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
