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GFVGA is a growing, dynamic, young organization striving to serve the industry and meet the needs of our members. Whether you are a grower, supplier, or consumer, we invite you to support the fruit and vegetable industry in Georgia by joining the GFVGA. GFVGA provided many benefits for members including,
REPRESENTING THE INDUSTRY
Fruit and vegetable production in Georgia is valued in excess of $748 million at the farm gate. As the state’s number two cash crop, most Georgia fruits and vegetables are grown for the fresh market to be sold and consumed in other states. This brings new money into Georgia communities, with an impact of over $2.2 billion to Georgia’s economy.
The mission of the GFVGA is:
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To provide a viable and united voice to represent the fruit and vegetable industry in Georgia.
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To encourage efficient production, packing, handling, storing, and processing of fruit and vegetables.
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To develop marketing and promotional programs to increase public awareness of the health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables and to encourage consumption of more Georgia products.
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To support applied research that benefits the industry.
SPEAKING FOR THE INDUSTRY
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Important Topics Concerning the
GFVGA:
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H2A and guest worker legislation
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Country of Origin labeling
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Emergency assistance for non-program crops
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Sales tax exemptions/ad valorem tax relief
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FQPA, Food Quality Protection Act
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Tri-State Water Pact
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Federal Crop Insurance Program
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Pesticide issues and labeling
YOUR VOICE IS HEARD THROUGH GFVGA
The primary goal of the GFVGA legislative involvement is to have a voice in the decision making process for our industry. As such, the GFVGA maintains an aggressive program to represent growers in Atlanta and in Washington…and the association diligently works to keep members informed of upcoming legislative actions effecting the industry.
Since the GFVGA was organized in 1996, association members, officers, directors and staff have represented fruit and vegetable growers with testimony at congressional hearings, capitol visits and committee meetings. GFVGA continues to communicate with members through ‘Legislative Alerts,’ the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Grower Magazine, as well as initiating meetings with elected officials and government bureaucrats to discuss policies and regulatory concerns.
Most recently, GFVGA has been an active participant in
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the passage of Referendum A giving an ad valorem tax exemption for farm equipment on family owned farms,
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in providing input for the regulations concerning the Flint River Basin emergency drought relief fund,
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in trying to pass a significant H2A reform bill.
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securing a $250,000 state appropriation for the Department of Agriculture for fruit and vegetable promotion.
PROMOTING THE INDUSTRY
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PRODUCT PROMOTION
Product promotion is a top priority for the association. Supported by member sponsorships, the GFVGA marketing program is working hard to find new markets for Georgia produce. Program activities include:
· Working through the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Marketing Department, the GFVGA is sponsoring travel expenses for out of state buyers to visit growers and see first hand Georgia’s excellent produce.
· GFVGA participates in shows such as PMA, United, annual meetings, along with promotional trips to visit food editors and magazines in the Mid Atlantic and Canadian Regions.
· Printed material in the form of brochures, press releases, buyer’s guides, recipes, etc. is developed by the association to encourage consumers to ‘Eat More Fruits and Vegetables’.
· Any GFVGA member is eligible to join the Marketing Program as a sponsor and participate in all of the activities listed.
All GFVGA members receive “marketing alerts” notifying members of meetings, activities, or opportunities to market more Georgia products. The association has been instrumental in identifying new ways to market Georgia produce and increase grower profits.
SERVICE FOR THE INDUSTRY
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Clearly, the one program that returns to members many more dollars in savings than the cost of a membership fee is the GFVGA Workers’ Compensation Program. Some association members have saved over $20,000 when GFVGA premiums are compared to other Workers’ Compensation Premiums. The program offers,
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Low premium rates
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Affordable payment plans
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Outstanding service centers
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Loss control programs
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Individual insured dividend plan
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GFVGA profit sharing program
The GFVGA program is marketed through the Bozeman Agency. With offices in Tifton and Sylvester, this agency has been serving the needs of agricultural clients for over 40 years. Georgia Casualty and Surety Company is the program underwriter. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia Casualty celebrated its 50th anniversary of service to Georgia citizens in 1998.
You or your local insurance agent can call 1-800-810-8699 for a no obligation premium estimate just to see how much money you can save with the GFVGA program.
Another service program that will be available to members in the near future will be ‘Third Party Registrations’.
COMMUNICATION FOR THE INDUSTRY
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Whether it is through the GFVGA Newsletter, the
Winter Conference, member updates, research projects or other means…the association strives to provide information to increase member’s knowledge and profits.
The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers News is available free to all GFVGA members. This quarterly publication keeps growers abreast of association functions and latest research in production, harvesting and packing fruit and vegetable crops.
The Fruit and Vegetable Winter Conference, brings together various fruit and vegetable commodity groups for a three day educational program and industry trade show. The most recent conference held in Savannah featured 85 exhibiting companies, more than 65 hours of educational programs, over 850 registered attendees and lots of fun and fellowship.
The GFVGA Research Fund has been established to encourage applied research projects to address specific needs of the fruit and vegetable industry. The fund is administered through the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Foundation and is supported by contributions from individuals and companies. One of the primary fundraisers for the Foundation is the Silent Auction held each year at the Winter Conference. Last year over $35,000 was generated to support research and other association programs.
Youth and Professional Award Programs include several programs such as the 4-H Pumpkin Contest, the FFA Program and the Outstanding Extension Personnel of the Year Award, which are supported by GFVGA. |
