February 2, 2011
www.gfb.org
Vol. 29 No. 5
GFB ENDORSES TAX COUNCIL FINAL REPORT On January 27, the Georgia Farm Bureau Board of Directors unanimously endorsed the final report of the Special Council on Tax Reform & Fairness for Georgians. The tax council recommended the General Assembly retain the state’s current sales tax exemptions for farm input costs. The report also urged legislators to expand the sales tax exemptions to include other input costs not currently exempt from sales tax, such as fuel, propane and other energy costs. “Our board of directors unanimously endorsed this report because when you look at it in its entirety, it’s good for agriculture and it’s good for Georgia’s economy,” said GFB President Zippy Duvall. “We commend the council for their work.” The tax council was created by the General Assembly last year with the passage of House Bill 1405. This legislation charged the council to study Georgia’s tax code and make recommendations for changes. The council was made up of economists and business leaders from across the state. The council’s report, as outlined by HB 1405, is now with the Special Joint Committee on Georgia Revenue Structure. HB 1405 directs the Special Committee to craft legislation based on the tax council’s report “without significant changes.” The report itself does not have the force of law. The report calls for a certification process for farmers to qualify for the sales tax exemption. To qualify as an agricultural producer, a person must own or lease real property from which at least $2,500 worth of farm products were produced and sold during the year. Provisions are included to allow qualification for producers who might not sell a crop every year, such as producers of orchard fruits and nuts or timber. A couple of items in the report are not aligned with Farm Bureau policy. Fruits, vegetables, Christmas trees and other products are often sold directly to consumers from the farm, and taxes are not collected on these sales. The tax council recommends elimination of this exemption based on the principle that sales taxes should be paid by the ultimate consumer rather than during the production process. Farm Bureau supports the current exemption. However, the savings to farmers resulting from the expanded exemption for inputs will, in most cases, offset additional costs associated with collecting taxes on direct sales. The tax council also calls for a 31-cent increase of state cigarette taxes from the current level of 37 cents per pack to 68 cents per pack based on an average of cigarette taxes assessed by bordering states. Farm Bureau opposes an increase in tobacco taxes.
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WALLER WINS SOYBEAN EFFICIENCY AWARDS Glenn Waller of Washington County won both the high yield and production efficiency awards in the Soybean Efficiency contest, announced during the Georgia/Florida Soybean/Small Grain Expo at the UGA Tifton Campus on Jan. 13. Waller will receive a plaque in each category. In the high yield category, Waller produced 66.94 bushels per irrigated acre of Pioneer 95M50. In the production efficiency category, a separate yield of 58.12 bushels per dryland acre of Northrup King S78G6 cost him $4.73 per bushel. BILLS WOULD REPEAL FORM 1099 REQUIREMENTS Bills introduced in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate last month would do away with IRS Form 1099 requirements included in the health care package passed last year. Effective Jan. 1, 2012, Section 9006 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will require businesses to complete a Form 1099 for any vendor with which they spend $600 or more in a calendar year. Farm Bureau has specifically opposed this section, maintaining that it creates an unnecessary and costly paperwork burden on small businesses, particularly agricultural producers. H.R. 4, the Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011, was introduced on Jan. 12 by Rep. Daniel Lundgren (R-Calif.) and was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee the same day. The bill had 263 cosponsors, including nine of Georgia’s 13 representatives. Democratic Sens. Ben Nelson (Neb.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) and Maria Cantwell (Wash.) urged House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to take the bill to a vote, according to the Washington Post. In a letter to the full House on Jan. 18, American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman voiced support for H.R. 4, saying, “If unaddressed, the resulting increase in costs will divert resources away from business growth and expansion to the detriment of our nation’s farms, and the food, fiber and fuel they produce, with no improvement in the system of health care.” Two Senate bills also bearing the title Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act, S. 18 and S. 72, were introduced Jan. 25. S. 18, which had 60 cosposnors, including Georgia Republican Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, was submitted by Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), while S. 72 was by Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and has 22 cosponsors. Each bill was read twice and referred to the Senate Finance Committee. DUVALL AMONG MAGAZINE’S MOST INFLUENTIAL GEORGIANS Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall was named to Georgia Trend magazine’s list of 100 Most Influential Georgians in its January 2011 issue. The magazine described those on the list as “people who affect the course of events in Georgia, who influence what you think and how you live during the toughest economic era since the Great Depression.” Duvall, who in December was elected to his third two-year term as GFB President, was included with notable organizational leaders from around the state, including Gov. Nathan Deal, Coca-Cola CEO John Brock, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank and University of Georgia President Michael Adams.
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VEGETABLE COMMISSION HOLDING REAFFIRMATION VOTE The Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Vegetables is holding a referendum for reaffirmation of its marketing order. The deadline to submit ballots is Feb. 21. The commission assesses growers who annually produce 50 acres or more of beans, bell pepper, cabbage, cantaloupe, cucumbers, leafy greens, squash, sweet corn and tomatoes or have a combined annual production of 50 acres of these crops. The commission dedicates 75 percent of collected funds to vegetable research, and since its inception in 2008 has approved more than $330,000 for research projects. The assessment is one cent per marketing unit. The marketing units for beans, bell peppers, cabbage, cucumbers and squash are bushels. For greens, the marketing unit is a 24-count. For sweet corn the marketing unit is 46 to 52 ears. Tomatoes are marketed in 25-pound units. The commission is chaired by Bo Herndon of Lyons. Other board memebers are Felton Coggins of Lake Park, Glenn Heard of Bainbridge, Richard Minor of Andersonville and Greg Murray of Bainbridge. GFB President Zippy Duvall and Georgia Commission of Agriculture Gary Black are ex officio members. Growers who believe they should have received ballots should contact Marcia Crowley at 404-656-3678. ARBITRATION PANEL RULES CANADA VIOLATED LUMBER AGREEMENT The London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) has ruled that Canada violated its lumber pact with the U.S. through the implementation of provincial assistance programs for the lumber industry in Ontario and Quebec. The two countries entered into the Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA) in October 2006 as a means of resolving a decades-old dispute over Canada’s lumber industry practices. The LCIA found in a Jan. 21 decision that the programs in Ontario and Quebec violated the anti-circumvention provisions of the SLA. Canada was ordered to remedy the issue within 30 days or implement $59.4 million in export charges on lumber shipped from those to provinces to the U.S. “This result is important for U.S. workers, firms and our softwood lumber industry. We look forward to Canada working quickly to implement the decision of the tribunal,” said United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk. The decision was the second arbitration victory for the U.S. in the long-running lumber dispute with its northern neighbor. In 2007, the LCIA ruled in favor of the U.S. on charges that Canada did not properly calculate export quotas during the first six months of that year, awarding the U.S. $68.6 million Canadian in export charges. In September 2010, Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) and then-Sen. Blanche Lincoln (DArk.) sent a letter to President Barack Obama asking for U.S. consultation with the Canadian government over another complaint of unfair practices. The U.S. filed a third arbitration complaint in October 2010 over concerns that lumber producers in British Columbia have been purchasing downgraded timber from trees damaged by infestations of pine beetles, allowing them an unfair advantage over their U.S. competitors, who buy lumber at market rates.
Leadership Alert page 4 of 5 FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY FARM, HOME & MINISTERS CONFERENCE Feb. 5 FVSU Pettigrew Center, 1005 State University Drive Fort Valley This free event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes complimentary breakfast and lunch. It features workshops on farm safety, nutrition, growing organic produce and others along with a panel discussion on health care. Participants are encouraged to register in advance. For more information contact E. Jean Willis at 478-825-6269 or willies@fvsu.edu. BCAP PROJECT PROPOSAL MEETING Feb. 7 GFB Auditorium 11 a.m. Macon This meeting for producers and prospective producers of biomass and biomass conversion facility representatives, is divided into two sessions and will cover the project area proposal process for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program. A morning session covers what a project area is and the benefits of being in one. The afternoon session details required information in the proposal. To register, visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5YNQXZF. GFB DAY AT THE CAPITOL Feb. 8 Georgia Railroad Freight Depot/Georgia Capitol Atlanta Orientation begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Blue Room at the historic Georgia Railroad Freight Depot, located next to Underground Atlanta. After orientation, members will visit legislators in the Capitol and return to the Depot for lunch at noon. Please invite your legislators to attend. Free parking will be available at the Turner Field - Gold Lot and shuttle service will run from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Make plans to bring a group of folks from your county. All Farm Bureau Day events are complimentary. County Farm Bureaus should register for this event by Jan. 24. Please contact the GFB Legislative Department at 1-800-3421192. PEANUT CHECKOFF INCREASE HEARING Feb. 9 UGA Tifton Campus 4 p.m. Tifton In accordance with state law, the Georgia Peanut Commission has planned this hearing to determine if peanut farmers are willing to hold a referendum for an assessment increase, and if so, the amount of the increase. The assessments are currently set at $2 per ton and fund the programs of the GPC. Any referendum would require a minimum of 25 percent of the producers to vote and a two-third majority for the increase to take effect. For more information, visit http://gapeanuts.com or call 229-386-3470. LONGLEAF PINE WORKSHOPS Feb. 8 The Rock Ranch Thomaston Feb. 9 Georgia Southwestern State University Americus Feb. 10 Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Valdosta This series of technical workshops is for landowners, agency personnel and private natural resource professionals. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the workshop runs until 4:30 p.m. Sessions cover prescribed burns, seed mixes, insects, diseases, herbaceous release and more. Cost is $20 at the door and includes lunch. For information, contact Vickie Stallings at 334-427-1029 or by e-mail at Vickie@longleafalliance.org. UGA 19th ANNUAL FOCUS ON EPD'S BULL SALE Feb. 10 UGA Livestock Instructional Arena Athens Begins at noon. For more information contact Dr. Ronnie Silcox at 706-542-9102 or rsilcox@uga.edu. MISS GEORGIA COTTON & MISS COTTON SCHOLARSHIP PAGEANTS Feb. 12 Tift County High School Performing Arts Center Tifton The Miss Cotton Scholarship pageant will be held at 1 p.m. The Miss Georgia Cotton and Miss Georgia Cotton Outstanding Teen Pageant will be held at 7 p.m. For moe information call Mary Walker at 229388-8008 before 5 p.m. or 229-386-5567 after 6 p.m., or email mary@chickashaofgeorgia.com or missgacotton@bellsouth.net.
Leadership Alert page 5 of 5 COMMITMENT TO AGRICULTURE SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE Feb. 15 Monsanto and the national Association of Farm Broadcasters will award a total of 100 scholarships this year to high school seniors who plan to pursue careers in agriculture. To qualify, high school seniors must come from a farming family, plan to enroll as a full-time student in an agriculture-related program from an accredited school and commit to pursing a career in agriculture. Applicants will be evaluated on their academic record, leadership abilities, extracurricular activities and personal essays. Applications are available online at www.monsanto.com/scholarships. GEORGIA JUNIOR NATIONAL LIVESTOCK SHOW Feb. 17 – 20 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter Perry Open to all Georgia 4-H and FFA students. Features breeding & commercial dairy heifer, breeding ewe, market hog, market steer, marker lamb and market goat shows. For more information, visit http://www.georgia4h.org/livestock/state_livestock_show.htm. DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR FLAVOR OF GA CONTEST FEB. 18 Judges are looking for market-ready foods - either commercially available or prototypes – in the following categories: barbecue and hot sauces, confections, dairy products, meat products, snack foods, and jams, jellies and sauces. Entries will be judged on flavor, best use of Georgia ingredients, Georgia theme, unique or innovative qualities, commercial appeal and originality. The University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development (CAED) will reveal the winners of the 2011 Flavor of Georgia contest during Georgia Ag Day March 22. Semifinalists will be announced in February. Final judging will be March 21 at the Freight Depot in Atlanta. This annual contest is sponsored by the CAED in partnership with the Governor's Agricultural Advisory Commission, Georgia Agribusiness Council and UGA Department of Food Science and Technology. Register online at www.flavorofgeorgia.caes.uga.edu. For more information, call Sharon Kane at (706) 542-9809 or e-mail spkane@uga.edu. GEORGIA VEGETABLE COMMISSION REFERENDUM DEADLINE February 21 is the deadline to return a ballot in the mail ballot referendum currently in progress to reaffirm the Georgia Agriculture Commodity Commission. The Agricultural Commodity Commission for Vegetables Marketing Order assesses growers who annually produce 50 acres or more of beans, bell pepper, cabbage, cantaloupe, cucumbers, leafy greens, squash, sweet corn and tomatoes or have a combined annual production of 50 acres of these crops. The assessment is one cent per marketing unit. The Commission committed that at least 75% of collected funds each year be used for vegetable research. Since its inception in 2008, the Commission has approved more than $330,000 dollars for various research projects. If you should have received a ballot and have not, please contact Marcia Crowley at (404) 656-3678.
GFB SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE Feb. 25 Georgia Farm Bureau will award a total of $14,250 in scholarships to 10 high school seniors who plan to pursue an undergraduate degree in agricultural and environmental sciences, family and consumer sciences or a related agricultural field. The top three students will each receive a one-time scholarship of $3,000. The remaining seven students will each receive a one-time $750 scholarship. Students submitting an application must currently be a high school senior and plan to enroll in a unit of the University System of Georgia or Berry College during the 2011-2012 academic year. Contact your county Farm Bureau office for more information or an application. Applications must be approved and signed by the Farm Bureau president of the county where Farm Bureau membership is held before being submitted to the home office. You may also download a copy of the application by visiting
http://www.gfb.org then selecting GFB Programs and then FB Women. Each county may submit up to four applications. Winners will be announced in May 2011.