The Wearing of the Green Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W
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ersary niv An 017 100th – 2 17 19 GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE • GARY W. BLACK, COMMISSIONER • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017 • VOL. 100, NO. 5 • © COPYRIGHT 2017 100 YEARS AGO TODAY: A snapshot of farm life in Georgia when the Market Bulletin began By Sharon Dowdy knock it off its throne. The boll weevil first appeared in Thom- asville in 1915, and cotton production began declining rapidly. That was then, this is now In 1917, Georgia farmers were being affected by things out By 1917, every cotton-producing county in Georgia reported of their control, namely World War I and a tiny pest called the the boll weevil, and production was down by 30 percent. Number of farms in Georgia in 2012 ...... 42,257 boll weevil that was just beginning its destructive path through Many stories are recorded from people who grew up on Land in farms ................ 9,620,836 acres cotton fields. farms in Georgia who collected the weevils for one penny Average farm size .................. 228 acres each. Agricultural scientists at the Georgia Experiment Sta- The majority of farmers in 1917 worked the land with Harvested cropland ............ 3,609,788 acres the help of a mule, a trusty draft animal that could withstand tion in Griffin conducted research to help farmers fight the Georgia’s hot summers and, in some parts, rough terrain. A boll weevil. One UGA publication recommended “starving” Market value of ag products sold .... $9.26 billion small farm relied on one mule to work about 10 acres of cot- the boll weevil by destroying cotton stalks immediately after Total farm production expenses ...... $7.5 billion ton. According to the 1910 U.S. Census of Agriculture, just harvest. Another provided a guide for how to grow cotton in shy of 16,000 mules (valued at an average of $170 each) were spite of the boll weevil. cotton seed ($23 million), sweet potatoes and yams ($4.3 mil- at work across the state. Sixty-four percent of farmers owned Other Georgia Experiment Station publications from 1917 lion), oats ($4.2 million /411,664 total acres), and hay and for- mules, while just 30 percent owned horses. focused, as they do today, on corn and cotton variety trials. age ($4 million). The average value of a farm, including equipment, was The station also conducted trials on soybeans, cowpeas and Peanuts, now one of Georgia’s top five commodities, were $1,995. This was a 95 percent increase from 1900 numbers. velvet beans. Researchers planted and harvested the crops and grown on just 160,317 acres. Most of these acres were in the The average value of farm land was $13.74 per acre, but reported back to farmers which varieties perform best. The southern half of the state with the leading producer being farms in 10 North Georgia counties were valued between $25 best cotton variety was pegged as Cleveland Big Boll, which Brooks County. A fourth of the crop was grown in Brooks, and $50 per acre. Seventy-one percent of Georgia acreage was was the most extensively grown at the time. The second best Decatur, Grady and Thomas counties. devoted to farming. The average farm consisted of 92.6 acres. performer was Covington-Toole. Other crops of the time were dry peas (210,315 acres), Cotton was king with 4.9 million acres devoted to the crop Other leading crops at the time, in order of their impor- wheat (93,065 acres), sugar cane (37,046 acres) and tobacco at a value of $127 million, but the boll weevil would soon tance, were corn ($37 million value/3.4 million total acres), See SNAPSHOT, page 14 The Wearing of the Green Georgia House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee Chair Tom McCall, R-Elberton, wears his green 4-H jacket in honor of 4-H Day at the Capitol Feb. 8, the same day the Georgia Agribusiness Council hosted its annual Legislative Breakfast in Atlanta. “If it wasn’t for me coming up in 4-H from the 5th grade, if the House is anywhere to be I wouldn’t be there,” McCall told legislators and agribusiness leaders gathered for the breakfast. See more photos from ag-related activities at the Capitol in February on page 9. (Photo by Blane Marable | blanemarable.com) READER PROFILE: Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black By Amy H. Carter The decision to offer himself for elec- Editor tion as Georgia’s 16th Agriculture Com- missioner came from a desire to be a strong On Feb. 11, 1976, readers of the Farmers voice for the future of the state’s agriculture and Consumers Market Bulletin first made industry. the acquaintance of one Gary Black, a high “We had a lot of encouragement from a school senior serving as state president of lot of people,” he said. the FFA. The annual observance of National It was encouragement that started long FFA Week was nigh, and Black was invited before his senior year of high school. to write a guest column for the paper to “I think you just have to be grateful for mark the occasion. the opportunities that come your way,” His topic: the future. It was a humble Black said. “But for parents who supported discourse on the opportunities that FFA had me and an ag teacher who believed in me, afforded Black to that point in his life. His I would never have had the chance to write aspiration at the time was to be a teacher of the first article (in the Market Bulletin). But agriculture. There was no bold pronounce- for the opportunity to write that first article ment of any intent to be the next commis- my name wouldn’t be on the masthead (of sioner of agriculture for the state because, the Market Bulletin). It all links together.” frankly, that idea was still three decades in One of the many responsibilities that Commissioner Gary W. Black with the Market Bulletin the offing. come with being Commissioner of Agri- Mail to: Agriculture Published by the Ga. Department of Black, Commissioner W. Gary archive. “I didn’t plan that,” Black said. See GARY W. BLACK, page 14 PAGE 2 FARMERS AND CONSUMERS MARKET BULLETIN – 404-656-3722 – agr.georgia.gov WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017 Elbert 19.98 acres, 2 pastures, 2 Spalding 10 acres, half is pasture- FARMLAND FOR SALE barns, 2 paddocks, stream and pond land, county water, septic tank, brick Advertise in the Market Bulletin watering, fenced areas, excellent for ranch home, needs repairs; $100,000. Classified advertisements in the Market Bulletin are free to Following are advertisements horses/other livestock, 4BR house Jewell Mccray Griffin 770-228-5460 subscribers and limited to one ad per issue per subscriber number. for the Market Bulletin’s Farmland near UGA; $425,000. Jan Thompson Spalding 19.3 acres, wooded, with 2 Edition. Ads are listed alphabeti- Bowman 706-255-4915 older homes; $149,000. Sammy Eng- Out-of-state subscribers may only publish ads in the Out-of-State cally by county according to geo- Elbert 21 acres, power, drill well, lish Jackson 770-584-5998 Wanted category. Advertisements from businesses, corporations, graphical regions. The map and septic tank, 1 mile from Pearl Mill Boat Spalding 72.7 beautiful acres in NW dealerships, real estate agents or other commercial entities are not legend on this page may be helpful Ramp lake. Leonard Ridings Cum- part of county, borders Fayette County, permitted. Advertising is limited to farm-related items. in locating land advertisements. ming 770-887-4786 already cleared, lovely farm, lake, build- Ads are limited to describing farm- Elbert 60 acres, 40 acres of hard- ing sites, partial roads, natural stream; Advertisers and buyers are advised to be aware of state and land or farm structures; detailed woods with streams, excellent hunt- $4000/acre. Nizam Khan Jonesboro descriptions of non-farm struc- ing, 1000’ paved road frontage, gor- 404-932-2829 federal laws governing the sale and transfer of live animals. The geous setting, old homestead with lots Georgia Department of Agriculture does not assume responsibility tures are not included in these ad- Farmland Northwest vertisements. of character; $2995/acre. Jeff Watson for transactions initiated through the Market Bulletin but will use Acworth 404-309-8962 If you have questions about ads in every effort to prevent fraud. Advertisers are expected to fulfill the Farmland Northeast Franklin 62 acres river property, this category, call 404-656-3722. terms of their offers. Failure to do so through either negligence If you have questions about ads in 1600’ river frontage, county water, Bartow 40+ acre farm, pasture, well, or intention may require the Market Bulletin to refuse future ads. this category, call at 404-656-3722. paved road frontage, 5 miles from I-85, county and spring water available, Banks 12+/- wooded acres, creek financing available; $6350/acre. Don- barn, outbuildings, some fencing, old Market Bulletin staff reserves the right to designate ad length and runs through, family land, adjacent to ald Major Dawsonville 678-617-0383 farm house; $350,000. Ruby Cowart Greene 151.6 acres, mature pine 602 Towe Chapel Rd Nw Adairsville to edit for spelling, grammar and word count. Ads run a maximum power line, can be used for access, will finance with 20%-down; $60,000. and hardwood, lake site, good hunt- 30103 770-773-3436 of two consecutive issues if the category allows. A new ad must be Faye Little 5111 Linda Vista Dr. Sw ing, paved road, electricity, 870’ road Carroll 31 acres, south of Carrollton, submitted to run longer than two consecutive issues.