Georgia Federal-State Shipping Point Inspection Service moves to new office in Albany | VIDEO

ALBANY — After outgrowing its first facility on North Slappey Boulevard, the Georgia Federal-State Shipping Point Inspection Service (GAFSIS) has opened a new office in south Albany near Southwest Georgia Regional Airport.

A ribbon-cutting for the facility, located at 951 Pecan Grove Drive in Pecan Grove Industrial Park, was conducted Tuesday afternoon and attended by various Albany and Dougherty County officials, as well as Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black.

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In his remarks, Black spoke of the Agriculture Department’s role in the public service realm in that it has an impact on the lives of the state’s farmers — and how an inspection service can play into that.

“Folks, we really have a strong partnership and that is what it is all about,” he said. “(To those who work on the federal and state level), we thank you for what you do.

“Each of you has a focus on safety. … We have cut work-related accidents significantly. In less than three years, we have provided a safer place for people to work.”

Officials say the building will allow for continued growth, which the organization has seen over the last several years, and was designed with advanced technology and a larger training facility to further develop the knowledge of their employees and strategic partners in the industry. The resources in Albany provide the proper infrastructure to allow for that, they said.

T.E. Moye, president and chief financial officer for GAFSIS, said the building should meet the organization’s needs. Having the responsibility of doing some of the Internet troubleshooting for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it was the Internet service — if nothing else — that motivated keeping the GAFSIS office to Albany.

“You’ve got a lot to be thankful for in this community and in this town,” Moye said. “Thank you for allowing us to be a part of you. … We certainly want to be good partners with Albany and Dougherty County.”

GAFSIS began serving the agriculture industry in 1927. It inspects morte than 35 commodities, including peanuts, various fruits and vegetables, and pecans. Officials said that GAFSIS provides a third-party service to the agricultural community, and that the use of the inspection service ensures the shipment of high-quality produce and enhances the state’s reputation as a supplier of superior agricultural products.

On that vein, Black spoke on the significance of producing a good Georgia brand.

“People in this area want to buy locally,” the commissioner said. “That is what makes the community so vibrant. … We need to bring integrity to the product.”

The peanut crop accounts for most of the GAFSIS business in this area, Moye said.

GAFSIS performs voluntary and/or compulsory inspections of products grown and/or marketed in Georgia, as well as traded interstate. It also inspects products that are imported in the country, such as onions, peanuts and melons. Inspections determine grade, size, quality and net weight, and are included on federal or federal-state certificates.

GAFSIS currently staffs 120 employees and will hire approximately 800 more for the coming peanut farmer stock season, officials say. In addition to providing inspection services, GAFSIS also sells equipment necessary for peanut inspection, and has a fully functional and equipped maintenance department — assuring that it is within USDA regulations required for peanut inspection.

For more information on GAFSIS, visit www.gafsis.com or call (229) 432-6201. More information on the state’s agriculture industry can be found at www.georgiagrown.com.