Gov. Nathan Deal: Agriculture No. 1 business in Georgia

MOULTRIE — Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal took time out of his schedule to visit the 2016 Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, which started Tuesday and ends Thursday.

“I love having a governor who wants to come two hours early so he can go buy something,” said Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black. “It is really nice to have a governor that would buy something because he needs it and has a practical application for agriculture on his farm back at home.”

As Deal took the podium at the Expo, he congratulated Black on the “Georgia Grown” program, a marketing and economic development program with the goal of bringing together producers, processors, suppliers, distributors, retailers, agritourism and consumers in one powerful statewide community.

“The huge success of the Georgia Grown program, I think, will impact our state not only in the short-term, but in the lives of our children and families for many years to come,” Deal said.

The governor thanked both elected and appointed officials and pointed out the particular importance of those involved in education before focusing on the influence of agriculture in the state of Georgia.

“There is a $70 billion economic impact of agriculture and agribusiness to our state,” Deal said. “It is the No. 1 leading component that has helped make our state, which we are expecting for the fourth consecutive year — something that no other state has ever received the distinction for four consecutive years — to be the No. 1 state in the nation in which to do business.”

Deal pointed out that if agriculture is the top business in the state of Georgia, then farmers and all who are involved in agriculture and agribusiness are directly responsible for the nationwide business appeal that the state has achieved.

“We are also proud of the fact that Georgia is the home of our former Georgia Farm Bureau president Zippy Duvall, who is now the president of the American Farm Bureau,” Deal said. “We wish him continued success as he leads agriculture throughout the country.”

Deal stressed that he and other leaders are conscious of the needs and importance of agriculture to Georgia.

“The members of the General Assembly who are here and their colleagues are very mindful of the importance of agriculture in our state,” Deal said. “We try to attend to those needs of the industry every legislative session. Last year we passed legislation that would allow you to hunt feral hogs without a license, and the Department of Agriculture, I understand, is in the process of implementing those rules and regulations. Those of you who have that particular problem understand how difficult that issue can be.

“Last year we passed a budget, which is actually this year’s budget that we are operating in now, to create $100,000 for loans for veterinarians who will go to our veterinarian schools and specialize in large-animal practices. As you know in agriculture, finding a large-animal vet is becoming more and more difficult. So this is a loan program of scholarships for large-animal students who will specialize and go back to the communities in our state and provide to farmers that kind of veterinary service.”

Deal also pointed out that $720,000 was put into this year’s budget for the hiring of 12 additional extension agents throughout the state.

“We recognize the ever-increasing importance of the extension program to Georgia,” the governor said. “Now I’m not going to bore you with any other statistics other than this: You will have the opportunity, if you haven’t already done so, to visit the exhibit halls of this Expo, which continues to be a place that I look forward to coming to. But as you visit those exhibit halls, they are going to give you all sorts of paraphernalia. They will give you sacks to put it in, and I invite you to take as many of these gnats back home with you as you want. We are willing to share.”