Tag Archives: Georgia agriculture policy

Georgia Lawmakers Set Sights on Ag Policy as 2026 Legislative Session Gets Underway

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Atlanta, GA |

The 2026 Georgia legislative session is officially underway, and as lawmakers work through the final year of the biennium, agriculture remains a major focus. According to Adam Belflower, State Affairs Manager for Georgia Farm Bureau, last year brought several key wins for the state’s largest industry — and momentum is high to continue that progress.

“I would say 2025 was a very successful year for agriculture here at the Capitol in Atlanta,” said Belflower. “We had a lot of really important issues that were championed by folks here in the General Assembly that we got to celebrate crossing the finish line. We got to see Hurricane Helene relief for farmers and landowners across southeast Georgia. We saw a historic tort reform effort, led by Governor Kemp. There were some really important investments in the budget to help equip our farmers all across the state with the resources they need. There was the truck weights legislation last year. Last year was just a really good year.”

But with rising input costs, falling commodity prices, and lingering storm recovery efforts still top of mind, Belflower says 2026 will need to address one core issue: affordability.

“One of the issues that legislators are hearing a lot from their constituents back home is just the idea of affordability,” he said. “How do we decrease the cost of doing business? How do we decrease the cost of living? And just all in all, make the quality of life better for Georgians by making things a little bit more affordable. And I would say it’s no different for us.”

He points to the recent natural disasters like Hurricane Helene, coupled with economic pressure, as key drivers of the state’s strained farm economy.

“We have had some of the biggest natural disasters in our state’s history the past couple of years,” said Belflower. “Coupled with record high input prices and record low commodity prices — that equation doesn’t make for a very profitable farm economy. So we’re working with the General Assembly to find policies that are going to bring some relief to farmers, strengthen commodity markets, and overall make the farm economy more stable.”

Equally important, he says, is serving as a trusted guide for legislators navigating complex ag policy proposals.

“We want to come up here and be a trusted resource to them,” he explained. “As they’re proposing policy, we’re helping them think through what might be the consequences — both intended and unintended. Oftentimes, we will see unintended consequences of legislation that could have a pretty negative impact on our farm families and on our farmers. So we come up here really with that mindset.”

By: John Holcomb

Farmer-Turned-Senator Uses Ag Roots to Educate and Advocate at State Capitol

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Moultrie, GA |

For State Senator Sam Watson, agriculture isn’t just a policy focus—it’s a way of life. A former vegetable farmer, Watson has long been embedded in Georgia’s farming community through organizations like FFA and Georgia Farm Bureau. His experience in the industry is exactly what drove him to seek public office.

“We had been involved back in, I guess it was, 2012. There’s some immigration legislation, 2011, 2012. Obviously, being in the vegetable business, it impacted our industry tremendously,” said Watson. “We kind of realized that there wasn’t a lot of folks involved in this industry at the Capitol.”

Now serving under the Gold Dome, Watson is one of only a handful of full-time farmers in the Georgia legislature. It’s a perspective he says is invaluable—especially when it comes to educating his fellow lawmakers about agriculture.

“To be a part-time legislator, you have to know a lot about a lot of different things,” Watson explained. “Coming from the farm, that’s one of the things that we offer—we do know a lot about a lot of different things, because we have to deal with a lot of different things. When you start telling people about it, they get really interested and want to ask more questions.”

Watson says many misunderstandings about agriculture in politics aren’t malicious—they’re born from a lack of exposure. And that’s why a large part of his role is simply education.

“Sometimes people think that they don’t like us, but really it’s just they don’t know,” he said. “They haven’t been involved in it like we have, or they don’t live in areas where what you see behind us happens every day.”

Supporting Watson and other lawmakers behind the scenes are agricultural lobbyists, such as those with Georgia Farm Bureau. Watson says their help is vital to keeping lawmakers informed and legislation moving in the right direction.

“I can’t be everywhere, and I can’t understand everything fully… and that’s kind of where we depend on the lobbyists and the folks like Adam,” said Watson. “They’ve got the time to go through that and make sure we understand it fully or be where we can’t be because we’re in another committee meeting or in caucus.”

With the demands of the session and the complexity of agricultural policy, Watson believes it’s a team effort to ensure Georgia’s number one industry continues to thrive.

By: John Holcomb

New Farm Bill Brings Relief to Cotton Growers, But Challenges Remain Amid Declining Acreage

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Tifton, GA |

With Georgia ranking as the second largest cotton-producing state in the nation, ensuring growers are up to date on recent policy changes is critical for the industry’s future. Recognizing that need, the National Cotton Council recently hosted a series of informational meetings across the state to help farmers navigate the shifting legislative landscape.

“We are doing these across the cotton belt… and really, it’s important for growers to understand what the new provisions are of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” said Gary Adams, President of the National Cotton Council. “This is going to affect some of the decisions that they have to make, particularly as they move towards the 2026 crop. And really, with the financial situation that’s out there right now for growers, it couldn’t have come at a better time.”

The legislation offers a degree of relief and clarity amid uncertainty, as the most recent Farm Bill—passed seven years ago—had become increasingly outdated.

“We started this process in 2021,” said Taylor Sills, Executive Director of the Georgia Cotton Commission. “We were hoping we were going to have a Farm Bill in 2023 and then one in 2024. And we’re very grateful to have gotten the assistance from Congress and the administration… but it certainly was a long time coming. The safety net was still there. The holes just got bigger.”

For many producers, the big question is whether the updates will bring tangible economic relief. Adams says they will.

“There’s a significant increase in the reference price… that’s up about fourteen percent,” Adams explained. “There’s also an opportunity for some farms to add base acreage. And then, finally, there’s some critical changes for crop insurance that’s going to give more affordable options to growers to provide higher levels of coverage.”

Still, industry leaders acknowledge that policy changes alone won’t fix everything.

“The cotton industry is in a rough spot right now,” Sills said. “These policy changes are beneficial, but they’re not everything that’s going to help a producer’s bottom line. There are other issues the industry is tackling—some of which are policy-related—but all are focused on demand and consumption.”

That challenge has become more urgent as cotton acreage in Georgia continues to shrink.

“Producers in the state are really facing a hard time,” Sills added. “We’re the lowest in cotton acreage that we’ve been since 1992 or 1993… that’s a big enough alarm in my opinion.”

As the state’s cotton community works to rebuild and adapt, the recent meetings served as a timely opportunity for farmers to gather information, ask questions, and plan for what’s ahead.

By: Damon Jones