Ringgold farmer James David Lyles and his wife Tara were introduced as the Georgia Sunbelt Farmer of the Year and the Flavor of Georgia Food Product Contest winners were announced during the 2015 National Ag Week Kickoff at the Georgia Freight Depot in Atlanta.
The Lyles raise beef and poultry and grow hay on their farm. They will represent Georgia in October at the 2015 Sunbelt Expo, where they'll compete with nine other state winners for the title of Swisher Sweets Sunbelt Agricultural Expo Farmer of the Year.
The 11th annual event featured dozens of exhibits offering information and food samples from commodities produced in Georgia, allowing hundreds of visitors the chance to graze on a wide variety of meats, snacks and treats.
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black welcomed the crowd to the Georgia Freight Depot for the 11th Georgia Ag Day and reflected on the event's progress from the initial Governor's Ag Awareness day with approximately 75 people on the capitol steps to a multifaceted celebration.
UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Dean Scott Angle spoke about the growth of agriculture in the state and the fact that there are job opportunities for college-educated ag professionals.
"One of our problems - and this is our challenge, probably the challenge for everyone in this room - We only train about half of the needed college educated workforce in agriculture in the state of Georgia," Angle said. "We need to continue to tell the message to all the young people in this state that this is a wonderful industry, that jobs are well-paying and you can have a great career because not only do you get a job quickly when you graduate out of an agricultural program, but you can go home at night and feel good about what you've done, because you've helped feed a hungry country and a hungry world."
Adriana Coppola of A&A Alta Cucina Italia took the top prize in the Flavor of Georgia contest, winning with her Balsamico al Mirtillo (blueberry balsamic vinegar), which also won in the salsas, chutneys and condiments category.
Other category winners were: Barbecue Sauces - Wynn Bakke of Causey Foods, Causey's Hot BBQ Sauce; Beverages - Erin Boettger and Chris Paulk of Paulk's Pride, 100% Purple Muscadine Juice; Confections - Geoff Repella, Byrd Cookie Company, Georgia Peach Cookies; Dairy Products - Ken and Deana Bibb, Proper Pepper Get Back Jack Pimento Cheese; Jams and Jellies - John and Kimberly Conner, Fairywood Thicket Farm, Strawberry Lavender Jam; Marinades, Sauces and Rubs - Dave and Carol Legasse of the Salt Table, Tybee Island Coastal Seasoning Blend; Meat and Seafood - Del and Debra Ferguson of Hunter Cattle Company, Grass-Fed New York Strip Steak; Miscellaneous - Robert and Dana Edmondson of Ziegler Honey, Georgia Wildflower Honeycomb; Snack Foods - Ross Harding of Verdant Kitchen, Savannah Snaps; People's Choice Award - Eric Wisham and Abbey Bowen of Wisham Jellies, Cranberry Pepper Jelly (voted on by attendees at the event).
Read more: http://www.gfb.org/agnews/story.asp?RecordID=5372#ixzz3Yq6V7Alg