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media and community relations. “This rich history of quality, abundance and value from our Georgia growers is alive and well today.”
At 61 Main, in Jasper, GA, north of Atlanta, executive chef Jenna Schreiber loves to use Georgia Grown produce. “I always start with Georgia Grown,” she says. “If I get a list of produce from a supplier that high- lights what’s from Georgia, I will always go there first, even if there’s a price difference. I have been very pleased with the quality. I
think Georgia is kicking some butt. Shoppers and diners like to see the Georgia Grown product. It makes us proud of our state.”
The product variety helps wholesalers keep their retail customers stocked. “You have an array of fruits and veggies available, including peaches, strawberries and blueber- ries during the spring,” says Andrew Scott, director of marketing and business develop- ment for Atlanta wholesaler Nickey Gregory Co. LLC. “The climate with good chill hours
76 / JUNE 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS
PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGIA FRUIT & VEGETABLE GROWERS ASSOCIATION
at night is a plus.”
The state is a produce center. “South
Georgia is the hub for diversification in Georgia agriculture,” says Samantha McLeod, executive director of the Georgia Pecan Growers Association (GPGA), which is head- quartered in Tifton, GA. “In one field could be broccoli in the winter months and water- melons in the summer months. Across the road could be a 100- year-old pecan orchard in full production year after year. Georgia is a truly amazing state in the diverse range of specialty crops it grows.”
The Georgia Grown program is important to the locals and surrounding Southeastern states. “There are a lot of retailers in the Southeast that participate in promoting locally grown, and the support from consumers is amazing,” says Scott Norman, director of blackberry and rasp- berry product management for Salinas, CA’s Naturipe Farms LLC, which grows and ships in Georgia.
DIGGING FOR GOLD
Although Georgia doesn’t border the Gulf of Mexico, its close proximity is an advantage. In the winter, the warmth from the Gulf reduces severe freezes and allows year-round growing of items such as leafy greens. In the summer, the Gulf brings moisture that gives the state an edge by keeping temperatures from overheating, explains Heath Wether- ington, general manager of Baker Farms LLC, in Norman Park, GA.
“We benefit from being in a great area
GEORGIA GROWN PRODUCE