The big event that happens every year is the announcement of the Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year. A farmer of the year is chosen from Southeastern states like Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Then, out of these, the Expo’ s Farmer of the Year is chosen. This year’ s Georgia Farmer of the Year was our very own Kent Hamilton from Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable in Norman Park. Read this edition’ s cover story to find out more about him.
A smaller event is the ribbon cutting for the Annual Spotlight State, which is Georgia this year. Every year a state is chosen to set-up a large exhibit showcasing its agriculture industry and community. In the Spotlight State exhibit, there’ s usually history about the state’ s agriculture industry, knowledgable experts, colorful displays, information about key products and sometimes, even, samples of those products.
As far as presentations and demonstrations go, there are cow milking contests each day and the mobile dairy classroom demonstration, goat roping competitions, high voltage demonstrations, the Sunbelt Expo Rodeo Queen and Princess introductions, ranch / cow horse demonstrations, tractor pulls and the antique tractor parade. I’ ve named only a few of the demonstrations and there are many, many more from all aspects of agriculture both out in the field and inside the show area. My favorite things to watch, both relatively new to the Expo, have been the tractor pull and the goat roping competition.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Joey Hoegger of Hoegger Supply demonstrates his goat milking machine on Dancer, a Saanen goat, at the Sunbelt Expo; A drone sprayer flies over a field at the Sunbelt Ag Expo. It is one of the examples of new technology in agriculture that is showcased, every year, at the farm show; Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper gives a speech at the annual Willie B. Withers Farmer of the Year Luncheon at the Sunbelt Expo in 2024. Photos by Adelia Ladson
14 MoultrieScene OCTOBER 2025