The Habersham County Farm Bureau celebrated National Farm-City Week by hosting their annual breakfast last Friday at the HEMC conference room in Clarkesville. The annual breakfast spotlights not only achievements in farming and agriculture but it also recognizes those individuals from Habersham County that have contributed to the agriculture industry.
Greg Tench was recognized for his achievements in the poultry industry and received the Habersham County Friend of Agriculture Award. He has been an employee with Mar-Jac for 39 years and is currently the Director of Sales and Marketing at Mar-Jac for three processing plants in the southeast and also on the Board of Directors.
Kyle and Caroline Lewallen, owners of teXga Farms, received the Excellence in Agriculture Award for their engagement in the agriculture industry. “Kyle and Caroline are an excellent example of what this recognition highlights: young farm bureau members who are engaged in the agricultural industry,” stated Habersham County Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher Committee Chair Cody Shore.
Colin and Erica Russell from Providence Farmstead received the Conservation Farm Family of the Year Award for their conservation efforts in family farming with two farms, one in Otto, NC and the other in Demorest. The Russell family has been dairy farming for five generations.
Frank Ferguson was inducted into the Habersham County Agricultural Hall of Fame for his efforts in conservation and the introduction of Kentucky 31 fescue grass on his farm that “greened up” the hills of north Georgia. Lisa Amos received the award on behalf of her late grandfather. Green Hills Farm is located on Duncan Bridge Road outside of Cornelia.
The Georgia Farm Bureau begins celebrating National Farm-City Week today Thursday November 16 through Thanksgiving day. “This week, as we gather with family and friends around the Thanksgiving table, it is fitting that we count among our blessings the vital farm-city partnerships that have done so much to improve the quality of our lives,” Georgia Farm Bureau proclaims.
Farmers and the agriculture industry provide us with our basic needs with food, clothing, shelter, and fuel everyday. It contributes $1 trillion to the national economy. In Georgia, the agriculture industry contributes approximately $73.2 billion and provides over 340,900 jobs to the state’s economy.
American farmers and ranchers literally feed the world by producing various products everyday. In order to do this, they rely on partnerships with urban and suburban communities to supply, sell and deliver finished products across the country and around the world.
Farm-City collaborations help maintain and improve our food and fiber supply and contribute to a better quality of life for countless people around the world. Georgia Farm Bureau commends the hard work and ingenuity of many Americans. It reflects the true spirit of America and helps to ensure a prosperous future for all.
