One-hundred-and-twenty-five miles southeast of Atlanta, Jimmy Brewer shows off silos in Laurens County holding 15,000 bushels each of sesame seed that he and other farmers hope become Georgia's next big cash crop.

Meanwhile, in Tifton, University of Georgia researchers are working to develop new varieties of lettuce and kale that could help the state's farmers meet growing national demand for crops devastated by drought in California.

While movies, cars and technology have benefited from much of the economic hoopla in recent years, farming remains Georgia's oldest and biggest industry, with a $70 billion impact. State agricultural leaders say this year might be be the biggest yet. And they believe Georgia could be on the cusp of even greater growth, fueled by sweat and dirt and a willingness to experiment and change.

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 First Liberty Building & Loan founder Brant Frost IV. (Photo illustration: Philip Robibero/AJC)

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Waymo autonomous vehicles operate across 65 square miles inside I-285 and have been involved in six incidents with Atlanta Public School buses since May. Waymo issued a recall because of their cars briefly stopping or slowing down before continuing forward while a bus was stopped and flashing its lights. (Courtesy of Atlanta Public Schools)

Credit: Courtesy of Atlanta Public Schools