Poultry is the number one ag-related industry in Georgia and in Chattooga County.

The state brings in around $4 billion each year from the poultry industry.  The most recent farm gate numbers show that Chattooga County brings in over $36 million each year from area poultry producers.

The budget recently signed by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp will allot over $21 million for the construction of phase one of a new Poultry Science Complex on the University of Georgia’s Athens campus. The complex will be a boost to the state’s largest farming sector.

The project will increase the size of the Department of Poultry Science’s existing facilities in UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) to 75,000 square feet, expanding instructional and lab space; providing modern, student-centered facilities; and helping to attract and retain world-class researchers.

The Poultry Science Complex building campaign is a public-private partnership, and the recent commitment from the Georgia legislature and Gov. Kemp marks their second and largest phase of public support of the project, which has an estimated total project budget of $54.1 million. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2022 with completion in fall 2023.