Cagle honors Bennett, Brim

Published 10:50 pm Monday, October 11, 2010

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle met with representatives from the Center of Innovation for Agribusiness on the University of Georgia Tifton campus and presented two area business owners, Bill Brim of Lewis Taylor Farms and Lauri Jo Bennett of Lauri Jo’s Southern Style Canning, with Innovation in Business awards recently.

Cagle created this award more than a year ago to recognize dedicated students and businesses that create innovative solutions for today’s business market.

The Center of Innovation for Agribusiness is comprised of Director Donnie Smith, project managers Kim Rutland and Roderick Gilbert and program specialist Sarah Cook. Cook said they focus on technology-oriented companies in precision agriculture, value-added agriculture such as nutraceuticals and organics, renewable fuel biomass production, poultry, forest products and biotechnology.

They connect clients directly to key resources, emerging technologies, university research, development and commercialization services that are all streamlined and geared to increasing competitiveness. From applying technology to maximize yields and reduce costs to streamlining processes at packaging and distribution companies for bottom line impact, they like to say they operate at the speed of business.

Cagle’s meeting with the representatives and local business owners began with Joe West, assistant dean of the UGA Tifton campus. He addressed the current development of cutting edge technology on campus by world-renowned scientists from more than 18 countries, including herbicide resistant crops, shade- and drought-tolerant Bermuda grass and variable rate irrigation systems. His demonstration offered an outlook on the progression of agriculture.

Brim described the success of his vegetable and seeding operation that spans more than 5,000 acres in Tift County and other surrounding counties. Additionally, he explained his company’s research in the energy grass, miscanthus. He hopes that his partnership with COI for Agribusiness and UGA researchers, miscanthus and ideal applications of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides can be identified for this growing area.

Bennett mentioned the celebration of her business which began with the canning of salsa, pepper jelly and green tomato pickles at the high school canning plant in Moultrie during her summers off from teaching school. Gina McDonald, marketing director of the Sunbelt Expo, encouraged Bennett to go into business selling the products that she has taken pride in producing and long before has given away. Her business has successfully grown with hard work and help from the COI for Agribusiness and UGA’s Small Business Development Center. Currently, Bennett’s natural products are carried in 174 stores across the U.S., which includes Earth Fare and hopefully soon, Whole Foods. Her product line started with just three products, but she is now ready to release the eighth product. Lauri Jo’s Southern Style Canning now has five employees.

Cagle said  Brim and Bennett’s dedication, success and desire to launch their businesses will not only help in their expansion, but it will also help create more local jobs for the community.  

“It’s great to be in Tifton,” Cagle said. “Agriculture has grown rapidly and small local businesses are making it a success.”