“No day is ever the same. I might be on a shrimp boat over on the coast or watching how turpentine is processed or even walking through a cotton field.”
Beth DeLoach Meeks joins Jason Shaw at Georgia Olive Farms in Lanier County.
Growing up on a farm in Lowndes County, Beth DeLoach Meeks says her job with the Georgia Department of Agriculture is the perfect fit.
“My dad was a farmer, and my family still owns land in Lowndes and Brooks counties,” says Meeks, who is from a five-generation farming family. “We grew tobacco and cotton, had hogs, cattle, and timber. It has always been a big part of my life.”
As the southern marketing coordinator for Georgia Grown, Meeks works to promote the state’s powerful branding program that provides marketing, education, and business connections for Georgia’s agricultural industry.
According to the Georgia Department of Agriculture, the Georgia Grown program was revitalized in 2012 by Gary W. Black, who is now in his second term as the state’s agriculture commissioner.
The primary goal of Georgia Grown is to positively impact the state’s agriculture economy by connecting producers, processors, suppliers, distributors, retailers, agritourism venues, and consumers.
With an expansive South Georgia territory that runs from the coastal region to the Alabama line, Meeks spends her day promoting agriculture, which is Georgia’s No. 1 industry and represents an annual economic impact of $74.9 billion.
“No day is ever the same,” says Meeks, who started with the Georgia Department of Agriculture in 2007. “I might be on a shrimp boat over on the coast or watching how turpentine is processed or even walking through a cotton field.”
“Georgia Grown is not just for farmers. Membership is open to any person or business that produces or promotes locally made products. Georgia Grown is anything manufactured, harvested, or packed in Georgia; this could be lumber, honey, syrup, jams, wine, or even clothing.”
Meeks says her responsibilities with Georgia Grown does not include regulatory issues.
“My job is to make connections,” she says. “When I go out to the farm I am there to listen and pass along information. If they are having any problems, especially with regulatory issues, then I send those concerns to the commissioner and others at the department, so that they are aware.”
Meeks says one of the highlights of her job is the opportunity to bring together a community of people who want to promote agriculture.
“Georgia Grown is not just for farmers,” she says. “Membership is open to any person or business that produces or promotes locally made products. Georgia Grown is anything manufactured, harvested, or packed in Georgia; this could be lumber, honey, syrup, jams, wine, or even clothing.”
Meeks also enjoys helping existing agribusinesses expand or develop new products.
“I hadn’t been on the job long when Georgia Olive Farms started in Lakeland,” Meeks says. “I remember going out to the farm when they were planting their first olive trees. Now Georgia Olive Farms is known across the country.”
Meeks says her job is more than just visiting a farm, it is about educating both the producer and consumer.
“With Georgia Grown we are helping to not only promote agriculture as the state’s top industry but also change the perception of agriculture,” she says. “It is starting to change, more people are visiting local farmers’ markets, and there are more restaurants now that promote farm-to-table meals.”
Agriculture accounts for more than 410,000 jobs in Georgia, and Meeks says it’s critical that children not only learn where their food comes from but also the availability of careers in agriculture.
“There are a lot of jobs in agriculture besides being a farmer,” she says. “Part of Georgia Grown is helping develop an appreciation of the entire agricultural industry.”
Meeks is also busy promoting the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s 2020 Vision, which aims to have at least 20 percent of school lunch menus featuring Georgia food products every day, at every public school in the state.
“This is a big effort,” she says, “but we already have several schools in South Georgia using Georgia products as part of the school lunch menus.”
Meeks serves on the advisory boards for the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and the Georgia Agritourism Association. She also works with the Georgia Blueberries Association and the Georgia Forestry Association and attends meetings focused on tobacco, pecan, and cotton commodities.