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Georgia Grown

Food Show Boosts Producers’ Marketing Efforts

The Georgia Grown Food Show, held at the Atlanta State Farmers’ Market August 18, provided an opportunity for local producers to showcase their products to commercial food buyers and representatives of the hospitality industry.

Approximately 70 Georgia-based companies displayed their products and shared samples with some 200 potential buyers at the event hosted by Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin and Deputy Commissioner Terry Coleman.  Georgia-Grown fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry, seafood, dairy products and other food products were featured. This was the second such event hosted by the department during the past 10 months.

Irvin noted the purpose of the trade show was to help producers sell more Georgia-Grown products. “It’s not unusual for some Georgia farmers and producers to sell their products to out-of-state marketers who then re-sell the same product to retailers and restaurants in our state,” Irvin said.  “We want to cut out the middleman, reduce shipping, and increase direct access to our farm markets and local producers in addition to increasing sales of Georgia Grown products.”

Coleman agreed, adding “it is better for the farmer to conduct business as close to the farm as possible.  Buying Georgia Grown products offers a greater guarantee to consumers that the food they eat will be fresh as well as good tasting.”

“Producers have been hit hard by high fuel prices and the state’s ongoing drought,” Irvin said. “This networking opportunity hopefully will help them increase sales by marketing their products to buyers they might otherwise not reach.”

James and Bertha Carter of Rockingham Pecans LLC, one of the companies exhibiting at the Georgia Grown Food Show, are shown discussing their products with Atlanta Public Broadcasting radio reporter Charles Edwards (left).