Here’s a piece of trivia you may not know: One bale of cotton contains enough of the “Fabric of Our Lives” to make 215 pairs of blue jeans or 1,217 men’s T-shirts.
Georgia farmers produce nearly two 480-pound bales of cotton per acre. So for every acre of cotton crop that’s 430 pairs of jeans.
Farmers of Georgia provide that soft comfort, in addition to a vast array of food products. Georgia ranks first in peanut, pecan and poultry production.
All these products will be an important part of Farm-City Week, running from Nov. 20 through 26.
Farm-City Week highlights the relationship between the state’s farmers and their partners in urban areas who prepare, transport, market and retail the food and fiber farmers grow for the American consumer. Kiwanis International began Farm-City Week in 1966 to increase the understanding of the partnership between urban and rural residents. Farm days at schools, farm tours, banquets and mayoral proclamations are just a few of the activities that will be held in communities across Georgia to mark this annual event.
“Farmers take great pride in producing nutritious, delicious and safe food products, whether it’s fruits and vegetables, high-protein beef and poultry, as well as cotton and wood products from timber,” said Newton County Farm Bureau President Brent Galloway. “Once the products leave our farms, our agribusiness partners prepare, market and transport the food and clothes to stores for consumers. Feeding and clothing America requires a massive team effort.”
According to the University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development (CAED), food and fiber production and related businesses represent the largest or second largest segment of all goods and services produced in two-thirds of Georgia’s counties.
Food and fiber production and directly related processing, directly and indirectly generated a total economic impact of $76.9 billion for Georgia and created more than 375,000 jobs in 2012, according to the UGA CAED. One in seven Georgians works in agriculture, forestry or an ag-related job, and almost half of the state’s manufacturing jobs are in agribusiness.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics show that Georgia farmers lead the nation in producing broilers, peanuts and pecans. In 2012, the top ten commodities grown in Georgia were broilers, cotton, peanuts, eggs, beef, timber, corn, horses, dairy and greenhouse/nursery plants.
Farm-City Week is a time to discuss how the economy impacts farmers and consumers. Farmers receive only 16 cents out of every dollar spent on food at home and away from home, USDA statistics show. The rest of the food cost covers the expenses of wages and materials for food preparation, marketing, transportation and distribution, all of which have increased in price, too.
Founded in 1937, Georgia Farm Bureau is the state’s largest general farm organization. Its volunteer members actively participate in activities that promote agriculture awareness to their non-farming neighbors. If you would like more information about agriculture please visit www.gfb.org or like Georgia Farm Bureau on Facebook.
