• In Georgia, there were 47,846 farms in 2007, a 3 percent decrease or loss of 1,465 farms since 2002.
• The average Georgia farm size in 2007 was 212 acres compared to 218 acres in 2002 and 228 in 1997.
Agriculture continues to be the leading industry in the state producing $7.1 billion in sales annually, said Georgia Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture Terry Coleman.
Coleman was speaking at the release of the Census of Agriculture report in Atlanta at the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
Moderating and analyzing Georgia figures, Coleman says Georgia ranks 14th in agriculture products sold.
In other areas, Coleman said Georgia continues to lead the nation in the production of broilers, poultry and eggs, peanuts and pecans. The state has the largest inventory of quail in the nation, he says.
Doug Kleweno, director, Georgia Field Office, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Services, released the full report to agriculture officials and others.
He said the state now has more organic farms then ever before. Georgia now has 136 organic farms representing more than 2,000 acres with sales totaling more than $2 million.
Franklin County is the number one county in Georgia in agriculture sales. Franklin County is the center of the egg and poultry industry in the state. Colquitt and Mitchell are the second and third leading counties in Georgia in agriculture sales, representing row crops and other farm products.
Kleweno also said that agri-tourism is on the rise at Georgia farms, earning $14.65 million in revenue. The average agri-tourism facility earns on average $24,342 in agri-tourism activities. That figure is more than triple the agri-tourism dollars reported in the 2002 Agriculture Census.
