Tag Archives: rural advocacy Georgia

From Peaches to Policy: Senator Drew Echols Balances Farming and Lawmaking in Northeast Georgia

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Alto, GA |

On the rolling hills of Hall County, nestled in the heart of Northeast Georgia, Jaemor Farms is more than just a name—it’s a legacy. For State Senator Drew Echols, it’s where his family’s story, now five generations strong, continues to unfold.

“It’s a family-owned, fifth-generation business,” said Echols. “And both my kids are working here now. Cohen, when he’s out of school, and Chloe’s at the College of Ag—and she’s working here as well. My wife Shelly works on the weekends. So, it has been handed down, and it’s just a pleasure. It’s a blessing and a curse to work on a family farm.”

What began with broilers and 40 acres of peaches has grown into a 150-acre peach operation, with a robust agritourism component and on-site retail. But beyond running the farm, Echols wears another hat—representing Georgia’s 49th District in the State Senate. It’s a path that began on a Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers trip to Washington, D.C., when he was just 21.

“I went up there with a group of young farmers from all over the state,” Echols recalled. “Lobbied Congress on several issues. I remember vividly that immigration was one of those. So, you know, that I guess lit a fire and made me want to become more involved.”

That early exposure to advocacy set him on a path of public service. Years later, Echols found himself more engaged at the county level—attending zoning meetings, collaborating with commissioners, and understanding the importance of bringing agriculture to the legislative table.

“Just really wanting to be involved,” he explained. “Not only from an agriculture’s perspective—obviously that’s near and dear to my heart. Sometimes agriculture doesn’t get brought to the table when it comes to business-type legislation. So, I wanted to be involved in that process.”

Now, as a lawmaker, Echols is using his platform to bridge the gap between the farm gate and the gold dome—making sure his colleagues understand the complexities farmers face beyond planting and harvesting.

“People don’t understand where their food comes from. They also don’t understand the regulatory burdens, the tax burdens, the insurance—that we face, just like a normal business,” he said. “Then you’ve got labor issues, which are mostly federal, but then you’ve got the X factor. They always call weather the X factor, and that’s something that’s always on our mind as farmers.”

As both a grower and a legislator, Echols is uniquely positioned to tell that story—one rooted in the soil of Northeast Georgia, but relevant across the entire state.

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