Cultivating through COVID-19

Nicole Duvall
Georgia Commodity Commission for Milk
Program Coordinator

Meet Nicole Duvall, the Program Coordinator for the Georgia Commodity Commission for Milk. Nicole travels the state to promote dairy and milk products through her work with Georgia’s Mobile Dairy Classroom. The dairy industry has taken a huge hit already due to COVID-19, and Nicole has witnessed first-hand how this pandemic has impacted dairy farmers.

“All of my school visits and festivals have been cancelled for the rest of the school year. Due to the change, milk markets and dairy farms are now forced to dump milk down the drains and fields because there is no market… I know of one farm that has already had to sell their cows last week.” The closing of schools and fully functioning restaurants has caused a decrease in demand, lowering the price of milk around the state.

Dairy producers and allies all over the state have been pushing for consumers to continue to purchase milk and dairy products through social media and various other outlets. Ask your grocery stores to not limit the amount that you can buy, and encourage retailers to order more Georgia milk products and to restock faster. There is a strong supply of milk if retailers will support Georgia and American grown products! We ask that you show your support for dairy farmers around the state through this hardship so that they can continue to provide for Americans for decades to come.

T.R. Clark
F & W Forestry Services Inc.
Regional Manager

Our next AGL participant that is #CultivatingThroughCOVID is T.R. Clark, a Regional Manager at F&W Forestry Services. T.R. and his family are facing similar personal challenges that many families are – the adjustment to homeschooling their children, cancelled church services, and things alike. However, T.R., along with many others in the forestry industry, are experiencing a unique shift in their professional lives.

“Fortunately, wood product industries are considered essential critical infrastructure. So, we are able to continue working. Much of our income is directly tied to selling timber. As the economy has slowed over the past couple of weeks many saw and pulp mills have cut production and, in some cases, have shut down. As expected, this is having a negative effect on the price of timber, the ability to sale timber at all, and is leaving some loggers and others tied to the wood chain with little to nothing to do – even though they are considered essential.”

The forestry industry is responsible for many products that we use in our everyday lives. While it is no secret that toilet paper is in high demand, there are definitely other challenges being posed to the industry. Due to the closing of schools and businesses, the pulpwood sector that is responsible for notebook paper and similar products are taking a blow. We hope that you, as consumers, will make a conscious effort to continue to utilize these products in your quarantine routine. The timber industry produces more timber than we actually use and wood is a renewable resource so don’t be afraid to use these products!

During this time of stress and uncertainty, T.R. encourages you to take this opportunity to unplug and make the most of your time with family. “Take this time to love your spouse and your children. Love is best expressed in an action.” We hope that you will continue to express love through action to all of the essential workers that are continuing to serve our nation.

Arren Moses
Edward Moses Farm
Owner

Today’s #CultivatingThroughCOVID spotlight is on Arren Moses, the owner of Edward Moses Farms in Uvlada, Georgia! The good news is that the farm has experienced a lot more attention as of recent due to the growing demand for pecans. While production has continued as usual, the group dynamic on the farm has taken a shift. “We as a farm have decided to stay as far away from each other as possible. The camaraderie we have all become accustomed to has taken a back seat to the health of everyone and their family.” This is something that most farmers are adjusting to – maintaining the quality and supply of their respective products while abiding by safety guidelines for the protection of their employees and family. As always, we encourage you to support our farmers by buying local products, and to not hesitate to push to have these options in your grocery stores. It is important to remember that your food is not grown in the grocery store, so there is no better way to support farmers than to fight to have their products available to you!

Jordan Carter
Leger and Son, Inc.
Director of Sales and Marketing

Meet Jordan Carter, the Director of Sales and Marketing for Leger & Son, Inc.! Jordan brings an interesting perspective to #CultivatingThroughCOVID, as she, along with many other South Georgia farmers, are facing labor related issues. Leger & Son, Inc. is one of the leading watermelon growers and shippers in the Southeast. Since the business maintains 100% control of their operation, they rely on the help of temporary agricultural workers. “There is a hold on visas and this presents a major issue for the produce industry as a whole.”

“In addition, markets are deteriorating and buying habits have changed. It seems that fruit and vegetable consumption has decreased and if these buying trends continue, we will see extreme farm value losses. Also, we are competing with imports from other countries. Growers in Florida have stopped harvesting some commodities and are dumping coolers for lack of business while imported fruits and vegetables are crossing borders daily. We need to support the American Farmer.”

Jordan has taken this opportunity to lead during this crisis by staying on the forefront to seek immediate and viable solutions. “We release positive messages via social media about watermelon consumption, its value, and its health benefits as often as possible. We have written letters to state and federal officials regarding the importance of supporting the American Farmer. We’re working hard to spread the good messages.”

Jason Little
Forest Resource Consultants
Director of Valuation Services

Today’s #CultivatingThroughCOVID spotlight is Jason Little, the Director of Valuation Services at Forest Resource Consultants! While personal life has become hectic between balancing the work and school schedules of his family, certain sectors of the forestry industry are waiting for the full impact of COVID-19 to hit them. “As long as mills stay in operation, our business will not be affected immensely. However, sawmills have curtailed production as much as 50%. The silver lining is pulp and paper mills. We should see demand slightly increase for paper products (toilet paper and boxes); therefore, demand for the raw material should increase.” Jason also leads a team of three appraisers and has had to completely readjust how he communicates and heads this group by introducing new ways to interact and be proactive during this crisis. In order to support the forestry industry, we encourage you to keep buying paper products (yes, toilet paper counts!), and don’t hesitate to keep working on your building projects if possible!

“Trials are the refining fire that creates character and courage. When properly displayed, these can give encouragement and hope to your family, your neighbors, and your community.”

Blake Poole
State of Georgia
Field Representative

Today’s #CultivatingThroughCOVID is Blake Poole, a Field Representative for the State of Georgia under Governor Kemp. Blake’s workload has definitely become lighter and unfortunately, all scheduled events have been cancelled. Blake’s responsibilities are centered around communicating with many people and being available for cities and county leaders for any needs or concerns that they may have regarding COVID-19, and then he reports back to the Governor’s office.

“I’m having a positive attitude because I know our Lord will provide and get us out of this situation. You just have to keep calm and stay calm under pressure. Things will get better.”

As always, we encourage you to be diligent about checking labels to search for locally grown products to support our farmers and this resilient industry!

Toby Bowen
AGCO Corporation
Account Manager

Meet Toby Bowen, an Account Manager at AGCO Corporation! AGCO Corporation and all Massey Ferguson equipment dealers that he serves have qualified as essential business to support agriculture and production, so Toby has been #CultivatingThroughCOVID a little more differently than others. Personally, he and his family have been going above and beyond to support their community by ordering take-out from their favorite local restaurants, ordering fresh cut flowers from a local farm, and even ordering meat in bulk from UGA’s Meat Science Lab. In the business world, he has asked dealers to partner with other small businesses in their area to see how they can mutually benefit from promotional activities together. He is also encouraging consumers to follow suit: “Buy local. Keep your dollars in the community in which you live. The agriculture community is very good about doing this already, supporting each other. However, when the general buying public engages with local farmers, ranchers, ag equipment dealers and associated businesses everyone wins. The groceries you’re buying in bulk now came from a farm where a family and a business feel the same, very real impacts as consumers right now.”

On behalf of the entire industry, we want to continue to encourage consumers to support agriculture and other allied industries during this time of crisis. “Americans have a can-do spirit and culture even in times of stress. I am encouraged that while the virus has caused much negativity, grief, anxiety and stress it has empowered towns, cities, states and the country to band together the likes of which the country hasn’t seen since WWII or the Great Depression. A country that was so severely divided 30 days ago is now pulling together in the same direction regardless of politics. It is encouraging to see communities come together to support local businesses, healthcare workers, first responders, educators, and more. I truly believe we will win this war with prayer, respect, love, kindness, generosity and togetherness – while being apart. We can do it!”

Sarah Nerswick
Fulton County School District
Agriculture Education Teacher

Meet Sarah Nerswick, the agriculture education teacher at Cambridge High School in Alpharetta, Georgia! As the only ag ed teacher in our current co-hort, Sarah is a great representation of how COVID-19 is impacting each sector of agriculture in some shape or form. As we know, schools have been cancelled for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. This means Sarah has had to find her own way to lead through crisis. “During this time, I have partnered up with another agriculture teacher from Minnesota to offer virtual coffee to any agriculture teacher across the country. During this coffee we work together to solve problems creatively as a collective group. So far over the past 3 weeks we have had an average of 60 teacher join each week. I am also continuing to promote and recruit agriculture teachers for the GERMINATE Virtual Conference which provides professional development for ag teachers across the nation created and taught by ag teachers.”

You can support industry professionals like Sarah that are #CultivatingThroughCOVID by continuing to support teachers. “Be their partner during this new environment of teaching. Check on any K-12 students in your family or friends to see how they are doing and how you can help from afar.”

We appreciate your continued support of agriculture, forestry, and allied industries!

Aaron Hemmer
AgGeorgia Farm Credit
Regional Lending Manager

Today’s #CultivatingThroughCOVID spotlight is Aaron Hemmer, a Regional Lending Manager at AgGeorgia Farm Credit! Aaron serves the agricultural finance sector and has witnessed an immediate impact due to COVID-19. Each and every one of us have had to adjust when it comes to doing our part to limit the spread of this virus – including the down-sizing of many restaurant operations. “When restaurants were ordered to limit foot traffic and subsequently close their dining rooms, demand for certain products such as cheese, steak, chicken wings and deboned chicken products dropped significantly. The biggest overarching issue is the adjustment to the processing and supply chains. Prior to the shutdown, Americans attained 52% of their food from restaurants. Currently, a mere 10% of food is moved through restaurants while 90% is sourced via grocery stores and other nonfood service retailers.

This change has caused massive disruption in existing food supply chains and is why one hears of dairies milk while the grocery stores less than 30 miles away is empty of milk. It is also why poultry companies are letting employees take home 40lb boxes of chicken tenders while grocery stores struggle to find meat to fill their empty meat counters.” Aaron is exemplifying his crisis leadership skills by going above and beyond for his clients. For one of his accounts, a dairy farm, Aaron is working to restructure their debt to provide them with ample liquidity to manage through the uncertainly and depressed milk price climate we are facing. So, how can you exhibit your ability to lead through crisis? “In the mean-time, work with Georgia Grown to find local producers who may have product for sale.  Many strawberry/agri-tourism locations are set to open in a few weeks and these outfits will still have massive amounts of strawberries for sale though they may not be able to open the fields to “you-pick” options.  Calling these places and offering to volunteer to pick strawberries for a curbside pickup is one option OR simply calling and asking if you can buy some strawberries will help.” Just remember, it is always darkest before dawn.

Samantha McLeod
Georgia Pecan Growers Association
Executive Director

Meet today’s #CultivatingThroughCOVID spotlight, Samantha McLeod! Samantha is the Executive Director of the Georgia Pecan Growers Association. She has experienced first-hand the personal trials that are associated with COVID-19. “Having 2 boys under the age of 2 has made working from home extremely difficult. However, it has allowed me much time to focus on the needs of educating them about agriculture. We go for walks every day to catch tadpoles in the nearby pond or feed the fish. My little boy has started to understand how to help with yard work and checking the cows. All things that we only seldom do on weekends or sometimes we get a sitter so the kids aren’t tagging along – we now do almost daily and it is so rewarding to see my 2-year-old son soak it all up and do his best to lend a helping hand.” In addition to the office being closed, all events and conferences have been postponed and the Growers Association has reported that many growers are short of help at their farms and stores. Samantha’s advice to consumers on how you can help support farmers and businesses is to shop local. “Purchase your products locally and from grocers that promote GEORGIA grown products. Many of the pecan growers sell direct to consumers with the highest quality product on the market. You can find a full list of Georgia pecan suppliers on georgiapecan.org!”

We appreciate your support!

Eric Simpson
West Georgia Farmers Cooperative
Development Coordinator

Today’s #CultivatingThroughCOVID spotlight is Eric Simpson, the Development Coordinator for the West Georgia Farmers Cooperative! Eric has had to alter the way that he conducts business, and has experienced an opportunity to amplify his crisis leadership skills by leaning, adapting, and teaching new ways to communicate with coworkers and clients.

“COVID-19 has totally disrupted the social norms I had grown accustomed to. Due to social distancing restrictions, I have been forced to compensate by engaging in more tele-meetings, etc. This has enhanced my technological skill set.”

We continue to encourage you to purchase and support your local community and farmers, and to identify new and innovative ways that you can develop your crisis leadership skills!

Sam Brown
Fiddleheads Garden Center
Owner

Today’s #CultivatingThroughCOVID spotlight is Sam Brown, the owner of Fiddleheads Garden Center located in Dalton, Georgia! Sam has implemented all of the directives by the Governor so that they can remain open, and has gone above and beyond to reach out to each employee daily to check in on how they are doing personally through this crisis. He also uses this time to evaluate each employee’s comfortability of working in this environment – one of the many ways that Sam is leading through this crisis.

“We have had half of our staff remain out of work due to various reasons – age, anxiety, and sickness (not COVID-19) which has caused a hardship due to lack of seasoned employees.  We have been very busy with customers for 2 weeks and hope it continues as April and May are our months which determines the remainder of the year.”

You, as consumers, can support businesses like Sam’s by supporting the green industry, and use your personal time to work in the yard or create a home vegetable garden! “Our business has taken off during the pandemic and it has been encouraging to see people turn to plants in a time of stress such as this.  Many people have commented on how planting has provided a sort of therapy for them.”

You never know what can ease the mind during stressful times, so give it a try while supporting your local businesses!

Hillery Culpepper
Georgia FFA Foundation
Assistant Director of Development

Today’s #CultivatingThroughCOVID spotlight is Hillery Culpepper, the Assistant Director of Development for the Georgia FFA Foundation! April is a huge month for the Georgia FFA Foundation, all accumulating up to the Georgia State FFA Convention. Here, roughly 6,000 members gather to celebrate our members and chapters that have excelled throughout the school year, honor those that support their members, and highlight those that have represented their homes, communities, and state to the best of their abilities. Due to COVID-19, the Foundation’s leadership team has decided to postpone State Convention until further notice, leaving 1,000 donor-funded plaques and awards sitting in the office.

Personally, Hillery has taken this opportunity to expand her skillset and give back in other ways. By doing so, she has exemplified her ability to serve through crisis and inspire others to do the same. “I write three hand written notes every day to a member, teacher, and/or donor that has made an impact on Georgia FFA throughout the year. As I will not have the opportunity to see these people in person, like I normally would during those three days, I hope that by receiving my note that they know just how much they are appreciated and cared for. During this time, I am creating Giving Campaigns to release in hopes of securing funds for our 60,000 members while highlighting their success each chance I get. Since this month is a lot calmer than usual, I have taught myself how to sew. My mother is a nurse at a local hospital. I can remember crying as I worried about her health during this pandemic as basic materials, like masks, are so hard to come by especially for our health care workers. I have now made over 30 masks to donate to local health care workers and families in need.”

Hillery has been able to utilize this years State Convention theme to motivate her as well as others. “Our theme for Georgia FFA and our State Convention this year was Limitless. That one word has touched my heart so much these past few weeks. As these times are hard, people are scared, and through the uncertainty, I hope you choose to be Limitless. If you are wanting to start an at home garden, contact your local FFA Chapter and purchase plants from them. If there is an elderly person in your family or neighborhood that needs groceries, go shopping for them. If it is posting on social media while reading a children’s book, I know teachers, parents, and students around the state would listen and share your post. If it is making masks for our healthcare workers, learn to sew. Whatever it may be, do not let the worries and fears of the unknown define you during this time, choose to be Limitless!”

Dusty Engel
Lasseter Tractor Company
Precision Ag Manager

Meet Dusty Engel, a Precision Ag Manager with Lasseter Tractor Company! #CultivatingThroughCOVID has looked a little different for Dusty, as his role in the agriculture industry has continued to operate with a few minor adjustments. Due to the various impacts of COVID-19, Dusty has had to utilize different tactics to stay in contact with customers in order to continue to provide support. “We are trying to utilize some of our remote capabilities that are provided by John Deere as much as we can. Whether it be Remote Display Access, which allows us to login and see what customers are seeing on their in-cab displays on equipped machines, or using Service Advisor Remote to pull and clear trouble codes on equipment without going to the machine.” In addition, the company has encouraged consumers to call with questions and requests rather than drop by the store. By doing so, Dusty and his team have been successful in significantly reducing the amount of foot traffic that they are typically exposed to, providing both customers and employees a safer environment.

“The biggest thing I see is to people just need to be calm and considerate of others. It is important for us to remember to support local agriculture during this time. Market prices are not where they need to be but they are still out there doing everything they can to make sure they produce the crops that we need.”

We hope that you continue to support local agriculture and business owners as we move forward with the reopening of many businesses!

Keaton Walker
Georgia National Fairgrounds
Chief Marketing & Development Officer

Today’s #CultivatingThroughCOVID spotlight is Keaton Walker, the Chief Marketing & Development Officer for the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter! Since the Fairgrounds cater to many large events year-round, Keaton and her team have felt the impact of COVID-19. Most events have been either cancelled or rescheduled, but they are looking forward to lifting spirits when the Fairgrounds reopen, like this fall when the Georgia National Fair comes around in October. One way that Keaton has found a way to lead through this crisis is to spread forward-thinking messages to keep spirits high. “One of the platforms I work on at the Fairgrounds is our social media accounts. I am working to try to create a positive atmosphere on all accounts and give our “feeds” something other than COVID information to look at.”

We hope that each of you remember to stay positive and we challenge you to find ways to spread that positivity to others!

Daniel Atkins
Weyerhaeuser
Area Crop Manager

Today’s #CultivatingThroughCOVID is Daniel Atkins, an Area Crop Manager at Weyerhaeuser! Daniel has been balancing the effects of COVID-19 both at home and on the work front. It is no secret that the forestry industry has been heavily influenced by this pandemic, and he has taken this opportunity to exhibit his leadership skills. “While we combat the effects of COVID-19 on the forest products industry, our priorities are in providing quality service to our customers and keeping our producers whole. We take pride in keeping employees and contracts safe, and this is no exception. As new problems arise, we continue to think outside the box to keep the ball rolling.” Daniel encourages consumers to seize this opportunity to educate yourselves on products derived from the forestry industry. Georgia forests have more volume growth than harvests annually. The industry goes far beyond toilet paper and boards – food, makeup, electronics screens, and more are all a result of forestry products. Immerse yourself in learning about one of Georgia’s biggest industries and share it with others!

“One of my bosses said it best: ‘The words pandemic, panic, pandemonium, etc. come from the Greek god of Pan. In Jesus’ day, He took his disciples to Caesarea Philippi (in Northern Israel at the base of Mt. Hermon). In Caesarea Philippi, they worshipped Pan and dedicated a cave at the base of the mountain to this god. The cave had an unusual flow of water (from melting snow) and locals sacrificed livestock and children in this cave. Chaos ensued and this is why pan-anything refers to chaos. When Jesus visited here, this is where Peter declared Jesus as the Messiah and Jesus said that He would build His church on that rock and the gates of Hades will not overcome it (Matthew 16:17). It is interesting Jesus picked this place to make this declaration. In the midst of chaos and sacrifice of children, Jesus… In the midst of a global pandemic, Jesus…’ In the midst of a global pandemic, Jesus!

Francie Cotton
Bayer Crop Science
Southeast District Field Sales Representative

Our #CultivatingThroughCOVID spotlight for today is Francie Mitchell! Francie is the Southeast District Field Sales Representative for Bayer Crop Science, and brings an interesting perspective on the effects of COVID-19 to her spotlight. Her territory covers cotton, corn, pecan, and peanut production, in addition to two counties that produce melons and peaches. While production has not been directly influenced, there are many potential factors that could severely impact the producers of these products. It begins with a simple case of supply and demand. Due to the uncertainty and fear that consumers are faced with, they aren’t buying products such as clothing and other cotton-based goods. Consumption, competition, and demand all play a huge role in the future of these farmers and their businesses. Another aspect comes from the potential repercussions of political decisions made by our country’s leadership.

“A counterpart of mine this week brought to my attention a very valid point about how the Coronavirus could really impact all industries (especially cotton and pecan). What if President Trump acts to retaliate towards China’s 1) Lack of commitment with trade and 2). Holding back information on Coronavirus cases and deaths? This is just small talk but this could realistically happen. If something like this were to happen, the US would have to source and sell goods in different ways. This is where buying local and American Grown will really come into play!

In spite of all of this Coronavirus turmoil I will say that if it has done one positive thing, it has made this country aware of the importance of buying Local! That’s an awesome silver lining in my book!”

Lauren Griffeth
University of Georgia
AGL Program Director

To wrap up our #CultivatingThroughCOVID spotlights, we will hear from Dr. Lauren Griffeth, an Extension Leadership Specialist at the University of Georgia, and the Director of the Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry Leadership Program. Lauren has faced much adversity during the course of COVID-19, but has taken this opportunity to educate consumers and colleagues alike. “Due to the fact that we typically conduct leadership development sessions face-to-face, the transition to 100% online instruction will be a challenge for us. Personally, teleworking while homeschooling our 7-year-old and 3-year-old is a daily juggle of assignments and zoom meetings. I am also writing articles for the Pink Tractor, a national woman in agriculture publication, and am sharing helpful articles on crisis leadership with our participants and alumni.”

“Spotlighting our participants was an important way that our leadership program could bring awareness to the front-line work happening each and every day with our agriculture and forestry professionals in order for our nation to have the things we need to survive! If I could encourage any one thing, I would ask everyone to buy local food, and to talk to your grocery store buyer about the importance of buying as much locally for their store as possible. I have yet to talk to a person in my friend circle who says they would not support locally sourced products especially if it will help keep our supply chain strong in the U.S.”

The past couple of weeks, you have been exposed to the different perspectives of the personal and professional lives of our participants. These industry professionals are doing everything that they can to maintain the quality and supply that our nation demands despite these extreme conditions, and we couldn’t be prouder to have them represent AGL. Remember, you grow through what you go through. We encourage you to embrace, educate, and share during this time, and continue to #CultivatingThroughCOVID.