We are pleased to welcome Commissioner Tyler J. Harper, Georgia’s 17th Agriculture Commissioner, as our speaker on October 1. A seventh‑generation South Georgia farmer and lifelong resident of the Peach State, Harper oversees the state’s largest industry, an economic powerhouse employing nearly 400,000 Georgians and contributing $91.4 billion annually. Since taking office in January 2023, he has delivered major wins for farmers and consumers, including establishing the Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund, banning adversarial foreign nations from purchasing Georgia farmland, restoring the Department of Agriculture’s law‑enforcement authority, and implementing critical safeguards for consumable hemp products. Under his leadership, the Georgia Grown program has expanded through new partnerships with the Atlanta Braves, UGA Football, and the annual Georgia Grown Bowl.
Before becoming Commissioner, Harper spent a decade representing Southeast and South‑Central Georgia in the State Senate, where he championed legislation supporting rural communities, strengthening Right to Farm protections, expanding agricultural education, improving rural healthcare, increasing broadband access, and reducing tax burdens on farmers. A graduate of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Harper continues to be deeply rooted in Georgia’s agricultural heritage, operating his family’s century‑old farm in Irwin County. Beyond his public service, he is an avid outdoorsman, musician, and pilot, and remains active in his local community and church.