Big bucks are heading to Newton County as the T.M. "Mort" Ewing Newton County Agricultural Center gears up for upgrades, thanks to a healthy $500,000 in state funds. The cash injection, part of the Amended Fiscal Year 2024 budget signed off by Governor Brian P. Kemp, was spearheaded by Sen. Brian Strickland (R–McDonough) who's been advocating for these funds.
Strickland couldn't hide his pride, "I am proud of our continued efforts to invest in educating the next generation about the importance of agriculture in our state. Every year thousands of people experience this industry directly through our FFA Camp and the Newton County Agricultural Center and, for many, this is the only first-hand experience they get with Georgia’s number one industry," as reported by the Senate Press.
The center's namesake, Mort Ewing, is an agricultural stalwart in the community. "I joined the FFA Organization 72 years ago when I started the 9th grade. It was one of the best decisions of my lifetime. I have remained active in the organization as an FFA alumni member. The FFA organization and the State FFA Camp still mean a lot to me as a Newton County farmer. I am very pleased Senator Strickland has secured some additional funding for the Newton County Agricultural Center," Ewing's heartfelt statement read, according to the Senate Press.
This endorsement is no island in Strickland's sea of praise; Georgia's Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper has also chimed in, hailing the fiscal move. "Investing in the next generation of leaders in our state is vital to ensure the continued success of Georgia’s #1 industry and our state as a whole, and I’m grateful for the work and commitment of Senator Strickland and the entire General Assembly to do just that," Harper amplified, in an echo of acknowledgment sourced from Senate Press.
The upshot of this financial boon? A planned evolution for the agricultural center, which stands as a beacon for farming education, innovation, and binding the community together. And the half-million-dollars ensures it continues in that vein, fortifying Georgia's agrarian legacy for future generations to come.
