From the heart of rural Georgia to downtown Atlanta, the newest cohort of the Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry program at the University of Georgia has been chosen from a broad field of applicants. The 2025-26 cohort of 25 participants was selected from more than 90 nominations, 70 applications and 40 interviews for the innovative, 18-month leadership development program.

After completing 106 sessions, learning from 122 expert speakers and completing more than 220 hours of educational content over 18 months, 25 leaders in two of Georgia’s largest industries — agriculture and forestry — are prepared to lead their industries thanks to the Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry program. The 2022-24 cohort was selected from more than 90 nominations, 60 applications and 40 interviews for the program, which is offered by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Office of Learning and Organizational Development.

A dozen 4-H’ers from around Georgia were the first explorers to experience Georgia 4-H’s newest summer program — Natural Resources Exploration Camp — and learn about wildlife, forestry, fisheries and other natural resources from University of Georgia faculty.

They have been described as palm-sized, parachuting creatures with the potential to spread up the East Coast. Now dozens of webs are appearing in trees, on fences and in gardens around the Southeast, and social media and message boards are buzzing with Joro spider sightings. Discussions of eradication methods ranging from chemical sprays to “Joro sticks” are rampant. Joro season is here.

From fruit producers to financial professionals, the newest cohort of the Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry (AGL) program was chosen from a broad field of applicants to the innovative, 18-month leadership development program.

Twenty-five professionals representing agriculture, forestry and allied sectors graduated from the Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry Class of 2019-21 in November.

In September, 14 members of the 2021 class of Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry (AGL) had the opportunity to hone their skills in advocacy and communication by attending a national agriculture policy institute in Washington, D.C., where they engaged with a variety of stakeholders in agriculture and forestry.

When you look into your garden or backyard, be careful not to ignore your black walnut (Juglans nigra) tree. Lurking inside its leaves, fruits and roots is a pesticide made to control competition.

Georgia 4-H’ers participated in the 2022 State Forestry Field Day on Sept. 25 at the Henry Walker Tree Farm in Jacksonville, Georgia. The state contest consists of five stations: insect and disease identification, volume estimation, compass and pacing, tree identification, and site evaluation.