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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2010
FARM-CITY WEEK PROCLAMATION
East Jackson Elementary School principal Jennifer Halley, East Jackson
Comprehensive High School FFA member Amanda Murphy and Jackson County
Farm Bureau president Greg Pittman are shown at the local signing of a Farm-City
Week proclamation.
Farm-City Week recognized locally
JACKSON COUNTY Farm Bureau recognized
National Farm-City Week Nov. 19-25.
Farm-City Week celebrates the cooperative rela
tionship between farmers and their urban col
leagues who help process, market and retail the
food farmers grow to the American consumer. This
year marked the 55th anniversary of the annual cel
ebration. The theme for the event was ‘Agriculture:
A Growing Story.”
Kiwanis International began National Farm-City
Week in 1955 to increase the understanding of the
partnership between urban and rural residents. Farm
days at schools, farm tours, banquets and mayoral
proclamations are just a few of the observances that
will be held in communities across the country to
mark this annual event.
During the week, members of the East Jackson
Comprehensive High School FFA and Jackson
County Farm Bureau president Greg Pittman
opened doors for the morning car riders to celebrate
Farm-City Week connections. Principal Jennifer
Halley commemorated the day with a signing of a
Farm-City Week proclamation.
“Agriculture has always been important for the
obvious reasons of providing food, clothing and
shelter, but agriculture affects everyone’s life in
so many other ways by creating jobs, providing
habitat for wildlife and protecting green space,” said
Pittman. “Without farmers, Georgia can’t grow - its
food or economically.”
According to the University of Georgia Center
for Agribusiness and Economic Development
(CAED), food and fiber production and related
businesses represent the largest or second largest
segment of all goods and services produced in two-
thirds of Georgia’s counties.
“Georgia’s food and fiber industry includes more
than just the farmers who grow our food and fiber,”
Pittman said. “It also includes businesses that pro
cess, distribute and sell the food, paper and clothing
products made from the commodities grown on the
farm.”
Food and fiber production and directly related
processing directly and indirectly generated a total
economic impact of $65 billion for Georgia and
created more than 351,000 jobs in 2008, according
to the UGA CAED.
Last year, Georgia farmers led the nation in pro
ducing broilers, peanuts, pecans and watermelon,
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
statistics show. Georgia farmers placed second in
the production of fresh market cucumbers, spring
onions and rye. In 2009, the top 10 commodities
grown in Georgia were broilers, cotton, eggs, tim
ber, peanuts, horses, beef, greenhouse horticulture
products, dairy and container nursery plants.
Georgia farm and timber owners also provide
environmental benefits to the state by preserving
natural habitats for native plants and animals.
According to the Georgia Agricultural Statistics
Service, there are 49,000 farms in the state with an
average size of 218 acres. There are 10.7 million
acres of farmland in Georgia.
On average, Americans spend just 10 percent
of their disposable income on food, according to
the USDA Economic Research Service. In com
parison, French consumers spend 15 percent of
their disposable income on food while Chinese
consumers spend 26 percent, and Indonesian
consumers spend 51 percent of their disposable
income on food.
Each American spends just four cents per meal
for U.S. farm policy costs, which account for
slighdy less than one-half of one percent of the
total U.S. budget. The USDA budget funds food
and nutrition programs for the needy (the largest
portion of the USDA budget), food safety inspec
tions, conservation programs, research and risk
management programs.
USDA statistics show that farmers receive only
19 cents out of every dollar spent on food at home
and away from home. The rest of the food cost
covers wages and materials for food process
ing, marketing, transportation and distribution. In
1980, farmers received 31 cents of every dollar
spent on food.
Founded in 1937, Georgia Farm Bureau is the
state’s largest general farm organization. Its volun
teer members actively participate in local, district
and state activities that promote agriculture aware
ness to their non-farming neighbors. GFB also has
20 commodity advisory committees that give the
organization input on issues pertinent to the major
commodities grown in Georgia.
County teacher to be honored at nation’s capitol
Rachael Parr to travel to Washingon, D.C., next week
RACHAEL PARR, a former science teacher
at East Jackson Middle School and a current
instructional coach at Kings Bridge Middle
School, will travel to Washington, D.C., next
week to be recognized as a 2010 winner
of the Presidential Awards for Excellence
in Mathematics and Science Teaching
(PAEMST).
Parr was nominated for the award while
teaching at EJMS and was one of three final
ists chosen at the state level. Selected as a
national winner, she and other science and
math teachers from across the nation will
participate in a program in Washington, D.C.,
Tuesday through Friday, Dec. 14-17.
Included on the agenda are professional
development sessions, informal discussions
with National Science Foundation staff, an
awards ceremony, a tour of the White House,
discussion with President Barrack Obama’s
administration, a capitol tour and possible
meetings with Congressmen.
Parr will travel with her parents, her son,
Charlie, and a colleague, Tiffany Barnett.
She will be recognized at the state level in
January and February.
Teacher retirement reception set for Bernice Davis
A RETIREMENT reception will be held
from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, at Talmo
Baptist Church for Bernice Davis.
Davis is a teacher at North Jackson
Elementary School and has been in education
for 27 years.
The church is located at 475 Main Street,
Talmo.
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COMPANIES COLLECT FOOD FOR NON-PROFIT GROUP
Associates of JM Family Enterprises, Inc. and subsidiary Southeast Toyota
Distributors, LLC, Commerce, recently collected 3,228 pounds of food and donated
$1,000 to the Banks Jackson County Emergency Food Bank, a non-profit group
that partners with approximately 245 agencies to distribute food in 14 counties in
Northeast Georgia. The effort was part of JM Family’s second annual “Fall Fill-Up”
food drive, which collected more than 34,000 pounds of food and raised more than
$29,500 for 10 non-profit groups in North America. Chris Perschall and Dawn Ferry
are shown with some of the locally-donated food items.
PRESENTS CHECK TO FOOD BANK
Woodmen of the World Jefferson Lodge Number 1344 recently presented a $250
check to the Banks-Jackson Emergency Food Bank. Shown are Christa Shumake,
director of the food bank accepting the check from Mack Blankenship, president
of the local Woodmen of the World Lodge.
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PRESENTS FLAG
Members of the Jefferson Woodmen of the World Lodge Number 1344 recently
presented an American flag to the Jackson County Senior Center. Shown (L-R)
are: Neil Reems, field representative; Dot Hunt, secretary; Eleanor Blankenship,
trustee; Shirley Smith, director of the senior center; and Mack Blankenship, presi
dent of Lodge Number 1344.
Christmas party planned at Maysville library
A CHRISTMAS party will be held at the
Maysville Public Library from 5-7 p.m.
Thursday, Dec .9.
“Come join us for a Christmas story, free
pictures with Santa, a craft and refreshments,”
organizers state.
The event at the library is free and open to
the public.
Live nativity and luminaries set for Dec. 18
THE ANNUAL Booger
Hill - Moon’s Grove Live
Nativity and Luminaria event
will be held Saturday, Dec.
18, from 6 to 8 p.m.
The nativity will be held at
the home of Tripp Strickland,
978 Booger Hill Road
(approximately one mile
from Hwy. 29) in Madison
County. Luminaries will be
featured at homes through
out the drive along Booger
Hill Road and Moon’s Grove
Church Road. The recom
mended route is to turn onto
Booger Hill Road at Hwy. 29
and follow the road to make
a left onto Moon’s Grove
Church Road back to Hwy.
29.
Kids Eat Free
Every Monday
1 Child Per Adult
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