We are excited to launch the South Georgia Insider Podcast. In each episode, we will chat with business and civic leaders and community influencers about what’s happening throughout South Georgia. You can subscribe through Apple Podcast and Spotify or listen at Buzzsprout.
We encourage you to subscribe and join us as we continue to highlight why South Georgia is a great place to live, work, and play.
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Agricultural Impact: Russ Goodman, right, blueberry farmer in Clinch County, and U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter |
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From the cotton sheets on your bed to the food you eat and the clothes you wear, the agriculture industry impacts everyone. A big job considering that the world’s population is anticipated to reach 9.8 billion by 2050—an increase of 2.2 billion people. The jump in population will create the need for farmers worldwide to increase food production by 70 percent.
As the demand for more food continues to rise, the number of farms operating in the U.S. are on the decline. In 1935, there were approximately 6.8 million farms scattered across the country; however, that number has fallen to about two million, with 96 percent designated as family farms.
The landscape of the family farm is changing. For many farmers, the financial picture resembles a doomsday scenario as farm debt reaches $416 billion. Adding to the bleak situation, last year, the number of Chapter 12 family farm bankruptcies increased by more than 20 percent.
In 2019, Georgia was ranked No. 3 (behind California and Wisconsin) with 41 family farms filing Chapter 12 bankruptcies, up from 26 from the previous year, according to the Georgia Farm Bureau.
With the closing of family farms, comes a sharp decline in direct farm jobs. The agriculture and food sector employs approximately 22 million full- and part-time workers (11 percent of U.S. employment). On a much smaller scale, direct on-farm jobs account for only 2.6 million workers, representing less than 2 percent of America’s workforce. READ MORE
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Gov. Brian P. Kemp named Tift County Development Authority President and CEO Brian Marlowe as the new Deputy Commissioner for Rural Georgia. In this role, Marlowe will lead the Governor's Rural Strike Team.
"It is my honor to name Brian Marlowe as the new Deputy Commissioner for Rural Georgia and leader of the Rural Strike Team," says Kemp. "With today's announcement, we are fulfilling another promise from the campaign trail to spur economic growth and opportunity in rural Georgia. With more than 20 years spent working in rural economic development, Brian's track record of locating new projects in his community, expanding existing industries, and generating opportunity in South Georgia speaks for itself. I have every confidence that by working with leaders in the General Assembly, the business community, our universities and technical colleges, state agencies, local developers, and the world-class team at GDEcD, Brian will help us move the needle for rural Georgia." READ MORE
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America's workforce is changing. The emergence of digitization and automation is rapidly altering the job skills needed today and in the future.
Identifying the required future skills was the focus of a recent employer needs assessment survey conducted by the Brooks, Colquitt, Grady, Mitchell, and Thomas Counties Joint Development Authority (JDA). Created in 1998 by the Georgia legislature, the JDA is tasked with identifying and solving economic challenges within the region.
The online survey represents the first step in the JDA's Regional Workforce Pipeline Development Project, partially funded through a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
The survey was designed to gather input that identifies future workforce skills needed for businesses within the region to remain competitive. As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted normal business operations, the need for a workforce assessment escalated.
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Andrea Schruijer, executive director, Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority, has been elected chair of the Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA). Schruijer was elected during the annual business meeting of the organization, as part of this year’s Virtual Annual Conference. She transitions from being the current first vice-chair to her new role in January 2021. READ MORE
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The Georgia Department of Economic Development announced that BandD Foods, a supplier of steak, beef, pork and chicken products, will invest $15 million in opening a food processing and packaging facility in Sumter County, bringing more than 100 jobs to Americus, Georgia. This facility will serve as the company’s eastern U.S. headquarters and marks the company’s first location outside of Idaho. READ MORE
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TLC Associates, an inbound and outbound call center, is opening a new facility at the Ted Baldwin Business and Technology Park, in Americus, Georgia. The center will serve as a centralized office for TLC’s other projects around the country and as a local call center.
The Industrial Drive building was already perfectly built as a call center with raised flooring, open and technology areas, and backup systems. Minimal renovations are underway for the company’s arrival. Rusty Warner, executive director of the Sumter County Development Authority, says, “TLC will create 1,000 new jobs, utilizing both the center and work-from-home models. They are an absolute fit for our community and our building. Meeting with the executives, I know they will do their utmost to benefit both their new employees and our community.” READ MORE
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Gov. Brian P. Kemp recently announced that family-owned and operated marine and powersports company Outdoor Network (ODN) will invest nearly $22 million in two projects in Albany, Georgia. The company’s new advanced manufacturing facility and expansion of their distribution center headquarters will deliver 92 jobs to Southwest Georgia. READ MORE
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TCSG Commissioner Greg Dozier is pictured with the 2020 TCSG Rick Perkins Winner Mike Day, and Wiregrass President Dr. Tina K. Anderson at the Coffee Campus. Pictured behind them are employees of Wiregrass campuses who were on hand for the announcement. |
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Mike Day, welding instructor at Wiregrass Tech, was recently named as the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) 2020 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year.
Day serves as the welding instructor on the Coffee Campus located in Douglas. His welding lab has grown so, that it is currently under construction adding more square footage to allow for more students. READ MORE
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