October 16, 2013
www.gfb.org
Vol. 31 No. 42
AGRICULTURE SHINES AT SUNBELT EXPO Farmers from across the Southeast are gathering in Moultrie this week to attend the 36th Annual Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition. According to Sunbelt Ag Expo Executive Director Chip Blalock, 80,000 to 100,000 people are expected to attend the three-day event running Oct. 15-17 with 1,219 exhibitors. As always, the event is giving farmers the chance to see the latest equipment and farm supplies designed to make their operations more efficient. Expo attendees also have an opportunity to watch exhibiting companies use their equipment to harvest field crops grown on the Expo research farm. With Southeast farmers planting more acres of corn and soybeans in recent years, harvesting demonstrations for these two crops were added this year in addition to cotton, peanuts and hay. “There’s a lot of interest in corn and soybeans in the Southeast with the prices farmers have seen in the last couple of years,” Blalock said. “Exhibitors came to us and wanted to run their combines in the field to harvest these crops.” Opening-day events included the Willie B. Withers Luncheon to honor the state Sunbelt Farmers of the Year from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. South Carolina fruit grower James Cooley was named the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year. Will Harris, an organic livestock producer from Early County, represented Georgia in the contest. Dignitaries speaking at the lunch included Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black and Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam. “I’m delighted to be with my colleague [Putnam], we have tremendous cross-border communications on behalf of agriculture,” Black said. Florida, which produces more than 70 percent of U.S. citrus products and 80 percent of the fresh vegetables eaten in the U.S. in winter, was recognized as the Expo Spotlight State during the lunch. “Georgia is fortunate to have agriculture as our number one industry contributing some $71 billion into our economy annually,” Deal said. “I welcome our visitors from Florida and congratulate you on being the spotlight state. I’d like to thank all of you attending today who provide our food and fiber and make our economy strong.” Putnam acknowledged the challenges and opportunities facing the industry. “American agriculture has its hands full. We have to find a way to feed nine billion people by 2050, and there’s only 1.5 percent of our population feeding our country and creating export opportunities. It’s through the innovation of farmers like those here today who are willing to try new things that we will be able to do this,” Putnam said.