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Decatur County Farm Bureau (DCFB) received three awards for its volunteer programs at the Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) 9th District annual meeting, held Sept. 2 in Camilla. Justin Long is the DCFB president.

The DCFB Promotion & Education Committee, chaired by Alan Davis, received the 9th District Outstanding Promotion & Education Award.

Among its activities, the committee arranged for Dr. Paul Johnson, a large animal veterinarian and dairyman, to speak to Bainbridge High School agriculture classes about safe milk production and the advantages of dairy milk over milk alternatives. Director Bobby Barber took a tractor to West Bainbridge Elementary School and talked with students about growing peanuts. The committee arranged farm tours, entered a float in the annual Christmas parade, provided funding for local livestock shows and sent volunteers into local elementary schools to read books about agriculture to students.

The DCFB Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee, chaired by Zach McLendon, received the 9th District Outstanding Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee Award.

The committee worked to provide funding for repairs to the greenhouse at Bainbridge Middle School and money for the Bainbridge High School FFA to support FFA activities. McLendon spoke to FFA and 4-H organizations about the importance of agriculture in the Decatur County community and the committee provided a gift basket from Long Farms for the FFA banquet.

The DCFB Legislative Committee, chaired by Bobby Barber, received the 9th District Outstanding Legislative Program Award.

Among its activities over the past two years, the committee planned a meet-and-greet with Gov. Brian Kemp and state Sen. Dean Burke in October 2019 at the Cloud Livestock Building. The event, which drew farmers from Decatur and surrounding counties, allowed farmers to talk with the governor about disaster relief funding for recovery from Hurricane Michael.

The GFB 9th District includes 14 counties in southwest Georgia.

Founded in 1937, Georgia Farm Bureau is the state’s largest general farm organization and has 158 county offices. Its volunteer members actively participate in local, state and national activities that promote agriculture awareness to their non-farming neighbors. GFB offers its members a wide variety of benefits, including insurance, but enrollment in member benefits is optional and not a requirement for membership.