General Info

The Georgia Department of Agriculture, governed by the States of Georgia, was established in 1874. It is one of the oldest state departments of agriculture in the United States. It has a staff of more than 650 employees. The department regulates and monitors grocery stores food warehouses and bottling plants. The Georgia Department of Agriculture s animal industry division is responsible for monitoring, detecting, and controlling over 100 animal diseases. It also operates a marketing division that promotes the sales of the state s agricultural commodities in the United States and abroad. The department s consumer protection division administers state laws, rules and regulations for retail and wholesale grocery stores. In addition, the Georgia Department of Agriculture publishes a biweekly newspaper, The Farmers and Consumers Market Bulletin, which is available online as well as in printed form.