The Georgia Pecan Growers Association receives support from the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Pecans that funds research, educational and promotional programs in order to increase demand for Georgia pecans, America’s nut. Founded in 1995 by Georgia pecan growers, the commission raises awareness of the nutritional, health and economic benefits of pecans as a regular part of the American diet, resulting in increased sales and trade opportunities for pecan growers in Georgia.
Georgia is the nation’s top producer of pecans, producing an estimated 100 million pounds of pecans annually. Pecans add between $200 million and $300 million each year to the state’s gross domestic product.
Georgia’s pecan industry includes growers and shellers, aggregators (businesses that buy from multiple producers and sell in bulk to others) and brokers (who also buy in bulk but sell in response to market demand). The Georgia Pecan Commission works with all of these groups to promote the consumption of pecans domestically and internationally.
The Georgia Pecan Growers Association receives support from the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Pecans that funds research, educational and promotional programs in order to increase demand for Georgia pecans, America’s nut. Founded in 1995 by Georgia pecan growers, the commission raises awareness of the nutritional, health and economic benefits of pecans as a regular part of the American diet, resulting in increased sales and trade opportunities for pecan growers in Georgia.
Georgia is the nation’s top producer of pecans, producing an estimated 100 million pounds of pecans annually. Pecans add between $200 million and $300 million each year to the state’s gross domestic product.
Georgia’s pecan industry includes growers and shellers, aggregators (businesses that buy from multiple producers and sell in bulk to others) and brokers (who also buy in bulk but sell in response to market demand). The Georgia Pecan Commission works with all of these groups to promote the consumption of pecans domestically and internationally.
Delicious, rich-tasting pecans have so many health benefits that they are referred to as “nutrition in a nutshell.” The nuts are enriched with many health-benefiting nutrients, minerals, vitamins that are essential for optimum health.
Pecans are high in fiber and unsaturated (good) fats, which reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels while maintaining HDL (good) cholesterol levels. They also are a good source of carbohydrates, making them a natural choice for on-the-go snacking.
Pecans are a naturally gluten-free, nutritious food. Gluten is a protein found in certain types of grains, including all forms of wheat, rye, corn and barley – but not in pecans. Georgia pecans do contain protein, but it’s unrelated to the gluten proteins that affect people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
Georgia is blessed with a climate that allows tremendous opportunities for farmers. Virtually any crop or animal can be grown successfully somewhere within the state. It is famous for sweet Georgia peaches, peanuts and delicious Vidalia Onions. Georgia is the largest producer of pecans in the United States.
Georgia’s farmers take great pride in their work and have always been stewards of the land. In turn, they go to great lengths to protect their land and surrounding environments. Modern conservation and best production practices help to protect the land and grow safer, healthier crops.
Agriculture has seen great changes through the years, and Georgia’s farmers have adapted. They continue to provide diverse agricultural products to consumers, but farming today is more than just growing crops and raising livestock. An intricate, high-tech network of processing, marketing and distribution moves agricultural commodities from the farmer to the consumer. All these work together to provide global consumers with the safest, most abundant, and most secure food supply in the world.
According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, during 2012, Georgia's agricultural Producers sold more than $9.2 billion worth of agricultural products
The census showed more than 42,000 farms operating across the state, with 9.6 million acres in production. More than 17,000 of those farms raised cattle, either beef cows or dairy cows.
As for row crops, more than 2,600 farms grew cotton during 2012, planting nearly 1.3 million acres. Peanut farmers across the southern and eastern areas of Georgia produced 3.2 billion pounds of peanuts. Farmers across the state planted over 310,000 acres of corn and yielding 52.4 million bushels.
