Kemp announces Rural Strike Team, Georgia Made Tour

ATLANTA — Along with local and state economic development leaders in Swainsboro at Faircloth Forest Products, Gov. Brian Kemp recently announced the creation of a rural strike team to focus on bringing jobs, investment and economic development to all corners of the Peach State.

“To keep rural Georgia strong and remain the top state for business, I am laser-focused on bringing projects of regional significance to communities wanting to grow,” Kemp said. “By partnering with elected officials and economic developers, we can highlight the incredible people, places and resources that exist outside of major metro areas. We can make sure that industry leaders have Georgia on their minds.

“The hard-working Georgians on this strike team will raise the visibility of regional economic development assets — specifically, large industrial sites outside of metro Atlanta — and unite communities to market those sites to potential prospects. These large projects will benefit multiple counties, dozens of communities, and hundreds of hard-working Georgia families. Working together, we will ensure rural Georgia’s best days are ahead.”

Through the governor’s office, the Rural Strike Team will leverage state resources such as the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Global Commerce team, the Department of Community Affairs’ regional team, the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s Rural Prosperity Center and others to craft a marketing plan specific to the site, develop a target list on specific industries and provide training to local leaders who are actively recruiting business prospects.

Furthermore, a rural economic development coordinator will work closely with the Rural Strike Team, state and local agencies and third-party organizations’ efforts to spur greater opportunities in rural Georgia.

In Swainsboro, Kemp also announced a statewide “Georgia Made” tour to raise awareness and show support for businesses and manufacturers providing jobs and opportunities to communities across Georgia.

“For the next several months, I look forward to highlighting what local businesses are doing to employ hard-working Georgians in rural communities and how we can help those businesses continue to succeed,” Kemp said.

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