1 Available on the purchase or lease of an eligible new 2024/2025/2026 model year Ford Maverick®, Ranger®, F-150®, Super Duty or F-150 Lightning®. Not available on any other Ford or Lincoln vehicles, or F-150 Raptor®, F-150 Raptor R™, Ranger Raptor or F-650® and F-750® Super Duty. Vehicle eligibility may change at any time. Available to U.S. residents only. Place a new retail order or take new retail delivery from an authorized Ford Dealer’s stock by 1/05/26. Limit of five purchases or leases per household during the program offer (PGM# 32524). Offer subject to dealer participation. May not be used/combined with most other Ford private offers. See an authorized Ford Dealer, or go to www.fordrecognizesu.com, for complete details and eligibility (PGM# 32524). Due to high demand and global supply chain constraints, some models, trims, and features may not be available or may be subject to change. Check with your local dealer for current information. Offer subject to confirmation of eligibility.
2 Available on the purchase of an eligible 2020-2026MY Ford Blue Advantage Gold, EV (F-150 Lightning only), or Blue Certified, Ford Maverick, Ranger, F-150, Super Duty or F-150 Lightning with under 80,000 miles. Not available on any other Ford or Lincoln vehicles, or F-150 Raptor, F-150 Raptor R, Ranger Raptor or F-650 and F-750 Super Duty. Vehicle eligibility may change at any time. Available to U.S. residents only. This offer is not eligible for customers purchasing a vehicle in the state of Texas. Take delivery from an authorized Ford Dealer’s stock by 1/5/2026. Limit of five purchases per household during the program offer (PGM# 32678). Offer subject to dealer participation. May not be used/combined with most other private Ford offers. See an authorized Ford Dealer, or go to www.fordrecognizesu.com, for complete details and eligibility (PGM# 32678). Due to
and
2 Fall 2025
Contents
pages 6 & 7
Farmers still recovering from Hurricane Helene
As the one-year anniversary of the storm approaches, we visited with farmers hit by the storm to see how they’re doing.
pages 8 & 9
Inspiration & professional development core of YF&R Conference
pages 10 & 11
Pridgen, Scruggs and Sizemore win YF&R competitive events
Congratulations to Walt Pridgen, Haley Scruggs and Kylie Sizemore, who won Georgia Farm Bureau’s 2025 Young Farmers & Ranchers competitive events.
Departments
page 4
View from the Field
page 5
Public Policy
page 24
Ga. Foundation for Agriculture
pages 26 & 27
Ag in the Classroom
page 28
Women's Leadership
page 29
Certified Farm Markets
page 30
Young Farmers & Ranchers
page 12
Want to subscribe? Join Georgia Farm Bureau to receive GFB News four times a year. Your membership supports farmers & agriculture while giving you access to more than 300,000 discounts. Visit gfb.ag/join.
Ag provisions included in OBBB
The One Big Beautiful Bill passed in July updates payment rates for many farm programs.
pages 14 & 15
UGA Grand Farm will be precision ag research hub New farm in Perry is where UGA researchers are testing new ag technology.
page 16
Year use of Vermeer rake top prize in GFB Hay Contest Oct. 31 deadline to enter contest.
page 22
GFB applauds Ga. 4-H Horse Show senior champions
page 25 page 31
Morgan County ag teachers receive state, national awards
Izlar receives GFB Commodity Award
GFB honors state livestock champions
page 18 page 21
Hamilton Georgia Expo Farmer of the Year
GFB News Staff
Kenny Burgamy Director
Jennifer Whittaker Editor
Jay Stone News Reporter
Jared McGukin Graphic Designer
Logan Thomas Photographer
FOLLOW US ON THESE PLATFORMS @GAFARMBUREAU
On The Cover:
After Hurricane Helene destroyed his poultry houses, Jeff Davis County farmer Vann Wooten has decided to concentrate on growing row crops and raising cattle.
Photo by Jay Stone
For information concerning advertising, contact Wendy McFarland at 334-6529080 or mcfarlandadvantage@gmail.com. For questions about your membership or member benefits, call 1-800-633-5432. For questions regarding editorial content call 478-474-0679, ext. 5334 or e-mail jawhittaker@gfb.org.
View from the Field
Tom McCall, GFB President
This summer, Jane and I had a chance to travel to our nation’s capital on Farm Bureau business to attend the American Farm Bureau Council of Presidents.
At the beginning of our D.C. trip, we had the pleasure of dining with six students from the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences who were interning on Capitol Hill. They represent some of the most promising young people with an interest in agriculture, sustainability and the environment. I expect that one day, some of these students will be advocating for farmers just like you and me.
While in Washington, Ben Parker, Georgia Farm Bureau’s national affairs coordinator, and I joined AFBF President Zippy Duvall and other Farm Bureau state presidents from across the country in visiting the White House. We met with several cabinet members, Trump administration officials and senior White House staff.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin took our questions and expressed appreciation that we traveled to D.C. to meet with them. Our group discussed Farm Bureau’s key priority issues with the officials, and farms of all sizes and types were represented in the Washington meeting.
Topics discussed included the current farm economy, how we can preserve family farms, trade, the ag labor crisis, Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS), USDA disaster assistance and concerns about how the Making America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative may affect farmers’ ability to use crop protection tools needed to keep our nation’s food supply secure.
Attending this meeting reminded me that Farm Bureau gives farmers a seat at the table to help shape policy discussions and educate federal and state officials about what farmers are facing and what we need to be able to keep farming.
Also, while there, a few of us visited the Canadian Embassy and talked with their trade representatives about tariffs and the U.S., Mexico & Canada trade deal. This quote in a recent social media post from AFBF says it so well: “Our nation is stronger when farmers and ranchers have the resources and tools to do what they do best: feed the nation.”
We are fortunate to serve WITH you as proud Farm Bureau members.
Tom McCall, GFB President
GFB President Tom McCall & his wife, Jane, & GFB National Affairs Coordinator Ben Parker visited with the UGA CAES Ag Fellows serving internships in D.C., this summer. From left are: Andrew Luckey, Jane McCall, Anna Clifton, Pres. McCall, Addie Bennett, Joseph Waters, Olivia Cook, Luke Krohn, & Ben Parker.
OFFICERS
President
TOM McCALL, Elbert Co.
1st Vice President &
South Georgia Vice President
DANIEL JOHNSON, Pierce Co.
North Georgia Vice President
BERNARD SIMS, Catoosa Co.
Middle Georgia Vice President
RALPH CALDWELL, Heard County
General Counsel
DUKE GROOVER
Chief Financial Officer, Corp. Treasurer
RACHEL MOSELY
Chief Administrative Officer
JEFFREY HARVEY
Corporate Secretary & Senior Counsel
JEANNA FENNELL
DIRECTORS
FIRST DISTRICT: Bill Bryan, Chattooga Co.; Wesley Hall, Forsyth Co. SECOND DISTRICT: Gilbert Barrett, Habersham Co.; Russ Moon, Madison Co. THIRD DISTRICT: Chad Carlton, Polk Co.; Brad Marks, Newton Co. FOURTH DISTRICT: Skeetter McCorkle, McDuffie Co.; Russ Wilburn, Barrow Co. FIFTH DISTRICT: Matt Bottoms, Pike Co.; Leighton Cooley, Crawford Co. SIXTH DISTRICT: James Malone, Laurens Co.; James Emory Tate, Jeff Davis Co. SEVENTH DISTRICT: Gary Bell, Evans Co.; Ben Boyd, Screven Co. EIGHTH DISTRICT: Scotty Raines, Turner Co.; Don Wood, Wilcox Co. NINTH DISTRICT: Lucius Adkins, Baker Co.; Paul Shirah, Mitchell Co. TENTH DISTRICT: David Lee, Bacon Co.; Lamar Vickers, Berrien Co. YOUNG FARMERS & RANCHERS CHAIR: Allie Andrews, Lamar Co.
WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP CHAIR: Julie Hardy, Thomas Co.
ADVERTISING POLICY
All advertising accepted subject to publisher’s approval. Advertisers must assume liability for content of their advertising. Publisher maintains right to cancel advertising for non-payment or reader complaint about advertiser service or products. Publisher does not accept per-order, political or alcoholic beverage ads, nor does publisher prescreen or guarantee advertiser service or products. Publisher assumes no liability for products or services advertised in the Georgia Farm Bureau News. For advertising rates and information, contact Wendy McFarland at 334-652-9080 or mcfarlandadvantage@gmail.com. Georgia Farm Bureau News was established in 1937. Copyright 2025 by the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation. Printed by Panaprint, Macon, Georgia.
Public Policy Update
2025 Legislative Session a Good One for Georgia Agriculture
By Ben Parker
In response to the natural disasters that struck American agriculture in 2023 and 2024, the USDA has launched the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) to provide critical financial assistance to farmers.
Authorized under the American Relief Act of 2025 and signed into law Dec. 21, 2024, the SDRP allocates $16 billion to support producers who suffered losses due to wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, tornadoes, winter storms, freezes, smoke exposure, excessive moisture and qualifying droughts.
Administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), SDRP aims to deliver swift relief to farmers, complementing other initiatives like the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) and Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP).
SDRP is structured in two stages to expedite aid delivery. Stage 1, which began on July 10, targets producers with indemnified crop losses who received payments through federal crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) in 2023 or 2024. To streamline the process, the FSA mailed pre-filled FSA-526 applications to eligible producers on July 9. Producers can also obtain these forms at local FSA county offices or submit them in person, via mail, email or fax.
Stage 1 payments cover losses to crops, trees, bushes, and vines, calculated using existing USDA data, with a flat 35% payment rate applied to eligible losses, to ensure all eligible producers can receive a payment.
Stage 2, set to begin on Sept. 15, will address shallow or uncovered losses, including those for producers without crop insurance or NAP coverage, as well as quality losses. This phase is critical for farmers with non-indemnified losses, ensuring broader access to relief.
Producers must submit separate applications for each crop year. Those receiving SDRP payments are required to purchase federal crop insurance or NAP coverage at a minimum 60% level for the next two crop years, or they must refund the payment with interest.
Eligibility for SDRP requires losses be tied to natural disasters in 2023 or 2024. For drought-related losses, the affected county must have been rated D2 (severe drought) for eight consecutive weeks or D3 (extreme drought) or higher by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Because SDRP funds were tight, Congress limited the program to states with high agriculture production and large farm economies.
This program is a vital step in ensuring American farmers can continue producing the nation’s food supply despite nature’s unpredictability. As of Aug. 26, Georgia farmers had received $96.29 million in SDRP funds.
The USDA emphasizes transparency, updating payment details weekly on www.farmers.gov, where producers can also access tools like the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool and Loan Assistance Tool. For more information or to apply for SDRP, contact your local USDA Service Center.
With over $7.8 billion already disbursed through ECAP and $1 billion via ELRP, the SDRP underscores the USDA’s commitment to supporting farmers recovering from unprecedented challenges.
Key Deadlines:
Stage 1 | Sign-Up: Began July 10 (ongoing, deadline TBD by FSA)
Stage 2 | Sign-Up: Expected to be September 29
Ben Parker is Georgia Farm Bureau’s national affairs coordinator. He may be reached at btparker@gfb.org or 474-0679, ext. 5217.
FARMERS STILL RECOVERING FROM HURRICANE HELENE
By Jay Stone
A late June ride through parts of Georgia ravaged by Hurricane Helene Sept. 27, 2024, revealed beautiful row crop fields interspersed with bent and twisted timber, along with mangled homes and farm structures.
“It’s the darndest thing I’ve ever seen,” said Coffee County farmer Jerry McKinnon.
Recovery is far from complete. Some farm structures have been repaired or replaced; others haven’t.
Some damaged or fallen timber stands have been cleared. Others are in the process of being cleared, with piles of forest debris dotting dirt fields, waiting to be burned. It was common to see 20-foot-high piles of tree stumps across the road from pristine corn fields.
Coffee County Extension Agent Ashley Smith said many farms in the county resumed growing row crops this year, but livestock and timber producers are still putting their operations back together.
“The row crop, blueberry and citrus guys are close to normal operations,” Smith said. “Livestock guys are still fixing fencing and rebuilding herds from having to sell animals after the storm.”
McKinnon lost all his 2024 cotton crop and a significant part of his peanut crop. He lost a few cattle but had to sell about 500 brood cows – more than half his herd - because downed fences and limited access to feed and water prevented normal care and containment. McKinnon said he lost several miles of fencing.
“We’ve salvaged what we could, and we’ve moved forward,” McKinnon said. “The cattle … it’ll be years before we’ll build all those cattle back.”
Jeff Davis County farmer Kim Williams was still having these grain bins repaired in June. The collapsed bin was empty when Helene hit last year. The one next to it was full of grain and escaped unscathed. A grain elevator at the site fell on a bin behind these, leaving a large dent in the roof.
Helene was the largest weather catastrophe in state history, according to statements from Gov. Brian Kemp. Georgia’s agriculture sector was hit hard. A University of Georgia storm damage report shows Helene did $5.5 billion worth of damage to agriculture and timber.
In Jeff Davis County, James Emory Tate and son Jamie Tate have repaired the sheet-metal roofs, siding and ventilation fans that Helene damaged on their poultry houses. Jamie estimated about 1,500 feet of metal roofing had to be replaced. One house caved in.
“That was a big cost,” Jamie said in June. The poultry house that caved in was out of use for six months. “The hardest part was getting equipment. We just finished installing some fans.”
Jeff Davis farmer Kim Williams had a group of four grain bins – each with a capacity of at least 50,000 bushels – ravaged by Helene’s winds. Two of them, full of grain, survived. A third had a grain elevator fall on top of it, leaving a trough-shaped dent in the metal. The fourth, which was empty, imploded on one side. Williams, who grows row crops and blueberries, had six irrigation pivots that had to be repaired. By mid-June, Williams said restoration of his farm assets other than the grain bins was essentially done.
“We just had a lot of additional expense of dealing with the hurricane because of cleanup and repairs, but it’s been really hectic,” Williams said. “It’s an experience that you sure don’t want to go through again.”
The biggest roadblocks to recovery, Williams said, were money and the availability of people to do the work.
Photo by Jay Stone
“The biggest limiting factor that we had was, there were so many pivots damaged in this area, you have to wait in line to get yours repaired,” he said. “Then, the people who do this type of work [the grain bins], they were working on metal buildings and different things before they got to us.”
MAKING TOUGH DECISIONS
Farmers in Helene’s path faced numerous decisions in the storm’s aftermath.
In Jeff Davis County, Vann Wooten lost all 10 of his poultry houses and 50 acres of timber.
After decades growing broiler chickens, Wooten says he doesn’t plan to build new poultry houses and will only produce row crops and cattle.
Back in Coffee County, Logan Merritt lost seven chicken houses. He decided not to rebuild them because of the cost and debt associated with rebuilding.
That decision, too, comes with a cost. One of the things that appeals to farmers about raising chickens is it provides a predictable cash flow. In deciding to get out of poultry, Merritt has decided to forego that revenue moving forward.
For his part, Merritt, who rode out Helene in his truck and watched his poultry houses be demolished, is counting himself blessed.
“I don’t understand things. I know that the Lord, he’s the one that controls it all, and I guess all I can do now is try again,” Merritt said.
He is still growing row crops and cattle.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME HELP
Money, as farmers know, is a big hurdle. Many farmers who saw a lifetime of work destroyed in a few hours, can’t move forward without major assistance.
Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance handled 5,892 farm-related claims for $202 million. The Weathered, But Strong campaign, spearheaded by the Georgia Department of Agriculture and GFB’s Georgia Foundation for Agriculture with support from 40 Georgia ag organizations, raised $1.77 million, which was distributed to 920 farms affected by the storm.
Georgia General Assembly passed a series of loan, grant and tax-credit programs to help farmers and timber owners and buy time for federal resources to arrive.
Burning piles of timber knocked down by Hurricane Helene in Coffee County. Similar sights could be seen across the county into August as storm cleanup continued. / Photo by Jay Stone
Congress passed the American Relief Act of 2025 last December that included $21 billion in disaster aid for natural disasters that occurred nationwide in 2023 and 2024. The USDA began issuing $16 billion in assistance through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) in July for farmers with crop insurance, under which Georgia farmers had received $96.29 million as of Aug. 26, according to the USDA. The USDA expects to begin SDRP payment signup for farmers without crop insurance on Sept. 15. The target date USDA set to begin signup for the Emergency Livestock Relief Program for Flooding payments is Sept. 8. At press time, the USDA and Georgia Department of Agriculture were working out details of a block grant agreement that will provide additional funds to farmers that do not duplicate funds provided by other USDA programs.
Chicken house debris Hurricane Helene left behind at Vann Wooten’s Jeff Davis County farm. Wooten, who does not plan to rebuild, paused cleanup to focus on his row crops and cattle. / Photo by Jay Stone
Inspiration & Professional Development
CORE OF YF&R CONFERENCE
By Jay Stone
Whether it was inspiration from keynote speaker Amberley Snyder, practical advice on succession planning or learning during informative breakout sessions, attendees at the 2025 Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Summer Leadership Conference grew.
The conference, held July 16-19 on Jekyll Island, operated with the theme, “Where You Belong.”
During the opening session on July 17, GFB President Tom McCall emphasized that Farm Bureau needs young farmers’ and ranchers’ involvement to continue its mission of influencing legislators to affect public policy.
“On our trip to D.C., those folks up there listened to y’all,” McCall said. “We want you to get involved. Get in touch with your county’s legislative committee chair. We need you on that legislative committee.”
GETTING INVOLVED IN GFB
The breakout session “Rooted in Opportunity: A Panel of Young Voices in Ag,” further encouraged conference attendees to become active in Farm Bureau. The panelists included: GFB YF&R Committee members Cole and Nicole Roper; GFB State Affairs Manager Adam Belflower; 2024 Excellence in Agriculture winners Kaitlyn and Kaleb Marchant of Oglethorpe County; and Amelia Jackson, of Floyd County, who served on the 2023/24 GFB YF&R Committees with her husband, Cleve.
Their overall message: Get involved in as many GFB activities as possible and stay engaged. The Ropers, who grow sweet corn they sell from their farm, discussed how the GFB Certified Farm Markets program has boosted their roadside stand.
“It’s a good program, and if you’re looking to sell directly to the public, it’s a good way to get started,” Cole said. “It took our farm to the next level.”
Belflower discussed how young farmers and ranchers can remain involved in Farm Bureau after the YF&R program, noting the activities GFB’s Public Policy Department offers to facilitate engagement between GFB members and elected officials, including GFB Day at the Capitol, the Presidents’ trip to D.C., issue-driven campaigns and the organization’s commodity advisory committees.
“For our organization to be successful, our members have to engage, and it’s important for you to learn these things through YF&R,” Belflower said.
Kaitlyn Marchant, who won the GFB Discussion Meet in 2019, said the contest helps develop the ability to identify a problem, research it and discuss the issues associated with the problem with others.
“The skills you gain from competing in the Discussion Meet will translate to other things,” Kaitlyn said.
The Marchants encouraged participants to make sure they are involved at the local level.
“Make sure your county YF&R Committee is the most important part of what you do in YF&R,” Kaitlyn said. “Take the things you learn here home and use them.”
NO FUTURE IN GIVING UP
Professional rodeo cowgirl Snyder provided the keynote address at the opening session, sharing her experiences, observations and motivations as she has transitioned into life as a paraplegic after a 2010 vehicle accident. She inspired the Netflix movie “Walk. Ride. Rodeo.”
Her journey from the accident to competing nationally as a barrel racer has taken her from relearning basic life skills, adjusting to new ways to get on and ride a horse and driving a pickup adapted with an array of hand controls.
She’s also married, zip-lined in her wheelchair, paraglided, written a book and produced the movie. At every step, there have been people who helped her see a way through.
“There will be experiences in all of our lives when we need help,” Snyder said. “Just because I had to have help doesn’t lessen my achievements.”
Snyder shared her thoughts on overcoming obstacles.
“We don’t get to choose our obstacles, but we do get to choose how we will handle them,” she said. “When you come to a limit you think you have, take one more step.”
Snyder emphasized that whatever a person’s journey is, progress is a reward that can keep them going.
“We get to decide what we’re capable of. There is no future in giving up,” she said.
FARM SUCCESSION PLANNING & MORE
Attendees heard a live recording of GFB’s “Growing On” podcast, which featured YF&R Committee member Garrett Hurley and attorney Taylor Broun of James, Bates, Brannen, Groover. You can hear the discussion centered on succession planning and the
perils of not doing it well or not doing it at all at https://www.gfb. org/news/growingon
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) President Dr. Tracy Brundage shared the Tifton school’s value, noting that the ABAC YF&R Club is one of the most active groups on campus and encouraged attendees to absorb all they could.
“You’re not just the future of agriculture; you’re the heart of it,” Brundage said.
The conference also provided breakout sessions about conflict resolution, Georgia Public Broadcasting ag education tools, funding farm purchases through conservation trusts, farm safety, and mental wellness. You can read more about these sessions at https://gfb.ag/yfrbreakoutsessions .
GFB YF&R Committee member Garrett Hurley shared his family’s experience with farm succession planning.
During a breakout session at the YF&R Conference, Cole Roper, center, & his wife, Nicole, talk about the GFB Certified Farm Markets program while GFB State Affairs Manager Adam Belflower discussed legislative activities. / Photo by Jay Stone
Walt Pridgen, Haley Scruggs and Kylie Sizemore won state honors in Georgia Farm Bureau’s 2025 Young Farmers & Ranchers competitive events held during the YF&R Summer Leadership Conference on Jekyll Island July 16-19.
As state winners, Pridgen, Scruggs and Sizemore will each receive a John Deere Gator, a $500 cash prize and an expense-paid trip to the 2026 American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim, California, in January to compete for national honors. All prizes are courtesy of GFB.
GFB Achievement Award
The finalists in the 2025 YF&R Achievement Award competition, from left: Toni Gaines, Bartow County; event winner Walt Pridgen, Coffee County; and Allie Andrews, Lamar County.
Walt Pridgen, from Coffee County, won the YF&R Achievement Award, which recognizes farmers and ranchers aged 18-35 who earn most of their income by farming.
Pridgen is a fifth-generation farmer who owns and operates Seven Creeks Farm and partners with his father, Jeffrey, to operate Claw Hill Farms. He raises broilers (chicken grown for meat) and cattle and grows hay and corn for feed. Pridgen has a bachelor’s degree in diversified agriculture from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. He and his wife, Mary Elizabeth, live in Broxton with their son.
Allie Andrews of Lamar County and Toni Gaines of Bartow County were finalists for the Achievement Award. As finalists, Andrews and Gaines each received $500 courtesy of GFB. Andrews and her husband, Luke, raise cattle and poultry while growing hay on approximately 250 acres. Their farm, Rainbow Farms, hosts summer farm camps. They live near Barnesville with their three children. She is chairing the GFB YF&R Committee this year.
Gaines operates Gaines Beef, which she established in 2024, selling beef directly to the public. She and her husband, Clay, live in Taylorsville, with their two sons, and are actively involved with her husband’s family’s Gaines Cattle ranch. She is a Bartow County Farm Bureau director.
GFB Excellence in Agriculture Award
The finalists in the 2025 YF&R Excellence in Agriculture Award contest, from left: Ashley Smith, Coffee County; Anna & Dr. Tyson Strickland, Madison County; and event winner Haley Scruggs of Bibb County. / Photo by Jay Stone
Haley Scruggs, from Bibb County, won the Excellence in Agriculture Award, which honors agriculturalists aged 18-35 who are active Farm Bureau members, promote agriculture in their community, and earn most of their income off the farm.
Scruggs, who is president of the Bibb County Farm Bureau, has served on the BCFB Board of Directors since 2018 and served as vice president the past three years. She and her husband, Seth, have served on the GFB YF&R Committee the past two years.
In addition to being a nurse practitioner who specializes in vascular surgery, Scruggs helps run her family’s farm, producing pecans, hay and Christmas trees on about 80 acres. She regularly welcomes the public to the farm to educate consumers about agriculture.
Photo by Jay Stone
Finalists for the award were Dr. Tyson and Anna Strickland of Madison County and Ashley Smith of Coffee County. As finalists, the Stricklands and Smith received $500 from GFB. Th Stricklands both serve on the Madison County Farm Bureau Board of Directors. Anna serves on the GFB Women’s Leadership Committee. She is past president and CEO of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce, while Tyson works as a veterinarian and runs Custom Livestock Solutions, which offers a full slate of herd management and business support for livestock owners. The Stricklands live in Comer with their two daughters.
Ashley Smith works with UGA Cooperative Extension as an agriculture and natural resources agent in Coffee County, where she assists local farmers with production challenges they face. She works closely with the CC Farm Bureau on Ag in the Classroom programs and farm days. After Hurricane Helene, she helped farmers in her county navigate applying for USDA disaster programs.
The finalists in the 2025 YF&R Discussion Meet, from left: Josh Daniel, Madison County; Abbey Aycock, Oglethorpe County; event winner Kylie Sizemore, Franklin County; and Bristol Peterson, Wilcox County. / Photo by Jay Stone
Kylie Sizemore, from Franklin County, won the YF&R Discussion Meet, a four-round series of committee-style dialogues focusing on ag issues. Sizemore emerged from a field of 24 competitors to win the competition.
In the final round, she faced off with Josh Daniel of Madison County, Bristol Peterson of Wilcox County and Abbey Aycock of Oglethorpe County. Daniel, Peterson and Aycock each received $350 as finalists in the competition.
In the first round of competition, Discussion Meet participants discussed strategies to ensure Farm Bureau members are fully informed about the organization’s benefits. In round two, the conversations centered on how Farm Bureau can promote responsible growth while preserving the agrarian way of life. In the Sweet 16 Round, competitors mulled over farmers’ and ranchers’ role in advancing environmental stewardship while balancing the needs of their farms.
The final four round centered on how Farm Bureau can leverage digital engagement to connect members with elected officials.
Torrie Reed of Gilmer County won the Collegiate Discussion Meet for the second consecutive year. Bethany Brockman and Allison Cook, both of Henry County, and Kaleb Chambers of Carroll County were the event finalists.
Reed will receive an expense-paid trip to compete in the American Farm Bureau Collegiate Discussion Meet at the AFBF YF&R Conference in Portland, Oregon, next March.
GFB Collegiate Discussion Meet
GFB YF&R Coordinator Levi Davis congratulates Torrie Reed of Gilmer County for winning the Collegiate Discussion Meet.
Photo by Logan Thomas
GFB Discussion Meet
AG PROVISIONS INCLUDED IN OBBB
The “One Big Beautiful Bill,” (OBBB), House Resolution 1, which President Donald Trump signed into law July 4, includes a broad reauthorization of the farm bill’s nondiscretionary provisions, updates and funds many agriculture titles through 2031.
Some of the commodity support programs the updates apply to include Price Loss Coverage (PLC), Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC), marketing assistance loans and dairy margin coverage.
For cotton, the PLC seed reference price increases from 36.7 cents/pound to 42 cents/pound, effective with the 2025 crop. The bill increases payments limits under PLC and ARC to $155,000, indexed to inflation, and allows entities such as S-Corps and limited liability companies (LLCs) to be treated the same as general partnerships on how payment limits are structured.
The OBBB solves many of the problems arising from current enrollment restrictions applying to PLC, ARC, and the Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX), which is a cotton-specific area-wide insurance program. Previously, cotton growers were ineligible to buy STAX if they were enrolled in either PLC or ARC. The OBBB provides producers with better safety net options by (1) enhancing the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) area-wide policy so that it functions more like STAX, and (2) continuing to allow growers to purchase SCO and enroll their seed cotton base acres in PLC.
The OBBB increases the cotton loan rate to $0.55 while modifying the Adjusted World Price (AWP) calculations to
provide more opportunities for marketing loan gains or loss deficiency payments.
The bill increases the peanut reference price from $535 per ton to $630 per ton, beginning with the 2025 crop year. It provides an additional 30 million new base acres, beginning with the 2026 crop year and increases peanut marketing loan values from $355 per ton to $390 per ton, beginning with the 2026 crop year. A separate peanut payment limit is set at $155,000 per entity.
Tax provisions included in the OBBB expected to help farmers are:
• Estate tax exemption increased to $15 million/individual or $30 million/couple;
• The Section 199A Small Business tax deduction is made permanent at 20%;
• The Section 179 deduction allows farmers & ranchers to deduct up to $2.5 million in qualified equipment expenses;
• Itemized deductions for personal casualty losses due to federally declared disasters is now permanent.
Georgia Reps. Rick Allen, Buddy Carter, Andrew Clyde, Mike Collins, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Brian Jack, Barry Loudermilk, Rich McCormick and Austin Scott voted in favor of the bill.
Visit https://gfb.ag/obbbagprovisions for a detailed analysis of the ag provisions in the OBBB provided by American Farm Bureau.
CHANGE TO REFERENCE PRICES IN OBBB
Johnson New Georgia FSA Director
The Trump administration appointed Duncan Johnson, Jr. to serve as the state executive director (SED) for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Georgia.
Johnson joined the Georgia FSA team on May 5.
“FSA state executive directors serve in a critical role carrying out USDA’s mission at the state level - ensuring that our focus is on meeting the needs of local agricultural producers by putting farmers and ranchers first,” said USDA FSA Administrator Bill Beam. “Rural communities need our support now more than ever. Our newly appointed state leaders bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to their position as SED, and they will play an integral role in shaping the future of agriculture in their state.”
Johnson most recently served as president of Johnson Consulting and Mediation, located in Augusta. Before that he spent 28 years as a new car dealer. He has served 11 years on the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Board and previously served as a trustee for Leadership Georgia and the Georgia Board of Physicians Workforce. He is a director of Camp Lakeside Pediatrics Disabilities Camp.
Duncan and his wife, Kaci, live in Augusta and have two adult children. In his spare time, he enjoys bird hunting and fishing.
As SED, Johnson is responsible for overseeing the delivery of FSA programs to Georgia farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. These commodity, conservation, credit, and disaster assistance programs ensure a safe, affordable, abundant and nutritious food, fiber, and fuel supply for all Americans.
FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster recovery and marketing programs through a national network of state and county offices and locally elected county committees. For more information, visit www.fsa.usda.gov .
Duncan Johnson
Photo courtesy of GA FSA
UGA Grand Farm Will Be Precision Ag Research Hub
By Jennifer Whittaker
Precision ag equipment expected to shape the future of farming is being researched at the University of Georgia (UGA) Grand Farm in Perry. The 250-acre farm, located east of the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter on Elko Road, is owned and managed by the UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (CAES).
CAES is working with Grand Farm in North Dakota to arrange partnerships with companies and inventors developing new equipment and software designed to address labor issues and grow crops more efficiently.
During a groundbreaking ceremony May 2, more than 200 attendees heard from UGA President Jere Morehead, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, Georgia Sen. Larry Walker, UGA CAES Dean & Director Nick Place, and Grand Farm Ecosystems Director Andrew Jason from North Dakota.
“The UGA Grand Farm serves as a wonderful opportunity to build on what we’ve already been doing in precision agriculture at UGA in recent years,” Morehead said. “The UGA Grand Farm will serve as the hub for precision agriculture. It will host research aimed at decreasing inputs for farmers and getting young people excited about careers in precision agriculture.”
UGA CAES officials say the Grand Farm will be a hub for research, education and sustainable agriculture practices, harnessing the power of robotics and data analytics to increase farm productivity, conserve resources and ensure food security for future generations.
Robotic technology hits the field
The UGA Grand Farm will develop and demonstrate new ag technology and automation focused on Georgia’s specialty crops and Southeast agriculture.
“We’re taking a bold step to ensure that Georgia agriculture continues to remain the No. 1 industry in our state,” Place said.
“We intend for this farm to be where research meets real world applications.”
Drones, self-driving tractors, solar-powered robotic weeders and advanced field sprayers are some of the equipment researchers will be testing in crops at the farm.
Dr. Luan Oliveria, a UGA CAES assistant professor and precision ag specialist, is studying the Solinftec Solix – a fully autonomous robot that uses artificial intelligence models to instruct the 20-30 nozzle sprayer system to spot-apply herbicides where needed.
The robot’s six, 3-D cameras can also scout fields and collect real-time data on plant health, height and stand counts. The robot is solar powered by day and runs on a battery at night. The Solinftec Solix runs on four wheels and can cover about 4.5 acres per hour.
“This robotic sprayer could be used to spray pre-emergent herbicides to kill weeds in winter and spot spray post-emergent herbicides. All types of chemicals can be applied through the sprayer,” Oliveria said. “This year we’re training the robot on a bell pepper crop to recognize what bell peppers are and the stages of the crop.”
Oliveria said UGA Extension researcher Wesley Porter is using the robot to study its potential for applying cotton growth regulator that keeps cotton plants a uniform height.
UGA doctoral student Regimar Dos Santos is researching the Ecorobotix ARA Field Sprayer. This sprayer is designed for ultra-targeted application of crop chemicals and fertilizers. It has six cameras programmed to identify weeds and 156 nozzles. Dos Santos said the sprayer can be programmed to only open nozzles right over weeds.
The Ecorobotix ARA Field Sprayer can cover about 8 acres an hour, Dos Santos said. Its cameras can operate during the day
or at night. Farmers will operate the system via their mobile phones or a tablet.
Kenny Lee, CEO & founder of AIGEN, hopes to test his solar-powered autonomous robotic weeder in Georgia upland cotton. He’s tested it in North Dakota sugar beets and in California Pima cotton.
The AIGEN uses cameras to identify weeds a farmer wants pulled and navigate the weeder. Three hoe implements on the back of the weeder can move side to side or vertically to remove weeds.
“This can help farmers remove herbicide resistant weeds or in cases where removing weeds is very manual labor intensive,” Lee said.
The UGA Institute of Integrative Precision Agriculture (IIPA), which consists of 70-plus faculty members and 80-plus graduate students from seven UGA schools and colleges, will utilize the new farm for its research.
“This is going to be a great stage for us to demonstrate these new technologies to our farmers on a farm-size scale in big fields so the farmers who might be interested in investing in this technology can see how it really works,” said IIPA Director & CAES Professor George Vellidis.
Precision ag technology being tested at the UGA Grand Farm includes: forefront, the Aigen – a solar-powered robotic weeder; middle right, the Solinftec Solix – a solar-powered robot that spot-applies herbicides & scouts fields to collect crop data. Irrigation pivot in the background uses iCrop precision irrigation & data analytics technology. / Photo by Jennifer Whittaker
GFB HAY CONTEST
YEAR USE OF VERMEER RAKE TOP PRIZE
OCT. 31 DEADLINE TO ENTER CONTEST
Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) members are encouraged to enter the organization’s 34th Annual Quality Bermudagrass Hay Contest by Oct. 31.
The contest winner will receive the free use of a Vermeer wheel rake for one year. The winner will have the option to buy the equipment at a reduced price at the end of that year. This is the 27th year Vermeer has sponsored GFB’s hay contest.
Hay entered in the contest will be tested at the UGA Feed & Environmental Water Lab using the Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) Test, which provides an analysis of the nutritional value of the hay. Winners will be determined by the RFQ analysis and announced in December at the GFB Convention. Prizes will be presented to the top five producers.
GFB’s hay contest encourages quality hay production, which leads to healthier livestock and more return to Georgia hay producers. Producers who test their hay every year can see improvements they make in managing their hay fields by looking at multi-year analysis.
RFQ provides a number that gives producers a measure of the digestible nutrient content in their hay. Fully mature alfalfa is given a base point of 100. Since the base price for hay sales and auctions in many parts of the world is the value of poor-quality alfalfa, RFQ provides a mechanism for indexing quality to value.
RFQ for Bermudagrass in Georgia typically ranges from 75 to 120 or higher. If a hay producer sells their hay based on its RFQ, a higher price can be demanded for the higher quality. Livestock producers are more likely to pay these premiums as this hay will yield higher weight gains and require fewer supplements.
With quality in mind, it is a good management practice to test your hay after baling. RFQ and other analytical data can help you manage potential problems with moisture, nitrates or poor digestibility, especially in years with adverse weather.
HOW TO ENTER
Entry forms outlining complete contest rules are available at your county Farm Bureau office or at www.gfb.ag/ HayContest . If you aren’t a Farm Bureau member, you may join at the county Farm Bureau office of your choice or at www.gfb.org/join/join-today
There is a $25 fee for each entry to cover the cost of the lab test. Producers may enter more than one sample. Checks should be made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau.
Contest participants will receive a detailed copy of their hay analysis and may choose to have a free listing in the ’25/’26 online GFB Hay Directory available at www.gfb.ag/hay. The cost to list hay in the directory alone is $10 and may be submitted at any time.
Previous first place winners are not eligible to win any prize category for five years from the year they won the contest but may enter a hay sample to have it evaluated. Contact GFB Ag Programs Specialist Eliza Jane Glover at 478-474-0679 ext.5212 or ejglover@gfb.org for more information.
Toews Leading UGA Extension
By Jordan Powers, UGA
As the new associate dean for the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, Michael Toews says UGA Extension is about people and trust.
“As the flagship land-grant institution in the state of Georgia, everything we do should be focused on farmers, families and communities,” said Toews, who began the new role April 1.
Since joining the Department of Entomology in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) in 2006, Toews, whose last name rhymes with waves, has served as a researcher, instructor and Extension specialist.
He was appointed co-director of the UGA Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health before assuming the role of assistant dean of the UGA Tifton campus in 2020.
“I’ve been working with Dr. Toews since I started here at CAES in 2021, and I’ve consistently found him to be a strong, thoughtful leader who has a real vision for where he wants to go with his teams,” said CAES Dean and Director Nick Place.
UGA Extension agents, who are experts in agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, and 4-H youth development, play a vital role in UGA’s ability to fulfill the land-grant mission, giving residents of the state access to cutting-edge research and evidencebased decision support.
“I have a passion for agriculture and the people of Georgia. I’m looking forward to leading our Extension programs well into the future,” Toews said. “I see this as an opportunity to continue cementing UGA Extension as the flagship program nationwide.”
Toews plans to address modernizing operations, streamlining reporting and maintaining a strong focus on county program delivery. He also aims to strengthen the connection between urban interests and agricultural career paths while encouraging both traditional and nontraditional scholarly work by Extension professionals.
Learn more about UGA Extension at www.extension.uga.edu. Find local resources and support through your Extension office at www. extension.uga.edu/county-offices
WIN A HOG TRAP
The Hog Down Awards Program rewards significant hog control efforts and arms individuals with better tools. Through this pilot program from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, 20 hog traps valued at approximately $3,500 will be awarded to randomly selected participants who submit a successful entry.
Dr. Michael Toews
Photo courtesy of UGA
GFB Honors State Livestock Champions
By Jennifer Whittaker
Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) celebrated the latest group of Georgia Junior National Livestock Show (GJNLS) grand champions during its Evening of Champions dinner, June 13. GFB welcomed the students, their families, FFA advisors and 4-H agents to its state office in Macon.
The event included inspirational speeches from GFB President Tom McCall and Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper. The two ag leaders presented each grand champion with a scholarship and gold belt buckle courtesy of GFB.
“Each of these grand champion exhibitors has spent countless hours feeding, grooming, walking and practicing with their livestock, often long before sunrise or after a full school day. You’ve shown the ability to learn from setbacks, stay committed and work as a team with your animal and your support system,” said McCall. “Let us also recognize the importance of Georgia FFA and 4-H – two organizations that continue to empower, educate and uplift the next generation of agricultural leaders. These programs teach public speaking, community service, leadership and lifelong skills that reach far beyond the show barn.”
GFB awarded a total of $19,000 in scholarships to the grand champion exhibitors: Market Doe Goat - Reagen Ferguson, Banks Co.; Market Wether Goat - Aubrey Welch, Lincoln Co.; Market Ewe Lamb - Luke Keener, White Co.; Market Wether Lamb - Savannah Artman, Morgan Co.; Breeding Doe - Olivia
Visit https://gfb.ag/2425gjnlchamps to read about each champion exhibitor.
This is the 14th year GFB has sponsored the scholarships and belt buckles awarded to the grand champions.
The GJNL show is open to all Georgia 4-H and FFA members.
The show is the culmination of the two youth programs’ livestock projects, which give students a chance to learn how to care for livestock, train them to be shown, and then compete for state honors as having the best animal in the various species categories.
Some 346 4-H and FFA members showed 688 goats in the 2024 Georgia Junior Market Goat Shows held at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter (GNFA) in Perry last October while the 2024 Georgia Jr. Market Lamb show drew 230 exhibitors who showed 475 lambs.
At the 2025 Ga. Jr. National Livestock Show, held Feb. 19-22 at the GNFA, 344 students showed 667 beef heifers; 173 students showed 250 market heifers or steers; 204 students showed 276 dairy heifers; 1,058 students showed 2,105 hogs (barrows and gilts); 170 students exhibited 323 ewes; 245 students showed 452 does.
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Kent Hamilton, a Colquitt County vegetable producer and CEO of Southern Valley Fruit & Vegetable, Inc. is the 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Georgia Farmer of the Year.
Hamilton and farmers from six other states are vying to be selected this year’s Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year. He and farmers from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia will be honored during a lunch on opening day of Sunbelt Expo, Oct. 14, in Moultrie.
The overall winner, to be announced at the lunch, will receive $15,000, the use of a Massey Ferguson tractor for a year and other prizes. Each state winner will receive $2,500 and other prizes.
Southern Valley, based in Norman Park, grows green beans, cabbage, trellis cucumbers, a variety of peppers and squash, sweet corn, trellis pickles and eggplant. The family-owned farm also owns 100 head of cows. The farm cultivates more than 8,500 acres in Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.
“I started farming 38 years ago with my uncle and my late
Hamilton GEORGIA EXPO FARMER OF THE YEAR
brother, Kirk, in a row crop operation centered on cotton, peanuts, and tobacco,” Hamilton said. “Over time, we’ve strategically changed our focus to vegetables and expanded to ensure year-round productivity and to grow crops in regions with favorable seasonal climates.”
Hamilton’s brother died in a farming accident during their first year of farming and their father, Benny, died not long after. Hamilton’s mother, Wanda, who died in June, joined forces with him and together they nurtured what would become a well-respected name in fresh produce.
Hamilton and his wife, Pam, have three adult childrenCourtney, Austin and Presley – who work for the family farm along with his cousins and their children.
Hamilton is the current Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association president.
The UGA Cooperative Extension coordinates the selection of the Georgia Expo Farmer of the Year. Colquitt County Extension Coordinator Jeremy Kichler nominated Hamilton.
Kent Hamilton
Photo by Sunbelt Expo
GFB APPLAUDS GEORGIA 4-H HORSE SHOW SENIOR CHAMPS
By Jennifer Whittaker
Georgia 4-H’ers with a love of horses competed in the 61st Annual Georgia 4-H State Horse Show June 3-7 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter in Perry. Some 134 students in 4th through 12th grade registered for the event.
Georgia Farm Bureau provided Show Your Passion t-shirts for each participant and awarded belt buckles to the four 4-H’ers in the senior age bracket who won their category division to become a Master 4-H’er.
“Thanks to a recommendation by Georgia Farm Bureau’s Equine Advisory Committee and with the encouragement of Stephanie Branch, the 2024 GFB Women’s Leadership Committee chairman, our organization began supporting the Georgia 4-H State Horse Show this year,” GFB President Tom McCall said. “All of the 4-H’ers who participate in this show work long hours caring for and training their horses to compete in the style or styles of riding they choose to pursue, so we wanted to reward them with a t-shirt. Farm Bureau believes it’s important to recognize the champion division winners in the senior age category with belt buckles, so they’ll have a keepsake of the many years they spent participating in the 4-H Horse
Project and working with their horses to win their respective divisions.”
Congratulations to Coffee County’s Andi Unger, Elbert County’s Bailee Seymour, and Thomas County’s Emily McBrayer and Jenna McBee for being named the champions of the Stock Seat Division (Western), Contest Events Division (racing), Hunt Seat Division (English), and Ranch Horse Division (Western), respectively in the senior 4-H age category (9th-12th grade).
Visit https://gfb.ag/25ga4Hhorseshow to read more about each champion.
Each senior division champion also received a $500 scholarship redeemable after completing a college semester courtesy of the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Equine, and a ribbon, medallion and customized stall bag paid for by the show entry fees.
No qualifying shows were required to compete, but participants had to be a 4-H’er and have owned or leased the horse they showed by March 1. All horse show exhibitors are required to take an online short answer test of 25 questions covering the Georgia 4-H State Horse Show Rulebook and general horse care.
For senior 4-Hers, the quiz score counts 25% of the total points used to determine division champions; quiz points are added to the points an exhibitor earns from placings in three classes of their division. Test scores do not count toward the computation of championship points for the Cloverleaf or junior 4-H’ers but may be used as a tiebreaker for division placings.
The senior 4-H’ers also had to complete the Novice Horseman 4-H Horse Project Manual by May 6, while Cloverleaf and junior 4-H’ers had to complete at least half of the manual. The Cloverleaf category is for 4th-6th graders with limited riding experience. The junior category is for 5th-6th graders with demonstrated riding skills and 7th-8th graders. Age eligibility is based on the grade a 4-H’er is in when he/she registers for the show in the spring.
Visit https://gfb.ag/4Hstatehorseshow for a list of all show winners.
Georgia 4-Hers competed in Stock Seat, Hunt Seat, Racing and Ranch Horse categories at the Georgia 4-H State Horse. Photos courtesy of Georgia 4-H
GFB SHOOTOUT HITS FUNDRAISING TARGET
By Lily Baucom
The 3rd Annual Georgia Farm Bureau Spring Shootout, presented by Penco Restoration, took place May 16 at Cherokee Rose Sporting Clays & Helice in Griffin. More than 125 participants formed 31 teams to compete in the 100-disc shootout for top prizes. The event drew seasoned shooters and enthusiastic newcomers for a high-energy day on the range.
Thanks to the support of participants, sponsors, and generous donors, the event raised more than $40,000. Proceeds benefit the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture and its mission to prepare the next generation of Georgia agricultural leaders for success.
For the second consecutive year, GFB Insurance District 10 claimed the Top GFB Team title and took home first place Top Team overall. Each member of this team received $50 for being the Top GFB Team and an additional $50 each for placing as the Top Team overall. Five Star Credit Union earned second place, and AgSouth Farm Credit rounded out the winners with third place. Each member of the second and third place teams received $50.
Junior shooter Barrett Downing with the AgSouth Farm Credit Team captured the Top Overall Shooter honor to win $100. Jason Ludeman and Wesley Dupree, both from the Villa Rica High School team, took home the 2nd and 3rd Place Junior Shooter Awards. Contestants 14-18 years competed as junior shooters. Downing and Ludeman each received $25 as the top two junior shooters.
Keystone Memorials in Elberton provided the granite award plaques presented to all the winners. Farm Bureau Mortgage Division, the Georgia Scholastic Clay Target Program, and
Synovus sponsored the cash prizes and plaques for all shooter awards.
Another highlight of the day was two major raffles. Newton County Farm Bureau donated an engraved Yildiz Legacy HP Shotgun won by Seth Young. Georgia Farm Bureau sponsored a Generac generator that Clay Talton took home.
GFA extends special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Penco Restoration, for helping make the event possible. We’re also grateful to our Lock-n-Load Sponsor, Yancey Bros. Co., and our Down Range Sponsors: AgGeorgia Farm Credit, AgSouth Farm Credit, Five Star Credit Union, Full Blown Firearms, Georgia Farm Bureau Federation, Gower Wooten Darneille law firm, Gresco Utility Supply Inc., Gulf Breeze Laundry Services, Magnolia Loom, Newton County Farm Bureau, Wright Brothers Inc., and Young Thagard Hoffman. GFA extends additional thanks to our Top Shot Award Sponsors: Georgia SCTP, Farm Bureau Bank - Mortgage Division, and Synovus, and to our meal sponsor, Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company. Thank you as well to our Station Sponsors: AgSouth Farm Credit, AgGeorgia Farm Credit, Appraisal Associates Group, and Sea Island Seminole Cup. We appreciate the support of our ad sponsors, Dr. Deidre Mercer Martin and Twiggs County Farm Bureau, for helping make this event a success.
Lily Baucom is executive director of the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture. She may be reached at lrbaucom@gfb.org or 478-405-3461. Visit www.gafoundationag.org to learn more about the foundation or to make a tax-deductible donation.
Morgan County Ag Teachers Top of Their Classes
By Jennifer Whittaker
Two Morgan County agriculture teachers with ties to Farm Bureau received state and national recognition this summer.
The Georgia Department of Education named Morgan County Farm Bureau President Rachel Kinsaul its 2026 Georgia Teacher of the Year (TOTY) during a May 30 banquet at Lanier Islands. Kinsaul is an ag education teacher and FFA advisor at Morgan County High School (MCHS).
Erin Pringle is one of six teachers nationwide honored with the 2025 National Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture Award at the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference held June 23-26 in Minnesota.
As Georgia TOTY, Kinsaul is taking a one-year sabbatical from the classroom to advocate for public education in Georgia, speaking to the public about teaching and serving on the State Board of Education. She will compete for the 2026 National Teacher of the Year award.
Kinsaul expanded student engagement in agriculture at MCHS by launching a popular floral design course, which encouraged more girls to enroll in agriculture classes. Her Floral Arrangement of the Month subscription program raised funds while giving students hands-on entrepreneurial experience.
Kinsaul also initiated the school’s Sophomore Service Day to connect students with community service opportunities and led a successful $501,059 fundraising effort to construct a state-of-the-art barn on campus where students raise livestock. In March, Kinsaul was one of multiple teachers nationwide to receive a 2024-25 Milken Educator Award - an honor widely recognized as the nation’s preeminent award for K-12 teachers.
Rachel and her husband, Jason, won the 2019 Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Young Farmers & Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture Award and placed in the top ten nationally. The Kinsauls served on the 2020-2021 GFB YF&R Committees.
Pringle received her award for work she did as an instructional effectiveness coach at Unity Grove Elementary School in McDonough. In August, she began teaching ag education and serving as an FFA advisor at MCHS.
At Unity Grove, Pringle created hands-on learning experiences to introduce students to agriculture and connect them to local careers. She also organized special events and student challenges that integrated agriculture across all required curriculum topics. Pringle partnered with local high school FFA students to design K-5 lessons and activities focused on gardening, animal care, crop planning, and environmental stewardship.
Pringle received GFB’s 2024 Georgia Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year Award. She worked with Henry County Farm Bureau on Ag in the Classroom projects.
GFB’s Agriculture in the Classroom program works to increase ag literacy among children and consumers through activities county Farm Bureaus do in their communities and through teacher training courses held statewide. The program provides tools for effective teaching about agriculture and to assist Georgia educators in implementing the instruction of ag-related concepts in the classroom. For more information about Georgia Ag in the Classroom and to access educational resources visit www.gfb.ag/AITC
Rachel Kinsaul
Erin Pringle
Ag in the Classroom Update
Gwinnett & Forsyth students win GFB contests
By Lauren Goble
Georgia students created colorful bookmarks and sketched scenes depicting agriculture to win prizes in the 2025 Georgia Farm Bureau Middle School Bookmark and High School Art Contests.
Kelly Baker, of Gwinnett County, won the GFB High School Art Contest. Baker received $250 as the state winner and $100 as the GFB 3rd District winner. She was a junior at SKA Academy at the time she entered the contest.
Haley Bolin, of Forsyth County, won state honors in the middle school bookmark contest She received $150 for winning the state bookmark contest and $100 as the GFB 1st District winner. She was an eighth-grader at South Forsyth Middle School when she entered the contest.
Other district winners in the art contest were: 1st Dist. - Eeshal Gupta, Forsyth County; 2nd Dist. - Abrianna Gaiti, Hall County; 4th Dist. - Leah Miller, Morgan County; 5th Dist. - Megan Milliken, Monroe County; 6th Dist. - Mara Delgado, Dodge County; 7th Dist. - Addison Swart, Long County; 8th Dist. - Janae King, Lee County; 9th Dist. - Betsaida Hernandez, Dougherty County; & 10th Dist. - Bella Cabrera, Glynn County.
Visit https://gfb.ag/25artwinners to see all the district winners’ artwork for the 2025 GFB High School Art Contest. Visit https://gfb. ag/25bookmarkwinners to see all of the district winners’ creations in the 2025 GFB Middle School Bookmark Contest. This marks the 31st year GFB held its annual art contest for ninth through twelfth-grade students. This is the fourth year GFB coordinated a contest for sixth through eighth graders to design a bookmark.
Kelly Baker, of Gwinnett County, won the GFB High School Art Contest with this sketch. Visit https://gfb. ag/25artwinners to see all the district winners’ art.
GFB received entries for its high school art contest from 75 county Farm Bureaus and entries from 81 county Farm Bureaus for its middle school bookmark contest. Judges selected GFB district winners for each contest from all county entries submitted from each district. Once the district winners were chosen, all GFB home office employees were invited to vote for their favorite artwork in each contest.
Contestants in the high school contest were instructed to create a black, white and gray drawing using graphite, charcoal, pastel, chalk, colored pencil, ballpoint pen or mixed media appropriate for printing. Drawings were judged on how well the artwork represented agriculture and for artistic merit.
The middle school contestants were given a blank bookmark and asked to create a design illustrating Georgia agriculture.
Contact your county Farm Bureau office for information about the 2026 contests in mid-November.
GFB wishes former Educational Programs Coordinator Lauren Goble the best of luck as she returns to teaching this fall. If you have questions about the Ag in the Classroom program, please contact Clay Talton at cstalton@gfb.org or 478-474-8411. Contact your county Farm Bureau if you’d like to volunteer with its AITC activities.
Haley Bolin, of Forsyth County, won the GFB Middle School Bookmark Contest with this colorful artwork. Visit https://gfb. ag/2/5bookmarkwinners to see all of the district winners’ creations.
GFB WELCOMES DAVIS & GLOVER
Taylor Davis began serving as Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB)’s 6th District federation manager June 16. Eliza Jane Glover joined the GFB Public Policy Department as an agricultural programs specialist July 28.
Davis assists 16 county Farm Bureaus in Middle Georgia with their daily operations, ag promotion and membership programs.
The GFB 6th District includes Baldwin, Bibb, Bleckley, Dodge, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Laurens, Montgomery, Telfair, Treutlen, Twiggs, Washington, Wheeler and Wilkinson counties.
Glover will serve as a point of contact for farmers, ranchers and Georgia commodity groups. The job involves assisting with commodity-specific policy development and helping coordinate legislative interactions between farmers, GFB and policymakers.
Davis, a Jackson County native, previously worked for Aviagen Poultry in Huntsville, Alabama, as the company’s digital marketing and event manager. He also worked for his family’s Big B’s BBQ Restaurant, in Jefferson,
and interned at Jaemor Farms in Alto and the National Grazing Lands Coalition in College Station, Texas.
Davis graduated from the University of Georgia in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in ag communications and marketing. He holds an associate degree in science from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
Glover is a recent graduate of UGA, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural and environmental science communications, with a minor in food and fiber marketing. A native of White County, she interned with the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Masters golf tournament.
While serving as a congressional ag fellow in Washington, D.C., Glover was one of 30 congressional interns selected for the Stennis Program, through which she helped craft legislation concerning rural broadband service.
Throughout high school and college, Glover worked on her family’s farm, Glo-Crest Dairy. She was a student worker with Georgia FFA.
Eliza Jane Glover
Taylor Davis
Women's Leadership Update District meetings highlight Georgia agriculture
By Heather King
Throughout this summer, Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) District Women’s Leadership chairwomen hosted meetings for the ladies in their districts to fellowship, learn about GFB programs and sharpen their leadership skills. These meetings were held at a farm or agritourism destination in each district to highlight a unique aspect of agriculture in the area.
At press time, meetings had been held in GFB’s 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Districts. Attendees have enjoyed touring these venues: Dist. 1 – Buttermilk Blooms in Floyd County where attendees toured the cut flower farm and made bouquets; Dist. 3 – Alo Farms in Fayette County where attendees learned about the farm’s innovative and sustainable practices for growing lettuces, microgreens, herbs and tilapia. Dist. 4 – Golden Harvest Urban Garden in Richmond County where participants enjoyed a tour of the food bank, community meal kitchen, and onsite garden; Dist. 5 – The Shed at Fitzgerald Fruit Farm in Meriwether County where attendees toured the peach packing shed and participated in an Ag in the Classroom lesson; Dist. 6 – Rocking A Farms in Washington County where guests learned about beef and pork production and saw homesteading demonstrations; Dist. 7 – Cork Popcorn and Botanic Garden at Georgia Southern University in Bulloch County where participants toured a gourmet popcorn facility and a botanical garden with an outdoor classroom.
District 2 will host its meeting in Madison County on Sept. 18. Districts 8, 9 & 10 will be held in the fall. If you’re interested in attending one of these meetings, please contact your county Farm Bureau office manager or look for announcements on the Friends of Georgia Farm Bureau Facebook group page.
Georgia Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Programs Coordinator Heather King may be reached at hcking@gfb.org or 478-474-0679, ext. 5232. Contact your county Farm Bureau if you’d like to volunteer with your local Women’s Leadership Committee.
The GFB 6th District meeting was held at Rocking A Farm in Washington County.
The GFB 5th District meeting was held at Fitzgerald Fruit Farm in Meriwether County.
The GFB 7th District meeting visited Cork Popcorn and the Georgia Southern University Botanic Garden in Bulloch County.
PASSPORT TRAVELERS WIN JACKETS
By Kelly Henry
Last year, four people visited every farm in the Georgia Farm Bureau Farm Passport to earn the top prize: “The Traveler Jacket.” This is a challenging feat since each farm has its own schedule depending on the seasonality of its crops.
Sisters Jackie Barlow and Angie Whiggum, of Eastman, and William and Teresa Touchton, of Hazlehurst, joined the Farm Passport Hall of Fame for their 2024 travels. These Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) members have traveled with the Farm Passport the past two years.
Since GFB began its Farm Passport program in 2019, only 14 other Farm Passport travelers, out of thousands of participants, have visited all the farms listed in the passport in a calendar year.
Barlow and her sister work during the week, so they traveled almost every weekend putting 6,000 miles on her car to visit the 100 farms in the 2024 passport.
“Whether you go to all the farms or not, this passport gives you a listing of farms you never knew existed,” Barlow added. “It’s easy to coordinate weekend trips with your spouse or friend to get fresh fruits and vegetables, visit wineries and more.”
This year, more than 100 farms are listed in the Farm Passport spotlighting the diversity of Georgia agriculture.
Teresea Touchton shared what she gained from the experience of traveling with the Farm Passport.
“We’re in the process of developing our small homestead. The Farm Passport allowed us to meet many people and learn many things we didn't know,” Teresea said. “We highly recommend touring these farms to support your local farmers.”
In addition to the top prize of a jacket, 2025 travelers can earn a variety of prizes from a t-shirt for 5 stamps to a farm tour and ticketed meal event for 20 stamps. Additional prizes are earned at the 10 and 30 farm stamp levels.
Farm visits must be made by Dec. 31 and passports returned by Jan. 5, 2026. Farm Passports are available at county Farm Bureau offices or any of the participating farms listed at www.gfb.ag/passport
Kelly Henry is GFB’s Certified Farm Markets coordinator. She may be reached at kahenry@gfb.org or 478-474-0679, ext. 5235.
The Touchtons
GFB photo contest highlights farm life
By Levi Davis
Congratulations to Chase Berry of Newton County for winning the Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers 16th Annual Picture Agriculture in Georgia Photo Contest!
Berry won $150, and his photo will be featured on the cover of the 2026 GFB YF&R calendar available at most county Farm Bureau offices in December. The calendar will also feature the 11 honorable mention winners, who each received $75.
Honorable mention winners are: Julie Hardy, Thomas Co.; Ariel Holland, Johnson Co.; Caitlyn Jackson, Randolph Co.; Kadie Matthews, Seminole Co.; Megan Odom, Early Co.; Bristol Peterson, Wilcox Co; Haley Scruggs, Bibb Co.; Whitney Sheppard, Screven Co; Savannah Tanner, Emanuel Co.; Liam Tewksbury, Forsyth Co.; & Lauren Turner, Decatur Co. See all photos at www.gfb.ag/25photowinners .
GFB thanks the 79 contestants who submitted 188 photos. GFB YF&R Summer Leadership Conference attendees voted on the winner and honorable mentions. Information about the 2026 contest will be announced next spring.
Izlar is GFB Commodity Award
Recipient
Bob Izlar, a lifelong advocate for Georgia’s forestry sector, is the 2025 Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Award recipient.
Izlar spent 47 years working in the forestry industry. He began his career in 1974 as a timber procurer for Brunswick Pulp Land Company. He served as a division forester for the American Pulpwood Association for six years until becoming executive vice president of the Mississippi Forestry Association in 1984.
In 1987, Izlar was named executive director of the Georgia Forestry Association (GFA), a position he held until March of 1998 when he began serving as founding director of the University of Georgia Harley Langdale Jr. Center for Forest Business. He retired from UGA in January 2021, then served on an interim basis from July 2021 until Jan. 2022.
During his time leading the GFA, Izlar built strong relationships with Farm Bureau and other ag advocates. He worked with GFB to develop and pass the first conservation use value assessment legislation that allows farm and forestland to be taxed on its current use rather than market value.
After serving in the U.S. Army from 1969-1974, Izlar served in the reserves until 2006, reaching the rank of colonel.
A native of Ware County, Izlar earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forest management from the UGA Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources in the early 1970s. He earned a master’s degree in finance from Georgia Southern University in 1977.
Izlar and his late wife, Janice, have two children and three grandchildren. He lives in Danielsville.
Bob Izlar, left, accepts the 2025 GFB Commodity Award from GFB President Tom McCall.
