Kyle Brown gives Kiwanians overview of Wilkes agriculture

Kyle Brown (right) told the Kiwanis Club of the importance of agriculture to Wilkes County. Bill Lee was the program host for the day.

Kyle Brown, of the USDA's Farm Service Agency in Wilkes County, and chairman of the Wilkes County Planning Commission, was the guest speaker at the regular meeting of the Kiwanis Club on Tuesday, March 27. He told those in attendance about what agriculture does for Wilkes County.

Brown said that the 2000 census showed that Wilkes County had about 10,400 residents and that today there are about 20,000 head of cattle in the County (16,000 beef/ 4,000 dairy), approximately 100 poultry houses, nine dairies, and four hog producers. He said that Georgia was the number one broiler producer in the United States with this industry generating about $5.65 million annually in Wilkes County.

In addition, Brown reported that timber and timber-related products generate $10 million in income, with Wilkes County ranking 11th in the state.

Other agricultural activities with yearly income are as follows: cotton production $37,500, dairy cattle $6.12 million, milk production $6.48 million (ranking 8th in the state), and hog production $3.25 million (65,000 feeder pigs shipped to northern feed lots).

According to Brown, the total approximate agriculture income for Wilkes County is $31.9 million with a number of unspecified products and services industries that support this sector of the economy.

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