Tag Archives: agricultural education

Rooted in Family, Rising in Leadership: Kylie Sizemore Wins GFB Discussion Meet

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Carnesville, GA |

Before the spotlight. Before the pressure of judges’ questions. There was simply home.

For Kylie Sizemore, that home was a family farm where agriculture wasn’t just a topic of conversation—it was a way of life. From an early age, she was surrounded by the rhythms and values of rural living: hard work, patience, and responsibility. And guiding her through it all was a strong support system of family members who saw her potential long before she stepped into any arena.

“I would say that my dad probably encouraged me the most when it came to agriculture and encouraging me to get involved in FFA,” Kylie said. “My older sister showed pigs, so of course I wanted to be like her and I wanted to show pigs, and that was really my start—showing pigs in 4-H. Then once I went to middle school, I showed pigs in FFA and became more involved doing leadership development events, LDEs, and career development events, CDEs. And that really is where I got my start in agriculture.”

That start paved the way for Kylie to compete in—and win—the 2025 Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Discussion Meet, a competition that rewards not confrontation, but collaboration. But her journey to the state title was years in the making, and her family played a central role in every step.

“My family’s always encouraged me to be actively involved and just shoot for a hundred percent no matter what I’m doing,” she said. “I can remember in sixth grade I wanted to do meat judging in FFA and I started it and I didn’t like it, but my mom and dad were like, you can’t quit. Even with Discussion Meet and being involved in Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers, and the women’s committee here in my local Franklin County Farm Bureau chapter—it’s my family that has encouraged me to do more and be the best that I can be.”

That encouragement followed her all the way to this year’s state convention in Jekyll Island, where she decided to give the Discussion Meet another shot after taking a break for a few years.

“I love being a part of active conversation and I love getting to meet and mingle with new people,” she said. “I hadn’t been [to convention] the past couple years, and Discussion Meet is a great thing to do while I’m there. So I was just ready to get into it again.”

And while the competition may be solo on paper, Kylie is quick to point out it was very much a team effort—especially with her husband Willie by her side. A former Discussion Meet winner himself, Willie offered encouragement, coaching, and the occasional push when Kylie needed it most.

“Willie said, ‘It’s time for you to do Discussion Meet again and we’re gonna try to win.’ And I said, ‘We? We are gonna try to win?’” she laughed. “But it really was a team effort. As a question was drawn, we would go back to the room or go to a restaurant and talk about the topic. He would 100% help me prepare.”

Now, with the state title under her belt, Kylie’s eyes are set on the next challenge: competing on the national stage and continuing to serve as a voice for Georgia agriculture.

By: Ray D’Alessio

Georgia Producers Tackle Labor Uncertainty at Annual Ag Forum

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Tifton, GA |

For Georgia farmers, securing a reliable workforce is vital to a successful harvest—especially when it comes to fresh produce and specialty crops. That’s why many of them gathered in Tifton for the annual Agricultural Labor Relations Forum, an event aimed at keeping producers up-to-date on the latest changes to the country’s guest worker programs.

Beth Oleson, Director of Education for the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, says the forum continues to build momentum and foster productive dialogue between growers and regulatory agencies.

“I feel like we actually have gained some momentum. We’ve gained some, some real positive strides with our regulatory agencies. They’re here, they come every year, and they’re actually excited to be here. They’re listening to us. Changes are happening because our growers, our packers, our shippers, our processors are present and they’re having conversations. That’s what this forum is all about,” said Oleson.

According to Will Bentley, President of the Georgia Agribusiness Council, the H-2A guest worker program is essential to Georgia agriculture—especially since the domestic labor force is no longer a viable option for many growers.

“Georgia farmers are, you know, a top user of H-2A labor, typically between number one and number two, state of using the program in the country. So, I mean, it’s obviously important to our industry, especially on the fresh produce side and specialty crops and dairy and green industry and other things like that. So, it’s extremely important to us.”

“Unfortunately, the domestic labor force has shrunk to the point where it’s not really a reliable source of labor for picking crops or working in the fields. It’s become harder, and finding that labor has been more of a challenge. So really, having a dependable labor force through the H-2A program is really what makes Georgia agriculture successful in our ability to be diverse in the crops that we grow here in the state that we just simply couldn’t do if we weren’t able to have a dependable labor force.”

However, that reliance on guest labor has brought added uncertainty—especially as changes to the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) continue to strain farm budgets.

“Ten, twenty, thirty percent increases on your labor rate—especially when those decisions aren’t rolled out until kind of late winter when farmers are already making planting decisions, already making hiring decisions—and then they get an increase in their adverse wage rate that they’re required to pay. That’s been the biggest challenge is just offsetting that when farmers can’t just simply raise their prices,” Bentley explained. “We’re price takers. So, the commodity is kind of set on the market for what that’s going to go for a farmer. But then they get a huge increase on the labor side—not to mention the increases on inputs, whether it’s equipment or fertilizer or chemical. So, it’s just really been a challenge on the cost side for our farmers. And that’s really been the biggest obstacle for them being successful.”

Despite the challenges, organizers and attendees of the forum remain hopeful that continued education, conversation, and collaboration can help move the industry forward—ensuring that growers have the tools and labor they need to keep Georgia agriculture thriving.

By: John Holcomb

Inside Georgia’s Largest Career Expo: Empowering the Next Generation of Ag Leaders

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Macon, GA |

For thousands of students attending the Georgia FFA State Convention, one event stands out as a window into their future: the career expo. As one of the largest in the state, the expo offers students an up-close look at the wide range of opportunities waiting for them in agriculture—and beyond.

“They love to interact with the vendors,” says Ben Lastly, Executive Secretary of Georgia FFA. “We’ve got folks that come in who are truly talking about jobs and careers. And those students learn about opportunities. We have colleges, universities, technical schools here. They help students realize what it takes to get from where you are in middle or high school to our program. They get to interact with folks in the agriculture industry, colleges, universities, the military—life after high school. It’s about preparing these students to be productive when they leave our program.”

And staying in Georgia is a key goal. By showcasing the state’s top industry, the expo aims to keep talented young people close to home, building a stronger future for Georgia’s economy.

“For me, it was amazing to see the sheer mass of agricultural and allied organizations that support students here in our state,” says Andy Paul, Public Relations Representative for Georgia EMC. “We have such talent here in Georgia. When I was a student here, it was amazing to see the opportunities available to me by staying in my hometown.”

While many students are drawn to production agriculture, Lastly says the expo introduces them to the broader scope of the industry—from technology to environmental sciences.

“We have a lot of students interested in production agriculture, but we have plenty interested in technology, research, water quality, the environment, forestry, natural resources,” he explains. “Coming here, they can see what it’s like to work in rural electrification with Georgia EMC, or learn about animal agriculture from the dairy groups. It’s great for students to realize the different parts of agriculture.”

Whether planning to attend college, a technical school, or head straight into the workforce, FFA students are already highly sought after by employers—thanks to both the technical skills and the work ethic they’ve developed.

“They learn a lot of skills in high school that we may not have to train quite as much once they’re on the job,” says Paul. “We’re learning technical skills in agricultural mechanics classrooms. But I think FFA also instills a lot of hard work into those students—tenacity, grit, and the ability to hear a no and come back with a yes.”

Through FFA’s many programs and competitions, students build habits that make them stand out to recruiters, even if they don’t realize it at the time.

“If they’re competing in events like the agriscience fair or proficiency awards, they’re going to practice,” says Lastly. “They show up, work, keep records. And when they talk to employers about that, these students might think they’re just doing FFA things. But they’re getting up early to feed animals, practicing for competitions, double-checking research, tracking hours and finances. Those characteristics are already instilled in them.”