Speaker of the House Jon Burns (R-Newington) and State Senator Max Burns (R-Sylvania) recently announced that the Amended Fiscal Year 2023 (AFY 2023) budget includes $400,000 for improvements to the Screven County Agricultural Center.
“Agriculture is the backbone of Screven County’s economy, and this center has been at the heart of many agriculture events that bring our community together and highlight the vital role that agriculture plays in our area,” said Speaker Jon Burns. “Our agricultural education programs teach young learners how to carry on the tradition of farming and ranching, but our agriculture barn needs major upgrades to continue this important work for our citizens. I’m proud to send this funding back home, and I look forward to participating in future events off Rocky Ford Road.”
The Screven County Agricultural Center serves as a regional arena for livestock showings. The center also hosts agricultural education programming that serves the young learners from Screven County and the surrounding area. These programs help Screven County students develop important knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions about their future careers and become better-informed consumers and advocates for Georgia’s agricultural industries.
“I am excited to join Speaker Jon Burns in supporting this worthy project,” said Sen. Max Burns. “The current ag center was built in 1968 and has hosted thousands of agricultural events and activities for tens of thousands of ag enthusiasts, young and old, in east central Georgia. This grant will allow similar activities to continue for decades to come.”
This agricultural center also serves as a centerpiece for Screven’s annual livestock festival, which started this last weekend. The festival honors the county’s current agricultural workers and celebrates its next generation of farmers. Students have an opportunity to present and win prizes for animals they’ve raised throughout the year.
This AFY 2023 funding is allocated to the Screven County Agricultural Center through the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, which helps preserve historic sites throughout the state.
