vehicle
8.5%
Public Utility
3.4%
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Revenue
Industrial
1.8%
Commercial
14.9%
40% Assessment Value of Property
Gross Digest = $293,080,563
Homestead & Property Exemptions = $52,858,949
Net M&O Digest = $240,221,614
Value of exempt property = $32,314,265
* Timber taxed at 100% based on previous year sales
County Property Tax Digest Comparisons: 2009
% Industrial
% Mo%
%
% UtilMotor bile
Timity
Veh Home ber
CANDLER
29.3 40.7 14.9 1.8
3.4 8.5 0.9 0.4
BULLOCH
43.2 13.0 23.1 10.2 2.4 7.0 1.0 0.2
EVANS
41.1 21.8 13.6 8.3
2.6 10.9 1.1 0.7
TATTNALL
38.8 31.4 10.2 2.8
4.7 9.1 1.8 1.2
TOOMBS
36.9 15.7 24.0 7.7
4.0 10.2 1.2 0.4
EMANUEL
32.2 32.7 11.7 6.2
3.4 10.2 1.6 2.0
Avg. GA Co.*
42.2 24.7 12.9 6.7
4.8 7.2 0.9 0.7
County
% Resi- % Agri- % Comdential cultural mercial
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Revenue
(* as of Oct. 2010 Avg. GA county figure preliminary until all county digests are verified.
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 2008 Farm Gate Value was
$11.9 billion. Adding the value of
landscape services increased the total
agricultural production value to $14
billion.
¾ Total food and fiber production and
directly related businesses account for
a $63 billion output impact on
Georgia's $771 billion economy.
Production Agriculture: 2008
Georgia Total
Agricultural
Production Value
$11.9 Billion
Landscape
services
15.4%
Poultry &
Eggs
40.1%
Fruits & Nuts
1.9%
Forestry &
Products
4.1%
Other Income
4.4%
Ornamental
Horticulture
4.9%
Vegetables
6.0%
Livestock &
Aqua-culture
9.0%
Row &
Forage
Crops
14.3%
$0 - $20
$20 - $45
$45 - $80
$80 - $200
$200 - $442
2008 Farm Gate
Value by County
in Millions of Dollars
What We Know
about Candler County
¾ 2008 Farm Gate Value in Candler Co.
was $43.2 million. Adding $431
thousand of landscape services
increased the total agricultural
production value to $43.7 million.
¾ The highest value commodity group
was row & forage crops,
representing 50% of the total
agricultural production value.
Candler County
2008 Agricultural Production Value
2008 Agricultural Production
Fruits-Nuts
4.1%
Landscape
services
0.8%
Other
8.4%
Orn Hort
5.1%
PoultryEggs
3.6%
2008 Top Farm Gate Commodities
Rest of
commodities
31.8%
Onions
16.3%
Cotton
13.3%
Vegetables
14.4%
Forestry
5.1%
LivestockAquaculture
8.6%
Row-Forage
crops
49.9%
Wheat
2.6%
Beef
2.6%
Tobacco
3.8%
Timber Pecans
Greenhouse
3.9%
4.3%
4.4%
Total AG Value = $43.7 million
Pork
4.9%
Peanuts
12.0%
Trends in Candler County:
Number of Farms & Average Farm Size
Number of Farms, Candler County
Average Farm Size
Candler Co.
Georgia
1200
1000
212
Acres
200
800
600
100
283
200
Source: 1945-2007 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
07
02
20
20
97
92
19
87
19
19
82
78
19
19
74
69
19
64
19
19
59
54
19
19
1945 1949 1954 1959 1964 1969 1974 1978 1982 1987 1992 1997 2002 2007
19
45
0
49
0
19
400
261
300
1400
Trends in Candler County:
Land in Farms, Harvested Cropland
& Farms by Size
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Land in farms
Percent of Farms by Size, 2007
40
Candler Co.
Harvested cropland
Georgia
30
73.9
29.0
19
45
19
50
19
54
19
59
19
64
19
69
19
74
19
78
19
82
19
87
19
92
19
97
20
02
20
07
Acres X 1,000
Land in Farms & Harvested Cropland
Candler County
20
10
0
1-9
acres
Source: 1945-2007 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
10-49
acres
50-179
acres
180-499 500-999
acres
acres
1000+
acres
How Do We Compare ?
Georgia, Candler and Surrounding Counties
2008 Farm Gate Value
$ Per Farm (thousands)
$2,000
$1,800
$1,600
$1,400
$1,200
$1,000
$800
$600
$400
$200
$0
$ Per Acre
$1,893
$1,139
$1,176
$1,016
$739
$372
$705
$249
$184
$218
ia
CH
g
LER
r
O
o
D
L
L
N
Ge
BU
CA
$283
S
AN
V
E
$436
L
AL
N
TT
TA
$268
$101
S
L
UE
MB
N
O
A
TO
EM
Sources: 2007 Census of Agriculture and 2008 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?
Candler County Economy
Agriculture OUTPUT
Output in millions $
Agriculture
Percent
10.4
43.652
Construction
9.4
39.625
Manufacturing
57.471
13.7
Trans-Utilities-Info
97.931
23.3
Trade
9.3
39.222
Finance-Ins-RE
39.225
9.3
Services
64.964
15.5
Govt & non-NAICS
37.926
9.0
Total County Economic Output = $420 million
Candler County Economy
Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses OUTPUT
Output in millions $
Percent
16.3
68.335
Agriculture + Direct
9.4
39.625
Construction
7.8
32.787
Manufacturing
23.3
97.931
Trans-Utilities-Info
9.3
39.222
Trade
9.3
39.225
Finance-Ins-Real Est
64.964
15.5
Services
Govt & non-NAICS
37.926
9.0
Total County Economic Output = $420 million
Candler County 2008 Employment
Total Jobs = 4,426
AG + Directly
Related
759
17.1%
Construction
365
8.2%
Manufacturing
165
3.7%
Trans-Utilities-Info
375
8.5%
Trade
583
13.2%
State & Federal
Government
391
8.8%
Public Education
372
8.4%
Other Services
706
16.0%
Professional
Services
590
13.3%
Primary data source: Center for Agribusiness & Economic Development, UGA
Finance-Ins- Real
Est
120
2.7%
An Economic Snapshot
of Candler County
¾ How much of Candler County’s total
economic output comes from food and
fiber production?
¾ AG value alone of $43.7 million
consisting of Farm Gate Value and
landscape services comprises 10.4% of
the county’s economy.
¾ AG plus directly related businesses (ex.
animal slaughtering, logging, ag
services) comprise 16.3% 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%
Candler Co.
16.3%
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
Candler County
Agriculture IMPACT
Direct millions $
Indirect millions $
43.652
0
Construction
0
.137
Manufacturing
0
.085
Trans-Utilities-Info
0
1.667
Trade
0
1.195
Finance-Ins-Real Est
0
2.363
Services
0
1.119
Govt & non-NAICS
0
.430
Agriculture
43.652
6.995
Total
Total Impact of Production AG = $50.6 million
12.1% of total economy
Candler County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses IMPACT
Agriculture + Direct
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-Real Est
Services
Govt & non-NAICS
Total
Direct millions $
Indirect millions $
68.335
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
68.335
0
.189
.162
2.533
1.973
3.182
1.837
.525
10.402
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related = $78.7 million
18.8% of total economy
Candler County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Industries
Employment IMPACT
Direct
Indirect
759
0
Construction
0
3
Manufacturing
0
1
Trans-Utilities-Info
0
9
Trade
0
29
Finance-Ins-Real Est
0
11
Services
0
37
Agriculture + Direct
0
2
Government
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related Employment = 852 Jobs
19.3% of total employment
What These Numbers Mean:
A Brief Explanation
¾ Direct impact is $68.3 million. This
includes food and fiber production,
processing and directly related
manufacturing.
¾ Indirect impact from the Trade sector is
$2 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.
Candler County Food and Fiber
Impact Conclusions
¾ The total impact of food and fiber
production, processing and direct
manufacturing is $78.7 million.
¾ The total county output is $420
million.
¾ Thus, food and fiber (directly and
indirectly) account for 18.8% of the
total county output.
Food and Fiber Production and Directly Related
Manufacturing IMPACT as % of Total Output
0 - 7%
7 - 16%
16 - 29%
29 - 46%
46 - 76%
Candler Co.
18.8%
Contact Information
Prepared by:
Sue Boatright and Sharon Kane
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
#10-25A
October, 2010