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Posted on Feb 13, 2019 at 19:00 PM
BRIAN KEMP SPEECH AT GFB DAY AT THE CAPITOL
There are many who are still dealing with disaster in our state. Hurricane Michael, as you all know probably better than most, hit many farm families and agribusiness folks very hard. They still need our prayers and our support. I know Commissioner Black and I
have talked often about everywhere we go somewhere public, we need to talk about that and keep that on people’s minds. This is going to be a long recovery. We still need help out of DC. I know this crowd knows that more than most. I also know that for you agents who are here today, you have been serving your local communities in a very tough time, especially in south and southwest Georgia. So thank you for what you do every day.
I also want to thank our first responders. You know, in the transition, we went down to Southwest Georgia and did an event thanking our first responders and a lot of our local folks who really answered the call of duty. I’ve told people many times, I have never been more proud to be a Georgian than to see what was going on on the ground after the storm. People from all over our state that were coming to help their other citizens in a time of need. The faith-based community settting up and serving meals. Our own law enforcement people helping their neighbors when they couldn’t even get in their own homes to see if they had power, risking their lives to save the lives of others. So I think we should give them a big round of applause.
I just want you to know that my commitment is that we’re not going to forget. It will continue to be on our minds as we go through this long recovery. But I know that we can rebuild and revive south and southwest Georgia that was hit by the storm better than before.
As you know, during the campaign and this legislative session, I have been focused on rural Georgia. As many in the legislature have as well. I’m very appreciative to our legislative partners for the work that they have done prior to this year, the work that we are committed to doing together this year to address the needs that we have in rural Georgia, like access for high-speed internet. I also believe that we need to invest in our education by paying our teachers more and making sure that our kids are safe at their local schools. By creating an economic development strike team in the Department of Economic Development, we can assure that opportunity exists in all corners of our state. I believe that a successful rural Georgia is not possible without successful farm families and farm agribusinesses. (applause) As our state’s top industry, you are, and the people that you’re working with are literally the backbone of our state’s economy, and you are the lifeblood of most rural communities. I want you to know this: I will continue to fight for y our access to water. I will continue to fight for your right to farm (applause). We will work, and I have a goal to make UGA ag school the number one ag school in the United States of America. I also believe that we need to continue to support research and Extension at our land grant institutions to help support those in rural communities and on our family farms. We will always continue to support you and our like-minded businesses in those areas.
As you may have seen a few weeks ago, we have already announced that the governor’s mansion will now be Georgia Grown. I really appreciate the initiative that Marty has taken with that, how much she’s learned about it. I appreciate the commitment that Commissioner Black has made. I have heard about this idea on the campaign trail years ago. I have seen it implemented. I have seen it grow, and I’ve seen it continue to do good things for our state. I know that both of them, Marty and the Commissioner, have worked hand in hand on the project of making the mansion … I was talking to Marty about another idea that someone had for expanding Georgia Grown on the way down here today, that we’re going to absolutely look at, and I’m committed to taking Georgia Grown international. I was actually talking to our economic development team about that today. We were thinking about what’s going on in other countries that we’re doing business with. I believe that will help us increase exports for Georgia-grown products and by our local producers. And I’m committed as governor to push that and talk about it everywhere that I go. (applause)
In closing I want to simply thank you all. I want to thank you for your commitment to your way of life, to your values that you have where you live in your local community. You make our state better. You make our state why people think and know that we’re the number one state in the country for business. Because we’re hospitable. We work hard. We have greath strength that is derived through our faith. That is something to be proud of. I want you to know that I believe everyone should have opportunities in this state. Your ZIP code or your county where you live should not determine your opportunities. I’m committed to working with you all to make that happen in our great state. So Gerald, Farm Bureau family, thank you so much for having me today. God bless you. We look forward to working with you the rest of the way in the session.
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