Although Atlanta is one of the largest metropolitan centers in the nation, Georgia is still a largely rural state. In 2021, Georgia ranked 22nd in the nation in field crop values and fourth in the Southeast, according to a report issued by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
For the year, Georgia crop values were $2.61 billion, a 20 percent jump over 2020. The bulk of that value came from cotton and peanuts.
As it has for a long time, Georgia led the nation in peanut production at $774 million, a 10 percent increase over 2020. Georgia’s peanut production was nearly four times that of the second-leading state, Texas. Georgia’s total represents 49 percent of peanuts grown in the United States.
Cotton, though, was the biggest cash crop. In 2021, cotton production brought in $937 million, an increase of 18.7 percent. Georgia’s cotton production was second only to Texas’ $3.2 billion. Arkansas ranked third at $442 million.
Peanuts and cotton combined to total 64 percent of Georgia’s field crop value. Field crops does not include fruits, nuts, vegetables or timber.