Georgia Agriculture chief pushing Georgia Grown branding

ALBANY — Many Georgians are surprised to learn that agriculture contributes approximately $75.35 billion to the state’s economy, according to University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness, which is the state’s top industry.

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black was in Albany Tuesday to deliver an address to the Dougherty County Rotary Club about the plight of the state’s farmers and a new program called “Georgia Grown.”

It’s obvious Black loves his job and will gladly bend the ear of anyone willing to listen to how he feels about Georgia Ag.

“Never underestimate the power of agriculture when y’all talk to folks about what we have in this state. Believe me, it makes a difference.” Black told the Rotarians.

He then lamented the fact that some of the state’s Georgia’s peanut, corn cotton, hog and broiler farms are in trouble, as falling commodity prices and pressure from foreign imports take their toll.

“We are sitting on the edge with what’s going to happen with our cotton farmers,” Black said. “We are really in uncharted territory here. Every where you look, things are tough. I really don’t know when things will turn around in regard to our prices.”

The Farm Bill supports commodity prices, but it was meant to be a safety net and not a regular source of income, Black said.

But Black has an idea and it comes in the form of Georgia Grown.

“Four years ago we conceived a branding initiative and called it Georgia Grown Georgia,” Black said. “The concept was to license the Georgia brand of as many products as we can. I know we have the best produce in the nation, we have a big airport and we have the port of Savannah.”

According to Black, “The Georgia Grown program is a marketing and economic development program of the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Our No. 1 goal is to aid our agricultural economies by bringing together producers, processors, suppliers, distributors, retailers, agri-tourism and consumers in one powerful, statewide community.

“We’re here to help new agribusinesses grow, and established agri-businesses thrive,” he said.

Black’s ultimate goal is to create a brand with deep roots in sustainability, quality and integrity.

And it seems to be working.

“We are getting five new producers to buy licenses per week and those are unsolicited, and in the past four years we have licensed more than 900 Georgia Grown Georgia producers,” Black said.”