Hundreds of Georgia Farm Bureau members from across the state visited the Georgia state capitol on Feb. 15, sharing the organization's priorities with state legislators during the 2017 GFB Day at the Capitol.

Georgia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long addressed both the House and Senate, thanking the members of both chambers for the work they do on behalf of Georgia farmers and asking them to continue their support of Georgia agriculture.

"This is a great day for each and every one of you to contact our legislative leaders and let them know what our priority issues are," said GFB President Gerald Long. "And let's be sure and thank them for helping us with our priority issues."

The special master's recommendation in Georgia's favor in the Supreme Court water case with Florida was a key topic of conversation.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Wilkinson, House Ag Committee Chairman Tom McCall and Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black spoke at the lunch GFB held at the Georgia Freight Depot, attended by approximately 800 GFB members and state officials.

During morning meetings in the capitol building and later at a lunch meeting at the Georgia Depot, GFB members were encouraged to raise legislators' awareness of GFB's stance on animal agriculture, water, state tax and budget matters.

Wilkinson said the Senate Ag Committee is working on legislation to reduce paperwork for farmers.

"We're not for more regulation," Wilkinson said. "We're for less regulation. We're going to be working to create an environment where you have less regulation and less paperwork, so you can spend more time doing what you love to do."

McCall reviewed key issues the House Ag Committee is considering, including the Georgia Agricultural Tax Exemption, the Conservation Use Value Assessment, fee changes for hunting and fishing licenses and others.

Black talked about the upcoming Ag Week in Georgia March 20-24. The weeklong celebration features a Pennies for Produce project to raise funds for food banks around the state, the Seasons and Faces of Georgia Agriculture photo exhibit, which will be displayed in the Sloppy Floyd Memorial Building in Atlanta, Ag Literacy Day statewide on March 23 and Make My Plate Georgia Grown Day in schools across the state on March 24.