Tag Archives: Georgia Farm Bureau

Georgia Farmers Advocate for Relief & Reform at State Capitol

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Atlanta, GA |

Recently in Atlanta, Georgia Farm Bureau showed off its grassroots strength as nearly 600 members attended this year’s GFB Day at the Capitol event – an annual gathering full of advocacy, education, and fellowship between members and their legislators.

“As a true grassroots organization, that is what we’re here for. We’re connecting the constituents and our members back home with their elected officials so they can hear directly from the experts what kind of hurdles they’re having to deal with on the farm. And there are thousands of bills that get introduced every year, they cannot be experts on every topic. So they rely on not only the folks that represent organizations, but especially when we can bring the members here directly so they can hear from them,” says Alex Bradford Director of Public for GFB.

Of course, the timing of the event couldn’t come at a better time as there are several ag issues being discussed this year; the main one being Hurricane Helene Relief, like increasing funding for the Safety 24 low interest loan program that would put money into farmers’ pockets.

“The Georgia Development Authority is overseeing the safety twenty-four low interest loan program. So one of the things we’re doing is advocating for more funding to be made available through that loan program so that low interest loan offers producers the loan at two percent, which is, well below market rate right now. Helps get them some cash quick as they begin the rebuild process and prepare and plan for this coming up growing season,” says Adam Belflower, GFB State Affairs Manager.

Another huge Hurricane Helene Relief measure comes with House Bill 223 – a bill that aims to provide relief to the sixty-six counties under disaster declaration: First and foremost, it would exempt state income tax on federal disaster assistance. Second, it would create a reforestation tax credit for all trees in the commercial production of timber, food, or wood products. Lastly it would provide a sales tax exemption for building materials for poultry houses and livestock barns – all things Belflower says would be great for the ag sector, but says they’re still working to find other helpful relief measures.

“There’s some other ideas in the chambers right now of what we can do to build on the work that’s already happening. So we’re working with members to try to see what the best path forward is, just to provide relief for our folks,” says Belflower.

Another big issue being worked on this year is tort reform as insurance premiums have undeniably gotten out of control, which has left small businesses, farmers, and their operations in a vulnerable position.

“What we’re seeing is it becoming more and more expensive to get insurance, access to insurance for some of these people that carry really high liability coverage, for different things whether that might be commercial trucking, different businesses in general. And really on all Georgians, it’s driving up the cost of doing business, and it’s driving up the cost for just everyday insurers to keep that coverage that they need. But overall, the goal is to drive down the cost of doing business and to ease a burden on Georgians that are really just constantly getting hit with skyrocketing insurance rates, small business owners, farmers that are constantly at threat of a lawsuit,” says Belflower.

By: John Holcomb

Georgia’s YF&R Competitors Compete in San Antonio

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San Antonio, GA |

Some of Georgia’s brightest in the world of agriculture were on hand here in San Antonio to compete in this year’s YF&R Competitive events. The journey to get here hasn’t been an easy one, but nonetheless, they’ve been in great hands preparing for this moment.

“We’ve got several practices that we’ve had with discussion meet in particular, we’ve talked to several people that have done the competition before, several state winners that have competed on a national level before. They’ve given some good insight to how it actually runs here. As far as the other, achievement and excellence, it’s really just been working through presentations, making sure that their applications are finalized, ready to go, and making sure that they feel comfortable with the questions that they potentially will be asked. We’ve done a few practices for them as well, again, just trying to make sure that we’re attacking this from every angle,” says Levi Davis, GFB YF&R Program Coordinator.

For discussion meet competitor, Cain Thurmond of Jackson County, competing in Texas at the national level is a task he took very seriously, spending the last few weeks, months even, preparing by doing what he does best: having conversations.

“I think the preparation process was a really good experiment because it forced me to have the conversations that I need to be having anyway. So reaching out to not only my County Farm Bureau, but meeting with people within the state and then reaching beyond that, maybe some Farm Bureau members of the past or Farm Bureau people that should be Farm Bureau members and asking them questions about how are we doing, what more can we be doing? What are the challenges on your farm? And so the preparation process was long and arduous, and I’m glad to finally get here to use some of that preparation and put it to work, but I just believe in being prepared no matter what, and so I wanted to be overly prepared, better to be overly prepared and not prepared at all,” says Cain Thurmond, YF&R Discussion Meet Competitor.

For Kaitlyn and Kaleb Marchant of Oglethorpe County, competitors in this year’s Excellence in Agriculture competition, being here in San Antonio is a testament to preparation that has been years in the making, and of course a support system of fellow GFB members that have encouraged them along the way.

“The great thing about this contest is that it’s really just an opportunity for us to share the work that we’ve already done on the front end. So the tough part was the last five or six years of being really actively involved and building up our resume, getting here and just being able to share that and tell that story is really, honestly been kind of the easy and fun part, and we just surround ourself good people. So we came from a really strong YF&R committee that was really cohesive and worked really well together, and our local farm bureau really supported us and anything we wanted to do, and they kind of pushed us along and encouraged us to step out of our comfort zones,” says Kaleb & Kaitlyn Marchant, Excellence in Agriculture Competitors.

In the end, Thurmond advanced his way to the final four round, but ended the competition just shy of the grand prize, coming in second place, however he’s still thrilled with the result and the experience that came with it and says he’s ready to get to work to make a difference back in Georgia.

“Every round we mentioned grassroots and so I’m really excited to kind of get off the stage and get into the grassroots to dig in in Jackson County to make a difference and to do that and everything that I can to ensure that future generations can enjoy agriculture there,” says Thurmond.

By: John Holcomb

Georgia Farmers Gain Access to Vital Water Source After 13-Year Ban

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Tifton, GA |

Despite the countless hours that go into preparing the land, choosing the right variety and protecting against pests and diseases, no crop can be successful without the proper amount of water. And for more than a decade the largest underground source in the region has been unavailable to farmers here in Georgia. However, thanks to a new ruling from the EPD, those restrictions have been lifted.

“EPD will begin accepting applications for new withdrawals from the Floridan aquifer in southwest Georgia beginning in April of 2025. That’s certainly welcomed news as that area’s been under a moratorium now for, thirteen years. The news is, as I say, certainly welcomed for growers in that area. The Floridan aquifer is a fantastic resource for farmers in that area. It supports hundreds of thousands of acres of irrigation,” says Mark Masters, Director for the Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center.

With a number of counties in that part of the state experiencing abnormally dry conditions in 2024, having the aquifer as a possible option for irrigation is exciting news.

“The Floridan is a resource in terms of groundwater that is more readily accessible for most of the growers in Southwest Georgia in terms of the cost of tapping that resource unlike some of the deeper aquifers. And so, for farmers that may be looking to expand their irrigated acreage in some way, this is an important development,” says Masters.

Despite the ruling that allows for these new drilling permits, there will still be some restrictions on water usage in order to maintain the ecosystem.

“This is not opening up to just unlimited acreage forever. These new permits will have some drought restrictions on them because as we now know, there is that tight connection and we want to make sure that we are maintaining adequate stream flows in some of those critical areas. And so, these new permits will have some drought restrictions in place, but again, in most years, this is going to be a really good resource for our farmers,” says Masters.

Being good stewards of the land, which includes maximizing water efficiency, is a cornerstone within the farming community and one of the major factors that went into this new ruling.

“One of the main reasons we’re able to make this announcement and that we got this good news from the governor’s office is that over this same period of time, we’ve been able to demonstrate that our farmers are really good stewards of the resource. And so, we understand that their use is highly efficient and that they’re taking care of our shared water resources. That’s gone a long way to helping us get to this place where we’re now able to begin expanding some of that use,” says Masters.

This is also a culmination of plenty of hard work behind the scenes, where researchers, administrators, and most importantly, farmers worked together in order to come up with a resolution.

“As much as Farm Bureau has been involved with getting that moratorium looked at and lifted for everything from frost protection to irrigation wells, it probably wouldn’t have moved as fast if it hadn’t had been for Farm Bureau. So, to all of the people down in that part of the state that are Farm Bureau members, thank you for helping us get the ball rolling,” says Tom McCall, Georgia Farm Bureau President.

By: Damon Jones

Georgia Farm Bureau Unites County Leaders to Strengthen Agriculture Advocacy

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Perry, GA |

Georgia Farm Bureau recently hosted more than one hundred and fifty county presidents from all over the state under one roof – an event that’s meant to facilitate the chance for county, grassroot leaders to fellowship, communicate, and learn more about the organization they are representing on a local level.

“Everything we do and everything we advocate for starts at the county level. At the local level, it doesn’t come from top down, it comes from the counties up. Which is why we say we are the grassroots organization, for agriculture in Georgia. So when you get all of the people from all over the state together in one place where they can talk to each other, and they all got similar problems, they all have some of the similar solutions. And, when they can talk to each other and maybe sit in some of these breakout sessions that we’re doing, it speaks some ideas that they can take back home, or they can tell us how they want things to be done as a state organization,” says Georgia Farm Bureau President, Tom McCall.

Of course, being a grassroots organization that is the voice for the state’s ag industry comes with an active and engaged membership, which is why during one of the breakout sessions, county presidents were educated on the political landscape and empowered to become advocates and promote advocacy efforts back in their counties.

“Legislators, they are very busy people and it makes the most difference when they can put a face with a name behind an organization. So when we have this huge member base behind us and more members reaching out, calling, even texting, writing, or hosting events and meeting those legislators face to face, then it creates more of a physical community for them to connect with rather than sending a letter and then maybe just seeing a signature or a bunch of signatures and a bunch of names,” says Amelia Junod, GFB Advocacy & Policy Development Specialist.

Of course, having engaged members that advocate is vital to the future of the industry and the organization, however, one important part of that is having a unified and consistent message for those outside of the industry and organization to hear.

“We know that consistency builds credibility and as an organization that’s been around for more than a hundred years, we’ve got a lot of credibility already, but there’s still so many people that don’t know who we are and what we do as an organization. It’s our hope that we can empower these really talented, grassroots level leaders, to go out and have those conversations with prospective Farm Bureau members, and having consistency in that messaging helps to ensure that whether they’re joining in North Georgia or South Georgia or middle Georgia, that they understand that Farm Bureau is the trusted voice of agriculture; that we serve farmers and ranchers and rural communities of all types, that they understand that we support one another, that we speak with the united voice and that we give back to our communities. We do that because everyone depends on a successful American agricultural system, and it’s our job as Farm Bureau to work alongside farmers and ranchers to make sure that our food, fuel and fiber, supplies are safe, sustainable, and secure,” says Austin Large, Senior Director for Membership & Organization Development for AFBF.

By: John Holcomb

How Meaningful Conversations Are Shaping the Future of Agriculture | Meet Cain Thurmond

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Jefferson, GA |

For Cain Thurmond, competing this Summer in the GFB YF&R Discussion Meet competition was a no brainer, as the competition is one that fosters conversations that can lead to meaningful solutions – something he says is vital to agriculture’s overall success.

“I think the beautiful thing about discussion meet is that it’s not a debate. You’re not sitting across from someone, you’re sitting with someone. So it allows all of the competitors while they are still competitors, to work on solving an issue together and that’s actually how the scorecard is based, is that we’ve got to work together, and that’s what you get points for. Coming up with a solution together in a cohesive way is how you get points. It’s the purpose of the competition,” says Cain Thurmond, 2024 GFB YF&R Discussion Meet Winner.

“It really made me dig deeper and have great discussions inside and outside of the competition, not only for, what the farming community is facing as a whole, but also what young producers are facing. Most of the questions are really geared towards young members, how we get those young members involved, how do we even create sustainability within the ag industry through getting young producers involved? So, um, there’s purpose to this competition. It’s not a mock competition we throw out there. These are the conversations we should be having,” added Thurmond.

For Cain, that need and desire for meaningful discussions surrounding the issues in ag is second nature, as his passion for the industry and its success is deeply ingrained in him.

“I attribute a lot of where my life is today to the industry of agriculture. I was involved in FFA when I was younger. I actually met my wife through FFA, I got my first job through connections that I found within FFA and agriculture, and even the job that I work today is based within agriculture. So my wife, Whitney, and I get really passionate when speaking about agriculture and passing that on to the next generation. I’m really passionate about the industry of agriculture, and my wife and I actually just started a Christmas Tree Farm on the other side of town. So we are getting our hands dirty and actually getting back involved into agriculture as opposed to our nine to five. We’re spending weekends and nights planting Christmas trees here, coming up as we plant our second crop, and then we’ll hopefully be selling Christmas trees in 2026,” says Thurmond.

Cain will now head to San Antonio where he’ll be competing for national recognition at the upcoming annual AFBF convention – an opportunity he says is an honor and is ready to give it his best shot.

“Certainly an honor to represent Georgia on a national scale. The level of competition within the state of Georgia was immense, so having an opportunity to represent those who sat at a table with me, in July at Jekyll, certainly an honor. I look forward to going to nationals and representing Georgia and just hopefully give them my best shot,” says Thurmond.

By: John Holcomb

Kaleb & Kaitlyn Marchant: Passionate Advocates for Georgia Agriculture

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Athens, GA |

Few couples embody the spirit of Georgia Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers program more than Kaleb and Kaitlyn Marchant. Currently serving as the fourth district’s representative on the YF&R committee, each have dedicated their lives to advancing the industry here in Georgia. And for that reason, they were recently named this year’s Excellence in Agriculture winners.

“We were very excited. It was a goal that Kaleb and I have had for several years that we had been working towards. We’ve been really invested in the Young Farmers and Ranchers program for ten or twelve years now. So, to see that kind of pan out into that recognition was really rewarding,” says Kaitlyn Marchant.

“We have a passion for agriculture. I know a lot of people say that, but we really had a passion, and we are ingrained in this industry, and we just feel really glad that we were able to receive this award,” says Kaleb Marchant.

Both Kaleb and Kaitlyn developed their passion for agriculture at an early age growing up around family farms. And it’s a something they are hoping to pass down through Ag education.

“Both Kaleb and I did grow up in families who had been involved in production agriculture, but we didn’t have that opportunity necessarily to inherit or take over those operations, both of us kind of went into careers where we could make sure that those opportunities were still available for future generations,” says Kaitlyn.

Kaitlyn, who is also the 2019 GFB Young Farmers and Ranchers discussion meet winner, spent her first twelve years in the classroom as a teacher and recently took on a new role as the North Region ag education coordinator.

“Being in the classroom, I really enjoyed getting to work with students who were passionate about agriculture, and as I’ve transitioned to working with the Department of Education, it’s been being that support person for Ag educators because I did that job for so long and kind of understood some of the struggles and the challenges that are faced by Ag education in the state. Being able to work to promote that on the state level on the government level for teachers has been really rewarding,” says Kaitlyn.

Kaleb is now the farm manager at UGA’s Double Bridges Farm beef and sheep unit, where he not only trains the next generation of large animal vets, but also oversees some cutting-edge research.

“I help assist with hands on learning for students who want to be veterinarians primarily, and also students who want to get into farming. We also do research on beef cattle and a little bit on sheep where we’re looking at different types of feed ingredients and methane production that they do and different grazing experiments as well,” says Kaleb.

Thanks to educators like the Marchants, agriculture has a bright future here in Georgia.

“I feel like in my role as an agriculture educator, and in the work that Kaleb has done working with the University and in research, we’re really working to promote the industry and make sure the industry stays viable in Georgia for many years to come,” says Kaitlyn.

By: Damon Jones

Unlocking Georgia’s Agritourism Revolution

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Peachtree City, GA |

With the goal of supporting local farms and spreading the story of agriculture, the GFB Certified Farm Markets program has seen their number of participating farms skyrocket over the past few years, providing a snapshot of the diversity of operations that can be found here in the state.

“This year, we have a hundred farms across the state of Georgia that invite you to come and visit them to see what they do. No two are alike. So, we have everything from farms like Alo Farms, who is hydroponic, to row crops, to hog farms, to farms that do both vegetables and beautiful flowers,” says Kelly Henry, GFB Certified Farm Market Coordinator.

To help guide you through all of these different choices is the GFB Farm Passport, which not only provides a detailed description of the more than one hundred operations, but also rewards for paying them a visit.

“You take your farm passport with you and just like if you’re visiting another country, you get stamps. Your stamps earn you prizes at the end of the year. Five is a T-shirt. Ten is Ag swag. Twenty is a farm to table dinner and tour, our signature event of the year. And then, thirty is goodies from the farm,” says Henry.

It’s not just the visitors that benefit from this program, but also the farms that are involved like Alo Farms, a unique operation in Peachtree City.

“We joined a few years ago and it’s just been an amazing partnership. All the participants in the stamp program are just excited to be here. They have great questions. We love being able to share and talk with them about the farm. So, it brings a lot of enthusiastic customers who appreciate agriculture and what it takes to run and operate a farm. It’s brought us a lot of local people who didn’t know we were here,” says Alec Brown – GM of Alo Farms. “So, Alo Farms is a family owned and operated company. My dad, Jefferson, he’s an architect, and he started our farm about 15 years ago on the design and innovation side as a means to address food insecurity on a large scale and specifically in urban environments. So, our commercial farm right now is less than 20 thousand square feet. We’ll out produce about 75-125 acres worth in soil of the same types of crops.”

This is just one of the many agritourism destinations that will be featured in the new, 2024 Farm Passport when it’s released in less than a month.

“Kickoff is exciting every year, March 16th and will run all the way through the year. So, we even get those Christmas tree farms in at the end of the year. So, if you haven’t gotten your passport yet, you can start it at any of the participating farms found at gfb.ag/passport. You can also pick one up at any of your local county Farm Bureau offices,” says Henry.

By: Damon Jones

Georgia Federal-State Inspection Service’s Important Role within the Peanut Industry

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Ty Ty, GA |

Each Fall, all across the state, peanuts are dug up, harvested, and taken to buying points that will shell them and market them to their final destination. However, an important part of that process is what’s called grading, which is completed by the Georgia Federal-State Inspection service, that ensures both the grower and shellers receive a non-biased grade that’s used to make sure all parties get compensated fairly.

“We’re an organization founded in 1927 to be a non-biased third party between the buyer and the producer. Mostly in Georgia it’s peanuts, but it’s different commodities also. What we really do is we ensure that the buyer isn’t paying too much for the peanuts and the producer is getting a fair amount for the peanuts as well. So, our organization doesn’t lean toward one side or the other. We’re here to be a nonbiased party,” says Willie Musselwhite, District Manager for the GA Federal-State Inspection Service.

According to Musselwhite, the job is one that’s taken very seriously, as they strive for uniformity so that it’s an equal playing field for everyone, which is why when they take samples from each truck, they work it in a very methodical way to ensure it’s done properly and consistently.

“To the farmer, he wants to get paid. He worked very hard to produce this product and he wants to get paid the ultimate price for his profit. So, once we are going in there and determine the grade, it really determines how much the farmer’s getting paid for his peanuts. So, if it grades really high, he wants a premium grade for his peanuts, but on the other hand, if it were to grade a lower grade, the buyer would not want to pay that premium price for it. So, what we’re doing is we’re telling the farmer, and the buyer; this this is what you have. We don’t set the prices for them, USDA and the buyers, they set the prices, but whatever grade it has that determines the price on the peanut,” says Musselwhite.

Musselwhite says that the grading process is also important because it can help further improve peanut production here in Georgia as it gives researchers, breeders, and growers information that can be useful in the future.

“Georgia produces technically 50 percent of nation’s peanuts and we strive every year to produce different varieties; University of Georgia, yield better yields and make higher quality peanuts. So, we do the research through grading, different trials and all that they’re trying to make a better product. Because after a while, the problems you have now, it fails to grade what it was . We’re always having different things come out the university system and different geneticists are making it happen. It’s very important for the peanut industry to have to have somebody doing that because it’ll provide more income for the farmers in the long run and a better quality peanut for the shellers, the candymakers, and the industry in general,” says Musselwhite.

By: John Holcomb

GFB Members ‘Dig In’ at Annual Convention

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Jekyll Island, GA |

“For Georgia Farm Bureau and it’s members, Jekyll was a time to dig in and celebrate 86 years of existence. This year’s gathering, marking the 59th time the convention has found its home on Jekyll Island – and despite the years passing, one tradition remains constant–the generous distribution of those hot grilled PB&J sandwiches by the Georgia Peanut Commission. Now sure, the faces may change, but the love for those heavenly sandwiches is eternal. Especially among the next generation of Ag leaders, who may not fully appreciate the convention now, but as tradition goes, will carry the torch someday.

“I just want them to appreciate farming and just appreciate God’s land that he has given us to farm and the privilege to do that,” says Kaley Phillips from Franklin County. “His father and I own a poultry farm at home, and we just appreciate hard work and hard work ethic.”

Without question, the inaugural Georgia Foundation for Agriculture Christmas on the farm Bingo, stole the spotlight. Over one hundred and fifty guests forming a line that wrapped around the hallway. Once inside the doors, they were treated to ten rounds of bingo, door prizes, a raffle, live music, refreshments, and a pop-up shop from Brittany’s Closet.

“We just wanted to create something fun and exciting and a way to celebrate the holidays, but obviously we have to raise money to support all our programs. So, we wanted to put on this fun fundraiser, and everyone get to have fellowship,” says Lily Baucom, Executive Director of Georgia Foundation for Agriculture.

In his yearly address to members Georgia Farm Bureau President, Tom McCall likened the organization to quote, “An elephant in the room”, un-ignorable if you will. He emphasized that GFB, along with its legislative team, spoke for the farmers and made significant strides at the state capitol in advocating for their needs.

“These efforts wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for each and every one of you back home. The truly effective organization has local leaders just like you, working in tandem with the lobbying team that worked for you,” says McCall.

However, President McCall didn’t stop at legislative achievements. He also made an emotional and heartfelt announcement:

“We have challenges to overcome and victories to be won. That’s why today, with utmost humility and dedication to you, I’m announcing my intention to run for reelection as President of Georgia Farm Bureau next year, and I humbly ask for your continued support, your trust, and your prayers in this journey into the future,” says McCall.

The crowd erupting and applause, celebrating not just the success of the convention, but a significant accomplishment for Georgia Farm Bureau and its dedicated members.

By: Ray D’Alessio

Presidents’ Conference Focuses on Unity

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Perry, GA

With agriculture being so diverse and spread out across Georgia, bringing together industry leaders to discuss issues facing different areas of the state can be challenging. However, it’s a gap the Georgia Farm Bureau President’s Conference looks to bridge by gathering the more than one hundred and fifty county presidents under one roof.

[Tom McCall – President, Georgia Farm Bureau]
“The good thing about getting all the presidents from all over the state together in one room is they get to know each other,” says GFB President, Tom McCall. “We have a good many new presidents that were elected back in the Fall. This is their first conference here. We want the guy from South Georgia to know the guy in North Georgia, so they’ll be able to talk to each other and know who they’re talking to, especially when it comes to a legislative issue that we need help all over the state.”

That type of cooperation between farmers will not only help them on their operations, but also strengthen an already heavy presence in the legislative arena.

“Our people up there are top notch, trusted, and reputable. So, we want to get all our people to be able to help them take care of farmers,” says McCall. “Farmers are who we look after. That is our main goal, is our members and our farmers and that’s what we all get together and talk about what we can do better to help them promote the largest industry in the state.”

Aside from the networking, a number of informational sessions were also available such as connecting with the younger generation and a new priority issue, the mental well-being of farmers.

[Lily Baucom – Executive Director, Georgia Foundation for Agriculture]
“They say that farming and forestry and other ag related professions is the most stressful industry. We found that actually sixty-five percent for first generation farmers are having thoughts of suicide at least once per month,” says Lily Baucom, Executive Director of the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture. “The data is extremely startling. We’re trying to look in on how to support different demographics like first generation farmers, like female farmers, farmers of color who have a different and unique set of stressors.”

While an uncomfortable topic to discuss, having a more open dialogue is the first step in combating the problem.

“You are your best asset on your farm and without you, there is no farming. So, I think it’s something as simple as talking about ag safety on the farm is really how you fold into talking about this issue. But if we don’t talk about it, we’re not going to address the stigma. And so, we’re trying to do more sessions and presentations like this, working with county farm bureau leadership so it is a topic of conversation and people feel more comfortable sharing what they’re going through,” says Baucom.

With so many different commodities and regions of the state represented at this annual event, the takeaway is really quite simple.

“I want us to be able to take ideas back home whether it be from north, middle, south, wherever from in the state of Georgia and use those ideas from different people that we may not have heard to follow along on the eighty-five years and growing to make us grow better over the next year for our future generations,” says McCall.

By: Damon Jones