Oct 11 - Georgia Department of Agriculture Opens New Lab in Tifton

Written by Lou Phelps Sunday, 09 October 2011 16:29

SBJ Staff Report

Oct 11, 2011 – Governor Nathan Deal and Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black will travel to Tifton tomorrow for a ribbon cutting and dedication of the new Tifton Agriculture Laboratory located at 3150 U.S. Hwy 41 South.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture broke ground on the project in early 2010, and began construction this year for the Tifton Agricultural Seed Lab facility that will consolidate the state’s agricultural seed labs while also expanding to include labs for fuels testing as well as weights and measures testing.

The new facility offers 300% more space than the existing seed lab. The labs ultimate goal is to provide the state with safe and secure food, fuel and fiber to continue to expand and innovate in the agricultural industry – one of Georgia’s largest employment bases, and leading exporting industry.

Currently, the Tifton Seed Laboratory tests any kind of seed, from the sod planted in front yards to the seeds planted in fields. Also, animal feed and pesticide formulations are tested there.