Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) and members of his staff visited the Mitcham Cattle Co. and Mitcham Strawberry Farm in Covington on May 29 as part of a meet and greet workplace exchange.

In return, cattleman Keith Mitcham will shadow Rep. Johnson for a day in his Washington, D.C., office next month.

It’s all part of an exchange to foster better understanding and for each to learn more about what the other does on a day-to-day basis.

Rep. Johnson gladly accepted Mitcham’s invitation to visit the farms.

The Fourth Congressional District now encompasses several large rural areas in Rockdale and Newton counties.

"It was great for me and my staff to learn the day-to-day operations of the farms," said Johnson, who climbed aboard a John Deere tractor, baled hay with Mitcham and hand-picked strawberries.

"I’m eager to learn more about agricultural issues so I can better represent constituents like Keith and all our Fourth District farmers."

Johnson emphasized that the agriculture industry contributes more than $71.1 billion annually to Georgia’s economy, and that one in seven jobs in Georgia is directly related to farming and forestry.

For Mitcham, it was an opportunity to get to know the congressman and his staff, and see how things are done in Washington.

"I really appreciate Congressman Johnson and his staff for coming out, taking a tour and seeing how we do things here," said Mitcham. "It’s important to me, and I’m looking forward to seeing Hank in Washington."