Robyn Stewart
Several years ago a variety of farmers, business owners, and legislators from Lincoln County began a journey to fund and build a new County Agriculture Center. Many natives of Lincoln County can remember a time when the Lincoln County 4-H Livestock Show Teams were among the top competitors in the state. When the recession hit, our successful livestock programs steadily declined. Fortunately, the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners, local farmers, and other concerned residents have made significant investments in the past few years in order to begin growing our agriculture and livestock programs once again.
Retired UGA Extension agent Brian Tankersley of Double Branches Farmers Market spearheaded the planning and funding efforts for our new Agriculture Center. A variety of funding sources totaling close to $300,000 have been used thus far on the facility, which is located on the county recreation property at 1972 Rowland-York Drive. $200,000 of these funds have come from the state of Georgia and $98,500 has come from the USDA. Currently under construction is phase one, which consists of the main office and meeting spaces. The new building is approximately 6300 square feet and contains six offices, a reception area, a conference room, men and women’s bathrooms, a full kitchen, and an approximately 2500 square foot meeting space. Phase one is well underway, with an anticipated finish date sometime in April. The facility will be home to the Lincoln County Extension Office and allow further expansion of Extension staff in the future. Lincoln County also hopes that NRCS will staff an office several times per month as a resource for our residents. The Extension office is looking forward to using the space for programs like an Agriculture Tour of Lincoln County, Journeyman Farmer, forage school, and more. Additionally, the space will be available for community events such as Lincoln County Cattlemen’s Association, Soil and Water Conservation District, and more. If you are interested in the use of the new facility for an event or meeting, please reach out to us at uge3181@uga.edu.
In addition to phase one of the facility, there are future plans for a livestock show facility, also known as phase two. Agriculture is Georgia’s number one industry, and many counties in Georgia, including Fannin and Gilmer are investing in new agriculture centers. Typically, a livestock show facility includes a show arena with bleachers, PA systems, concessions, and plenty of space for spectators and the general public to experience livestock events. For contestants, the housing area will have holding pens, tie stalls, wash racks, and space for a variety of species including cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and more. The primary goal of including a livestock show facility as part of our Agriculture Center is to improve Lincoln County’s ability to teach hands-on agricultural education to students and the general public. The possibility of housing livestock show projects at the Agriculture Center full time is being discussed, as this would reduce the need for students to keep show stock at their own residences. Lincoln County is currently in the process of seeking financing (grants, state, and federal funding) for phase two of the Agriculture Center.
I speak for all of us at Lincoln County Extension when I extend my sincere gratitude to all of the people who have been involved with getting our new Agriculture Center. The addition of this facility is a great asset to our Extension programs, 4-H, FFA, and more. We are currently planning an open house after the facility is complete, hopefully in April. If you have any comments or concerns about our new facility, please reach us at uge3181@uga.edu or 706-359-3233.
