The McCain-Palin presidential campaign today announced its Farm and Ranch Coalition for McCain-Palin. This distinguished team will communicate John McCain's policies -- which include establishing a comprehensive energy strategy, promoting agricultural markets and reducing trade barriers, and providing a sustainable safety net for farmers -- with other members of Georgia's agricultural community.

"I support Senator McCain and Governor Palin because I know they understand the importance of agriculture to our economy and that a healthy rural America is vital to the security of our nation," said Gary Black, McCain-Palin Farm and Ranch Georgia State Chair. "It's simple -- a McCain-Palin administration will allow farm families to serve America and keep their land. The redistribution of wealth policies of the Obama-Biden ticket are totally unacceptable."

The continuing success of American agriculture and the health of America's rural heartland requires leadership that understands that productivity and innovation are created by the effort, ingenuity and investment of individual Americans. As president, John McCain will provide leadership on the key issues of importance to rural America and will support communities in creating and sustaining their own economic opportunities.

Details on John McCain's leadership statement on Prosperity for Rural America can be found on the McCain-Palin 2008 web site at www.rural.JohnMcCain.com.

FARM AND RANCH COALITION FOR MCCAIN-PALIN

State Chair
Gary Black, Commerce

Statewide Steering Committee

North Georgia Co-Chair -- Jimmy L. Hill, Dawsonville
Middle Georgia Co-Chair -- Ben Copeland, Jr., Fort Valley
South Georgia Co-Chair -- Buddy Leger, Cordele
Ag Retail Chair -- Jimmy Champion, Albany
Ag Students Chair --  Taylor Sills, Tifton
Beef Chair -- Mike McCravy, Bowden
Cotton Chair -- Van Murphy, Quitman
Dairy Chair -- Doyle Weltzbarker, Quitman
Equine Chair -- Bryan Kemp, Athens
Feed and Grain Chair -- Sammy Wright, Tifton
Food Industry Chair -- Mike Rickman, Tucker
Forestry Chair -- Earl Barrs, Macon
Fruit and Vegetables Chair -- Kevin Coggins, Lake Park
Green Industry Chair -- Skeeter McCorkle, Dearing
Peanut Chair -- Jerry Davis, Hawkinsville
Pecan Chair -- Duke Lane III, Fort Valley
Poultry Chair -- Eddie Brock, Chestnut Mountain
Turfgrass Chair -- Josh Morrow, Cartersville
Urban Agriculture Chair -- Kevin Caldwell, Roswell

Source: McCain-Palin Campaign