b'ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTANDY HARRISON, GEORGIA DEPT.OF AGRICULTUREGenerational Farming: Casey Cox, and her father, Glenn Cox, owners of Longleaf Ridge Farm in Camilla, Mitchell County.Mitchell CountyHas Deep RootsN estled in Southwest Georgias mostly ruralcorn ($76 million), vegetables ($64.8 million), pecans and peanuts landscape, there is more than agriculture($52 million), and cotton ($48 million).growing in Mitchell County. With the Flint RiverBordering the banks of the Flint River in Camilla, Longleaf Ridge defining its western border, Mitchell CountywithFarms is committed to sustaining natural resources and producing a population of less than 25,000spans 514 squaresafe, high-quality food products. Named for the longleaf pine miles and is home to the cities of Camilla, Pelham,ecosystem naturally occurring across 2,400 acres, Longleaf Ridge produces sweet and field corn, peanuts, soybeans, and natural and Baconton, and Sale City. planted timber.Encompassing more than 171,000 planted acres of rich farmland,Casey Cox, a sixth-generation farmer, works alongside her father, Mitchell County is among the states top-producing agriculturalGlenn Cox, as she transitions into full-time management of counties, generating more than $370 million annually, according toLongleaf Ridge.the 2019 University of Georgia Farm Gate Value Report. Her passion and familys history for conservation led Cox to the When it comes to row crop production, Mitchell County ranks No. 1University of Florida, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in and generates approximately $144 million in farm gate value. Comingforest resources and conservation. After graduating in 2013, she in at the top of the list for agricultural production is field and sweetreturned home and worked as executive director of the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District.52 SG MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2021'