Excitement filled the air during the groundbreaking of a new Fort Valley State University (FVSU) facility designed to assist farmers and students in vegetable production practices through demonstrations, workshops and seminars.
More than 40 elected officials, Cooperative Extension personnel and local farmers attended the morning ceremony, celebrating the beginning of construction for the FVSU Cold Vegetable Processing Facility.
Chase Gregory, architect for Studio 8 Architects, said the 5,520-square-foot single story building is designed to house industrial vegetable processing equipment.
“This equipment is for shelling, washing, grading, chopping or slicing, rinsing and then packaging fresh vegetables received from area farmers. The packaged produce can then be stored refrigerated or frozen until it can be received by the farmer or transported to market. This equipment will be able to handle large quantities of produce in an efficient and safe manner - all in an air conditioned and well lighted facility,” Gregory said. It is scheduled to be constructed by spring 2025.
Dr. Mark Latimore Jr., associate dean for FVSU’s Cooperative Extension Program, said this is an opportunity to expand the horizons of Cooperative Extension services.
“Fort Valley can use this facility to help growers increase their profit base and also their marketing outlets. We can take it a step further and help farmers identify diseases and improve fertilization practices. There is a lot that can benefit growers,” Latimore said.
Moreover, the Extension administrator shared FVSU’s commitment to helping farmers become certified with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), adding value to their produce in preparation for grocers.
“All that helps in making the farmer successful,” Latimore said. In addition to helping farmers, Latimore also discussed the benefit the facility will bring to FVSU students.
“This will provide hands-on experience for our students. We have a lot of students who want to farm so this will allow them to see the entire process, such as indoor growing and marketing their produce. Bottom line, we want to build student preparation for the agricultural workforce and help the small farmer become profitable by helping them grow value-added products,” Latimore said.
Likewise, FVSU President Dr. Paul Jones said this new facility will be a tremendous asset.
“Fort Valley State is uniquely positioned to support the No. 1 industry in the state in so many different ways. To have a meat processing facility and this cold vegetable processing facility, along with the innovation we are doing around emerging technologies, that is a game changer for farmers and limited-resource businesses who don’t have access to this kind of training, technology and support,” Jones said.
Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr., of Georgia’s 2nd Congressional District, agreed with Jones and Latimore. He added that thisfacility will increase the agricultural capacity of this area by allowing farmers to offer the highest quality, safest and the most affordable food and fiber anywhere in the industrialized world.
Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr., of Georgia’s 2nd Congressional District, provides remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony.
Bishop has been helpful to this effort by advocating for land-grant universities at the federal level. For the past four fiscal years, Bishop has been instrumental in securing $21.5 million for the 1890s Facilities Grant Program. The new facility is funded through that project.
Georgia farmer Amos Lawrence said he looks forward to using this facility once it is built. The 74-year-old row crop farmer said he plans to bring his produce to the facility for processing, washing, packaging and labeling.
“Small farmers don’t have the facilities to do this properly. A lot of us small farmers are not quite there yet, and we need to be in order to pass GAP,” Lawrence said.
The Reynolds, Georgia, native, who farms less than 25 acres of collards, corn, okra, watermelon and peaches, said he’s been receiving assistance from FVSU Extension for years. The small farmer said this facility will provide an opportunity to help small farmers like him improve their practices and make a profit.
For more information about the FVSU Cold Vegetable Processing Facility, call (478) 825-6296.