Tift County Extensions
The Tift County Extension
Service is a resource and educational center funded
by the county and the University of Georgia College
of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Services
and educational information in Agriculture, Family &
Consumer Sciences, 4-H Youth and Community and
Agricultural Economic Development are provided. More
specifically the extension service provides
educational information in the following topics and
areas of interest.
Agriculture and Natural
Resources: Row Crops and Animal Agriculture,
Commercial Vegetables, Ornamental Horticulture, Home
Lawn and Garden, Integrated Pest Management,
Agriculture Forages, Value Added Agriculture and
Economic Development for Agriculture and
Agribusiness.
Family & Consumer Science:
Food and Nutrition, Food Safety, Chronic disease,
Financial Literacy, Healthy Homes/Healthy People,
Health and Safety in Early Childhood.
4-H & Youth Development:
School Club Meetings, Project Achievement, Camps,
Livestock Projects in Beef, Hogs, Lamb and Meat
Goats, Project Safe Shooting Sports, Judging Teams,
Community Service and Leadership Activities.
T. Brian Tankersley serves as
County Extension Coordinator. He is a graduate of
the University of Georgia with a Masters Degree in
Agricultural Extension. He has served in Tift
County as County Coordinator since 1999. His
specialized agriculture field is in the area of Row
Crop and Animal Agriculture, Forages and
Agricultural Economic Development. He also provides
leadership to Educational judging teams and the 4-H
Livestock projects.
Judy Bland, Family & Consumer
Science Agent is a graduate of the University of
Georgia school of Family and Consumer Sciences.
Judy’s major focus area is Nutrition, Health and
Food Safety Education. She has served as the Family
and Consumer Science County Extension Agent for Tift
County since 1991.
Keith Rucker, County Extension
Agent, works in the specialized area of Commercial
Vegetable and Fruit Production. He has expertise in
the areas of Precision Agriculture and Advanced Farm
Technology. He is a graduate of the University of
Georgia with a Master degree in Agronomy. He has
worked in Tift County since 1999.
Connie Pannell, County
Extension 4-H Program Assistant provides leadership
to our Tift County 4-H program. She schedules and
conducts Club Meetings, Promotes and Organizes
Camps, Project Achievement, Awards and Recognition,
Adult and Youth volunteers and many Community
Service and Leadership Activities. She has served
Tift County for 26 years.
Cathy Williamson, County
Extension Secretary has served the Tift County
Extension Service since 1999. She provides clerical
assistance and technical support to the entire
office staff. She processes soil and plant sample
request, maintains farmer pesticide records and
training requests, provides accounting and record
keeping documentation and many other office
responsibilities.
