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Georgia agriculture by the numbers
Fort Valley State University. (Credit: Brandon Franklin)
In 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated Georgia farmers spent $7.1 billion to grow their crops. The average Georgia farm is 235 acres. In 2022, farmers saw a record increase in diesel fuel. Farmers need workers, seed, fertilizer and pesticide. There’s property and income taxes and sales tax on items used for the farm and production of the crops. Here’s a breakdown of top crops in Georgia and some of the costs. These are estimates.
THE CO$T OF FARMING
LAND
An acre: about $2,000*
Average Georgia farm (real estate investment): $470,000
FUEL
Diesel fuel cost per acre: $10
Gallons of diesel fuel per acre: 4-6
Cost per average Georgia farm before price hike: $2,350
Cost per average farm after price hike: $4,700
EQUIPMENT
Tractor: $100,000
Module-making cotton combine: $500,000
* low estimate
Source: Ben Baker, South Georgia Ag Magazine, 2022
Georgia Agriculture: By The Numbers
State ranking in terms of industry: 1
Annual economic impact: $74 billion
Average age of a Georgia farmer: 58 years old
Average age of an American farmer: 57.5 years old, up from 50 years old in 1978
Workers: 350,000 or 1 in 7 Georgians
Total Farms: 42,439
Farms raising dairy cow or beef cow: 17,000
Average farm size: 235 acres
Acres of operating farmland: 9.9 million
Dollar value of agricultural products sold by Georgia farmers: $9.5 billion*
Percent of U.S. agricultural sales: 2
*In 2019.
Source: Georgia Department of Economic Development; Farm Bureau; georgia.org; U.S. Department of Agriculture; New Georgia Encyclopedia.
Georgia’s population and where they live:
State population: 10.3 million
Rural: 2.3 million
Total counties: 159
Rural counties: 120
Source: Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center
Have questions, comments or tips? Contact Tammy Joyner on X @lvjoyner or at [email protected].
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Header image: Fort Valley State University. (Credit: Brandon Franklin)
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