Agriculture + Lifestyle

Cagle’s Farm asked its Cherokee County community to donate nonperishable food, hygiene items, paper products and first aid kits for hurricane victims, and the response was overwhelming! The community filled a rented Ryder moving truck with 28 full pallets. Thanks to farm staff members, the Holly Springs Police Department, and Scout Troops 8880 & 8088 for sorting and loading the items. Ben Cagle, who drove the items to the Appling County Farm Bureau Oct. 7, is pictured with sons, Mica & Clay.

Hart County Farm Bureau partnered with Elbert County Farm Bureau to take two trailer loads of supplies to the Burke County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 5. Thanks to all who donated! Burke County Farm Bureau President Lee Webster, second from right, thanks HCFB members, from left, Bobby & Pam Fleming, Bren Stone and Brian Fleming.

On Oct. 4, residents of the Hazlehurst area received a hot BBQ chicken meal thanks to the generosity of the Villa Rica FFA Chapter and the Carroll County Farm Bureau (CCFB). The Villa Rica FFA, advised by Bennett Jacobs, donated 50 plates while CCFB donated 250 plates. GFB 3rd Dist. Federation Manager Rebecca Jacobs delivered the food to the Jeff Davis Co. Farm Bureau (JDCFB) where JDCFB staff, volunteers, and GFB staff assembled the plates distributed to a local nursing home, the Jeff Davis County Sheriff's Department and the community at large. 

Thanks to the generous support of many, throughout October into November, about 150 tons of bagged feed – six trailer loads - were delivered to farmers in Coffee, Screven, Toombs and Warren counties and surrounding areas and western North Carolina. Special thanks to Godfrey's Feed for arranging this initiative and to their partners who donated funds, feed, or transportation: Morgan County Farm Bureau and its Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee; Bunge in Decatur, Ala.; Primient in Loudon, Tenn.; Gold River Molasses; Lee Nunn Farms; Red Oak Farm Services; Go Ag Group; Clemson University Extension; and Toombs Co. & Georgia Farm Bureau staff for helping with logistics. Everyone’s support made a real difference for affected farmers.

On behalf of Hancock County Farm Bureau, HCFB President Jimmy Kennedy presented $1,000 to Denise Wombles with Washington EMC to help cover the cost of meals for the linemen who worked to restore power in Hancock County and the surrounding areas.

GFB 5th District Young Farmers & Ranchers Chairmen Allie & Luke Andrews worked with GFB 5th Dist. Directors Matt Bottoms & Leighton Cooley and Dist. Federation Manager Kari Creamer to collect hay, farm supplies and household items delivered to Toombs County. The 5th District raised more than $5,000 to buy much-needed diesel fuel, mixed gas, and other basic supplies. Special thanks are extended to: Walters Farms; Wargos Hardware; Mid-Ga. Grain; Country Oaks at Bolingbroke; Zaxby’s on Moreland Rd. in Griffin & Anna Perdichizzi for feeding 100 people; & Brandy Fischer salon. Thanks Toombs Co. volunteers & FFA students for unloading and passing out donations.

Pictured from left, Randy Fussell, GFB 6th Dist. Director James Emory Tate and Pastor Van McCall, 2nd from right, accept supplies that GFB Middle Georgia Vice President Ralph Caldwell and Rep. David Huddleston delivered on behalf of communities in Carroll and Heard counties, Ephesus Church & Heard Co. Farm Bureau. Macedonia Church of God served as a supply and food distribution point for the communities of Denton and Snipesville for weeks. 

The Georgia Department of Agriculture, Georgia Cattlemen’s Association and its members worked tirelessly to make sure cattle producers, whose water tanks weren’t working because they had no power, had access to fresh water. This involved numerous volunteers including Matt Berry and Travis Young hauling water to central locations for cattle producers to fill containers to take back to their farms.

After a busy day of classes, the ABAC Young Farmers & Ranchers and the ABAC Agripreneurs Club teamed up on Oct. 9 to package over 180 snack bags for children affected by Hurricane Helene. The bags were distributed to students in the Cook County School System.

White County Farm Bureau Young Farmers Chris & Paige Little organized an effort to fill a livestock trailer with farm and household relief supplies. Donations were made by community members, businesses and the Habersham, Union & White County Farm Bureaus. They delivered a full livestock trailer to Southeast Georgia communities. Thanks to everyone for their donations.

Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall and his wife, Jane, delivered several generators to county Farm Bureau offices around the state that were left without power so they could continue serving our members.