Georgia County Government - October 2008 - (Page 22) SOUTH GEORGIA continued from page 21 the whole region. A state Environmental Protection Division water permitting office was also located in Tifton in recent years, which Thompson said resulted from a long local effort to bring it here. UGA’s College of Veterinary Medicine already runs an important diagnostic lab here, one of only two in the state, to care for agriculture-based animals. Hoping for more state government services to relocate to South Georgia in this vein – especially those reflecting the region’s agriculture prominence – Thompson says the whole South Georgia region strongly supports legislative initiatives to bring more university system facilities pertaining to agriculture to South Georgia. Thompson also notes that the U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service is planning to locate a soil research lab here under the auspices of the research services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. research and development initiatives as well as agricultural science and research. At the end of August the Third Annual Southeastern Bioenergy Conference took place in Tifton, signifying the area’s importance to this emerging industrial research and development field. There are many facets to the kinds of research going on, and the region is gaining a viable stake in many. According to Brad Day, Tift County Economic Development Director, Tift County has garnered National Science Foundation grants to fund turf research, a significant component of Georgia’s agriculture-related business. The Center for Innovation for Agriculture in Tift County is one of five strategic focus research initiatives begun by Governor Sonny Perdue to strengthen agriculture in Georgia, by improving crops and developing innovations in the field. Also in Tift County, on the Tifton Campus of UGA, the Coastal Plains Experiment Station headed by Dr. Joseph Lewis, is renowned for significant gains regarding agriculture in coastal regions. Research Frontiers As mentioned, high-profi le focal points for economic development in the South Georgia region are bio-fuel Turner County Chairman Daryl Hall, Sr. is proud of the county’s marketing initiatives, which include advertising a new business park via billboards that reach 55,000 travelers on I-75 every 24 hours. In Turner County, there is a strong regional emphasis in state-supported energy initiatives. The Georgia Left Sitting: eft Sittin f Sittin ing: Commissioner Michael Edmondson ommission Michael Edmondso ssioner ichae e mond mo son District #4 Left Standing: Vice Chairman Wole Ralph ice hairm ic Chairman Wo R lp ole ol District #3 ist ic #3 tr Center Sitting: e Sitting: in ng Chai an Chairman Eldrin Bell n rin ll County-At-Large 112 Smith Street, Administration Building Jonesboro, G 30236 o GA l t Right Sitting: g Sitting itting: Comm ssioner Virginia u ton Gray Commissioner Virginia Burton Gray ommi sione rgin o District #2 Right Standing: ht Sta Commissioner Sonna Singleton ommi sion So n S g eton miss ne Sonn ner o Distr ct #1 District #1 rict ri 22 394832_Clayton.indd GOVERNMENT GEORGIA COUNTY 1 8/27/08 11:01:21 PM http://www.co.clayton.ga.us
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