A brief focus on
Georgia’s agricultural industry
2007 Total Farm Gate Value
$200,000,000 - $389,232,000
$80,000,000 - $200,000,000
$45,000,000 - $80,000,000
$20,000,000 - $45,000,000
$3,500,000 - $20,000,000
Poultry & Eggs
47%
Fruits & Nuts
2.1%
Forestry &
Products
5.2%
Row & Forage Crops
14.5%
Other
Income
5.3%
Livestock
& Aquaculture
11.5%
Vegetables
7.7%
Ornamental
Horticulture
6.7%
2007 Georgia Agricultural
Commodity Rankings
2007 Total Farm Gate Value = $11.6 billion
2006 = $10.4 billion
Rank Commodity 1
Broilers 2
Cotton Farm Gate
Value
% of
GA Total
$4,715,194,764 40.77%
$628,800,267
5.44%
3
Eggs $549,714,874 4.75%
4
Timber
$500,864,049
4.33%
5
Horses
$429,569,500 3.71%
6
Beef $423,272,771
3.66%
7
Peanuts $381,951,526 3.30%
8
Dairy $310,023,659 2.68%
9
Greenhouse $268,766,728 2.32%
10 Container Nursery $215,132,375 1.86%
11 Corn $212,856,500 1.84%
12 Onions
$164,391,978
1.42%
13 Turfgrass $163,956,198
1.42%
14 Breeder Pullet Unit
$161,664,750 1.40%
15 Hay $137,414,580 1.19%
16 Pecans
$128,499,337 1.11%
17 Deer Hunting Leases
$107,204,418 0.93%
18 Watermelon
$104,604,248 0.90%
19 Field Nursery
$101,114,375 0.87%
20 Bell Peppers $100,131,847
0.87%
Economic Impact
Food and Fiber Production
and Directly Related Manufacturing Impact
as a Percentage of Total Economic Output
60 - 84%
40 - 60%
25 - 40%
10 - 25%
0 - 10%
Top Ten Georgia Commodities by Value
Container
Nursery
1.9%
Rest of Commodities
27.2%
Broilers
40.8%
Greenhouse
2.3%
Dairy
2.7%
Peanuts
3.3%
Beef
3.7%
Horses
3.7%
Timber
4.3%
Eggs
4.7%
Cotton
5.4%
Food and fiber production and processing
are key components of Georgia’s economy.
Agriculture shaped Georgia’s history and
will continue to be a driving force in most
local economies across the state.
$58.5 billion output impact on
Georgia’s $735 billion economy
The food and fiber industry directly and
indirectly generated a total economic impact of
$58.5 billion for the state and created more than
389 thousand jobs in 2007. In two-thirds
of Georgia’s counties, food and fiber
production and directly related businesses
represent the largest or second largest
segment of all goods and services produced.
$30 ,000,000 - $66,688,000
$15,000,000 - $30,000,000
$5,000,000 - $15,000,000
$1,000,000 - $5,000,000
$0 - $1,000,000
Row & Forage Crops
2007 Georgia Farm Gate Value = $1.7 billion
2006 = $1.5 billion
Oats
0.4%
Cotton
37.4%
Barley
0.01%
Wheat
3.7%
Corn
12.7%
Tobacco
3.9%
Hay
8.2%
Other
0.7%
Peanuts
22.7%
Rye
1.4%
Silage
Straw
1.8%
2.5%
Sorghum
Soybeans
0.6%
4.1%
Row and forage crops have traditionally been
the backbone of South Georgia agriculture.
With 4.7 million acres of cropland,
Georgia produced almost half of the
nation’s peanuts and harvested the second
highest cotton acreage in 2007. With long
growing seasons and abundant irrigation
resources, row & forage crops were
responsible for a $6.4 billion impact on the
state’s economy and generated more than
46 thousand jobs in 2007.
Vegetables
$15,000,000 - $108,047,000
$3,000,000 - $15,000,000
$200,000 - $3,000,000
$10,000 - $200,000
$0 - $10,000
2007 Georgia Farm Gate Value = $895 million
2006 = $828 million
Zucchini
1.7%
Tomato
5.5%
Watermelon
11.7%
Cantalope
Bell Pepper
2.7%
11.2% Cabbage
4.5%
Cucumbers
9.6%
Sweet Corn
12.5%
Squash
2.9%
Southern Peas
1.1%
Snap Beans
3.3%
Onions
18.4%
Other Peppers
Other
.83%
Vegetables
8.1%
Greens
6.6%
Eggplant
1.3%
Okra
0.1%
The vegetable industry in Georgia is one
of agriculture’s most diverse and fastest
growing sectors. Fifteen individual
vegetables each generated $10 million
or more farm gate value in 2007. With
a favorable climate often allowing
both spring and fall plantings, Georgia
ranked among the top four states for
fresh market vegetable area harvested,
production, and value. Vegetable industry
production and processing generated
a total economic impact of $2.1 billion and
created close to 18 thousand jobs in 2007.
Fruits & Nuts
$5,000,000- $21,827,000
$1,500,000 - $5,000,000
$300,000 - $1,500,000
$50,000 - $300,000
$0 - $50,000
2007 Georgia Farm Gate Value = $242 million
2006 = $306 million
Strawberries
2.1%
Pecans
53.2%
Apples
0.3%
Blackberries
2.7%
Peaches
18.7%
Blueberries
18.6%
Grapes
4.1%
Others
0.3%
Fruit and tree nuts are important staples
in the diet, and many types are grown
in Georgia due to its favorable climate.
Peaches have long been a trademark and
are the state’s official fruit. Additionally,
Georgia consistently ranks among the top
U.S. states for pecan production. The fruit
and nut industry generated a total economic
impact of $754 million for the state in 2007
and created more than seven thousand jobs.
$10,000,000- $67,543,000
$6,000,000 - $10,000,000
$3,000,000 - $6,000,000
$1,000,000 - $3,000,000
$0 - $1,000,000
Ornamental Horticulture
2007 Georgia Farm Gate Value = $770 million
2006 = $765 million
Container Nusery
27.9%
Field Nursery
13.1%
Greenhouse
34.9%
Turfgrass
21.3%
Other
2.8%
Ornamental horticulture is providing
a wide range of opportunities scattered
across the state. Growing cities in both
Georgia and Florida are creating a high
demand for ornamentals and other
plants in addition to landscape services.
Greenhouses and container nurseries
both ranked in the top ten agricultural
commodities in Georgia in 2007. Green
industry production and processing
generated a total economic impact of $6.6 billion
and created more than 77 thousand jobs.
$10,000,000 - $27,000,000
$5,000,000 - $10,000,000
$3,000,000 - $5,000,000
$1,000,000 - $3,000,000
$0 - $1,000,000
Forestry & Products
2007 Georgia Farm Gate Value = $597 million
2006 = $663 million
Timber
83.9%
Pine Straw
13.6%
Other
1.1%
Christmas Trees
1.4%
Forests affect nearly every aspect
of our lives by providing the raw
materials for home building, paper,
packaging and many other uses. Forests
shape our landscape, help stabilize our
farms, and enhance our cities. Timber
production ranked fourth highest in
farm gate value in 2007. Forest industry
production and processing generated a
total economic impact of $15.4 billion and
created more than 64 thousand jobs.
$15,000,000 - $46,514,000
$10,000,000 - $15,000,000
$5,000,000 - $10,000,000
$3,000,000 - $5,000,000
$0 - $3,000,000
Livestock &Aquaculture
2007 Georgia Farm Gate Value = $1.3 billion
2006 = $1.3 billion
Beef Cattle Fin Out Co
1.8%
Sheep
0.1%
Quail
2.3%
Beef Stockers
5%
Beef Cows
24.9%
Pork-Finish
Only
Horses
1.6%
raised
Pork
9%
Feeder Pigs
2.1% Pork
Other
Farrow-finish 1.4%
2.5%
Catfish
0.4%
Dairy
23.2%
Horses
board, train, breed
23.2%
Honeybees
1.4%
Goats
1.1%
Livestock has long been an important
component of Georgia’s agricultural
economy with beef and dairy among the
top ten commodities. Raising and breeding
horses has become a significant industry and
increasing interest in goats, quail, and catfish
production keeps this industry dynamic.
Livestock and aquaculture production and
processing generated a total economic impact
of $3.5 billion for Georgia and led to more
than 49 thousand jobs covering every county
of the state.
Poultry & Egg
$100,000,000 - $338,100,000
$40,000,000 - $100,000,000
$10,000,000 - $40,000,000
$1,000,000 - $10,000,000
$0 - $1,000,000
2007 Georgia Farm Gate Value = $5.4 billion
2006 = $4.4 billion
LayersHatching Egg
7.7%
Broiler-Integrator
77.5%
LayersTable Egg
3.2%
Other
.1%
Breeder
Pullet Unit
3%
Broiler-Grower
9.3%
As Georgia’s most valuable agricultural
sector, the poultry-egg industry has
dramatically increased in size over several
decades, with more than two-thirds of
the state’s 159 counties now involved in
production. Georgia has led the nation in
broiler production for 23 consecutive years.
Poultry-egg production and processing
contributed $20.7 billion total economic
impact for the state in 2007, and the industry
created more than 111 thousand jobs.
$12,000,000- $24,793,000
$8,000,000 - $12,000,000
$2,000,000 - $8,000,000
$500,000 - $2,000,000
$0 - $500,000
Agritourism &
Other Income
2007 Georgia Farm Gate Value = $614.2 million
2006 = $641 million
Government Payments
52%
Crop Insurance
15.2%
Agriculture-based
tourism
5%
Nature-based
tourism
8.1%
Deer Leases
17.5%
Other
0.9%
Turkey and
Duck Hunting
Leases
1.4%
Both Ag-based and Nature-based
tourism play a major role in making
Georgia a destination for increasing
numbers of tourists. More than 2.7
million residents and nonresidents
enjoy abundant fishing, hunting
and wildlife watching opportunities.
Government payments, other than those
directly related to crop production,
are important for environmental and
conservation programs across the state.
Number
of Farms
2002 U.S. Census of Agriculture data
801 - 975
601 - 800
401 - 600
201 - 400
16 - 200
2005 NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service)
estimates:
Number of Farms = 49,000
Land in Farms = 10.8 million acres
Average Farm Size = 220 acres
Number of Farms by Economic Sales Class:
Below $10,000 = 63.7%
$10,000 to $99,999 = 22.7%
$100,000 or more = 13.7%
Average hourly wage of all hired farm workers = $9.20
Farm real estate, average value per acre (2007) = $4,500
Percent change in value per acre 2006-2007 = +15.4%
2000 U.S. Census of Agriculture
Number of Farms by Size
Less than 10 acres = 7.2%
10 to 49 acres = 32.0%
50 to 179 acres = 34.8%
180 to 499 acres = 16.1%
500 to 999 acres = 5.5%
1000+ acres = 4.3%
Farmers, Principal Operator
Worked 200+ days off farm = 39.8%
Average age of principal operator = 56.5 yrs.
Female = 13.1%
Black = 4.2%
Farmland provides both environmental and
economic returns to all citizens of the state.
The average county in Georgia has 81% of land
in farms and forestland. Even metropolitan
counties have an average of 74% of their land
area in “green space” consisting of farms and
forests.
Other Facts
Land in Conservation/Wetlands Reserve Programs =
311,675 acres as of 4/08
Irrigated acres as of 2004 = 1,546,756
To learn more about Georgia agribusiness, contact:
The Center for Agribusiness and
Economic Development
706-542-0760
or log on to our Web site at:
http://www.caed.uga.edu
J. Scott Angle
Dean and director
The University of Georgia is committed to principles of
equal opportunity and affirmative action.
Published 2008
Printed on recycled paper.