| State Representative Joe Campbell represents the citizens of House District 171, Decatur and
Mitchell counties as well as a portion of Grady County. He was first elected to the House of
Representatives in 2020 and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Agriculture & Consumer
Affairs and Rural Development Committees, as well as Secretary of the State Planning &
Community Affairs Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations, Appropriations
Subcommittee on Transportation, Natural Resources & Environment, Special Rules and
Transportation committees.
Joe is a native of Southwest Georgia. Born and raised in Camilla with his brother and sister, Joe
has lived there nearly his entire life. His father farmed and owned and operated a tractor
business, which allowed Joe to grow up surrounded by the agriculture industry on his family
farm. He was pointed in the direction of agriculture from the start.
Upon graduating from Mitchell County High School, Joe attended the University of Georgia,
where he earned his Bachelor of Science in agriculture. While attending UGA, he met his wife,
Deborah, and together they moved back to Camilla and eventually raised their two sons there.
Deborah spent her career in education as a second grade teacher while Joe pursued a professional
path in agriculture.
Beginning his career in sales with Camilla Cotton Oil Co., Joe moved into procurement as the
company was purchased by Alimenta Processing Corp. Throughout his professional career, he
built relationships across the state, region and ultimately across the country, connecting farmers
and organizations through a network of buying points. Joe retired in 2016 from what eventually
became Golden Peanut and Treenut Company as vice president of procurement after 40 years of
service.
Over the last few years, Joe has become even more involved in the community and has a sense of
pride and passion for the common conservative values that truly connect citizens across Colquitt,
Mitchell and Decatur counties. Additionally, Joe has been actively involved as a board member
of the following professional organizations- American Peanut Shellers; Georgia Crop
Improvement Association; National Peanut Buying Point Association; Georgia Seed
Association; Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc.; and Georgia Federal State Inspection
Services.
Conservative Christian values have always been the most important guiding light in the
Campbell family. Joe and Deborah have been actively involved in Heritage Church in Moultrie
for more than 20 years. Joe has served in the Kairos Prison Ministry, and he has served as a
mentor with the Crossroads Ministry in Moultrie. |