Published on 10/10/12

Public meeting set to discuss Georgia Ag Tax Exemption Program

Sweeping changes were approved in last year’s House Bill 386 that exempt inputs used in agricultural production from Georgia sales tax collections. For certified producers or farmers this means most of the items they buy to use in agricultural production will be sales tax exempt beginning in 2013.

To help local producers prepare for these changes, the Wilkes County Cattlemen’s Association is hosting an informational meeting on Thursday, Oct. 18 beginning at 7 p.m. Representative Tom McCall, chairman of the House Ag Committee, will share his knowledge of the Georgia Agriculture Tax Exemption Program (GATE) and how the program will be implemented in 2013. The meeting will be held at the McGill-Woodruff Ag Center in Washington, Ga.

A couple of weeks ago, the Georgia Department of Agriculture released rules regarding the GATE program and will accept comment through Oct. 26. In order to qualify for these exemptions, agricultural producers will be required to obtain a certificate from the department.

An application has not yet been posted, and the consensus from most agricultural leaders is that the application should be available by mid-November. Producers should have four to six weeks to complete the application process and become certified in order to take advantage of the exemptions in January.

To learn more about how these exemptions can have a positive impact a producer’s bottom line, register for the class by calling the Wilkes County Extension Office at (706) 678-2332 by noon on Wednesday, Oct. 17. A meal will be provided, but a $5 contribution to the Wilkes County Cattlemen’s Association is required.

Experts/Sources:

Frank M. Watson

Farmers will soon pay less sales tax thanks to the Georgia Agriculture Tax Exemption Program.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

Download Image

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.

Georgia Simmons at the office of U.S. Sen. Warnock

CAES News

Georgia 4-H alum, CAES student spends semester serving at the nation's Capitol 12/03/24 Josie Smith, Cooper Hardy

Third-year University of Georgia student and Banks County 4-H alum Georgia Simmons has been in the center of the political action this fall with the Georgia 4-H Washington DC Intern Program. Simmons, an environmental resource science major in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, works in the office of U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock. As an intern on his staff, she interacts directly with policy experts and lawmakers, participating in the legislative process while earning a semester of credit hours.

CAES News

CAES releases 20 years of farm gate trends 08/19/24 Jordan Powers

For more than two decades, the Georgia Farm Gate Value Report has offered a comprehensive analysis of the county-level production value for commodities in Georgia’s No. 1 industry, agriculture. The reports provide essential data to farmers in the state’s 159 counties. Now the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is providing Georgia’s producers with a new tool, the Georgia Farm Gate Value 20-Year Trends.

Center pivot irrigation over south Georgia peanut field.

CAES News

Food and fiber production adds $18 billion to Georgia’s economy 05/02/24 Jordan Powers

According to figures from the newly released Georgia Farm Gate Value Report for 2022, food and fiber production from Georgia’s 159 counties contributes more than $18 billion to the economy statewide. The Georgia Farm Gate Value Report offers a comprehensive analysis of the county-level production value for Georgia commodities. The report is compiled and published by the University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.

web Capitol Day Group Photo on Oglethorpe Stairs

CAES News

4-H’ers see leadership in action during Georgia 4-H Day at the Capitol 02/28/24 Josie Smith

The gold dome of the Georgia Capitol was complemented with shades of green on Feb. 14 as 4-H youth and adult leaders joined elected officials for the largest Georgia 4-H Day at the Capitol on record. With nearly 700 in attendance, outstanding 4-H’ers from counties across the state gathered to engage with legislators, observe leadership in action and learn about the civic process.