Perry, GA |

It was a different kind of showdown at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry, where lawmakers traded their suits for show sticks in the annual Legislative Livestock Showdown—an event that brings Georgia’s legislative and agricultural communities together for a day of education and fun in the show ring.

“The Legislative Livestock Showdown is an awesome opportunity for us as a department, and also as an ag industry, to bring in individuals that might not have participated in agriculture or FFA or 4-H growing up,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper. “We bring them to the fair and show them what agriculture truly means—the passion that our young men and women have, our 4-H and FFA kids, about agriculture and their livestock projects, and the role the livestock industry plays in the state of Georgia.”

Among the lawmakers in the ring this year was Representative Bethany Ballard, who despite growing up around cattle, had never shown them herself—until now.

“This was the most fun that I have had since I have been in the legislature. It was the best day,” Ballard said. “I’m so thankful for Stella from Perry High School, who was my coach today. Everything that happened was not her fault—she was the winner. She did a great job coaching me. I’m sure I just didn’t do a good enough job. But it was so much fun. I’m so excited to have done this because I’ve been so jealous of all the other people who got chosen the past few years. So I would love to do this every single year.”

Ballard says being in the ring gave her an even greater appreciation for the kids who spend months preparing their animals for competition.

“It just makes me appreciate what all of these kids do. They work so hard. They get way more than the hour of training that I got,” she said. “They work on their animal all year long, they put in so much effort. It teaches them a marvelous work ethic. And even if they don’t want to be a farmer in their grown-up life, whatever job they go into, they will have the best work ethic, and any boss would be lucky to have them.”

That’s exactly the goal of the event, according to Representative Robert Dickey, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.

“The objective is just to make our colleagues aware of the great facility we have here in Perry and what they do here for our young people showing animals,” Dickey said. “Whether it’s steers like today or sows, pigs, and sheep, it’s just a great program for our young people in this state. And that’s what we were trying to highlight—the importance of this facility to ag education in our state.”

For Harper, it’s not only about the fun, but the opportunity to foster understanding with lawmakers who vote on issues affecting Georgia farmers every day.

“Not only is it fun, not only is it exciting, not only do we have fun with it and it’s a competition between the House and the Senate, but more importantly, it’s another way that we tell our story about agriculture,” Harper said. “Put it in front of those individuals that are making those decisions under the Gold Dome, so when we have those conversations with them, they can relate in a way that they haven’t been able to before.”

By: John Holcomb