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| Back row, from left: Jack Spruill, Department marketing director; Duke Lane Jr.; Andy Stone; Keith Odom; and Tony McBrayer; Front row, from left: Chairwoman Diana Earwood; Sheila Rice; Carla Payne; and Coco Dunston. Not pictured: |
New members were sworn in to the Georgia
Grown Commodity Commission on May 27 in a ceremony held at the state Capitol in
Atlanta.
In April 2013, Gov. Nathan Deal signed House
Bill 298 which created the Agriculture Commodity Commission for Georgia Grown
products. The goal of this commission is to expand Georgia’s agricultural
products across the state, Southeast and the country through promotion and
marketing.
“What we are doing right here is
historical,” Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary W. Black said. “This is
how we help everyone identify with the Department. It’s good for everything
that we do.”
Diana Earwood of Destiny Organics is one
of the new commission members. Earwood said she is both honored and humbled by
this opportunity.
“I love Georgia. I am a Georgia girl and
a Georgia-grown family. And anything we can do to promote agriculture in this
state, I want to be a part of that,” Earwood said.
As official members, those in the Georgia
Grown Commodity Commission have sworn to support and promote Georgia Grown to
the very best of their abilities throughout Georgia and beyond, their oath
states.
Shelia Rice from Calhoun Produce wants
to use her newly appointed position as a way to make a difference. Rice wants consumers
to know that whenever they buy a Georgia Grown product from their grocery store
or farmers market, they are getting a great product. She hopes to see the
Georgia Grown brand to be known not only throughout the state but throughout
the country.
Earwood said there is a lot for the
commission and its dedicated members to accomplish this year to bring the
program forward.
She believes that they need to set a
foundation for where they are going in the future by setting benchmarks to see
what they can achieve. Earwood said she feels that the commission really needs
to hone in on the Georgia Grown membership ensuring, that its members know they
are valued.
The 2014 Georgia Grown Commodity
Commission board members and advisors are as follows:
- Diana Earwood, Destiny Organics in Forest Park, Ga. (chairwoman)
- Duke Lane Jr., Lane’s Southern Orchards in Fort Valley, Ga. (vice chairman)
- Andy Stone, Superior Pine Products in Fargo, Ga. (treasurer)
- Sheila Rice, Calhoun Produce in Ashburn, Ga.
- Andy Futch, R&A Orchards in Ellijay, Ga.
- Coco Dunston (advisory board)
- Keith Odom (advisory board)
- Tony McBrayer (advisory board)
