Carter of Georgia Elected YF&R Chair

SAN ANTONIO, January 13, 2014—Members of the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee elected Jake Carter from McDonough, Ga., as the committee’s chairman for 2014. He will take over as chairman in February, at the end of the committee’s leadership conference, and serve for one year. He will also serve a one-year term on the AFBF board of directors. Carter graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in business management. Soon after graduation, he returned to the farm and began transforming the former dairy operation into the 320-acre agritourism destination that it is today. Operating as Southern Belle Farm, Carter, along with his wife, Jennifer, offers u-pick strawberries, blueberries and blackberries, a fall corn maze and educational school tours year-round. The couple has two daughters, Karson and Kennedy. As the seventh generation to farm in Henry County, Carter is passionate about connecting with consumers, especially those who have been misled about what farming is all about. “We need to put a face on farming and show people what we do how, how we do it and why,” Carter said. Carter and his family consider themselves lucky that they can make that connection in person with the people who visit their farm. “We enjoy giving people a sense of where their food comes from. That’s not an option for most farmers and ranchers, but there are other ways to connect, like social media,” he pointed out. As YF&R chair, Carter said he and the committee are committed to Farm Bureau’s unique grassroots structure. They’re also looking forward to building on the success of previous young leaders. “We’re going to really focus on turning some of our big ideas into action,” he said. The YF&R program includes men and women between the ages of 18 and 35. The program’s goals are to help younger Farm Bureau members learn more about agriculture, network with other farmers and realize their full potential as leaders in agriculture and Farm Bureau.