Dear Editor: I received the following e-mail from our new Commissioner of Agriculture, Gary Black. If you have ever seen the Georgia Market Bulletin, you know there is no hyperbole in Commissioner Black’s praise. This is a very useful resource for Georgia farmers. I do not see a viable substitute to replace the bulletin on the horizon. So I wanted to share the message he sent March 8 to University of Georgia Extension personnel:
“As you know Georgia has an extremely proud history of an economy strongly tied to agriculture. I do not need to tell you that relationship is just as strong today, with one in seven Georgia jobs classified as being directly or indirectly related to agriculture and agribusiness.
“I am sending you this letter today to ask your help in saving a very key part of Georgia’s Agriculture History, the Farmers and Consumers Market Bulletin. The Market Bulletin sells everything farmers use from fertilizer and seed to heifers and farm equipment, and really anything a farmer could use. The majority of these transactions are from farmer to farmer. The Market Bulletin also keeps the reader up to date on current agriculture issues facing Georgia.
“Traditionally, the state has sent the Market Bulletin free of charge. Per the recommendation of the General Assembly last year, we are currently working on instituting a $10 a year subscription for the Market Bulletin.
“We currently have 20,000 paid subscriptions to the Market Bulletin, but we need 38,000 more to break even by April 30. If we do not get 38,000 more subscriptions, we will have to strongly consider ending the Market Bulletin. This would be a huge loss to Georgia, especially since the paper has been around since 1907.
“So I am coming to you today, like I did growing up, asking you to buy a subscription to our newspaper. Will you do your part to save Georgia history and preserve this valuable resource for future generations? For more information or to subscribe, go to http://www.thegamarketbulletin.com.
“Thanks so much for your support of the Market Bulletin. And please encourage your clients to subscribe today. God bless.”
This is of most interest to those in the north end of the county, although we do have cattle and vegetable producers around Richmond Hill. I hope your readers will consider Commissioner Black’s plea.

Thanks,
Don Gardner
Bryan County Extension agent