August 10, 2011
www.gfb.org
Vol. 29 No. 32
FEDERAL SPENDING CUTS IN DEBT CEILING DEAL SIGNED INTO LAW On Aug. 2 Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed the Budget Control Act of 2011, which will allow the federal government to continue borrowing money until 2013 but also cuts spending by $935 billion over 10 years. The bill, S. 365, raises the debt ceiling by an amount between $2.1 trillion and $2.4 trillion above the previous debt limit of $14.3 trillion. The spending cuts are in the form of caps on discretionary appropriations, which could include farm programs. For fiscal years 2012 and 2013, the act prohibits shifting funds between defense spending and non-defense spending. If Congress exceeds the spending caps, across-the-board cuts would automatically take place. Multiple members of Congress have said the spending cuts may effectively write the 2012 farm bill. American Farm Bureau released a statement on Aug. 2 saying the act keeps the United States moving forward, but more work will be required to resolve the nation’s financial woes. Farm Bureau will work with the House and Senate ag committees as they are asked to recommend savings related to agriculture spending once a joint congressional committee is named to identify additional budget savings, with the goal of recommending savings that will make the most sense for Farm Bureau members and retain the most integrity for farm programs. “Our concern is that we want to have enough money left when all is said and done to write a viable farm bill that provides an effective safety net for America’s farm and ranch families,” American Farm Bureau Federation Executive Director of Public Policy Mark Maslyn said before the law passed. The act, which became Public Law 112-25 upon signing, creates a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, a 12-member committee that will include six members of the House and six from the Senate. Each chamber’s committee members will include three Democrats and three Republicans. The committee will be tasked with recommending legislation that will reduce the federal deficit by a minimum of $1.2 trillion. That recommendation is to be made by Nov. 23 and the House and Senate must hold an up or down vote on the recommendations by Dec. 23 to avoid automatic cuts that would be equally divided between defense and non-defense spending, including discretionary spending and some entitlement spending. The act also requires the House and Senate to vote on a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution by the end of the year. A two-thirds majority is needed by both chambers in order to send the amendment to the states for ratification.
Leadership Alert page 2 of 7 GFB ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF PHOTO CONTEST Matthew London of White County won the overall grand prize in the Picture Agriculture in Georgia Amateur Photo Contest, which drew more than 300 total entries. London’s photo, “Heifers at the Mound,” also won in the Young Farmer category and will be featured as the cover photo on the 2012 GFB Young Farmers Calendar. Steve Willis Jones of Walker County won the grand prize in the General Membership category for his photo “Cream of the Crop”. All of the prizewinners in the General Membership and Young Farmer categories will have their photos featured in the 2012 GFB Young Farmers Calendar. The photos were judged during the GFB Young Farmer Leadership Conference. The winning photos can be seen at http://www.gfb.org/programs/yf/photo_results.html. There were 10 honorable mention winners: Cretia Ariail of Franklin County, Sara Besosa of Heard County, Londa Champion of Jasper County, Moriah Eavenson of Franklin County, Vicki Franklin of Baldwin County, Ed Smith of Coffee County, Mike West of Habersham County, Anna Wilson of Hart County, Amy DuBois of Twiggs County and Brooke Hitchcock of Washington County. Washington County Farm Bureau Office Manager Carlene Hart won the grand prize in the GFB Staff and Family category with her photo “From Generation to Generation”. Lindsay Turner of Crawford County Farm Bureau won second place with her photo “Have a Peachy Day,” and Crawford County Farm Bureau Office Manager Rena Booker won third place with her photo “We’ll Start at Daybreak.” RALSTON NAMES HORSE RACING STUDY COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS Georgia House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) has announced the appointment of members to the House Study Committee on the Horse Racing Industry. The three House members are committee Chairman Rep. Harry Geisinger (R-Roswell), Rep. Tim Bearden (R-Villa Rica) and Rep. Jon Burns (R-Newington). Bearden races quarter horses and Burns is in the feed business and served on the study committee on equine in 2009. Geisinger sponsored two resolutions during the 2011 session pertaining to horse racing. One, HR 186, was an amendment to the Georgia Constitution to allow the state’s voters to decide whether pari-mutuel betting on horse racing should be allowed. The other was HR 643, which created the study committee. The two citizen appointees are Malaika Rivers of Marietta and Hank Burnham of Athens. Rivers is the executive director of the Cumberland Community Improvement District, a public-private partnership for transportation infrastructure financing. Burnham is director of Data & Content for Environmental Data Resources Inc., which provides environmental risk information to environmental professionals, lenders and corporations. John A. Damico of Cumming was appointed as an individual who is involved in the horse racing industry. He manages The Posse Racing Stable LLC and is a past president of the Georgia Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. GFB supports a constitutional amendment to allow the voters of Georgia to decide the issue of pari-mutuel betting on horse racing.
Leadership Alert page 3 of 7
CARROLL COUNTY FARM BUREAU WINS MB SUBSCRIPTION CONTEST On Sept. 12, Carroll County Farm Bureau will enjoy a steak dinner to be cooked by Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black and staff for securing 62 subscriptions to the Farmers & Consumers Market Bulletin during a contest the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) held this spring. The contest was first announced by Commissioner Black during the Georgia Farm Bureau Presidents' Conference and was intended to encourage county Farm Bureaus to assist the GDA in obtaining enough paid subscriptions to make the 94-year-old-publication self-sustaining. “We greatly appreciate the support from county Farm Bureau offices throughout the state in helping to save the Market Bulletin,” Black said. “We sincerely thank all those who helped recruit new subscribers, and although the contest is over, we hope Farm Bureau employees will continue to spread the word about the Bulletin and the services it provides.” County Farm Bureau chapters participating in the contest secured more than 600 subscriptions, Market Bulletin Editor Carlton Moore said. Barrow County Farm Bureau and Elbert County Farm Bureau secured 38 subscriptions each. The Coffee and Glascock County Farm Bureaus each secured 25 subscriptions while Irwin and Madison counties each secured 23 subscriptions. “Commissioner Black asked us to join the Department of Agriculture in rallying to save the Market Bulletin, and I am very proud of the effort our county Farm Bureaus made to continue publication of the biweekly newspaper that serves as a marketplace for Georgia residents to buy and sell livestock, hay and farm equipment,” GFB President Zippy Duvall said. The annual subscription fee for the Market Bulletin is $10 (26 issues) for Georgia residents and $20 for out-of-state subscribers. To subscribe, visit http://www.thegamarketbulletin.com or send a check or money order made payable to Market Bulletin along with your name, complete mailing address and daytime phone number to the following address: Market Bulletin, Georgia Department of Agriculture, 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW, Atlanta, Ga. 30334-4250. DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR VALUE-ADDED PRODUCER GRANTS IS AUG. 29 The deadline to apply for a Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is Aug 29. Independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives and agricultural producer groups are eligible to apply. Complete information on VAPG is available in the June 28, 2011, Federal Register. VAPG may be used for feasibility studies or business plans, working capital for marketing value-added agricultural products and for farm-based renewable energy projects. Valueadded products are created when a producer increases the consumer value of an agricultural commodity in the production or processing stage. Working capital funds can be used for most post-harvest expenses but cannot be used to purchase equipment. For more information visit http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm or contact Craig Scroggs (craig.scroggs@ga.usda.gov or 770-267-1413, ext. 113), or Al Burns (al.burns@ga.usda.gov or 229-382-0273, ext. 109).
Leadership Alert page 4 of 7 RED ROSE CLASSIC GOAT SHOW Aug. 13 Entry deadline Aug. 19-20 Ga. National Fairgrounds Perry Show participants will check in and have their goats weighed between 2-10 p.m. on Aug. 19. The Junior Market Meat Goat Show (for kids pre-K to 12th grade) will begin at 8 a.m. Aug. 20, followed by showmanship classes and the International Boer Goat Association Show. There is no limit to the number of goats an exhibitor may enter in any show. Entry fees of $15 per goat must accompany entry form along with $7 per pen needed. Current health certificates are required for all goats. Goats six months or older must be registered with the International Boer Goat Association, the American Boer Goat Association or the U.S. Boer Goat Association. Original registration papers must be shown at check in. The Junior Market Meat Goat Show is open to any breed or crossbred wether or market doe. No bucks are allowed. Goats entered in the Market show are not eligible to show in either of the Breeding Boer Goat Shows. All goats exhibited in the Market show must be carrying all of their milk teeth at time of weigh in. Goats showing either or both of the first pair of permanent incisors are not eligible. Exhibitors from both the Junior Market Meat Goat Show and the Open Boer Goat Show are eligible to compete in the showmanship classes. There is no entry fee as long as the animals exhibited are entered and qualified for either the Junior Market Show or the Open Boer Goat Show. If an animal is not entered in either show, a $7 entry feed will be charged. There will be four showmanship classes divided by age of exhibitors: Class 1 – 5 years and under; Class 2 – 6-10 years; Class 3 – 11-14 years; Class 4: 15-18 years. Contact Rusty or Rayna Lee at 678-410-7785 or 770-652-6030 or leefarmsboers@aol.com for entry forms or more information. SOUTHEAST RESEARCH & EDUCATION CENTER FIELD DAY Aug. 16 UGA Southeast Research and Education Center Midville Event will highlight UGA field crop variety tests for corn, soybean and peanuts. Registration begins at 9 a.m. with a sponsored lunch at noon. Contact Anthony Black at 478-589-7472 for information. LOGANBERRY HERITAGE FARM GARLIC FEST Aug. 27 LoganBerry Heritage Farm Cleveland Garlic is the center of attention at this free, fun, family event, which celebrates the farm’s garlic harvest and runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. There will be food tastings and cooking demos with garlic dishes, live entertainment, artisans and animals all in a memorable setting on this Appalachian heritage farm. Visit www.loganberryheritagefarm.com or call Sharon Mauney at 706-348-6068 for more information. The farm is located at 2660 Adair Mill Road, Cleveland, Ga, 30528. STOCK HORSE OF GEORGIA VERSATILITY EVENT Aug. 27-28 Quercus Cattle Company Arena Gay Brian Sumrall, president of the Stock Horse of Texas and Dr. Dennis Sigler, vice president of the American Stock Horse Association (ASHA), will lead the clinics on Saturday, which run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost is $60 for Stock Horse of Ga. members and $85 for nonmembers. Participants must pre-register by 5 p.m. on Aug. 22. The ASHA will hold a show on Aug. 28. For more information visit http://www.littlecreekquarterhorses.com or contact Amanda Johnson at 817-706-6669 or Amanda@ajperformancehorses.com.
Leadership Alert page 5 of 7 GEORGIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION REGIONAL FORESTRY MEETING Aug. 30 Potter Community Center 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Albany The public is invited to attend GFA’s Dublin Regional Forestry meeting to be held at the Potter Community Center on August 30, 2011. The event includes keynote speakers Vicki Lambert of the Georgia Department of Revenue to speak on “FLPA (Forest Land Protection Act” and Lori Eckhart of Auburn University speak on “Pine decline in the Southeast”. In order to attend this meeting you must pre-register by 8/25. To pre-register and be included in the meal count, call Michele Lawson at 478-992-8110 or send an email listing the attendee’s names to michele@gfagrow.org. A payment of $10 (Cash or Check only) per person will be taken at the door the night of the meeting. NATIONAL ANGUS CONFERENCE & TOUR Sept. 6-8 The Classic Center Athens Sponsored by Land O'Lakes Purina Feed LLC, this tour includes two days of ranch visits and presentations from industry representatives and Georgia Ag Commissioner Gary Black. Registration fee is $175. For information, visit http://www.nationalangusconference.com, call 816-383-5100 or email sstannard@angus.org. 4TH ANNUAL UGA COTTON & PEANUT RESEARCH FIELD DAY Sept. 7 Tifton The tour will begin at 9 a.m. and will conclude with lunch. The Georgia Cotton Commission and the Georgia Peanut Commission are sponsoring the field day. GEORGIA PECAN GROWERS ASSOCIATION FALL FIELD DAY Sept. 8 UGA Tifton Campus 8 a.m. Tifton This free event will feature a review of the latest insect, disease, fertilizer, and breeding research by UGA pecan researchers including Jim Dutcher, Tim Brenneman, Lenny Wells, and Patrick Conner. Lunch will be provided. For more information, contact Janice Dees at georgiapecan@gmail.com. OLD SOUTH FARM CAMP Sept. 12 – Nov. 20 Old South Farm Museum & Ag Learning Center Woodland Each of this series of three-day camps begins at 7 p.m. on the first day with supper and orientation and ends by 11 a.m. on the third day. It includes six or more classes on a variety of topics ranging from milking a cow to lye soap making and more. Fee is $200 per person, including meals, housing, transportation and class materials. Each session will have between 20 and 40 campers. Pre-registration is required. For registration information and specific camp dates call Paul Bulloch 706-975-9136 or visit http://www.oldsouthfarm.com. GEORGIA FARM BUREAU DISTRICT ANNUAL MEETINGS Sept. 13 3rd District The Center at Arbor Connection 7 p.m. Douglasville Sept. 15 10th District Jamestown Baptist Church 7 p.m. Waycross Sept. 20 2nd District North Georgia Technical College 7 p.m. Avalon Sept. 27 5th District Thomaston Civic Center 7 p.m. Thomaston Sept. 29 1st District First Baptist Church 7 p.m. Calhoun Contact your county Farm Bureau office for more information. Note: These meetings are for Farm Bureau members only and are closed to the general public.
Leadership Alert page 6 of 7 FORT VALLEY STATE AG FIELD DAY Sept. 15 Agricultural Technology Conference Center Fort Valley Event will cover livestock grazing systems, aquaculture systems, organic vegetable and fruit systems and will include a showcase of bioenergy crop, food preservation demonstrations and goat and lamb samples. Conference center is located at 46 Camp John Hope Road in Fort Valley. For more information call 478-825-6268. BROOKS COUNTY SKILLET FESTIVAL Sept. 17 Brooks County Courthouse Square Quitman This farm, food & arts festival will highlight the area’s abundant agriculture and fine southern cuisine. The one-day event will feature the “Cast-Iron Man,” a 5k road race and 1-mile fun run, vendors on the courthouse square, the “Cast-Iron Chef” cooking competition, a skillet throwing contest and an evening with local musicians. Visit www.skilletfestival.com for more information or contact Lauren Basford at 229-305-7822. AGRIBUSINESS WORKSHOP Sept. 21 Ogeechee Technical College Statesboro This workshop will cover new business models, social media, farm-to-table opportunities, risk management and agritourism. Interactive sessions will be led by panelists who have local, regional and national expertise including chefs, agribusiness/agritourism owners, loan and insurance experts, organic farmers and farm agency representatives. Registration is $65 per person and includes a hot lunch prepared with local food. Online registration begins July 29 at www.ogeecheetech.edu and www.georgiamicrobiz.com. For more information or to inquire about exhibitor opportunities call 912-688-6098. WILLIAM HARRIS HOMESTEAD HERITAGE DAY Sept. 24 3636 Ga. Hwy. 11 Monroe This event, which runs from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m, offers fun for the entire family. There will be reeneactments to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, tours of the 1825 log house and outbuildings, demonstrations of 1800's crafts, plowing with the Old Time Georgia Plow Club, antiques, children's 1800's games, petting zoo, agricultural displays, great food and entertainment all day. General admission is $10, $5 for children 5-12 and children under 5 are free. For more information contact Judy Hardegree at 770-867-2449 or judyhardegree@yahoo.com. 2011 ANNUAL PEANUT TOUR Sept. 27-29 Various locations Southwest Ga./Bainbridge The 2011 Peanut Bus Tour of South Georgia, sponsored by the Georgia Peanut Commission, begins in Bainbridge on Sept. 27, with an early-bird hot topics session at 3 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express in Bainbridge. Presentations will include economic and food issues by University of Georgia faculty and USDA scientists on U.S. peanut program and policy, processing, quality, nutrition and uniform peanut performance tests. Registration begins at 8 a.m on Sept. 28 at the Holiday Inn Express. Tour highlights include production research at the Attapulgus Research farm, on-farm demonstrations, equipment manufacturing, peanut handling, grading and shelling, and product processing facilities. Bus seats will be reserved on a first-come basis, with international visitors being given priority. For more information, contact Rebecca Whitehead at 229-386-3470 or email rebecca@gapeanuts.com
Leadership Alert page 7 of 7 SEPT. 30 IS DEADLINE TO SUBMIT GFB POLICY Georgia Farm Bureau’s annual policy development process is underway. Sept. 30 is the deadline for county Farm Bureaus to submit policy recommendations to the state policy development committee. The state committee will meet this fall to consider the recommendations submitted by county Farm Bureaus and GFB’s commodity advisory committees. Contact the GFB Legislative Department for more information. WOMEN AND HISPANIC FARMERS CAN APPLY FOR A USDA CLAIMS PACKAGE USDA recently announced the establishment of a process to resolve the claims of Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who assert that they were discriminated against when seeking USDA farm loans. Those wishing to register to receive a claims package or to request more information can visit www.farmerclaims.gov or can call the Farmer and Rancher Call Center at 1-888-508-4429. USDA cannot provide legal advice to potential claimants. Persons seeking legal advice may contact a lawyer or other legal services provider.