might charge premium rates to youth organizations, the fairgrounds subsidizes participation to remove financial barriers. “The authority, that’s their number one priority, is youth in Georgia and geared towards agriculture and introducing them to agriculture,” Shimp states. The facility serves as essential infrastructure for programs like 4-H and FFA, providing professionalgrade arenas and exhibition spaces that would otherwise be unavailable to most rural communities. Georgia’s investment recognizes that cultivating the next generation of agricultural professionals requires more than classroom instruction. It demands hands-on experience in facilities that mirror industry standards. EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF AGRICULTURAL LEADERS The fairgrounds serve as more than a venue for 98 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 13, ISSUE 01
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