CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 05/15/08

South Georgia vegetable farmer honored by CAES

By Brad Haire
University of Georgia

For his dedicated leadership to Georgia agriculture, Bill Brim, president of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, was given the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Medallion of Honor for Service at UGA graduation ceremonies in Athens, Ga., May 10.

“Bill Brim represents the best of Georgia agriculture,” said J. Scott Angle, CAES dean and director. “He has been a strong force in keeping agriculture as Georgia’s No. 1 industry. We in CAES are proud to have him as a valued friend.”

“If we don’t stand up and fight for and organize our industry,” Brim said, “then who is going do it for us. ... If we can help or do something to find research money or support in Washington or locally to improve our industry, we must do it.”

Brim, 56, was born in Pelham, Ga. He graduated Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Ga., in 1973 and began a career in agribusiness, working for several firms. In 1985, Brim returned to Tifton and with partner Ed Walker purchased Lewis Taylor Farms, a vegetable plant company founded in 1951. Over the next five years, Brim transformed the farm into a diversified transplant and vegetable production operation.

The farm currently produces more than 85 million vegetable transplants and 15 million pine seedlings annually. It has more than 4,000 acres in production.

In 1998, when the shortage of farm labor intensified across the country, Brim was one of the first in Georgia to organize a farm labor association and to use the highly regulated federal government’s temporary workers H2A program to make sure he had enough workers to run his farm legally.

In 2002, the farm was the first in Georgia to become Good Agriculture Practice certified, a U.S. Department of Agriculture program that verifies that the practices on the farm minimize microbial contamination.

Brim has made numerous presentations at congressional hearings and hosted many legislative visits to south Georgia. He has served as leader or advisor for state or national agricultural boards and organizations, including the CAES and to the U.S. secretary of agriculture.

“Bill is an outstanding agriculturist and an innovator trying those new things and technologies to stay on the leading edge. In doing this, he sets standards and leads by example for others in the industry,” said Joe West, the CAES assistant dean of the UGA Tifton, Ga., campus.

Brad Haire is the former news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Experts/Sources:
Bill Brim
Joe West
J. Scott Angle
After a hearty climb, Connect Abroad Italy students pose in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. (Photo by Angel Bhardwaj) CAES News
UGA ranks as leading doctoral institution for study abroad 12/20/24 Angel Bhardwaj
The University of Georgia remains among the top 10 U.S. universities for study abroad participation, according to the 2024 Open Doors Report released by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of State. UGA boasts the highest study abroad participation to enrollment ratio of the top 7 ranked doctoral institutions, earning the No. 7 spot in overall participation and No. 3 in short-term study abroad programs.
HurricaneHeleneGreenhouseDamageCropped CAES News
UGA Extension supports resilience in Georgia farm communities after Hurricane Helene 12/19/24 Emily Cabrera
Hurricane Helene wrought sweeping devastation across Georgia’s agricultural sector in late September, leaving an indelible mark on both the land and the people who tend it, bringing focus to vulnerabilities in Georgia’s farming industry and the need for more robust safety nets. In addition to the physical destruction, the hurricane took an emotional toll on Georgia’s farmers. In response, UGA Extension has prioritized mental health support.
From left, CAES Associate Professor Abigail Borron and Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars Mihai Suteu, Daniyar Memedemin, Alina Zaharia, Andreea Ona and Daniel Chiciudean stand in front of an image of the Romanian flag projected onto a barn at UGArden. CAES News
Fulbright Scholars unite with UGA Extension to envision ag outreach model in Romania 12/18/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Arriving on the Athens campus of the University of Georgia in August 2023, five Romanian scholars experienced the same anticipation, excitement and apprehension as many first-year students.  Chosen as Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars, each serves on the faculty at one of three Romanian universities, specializing in fields from economics and engineering to plant breeding and biotechnology. The five scholars comprised the first cohort of the Romanian Extension Education Development Program, an ambitious three-year pilot effort to facilitate planning and implementation of extension services in Romania. 
Janiver in sunflower field AI web CAES News
A larger-than-life legacy: CAES student’s contagious enthusiasm inspired others 12/17/24 Jordan Powers
When Miriam Edelkind-Vealey applied for a summer role at a University of Georgia pollinator biodiversity lab in 2020, the junior undergrad didn’t quite know what to expect. After being told she got the position, Edelkind-Vealy didn’t hear anything for a few weeks. It was only then that she learned a collaborator on the project, second-year master’s degree student Amy Joy Janvier, had passed away.
In developing markets where making staple foods is a daily task and warmer climates where food spoilage is common, foods that have more longevity and are easily preserved can enhance economic opportunities by reducing food preparation tasks and lower environmental impact. CAES News
CAES researchers look to reduce food waste by extending shelf life 12/16/24 Lillian Sosbee
“Use by,” “Sell by” and “Best by” dates on food packaging can be helpful indicators of how long a consumer can store a food item before eating, but often these dates lead to high quantities of wasted food. About one-fifth of food produced for human consumption is discarded before it can be eaten, equating to 1 billion meals a day and contributing to global food insecurity.
Recognizing the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UGA graduates CAES News
UGA celebrates 15 years of Bulldog 100 12/13/24 Rachael Andrews
The University of Georgia Alumni Association released the 2025 Bulldog 100, a list of the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UGA graduates. The program, organized by the Division of Development & Alumni Relations, celebrates 15 years of honoring alumni and their entrepreneurial endeavors. Among this year’s class, businesses are headquartered in a total of eight states, with 87 of the businesses located in Georgia. In total, 142 alumni representing over two dozen industries are being recognized as a part of this year’s list.