The Economic Importance
of Food and Fiber
A Spotlight on Jasper County, Georgia
Prepared for
Jasper County Cooperative Extension
October, 2008
by:
The Center for Agribusiness
and Economic Development
College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences
The University of Georgia
Total Population
Jasper County
14,653
15,212
13,660
2010 Trend CAED
2010 OPB Proj.
2007 Est.
11,426
2000
8,453
7,553
1990
1980
5,760
6,135
7,473
8,772
8,594
1970
1960
1950
1940
1930
0
4,000
8,000
12,000
Primary data sources: U.S. Census Bureau, decennial censuses & estimate; OPB (State Office of
Planning and Budget) CAED (Center for Agribusiness & Economic Development).
16,000
Population Change: 2000-2007
LOSS
0 – 7.2%
7.2 – 16.6%
16.6 – 39.0%
39.0 – 61.5%
Avg. GA
County = 9.9%
GA = 16.6%
US = 7.2%
Jasper Co.
19.6%
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau (3/08)
Percent of Land in Cropland & Forestland: 2002
23 – 40%
40 – 55%
55 – 70%
70 – 85%
85% or more
GA Total = 78.5%
GA Avg. Co. = 77.3%
Metro Avg. Co. = 70.7%
Nonmetro Avg. Co. = 82.6%
Jasper Co.
86.4%
Primary data sources:
U.S. Census of Agriculture, 2002
Forest Statistics for Georgia, 1997
Components of 2007 Property Tax Gross Digest
Jasper County
Residential
40.0%
Ag-PreferentialEnviron-Conserv
43.5%
Timber *
0.6%
Heavy
Equipment
0.0002%
Mobile Home
0.5%
Motor Vehicle
Industrial
5.5%
3.2%
Public Utility
3.7%
Primary data source:
GA Dept. of Revenue
Commercial
2.9%
40% Assessment Value of Property
Gross Digest = $657,501,171
COUNTY Homestead & Property Exemptions = $212,922,318
Net M&O Digest = $444,578,853
Value of exempt property = $91,022,898
* Timber taxed at 100% based on previous year sales
County Property Tax Digest Comparisons: 2007
County
% Resi- % Agri- % Comdential cultural mercial
% Industrial
% Mo%
%
% UtilMotor bile
Timity
Veh Home ber
JASPER
40.0
43.5
2.9
3.2
3.7
5.5
0.5
0.6
BUTTS
47.1
24.6
10.8
2.7
6.1
8.4
0.1
0.2
JONES
54.5
19.5
9.1
1.8
5.2
8.6
0.8
0.5
MONROE
36.9
10.8
6.1
1.1
38.5 5.6
0.6
0.4
MORGAN
31.6
47.0
10.4
4.9
1.6
3.8
0.5
0.2
NEWTON
63.3
6.2
9.2
12.3
1.7
7.0
0.1 0.02
Avg. GA Co.
42.4
23.8
12.7
7.0
5.0
7.2
1.1
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Revenue
.9
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 2007 Farm Gate Value was
$11.6 billion. Adding the value of
landscape services increased the total
agricultural production value to $13.6
billion.
¾ Total food and fiber production and
directly related businesses account for
a $59 billion output impact on
Georgia's $735 billion economy.
Production Agriculture: 2007
Georgia Total
Agricultural
Production Value
$13.6 Billion
Landscape
services
Fruits & Nuts
15.3%
1.8%
Poultry &
Eggs
39.8%
Forestry &
Products
4.4%
Other Income
4.5%
Livestock &
Ornamental
Aquaculture
Horticulture
9.8%
Vegetables
5.6%
6.6%
Row &
Forage Crops
12.3%
$0 - $20
$20 - $45
$45 - $80
$80 - $200
$200 - $390
2007 Farm Gate
Value by County
in Millions of Dollars
What We Know
about Jasper County
¾ 2007 Farm Gate Value in Jasper Co.
was $44.7 million. Adding $818
thousand of landscape services
increased the total agricultural
production value to $45.5 million.
¾ The highest value commodity group
was Ornamental Horticulture,
representing 34.8% of the total
agricultural production value.
Jasper County
2007 Agricultural Production Value
2007 Agricultural Production
Other
15.1%
Landscape
services
1.8%
2007 Top Farm Gate Commodities
Poultry-Eggs
12.1%
Row-Forage
crops
6.5%
Orn Hort
34.8%
LivestockAquaculture
20.1%
Veges-FruitsNuts
0.7%
Forestry
8.9%
Beef
8.1%
Broilers
3.9%
Greenhouse
for OrnHort
2.4%
Dairy
1.7%
Rest of
Commodities
9.4%
Field Nursery
18.4%
Timber
8.2%
Container
Nursery
14.7%
Breeder Pullet
Unit
8.5%
Horses
10.5%
Total AG Value = $45.5 million
Ag Tourism
14.3%
Trends in Jasper County:
Number of Farms & Average Farm Size
Number of Farms, Jasper County
600
Jasper Co.
Georgia
500
400
Acres
243
218
300
200
210
100
Source: 1945-2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
R
02
20
97
92
19
19
87
19
78
82
19
19
69
74
19
19
59
64
19
19
49
54
19
1945 1949 1954 1959 1964 1969 1974 1978 1982 1987 1992 1997R 2002
19
45
0
19
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Average Farm Size
Trends in Jasper County:
Land in Farms & Farms by Size
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Percent of Farms by Size, 2002
100
Jasper Co.
Georgia
80
60
50.9
19
45
19
50
19
54
19
59
19
64
19
69
19
74
19
78
19
82
19
87
19
9
19 2
97
R
20
02
Acres X 1,000
Land in Farms
Jasper County
40
20
0
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 Jasper County
Number of Farms by Commodity
160
140
1987
1992
1997
2002
125
120
100
80
66
60
40
20
7
0
Beef Cows
Broilers
Source: 1987-2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
Hay
How Do We Compare ?
Georgia, Jasper and Surrounding Counties
Farm Gate Value
$ Per Farm (thousands)
$ Per Acre
$1,600
$1,400
$1,200
$1,472
$1,000
$800
$1,076
$400
$652
$877
$600
$477
$235
$213
$200
$273
$86
$58
$170
$250
$0
a
rgi
o
Ge
er
p
Jas
tts
u
B
s
ne
o
J
roe
n
Mo
Sources: 2002 Census of Agriculture and 2007 Farm Gate Value Report
an
g
r
Mo
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?
Jasper County Economy
Agriculture OUTPUT
Output in $ Millions
45.469
9.412
28.615
242.364
8.421
11.977
8.927
41.593
60.391
Percent
10.0
2.1
6.3
53.0
1.8
2.6
2.0
9.1
13.2
Agriculture
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total County Economic Output = $457.2 million
Jasper County Economy
Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses OUTPUT
Output in $ Millions
Percent
80.381
17.6
Agriculture + Direct
9.412
2.1
Mining
28.615
6.3
Construction
207.452
45.4
Manufacturing
8.421
1.8
Trans-Utilities-Info
11.977
2.6
Trade
8.927
2.0
Finance-Ins-Real Est
41.593
9.1
Services
60.391
13.2
Government
Total County Economic Output = $457.2 million
Jasper County Employment
Total Jobs = 9,314
Mining
228
2.4%
Construction
394
4.2%
Manufacturing
2,259
24.2%
Trans-UtilitiesInfo
293
3.1%
AG + Directly
Related
854
9.2%
State & Federal
Government
762
8.2%
Public
Education
962
10.3%
Trade
1,646
17.7%
Professional
Other Services Services
954
706
10.2%
7.6%
Finance-InsReal Est
258
2.8%
Primary data source: Center for Agribusiness & Economic Development, UGA
An Economic Snapshot
of Jasper County
¾ How much of Jasper County’s total
economic output comes from food and
fiber production?
¾ AG value alone of $45.5 million consisting
of Farm Gate Value and landscape
services comprises 10% of the county’s
economy.
¾ AG plus directly related businesses (ex.
sawmills, logging, fertilizer mixing, etc.)
comprise 17.6% 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%
Jasper Co.
17.6%
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
Jasper County
Agriculture IMPACT
Direct $ Millions
Indirect $ Millions
45.469
0
Agriculture
0
.0006
Mining
0
.190
Construction
0
.290
Manufacturing
0
.4267
Trans-Utilities-Info
0
.499
Trade
0
.514
Finance-Ins-Real Est
0
1.588
Services
0
1.615
Government
45.469
5.123
Total
Total Impact of Production AG = $50.6million
11.1% of total economy
Jasper County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses IMPACT
Agriculture + Direct
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-Real Est
Services
Government
Total
Direct $ Millions
Indirect $ Millions
80.380
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
80.381
0
.004
.236
.844
.711
.710
.741
2.332
2.237
7.814
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related = $88.195 million
19.3% of total economy
Jasper County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Industries
Employment IMPACT
Direct
Indirect
854
0
Agriculture + Direct
0
0
Mining
0
2
Construction
0
4
Manufacturing
0
7
Trans-Utilities-Info
0
13
Trade
0
5
Finance-Ins-Real Est
0
48
Services
0
2
Government
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related Employment = 934 Jobs
10% of total employment
What These Numbers Mean:
A Brief Explanation
¾ Direct impact is $80.4 million. This
includes food and fiber production,
processing and directly related
manufacturing.
¾ Indirect impact from the Trade sector is
$710 thousand. 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.
Jasper County Food and Fiber
Impact Conclusions
¾ The total impact of food and fiber
production, processing and direct
manufacturing is $88.2 million.
¾ The total county output is $457
million.
¾ Thus, food and fiber (directly and
indirectly) account for 19.3% of the
total county output.
Food and Fiber Production and Directly Related
Manufacturing IMPACT as % of Total Output
0 - 10%
10 - 25%
25 - 40%
40 - 60%
60 - 84%
Jasper Co.
19.3%
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
#08-29A
October, 2008