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Abstract
The Supervised Agricultural Experience is one of the three integral parts of the agriculture education program. Students are able to gain real world, hands-on experience while completing their SAE, also known as experiential learning. The SAE not only allows for student learning, but also helps to add economic input to the local community through students purchasing products for their program, use of school vehicles by agriculture teachers, hotel rooms for trips, etc. This study is based upon the economic impact survey conducted on the SAE project in Texas in 2007-2008 by Hanagriff, Murphy, Roberts, Briers and Lindner. For this study all Georgia agriculture education programs were surveyed about the various types of SAE projects completed in their program and the economic value of each project. With 51 programs responding this study found that Georgia SAE programs and related components are adding over $61 million directly to the states economy. Using the IMPLAN factor, which helps to measure the added benefits of this direct spending, it is estimated that SAE projects are adding over $110 million in total economic value to Georgia. These values only help to show the efforts of Georgia agriculture programs and provide the quantitative numbers needed to report to school administration, parents and stakeholders.