Tifton, GA |

With more than 39,000 farms generating over $13 billion in annual revenue, agriculture is big business in Georgia—and behind many of those operations is a vital federal partner: the Farm Service Agency. Helping lead the way now is newly appointed State Executive Director Duncan Johnson Jr., who brings a fresh perspective rooted in business experience and a desire to support the people behind Georgia’s number one industry.

“I was drawn to this. I was actually asked to consider doing this job because of my business experience,” said Johnson. “Looking into all about agriculture, there’s just great people and an industry that needs help. It’s fun. It’s great people. And farmers are a good community to be a part of. I love being out in it.”

While he may not have grown up on a farm, Johnson says his background running a family business gives him a deep understanding of the pressures Georgia producers face—particularly when it comes to managing rising costs and navigating market uncertainty.

“I think not having grown up as a farmer and growing up in a generational family business, understanding the pressures that come with that… it’s a lot like farming,” Johnson explained. “Hopefully I can take that and translate that into doing a better job to serve our farmers. My long-term goal is to make sure that Georgia’s FSA is accessible to the farmers, is efficient, and does everything it can to help make farming fun and profitable.”

That focus is especially important now, as producers face record-high input costs, lagging commodity prices, and continued financial pressure.

“I think it’s always been important, but especially when times are tough,” Johnson said. “Being familiar with what’s there to help you stay sustainable and profitable is very important. FSA is very important for the farmers because it’s such a tough industry and it is so up and down. And the security of our farmers to make sure we can still go to the grocery store and have something to eat is so important.”

With nearly 90% of Georgia farms generating less than $50,000 in annual sales, Johnson says a renewed focus on small farms is a priority for both state and national leaders.

“The secretary and the president are working really, really hard to make sure that we take care of the farmers and the focus is on the small farmer, which we have a lot of here in Georgia,” said Johnson. “I’m excited to see what’s coming and what the administration is doing and putting out. I think it’s going to be great and a benefit to our small farmers.”

By: Damon Jones