By Clint Thompson
Change is on the way for Georgia. Not only did it elect a new governor Tuesday, it also elected a new Ag Commissioner to oversee agriculture, the state’s No. 1 industry. Katherine Juhan-Arnold was elected as the state’s next Ag Commissioner on Tuesday, defeating Tyler Harper, who had served just one term.
Juhan-Arnold, a democrat from Snellville, collected 54% of the vote, compared to Harper, a republican from Ocilla, who garnered just 46% of the vote.
Juhan-Arnold will oversee the Georgia Department of Agriculture, which happens to be the oldest state department of agriculture in the nation. The department functions as a regulatory agency by protecting the consuming public and promoting the agricultural sector. It advocates for Georgia Grown products and regulates animals, food, fuel, plants, soil and pesticides produced or sold within Georgia.
Agriculture contributed $100.4 billion to Georgia’s economy in 2024, according to the Georgia Ag Impact Report. The 2024 Georgia Farm Gate Value was $18.03 billion. Agriculture, forestry or related fields provide more than 370,400 jobs.
Specialty crops are a vital part of Georgia’s agricultural sector. Georgia ranks in the top 10 nationally in blueberry, watermelon, peach, bell pepper, onion/Vidalia onion and cucumber production. Georgia is also the top producer of pecans.