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Legislative Report Week 2

Legislative Report Title

Legislative Report Titles

 

Legislative Report Week 2

January 23, 2026

In This Issue:

Legislative Reports

Photo Credits: House Media Services

Budget Week

Monday, January 20th, marked the beginning of budget week at the State Capitol. During budget week, the General Assembly does not convene for any legislative days. Instead, the House and Senate Appropriations Committee meets for their annual joint hearing on Governor Kemp's budget recommendations. The joint hearing lasted three days and the committee heard from all the state agency heads, Governor Kemp, and Dr. Robert Buschman, State Economist. Throughout the rest of session, subcommittees in both chambers will take a deeper dive into the budget recommendations from the Governor and additional requests submitted by agencies.

Dr. Buschman has served as the State Economist since 2023 and provides economic insight for the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget. A few key takeaways from Dr. Buschman's presentation were tax revenues for the state have remained constant over the past few years even when including the substantial cuts to the personal and corporate income tax which make up the largest share of state revenue. He remains cautious about the strength of the economy going forward, noting the impact of tariffs on trade and cost of doing business coupled with a slowdown in the job market. However, he does not think we are going into a recession yet, but does think the economy will experience a slowing period.

The General Assembly will return next week and convene for legislative days 6-9 next week, beginning on Monday, January 26th, and concluding on Thursday, January 29th. Leadership is monitoring the winter weather to determine when members will be asked to come back to the chambers, but as of now are planning for Tuesday afternoon.

 

Take Action - Urge Congress to Pass Farm Assistance

Georgia's farmers are enduring severe financial strain, with record-high input costs and stagnant crop prices resulting in $800 million in losses for our state in 2025 alone. While the USDA's Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) payments represent a valuable first step, they fall far short of addressing the full scope of cumulative losses and the ongoing challenges producers face.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) and Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), who chairs the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, recently released a framework to expand farm assistance and complement the FBA program, emphasizing the need for additional targeted relief through appropriations or related measures to bridge producers to future reforms like those in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Agriculture Committee members on both sides of the aisle have similarly highlighted the urgency of meaningful supplemental aid for family farmers amid market disruptions and high costs.

Congress must act decisively in the FY2026 appropriations bills to provide immediate, substantial economic relief. Without it, more farms will close, rural America will suffer, and our domestic food security will be at risk.

Timely action is essential to keep Georgia's farms operating and our nation fed from its own soil. Help protect Georgia agriculture by contacting your congressmen today and demand action. Pre-drafted comments are available by clicking below. Please feel free to edit your comments to give them a more personal touch.

Take Action

 

Update on HPAI Outbreak in North Georgia

On January 13th, Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) Commissioner Tyler Harper announced a positive case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a commercial flock in Walker County, Georgia. Working with local, state, and federal partners, GDA quickly secured the site and established the quarantine zone. As of today, the depopulation process on the farm where the detection was made has been completed, however the quarantine zone is still active. The response team will continue to complete all necessary task to clear the virus from the impacted farm.

If you are a commercial poultry grower in the area, be on the lookout for more updates on the status of the outbreak. Click here to view the Georgia Department of Agriculture website for more information. 

 

GFB Day at the Capitol

Georgia Farm Bureau Day at the Capitol is just a few weeks away! We hope to see you on February 10th to join alongside over 650 farmers advocating for the betterment of farm families and rural communities.

The day will begin at 9:30am in the Blue Room at the Georgia Freight Depot, just down the hill from the Capitol. Due to limited onsite parking, complimentary parking will be available at the Georgia State University Blue Lot, 76 Fulton St SW, with shuttles to the event.

 

Preparing for Winter Storm

Although many enjoyed a rare snow day last weekend, much of Georgia may be facing a dangerous winter weather event this weekend. There is a significant chance of a wintry weather conditions that could have impacts to the state of Georgia Saturday and Sunday that include freezing rain, freezing temperatures, ice and potential power outages.

The track of this storm system is uncertain at this time and we strongly encourage you to take steps to prepare. Check out our tips and checklists below and pay close attention to your weather reports over the next few days. Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance will continue to monitor the situation and our agents and claims professionals will be ready to assist our members.

Tips and Checklist

 

Bill Tracker

To stay updated on all the bills GFB is tracking, check out our updated bill tracker under the Action Center on the Georgia Farm Bureau website. There you will be able to find all the bills that we are following, a summary of the bill, the bill sponsors, and the most recent action. Click the button below to be redirected to our bill tracker.

 

Save the Date

 

 

Thank you for taking an active role in staying up-to-date and informed on the developments at our State Capitol. If you have additional questions, feel free to reach out to any of our Public Policy Department Staff and we will be happy to assist you. 

  • Alex Bradford, Director
  • Adam Belflower, State Affairs Manager
  • Raynor Churchwell, Agricultural Programs Manager
  • ElizaJane Glover, Agricultural Programs Specialist 
  • Renee Jones, Operations Coordinator
  • Amelia Junod,  Advocacy and Policy Development Specialist
  • Chase McClure, Governmental Affairs Specialist
  • Ben Parker, National Affairs Coordinator