Just in time for the last few days of the 2023 legislative session, the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the state’s farming community will be celebrating Ag Week next week. With nearly 10 million acres dedicated to farms, more than 42,000 individual farms and revenue totaling approximately $10 billion worth of agricultural products, agriculture or agriculture is still huge for the Peach State – or Blueberry State or Poultry State to be more precise. California now swamps us in peach production, with more than 500,000 tons of the stone fruit compared to our 35,000 tons, but Georgia is regularly tops in the nation for poultry and blueberries.
“As we celebrate Agriculture Awareness Week, let us remember that agriculture is way more than just a job – it’s a way of life,” said newly-elected Commissioner Tyler Harper. “From the gas pump to the grocery store and everywhere in between, Agriculture and the Georgia Department of Agriculture impact all 11 million Georgians every single day.”
Ag Awareness Week is a chance to not only highlight the work of the state’s farms but also celebrate the farmers and their families that make it all possible. There are a number of events lined up for the week. There is a photo contest across an array of categories, including backyard gardens for those whose farming may be limited to less than an acre. Youth are also invited to participate as there is a special category for photographers under the age of 18.
Monday is “Hands-On Garden Day” that highlights the horticultural products produced across the state. Lesser recognized than the food that lands on the table, horticultural products totaled $566 million for Georgia’s economy in 2022. Names that you recognize from the plant section at Home Depot like Dudley Nurseries and Monrovia have a large presence in the state. Georgia’s relatively moderate climate makes for a long growing season, with enough of a winter for true dormancy, which is required for many plants.
With many schools across Georgia now required to provide agriculture education programs, Ag Awareness Week will also feature Ag Literacy Day on March 23. Commissioner Harper will be reading “Right This Very Minute,” a book for kids that explains where our food comes from with detailed illustrations about all the workings (or maybe most) of the workings of a farm.
The week will close out at the Food and Wine Festival in Marietta next Sunday, March 26. With Georgia wine now being another staple of the state’s agricultural production, Georgia Grown is by no means limited to the food you might find at the festival.
“We appreciate and celebrate Georgia’s farmers and farm families who work every day to produce the food, fiber, and shelter the rest of us rely on. We can all play a part in ensuring the success of Georgia’s number one industry – Agriculture, and I encourage everyone to join in the celebration,” said Harper.
To see the full schedule, join an event, or enter the photo contest:
