Artisan crafts, grassfed steaks, wines, and fresh ground coffee. To find such luxuries, you might think a trip to Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods is in order. But in Madison County, Georgia these items are not only readily available, but are actively promoted. 

Jackson EMC is the largest electric cooperative in Georgia, and one of the largest in the entire country. Our service area that spans 10 counties along the I-85 corridor in Northeast Georgia, about halfway between Atlanta and Greenville, SC, has seen rapid growth the past 30 years. But there are parts of our service territory that are still very rural and what would be considered a typical community served by an electric cooperative.

Madison County is one of those rural communities. Located about 30 minutes from the University of Georgia and only having a handful of traffic lights, it is home to lush pastures, rolling hills, and the state’s longest covered bridge. Madison County is a charming place to call home, but it has the same challenges many rural communities face. Yet something special is going on there.

In 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Madison County Chamber of Commerce launched its MADICO Made Program to promote local products made within its county lines.  MADICO Made has over 30 small businesses, farms, and boutiques selling unique items that are made locally. Agriculture is by far the largest economic driver in Madison County. The community’s economy is dependent on commercial poultry and beef cattle operations. The Chamber has designed MADICO Made to pay homage to its agricultural roots while finding a way to celebrate local businesses.

You can learn more about innovative ways rural communities such as Madison County are promoting economic development at the 2023 Annual Conference in Myrtle Beach on November 8-10. Brittany Dickey is leading the annual conference committee and the theme for this year’s conference is Navigating the Changing Tides. This will be an outstanding conference with topics to include broadband, site selection, and professional development. Also, if you are planning to attend the conference and an avid golfer, pack your golf clubs. Eric Phillips is organizing a golf outing in Myrtle Beach the afternoon before the conference begins.

Between now and the annual conference, there are continuing educational opportunities made available through your NREDA membership. Recently, NREDA partnered with Touchstone Energy Cooperatives to offer a webinar featuring Lacy Beasley with Retail Strategies. She offered great insight on Retail Retention and Recruitment. The Professional Development committee is already hard at work planning future webinars so stay tuned.

Finally, in closing, there are wonderful things going on at NREDA. I have already referenced the annual conference planning and a recent webinar. The Publications & Marketing committee is completing an overhaul of the website and developing promotional videos. The Rural Issues committee has finalized the organization’s white paper. In May, a group of leaders from NREDA are traveling to Washington, D.C. to visit our allied partners and congressional leaders. My challenge remains the same – get involved. If you are involved, stay engaged. Let’s make NREDA the organization that makes a difference in Rural America!

David Cleveland, 2023 NREDA President