Tuesday was the first day of Spring – slightly early thanks to this being a Leap Year – and that means it was also National Ag Day. The recognition dates back 51 years and it also signals Georgia Ag Week. The week-long celebration is dedicated to the state’s top industry, just in time to soon harvest strawberries, Vidalia onions, blueberries and wheat.
“Celebrating Georgia Ag Week is an opportunity to honor the hard work and dedication of our farmers and farm families who fuel the success of our state’s No.1 industry,” said Commissioner Tyler Harper. “This week-long celebration not only recognizes their invaluable contributions, but we hope it will help foster a deeper understanding and greater appreciation of the critical role agriculture plays in our lives every single day. I encourage Georgians in every corner of the state to join us in commemorating Georgia Ag Week and supporting our farmers and producers.”
There are numerous events and programs taking place around the state in recognition of Ag Week. Monday kicked off with the announcement of the Georgia Grown Photo Contest. The deadline for submissions is March 25 and there are numerous categories for participants, including faces of agriculture, open pastures and growing fields, and education. Tuesday spotlighted young student leaders and future farmers, involved with both Georgia 4H and Future Farmers of America. For those who are Georgia Public Broadcasting viewers, Friday is Fork in the Road Friday, highlighting the show that takes viewers around the state for the best stories on agriculture and local cuisine.
The Georgia Farm Bureau notes that Georgia is the top peanut producer in the country, many used to peanut butter and snacks. We are also the leading state for broilers (the chicken for chicken sandwiches, tenders and wings). Georgia pecan growers are also tops in the country. All three of these are decades in the making and not likely to change any time soon. Other states may try playing catch up, but the overall pecan number at least is likely to grow as India continues to import American nuts. Additionally, we also export a lot of timber products and are the top ranked forestry state in the country.
On the bad news, California and South Carolina continue to eat our lunch in peach production. Despite the Peach State lagging in the stone fruit category, agriculture overall contributes more than $83 billion to the state’s economy, according to the University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development. These totals contribute to more than 330,000 jobs in the sector.
“Georgia’s farmers and ranchers are hard at work producing our food and materials used to make our clothing and build our homes,” said Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall. “Farmers are worth celebrating, and I’d ask all Georgians to take a moment to recognize the critical role agriculture plays in our state. They also work to preserve wildlife habitat and natural resources for future generations.”
