SC Commissioner Weathers: Sunbelt Ag Expo Recap

The Sunbelt Ag Expo is an agricultural-based trade show held at Spence Field in Moultrie, Ga.
Known as “North America’s Premier Farm Show”® the annual event has more than 1200 exhibitors showcasing the latest in farming technology.
There are also over 300 different seminars and demonstrations offered over the course of the 3-day event covering topics such as Beef Cattle Management, Equine, Goat & Sheep Health, Fish/Pond Management, Alpaca, Dairy, Poultry, Electrical Safety, backyard gardening and sustainable living topics.
The Expo works with 22 Land Grant Colleges and Universities from the Southeastern U.S. to provide these educational opportunities at no additional cost to the Expo visitors.
I was able to go down to Moultrie on Tuesday for the day and visit the expo.
SCDA had some of our staff in the Clemson area and it was great to see them.
I got to visit with some of my fellow Southeastern Commissioners and visit with their staff there.
I attended the Farmer of the Year lunch to support SC’s nomination, Brad O’Neal of Coosaw Farms in Fairfax.
Coosaw farms grows watermelons and blueberries and consists of approximately 3,300 acres.
O’Neal makes a point of incorporating innovations in ergonomic aids for harvesting and packing.
On Coosaw Farms there’s a culture of old-fashioned thrift where the O’Neal’s re-purpose and reuse whatever’s possible, striving for near zero waste. The company has an active recycling program that includes plastics, metal, packaging, and office paper.
On the county level O’Neal is a member of the Farm Bureau Board of Directors and is on the Holy Trinity Classical Christian School Board of Governors. On the state level he is a member of the South Carolina Watermelon Association. On the national level he’s a member of the North American Blackberry and Raspberry Association, the National Watermelon Association and the Southeast Produce Council.