Agriculture Census Paints Positive Picture For Georgia Farms

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Data from the US Ag Census shows the size of Georgia farms has shifted, but state officials are excited about the data.

The latest data from the U.S. Census of Agriculture showed Georgia lost more than 1,500 small and mid-size farms over the past five years. But it’s not all bad news.

While the number of small and mid-size farms has dropped, micro-farms, between one and nine acres, have increased to more than 4,500. That's up from about three thousand in 2012. 

Andrew Lucas with the Georgia Farm Bureau said they’ve also seen an uptick in consolidation of farms, which has led to an increase in large farms.

Poultry and egg farms ranked number one in the state and country for total sales with nearly $5.4 billion. Peanut and hay crops came in at number two.

Gary Black, commissioner of the state’s department of agriculture, said overall, he’s pleased by the data, but farmers here still need help recovering from Hurricane Michael.

"I really am troubled to see what these numbers will be five years from now,” Black said.  “And you know, that's not smoke and mirrors, that's reality."

Congress has failed to pass a multi-billion-dollar relief package in the aftermath of the storm.

Black said he hopes any partisan feuding will end to help the state’s citizens.