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By Clint Thompson
Budget was the theme of the second week of the 2026 Georgia Legislative Session. Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) President Will Bentley highlighted the budgetary focus.
“We just wrapped up week two of the legislative session. The second week is always budget week, joint House and Senate Appropriation Committees met where they heard from Gov. (Brian) Kemp and heard from Ag Commissioner Tyler Harper,” Bentley said. “All the state agency heads came and presented their budget requests to the committees which will kick off the process of working through the budget, finalizing the amended budget for FY ’26 and then kicking off the FY ’27 budget.
“Most of it will be to go to fill gaps in the budget for the Department of Ag where some of the money that had been cut on the federal level, the state will back fill some of that money. Commissioner Harper always keeps an eye on the law enforcement side as well as making sure that our producers are protected and we have enough inspectors to go out and do their jobs for farmers and businesses can operate efficiently. There’s money included in the budget for that.
“Nothing major in any positions that we’re hearing where there will be a lot of money put towards anything specifically in this budget yet. But that process continues to play out; working with the University of Georgia and university system as well to try to make sure their needs are met. I know Gov. Kemp has an interest in helping the timber industry. That will be a big deal with all of the issues going on the last couple of years with Hurricane Helene or the mill closures that have impacted that sector of the ag and forestry industry.”