The term “Georgia Grown” usually brings to mind something edible, perhaps peanuts, peaches or pecans. But it also refers to apparel, including Georgia Grown T-shirts, which were highly visible in the nation’s capital last June during the annual Washington Youth Tour (WYT).

“We thought it would be special for our students to not just wear a shirt with our Georgia logo on it but to actually have that shirt be a product made of Georgia cotton—‘grown and sewn’ in Georgia and printed in Georgia too,” says Georgia EMC’s Gale Cutler, senior WYT director. “Delegates on the 2019 Washington Youth Tour will wear the shirts as well,” Cutler adds.

Georgia youth are pictured above sporting their Georgia Grown shirts for a cruise on the Potomac River during the 2018 Washington Youth Tour. (Photo by Byron McCombs)

The state’s more than 100 delegates wear the Georgia Grown shirts on the day of the All-States gathering, when students representing electric cooperatives from across the country have an opportunity to exchange views and pins and learn about one another. Other states’ delegates also wear their state shirts that day.

Under the Georgia Grown logo on the sleeve is the phrase “Our dirt grew this shirt.” The cotton for
the shirts is grown in south Georgia and ginned at Osceola Cotton Co. in Irwin County. The finished product is produced at Platinum Sportswear’s plant in Wilkes County.

Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black sees the shirts as an avenue to get out the message about Georgia agriculture. “It’s far more than a one-shot promotion,” he says. “I firmly believe it’s a business opportunity.” Versions of the shirts are available for sale at the Georgia Grown store on georgiagrown.com. Georgia Grown, a marketing and economic development program of the Georgia Department of Agriculture, partnered with local screen printers, including the Georgia Industries for the Blind, to complete the design process.