The Economic Importance
of Food and Fiber
A Spotlight on Brantley County, Georgia
Prepared for:
Brantley County Cooperative Extension
July, 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%
Livestock &
Vegetables Aquaculture
5.2%
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 Brantley County
¾ 2005 Farm Gate Value in Brantley Co.
was $25.3 million. Adding $232
thousand of landscape services
increased the total agricultural
production value to $25.5 million.
¾ The highest value commodity group
was Forestry, representing 42% of
the total agricultural production
value.
Brantley County
2005 Agricultural Production Value
2005 Agricultural Production
Landscape
services
Other
Fruits-Nuts
0.9%
11.0%
6.3%
Orn Hort
1.5%
Vegetables
0.04%
Forestry
42.0%
2005 Top Farm Gate Commodities
Poultry-Eggs
20.8%
Row-Forage
crops
6.2%
LivestockAquaculture
11.3%
Tobacco
2.8%
Hay Peanuts
1.5% 1.4%
Greenhouse
Rest of
1.2%
commodities
4.0%
Timber
42.0%
Horses
5.1%
Beef Cows
5.3%
Blueberries
6.2%
Deer hunting
leases
9.5%
Total AG Value = $25.5 million
Layers-Table
eggs
21.0%
Trends in Brantley County:
Number of Farms & Average Farm Size
Number of Farms, Brantley County
Average Farm Size
800
300
Brantley Co.
Georgia
700
600
Acres
200
500
400
300
218
120
270
100
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
19
1945 1949 1954 1959 1964 1969 1974 1978 1982 1987 1992 1997R 2002
19
45
0
49
0
Trends in Brantley County:
Land in Farms & Farms by Size
Land in Farms
Brantley County
Percent of Farms by Size, 2002
Brantley Co.
Georgia
40
Acres X 1,000
120
30
100
80
20
60
40
32.3
20
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
0
10
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 Brantley County
Number of Farms by Commodity
140
1987
1992
1997
2002
121
120
100
77
80
60
49
40
20
12
20
0
Beef cows
Layers 20+
wks
Corn for grain
Source: 1987-2002 (quinquennial) Censuses of Agriculture
Tobacco
Forage
How Do We Compare ?
Georgia, Brantley and Surrounding Counties
Farm Gate Value
$ Per Farm (thousands)
$ Per Acre
$1,400
$1,200
$1,386
$1,000
$800
$1,254
$985
$782
$600
$749
$553
$400
$200
$0
$215
$94
$204
ia
ey
on
l
g
t
t
r
l
o
ar
an
r
h
Ge
B
C
$126
e
c
r
Pie
$151
re
a
W
Sources: 2002 Census of Agriculture and 2005 Farm Gate Value Report
$237
ne
y
Wa
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?
Brantley County Economy
Agriculture OUTPUT
Output in $ Millions
25.516
4.624
42.223
56.530
46.748
19.261
4.252
18.301
62.071
Percent
9.1
1.7
15.1
20.2
16.7
6.9
1.5
6.5
22.2
Agriculture
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total County Economic Output = $279.5 million
Brantley County Economy
Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses OUTPUT
Agriculture + Direct
Output in $ Millions
64.143
4.624
42.223
17.903
46.748
19.261
4.252
18.301
62.071
Percent
22.9
1.7
15.1
6.4
16.7
6.9
1.5
6.5
22.2
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total County Economic Output = $279.5 million
An Economic Snapshot
of Brantley County
¾ How much of Brantley County’s total
economic output comes from food and
fiber production?
¾ AG value alone of $25.5 million consisting
of Farm Gate Value and landscape
services comprises 9.1% of the county’s
economy.
¾ AG plus directly related businesses (ex.
logging, sawmills, etc.) comprise 22.9%
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%
Brantley Co.
22.9%
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
Brantley County
Agriculture IMPACT
Direct $ Millions
25.516
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
25.516
Indirect $ Millions
0
0.081
0.084
0.723
0.467
0.074
0.396
0.675
0.000
2.500
Agriculture
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total
Total Impact of Production AG=$28.016 million--10% of total economy
Brantley County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Businesses IMPACT
Agriculture + Direct
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total
Direct $ Millions
64.143
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
64.143
Indirect $ Millions
0
0.000
0.155
1.339
2.094
1.400
0.237
1.364
1.700
8.290
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related=$72.4 million—25.9% of total economy
Brantley County
Production Agriculture + Directly Related Industries
Employment IMPACT
Direct
413
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Indirect
0
0
2
6
15
17
2
30
3
Agriculture + Direct
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Trans-Utilities-Info
Trade
Finance-Ins-RE
Services
Government
Total Impact of AG + Directly Related Employment = 487 Jobs
What These Numbers Mean:
A Brief Explanation
¾ Direct economic impact is $64.1 million.
This includes food and fiber production,
processing and directly related
manufacturing.
¾ Indirect economic impact from the Trade
sector is $1.4 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.
Brantley County Food and Fiber
Impact Conclusions
¾ The total economic impact of food and
fiber production, processing and
direct manufacturing is $72.4 million.
¾ The total output is $279.5 million.
¾ Thus, food and fiber (directly and
indirectly) account for 25.9% 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%
Brantley Co.
25.9%
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
#06_18A
July, 2006