North Georgia Local Food & Local Farms. Helping to grow North Georgia s local food economy

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1 North Georgia Local Food & Local Farms Helping to grow North Georgia s local food economy

2 WHY LOCAL? Know where your food comes from Support local farms Encourages sustainable farming practices Protects farmland Keeps farming skills alive Sustains rural heritage

3 North Georgia Farm Demographics Production North Georgia State Number of farmers 21,214 (31% of GA farmers) 68,232 Number of farms 14,836 (31% of GA farms) 47,846 Farmland acres 1,454,817 (14% of GA farmland) 10,150,539 Farmland acres as percentage of total land area 22% 28% Average age of farmers ,000 Distribution of Farms by Size 6,000 Number of farms 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1, to 9 acres 10 to 49 acres 50 to 179 acres 180 to 499 acres 500 to 999 acres 1,000 acres or more Source: USDA Census of Agriculture, 2007

4 Farm Sales in North Georgia Production North Georgia State Agricultural sales $2.8 million (40% of GA sales) $7.1 million Direct sales $3,460,000 (26% of GA total) $13,146,000 Livestock & poultry sales as percentage of total agricultural sales Percentage of farms selling less than $5,000 worth of products (2007) 96% (55% of GA total) 70% 57% (30% of GA total) 58% Distribution of Agricultural Sales in the Region Poultry & eggs 95.57% Cattle 3.59% Dairy 0.44% Hogs 0.13% Vegetables 0.07% Fruits 0.19% Source: USDA Census of Agriculture, 2007

5 Local Farms in a Local Context North Georgia farms are able to grow the majority of the types of fresh fruits and vegetables residents eat most (67%) North Georgia farms currently produce enough fresh produce to supply 10% of what residents eat North Georgia farms sell less than 1% of their products directly to consumers Source: USDA Census of Agriculture, 2007; The Packer 2012

6 Appalachian Regional Commission Counties

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8 NORTH GEORGIA RESIDENTS WANT LOCAL FOOD 34 Counties, 741 Participants 98% want to see local at the grocery store 92% agree local is within 100 miles of home 91% agree local food is healthy 88% buy local to support farms 82% buy local to support the economy 69% shop at farmers markets

9 Assessment Recommendations Promote and support North Georgia farms and food Help farmers identify and access the training and support they need Highlight and develop connections between farms and businesses Promote positive experiences around local food Promote North Georgia food and farms to tourists

10 Local Food Stakeholder Forums Question 1: How do we educate customers about local food? Personal interaction with growers, chefs Raise the profile of local growers through media Georgia Grown branding recognition for consumers Benefits to the local economy and region Improve health outcomes for customers

11 Local Food Stakeholder Forums Action Steps Utilize all media Support and promote local Farm to School Programs Farm Tours Utilize schools as a resource for consumer education Provide samples for benefits Partner with Appalachian Regional Commission, Cooperative Extension Services, USDA Rural Development and NRCS, GA Dept. of Agriculture, & GA Department of Economic Development

12 Local Food Stakeholder Forums Question 2: How do we make sure farmers have the training, assistance, and connections they need to access local market opportunities? Identify local trusted contacts with farmers and producers in our communities Educating farmers and producers on benefits of social media Defining roles farmers, retailers, restaurants

13 Local Food Stakeholder Forums Action Steps Crop planning with farmers and growers, CSA s Demo farm with local growing interest hands on learning Use Social Media Create food networks on local and regional levels for mass marketing Food hubs Creation of a directory/database of farmers and consumers

14 Major Themes & Challenges Local Food Stakeholder Forums Lack of communication between farmers and potential customers Retail price vs. true cost of food Need for education as to why local is healthier and more economically beneficial Marketing Assistance navigating government regulations

15 Support direct-to-consumer outlets Connect with local food efforts Ask for local products Support business that support local Outreach to friends and local community Visit a local farm WHAT YOU CAN DO

16 CONTACT INFORMATION Mrs. Heather Feldman, Director of Economic Development GA Mountains Regional Commission Post Office Box 1720 Gainesville, GA