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"The last daylight through the pines as we were checking on cotton just after it was planted last June. A reminder of the peaceful, joyful moments in our very challenging first year of farming." Photo by: Mary Catherine Gaston Location: Friendship Community, Sumter County, Georgia Submit your favorite rural Georgia shots with us on Facebook, and yours just might end up featured here as our photo of the week!

Today's post by Rural Center Interim Director Dr. David Bridges sets the stage for the 2019 legislative session, which began today in Atlanta. Dr. Bridges urges rural people to follow developments in the General Assembly throughout the session and contact state leaders with your thoughts on proposed rural initiatives. This piece was distributed statewide to media outlets Monday, Jan. 14. Aside from my parents, the single greatest influence on who I am and what I’ve been able to accomplish is this: I am from rural Georgia. I realize that I am fortunate to have been brought up where and how I was brought up, and my roots are still firmly planted in the red dirt of Terrell County, just as they have been for the past six decades. That is why I consider it a tremendous honor and responsibility to lead the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation, or as our team calls it, Georgia’s Rural Center. It is also the reason why I am reaching out to all rural Georgians to join the Center, rural legislators and me in making this a historic year for rural people and the places they call home. Hard work by Speaker Ralston, the Rural Development Council, the Georgia House of Representatives, the Georgia Senate and Governor Deal led to passage of HB951 during the last session. In addition to re-creating the Rural Development Council, the bill established Georgia’s Rural Center and tasked it with facilitating innovation and economic development in rural Georgia. The Center exists to reconnect rural and urban Georgia and reinvigorate once-vibrant places by re-creating proven, innovative business models and investing our state’s most valuable resource—human capital—where it’s needed most. As the 2019 legislative session begins this week in Atlanta, Governor Kemp and rural legislators have pledged to work on behalf of rural Georgians. The staff of Georgia’s Rural Center and I are ready to tackle the challenges that face the people of Georgia’s small towns and rural communities. I urge you to join our team. If you’ve spent a lifetime in rural Georgia like me, you have undoubtedly noticed how the place you call home has changed over the past few decades. While I hope all Georgians share my pride in and appreciation of the economic upsurge our urban areas have enjoyed during this time, we are wise to recognize the geographical extent of that success. Outside the state’s largest cities, the scene is a stark contrast. Georgia's rural areas are faced with challenges distinct from other regions of this state: population loss, inadequate access to health care, disintegrating infrastructure, diminished opportunity for quality education, scarcity of employment opportunities, overall absence of economic growth, and sometimes, lack of cultural amenities. Rural Center staff participated in all of the House Rural Development Council listening sessions across the state. We joined other rural leaders in sharing—not just about the challenges we see facing rural Georgia, but also potential solutions to those challenges. As a result of these gatherings, the HRDC drafted a set of recommendations that will guide their efforts during the 2019 legislative session. Released in mid-December, the recommendations focus primarily on economic development, rural infrastructure and health care needs and reflect some of the most pressing obstacles to rural prosperity and innovation. We anticipate that elected officials will work swiftly and precisely on the recommendations. Never in my recollection has there been such widely held support for rural people and places as there is in Georgia’s Capitol right now—from both political parties and a broad range of public officials. The time to make specific, meaningful and positive change for rural Georgia is now. I encourage you to play your part by reading the HRDC’s legislative recommendations here and keeping up with what is happening throughout the session on our Facebook page and blog. I urge you to contact your state representatives, Lt. Gov. Duncan and Gov. Kemp and share with them your thoughts on rural issues and the efforts being made by our elected officials. As a proud product of rural Georgia, I am certain that with the right approach, we will not only rediscover the power and potential of the state’s less populated areas, but also redefine what it means to be rural in this state. It is time to reinvest in small towns and rural communities, and there’s no better opportunity than while lawmakers are in Atlanta over the next few months. I hope you will join us in this vital work today. David Bridges Interim Director, Georgia’s Rural Center President, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

"The cares of the world melt away when you can end the day fishing in a pond on your family farm that has been in the family for nearly 100 years in Southwest Georgia." Photo by: Deidre Martin Location: Colquitt County, Georgia Submit your favorite rural Georgia shots with us on Facebook, and yours just might end up featured here as our photo of the week!

Dr. David Bridges, right, with his son, Rees, on the family's farm in Terrell County. Dr. David Bridges is the center's interim director. Raised on a farm in southwest Georgia’s Terrell County, Dr. Bridges’ understanding of and concern for the state’s small towns and rural communities were a driving force behind the center’s establishment. Dr. Bridges has served as president of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton since 2006. Prior to his tenure at ABAC, he led the University of Georgia’s Tifton campus as assistant dean of UGA’s College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Dr. Bridges is a highly respected agriculturist who spent the first 18 years of his career in the classroom as a faculty member first at Texas A&M University, where he earned his Ph.D., and subsequently at UGA. He holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Auburn University as well as an associate’s degree from ABAC. He and his wife, Kim, have two grown children and two grandchildren. What is one item that's produced in rural Georgia that you would not want to live without? "Musicians!! And this is just a partial list of all the greats: Otis Redding - Dawson Chuck Leavell - born in Alabama but lives in Georgia Trisha Yearwood - Monticello Luke Bryan - Leesburg Philip Philips - Leesburg Sam Hunt - Cedartown Cole Swindell - Bronwood Fletcher Henderson - Cuthbert Kimberly Shlapman - Cornelia Jennifer Nettles - Douglas Zac Brown - Dahlonega Kip Moore - Tifton Blind Tom Wiggins - Harris County Boudleaux Bryant - Shellman"

By Mary Catherine Gaston There are a few things that make Brice Bonds stand out from the crowd. For starters, he was born with cerebral palsy, so he gets around a little differently than most folks. Second, he is one third of a set of triplets—not something you come across every day. Maybe most astonishingly, he is a hard-working, well-spoken, high-achieving Millennial who plans to use his college education and work experience to land a great job…in rural Georgia. Growing up in Swainsboro, population 7,486, Brice was frequently encouraged to do his best so that one day, he could move on to some place bigger—meaning better. The logic seemed solid to the small-town kid and son of educators who saw the law of supply and demand at work in his neck of the woods when it came to long-term plans: Plenty of good people, not enough “good” jobs to go around. What seemed like a one-way trajectory out of town came to a screeching halt when the life-long Georgia Bulldog fan set foot on the campus of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton. The product of a 1A public school, Brice graduated in a class of just 80 students. ABAC felt like home, and he decided to give it a try. “I got there and loved it,” he says. In fact, he loved it so much and got involved in so many activities on campus, he changed his plans again. Instead of the two-year degree he had initially set his sites on, Brice decided to stay twice as long and earn a bachelor’s. He will leave ABAC with a double major in diversified agriculture and agribusiness, but that’s not all. Through the school’s required internship program, he has also gained a greater appreciation for all that rural Georgia has to offer bright young people like himself. “A lot of folks are encouraging kids to get out of the rural areas, but I’ve been all over rural Georgia this summer, and I have friends in rural communities all over this country,” he says. “Agriculture is a booming industry, and that doesn’t just mean farming. There are so many opportunities in rural places that people don’t even realize, and internships expose young people to those opportunities.” Internships like the one Brice completed with Lasseter Equipment Company in Tifton do more than just expose young people to the reality that there is something for them if they choose rural. Seeing capable, enthusiastic young people like Brice make the choice to “come home” to Georgia’s small towns and rural communities renews energy and hope in those places. Brice has seen it happen firsthand, and he has something to say about the future of “forgotten” Georgia. “Young people need to be encouraged more—to be shown the opportunities that exist in rural places,” he says. On the campus of every Georgia high school, college and university are countless young people like Brice who look forward to building careers and raising families in small towns and rural communities. Georgia’s Rural Center exists to help make their dreams a reality by repositioning the state’s rural places to once again thrive both economically and culturally. One way we will make that happen is by investing the most valuable capital there is—human capital—through internships and special projects and watching our investment grow. Every Georgian holds stock in the future of this great state, so each one of us stands to gain. It’s time to get down to business.

Bridgett Mobley serves the center as logistics and operations manager. Mobley is a native of Tifton, Georgia, where the Rural Center is located on the campus of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, and serves as the center’s logistics and operations manager. Mobley began her undergraduate studies at ABAC before completing her bachelor’s degree in speech communications at Valdosta State University. She worked as a career services specialist at Moultrie Technical College for five years before joining the ABAC staff as the internship and job placement coordinator for the Stafford School of Business. In addition to her work with the center, Mobley is an active leader with the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce, which she has served as a member of the board of directors, community development chairman and leader of the Business Education Workforce Development Committee. She and her husband, Marty, have two children. What is one item that's produced in rural Georgia that you would not want to live without? "Fresh produce is my favorite product of rural Georgia. I love that there is a produce stand on every other corner in rural Georgia during the summers."

Mary Catherine Gaston is a communication specialist for the center. Her main responsibilities are writing for web and print and media relations. Gaston holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Auburn University and a master’s in urban and regional planning from Virginia Tech. From her experiences growing up in a small town in south Alabama, Gaston gained a deep appreciation for rural people and communities. Prior to joining the Rural Center, Gaston was part of the communication and marketing team for Auburn University’s College of Agriculture, where she served as social media manager as well as a writer and editor for the college’s award-winning magazine, The Season. She also has nearly a decade’s experience working in rural local governments in south Alabama and northern Virginia. Gaston and her husband, Wes, live in the Concord community in Sumter County, where they are raising two girls, row crops, timber and cattle on ground the Gaston family has farmed for the past century. What is one item that's produced in rural Georgia that you would not want to live without? "Georgia pines. The number of everyday products that are made using Georgia timber is absolutely mind-boggling. Our family's timber is an investment that future generations will reap the benefits of as well." Photo by Adrian Myrick

Scott Blount, center, is pictured here with Dr. David Bridges, center director, and leaders of the Georgia House of Representatives Rural Development Council. Scott Blount serves the center as associate director. Blount is a native of Waycross, Georgia, and a graduate of the University of Georgia, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics. Prior to beginning his role as associate director of the Rural Center, Blount also completed a master’s degree at Valdosta State University while serving Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College as director of special projects. Blount spent 11 years as the senior budget and policy analyst for the Georgia House of Representatives before joining the ABAC team. In that role, he oversaw the state’s higher education budgets. Drawing on his experience in state government, and after researching other states’ rural centers extensively, Blount, along with Dr. David Bridges, developed the initial concept that would be used to draft House Bill 951 and establish Georgia’s Rural Center. What is one item that's produced in rural Georgia that you would not want to live without? "Might be an obvious one, but this time of year, the pecans for pecan pie are close to my heart!"

Jessica Akins is a communication specialist for the center. Her main responsibilities are managing social media and writing for the blog. Akins grew up on her family’s grain and beef cattle operation in rural Radnor, Ohio, and is part of the fourth generation to participate in the farm’s management. She spent much of her youth showing steers and heifers throughout the U.S. at various national livestock events. During her years of showing, she served as the American Chianina Association’s national queen and vice president of the American Junior Chianina Association. She holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural sales and marketing and agricultural communication from Purdue University as well as a master’s in agricultural education and communication from the University of Florida. Akins has worked with livestock breeders to enhance their brand awareness and communication efforts as a freelance communication consultant. She and her husband, Chandler, live in and experience rural Georgia every day, where he farms full-time with his family. In addition to her work with the Rural Center, Akins is a faculty member in agricultural communication at ABAC. What is one item that's produced in rural Georgia that you would not want to live without? "Cotton! Growing up with corn and soybeans in the fields at harvest time in the Midwest, it was always brown tones. In Georgia, the cotton is so beautiful in the fields with the white bolls. It also produces stylish, comfortable clothes and warm blankets." Photo by Lindsay Colson, Captured by Colson, Valdosta, Georgia

By Loren Lindler Georgia’s Rural Center was proud to host the 2018 Ag Summit in Macon, Georgia, at Middle Georgia State University November 26. Agricultural and education leaders from throughout the state gathered to discuss the future of Georgia's largest industry, agriculture. Guest speakers included Gary Black, Georgia commissioner of agriculture; Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau president; Kristi Sproul, AgCareers.com; and Dr. Marcos Fernandez, associate dean and director of academic programs at Purdue University. Black was eager to welcome guests and share, “we all have a big passion for this blessed industry that we are able to work in and love.” The Ag Summit provided an opportunity to gather and talk about the future generation and how attendees can help them prepare for a future career in the industry. Fernandez talked about how the career opportunities are continuously growing and graduates have endless possibilities for success. Duvall proudly shared his thoughts on Georgia agriculture and how our state is working to prepare for the future. “I truly believe that we can be the bread basket of this country, and its going to take leadership from great people like you," Duvall said. "We have great institutions like ABAC, University of Georgia, and Fort Valley State – great institutions that are trying to prepare young people for our industry. That is something that I don’t really see a lot of across this country. I see some strong holds, but not widespread like I see here in our state.” As the day wrapped up, attendees broke into small groups to brainstorm how to better prepare the younger generation to lead the industry. Groups talked about a variety of topics including so-called "hard" and "soft" skills, and being involved in extracurricular activities. But above all, they determined that to be successful, the ag community in Georgia need to find common ground. We look forward to seeing where this Ag Summit leads and how Georgia cultivates the next generation of agriculturists. This post was written and submitted by Loren Lindler, an Ag Summit attendee and agricultural communication student at ABAC. American Farm Bureau President and Georgia native Zippy Duvall speaks to state agriculture and education leaders at the 2018 Ag Summit Nov. 26 in Macon. Photo: Matt Reid, ABAC

By Mary Catherine Gaston On a steamy morning in early August 1938, power arrived in Sumter County in Georgia’s sandy southwestern corner. Electric power, that is. The first current that hummed through 72 miles of steel cable and into 161 farmhouses, filling stations, churches and schools transformed life in the quiet countryside. Electricity shed light on rural Georgia—simultaneously multiplying daylight and dividing the hours spent at mundane but mandatory tasks. That power brought freedom, hope and relief during the dark days of the Great Depression. The first REA pole installed in Seminole County in Georgia’s southwestern corner. Courtesy: Vanishing Georgia, Georgia Archives, Morrow, Georgia. Eight decades later, much has changed in rural Georgia. While a handful of vibrant communities set shining examples of all that exurban life can be, many places that buzzed back then have vanished entirely. The remains of others stand silently in red brick rows, reminders of main streets that once crawled with life, slowing traffic on the backroads that give form to Georgia’s rural fringes. Just as electricity was slow to make its way to the countryside, so the recent economic upsurge that has reenergized the state’s urban center has remained largely confined to that core. Rural Georgia is once again at a historical—if not metaphorical—crossroads. Faced with dwindling populations and seemingly insurmountable social problems, communities across the state find themselves in the midst of another dark time. But as the residents of small towns and quiet communities once pooled their resources to bring power to the margins of the state, Georgia’s Rural Center exists to provide rural leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators with the tools they need to extend new power lines into almost-forgotten places. It’s time to turn the lights on again in rural Georgia.