Anna Bass is the new University of Georgia (UGA) Fannin County Extension Office Ag and Natural Resources (ANR) Agent.
Officially having started Tuesday, October 1, Bass brings a wealth of knowledge in biology and plant pathology.
The ANR agent works with local farmers, homeowners and agricultural businesses on a variety of agriculture-related problems.
Specific services include horticulture and landscaping, soil testing, water quality analyses, pond management, plant disease diagnosis, weed identification, insect identification, row crops and pastures, and the Master Gardener Program.
Bass said she plans on providing programming, collaborating and providing education and consultations to the community.
“I am really looking forward to serving the community,” Bass said. “Applying my education to serve peoples is really all I could ever ask for.”
Bass obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Troy University in 2021 before attending UGA where she recently earned a Master of Science in Plant Pathology.
Upon starting, she said her main goal is to really discover the needs of the community and then “bridging the gap” between the community and UGA.
Previously, Bass worked for the UGA Athens Plant Disease Clinic while working toward her masters.
Earning the degree involved a thesis-based program where she researched the boxwood blight pathogen.
Before pursuing a degree in plant pathology, Bass admitted that it was something she’d never heard of before, but she enjoys learning, so she went for it.
In addition, she has worked with the Master Gardeners and worked as a teaching assistant during her masters program; she’s also attended many seminars where she has been invited to speak.
Bass said she “grew up loving nature” and recalled one of her earliest birthday parties had a bug theme; although, she is not such of a fan of bugs anymore.
The Fannin County Extension Office is located at 205 Church Street, Suite 1, in Blue Ridge, and the number is 706-632-3061.