Congressman Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (GA-02), Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, has been selected to receive the Friend of Farm Bureau Award for his dedication to serving America’s farmers and ranchers. Congressman Bishop was nominated by the Georgia State Farm Bureau and approved by the American Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors.
 
“Agriculture is one of the pillars of Georgia’s economy,” said Congressman Bishop. “I am proud to receive this award and I promise to continue my work on behalf of Georgia farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses.”  
 
The AFBF selects candidates for the Friend of Farm Bureau Award based on their voting records and how well they have supported AFBF priority issue areas. For the 114th Congress, the priority issues are food security and safety, regulatory reform, and access to trade and technology. Congressman Bishop has long been an advocate for the agriculture industry, both in Georgia and nationwide. Through his perch on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, the Congressman has served as a champion for Georgia’s peanut, cotton, poultry, pecan, blueberry, vegetable, and forestry industries, among others.
 
The State of Georgia has 9.6 million acres of land devoted to farms, including nearly 2.5 million acres in the 2nd Congressional District of Georgia. Agriculture contributes an estimated $74.35 billion annually to Georgia’s economy. The role of agriculture is of paramount importance to the 2nd Congressional District of Georgia. There are an estimated 8,000 farm operators and 5,600 farms in the District.