While he enjoyed the collaboration and variety that came with his consulting business, Dr. Johnson also wanted to create more opportunities to spend time at home with his family. In 1999, Paul had the opportunity to purchase a dairy in Climax, Georgia. Paul and his wife, Ginger, took a leap of faith and became first-generation dairy farmers with a herd of 350 cows. Through the years the farm, Providence Dairy, expanded to 1,200 cows as Paul’s brother, Gary, and oldest son, Matt, both joined the operation. 

In 2019, Dr. Johnson was elected Chairman of the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Milk, the entity tasked with allocating regional, state, and local checkoff funds. As Chairman of ACCM, Johnson worked with allied groups in promotion and industry to seek out marketing and promotional opportunities for dairy products processed in the Southeast that used local dairy farmers’ milk. In addition to his service on ACCM, Johnson also represented the Georgia Milk Producers, Inc. on the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine’s Advisory Committee where he worked with other commodity representatives to promote additional access and educational opportunities for students seeking to work as veterinary technicians. Paul also served on the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Animal Care Issue Advisory Committee. 

"Paul has been a champion for the Georgia dairy industry for many years, dating back to before he started milking cows himself. He has been a tireless advocate for our industry and has dedicated himself to creating opportunities for other dairymen to network with and learn from each other," said Adam Graft, GMP Board of Directors Vice-President.

Outside of his volunteer work on dairy policy and promotion, Dr. Johnson has also had a profound impact on educational programming for dairy farmers across the Southeast. In 2019, Paul volunteered to serve as the Program Chairman of the Georgia Dairy Conference. His vision was to develop an agenda with industry-leading speakers covering every aspect of dairy management, research, and promotion that would attract dairy farmers and industry professionals from across the country. Partnering with Georgia Milk Producers, Inc. staff and the GMP Board of Directors, Dr. Johnson’s networking and relationship-building has helped grow the Georgia Dairy Conference’s profile and solidify its position as the Southeast’s largest dairy management conference. The educational programs Paul has organized in six years as GDC Program Chair have attracted dairy producers and dairy professionals from over thirty states and Canada. 

"Dr. Paul Johnson has had an impact on so many dairy farmers locally and throughout the region. His commitment to supporting checkoff programs and constantly improving the Georgia Dairy Conference agenda have led to new opportunities and relationships that we can never fully measure," said Bryce Trotter, GMP Executive Director.

Paul and Ginger are active members of Bainbridge Methodist Church. Paul also serves on the board of directors for the Decatur County Farm Bureau. When Paul isn’t working on the dairy or planning the next Georgia Dairy Conference agenda, he enjoys making new friends on X (formerly Twitter) and spending time with his grandchildren.