September 14, 2022
www.gfb.org
Vol. 4 No. 19
AG ISSUES SUMMIT COVERS GAMUT OF TOPICS A record crowd of about 300 turned out for the 2022 Joint Agriculture Committee Chairmen Ag Issues Summit held Aug. 30 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter. Almost 15 speakers covered numerous ag issues including legislation the Georgia General Assembly passed this year pertaining to agriculture and updates on activities at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter, Georgia Department of Agriculture and the UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. Other speakers discussed water initiatives being offered in Southwest Georgia, Farm Service Agency programs and work the Georgia Heirs Property Law Center is doing to help families clear titles to property passed on to the next generation with multiple owners. Georgia Rep. Robert Dickey and Georgia Sen. Larry Walker III, who chair the Georgia House and Senate Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committees, hosted this annual event that gives Georgia’s ag community an update on current and emerging issues Georgia’s top economic sector is experiencing. The summit was started more than a decade ago by former House and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairmen Tom McCall and John Bulloch. “We’re mighty proud to have such a great crowd today,” said Walker, chairman of the Georgia Senate Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee. “I think it’s indicative of the importance of agriculture and what’s going on in Georgia’s ag industry. We had a productive 2022 Session and passed a lot of bills important to agriculture.” Among these were Senate Bill 396 – authored by Sen. Russ Goodman – which allows farmers to sell produce directly to Georgia food banks and House Bill 1303 - supported by Reps. Dickey, Terry England, Clay Pirkle, Patty Bentley and Chris Erwin - that will make the existing pilot elementary ag education program currently available in more than 20 schools a permanent program available to all Georgia elementary schools. “It’s good to see the many agency heads from the state of Georgia, state legislators, federal government representatives and representatives from all of our farm groups here today,” said Dickey, chairman of the Georgia Senate Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee. “My committee members - whether they’re from rural South Georgia or metro-Atlanta - they have a real passion for agriculture.” -continued on next page