The Economic Importance
of Food and Fiber
A Spotlight on Tattnall County, Georgia
Prepared for:
Tattnall 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
Landscape
services
14.0%
Poultry & Eggs
36.7%
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 Tattnall County
¾ 2005 Farm Gate Value in Tattnall Co.
was $232.9 million. Adding $9.7
million of landscape services
increased the total agricultural
production value to $242.7 million.
¾ The highest value commodity group
was poultry-eggs, representing
53.6% of the total agricultural
production value.
Tattnall County
2005 Agricultural Production Value
2005 Top Farm Gate Commodities
2005 Agricultural Production
Other &
Fruits-Nutsagritourism
Orn Hort
2.4%
3.2%
0.1%
Vegetables
22.3%
Landscape
services
4.0%
Tobacco
1.0%
Cotton
1.8%
Rest of
Commodities
13.3%
Broilers
50.8%
Beef
2.0%
Pork
2.2%
Forestry
3.4%
LivestockAquaculture
5.5%
Watermelon
0.8%
Poultry-Eggs
53.6%
Row-Forage
crops
5.6%
Pecans
2.3%
Timber
3.3%
Layers
4.7%
Onions
17.7%
Total AG Value = $242.7 million
Trends in Tattnall County:
Number of Farms & Average Farm Size
Number of Farms, Tattnall County
Average Farm Size
300
2000
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
Tattnall Co.
Georgia
223
218
A cres
200
644
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 Tattnall County:
Land in Farms & Farms by Size
Land in Farms
Tattnall County
Percent of Farms by Size, 2002
50
Tattnall Co.
Georgia
Acres X 1,000
250
40
200
143.4
150
30
100
20
50
10
0
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 Tattnall County
Number of Farms by Commodity
250
200
1987
1992
1997
2002
176
150
97
100
45
50
44
27
34
25
0
Beef Cows Hogs-Pigs
inv
inv
Source: 1987
-
Broilers
sold
Soybeans
for Beans
2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
Cotton
Tobacco
Peanuts
How Do We Compare ?
Georgia, Tattnall and Surrounding Counties
Farm Gate Value
$ Per Farm (thousands)
$ Per Acre
$2,000
$1,500
$1,625
$1,000
$884
$985
$1,119 $1,078 $897
$874
$1,254
$500
$0
$205
$362
$204
$186
$222
ia
all
ng
ns
ler
g
i
n
l
a
d
r
t
p
n
o
t
Ev
Ap
Ca
Ta
Ge
$335
$218
$237
ne nuel
ng mbs
y
o
L
o
Wa Ema
To
Sources: 2002 Census of Agriculture and 2005 Farm Gate Value Report
$294
$85
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?
Tattnall County Economy
Agriculture OUTPUT
Output in $ Millions
242.656
2.798
29.106
49.456
36.409
60.699
27.057
97.657
157.097
Percent
34.5
0.4
4.1
7.0
5.2
8.6
3.8
13.9
22.3
Agriculture
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total County Economic Output = $702.9 million
Tattnall County Economy
Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses OUTPUT
Agriculture + Direct
Output in $ Millions
279.852
2.798
29.106
12.260
36.409
60.699
27.057
97.657
157.097
Percent
39.8
0.4
4.1
1.7
5.2
8.6
3.8
13.9
22.3
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total County Economic Output = $702.9 million
An Economic Snapshot
of Tattnall County
¾ How much of Tattnall County’s total
economic output comes from food and
fiber production?
¾ AG value alone of $242.7 million
consisting of Farm Gate Value and
landscape services comprises 34.5% of
the county’s economy.
¾ AG plus directly related businesses (ex.
logging, sawmills, etc.) comprise 39.8%
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%
Tattnall Co.
39.8%
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
Tattnall County
Agriculture IMPACT
Direct $ Millions
Indirect $ Millions
242.656
0
Mining
0
0
Construction
0
0.433
Manufacturing
0
0.367
Trans-Utilities-Info
0
7.996
Trade
0
14.492
Finance-Ins-RE
0
4.129
Services
0
11.531
Government
0
12.311
242.656
51.257
Agriculture
Total
Total Impact of Production AG=$294 million—41.8% of total economy
Tattnall County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses IMPACT
Agriculture + Direct
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total
Direct $ Millions
279.852
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
279.852
Indirect $ Millions
0.000
0.000
0.459
0.457
8.395
15.956
4.710
12.926
13.269
56.171
Total Impact of AG+Directly Related = $336 million—47.8% of total economy
Tattnall County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Industries
Employment IMPACT
Direct
2,713
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Indirect
0
0
6
5
96
281
37
273
17
Agriculture + Direct
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related Employment = 3,427 Jobs
What These Numbers Mean:
A Brief Explanation
¾ Direct impact is $279.8 million. This
includes food and fiber production,
processing and directly related
manufacturing.
¾ Indirect impact from the Trade sector is
$16 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.
Tattnall County Food and Fiber
Impact Conclusions
¾ The total impact of food and fiber
production, processing and direct
manufacturing is $336 million.
¾ The total output is $702.9 million.
¾ Thus, food and fiber (directly and
indirectly) account for 47.8% 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%
Tattnall Co.
47.8%
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
#06-20A
October, 2006