CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 12/17/01

Farmers Must Add Value to Crops, Experts Say

The future of American agriculture is in jeopardy unless farmers have a way to add value to the crops they grow and bring consumers closer to the farm gate.

Scientists, farmers and farm policy makers from around the country gathered in Tifton, Ga., Dec. 13-14 to discuss new ideas on how to accomplish this and put dollars back into the rural economy.

Subpar Rural Economies

"Economic gains are uneven across America. And you see the lowest growth in areas where we grow commodity agriculture," said Mark Drabenstott, director of the Center for the Study of Rural America of the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City.


Photo:Brad Haire

Mark Drabenstott, director of the Center for the Study of Rural America, tells participants at the Symposium on Value-added Agriculture that 75 percent of rural U.S. counties are in economic trouble.
Despite $104 billion in government payments in the 1990s, three out of four farm counties in the United States had subpar economies, Drabenstott told participants at the Symposium on Value-added Agriculture.

The future will have two types of agriculture, he said: conventional, commodity-type farming and new, product-oriented agriculture. This new approach will have to grow, develop and market products the consumer wants.

"Commodity agriculture will persist. But the biggest payoff for rural America lies in products (to sell)," he said.

Such ideas include renewable energy sources derived from crops, nutraceutical crops, farmer-owned co-ops or any way to put farmers' products on the grocery shelf.

Rural Development

The future of agriculture doesn't lie solely on the farm, he said. Rural areas will have to be developed through equity capital, the encouragement of local entrepreneurs and the infusion of technical assistance into "Main Street" America.

"Rural America has chased the smokestacks (for too long)," Drabenstott said. "Growing your own is much more viable."

Tough Business

"Growing commodities right now is tough business," said Gale Buchanan, dean and director of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. "If we can add value to these commodities and add dollars to the farm, it would not only help the farmers but those communities where they live. Agriculture has a significant economic impact on the entire state, but especially the rural communities that depend on it."

"Growers must be innovative and progressive at times like these," said Randy Hudson, director of the UGA Emerging Crops and Technologies program.

Drabenstott said, jokingly, that one of the biggest problems facing this new value-added agriculture is getting 200 farmers in the same room to agree on something. But, he said, it can be done.

The symposium was sponsored by the UGA CAES and the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism. The strategies and findings of the symposium were presented to key members of the Georgia legislature.

Brad Haire is the former news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Experts/Sources:
Gale A. Buchanan Dr.
Randy D. Hudson
Mark Drabenstott
After a hearty climb, Connect Abroad Italy students pose in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. (Photo by Angel Bhardwaj) CAES News
UGA ranks as leading doctoral institution for study abroad 12/20/24 Angel Bhardwaj
The University of Georgia remains among the top 10 U.S. universities for study abroad participation, according to the 2024 Open Doors Report released by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of State. UGA boasts the highest study abroad participation to enrollment ratio of the top 7 ranked doctoral institutions, earning the No. 7 spot in overall participation and No. 3 in short-term study abroad programs.
HurricaneHeleneGreenhouseDamageCropped CAES News
UGA Extension supports resilience in Georgia farm communities after Hurricane Helene 12/19/24 Emily Cabrera
Hurricane Helene wrought sweeping devastation across Georgia’s agricultural sector in late September, leaving an indelible mark on both the land and the people who tend it, bringing focus to vulnerabilities in Georgia’s farming industry and the need for more robust safety nets. In addition to the physical destruction, the hurricane took an emotional toll on Georgia’s farmers. In response, UGA Extension has prioritized mental health support.
From left, CAES Associate Professor Abigail Borron and Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars Mihai Suteu, Daniyar Memedemin, Alina Zaharia, Andreea Ona and Daniel Chiciudean stand in front of an image of the Romanian flag projected onto a barn at UGArden. CAES News
Fulbright Scholars unite with UGA Extension to envision ag outreach model in Romania 12/18/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Arriving on the Athens campus of the University of Georgia in August 2023, five Romanian scholars experienced the same anticipation, excitement and apprehension as many first-year students.  Chosen as Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars, each serves on the faculty at one of three Romanian universities, specializing in fields from economics and engineering to plant breeding and biotechnology. The five scholars comprised the first cohort of the Romanian Extension Education Development Program, an ambitious three-year pilot effort to facilitate planning and implementation of extension services in Romania. 
Janiver in sunflower field AI web CAES News
A larger-than-life legacy: CAES student’s contagious enthusiasm inspired others 12/17/24 Jordan Powers
When Miriam Edelkind-Vealey applied for a summer role at a University of Georgia pollinator biodiversity lab in 2020, the junior undergrad didn’t quite know what to expect. After being told she got the position, Edelkind-Vealy didn’t hear anything for a few weeks. It was only then that she learned a collaborator on the project, second-year master’s degree student Amy Joy Janvier, had passed away.
In developing markets where making staple foods is a daily task and warmer climates where food spoilage is common, foods that have more longevity and are easily preserved can enhance economic opportunities by reducing food preparation tasks and lower environmental impact. CAES News
CAES researchers look to reduce food waste by extending shelf life 12/16/24 Lillian Sosbee
“Use by,” “Sell by” and “Best by” dates on food packaging can be helpful indicators of how long a consumer can store a food item before eating, but often these dates lead to high quantities of wasted food. About one-fifth of food produced for human consumption is discarded before it can be eaten, equating to 1 billion meals a day and contributing to global food insecurity.
Recognizing the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UGA graduates CAES News
UGA celebrates 15 years of Bulldog 100 12/13/24 Rachael Andrews
The University of Georgia Alumni Association released the 2025 Bulldog 100, a list of the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UGA graduates. The program, organized by the Division of Development & Alumni Relations, celebrates 15 years of honoring alumni and their entrepreneurial endeavors. Among this year’s class, businesses are headquartered in a total of eight states, with 87 of the businesses located in Georgia. In total, 142 alumni representing over two dozen industries are being recognized as a part of this year’s list.