Members of the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce learned agriculture still ranks as Georgia’s number one economic driver.
Tyler Harper, Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, was the keynote speaker for the Chamber’s Member Economic Luncheon on Thursday. The topic was “Harvesting Prosperity, Agricultural Innovations and Impact.”
He said even into the 21st century, the agriculture industry tops all others, calling it the backbone of Georgia’s economy.
“It is an almost $84 billion economic driver. It is almost 17% of the state’s economy,” he said. “One in seven jobs, 330,000 Georgians, are employed in the field of agriculture in some way. It is a phenomenal industry that plays a big part in the success of our state every single day, regardless of what part of the state you’re in.”
Beyond the state’s borders, Harper said the Peach State is a nationwide, and worldwide, leader in agriculture, supplying food locally, nationally, and globally.
“We’re the number one producer of poultry products in the country, we produce more chicken than any other state in the country. We are the eighth largest producer in the world of chicken of all the nations combined. A little over 35% of the ag economy is tied to the poultry industry,” he explained.
He said Georgia is number one in multiple categories including forestry, peanuts, and pecans. Georgia is also the only producer of Vidalia onions, a product that can be grown only in that area due to the low amount of sulfur in the soil.
That distinction has resulted in the agriculture department exercising one of its mandates, protecting Georgia agriculture.
“Just about a month ago, a market, I think it was in the state of New Jersey, had some onions on the shelf with a big, fancy sign that said, ‘New Jersey grown Vidalia onions.’ So, obviously, they got a nice little letter from the department saying that they can’t do that. So, we’re always looking at investigating those kinds of things.”
The Agriculture Department also has some unique responsibilities most people don’t know about.
“Did you know that the Department of Agriculture weighs every lottery ball to ensure that they’re consistent with each other?” he asked. “We do it on a scale in our lab, in Tifton, on an airtight little scale that sits on a concrete block that is not even connected to the building. Its own little thing. We do that for the Georgia lottery.”
Harper is Georgia’s 17th Agriculture Commissioner, a seventh-generation farmer who grew up and lives in South Georgia. He said he sees agriculture as more than just an economic factor. It is also tied to national security.
“Even the Department of Homeland Security has said that agriculture is one of our nation’s 10 most important, vital infrastructures that must be protected,” he said. “Look at it through that lens, it’s important that we are able to feed ourselves, clothe ourselves, to put shelter over ourselves. A nation that can’t feed itself, can’t sustain itself. A nation that can’t provide its own food, fiber, and shelter, can’t be successful. A nation that is dependent on another nation to provide its food supply becomes subservient to that nation. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want America to ever be there.”
Harper said among his goals is to grow Georgia’s ability to process its commodities within the state.
“We do a really, really good job of producing a raw commodity in our state. What we don’t do a good job of, in my opinion, is taking that raw commodity to a finished product that the consumer can use,” he said. “We send a lot of it out of state and bring it back. But what FPL (beef processing facility in Augusta) does right here in your community, is a perfect example of taking a raw product that we grow in Georgia and making it a finished product, and we can do more things like that.”
As he finished his remarks, he told his audience they can help his department accomplish the goals of protecting and expanding Georgia’s agricultural economic impact when they are shopping.
“How you can help in that is by being intentional, Harper urged. “When you go to the grocery store, look for a Georgia-Grown label. If you can’t find Georgia-grown, look for Made in America or an American-grown label. And if you can’t find either one of those, go tell the store manager and ask for that, because we’ve got to be intentional about allowing and continue to allow American agriculture to be successful. Agriculture success is America’s success.”
