Friends Across The World

It all began with a simple message from a Tifton native, and it blossomed into a remarkable event! On October 19th and 20th, the Tifton-Tift County Tourism Association welcomed 21 Hungarian farmers, researchers, and students to South Georgia. This visit was organized with the support of the Hungarian Embassy’s agriculture attaché in Washington, D.C., the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture, and John E. Parkerson Jr., honorary consul of Hungary, who is both an Atlanta attorney and a Tifton native.

The group’s journey started with the 45th Sunbelt Ag Expo on October 17th. They continued their exploration on October 18th with a tour led by Jason Dunn, Executive Director of the Fitzgerald Ben Hill Economic Development Authority, and enjoyed a meal at Cafe Budapest, the only Hungarian restaurant in the state. Their tour included visits to Hudson Pecan, Muscadine Products Corporation, Protein Plus, and MANA (Mother Administered Nutritive Aid). They also explored a South Georgia peanut farm and received an overview of Georgia’s agricultural economy from Chris Chammoun.

After a restful night in Tifton, the group visited Omega Cotton Gin, Tifton Quality Peanut, ABAC’s Georgia Museum of Agriculture, UGA Tifton Campus, and ABAC’s Ag Science. The Tifton-Tift County Tourism Board joined them for a memorable dinner at ABAC’s Georgia Museum of Agriculture. On the following day, the delegation toured the Georgia Peanut Commission and Lewis Taylor Farms, where they met Balla Zoltan, a Hungarian peanut farmer who is Hungary’s only peanut farmer. Eager to learn and share his own experiences, Balla was enthusiastic about the insights gained from his Georgia counterparts.

We are grateful for the new friendships formed, the stories shared, and the opportunity to showcase South Georgia’s agricultural excellence. It’s clear that people across the World #ThinkTifton when it comes to agriculture!