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Decatur County Farm Bureau (DCFB) was recognized for its outstanding member programs during the 84th Annual Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Convention held Dec. 5-7 on Jekyll Island. Justin Long is the DCFB president.

DCFB received the GFB McKemie Award in the organization’s medium membership division. The McKemie Award is the highest honor awarded to a county Farm Bureau in recognition of its overall efforts to promote agriculture in its local community and is a memorial to former GFB President W.J. McKemie.

“Decatur County Farm Bureau has gone above and beyond in the work it did this past year to promote agriculture in its community. It’s a pleasure to recognize the county for the hard work they have done,” said GFB President Tom McCall.

During the past two years, DCFB 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 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.

DCFB also supported the local FFA program by funding repairs to the greenhouse at Bainbridge Middle School and donating money for the Bainbridge High School FFA to support its activities. DCFB Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee Chairman Zach McLendon spoke to FFA and 4-H organizations about the importance of agriculture in Decatur County.

The county Farm Bureau also hosted a meet-and-greet with Gov. Brian Kemp and state Sen. Dean Burke in October 2019, which drew farmers from Decatur and surrounding counties, allowed farmers to talk with the governor about disaster relief funding for recovery from Hurricane Michael.

For winning the McKemie Award, DCFB received $1,500 to fund future county programs.