About StarNews. (Carrollton, GA) 20??-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 14, 2024)
Page 4 January 14, 2024 StarNews www.starnewsgaonline.com AG COMMISSIONER HARPER from front page Many residents living in Carroll County may not be aware of Carroll County’s strong farming and agricul ture presence. Carroll County’s Agriculture Census identifies 867 farms that average 95 acres and generate a total farm gate value of $240 million. These, mostly family- Harper owned, farms generate $540 million in annual economic output with 4,000 employees. According to the Carroll County website, “Today, Carroll’s rural roots remain healthy as the county contin ues as an agricultural leader, boasting the largest cattle men’s association in the state and continuing as a major poultry producer.” One way Carroll County has maintained their farm land is the agricultural conservation easement. This is a voluntary, legally recorded permanent deed restriction that is placed on a specific property used for agricultural production. The goal of an agricultural conservation easement is to maintain agricultural land in active produc tion by removing the development pressures from the land. Such an easement prohibits practices which would damage or interfere with the agricultural use of the land as well as encouraging imple mentation of good quality conservation farm ing practices. Because the easement is a restric tion on the deed of the property, the easement remains in effect even when the land changes ownership, in perpetuity. It is funded 50% by the federal government, 25% by the county, and 25% by donation by the landowner. Commissioner Harper said, “Earlier this year, Fufeng Group, a Chinese company with deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party, attempted to build a wet com mill in North Dakota - 12 miles away from Grand Forks Air Force Base. In 2021, officials in Texas blocked a similarly concerning development when a Chinese billionaire with close ties to the CCP attempted to purchase 100,000 acres near McFaughlin Air Force Base. It’s clear that China’s end goal is to buy up U.S. farmland, control the nation’s food supply, and force us to be fully reliant on the Communist regime for our food production.” Commissioner Harper stated emphatically, “We cannot let this happen in Georgia. Our agriculture industry is the lifeblood of our state’s economy and a pillar of American food pro duction. We must act swiftly and decisively to protect our state’s number one industry and our farmland. Here at home, restricting or banning adversar ies from purchasing American farmland is the first step in fighting back, protecting our food supply, and keeping Georgia’s number one industry successful for generations to come.” Paula J. Burke of UGA Extension Agent for Carroll County reports that the 85,249 acres of its farmland produce a multitude of agricultural products. Carroll County ranks in the top 16 out of 159 counties in Georgia for Total Farm Gate Value. Poultry is the number one agricultural ven ture in Carroll County. There are currently 493 See SAVING GA FARMLAND page 13 Commissioner Harper stated emphatically, “We cannot let this happen in Georgia. Our agriculture industry is the lifeblood of our state’s economy and a pillar of American food production. We must act swiftly and decisively to protect our state’s number one industry and our farmland.” Whitley FORESTRY MULCHING 678-378-0683 Why Fentanyl Awareness Matters to Our Community By understanding what fentanyl is, recognizing the signs of abuse, and knowing what to do in an emergency, we can save lives. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that’s 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. With fentanyl, even a dose as small as a grain of sand can be lethal. Fentanyl is involved in more deaths than heroin, meth, cocaine, benzos, and RX drugs combined. Join us in making our community a safer, healthier place for all. For more resources and ways to get involved, visit www.FentanylStopsHere.com M H CARROLL COUNTY FENTANYL AWARENESS COALITION
