CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 10/21/10

Georgia farmer picked best in Southeast

By Brad Haire

The 33rd annual Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition kicked off Oct. 19 in Moultrie, Ga., where visitors could learn everything agriculture and a Georgia man walked away as the Southeast’s top farmer.

Each year, the three-day event draws more than 100,000 people who peruse the wares of more than 1,200 vendors, from leather belts to satellite-guided tractors. Several southeastern universities also showcased themselves, including the University of Georgia, which highlighted its world-famous turfgrass research program. UGA faculty also provided free educational sessions throughout the expo.

"For three days each year the expo really is the one-stop place for all that is agriculture," said Joe West, an assistant dean with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. "We conduct dozens of seminars across the expo grounds, from the fields to the barns, and we get to tell the thousands of young people that come through our building here about the academic opportunities we have for them. The interaction with so many people -- not just from Georgia or the Southeast but from all over the world -- is the real benefit expo offers."

Grady White, a pharmacist from Albany, Ga., 50 miles north of Moultrie, made his first trip to the expo this year.

“I’ve always wanted to go. I grew up on a farm, and I wanted to see it. It’s one of the things I’ve thought about going to for a long time. The equipment and stuff has changed so dramatically since I was on the farm,” White said.

Georgia Vidalia Onion grower Robert Dasher won the 21st annual Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award, announced each year during a first-day luncheon. Each year, 10 southeastern states each send a farmer to compete for the title.

In addition to onions, the Glenville farmer raises cattle and grows corn, soybeans, peanuts, cotton, wheat, rye, pecans and hay on his 4,800-acre farm. As the farmer of the year, he gets $15,000 from Swisher International and the use of a tractor of his choice for a year from Massey Ferguson, plus gift certificates from several companies.

Georgia has had two other overall winners: James Lee Adams of Camilla (2000) and Armond Morris of Ocilla (2002).

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

Authors:
Brad Haire
Experts/Sources:
Joe W. West
A visitor at the 33rd annual Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition Oct. 19 takes a putt at the University of Georgia building, where the university highlighted its world-famous turfgrass research program. Most southeastern golf courses and many football fields are planted in a turf developed by UGA. Jean Bertrand, UGA CAES assistant dean for academic affairs, competes in a milking contest at the 33rd annual Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition Oct. 19. She won, beating deans from other southeastern universities and colleges. Visitors pour into the University of Georgia building at the 33rd annual Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition Oct. 19. Georgia Vidalia Onion grower Robert Dasher (center) won the 21st annual Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award, announced each year at the Sunbelt Expo. Each year, 10 southeastern states each send a farmer to compete for the title.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
Helenedamage web CAES News
Hurricane Helene: Preliminary damage assessment on Georgia agriculture and forestry industry 10/10/24 Claire S. Kinnard, Matthew Agvent
Today, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, in coordination with Governor Brian P. Kemp, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and the Georgia Forestry Commission, announced the preliminary estimate of Hurricane Helene’s economic impact on Georgia agriculture is $6.46 billion. This figure represents the sum of direct crop losses, losses to businesses that support agriculture and forestry, losses to workers in those related industries, and estimated recovery and restoration costs that agricultural businesses will face.
Coastal Acres CAES News
AgrAbility program offers a Georgia farm family a new path forward 07/03/24 Jordan Powers
When a half-ton bale of hay fell off a wagon in 2019, striking the back of Donald Adams’ head, the future of his family farm fell into immediate uncertainty. More than 200 head of cattle are worked on the land at Coastal Acres, a Dearing, Georgia, operation that involves intense manual labor. “Donald sustained a C5-C6 spinal cord injury and was paralyzed from the neck down,” said Laura Adams, Adams’ wife and co-owner of Coastal Acres.
Brian Schwartz at UGA-Tifton CAES News
New ‘Tif3D’ turfgrass promises superior putting-green performance 05/30/24 Emily Cabrera
After nearly a decade of research trials, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences turfgrass breeder Brian Schwartz and a dedicated team of colleagues and industry partners released a cutting-edge bermudagrass variety called ‘Tif3D’ earlier this year. ‘Tif3D’ is a specialty grass developed specifically for putting greens and boasts the unparalleled performance and playability putting greens require, said Schwartz, a professor in the CAES Department of Crop and Soil Sciences.
A field of corn at sunset. CAES News
UGA Extension protects family farms and sensitive species 04/04/24 Emily Cabrera
Stanley Culpepper has dedicated the length of his career to supporting farmers in their mission to feed and clothe the world. For the past 25 years, Culpepper has been a weed science specialist for University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and a College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences faculty member. Recently his job has become increasingly complex as mounting challenges around the availability of pesticides — primarily herbicides — have taken center stage in agricultural production.
GaCapitol CAES News
Across the Southern border: The future of the H-2A visa program in Georgia 01/17/24 Emily Cabrera
As an essential part of the U.S. agricultural industry, the H-2A program offers a lifeline for farmers facing seasonal labor shortages. The program enables them to hire migrant workers on a temporary basis when attempts to hire domestic workers are unsuccessful. Yet, as the agricultural sector navigates the delicate balance between productivity and financial viability, the high costs associated with the H-2A program present a very real and present challenge for farmers striving to sustain their operations.
SilverleafWhitefly CAES News
CAES researchers secure $4 million to tackle silverleaf whitefly problem 01/11/24 Emily Cabrera
A multidisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences recently renewed a $4 million contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service to build upon their previous work to develop targeted interventions to mitigate the impact of silverleaf whiteflies on vegetable production in the Southeast. UGA entomologist Allen Moore leads the research team in collaboration with USDA ARS in Charleston, South Carolina.