CAES Alumni Newsletter

Meet Jaky Childers | Ag Forecast | Fall Recap

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Alumni Spotlight: Mark Batchelor

Nestled in the heart of Morgan County and less than 20 miles from the UGA’s campus, Jack’s Creek Christmas Tree Farm & Nursery stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of community, mentorship, and the transformative power of education. At the helm of this stunning and thriving tree farm is Mark Batchelor, a 1988 graduate of Horticulture from UGA CAES, whose story of farming began with an employer-turned-mentor, Ed Ruark.

Read Deep Roots: Mark Batchelor's (BSA ’88) Journey to Co-Owner of Jack’s Creek Farm here.

Meet Jaky Childers, Director of Student Recruitment

Are you going home for the holidays and interacting with future #AgDawgs? Great - allow us to introduce you to CAES Director of Student Recruitment, Jaky Cervantes Childers (BSA ’17). Jaky is not only a CAES alumna, she also taught Ag Education prior to joining CAES. She is a great resource to high school students exploring their options as well as transfer students. Be sure to refer the student in your life to Jaky!

Check out Jaky's guest blog, Recruiting the Next Generation of Ag Dawgs here.

Engage

2025 Georgia Ag Forecast

Strategic insights delivered to you from our researchers - our annual seminar shares the latest research and information from UGA faculty to help farmers and agribusinesses in Georgia's No. 1 industry. The 2025 Ag Forecast report will give a detailed overview of more than a dozen agricultural sectors, published by UGA economists and collaborators.

Friday, January 24

8:00 a.m. - Coffee and Registration

9:00 a.m. - Program followed by Lunch

Macon Marriott City Center

Macon, GA

Registration coming soon

Field to Table: Food Prices and Inflation

This inaugural event will feature research-backed insights from CAES as well as leaders of industry from “field to table” to share what is happening with food prices and inflation. Dr. Michael Adjemian of the Agricultural & Applied Economics department will kick off the program with brief findings from research and data, including those from the 2025 Ag Forecast.

CAES alumni, students, and friends are invited to attend.

Friday, February 21

11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

The Georgia Freight Depot

Atlanta, GA

Celebrate

CAES Alumni Fall 2024 Recap

The University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) hosted a series events this fall to engage alumni, fostering connections and celebrating the achievements of its community.

Check out the latest Ag Dawg Alumni Blog for a glimpse at some of the highlights.

Cultivate: Mark's Melon Patch

This edition of Cultivate highlights the partnership between CAES alumni, Mark Daniel (BSA ’86), and Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) agent for Terrell County, Seth McAllister.

“It’s been a lifesaver,” Daniel added. “I don’t make decisions in a vacuum, and having Seth’s support means I can keep moving forward.”

Read the full story here.

Support CAES Students

CAES Alumni Association Eterna Endowed Fund supports CAES students in a variety of ways. From funding scholarships annually totaling over $200,0000 in its lifetime to funding opportunities like Intros and Appetizers to connect students to alumni and industry partners. The Alumni Association Eterna Fund also supports student organizations, and this fall the Board of Directors Eterna Trustees awarded $12,000 to 14 different CAES programs to broaden the reach and impact of the mission of CAES.

Give Now

Upcoming Events

D.W. Brooks Lecture

November 19, 2024

Athens, GA