From L-R: Dr. Josef Broder, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), University of Georgia; Dr. Bob Shulstad, Associate Dean for Research, CAES, UGA; Mr. Zippy Duvall, President of Georgia Farm Bureau; Dr. Scott Angle, Dean and Director, CAES, UGA; Mr. Gary Black, Agriculture Commissioner, Georgia Department of Agriculture; Dr. Govind Kannan, Interim Dean and Director, College of Agriculture, Family Sciences and Technology, Fort Valley State University; and Dr. Beverly Sparks, Associate Dean for Extension, CAES, UGA, pose for a photo recently at the Georgia Agriculture Leadership Conference they attended at the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

June 29, 2011 – The Georgia Department of Agriculture is addressing several issues: food inspections, international trade and educating farmers about new regulations and initiatives. FVSU’s dean of Agriculture, Family Sciences and Technology, Dr. Govind Kannan, has been invited to offer recommendations concerning challenges to set the future course of the agency.
Kannan was tapped by Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black to serve on the External Cooperation Strategic Planning Group.  The panel is charged with providing an assessment of the department as a whole, making necessary changes to its mission, developing a budgetary and legislative action report and deciding a timeline for implementation of all areas.

“The state is extremely fortunate to have the present agriculture leadership spearheaded by Commissioner Black,” Kannan said. “Since taking office, he has reached out and involved all constituents in the strategic planning of the Department of Agriculture.”  Black is developing a brain trust comprised of farmers, agribusiness entrepreneurs, commodity groups, and agriculture administrators in higher education to set the department’s future direction and priorities.

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