Tag Archives: agriculture storytelling

Forecast Meeting Outlines Uncertain Future for Georgia Agriculture

Posted on by

Tifton, GA |

In an effort to equip the agricultural community with insights and data heading into a new year, leaders from across Georgia recently gathered in Tifton for the annual Georgia Ag Forecast Meeting. Hosted by the University of Georgia, the event brought together producers, policymakers, lenders, and researchers to discuss the challenges and opportunities farmers are likely to face in 2026.

“The reason we like to do this is to bring together producers, legislators, lenders, people from the community to really give them a picture about what’s going on in agriculture,” said Nick Place, Dean of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. “And also, to give some projections about what we see into the future. It’s important that we give them information they need so they can make wise and the best decisions in regard to increasing agriculture production and minimizing those costs.”

That information will be vital as producers attempt to climb out of the economic hole created by volatile market conditions. While numbers from 2025 show an increase in net farm income, those figures can be misleading due to the nature of what’s included.

“In 2025, we saw a big increase in government payments. We also saw an increase in livestock receipts. So, the net farm income numbers went up,” said Ford Ramsey, Agricultural Economist at UGA. “But that’s hiding the situation that we’re seeing in most of the crop markets, which is a pretty significant cost-price squeeze.”

That squeeze is expected to continue into 2026, with lingering concerns around trade and livestock disease presenting potential threats to producers’ profitability.

“I think the main uncertainty in 2026 is going to be primarily related to international trade,” said Ramsey. “If we have any major disruptions, that could certainly affect some major commodities in Georgia. Poultry would be one. Cotton would be another. Also, livestock disease… If those start to spread, that could have a big impact.”

But it’s not all about economics. Another major theme at the meeting was improving the public’s understanding of agriculture and the role it plays in their daily lives.

“We have to do a better job of telling the story of agriculture, where food comes from,” said Place. “There are so many people that take that for granted and do not really understand everything that it takes to get something from the animal or the plant onto the table. We need to do a better job of telling that story.”

By: Damon Jones

Farming with Purpose: How Liam Tewksbury Uses Social Media to Advocate for Agriculture

Posted on by

Madison, GA |

For Liam Tewksbury, farming isn’t just an occupation—it’s a lifelong passion. A third-generation cattleman, Liam’s love for agriculture was instilled in him from an early age and has only grown stronger through the years, especially when it comes to livestock and the cattle industry.

“I started showing club lambs when I was about eight years old,” says Tewksbury. “I did that all the way up until middle school and then got into showing some dairy cattle. We’re a pretty big dairy county around here back in the day. My love of cattle and farmers kind of came through showing livestock. Then, in high school, I started showing beef cattle and joined FFA. I was very active in FFA with livestock judging and competitions, and that really bolstered my love for agriculture.”

Today, Liam continues his journey in the cattle industry, whether managing cattle operations or consulting with producers. But for him, the work goes beyond animals—it’s about supporting farmers, strengthening communities, and advocating for agriculture’s future.

“I have the utmost admiration for those producers that get up every single day,” he says. “I want to be able to fight for them and their story and their legacy, and for the next generation to carry that forward. It starts with feeding the communities in your area. If you can start there, I think that’s a big thing.”

One way Liam is fighting for producers is through a platform he knows well: social media. By sharing his daily life on the farm, he’s bridging the gap between consumers and agriculture.

“Social media has been a wonderful outlet for me because I get to not only share my story with my friends, but also with the daily consumer—folks who may not have that connection with cattle or farm life,” says Tewksbury. “That might be the thing they look forward to: what’s Liam up to today on the farm? I think if we did a better job of telling our story—because the consumer is so far removed from what we do as cattle producers, and there’s so much misinformation out there—we could really help our industry as a whole.”

At the heart of it all, Liam says, is remembering the human side of agriculture.

“At the end of the day, we’re in the people business as much as we’re in the cattle business.”