August 18, 2021: At their virtual meeting on August 18, members of the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts (GACD) re-elected Ted Hughes of Oglethorpe County as GACD Group 2 Vice-President, and Sonny Turner of Walton County as GACD Group 2 Alternate Vice- President. They will serve two year terms.
Pictured: Ted Hughes, GACD Group 2 Vice- President and Sonny Turner, GACD Group 2 Alternate Vice- President
Ted and Patsy Hughes own and operate Chantilly Farms, a small beef cattle operation located in Smithonia, Oglethorpe County. Chantilly Farm is the center of life for the Hughes; farming is their life and lifestyle. Mr. Hughes and his wife participate in USDA- Natural Resources Conservation Service programs to conserve the soil and water resources on their farm. Over the years, they have implemented practices such as heavy use areas, installation of watering systems, nutrient and pest management, critical area planting, riparian buffers and upland wildlife management. In addition, they have been practicing rotational grazing since 1970. These practices serve to address the soil condition and erosion, and water quality issues on the farm. He has served as a District Supervisor for the Broad River Soil and Water Conservation District since 2019.
Sonny Turner up in Greene County, helping his parents on their family dairy farm. As a young man, he became interested in resource conservation after attending Georgia’s second ever Natural Resources Conservation Workshop (NRCW) during high school. After teaching Agriculture Education for three years at Monroe Area High School, Sonny continued his involvement in local agriculture as a 4-H volunteer and President of the FFA Alumni Association. A deep love of the land led him and his brother to rehabilitating their family farm that now produces hay and forestry products. Retired from Walton EMC, Sonny works hard to interest youth in natural resources by spearheading scholarship efforts as well as annual sponsorship of students to the NRCW that inspired him so many years ago. He has served as a District Supervisor for the Walton County Conservation District since 2010.
Group 2 Vice-Presidents serve on the Board of Directors for GACD in representation of the 14 Soil and Water Conservation Districts spanning 42 counties across Northeast Georgia.
The mission of GACD is to advocate for the conservation of Georgia’s natural resources by providing organization, leadership and a unified strategic direction to the Conservation Districts of the state. For more information on GACD or to explore opportunities on how you can support our efforts, please visit us online at www.gacd.us or on Facebook @GACDConserve.