For as long as Herndon Country Farms has been a member, Altamaha EMC employees have had a standing invitation to drop by and help themselves to Vidalia onions, leafy greens and sweet corn.
“They have bent over backwards for us, and when we have a problem, they’re here within the hour,” said Jason Herndon, vice president of the 3,500-acre farm in Lyons, Ga., about 200 miles southeast of Atlanta.
It’s not as folksy, but Georgia’s electric cooperatives are returning the kindness through a marketing initiative that promotes rural economies and healthy eating. Through its latest show of support for “Georgia Grown,” a state-backed buy local campaign, the four Georgia EMCs based in Tucker are taking extra steps to highlight the brand in the employee cafeteria.
“Many of Georgia’s EMCs serve farmers who participate in the Georgia Grown program,” said Tina James, vice president, shared services administration at Georgia System Operations, one of the four EMCs in Tucker. “We looked at it as an excellent opportunity to connect our employees with our member-owners.”
For several months, EMC employees have savored the bounty from Herndon Farms and other “Georgia Grown” farms. And Georgia EMC has been one of several “Founder’s Circle sponsors” of Georgia Grown since 2013.
This latest marketing initiative “sets an example for other Georgia companies to follow,” said Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black.