MACON- The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture, Georgia Farm Bureau and Georgia Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) are jointly promoting agricultural literacy by donating copies of the children’s book “The Soil in Jackie’s Garden” to nearly 400 libraries in the Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS).

The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture (GFA) and Georgia EMC have given each county Farm Bureau in Georgia enough books for every public library in the county. Thomas County Farm Bureau recently delivered a copy of the book to each of the six public libraries in Thomas County.

“The Soil in Jackie’s Garden,” written by Peggy Thomas and illustrated by Neely Daggett, follows Jackie and her garden friends as they discover the wonders of gardening, soil secrets and the magic of composting. They embrace the joys of planting a garden, nurturing and harvesting their own food, and recycling scraps to compost, ensuring that the “magical cycle of growth and sustainability continues anew.” The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture selected the book as its 2025 Book of the Year for its accurate and positive portrayal of agriculture.

The GFA is thrilled to partner with Georgia EMC and Georgia Farm Bureau to donate the book. The GFA began donating accurate books about agriculture to each public library in Georgia in 2016. Georgia EMC joined the foundation as a sponsor of this endeavor in 2018.

The GFA is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to preparing the next generation of leaders for success in Georgia agriculture. The GFA works with Georgia Farm Bureau and other Georgia agricultural and educational organizations to achieve its mission. The foundation offers scholarships to students pursuing agricultural careers, funds leadership development programs and projects that increase the public’s understanding of agriculture. The recently launched Georgia Ag Experience, a mobile classroom that introduces third through fifth graders to Georgia’s top crops. To make a tax-deductible donation or learn more about the foundation, visit www.gafoundationag.org or contact GFA Executive Director Lily Baucom at 478-405-3461 or lrbaucom@gfb.org.