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Dawson County Extension Office:
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Agriculture in Dawson County

While Dawson County has one of the fastest growing populations in Georgia, we should not forget that our rural heritage, strength and diversity is what draws many people to live in Dawson County.

Agriculture has been, is and will continue to be an important sector of the economic base of Dawson County. In 2009, the gross value of agricultural products produced in Dawson County was $66,000,000. Agricultural production also creates an economic positive ripple effect. It is estimated each dollar of agricultural production generates seven dollars in economy. (For example: farm supply sales, trucking and labor.) It should be noted a high percent of Dawson County's tax digest is from agriculture.

Poultry is still the foundation of Dawson County’s agriculture. With nearly 200 poultry houses and new ones being built yearly, Dawson County is one of the largest poultry producing counties in Georgia. The modern poultry farm requires an initial average investment of $200,000 per house. The poultry industry provides jobs on and off the farm.

Livestock such as beef cattle, horses, swine and sheep all add to our agricultural base. The number of horses has increased greatly in recent years. It is estimated the number of horses to be around 1,000 and cattle over 3,500. With horse numbers increasing and the cattle population high, boarding facilities and feed stores have added to our local economy. Dawson County has a cattlemen association with nearly 25 members.

The Commercial Green Industry is another important and growing component of Dawson County’s agriculture. As the number of homeowners has increased in our county so has the demands for ornamentals and bedding plants. This is evidenced by the increasing number of greenhouses and garden centers in Dawson County. The summer of 2010 is the third year for the first turfgrass farm in Dawson County. The turf farm has 35 acres of Bermudagrass with plans to expand in size.

Other Agricultural Productions add even more the diversity of Dawson County agriculture: corn, hay, vegetables, sheep, and even kangaroos. Dawson County is the leading county in the production of pumpkins.

Tourist visiting Dawson County farms have had a tremendous positive impact on our local economy. An example is Burt’s Pumpkin Farm where nearly 200,000 people visit each year. In the past few years, Uncle Shucks Corn Maze, Buck's Corn Maze, Bradley's Pumpkin Patch have added to the list of agritourism. Another interested place is the Kangaroo Conservation Center which offers guided education tours of not only kangaroos but many other animals from around the world.

The beauty of Dawson County is valued by all of us. Farmers love and depend on the land for their livelihood and thus are good stewards of the environment. By working together in planning for the future, agriculture, residential and industrial growth can be enjoyed by future generations of Dawson County citizens.

The Extension’s role as it relates to agriculture is taking unbiased research based knowledge and providing it to citizens. This is done by office phone calls, educational programs, laboratory test, farm visits, mass media or whatever means to get the needed information to our citizens. The Dawson County Cooperative Extension of the University of Georgia is truly helping citizens in learning for life.

Contact

For more information on agriculture in Dawson County contact the Dawson County Extension office at (706) 265-2442 or email uge1085@uga.edu.