THE DAY IS AT HAND
The phrase “The day is at hand,” can imply there is a deadline to meet or can refer to the dawning of a new day and the light, goodness and justice that a new day can bring. For Georgia agriculture, the day is at hand as our state prepares to elect new officials this fall. For Georgia Farm Bureau, the day is at hand as your organization continues to spread the good news about our industry.
I recently had the honor to visit with Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle to express GFB’s appreciation for their support of agriculture and our concerns with the impact tax and water planning will have on it.
I specifically expressed Farm Bureau’s concerns about HB 1405, which created the Council on Tax Reform and Fairness to study Georgia’s tax laws and make recommendations to the Georgia General Assembly by January. The findings of this Council will shape any future tax bills the General Assembly considers as it looks for ways to balance our state budget. I encouraged Speaker Ralston and Lt. Gov. Cagle to consider filling one of their appointments to the council with a farmer. The speaker had already chosen his two appointees, but the lieutenant governor asked me to recommend farmers to serve on the council.
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| GFB President Zippy Duvall meets with Georgia House Speaker David Ralston. |
I discussed this opportunity with your Georgia Farm Bureau vice presidents, and we recommended three GFB members. We are very proud that Lt. Gov. Cagle appointed McDuffie County Farm Bureau Vice President Skeetter McCorkle, who is a long-time Farm Bureau member.
Skeetter has a very good understanding of agriculture and a great appreciation for Georgia Farm Bureau. He understands how important the sales tax exemptions currently in place for agriculture are to us. I want to thank Lt. Gov. Cagle for appointing someone to represent agriculture, the state’s largest industry, to this council, and I want to thank Skeetter for serving in this capacity.
Another way that Georgia Farm Bureau is working to retain agriculture’s sales tax exemptions is by joining forces with other state ag organizations and business groups to form the Coalition for a Competitive Georgia to support tax policies that will ensure Georgia businesses remain competitive.
Speaker Ralston and I also discussed the vacancy left on the board of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District after the death of Jack Elkins. I asked him to consider appointing one of the farmers we recommended for this position. Speaker Ralston recently announced he had appointed Tim Thoms from Fayette County to fill the spot. I really appreciate Speaker Ralston for working with us to ensure agriculture has a presence on this important water planning board.
If you communicate with either Cagle or Ralston, please thank them for working with Farm Bureau to ensure agriculture is represented in both the tax and water processes.
As the November election draws closer, the day is at hand for picking Georgia’s next leaders. I commend those counties who have hosted political forums and met with candidates because all politics are local. I encourage counties that didn’t hold a forum before the July primary to do so before November. Now is the time to educate the candidates about agriculture and how important it is to every Georgian and the communities we live in.
We need to reach out to both parties because we are a bipartisan organization. The candidates need to understand that everyone has to have food to eat whether they are a Democrat, Republican or Independent. If we, the farmers, don’t advocate for agriculture, no one else will.
Several of the gubernatorial candidates from both parties have met with me to discuss the major issues facing our state and the ramifications these issues have for agriculture. I’ve enjoyed meeting with the candidates and discussing the importance of agriculture to Georgia’s economy. Gov. Perdue has been a tremendous friend to agriculture, and I look forward to working with our next governor to continue the viability of our industry.
On this note, I recently accompanied Gov. Perdue and 48 other Georgians on a trade trip to Cuba. I came home with a greater appreciation for our country and our way of life. I know things are tough here with the economy, but we are so blessed.
Cuba holds great potential as a market for Georgia ag products. Georgia’s capability to produce food and the ports along our coast position our state to be a major player in providing products to the Cuban people.
Congress is considering a bill that would relax restrictions on trade and travel to Cuba. I hope our leaders will make decisions that allow Georgia agriculture to increase our exports. This would be good for Georgia’s economy and agriculture.
Romans 13:12 tells us, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.”
This scripture references God’s plan of salvation and is a call to action for Christians to live fully as Christians and to share the Gospel with others. As farmers, we can apply this to our professional lives as a call to share the good news about agriculture.
Agriculture is good for Georgia, and the day is at hand for us to make sure everyone in our state realizes this. We must be ambassadors for our industry and speak up for ourselves. You, as a farmer and Farm Bureau member, can let agriculture’s light shine. Let’s put on the armor of light and live every day to its fullest.
May God bless you and your family.
(From the July 2010 issue of the Georgia Farm Bureau News)