Paulding County Farm Bureau members attend GFB Day at Capitol

MACON, Ga. – Paulding County Farm Bureau members traveled to Atlanta, Feb. 13 to participate in Georgia Farm Bureau Day at the Capitol. While at the capitol, members of the Paulding County Farm Bureau delegation along with the Paulding County High School FFA officers visited with several of our legislators. Members of the Paulding County Farm Bureau who attended the event included: President Nora Goodman, Jim Talley, Christy Loftin, Mary Carol Sheffield, Tom Liles and Office Manager Tracy Grice.
The Paulding County delegation raised legislators’ awareness of GFB’s 2018 priority issues – state tax matters, retaining farmers access to water, controlling nuisance wildlife that damage crops and preventing false animal cruelty charges.
“Georgia Farm Bureau is working on numerous issues that impact our farms. Georgia Farm Bureau is well-respected at the capitol because of the work our members do back in their counties and the relationships they have with their legislators,” GFB President Gerald Long said. Rep. Darlene Taylor (R-Dist. 173) and Sen. John Wilkinson (R-Dist. 50) read resolutions in their respective chambers declaring Feb. 13 as GFB Day at the Capitol. Long spoke to both the House and Senate thanking the legislators for the work they do on behalf of Georgia farmers and asking them to continue their support of Georgia agriculture.
Gov. Nathan Deal spoke at the lunch GFB held at the Georgia Freight Depot attended by more than 500 GFB members and state officials. Deal thanked GFB for what it does as an organization to represent Georgia’s farmers and applauded the GFB Foundation for Agriculture for its work to educate students about how their food is grown.
Deal also outlined what his administration has done to help the economies of rural Georgia during his eight years in office. Deal said his administration has invested more than 100 million dollars to ensure rural students have access to the high-speed internet so they are not left behind and the One Georgia Authority has invested more than $100 million in rural Georgia, which has created or retained 25,000 jobs in rural communities.

ABOUT GEORGIA FARM BUREAU:
Founded in 1937, Georgia Farm Bureau is the state’s largest general farm organization with 158 county chapters. As a membership-driven, nongovernmental organization, GFB serves as the voice of Georgia farmers and rural Georgia by advocating for them on legislative issues and promoting Georgia commodities. GFB membership is open to the public and offers a wide variety of benefits, including insurance and discounts for health services, travel, and family entertainment. Enrollment in any of the member benefits is optional and not a requirement for membership. If you would like more information about agriculture please visit www.gfb.org, like Georgia Farm Bureau on Facebook @GeorgiaFarmBureau or follow on Twitter at @GaFarmBureau.

Pictured from left or right, President Nora Goodman and the PCHS FFA Officers, Chance Vann, Chloe Moody, Kaylee Patterson, Hunter Ammons, Layne Ammons and FFA advisor and PCFB Young Farmer Chairman, Tom Liles.