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Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed several bills into law last week supporting Georgia’s farmers and foresters. The Governor was joined by First Lady Marty Kemp, Speaker Jon Burns, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, Georgia Forestry Commission Director Johnny Sabo, members of the General Assembly as well as agriculture and natural resource representatives.
During the event, Governor Kemp signed HB1159 which exempts payments received through the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program and Specialty Crop Farmers Program from state income tax; HR 1008 which updates the State Water Plan Regional Water Planning Councils board members and renewal agreements; HB 117 requiring notice of imported shrimp on menus or signage; HB134 which expands tax credits for forestry manufacturers; HB983 which protects prescribed burning from counties and municipalities from proposing additional barriers; HB 1310 which designates cotton as the official fabric of Georgia; SB 306 which streamlines the Conservation Use Valuation Assessment (CUVA) process; SB 435 renaming the Georgia Development Authority to the Georgia Agricultural Development Authority; and SB 551 removing the egg candling code section from Georgia law.
Governor Kemp said, “Georgia’s farming and foresting families are some of the toughest people in our state who, despite the challenges of the past several years, have persevered and continue to put food on our tables, clothes on our backs, and provide the material for structures like our very homes. I am proud to support them through measures like the ones I signed today, which will help ensure the long-term success of our state’s No. 1 industry.”
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.