Page 1 - 052020-Market-Bulletin

EstablishEd 1917 a CEntury of sErviCE

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE • GARY W. BLACK, COMMISSIONER • WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2020 • VOL. 103, NO. 11 • © COPYRIGHT 2020
State, private partners link farmers and consumers through new initiatives

UGA Extension, Georgia Department of Agriculture offer new outlets to growers affected by COVID-19 disruptions

By Maria M. Lameiras sion at UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental ers who normally sell to restaurants to have a new outlet for
1917 – 2017
University of Georgia College of Agricultural Sciences. their produce.”
and Environmental Sciences 100th Anniversary Georgia farmers who are keeping regular hours, pro-
Types of agricultural products that qualify for the pro-
gram include everything from vegetables, fruits and other viding curbside pickup, home delivery or e-commerce
Georgia farmers and agricultural producers eager to sell produce to seafood, meats, dairy, poultry products and any sales during the COVID-19 crisis can join the programs by
abundant supplies of fresh produce and other products are other agriculture-related products, such as honey and pre- visiting the Georgia Grown Ag-Products Industry Promo-
being connected with consumers and other buyers who need pared foods. tion or Georgia Grown E-Commerce Promotion pages at
their products through a new partnership between Univer- “We are getting a lot of interest from many types of buy- GeorgiaGrown.com and filling out forms that will add their
sity of Georgia Cooperative Extension and the Georgia De- ers, including consumer, wholesale, food banks and some information to a statewide database of producers that will
partment of Agriculture’s Georgia Grown program. restaurants,” said Matthew Kulinski, deputy marketing di- be shared with consumers and buyers.
Because of disruptions to the industry triggered by the rector for Georgia Grown. “This is a good way for produc- UGA Extension will support the program through its
COVID-19 crisis, many agri- network of county agents and
cultural producers in Georgia – specialists throughout the state.
particularly smaller growers and “This is a grassroots effort that
producers – are experiencing starts with all of our Extension
difficulties getting their prod- agents, specialists and coordina-
ucts out to those who can use tors who have the relationships
them. with these growers, producers
Through its Georgia Grown and farmers,” said Johnson. “We
Ag-products Industry Promo- are working on several different
tion and E-commerce Promo- ways to get this information out
tion programs, Georgia Grown to producers and consumers, in-
– a state membership program cluding our Extension website
designed to help agribusinesses emergency resources page and
thrive by bringing producers, through traditional and social
processors, suppliers, distribu- media. Together we can make
tors, retailers, agritourism and this into something that will not
consumers together – will waive only help agriculture in Georgia,
all membership fees for the ser- but the people who need access
vice until July to help producers to fresh food as well.”
affected by the crisis. For consumers who are inter-
“The first step is facilitat- ested in picking their own pro-
ing connections between con- duce, Georgia Grown also pro-
sumers and growers. There are vides a pick your own list of all
many people who are looking producers who offer that option
for fresh produce and cannot on their farms. (See that list on
find it and we have producers Page 8 of this issue.)
who have produce and cannot View the list of farms and
sell it,” said Laura Perry John- markets by county at extension.
son, associate dean for Exten- uga.edu/ag-products-connection.
Georgia’s Ag Industry launches ‘Now More Than Ever, Buy Georgia Grown’ campaign

To help mitigate potential losses due to the A mixed media campaign will encourage “UGA Extension is excited to be able to
COVID-19 response, the Georgia Department consumers to Buy Georgia Grown, Now use our statewide local network of Extension
of Agriculture’s Georgia Grown program has More Than Ever. The collaborative effort offices to help connect Georgia citizens with
joined up with partners from Georgia Farm includes PSAs, direct-to-consumer purchas- the farmers that provide delicious, Georgia
Bureau, University of Georgia Extension Ser- ing platforms, recipes and preservation tips Grown products,” said Laura Perry Johnson,
vice and Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Asso- for fresh produce, all supported by a target- associate dean for UGA Extension. “It is in all
ciation to promote Georgia-Grown produce ed social media campaign using the hashtags of our best interest to work collaboratively to
through retail and direct-to-consumer chan- #NowMoreThanEver, #BuyGeorgiaGrown. keep Georgia’s top economic driver – agricul-
nels. “It is important that we support Georgia’s ture – healthy and prosperous as we fulfill our
Georgia’s spring fruit and vegetable har- number one industry, agriculture,” said Geor- mission to serve the state.”
vest has an estimated farm gate value of $500 gia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long. “We Agriculture is the top industry in Georgia
Please deliver this paid subscription to: Published by the Ga. Department of Agriculture Gary W. Black, Commissioner service channel closed due to the COVID-19 the world by producing the finest food and etable farmers have had to overcome challeng-
are pleased to partner with Georgia Grown with production and related industries repre-
million to $750 million, and roughly 50 per-
cent of that is traditionally marketed through and the UGA Extension in helping remind senting $76 billion in output and more than
consumers that our farmers feed and clothe 399,000 jobs.
foodservice. However, with much of the food-
“This is not the first time our fruit and veg-
response, farmers could find their promising fiber.”
crops have no place to go.
Consumers can purchase from Georgia es,” said Black. “In the last several years they
“The supply is there. The food is there. The Grown businesses with e-commerce and have endured historic hurricanes, late freezes
and trade wars. Georgia’s agricultural sector
quality is there. We just need to make sure the home delivery capabilities by visiting www.
georgiagrown.com. In collaboration with is strong because our farmers are strong, and
demand is there as well,” said Georgia Agri-
Georgia Grown, UGA Extension is using its I feel confident that Georgia consumers are
culture Commissioner Gary W. Black. “Con-
sumers often ask what they can do to help network of county Extension offices to con-
strong as well and will rise with them to meet
our Georgia farmers and the answer is sim-
nect agricultural producers with consumers this new challenge before us.”
ple. Expect Georgia Grown, ask for Georgia looking for fresh, Georgia-grown products
-GDA Communication Office
Grown and buy Georgia Grown.”
at https://extension.uga.edu.