Earlier this month, Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) Law Enforcement Division Director Harlan Proveaux and Deputy Director Bruce Stanford attended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Symposium on Threats to Agriculture in Omaha, Nebraska. The symposium brought together experts from various sectors to discuss emerging threats to America’s agricultural sector and our nation’s food supply, including biosecurity risks and bioterrorism, cybersecurity challenges as farmers become more connected, threats from foreign nations like China, and other potential vulnerabilities. GDA Law Enforcement leadership was grateful for the opportunity to share their insights, collaborate with fellow attendees, and learn from industry leaders how to better protect Georgia’s agricultural sector against future threats.
“Like any other industry, Agriculture is not immune to criminal activity, and that’s why we began the process of reinstating the Department’s Law Enforcement authority on day one of my administration,” said Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper. “Our Law Enforcement team at the Georgia Department of Agriculture is committed to protecting Georgia’s #1 industry and our state’s food supply from those who wish to do us harm. I’m grateful for Director Proveaux and Deputy Director Stanford’s leadership on this critical issue.”
“We were grateful to our partners at the FBI for recognizing the importance of protecting America’s food supply and our agriculture sector from hostile actors and sharing critical information with our team and law enforcement officers from around the county,” said GDA Law Enforcement Director Harlan Proveaux. “Crime is like water – it takes the path of least resistance, and at Commissioner Harper’s direction, our Law Enforcement Division is working every day to send a clear message to those who use agriculture as a means to an end – you will be caught, you will be prosecuted, and you will go to prison.”
Georgia Department of Agriculture Law Enforcement Officers have been involved in multiple investigations into illegal activity in Georgia’s agricultural industry since the Department’s POST ID was restored in June of 2023. In February 2024, GDA Officers assisted the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office in a raid on an indoor marijuana growing operation, resulting in the seizure of more than $22 million worth of marijuana – the largest marijuana bust in Pierce County history. In August 2024, GDA Officers assisted DEA Atlanta in a joint investigation that led to the seizure of more than 2,500 pounds of crystal meth disguised in a shipment of celery originating from Mexico at the Atlanta State Farmer’s Market.
