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Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Tifton, Georgia

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Photos by Frank Sayles Jr.

Kent Hamilton of Norman Park receives the Sunbelt Ag Expo Farmer of the Year award on Tuesday. From left are Gov. Brian P. Kemp, Sunbelt Expo Director Chip Blalock, Hamilton, Hamilton's wife Pam, and Ga. Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper.

NORMAN PARK MAN NAMED S.E. FARMER OF YEAR AT SUNBELT EXPO

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

A Norman Park farmer has been named the Southeastern Farmer of the Year during the opening day Tuesday of the 47th Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition in Moultrie.

Also as the three-day Expo got underway, Gov. Brian P. Kemp and state Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper stressed the importance of Georgia's agriculture industry and noted that state officials will continue to support farmers as they continue recovering from last year's Hurricane Helene.

Georgia has been selected as the Expo's "Spotlight State" this year, showcasing the state's "Georgia Grown" foods and products.

During a luncheon recognizing the Farmers of the Year from seven Southeastern states, Kent Hamilton, Georgia's Farmer of the Year and CEO of Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable Inc., in Norman Park, was named the Expo's Southeastern Farmer of the Year.

His family-operated company cultivates more than 8,500 acres across Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, and the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, growing green beans, cabbage, trellis cucumbers, peppers, squash, sweet corn, trellis pickles, and eggplant, and has a hundred head of cows.

Hamilton said Southern Valley is a fully integrated business from "seed to shelf" –growing within their own greenhouses, harvesting from their fields, employing their own labor force, operating their own packing facilities, and using their own trucking companies.

Governor Kemp spoke at the luncheon as well at the Expo's opening ceremony and at the ribbon-cutting of Georgia as the Expo's Spotlight state. His theme was that farmers have had "an incredibly tough year" following Hurricane Helene and other challenges, and that recovery and rebuilding continues.

"We’re a little over a year past Helene. (First Lady) Marty and I have been on the road with several different events reminding people in our ag community that we have not forgotten you. There is still a recovery going on around many parts of this state," Kemp said.

“We know there is a lot of recovery still in the works and a lot of work that we need to do. ... I want you to know that we have not forgotten you; we will not forget you; we will continue to work with you," the governor said. "Tough times don't last, but tough people do," Kemp said, referring to Georgia's farmers and timber growers.

Each year the Sunbelt Ag Expo highlights one Southeastern state as the "Spotlight State" and this year it is Georgia. A building at the Expo is dedicated to Georgia agriculture, which is the state's top industry.

Agriculture has an economic impact of more than $91 billion in Georgia, supporting more than 380,000 jobs. It "bridges the rural and urban areas" of the state, said Ag Commissioner Tyler Harper of Ocilla.

Harper noted that today's agriculture is much more than "cows, plows, and sows" – the industry is using cutting-edge technology to innovate and increase efficiency.

The Sunbelt Ag Expo at Spence Field in Moultrie continues Wednesday from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. and on Thursday from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission at the gate is $15 per person.

TIFT BOE SETS LOWER TAX RATE, GIVING PROPERTY OWNERS 12% REDUCTION

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

The Tift County Board of Education (BOE) has set its millage rate at 12.275 mills for 2025, which the BOE says is a 12% tax reduction for property owners.

This comes after the school board had set a 2024 millage rate of 14 mills, a 2.5-mill rollback resulting in a property tax increase of 19.54%.

After receiving the new tax digest, the BOE at its meeting Thursday night decided that instead of adopting the new rollback rate, it would provide tax relief using reserve funds – which are essentially funds in the school system’s savings accout – to balance the budget.

The new tax digest had calculated the rate at 14.0036 mills, higher than last year's 14 mills.

“The Tift County Board of Education has adopted a millage rate that prioritizes taxpayer relief over accumulating substantial cash reserves. This decision will result in the school system utilizing some of its fund balance (cash reserves) to balance the budget in order to pass along a tax break to its citizens," said Superintendent Natalie Gore.

"The system will maintain approximately 1.9 months of operating costs in its fund balance. The board members, recognizing their role as the second-largest employer in Tift, believe this current fund balance offers essential stability for employees and operations. This stability is crucial should an economic downturn necessitate using the fund balance to offset revenue losses,” Gore said.

Out of 180 school systems in Georgia, there were only 19 that spent less dollars per pupil on education that Tift County, yielding Tift a high financial efficiency rating, the school system said.

Tift County Tax Commissioner Chad Alexander said new property tax bills should be mailed out soon.

STATE RECOGNIZES SCHOOLS

IN BERRIEN, BEN HILL FOR PERFORMANCE, IMPROVEMENTS

By FRANK SAYLES JR.

Tifton Grapevine

Schools in Berrien and Ben Hill counties are among the highest-performing and most-improved Title I schools in the state, according to the Georgia Department of Education (GDOE).

The GDOE on Monday released the 2025 lists of Distinguished and Reward Schools. The Distinguished Schools designation recognizes the highest-performing Title I schools in Georgia, while Reward Schools are the Title I schools making the most significant improvements.

Berrien Primary School was designated a Distinguished School. Ben Hill County Middle School and Ben Hill County Primary School are designated Reward Schools.

A Title 1 school is a school that receives federal funding to support its students, particularly those from low-income families. This funding is used to increase student achievement by providing additional resources, staff, and programs.

“Just as we work to help all schools continuously improve, it’s essential that we take time to celebrate schools as they make great gains for students,” said State School Superintendent Richard Woods.

“These schools have faced real barriers and kept the focus on preparing students for life. They believed in their kids and their communities, and that determination made all the difference. Congratulations to the 2025 Distinguished and Reward Schools and their leaders, teachers, students, and families.”

TRMC BARIATRIC SURGERY PROGRAM GETS SPECIAL ACCREDITATION

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

Tift Regional Medical Center’s bariatric weight loss surgery program has received accreditation under the American College of Surgeons Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP).

A comprehensive, nationwide surgical quality program, MBSAQIP is designed to ensure the safe and effective performance of metabolic and bariatric surgery.

“We are proud to have achieved this special accreditation,” said Dr. Paul Cartwright, board-certified bariatric surgeon with Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) and South Georgia Surgical.

“The accreditation process included a comprehensive review of the hospital's infrastructure, surgical procedures, staff qualifications, and patient outcomes. The hospital successfully met stringent criteria, affirming that TRMC adheres to best practices and rigorous patient safety standards,” Cartwright said.

'DINO-LIGHT' TO LIGHT UP ABAC STAGE

Tifton Grapevine Staff Reports

"Dinosaurs" will light up the night when Lightwire Theater’s award-winning production "Dino-Light" takes the stage at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s Howard Auditorium at 7 p.m. Oct. 30.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the show that blends cutting-edge technology, larger-than-life puppetry, and choreography into a glow-in-the-dark adventure.

At the heart of Dino-Light is a magical story: A scientist uses his powers to bring a friendly dinosaur to life. But when the dinosaur ventures out into the world, his journey leads to thriling encounters and visuals, and ultimately, the discovery of the true meaning of love.

Praised for its creativity and innovation, Dino-Light was the first feature-length theatrical production by creators Ian Carney and Corbin Popp. It received the Jim Henson Foundation Grant and became the cornerstone for the internationally acclaimed Lightwire Theater, founded in 2012.

Tickets are available at arts.abac.edu.

TIFTON-TIFT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RIBBON CUTTING

Ellaryn MedSpa

1948 Old Ocilla Road, Tifton

Oct. 7

TIFTON GRAPEVINE'S CAT OF THE WEEK

"Mossy," a nine-month-old girl is gentle, sweet, and has a calm, quiet spirit. Mossy adores human affection and will gladly melt into your hands for pets and cuddles. Visit Mossy and see other pets available for adoption between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the Tift County Animal Shelter on Highway 125 South, or call 229-382-PETS (7387).

20th CENTURY LIBRARY CLUB PUBLISHES BOOKLET: 'TIFTON – THE CITY BEAUTIFUL'

~ OCT. 15, 1909

Tifton's 20th Century Library Club's Civic Improvement Committee on Oct. 15, 1909, published a booklet entitled "Tifton – The City Beautiful." The club hoped the booklet would stimulate interest in residents caring for lawns and yards, and would remind them to keep clean the sidewalks, streets, and premises in Tifton. "A copy of the book is being sent to every housekeeper in the city," the club reported.

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