It's Georgia Ag Week 2021, and we are so excited to be celebrating in rural Georgia. In an effort to honor Georgia's largest industry, the Georgia Department of Agriculture and Georgia Grown have designated March 22-26, to celebrate their annual Georgia Ag Week. This week-long celebration is a great way to honor those in Georgia that are producing our food, fiber, and shelter.
During Georgia Ag Week, each day features a new theme. You can participate through social media by sharing your photos and using the hashtags for each day. Check out our blog about Georgia Ag Week to see what you can do each day. And, don't forget to use the hashtags for each day!
Through our coloring pages, you can join in on the celebration! Check out this month's coloring pages on dairy products and Georgia's top five commodities.
Dairy
There is nothing better than a fresh glass of milk. If you love ice cream, yogurt, or cheese, you can thank Georgia's dairy industry for allowing us to enjoy those decadent treats.
Did you know that Georgia is home to over 82,000 dairy cows? A typical Georgia dairy farm has a herd of 530 dairy cows. That's a lot of cows!
In 2019, Georgia's dairy industry had a farm gate value of $306 million.
You can download a cool activity sheet for dairy products here.
Top Commodities
Did you know that Georgia's largest industry is agriculture? Food and fiber production contributes $70.1 billion to Georgia's economy each year.
Georgia's top five commodities include:
Broilers
Cotton
Timber
Beef
Peanuts
If you enjoy eating chicken, we have broilers to thank for that. Broilers are chickens produced for meat. Fun fact, Georgia is actually the Poultry Capital of the World.
When you get dressed each morning, you may think of how important cotton is to the state of Georgia. Have you ever seen those big bales of cotton on the side of the road? Cotton is such a cool commodity because it provides us with a variety of products - bed sheets, towels, and even underpants.
Each time you have a package delivered to your house, Georgia's timber industry may be sitting on your doorstep. Timber is used for cardboard, paper towels, toilet paper, and so much more. The state of Georgia is known as the #1 Forestry State in the Nation.
Nothing beats a good hamburger. If you enjoy eating tacos, hamburgers, or steak, you understand how important beef cattle are. Beef cattle are produced in all 159 counties in Georgia.
Have you ever packed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into your lunchbox to take to school for lunch? Peanut butter is made from peanuts, and Georgia is the #1 peanut producer in the nation.
Source: Ag Snaphots 2021
You can download an activity sheet for the top commodities here.
Check back next month for more coloring and activity pages!