Augusta Declares August as Agriculture Month; Honors Loretta & Samuel Adderson as Legacy Farmers

By D.A.W. Thomas, Urban Pro Weekly

AUGUSTA, GA — The Augusta-Richmond County Commission will officially proclaim August as Agriculture Month in Augusta during the delegation portion of its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at 2:00 PM in the Commission Chambers at the Augusta Municipal Building.

As part of the presentation, the Commission will recognize Loretta and Samuel Adderson - founders of Adderson’s Historic Black Farm in Keysville, Georgia - for their decades of contributions to agriculture, nutrition education, and generational land stewardship. The couple will be honored as Legacy Farmers, highlighting their lifelong commitment to the land and to mentoring the next generation of growers.

Mrs. Loretta Adderson shared her gratitude, saying:

“Farmers, family, and friends—Sam and I are overwhelmed with joy to be recognized with this distinguished honor. We will continue to promote and support sustainable agriculture in the future. We love our family, communities, state, country, and our international communities.”

Karen Gordon, founder of Growing Augusta: Arts, Agriculture & Agency, which is coordinating Agriculture Month events, emphasized the significance of this recognition:

“The Addersons embody the heart of agriculture in our region. Honoring them as Legacy Farmers during the first official Agriculture Month in Augusta sets the tone for how we value those who feed, teach, and inspire our communities.”

Augusta Agriculture Month will feature farmers market spotlights, school garden tours, youth grower programs, and the launch of the Garden City Grown campaign highlighting local farms. A reception will follow the proclamation ceremony, and farmers are encouraged to attend wearing branded apparel representing their farms or businesses.

For more information about Agriculture Month events, visit growingaugusta.org or contact Karen Gordon at kgordon@growingaugusta.org.