Georgia Farm Credit Associations Pledge $25,000 in Grants to UGA's AGL Program

(STATESBORO, GA: DECEMBER 2, 2019):  Pat Calhoun, CEO of AgSouth Farm Credit, announced today that the Farm Credit Associations of Georgia have partnered with the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences and the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources to help fund the Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry (AGL) Program.

Picture: Advancing Georgia's Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry, 2019

The Georgia Farm Credit Associations – comprised of AgSouth Farm Credit, AgGeorgia Farm Credit and Southwest Georgia Farm Credit – will invest $25,000 towards this program in the next five years. 

AGL trains individuals who are looking for a career in agribusiness or forestry to “become more effective spokespeople for their industries, helping them understand complex social and political systems and giving them insight into their personal leadership preferences and behaviors.” As part of the curriculum, participants travel across the state and to Washington D.C. to meet with key leaders and engage in dialogue about important issues and trends.

AgGeorgia Farm Credit CEO Jack Drew says that, “The Georgia Farm Credit Associations provide young farmer education within each of our associations and by partnering with others to provide and promote additional educational opportunities across ag-related industries important to Georgia’s economy. We are particularly excited to a part of the AGL program.”

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit CEO Paxton W. Poitevint adds that, “It’s vital to our country’s future that we educate upcoming generations about the necessity and intricacies of ag-related careers so that we can be assured America can and will continue to provide food, clothing and shelter not only for our country, but for the world in the decades to come.”

According to Dr. Lauren Ledbetter Griffith, University of Georgia Extension Leadership Specialist at the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences,” When agriculture is strong, the state of Georgia thrives. Investing in program leadership development in agriculture and forestry will provide meaningful returns for the health of our citizenry and the future of our industry. Each participant builds a network with their class members and over 100 expert speakers, conducts a leadership project, and travels to see innovations in everything from poultry to pine trees across the state of Georgia and to Washington D.C. The grant from the Farm Credit Associations of Georgia will ensure that our tuition rate remains reasonable for participants while we are able to still offer a high quality program for years to come. 

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