Georgia farmers gather at State Capitol to push lawmakers for support

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Georgia farmers say they are facing one of the toughest periods in decades, as more than 600 packed the State Capitol on Tuesday to push lawmakers for support.

Farmers told lawmakers they are weighing whether they can afford to plant in 2026 or if they may be forced to sell land that has been in their families for generations.

Tractors lined the grounds outside the Gold Dome, while inside, members of the Georgia Farm Bureau filled the halls, meeting with legislators, students and families from across the state.

“Farmers always got hope for a better crop next year, but it looks pretty tough right now,” said Andy Futch, a diversified farmer from Gilmer County.

Rising costs for fuel, fertilizer and labor, paired with low commodity prices, are squeezing farms financially, officials said. Extreme weather, such as hurricanes, flooding and drought, can also wipe out a season’s work overnight.

“If it wasn’t for ag, we’d all be naked, sober and hungry,” said Garrett Hart of Hart County, highlighting the essential role of agriculture in Georgia.

For some families, the land itself is increasingly valuable for development, creating pressure to sell. Lawmakers say many farmers are running out of options.

State Sen. Sam Watson, R-Moultrie, said federal changes lowering the H-2A wage rate helped him to plant again for next year, but other farmers may not be able to hold on.

“They’re desperate. They’re looking for all the resources, financially, that they can find anywhere,” he said.

Watson added that the decision facing farmers is about more than money.

“And that’s a heavy burden, to be the one to have to make that tough decision of, ‘Do we farm, do we not farm?’ And you don’t want to lose your land, you don’t want to lose everything you’ve worked for, your family’s worked for,” he said.

Farmers said they will be closely watching the state budget, including disaster relief funding and resources for agriculture and forestry, as they seek support to preserve family farms and the industry that supports thousands of jobs across Georgia.