In The News

WAYNESBORO, Ga. (WFXG) - Georgia’s Farm Bureau reports one in seven working Georgians has an agriculture-related job. Feeding Georgia and the country fresh, local food products has been a priority for Congressman Rick Allen, who wants to make sure the state’s largest industry stays strong for generations to come.

Across the country, as baby boomers retire, there may not be enough workers to fill their jobs. This is true as well for Georgia's agricultural industry.

“Within the next ten years in this country, we have anywhere from 3.4-3.6 million producers who are going to reach retirement status," says Arthur Tripp of Farm Service Agency in Washington, D.C. That's why he says it is critical to keep young people interested in farming.

Congressman Allen agrees.

“What’s important is to let young people know where their food comes from. You know, you turn on that light switch and you expect the lights to come on. Same way when you walk in a grocery store. You just expect the food will be there.”

But food doesn’t just appear in grocery stores, nor does it just appear in school lunchrooms. It has to be grown somewhere, and it might as well be domestic and local, whenever possible, according to Tripp.

“Recently at the Department of Agriculture, we announced 1 billion dollars to help support American-made food going into schools. And that funding will be distributed to the states and the states will be providing the dollars. It’s very important to know, particularly when it comes to food and nutrition in school lunches, American-made food is vitally important.”

A partnership between the school system and Georgia farmers is mutually beneficial, but large-scale farming doesn’t come without its share of political discrepancy, including on environmental issues.

“We need to keep the government out of their way because our farmers are the best environmentalists in the world," Allen reasons. "They have to take care of the land because they live off the land and they know how to do that.”

While Burke County farmers voiced their thoughts during a town hall-style meeting, members of Burke County’s Future Farmers of America listened in to learn about the state of the industry. Their interest in farming is something Congressman Allen finds both relatable and valuable.

“I grew up on the farm. We were a small, small farm operation. We had chickens, we had everything," he recalls. "I wouldn’t take anything in the world for growing up on that farm."

And that is why Congressman Allen believes Georgia's next crop of farmers is home grown.