Peach Farming Innovation in Georgia’s Heartland
In Middle Georgia, peaches have long been a source of pride and economic strength. Across the region, growers are embracing innovation while staying rooted in generations of expertise. With their sunset colors and signature fuzz, peaches signal the arrival of summer in Georgia. They are a symbol woven into our region’s culture and identity.
Peaches are a specialty crop that requires a different approach than that of row-grown commodity crops like corn or cotton. Each peach tree and variety presents its own challenges, making people and their expertise essential to success in the orchard.
Well-tended rows of peach trees at Lane Southern Orchards showcase the precision and care behind Georgia’s peach farming innovation.
Innovation in the Orchard: Technology Meets Tradition
In February, peach trees must be carefully pruned by hand. By spring, orchards across the region come alive with blossoms, and these blossoms must be thinned. Each bloom holds the potential to become a peach and must be selectively removed to ensure the fruit has enough space and nutrients to grow to its full size.
Harvesting begins in May. As each variety ripens, crews will harvest from each tree at least four times over 8-10 days, assessing ripeness and picking peaches only when they are ready.
Harvest crews work among rows of peach trees at Lane Southern Orchards, where tradition meets peach farming innovation in Middle Georgia.
Mark Sanchez, CEO of Lane Southern Orchards, captures the balance between progress and tradition.
“We’re always looking for ways to innovate,” he says. “But so much of peach farming still depends on human decision making, and technology can’t replicate that expertise.”
While these decisions remain driven by people, technology is unlocking new solutions in other areas. Lane Southern Orchards manages irrigation across seven counties with cloud-connected systems and ground sensors. These innovations enable remote scheduling and automatic adjustments based on rainfall, conserving water, saving time, and supporting the health of every tree.
Technology has transformed grading and sorting. At Lane Southern Orchards, a two-stage system streamlines evaluation and packing. Peaches move single file through an imaging system where they are gently rotated and assigned a digital ID. After assessing external and internal quality and size, each peach is routed to the right packing line. This process boosts accuracy and efficiency, empowering team members to focus on the work that truly benefits from human expertise.
Cold storage now uses digital temperature tracking, ensuring peaches remain consistently cooled from the orchard through transport. Barcode-based traceability supports food safety by recording the date, location, and even the crew that harvested each lot.
Drones play a small but growing role in orchards, assisting with tasks like tree counting and mapping. As technology matures, the possibilities, like bloom analysis and health monitoring, will help growers imagine more ways to support their orchards.
Innovation in fruit farming often begins with larger crops like apples, but proven technologies are likely to find a home in Georgia’s peach orchards. Thanks to collaboration with the University System of Georgia and national research partners, the Innovation Corridor is seeing these advances being tested in our region. With UGA Grand Farm now operational in Perry, Middle Georgia is positioning itself as a hub where agricultural innovation is put into practice for the benefit of the entire state.
From Local Fields to Global Markets
Robert Dickey brings a perspective on innovation in peaches that is shaped by both experience and leadership. A fourth-generation peach grower, state representative, and Chairman of the Georgia Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, Dickey runs Dickey Farms with his wife and son. Founded in 1897 by his great-grandfather, the farm has been at the center of the Middle Georgia agricultural community for over a century.
This summer, Georgia Grown peaches were exported to Mexico for the first time in 27 years, thanks to Electronic Cold-Pasteurization (ECP) technology at a facility near the port of Savannah. This process neutralizes pathogens while preserving the peach’s natural flavor and freshness, extending shelf life and opening new doors for growers.
“As both a grower and policymaker, it’s incredibly rewarding to see our state’s signature crop reach new markets,” says Dickey. “This kind of innovation shows the collaboration and dedication powering Georgia agriculture.”
Growing Forward: The Future of Peaches in Georgia
Ripe Georgia peaches ready for harvest at Lane Southern Orchards, where hands-on expertise and innovation drive every growing season.
The peach is central to Georgia’s image, featured in the state’s nickname, on license plates, and in the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s logo. Growing peaches is still powered by people, with technology amplifying their efforts. In Middle Georgia, innovation moves us forward by supporting, not replacing, our traditions.
