Subject: Request for Legislative Review of the Qualifications and Agricultural Experience of Georgia Commissioner-Elect Katherine Juhan-Arnold

November 7, 2026

To: Members of the Georgia General Assembly
 Georgia State Capitol
 Atlanta, Georgia

Dear Members of the Georgia General Assembly,

My credibility to write this letter is as follows: I am an American Citizen, a 5th generation farmer/ rancher, a graduate of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College with a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business, and owner/ operator of a farm-to-table beef store founded in 2026.

I am writing as a Georgia citizen, agricultural producer, and concerned member of the state’s farming community to express serious concerns regarding the qualifications and professional agricultural experience of Katherine Juhan-Arnold, Georgia’s commissioner-elect of agriculture.

Georgia agriculture is not simply another government department. It is the backbone of our state’s economy, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs and countless family-owned farms, livestock operations, agricultural businesses, and rural communities.

The individual entrusted with overseeing this industry should possess a comprehensive understanding of the realities facing Georgia’s agricultural producers. I believe a comparison between Commissioner-Elect Juhan-Arnold’s documented background and that of outgoing Commissioner Tyler Harper raises legitimate questions about the qualifications and experience necessary to lead this department.

1. Tyler Harper’s agricultural background
Tyler Harper represents a background deeply rooted in Georgia agriculture.

His qualifications include:

Seventh-generation Georgia farmer.
Raised in a family farming operation spanning more than 125 years.
Direct experience producing peanuts, cotton, timber, and beef cattle.
Associate degree in Agriculture from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Georgia.
Former Georgia State Senator, serving from 2012/2013 through 2022.
Leadership experience on legislative committees dealing with agriculture and natural resources.
Nearly four years of experience serving as Georgia’s Agriculture Commissioner.
Harper’s background demonstrates a combination of formal agricultural education, generational farming knowledge, commercial agricultural experience, and government leadership.

These are qualifications directly relevant to overseeing Georgia’s agricultural industry.

Sources: Georgia Department of Agriculture and Georgia.gov.

2. Katherine Juhan-Arnold’s documented background
I recognize that Juhan-Arnold has participated in agricultural initiatives and deserves a fair assessment of her professional accomplishments.

Her publicly documented experience includes:

Founding Baby Katie’s Pharm & Kitchen.
Community-based agricultural initiatives.
Seed and seedling distribution.
Local food production and farmers market participation.
Agricultural education and food-access programs.
Professional experience involving infrastructure, information technology, and construction management.
These activities have value, particularly in community agriculture and food accessibility.

However, there is a substantial distinction between operating community agricultural programs and possessing the experience necessary to oversee an entire state’s agricultural industry.

Georgia agriculture encompasses commercial cattle operations, poultry production, row-crop farming, timber, agricultural chemicals, fertilizer regulation, animal health, food safety, and international agricultural commerce.

Based on the publicly available biographies and candidate information I have reviewed, I have not found comparable evidence of extensive experience managing large-scale commercial agricultural operations, livestock production, or commodity farming.

I believe this distinction deserves serious consideration.

3. Questions regarding formal agricultural education
There are also questions that deserve clarification regarding Juhan-Arnold’s educational qualifications.

Publicly available candidate information lists associate degrees in Design and Visual Communications and Architectural Drafting/CAD.

A University of Georgia Grady Newsource candidate profile also reports a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from Purdue University.

However, her publicly available LinkedIn education information has been reported as listing Purdue University Global attendance from 2019 through 2022 with an in-progress status.

I am not suggesting that these discrepancies establish dishonesty or that she does not possess the degree.

I am requesting that her educational credentials be clearly established, including the exact institution, degree awarded, field of study, and graduation date. When requested, Purdue Global had nothing to show.

Given the importance of this position, the public should not have to rely on conflicting descriptions of an elected official’s educational background.

4. The responsibilities of Georgia’s Agriculture Commissioner
The Commissioner of Agriculture oversees a department with responsibilities extending far beyond community gardens and food distribution.

The office is responsible for matters including:

Livestock health and animal disease prevention.
Agricultural inspections and regulatory enforcement.
Fertilizer and pesticide regulation.
Commercial food safety.
Agricultural markets and producer protection.
Plant health and disease prevention.
Supporting Georgia’s commercial farming industry.
Every fuel pump in the state
Fuel quality inspection
Timber production, harvesting, and quality control

These responsibilities require an understanding of the practical challenges facing farmers, ranchers, agricultural suppliers, processors, and rural communities.

A person can be passionate about agriculture without necessarily possessing the experience required to oversee an industry of this magnitude.

That distinction is central to my concerns.

5. Requested action
I respectfully request that members of the Georgia General Assembly:

Review Commissioner-Elect Juhan-Arnold’s formal educational credentials and professional qualifications.
Examine her documented agricultural experience, particularly in commercial farming, livestock production, and agricultural operations.
Compare her professional background with the responsibilities and statutory duties of the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
Consider whether additional legislative oversight, public hearings, or formal inquiries are warranted concerning the qualifications necessary to lead this department.
Ensure that Georgia’s agricultural producers have confidence that their interests will be represented by leadership with the necessary knowledge, experience, and understanding of the industry.
I understand that Georgia voters have elected Katherine Juhan-Arnold, and I respect the electoral process. That being said, Under Article I, Section I, Paragraph IX — we as American Citizens have the right to call into question, an elected official’s qualifications to their duty, their ability to complete that duty, and the right to protest that elected official.

An election does not eliminate the public’s right to question qualifications, request transparency, or demand accountability from those entrusted with public office.

I am not asking the General Assembly to disregard the will of Georgia voters. I am asking that the qualifications required to oversee one of our state’s most important industries receive the serious scrutiny they deserve.

Georgia’s farmers, ranchers, livestock producers, and agricultural businesses deserve leadership that understands their livelihoods firsthand.

This is not a question of political party. It is a question of agricultural competency, professional qualifications, and the future of Georgia farming.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,

Jackson Embry 

And many more concerned Georgia Agricultural Producers