CAES committed to livestock production
Centennial Farms honored
Navigating ag labor process
HURRICANE HELENE WREAKS HAVOC
Ford F-150
Contents
pages 5 - 10
Hurricane Helene wreaks havoc on Georgia ag
Early estimates show the storm caused $6.46 billion in direct and indirect ag and timber losses.
pages 12 & 13
Farmers helping farmers Farm Bureau members stepped up to help their fellow Georgians and North Carolina neighbors hurt by Hurricane Helene.
pages 14 & 15
Sunbelt Ag Expo: the show goes on
GFB recognized its first Farm Dog of the Year, and autonomous tractors made their debut.
page 16
Central-Carrollton, UGA teams win Advocacy in Action Contests
Departments
page 4
View from the Field
page 24
Public Policy
page 26
Young Farmers & Ranchers
page 27
Women's Leadership
page 28
Ga. Foundation for Agriculture
page 29
Ag in the Classroom
Want to subscribe? Join Georgia Farm Bureau to receive GFB News four times a year. Your membership supports farmers & agriculture while giving you access to more than 300,000 discounts. Visit gfb.ag/join.
page 17
New leaders guiding Georgia forestry organizations
page 18
CAES prepares future livestock producers Learn what UGA’s College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences is doing to prepare tomorrow’s farmers and ranchers.
page 19
Ga. National Fair turns 35 Georgia agriculture was on full display Oct. 3-13, and GFB was proud to be a partnering sponsor
GFB News Staff
Kenny Burgamy Director
Jennifer Whittaker Editor
Jay Stone News Reporter
Jared McGukin Graphic Designer
Logan Thomas Photographer
pages 20 & 21
Centennial Farm Program celebrates Georgia’s farming heritage
About 650 farms have been recognized since the program began in 1993.
page 25
Ga. Commodity Commission members named
page 30
GFB accepting entries for art contests
page 31
GFA scholarship deadline March 1
FOLLOW US ON THESE PLATFORMS @GAFARMBUREAU
On The Cover:
Hurricane Helene destroyed about 80% of the pecan trees in the 700 acres of orchards at Edward Moses Farms. The trees the Montgomery County farm lost were 12 to 100 years old. The farm’s remaining trees are 10 years old or younger and not yet producing nuts. /Photo by Jordan Harris, courtesy of Edward Moses Farms
For information concerning advertising, contact Wendy McFarland at 334-6529080 or mcfarlandadvantage@gmail.com. For questions about your membership or member benefits, call 1-800-633-5432. For questions regarding editorial content call 478-474-0679, ext. 5334 or e-mail jawhittaker@gfb.org.
View from the Field
Tom McCall, GFB President News
Most of you have heard me say that agriculture is not just a profession. It is a calling. It is a way of life. Jane and I have been so blessed to make so many friendships along the way. Farm Bureau is our family, and we feel grateful to be part of it.
Because of your confidence in me, I am humbled and honored to serve you for another two-year term as your president. Jane will be by my side as we partner in this wonderful mission to work at making Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) stronger by being the voice of our farmers in the legislative arena and beyond.
Our advocacy won’t stop at the Capitol. It’s just as important to ensure our message reaches consumers – the people who rely on us every day for their food, fiber, and shelter.
The GFB Public Relations team has been working to tell the important story of Georgia’s farmers. They do that through this magazine you’re reading, a robust social media presence, and the Farm Monitor television program that is seen around the state through a number of media outlets. They’re regularly reminding the public where their food comes from and why agriculture is so vital in our nation’s progress and security.
As part of what the PR team does, through a strategic planning initiative, we developed a
mission statement in the last six months that will guide our staff and you, the volunteers and farmer members of our organization. Here is that new mission statement: “As the voice of Georgia farmers, we will enhance the quality of life for producers and consumers by being the champion of agriculture.”
We take a lot of pride in making sure we honor this promise, and we hope you will embrace this and help promote this standard. Remember, we need you to help us share our mission. Your role in Farm Bureau is extremely important. There would be no Farm Bureau without you and our county Farm Bureaus.
After all, just as so many of you have proven through your determination following the storms in the last several months, we’re in this together. This is where you belong.
We appreciate each of you!
Tom McCall, GFB President & wife, Jane
OFFICERS
President
TOM McCALL, Elbert Co.
1st Vice President &
South Georgia Vice President
DANIEL JOHNSON, Pierce Co.
North Georgia Vice President
BERNARD SIMS, Catoosa Co.
Middle Georgia Vice President
RALPH CALDWELL, Heard County
General Counsel
DUKE GROOVER
Chief Financial Officer, Corp. Treasurer & GFBMIC Exec. VP
DAVID JOLLEY
Chief Administrative Officer
JEFFREY HARVEY
Corporate Secretary & Senior Counsel
JEANNA FENNELL
Asst. Corp. Treasurer & Sr. Director of Accounting
RACHEL MOSELY
DIRECTORS
FIRST DISTRICT: Bill Bryan, Chattooga Co.; Wesley Hall, Forsyth Co. SECOND DISTRICT: Gilbert Barrett, Habersham Co.; Russ Moon, Madison Co.THIRD DISTRICT: Brad Marks, Newton Co. FOURTH DISTRICT: Skeetter McCorkle, McDuffie Co.; Russ Wilburn, Barrow Co. FIFTH DISTRICT: Matt Bottoms, Pike Co.; Leighton Cooley, Crawford Co. SIXTH DISTRICT: James Malone, Laurens Co.; James Emory Tate, Jeff Davis Co. SEVENTH DISTRICT: Gary Bell, Evans Co.; Ben Boyd, Screven Co. EIGHTH DISTRICT: Scotty Raines, Turner Co.; Don Wood, Wilcox Co. NINTH DISTRICT: Lucius Adkins, Baker Co.; Paul Shirah, Mitchell Co. TENTH DISTRICT: David Lee, Bacon Co.; Lamar Vickers, Berrien Co. YOUNG FARMERS & RANCHERS CHAIR: Cleve Jackson, Floyd Co. WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP CHAIR: Stephanie Branch, Rabun Co.
ADVERTISING POLICY
All advertising accepted subject to publisher’s approval. Advertisers must assume liability for content of their advertising. Publisher maintains right to cancel advertising for non-payment or reader complaint about advertiser service or products. Publisher does not accept per-order, political or alcoholic beverage ads, nor does publisher prescreen or guarantee advertiser service or products. Publisher assumes no liability for products or services advertised in the Georgia Farm Bureau News. For advertising rates and information, contact Wendy McFarland at 334-652-9080 or mcfarlandadvantage@gmail.com. Georgia Farm Bureau News was established in 1937. Copyright 2024 by the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation. Printed by Panaprint, Macon, Georgia.
GFB President Tom McCall & his wife, Jane.
HURRICANE HELENE WREAKS HAVOC ON GEORGIA CROPS & TIMBER
By Jay Stone & Jennifer Whittaker
Hurricane Helene, which pummeled Georgia late Sept. 26 into the morning of Sept. 27 from Valdosta to Augusta, will cost Georgia’s economy an estimated $6.46 billion in direct and indirect agricultural and timber losses, according to a preliminary study the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences released Oct. 10. State officials say this is more than double the losses Hurricane Michael caused in 2018.
The full scope of damage won’t be known for months. Numbers reported here are based on Nov. 8 updates.
Helene followed Tropical Storm Debby, which hit many of the same farmers on Aug. 5. Georgia farmers were already facing economic hardship caused by inflation, high input costs and depressed commodity prices. Prior to the storms, U.S. Net Farm Income was projected to drop by $6.5 billion in 2024, following a decline of $35.6 billion in 2023.
On Oct. 10, Gov. Brian Kemp, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, members of Georgia’s Congressional delegation and state officials held a press conference in Treutlen County to discuss Georgia’s agriculture and forestry damage.
Agriculture and forestry are estimated to have $3.2 billion in direct losses, according to the preliminary estimates.
"I'm urging all our local, state, and federal partners to join efforts in bringing them relief. That's why we're calling on the federal government and Congress to act quickly in appropriating relief funds," said Kemp.
Agriculture and timber contributed more than $83 billion to Georgia’s economy in 2022 and employed more than 320,000 Georgians, according to the 2024 UGA Ag Snapshots report.
"About a third of our ag and forestry sectors have been affected. Our farmers need help right now to make it to the next growing season," Harper said. "We hope the federal government will implement a block grant program soon to allow each state affected by Helene to help their farmers. We can't wait six months or a year."
On Nov. 1, Gov. Kemp announced the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission redirected $100 million to the Georgia Development Authority to provide $75 million in loans for farmers and $25 million in debris cleanup for timber producers impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Farmers who suffered losses from Hurricane Helene and reside in a FEMA designated disaster area or adjacent county may apply for up to $500,000 at a 2% fixed interest rate. Loans will be administered on a first come, first serve basis.
Eligible loan uses include income replacement, operating capital, repairing/replacing damaged farm structures, repairing/replacing damaged equipment, and buying
Damaged timber in Treutlen County. /Photo by Jennifer Whittaker
machinery necessary to recover from hurricane damage. Visit www.gdaonline.com/hurricane-helene-loan-program for complete details and to apply for a loan.
The Georgia Forestry Commission announced the Hurricane Helene Fuels Mitigation and Hurricane Helene Firebreaks Cleanout programs on Nov. 18. Visit www.gfb.ag/gfchelenerecoveryresources.
TIMBER
Hurricane Helene traversed 8.8 million acres of timber and had a total impact of $1.28 billion on Georgia’s timber sector, Georgia Forestry Commission Director Johnny Sabo said.
"Forestry changed overnight in this state," Sabo said, noting the damage will take years to clean up. "On top of the financial impact there’s also an impact to landowners’ mental well-being."
According to a report compiled by the Georgia Forestry Commission and peer reviewed by the UGA Warnell School of Forestry, private forested land accounted for 88% of the impacted land owned in the hurricane’s path. Wind graphics from the National Weather Service indicated wind speeds from 60-100 miles per hour from Valdosta to Augusta.
POULTRY
Helene destroyed more than 165 poultry houses and another 500 must be repaired or rebuilt, UGA reports. Georgia’s poultry sector is estimated to have suffered $500-$520 million in damage, UGA reports, which includes loss of income until houses are rebuilt.
"I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. I’ve got one [chicken] house left standing, and it has some damage, but I’m trying to get it fixed so we can get birds back in it," Jeff Davis County poultry grower Vann Wooten said. "I just lost my source of income and my retirement fund to this storm. We [farmers] don’t need a disaster loan. We [farmers] need a
grant so we can get back up and farming." A week after the storm, Wooten said he’d slept very little.
Table egg producer Jamie Tate, also in Jeff Davis County, sustained damage to all four of his poultry houses, losing the birds housed in one that collapsed. The storm ripped 2/3 of the tin from the shed where Tate stores and dries poultry litter.
The morning of Oct. 11, the Tates were still without power and running their layer houses on generators.
"That’s another job for us just to keep the generators running. It takes an hour every morning to fill up all the gas containers for the day that we use to run the generators," Jamie explained. He estimates it took seven gallons of gas to run one of his four generators for nine hours.
Poultry farms throughout Helene’s path were damaged including Appling, Bacon, Coffee, Evans and Tattnall counties.
PECANS
Georgia pecan growers experienced a generational loss with entire orchards blown over, destroying not only this year’s crop but future ones, too.
In Washington County, Willis Hartley lost approximately 75% of the trees on his 180-acre orchard. It remains to be seen whether the ones left standing can be harvested.
"It's heartbreaking," Hartley said. "I just sat down and cried. I had to work this long to accumulate this orchard, make it look like it did, and then to lose it, it's terrible."
UGA’s preliminary loss damage report estimates Georgia lost at least 420,000 pecan trees. The crop loss of pecans blown to the ground is estimated at $62 million while the cost to replant damaged trees and loss of future income is estimated to be $611 million.
"It’s a difficult thing to see in person and to put into words. We have not seen a storm with this level of destruction in the past," UGA Extension Pecan Specialist Dr. Lenny Wells said.
Wells said most remaining upright trees lost the largest percentage of their nuts when they were blown off the trees still in their green shuck.
HORTICULTURE/PLANT NURSERIES
Georgia's horticulture sector is estimated to have sustained $451 million in damages to crops, future income, and infrastructure, per the UGA report.
At McCorkle Nurseries in McDuffie County, lost power meant lost irrigation. Winds damaged or destroyed numerous greenhouses on the farm. Skeetter McCorkle said nearly all the farm’s 6 million potted plants were turned over and had to be sat back up.
The McCorkles normally pump 4 million gallons of water per day for irrigation. A week after the storm, the farm was irrigating at half capacity thanks to loaned generators.
Jeff Davis County poultry producer Jamie Tate with one of his damaged layer chicken houses.
Photo by Jennifer Whittaker
"That’s enough to keep the plants alive," Skeetter said. Within a few days, the nursery was back to shipping orders of plants.
COTTON
Fields of cotton that would normally look like a fall snowstorm were left blown out with cotton stalks blown over or tangled together. The UGA report estimates 500,000 to 600,000 bales of cotton were lost resulting in a $236 million crop loss with an additional $129.6 million in other losses for a total of $365.6 million in estimated damage.
Johnson County’s Hugh Veal had cotton stalks blown over, but then stood back up. The rest remained wet for days, resulting in the white fibers becoming stained and contaminated with material from the rest of the plant. Whatever fiber can be harvested will be graded a lesser quality, making it less valuable. Plus, many of the bolls aren’t large enough to be caught by spindles in the combine at harvest.
"It's a mess," Veal said. "I don't think it's going to be worth picking. I mean, by the time you pay to pick the cotton, you don't have any money left, and it's not going to grade well because of the stains in the cotton. All we do is farm. It's just hard. You work and try to do things right. Then it goes haywire."
At David and Lindsey Morgan’s Ware County farm, Hurricane Helene blew cotton stalks over in all their fields. Helene left all the plants in one of the Morgans’ fields scorched and leaning. David said this field was a month away from being ready to be defoliated. The cotton bolls had barely begun to open.
The Morgans had 3 weeks of rain during May, which delayed planting their cotton. Some fields had to be replanted.
"This year has been an issue from the beginning. We had the wet planting season that made getting the crop in the ground an issue, followed by a dry spell in July," David said.
The storm blew stalks down worse in another of the Morgans’ fields.
"As blown over as the cotton is in this field, it makes me feel better because the plants are still green,” David said. "The plants may live long enough to let the bolls mature. Picking blown over cotton like this will give you a heart attack because of how the stalks tangle in the picker."
BEEF CATTLE
Georgia’s beef cattle producers are estimated to have suffered $275.1 million in lost fencing, infrastructure and cattle. When they lost power, the electric pumps on their water troughs stopped working, making it necessary for many cattle producers to haul fresh water from creeks or streams if they had them. The Georgia Cattlemen’s Association coordinated an effort to turn livestock sale barns across the state into water distribution centers for cattle producers to take back to their farms.
One pressing concern for cattle and dairy producers is replacing or repairing fences.
In Jefferson County, brothers Daniel and Robert Newberry had miles of fencing destroyed by fallen trees.
"You’ve got to get the cows hemmed in, so you get them back on enough grass to where you don’t have to feed them. You’re going to shut them into the best area you can so you can fix that fence, so they’ll stay put," said Daniel.
VEGETABLES
UGA Extension agents and farmers estimate 30% of the fall crop was lost to Helene with estimated losses of $122 million.
In Johnson County, massive rainfall washed soil and vegetable plants down terraces in Taylor Brett’s fields, creating small canyons and sand bars.
Photo by Jay Stone
A Washington County cotton field still had standing water four days after Helene passed through./Photo by Jay Stone
In Johnson County, Taylor Brett’s broccoli and cabbage crops took hits from the massive rainfall, which washed soil and plants down terraced fields, leaving small ditches behind and creating sand bars at the bottom.
Brett double-crops his vegetables. He estimated a 10% loss from those he planted early, and the later crop might be down 50%.
At Corbett Brothers Produce in Echols County, Helene damaged numerous equipment sheds and did minor damage to the operation’s packing shed roof.
"We had damage from Hurricane Idalia last year, but this is 10 times worse," Justin said.
Justin said that while he and his brother, Jared, did have crop losses, they had viable squash, bell peppers and eggplants that they worked to harvest and keep young plants alive.
"We’re running the office and packing shed on generators, but most of these generators are being used to run the well pumps in the fields to keep the crops watered so the plants can recover from the storm and keep producing vegetables," Justin said. They ran generators until Oct. 9.
DAIRY
Georgia’s dairy producers are estimated to have lost $75-$100 million in infrastructure damage, lost milk production and herd health issues.
Hillcrest Dairy in McDuffie County has pastures Mark Rodgers couldn’t use for grazing because of downed fences, which he said would take months to repair.
The storm blew the roof off Hillcrest’s commodity shelter that houses the farm’s cattle feed ingredients. Hillcrest Dairy Operations Manager Caitlin Rodgers said the feed components were OK to use, but they were saturated from rainwater. The resulting extra water intake resulted in a loss of milk production of about 5,000 pounds per day.
Hillcrest continued operations through the storm, though three of its five robotic milking stations went down.
On Sept. 30, at least $10,500 worth of milk had to be dumped statewide due to power outages, according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Right after Helene came through, there were 19 dairies statewide without power operating on generators.
PEANUTS
UGA’s preliminary damage report estimates Georgia initially lost 5-7% of its peanut crop at an estimated cost of $39.5 million. Much of the crop was still in the ground when Helene blew in, so, it’s likely peanut losses will increase by the end of harvest season.
The Veals in Johnson County were nearing time to harvest, but many a sampling of plants showed nuts that did not fill their hulls. The hulls stayed wet for an extended period and mold developed inside.
Jeff Davis Peanut & Grain was one of 29 peanut buying points in Helene's path that was damaged or lost power./Photo by Jennifer Whittaker
In Ware County, David Morgan still had a power line across the entrance to one of his fields on Oct. 4, preventing him from harvesting it. Some peanut fields were littered with tin. He, like farmers across Helene’s path of destruction, also had to clear dirt roads of fallen trees and limbs.
"All of these peanuts are over mature. They’re ready to be harvested," David said. "If they stay in the ground too long the peanuts are going to start falling off the vines."
Numerous peanut buying points sustained damage that had to be repaired before they could process peanuts.
According to National Peanut Buying Points Executive Director Tyron Spearman, 29 peanut buying points in Hurricane Helene’s path sustained some type of damage or lost power. By Oct. 8, all the buying points were operating at some capacity.
Jeff Davis Peanut & Grain (JDP&G), in Denton, managed by Archie Miller, was one of them.
"We’re going to be running at 50% production at the very best," Miller said. "The Lord will get us through this, but it’s going to take a while."
JDP&G had damage to a peanut elevator, storage bins, a transfer tube in a second elevator and the peanut cleaner, Miller said.
The buying point lost some of its trailers that haul peanuts from the farms and half of its trailers were turned over in farmers’ fields. The facility resumed receiving harvested peanuts from farmers the night of Oct. 3.
Miller brought in generators from Florida and Alabama and secured some from farmers. Miller estimated it would cost him $100,000/month to rent the generators not including the cost of diesel to fuel them.
To read more visit www.gfb.ag/helenewreakshavocagtimber .
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HURRICANE HELENE COMMODITY LOSS ESTIMATES
TIMBER | $1.28 BILLION
PECANS | $673 MILLION
POULTRY | $500 - $520 MILLION
HORTICULTURE | $451 MILLION
COTTON | $365.6 MILLION
BEEF CATTLE | $275.1 MILLION
VEGETABLES | $122 MILLION
DAIRY | $75 - $100 MILLION
BLUEBERRIES | $44 MILLION
PEANUTS | $39.5 MILLION
CITRUS | $12 MILLION
TOBACCO | $3.6 - $7 MILLION
SOYBEANS | $4 MILLION
Source: UGA CAES & Ga. Dept. of Agriculture
Eligible farmers apply by Dec. 31
Georgia farmers with uninsurable ag damage or nonrecoverable losses due to wind or flooding caused by Hurricane Helene must apply by midnight Dec. 31 to be considered to receive funds. To qualify, farmers must have a current, valid GATE card issued by the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
Apply online only by midnight Dec. 31 at www.SupportGeorgiaFarmers.org
Donations accepted through Dec. 31
If you haven’t donated, please consider giving by Dec. 31! 100% of donations raised will go directly to Georgia farmers affected by Hurricane Helene.
The more money raised, the greater the amount each eligible farmer will receive.
Now at SupportGeorgiaFarmers.org
Recovery information & tips for handling stress are also available at this website.
FARMERS HELPING FARMERS
By Jennifer Whittaker
It’s been heartwarming to see how Farm Bureau members and the agriculture community spared from Hurricane Helene stepped up to help their fellow Georgians and North Carolina neighbors. Here are a few of the many Good Samaritan acts we’ve heard about. There were many others we didn’t have space to print, but we commend everyone for their generosity and kindness. To read more visit www.gfb.ag/helpingothers .
Hart County Farm Bureau partnered with Elbert County Farm Bureau to take two trailer loads of supplies to the Burke County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 5. Thanks to all who donated! Burke County Farm Bureau President Lee Webster, second from right, thanks HCFB members, from left, Bobby & Pam Fleming, Bren Stone and Brian Fleming.
Cagle’s Farm asked its Cherokee County community to donate nonperishable food, hygiene items, paper products and first aid kits for hurricane victims, and the response was overwhelming! The community filled a rented Ryder moving truck with 28 full pallets. Thanks to farm staff members, the Holly Springs Police Department, and Scout Troops 8880 & 8088 for sorting and loading the items. Ben Cagle, who drove the items to the Appling County Farm Bureau Oct. 7, is pictured with sons, Mica & Clay.
On Oct. 4, residents of the Hazlehurst area received a hot BBQ chicken meal thanks to the generosity of the Villa Rica FFA Chapter and the Carroll County Farm Bureau (CCFB). The Villa Rica FFA, advised by Bennett Jacobs, donated 50 plates while CCFB donated 250 plates. GFB 3rd Dist. Federation Manager Rebecca Jacobs delivered the food to the Jeff Davis Co. Farm Bureau (JDCFB) where JDCFB staff, volunteers, and GFB staff assembled the plates distributed to a local nursing home, the JD Co. Sheriff’s Dept. and the community at large.
Thanks to the generous support of many, throughout October into November, about 150 tons of bagged feed – six trailer loads - were delivered to farmers in Coffee, Screven, Toombs and Warren counties and surrounding areas and western North Carolina. Special thanks to Godfrey's Feed for arranging this initiative and to their partners who donated funds, feed, or transportation: Morgan County Farm Bureau and its Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee; Bunge in Decatur, Ala.; Primient in Loudon, Tenn.; Gold River Molasses; Lee Nunn Farms; Red Oak Farm Services; Go Ag Group; Clemson University Extension; and Toombs Co. & Georgia Farm Bureau staff for helping with logistics. Everyone’s support made a real difference for affected farmers.
On behalf of Hancock County Farm Bureau, HCFB President Jimmy Kennedy presented $1,000 to Denise Wombles with Washington EMC to help cover the cost of meals for the linemen who worked to restore power in Hancock County and the surrounding areas.
GFB 5th District Young Farmers & Ranchers Chairmen Allie & Luke Andrews worked with GFB 5th Dist. Directors Matt Bottoms & Leighton Cooley and Dist. Federation Manager Kari Creamer to collect hay, farm supplies and household items delivered to Toombs County. The 5th District raised more than $5,000 to buy much-needed diesel fuel, mixed gas, and other basic supplies. Special thanks are extended to: Walters Farms; Wargos Hardware; Mid-Ga. Grain; Country Oaks at Bolingbroke; Zaxby’s on Moreland Rd. in Griffin & Anna Perdichizzi for feeding 100 people; & Brandy Fischer salon. Thanks Toombs Co. volunteers & FFA students for unloading and passing out donations.
Pictured from left, Randy Fussell, GFB 6th Dist. Director James Emory Tate and Pastor Van McCall, 2nd from right, accept supplies that GFB Middle Georgia Vice President Ralph Caldwell and Rep. David Huddleston delivered on behalf of communities in Carroll and Heard counties, Ephesus Church & Heard Co. Farm Bureau. Macedonia Church of God served as a supply and food distribution point for the communities of Denton and Snipesville for weeks.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture, Georgia Cattlemen’s Association and its members worked tirelessly to make sure cattle producers, whose water tanks weren’t working because they had no power, had access to fresh water. This involved numerous volunteers including Matt Berry and Travis Young hauling water to central locations for cattle producers to fill containers to take back to their farms.
Sunbelt Ag Expo THE SHOW GOES ON...
By Jennifer Whittaker
As members of the Southeastern ag community gathered for Sunbelt Ag Expo Oct. 15-17 in Moultrie, they paid tribute to farmers and rural residents in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina who suffered damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
"We’re praying for all affected by these recent storms from Florida to the Appalachian Mountains," Sunbelt Executive Director Chip Blalock said at the opening ceremony. Read more at www.gfb.ag/24expo
History was made this year as Faylene Whitaker of N.C. became the first woman to be named the Sunbelt Ag Expo Farmer of the Year. Georgia Expo Farmer Bruce Redmond, left, & S.C. finalist Ty Woodard congratulate Whitaker. Visit www.gfb.ag/redmond to read more.
Photo by Jennifer Whittaker
Sabanto has developed software that can be installed in John Deere, Kubota & Fendt tractors that "drives" the equipment within coordinate parameters you set. Sabanto representative Mike Burdick said turfgrass producers have readily adopted the technology since they must run a tractor over their sod 2-3 times a week.
Photo by Jennifer Whittaker
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is one of the Southeastern ag schools with a permanent exhibit at Expo to introduce their school to prospective students.
by Jennifer Whittaker
GFB staff members handed out ag swag in the Georgia Agriculture Building.
Photo by Jennifer Whittaker
Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall & his wife, Jane, congratulate Sumter County Farm Bureau member Brinson Brock on his Shetland Sheepdog, Belue, being named the 2024 GFB Farm Dog of the Year. Belue works sheep, cattle and poultry and attends the middle school ag classes Brock teaches to encourage students’ interest in veterinary science.
Photo by Jennifer Whittaker
Best Way Ag's Fly Cart 30 drone can be used in multiple scenarios on the farm to move payloads of up to 80 lbs. Before Expo, the Kentucky-based company used the drone to deliver supplies to North Carolina residents left stranded by Hurricane Helene.
Photo by Jennifer Whittaker
Florida’s Spotlight State exhibit included a hologram theatre that let visitors time travel from the 1500s to present day. Guests enjoyed recipe samples and took home pine seedlings.
Photo by Jennifer Whittaker
Photo
Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall, center, congratulates, from left, UGA’s Michael Howard, Madi Perdue and Eliza Jane Glover for winning the collegiate division of the Advocacy in Action Contest and Central-Carrollton’s Addison Smith, Frankie Kelly and Kali Merrill for winning the high school division. / Photo by Jay Stone
CENTRAL-CARROLLTON, UGA TEAMS WIN CONTESTS
By Jay Stone
Central High School of Carrollton and a team from the University of Georgia won the 4th Annual Advocacy in Action Contest, sponsored by Georgia Farm Bureau and Sunbelt Ag Expo.
The finals of the contest were held on Oct. 16 at Sunbelt Expo. Three high school teams and three college teams rotated among three judges, making pitches to the judges, who posed as legislators, requesting an increase in funds for Extension programs.
Central’s team that won the high school division featured students Frankie Kelly, Kali Merrill and Addison Smith. The Central team was coached by Leanna Brown, vice president for business climate and public policy with the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.
"I think what this program does is it shows these kids the difference between a speech in a competition setting and a real opportunity to interact with someone and try to persuade them or make them aware of something that they weren’t aware of before,” Brown said. “It's real-world practice in a setting where it’s OK to fail. We want them to win, of course, but it’s OK for them to learn, to figure out what they’re doing right, what they’re doing wrong and to improve their pitch."
The other two high school finalist teams were Crisp County and Morgan County.
The UGA team that won the collegiate division featured students Michael Howard, Madi Perdue and Eliza Jane Glover.
They were coached by UGA Associate Vice President for Government Relations and Director of State Relations Blake Raulerson.
UGA emerged ahead of teams from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and Auburn University.
"There’s really nothing that I have seen that simulates a real, true, live lobbying situation like this,” said judge Preston Roberts, director of agricultural legislation with the Alabama Farmers Federation. “You’re meeting somebody that sometimes you’ve never had a conversation with and you’re having to present an issue, and you’re presenting yourself as an expert. And that is exactly what this competition is intended to do, and it’s been fun to see these kids try to learn more and prepare to be an advocate for agriculture."
Students of the top three teams in each division received monetary prizes provided by GFB. Additionally, the first-place team in each division will be invited to attend Georgia Farm Bureau Day at the Capitol on February 11, 2025, in Atlanta.
The initial round of competition was through review of submitted three-minute videos using an issues-based prompt. The finalist teams were notified Sept. 30 and given the issuebased prompt for the interviews at Sunbelt.
A total of 18 high schools from Georgia and Florida entered, including schools from 15 Georgia counties. Five colleges entered. For more information about the Advocacy in Action program, visit www.gfb.org/advocate/competition
NEW LEADERS GUIDING GEORGIA FORESTRY
Georgia’s two leading forestry organizations got new leaders this fall. Tim Lowrimore stepped down as director of the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) to serve as president and chief executive officer of the Georgia Forestry Association (GFA) and the Georgia Forestry Foundation.
Gov. Brian Kemp then appointed Johnny Sabo to replace Lowrimore at the GFC.
Sabo came to the GFC, a state government agency, as deputy director in April 2023. Johnny previously served nearly 20 years with the Florida Forest Service. At GFC, Sabo has direct oversight of the Forest Management, Forest Protection, and Law Enforcement departments. He also serves on the Georgia Forestry Foundation Board of Trustees and the Georgia Sentinel Landscape Executive Committee. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Forest Resource Management from Clemson University.
GFA, a member-based organization, says Lowrimore’s experience gives him a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing landowners, loggers and forest product manufacturers in Georgia. Lowrimore, who Gov. Kemp appointed as director/state forester of the GFC in December 2020, is a registered forester with more than 20 years of forestry experience whose career spans the entire forestry supply chain. He worked at GFA from 2003 to 2008 as director of GFA Forest Policy.
TIM LOWRIMORE
JOHNNY SABO
CAES Prepares for Future
By Jennifer Whittaker
The UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (CAES) is committed to preparing tomorrow’s farmers and ranchers to raise livestock.
"We haven’t lost sight of production agriculture," said Dr. Francis Fluharty, head of the CAES Animal & Dairy Sciences (ADS) Department. "Food production is national security."
While giving the Georgia Farm Bureau Directors a tour of the CAES ADS Building & Meat Sciences labs in August, Fluharty discussed what his department is doing to prepare students and to help livestock and dairy producers on their farms.
A student-run/faculty-led Angus farm is being developed on campus that will give students credit for an advanced beef production class.
Students interested in dairy science can participate in the Jersey Active Management by Students program in which students make decisions about the breeding and culling selection at the UGA dairy.
In addition to the UGA beef farm near Athens, the ADS department operates three other sizeable beef farms across Georgia where research is conducted to address production and forage issues Georgia cattle producers face. The ADS department also operates sheep, swine and horse farms near Athens where students get hands-on experience with raising livestock.
"Over forty percent of our undergrads participate in research projects during their time at UGA," Fluharty said.
Student recruitment
CAES is working to reverse the trend of livestock exhibitors choosing out-of-state schools.
"I go to Perry and see smart kids showing livestock, but they’re going out of state. If you’re a really good kid in your county FFA or 4-H livestock program, I want your name,” Fluharty said. "We’ve got great things to offer students at UGA. We’ve got the only Regenerative Swine Science research major in the U.S. We had the 2022 National Meat Judging Team Champions."
Fluharty mentioned the UGA CAES Rural Scholars Program that focuses on helping students from rural communities thrive at UGA, especially if they’re a firstgeneration student.
"We care and we’re trying to reach your kids to get them enrolled," Fluharty said.
CAES Poultry Sciences Building highlights state’s top commodity
The new UGA Poultry Sciences Building is a $54.1M facility located just southwest of Ag Hill beside the Family & Consumer Sciences College.
Dr. Todd Applegate, CAES Poultry Science department head, welcomed the GFB group to the new building along with UGA President Dr. Jere Morehead and CAES Dean Dr. Nick Place.
Applegate said UGA’s Poultry Science department offers four undergrad majors: avian biology; poultry science; animal health; and biological sciences.
“There are a lot of exciting things happening on this part of campus,” UGA President Morehead said. “Thank you for being here and your willingness to learn about the agriculture research we’re doing.”
Morehead announced he has tapped GFB President Tom McCall to fill the seat on the UGA Research Foundation previously held by Abit Massey.
The GFB Board of Directors, their spouses and GFB staff met with UGA President Jere Morehead and CAES Dean Nick Place during a visit to Athens in August./Photo by Logan Thomas
GEORGIA NATIONAL FAIR TURNS THIRTY-FIVE
The 35th Annual Georgia National Fair welcomed 545,382 visitors Oct. 3-13, the event’s second-highest attendance! The fair is estimated to have contributed nearly $35 million to the Middle Georgia economy and generated almost $1 million in sales tax benefiting local and state revenues.
The new Seedlings to Solutions exhibit highlighted Georgia’s forestry sector, which adds $41 billion to Georgia’s economy. Before Hurricane Helene, Georgia had 23 million acres of managed forests.
Photo by Jennifer Whittaker
GFB’s mascot, Lucky, met fairgoers on Oct. 5.
Photo by Logan Thomas
GFB Claims Department staff worked the fair to help members file claims reports.
Photo by Jennifer Whittaker
The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture’s Mobile Classroom was a big hit with kids. Virginia Fulwood teaches how peanuts are grown.
Photo by Jennifer Whittaker
This year’s Georgia Centennial Farm reception was especially meaningful considering the damage Georgia agriculture sustained from Hurricane Helene. Many of the farms recognized this year have been farming more than 100 years and have survived multiple wars, the boll weevil and the Great Depression.
"To be here today and receiving this award you have the heart of a lion. When others left, you stayed. You had that never-give-up, never-surrender mentality. There’s nothing half-hearted about the heart of a lion or farming," said UGA Extension Southwest Agricultural & Natural Resources Development Coordinator Stephanie Hollifield.
Since 1993, the Georgia Centennial Farm Awards program has recognized farms operating for at least 100 years. The program began with Georgia Farm Bureau collaborating with other state agencies.
More than 630 farms have been recognized. This year, another 18 were celebrated during a ceremony held Oct. 9 at the Georgia National Fair.
"It’s not easy to keep anything going for 100 years. Our job as farmers is to look after the land and the resources the Good Lord gave us. I say all the time that I didn’t inherit my farm, I’m just taking care of it for my grandchildren," Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall said.
McCall shared Thomas Jefferson’s quote that extolls the virtues of agriculture, "Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness."
The Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs administers the program with support from Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia EMC, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter and UGA Extension.
"The more 100-year farms we have, the more successful Georgia agriculture will continue to be,” Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler Harper said. “Agriculture is a matter of national security. A nation that can’t feed itself can’t sustain itself. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want America to ever get there."
2024 Centennial Heritage Farm Awards
This award honors farms owned by the same family for 100 years or more that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
• Rose Cottage Farm, Bartow County
• Valley View Farm, Bartow County
2024 Centennial Family Farm Awards
This award recognizes farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more.
• Aylesbury Acres Inc, Washington County
• Carter Farms, Lowndes County
• Crosby-Hatcher Farms, Mitchell County
• Crow Hill Farm, Habersham County
• F & M Farms, Franklin County
• Fountain Family Farm, Wilkinson County
• Freeman Family Farm, LLC, Monroe County
• J & J Farms, Jackson County
• Morgan Tree, Morgan County
• Mountain Scene Farms, Towns County
• Rogers Family Farm, Heard County
• Seaborn Thomas Bracewell Family Farm, Laurens County
• Silas Osteen Family Farm, Pierce County
• Simon Smith Estate, Tattnall County
• Turkey Creek Farm, Twiggs County
• Vaughn Farm, Dodge County
One farm’s story
Mountain Scene Farms began in 1857 when James Rutherford Wyly sold his farm and brick house to Ezekiel Brown. The brick house from the Wyly era is said to be the oldest brick house in Towns County, dating to the early 1800s.
After Ezekiel’s death, his nephew, William Clinton Brown, bought the farm from Ezekiel’s children.
William’s youngest son, Walter Scott Brown, graduated from UGA in 1917. A few years after the creation of the Cooperative Extension Service, Walter served as the first Extension Agent in
Centennial Farm Program Celebrates Farming
Mountain Scene Farms/Photo courtesy of HPD
Towns County. Walter later became the state director of the Georgia Agricultural Extension Service and was a co-founder of the Rock Eagle 4-H Center near Eatonton.
Walter’s daughter, Sarah Brown Riley, recalls visiting the farm her father grew up on as a child.
"My grandmother was 80 years old when I was born. I remember her going to get her water from the well. That impressed me very much because I was used to turning on water spigots."
Mrs. Riley said she played a lot in the river and climbed mountains during her childhood visits.
Today, Walter’s grandchildren, led by Frank R. Riley Jr., own the farm. Frank grows sunflowers and combines the seeds. He raises sweet corn that he sells at a roadside stand and grows vegetables in high tunnel greenhouses.
"It’s amazing to be part of a 167-year-old farm," Frank said. "We’re looking to put it into a conservation easement to protect it against development."
How to nominate a farm
To nominate a farm, for more information, or to download an application, visit www.gfb.ag/centennialfarmsapply or email outreach@dca.ga.gov . The postmark deadline for applications is May 1 of each year. Qualifying farms are recognized each October during a ceremony held at the Georgia National Fair.
In addition to the Centennial Family Farm and Centennial Heritage Family Farm categories, the program offers a third award. The Centennial Farm Award does not require continual family ownership, but farms must be at least 100 years old and listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
By Jennifer Whittaker
NAVIGATING THE AG LABOR PROCESS
By Jay Stone
Somebody has to do the work - a reality farmers know all too well. It’s a simple concept, but its execution is anything but. Recruitment, worker safety, payroll and interacting with government regulators all come with significant challenges.
At the 2024 Georgia Ag Labor Relations Forum, hosted by the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association in August in Tifton, farmers and agricultural stakeholders heard information to help with labor management.
“We couldn't do what we do without our workers,” said Courtney Griffin of Southern Valley Farms in Colquitt County. “We want it to be good for them because giving them good conditions and them being healthy increases our production on the farm and it brings in more revenue for us, to where the business is sustainable.”
RECRUITING CHALLENGES
Dan Chapman of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) reviewed common mistakes that can cause problems for H-2A employers. WHD does outreach/ education, technical assistance, and law enforcement. WHD, Chapman said, urges employers who use H-2A laborers to comply with the program’s rules regarding recruitment, pay and expense reimbursement.
Chapman emphasized how the concept of corresponding employment applies on farms using H-2A laborers. Corresponding employment refers to non H-2A workers who are hired for the same job functions and on the same work contract as H-2A workers. U.S. workers are entitled to the same pay and benefits as H-2A workers and must be hired according to the same standards.
For example, “if you offer an end-of-season bonus to your H-2A workers, you’ve got to make sure that you're offering at least that same bonus in the same terms to workers who are in corresponding employment,” Chapman said.
Chapman discussed job listings that include an experience requirement. If the job listing includes experience driving a tractor as a requirement for employment, WHD might ask H-2A workers if they had tractor-driving experience before being hired. If they say they’d never driven a tractor before, this could be a problem if a corresponding employee must meet that standard.
“Those standards cannot be any more stringent for potential U.S. applicants than for the H-2A workers,” Chapman said.
Travel reimbursement is another requirement often overlooked. Chapman said sometimes an H-2A employer will reimburse travel from the border consulate in the worker’s home country to the farm. They must also reimburse the workers for travel expenses from their home to the border consulate, including any taxi fares or overnight stays.
PREVENTING HEAT STRESS
Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OHSA) Compliance Safety & Health Officer Deanna Bolduc discussed heat safety and what to expect if an OSHA case officer inspects a farm.
Bolduc said employers are required to have a heat injury and illness prevention program and gave recommendations to prevent and respond to heat stress incidents.
“As an employer, there's a legal and moral responsibility not to assign work in high heat conditions without protections in place for workers,” Bolduc said.
Protections Bolduc covered were acclimatization, water intake, rest and using the buddy system.
Workers who have been out of work should be gradually acclimatized to 100% work capacity to allow them to adjust to farm conditions. Bolduc recommended starting workers at 20% of full workload on the first day, then increasing the workload by 20% each day until they reach 100%.
Bolduc said OSHA recommends workers drink a cup of water every 15 minutes and take breaks in shaded or cooler areas to rest and recover from the heat. She encouraged employers to use the “buddy system,” where employees check in on each other and look for signs of heat injury or illness.
“If one of them experiences [heat stress], their buddy would be able to notify a supervisor,” Bolduc said.
Heat stress risk factors include low water consumption, heavy physical activity, direct sun exposure, various medical conditions, use of some medications, alcohol/ drug use, physical fitness levels, and individual behaviors.
Bolduc encouraged employers to train workers on signs of heat stress. Early warning signs include lack of sweating, dizziness and nausea. Signs of a medical emergency include abnormal thinking, speech seizures or loss of consciousness.
WHEN OSHA SHOWS UP
Bolduc walked forum attendees through the steps the agency follows when it conducts an on-site inspection.
Inspections are generally triggered in one of three ways: from a complaint, a referral from a medical provider when a worker has been hospitalized or based on injury data.
An on-site OSHA inspection has four steps. In the opening conference, the OSHA case officer will gather information about the employer’s written heat injury prevention program and review the employer’s OSHA 300 logs that record employee injuries or illnesses.
Then, the case officer conducts a walk-around review of the job site where the incident occurred, followed by confidential interviews with employees and interviews with employer representatives.
Finally, the case officer holds a closing conference with the employer to review what was observed and request documents.
Bolduc said an inspection can be expanded if, for instance, the initial reason for the inspection is heat-related and the case officer finds other types of safety issues.
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Public Policy Update Hunters for the Hungry provides food, fights crop damage
By Adam Belflower
Wildlife nuisance plagues farmers across Georgia who daily fight the challenges of crop damage related to wildlife. The General Assembly looked at the growing impact whitetail deer have on farmers across most commodities and realized it was time to evaluate if farmers are equipped with the right tools to address the issue.
Georgia Farm Bureau worked with government agencies and elected officials to understand the cause of this growing impact and concluded hunters are harvesting fewer deer.
Hunters have become less concerned with filling their freezers with venison and now focus on managing trophy populations. This shift has led to a decrease in deer harvested and an increased focus on growing bigger deer. A solution was needed to increase hunters’ harvest rates statewide to balance the deer population.
To increase the number of deer harvested, the General Assembly wanted to provide an avenue for hunters to dispose of deer at no cost and the meat go towards feeding the hungry.
Hunters for the Hungry, administered by the Georgia Wildlife Federation, has been operating since 1993 to provide high quality protein to those in need. Hunters donate deer they harvest to participating processors at no charge. The processor packages the venison by the pound and distributes the meat to the needy in their community. Processors work with foodbanks, civic or religious organizations to coordinate dispersal.
This year the General Assembly appropriated $300,000 to bolster the existing Hunters for the Hungry program. The goal is to expand the program to 50 participating processors statewide and distribute 120,000 pounds of venison during the 20242025 hunting season.
For more information about the program visit www.gwf.org/ghfth or contact Adam Schiavone at
aschiavone@gwf.org or 770-787-7887. If you are or know of a wild game processor, encourage them to participate by going to the website to sign up. Processors will be paid $2.50/lb. Hunters wanting to donate may visit the website for a map with all participating processors.
Producers can secure crop depredation permits from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to harvest deer from spring through the growing season.
GFB has worked with DNR to streamline the permitting process. Farmers can request permits before planting to begin managing nuisance as soon as crops are planted. Antlered deer can be added to permits upon request, and permittees can include up to six non-residents of their household to serve as assistants.
Visit www.gooutdoorsgeorgia.com to apply for a deer depredation permit in the licenses/permits section. Applications must be made online because applicants must pin the fields they will hunt using a GPS feature. Call 1-800-366-2661 to request help with navigating the online application.
Adam Belflower is a GFB Governmental Affairs Specialist. He may be reached at acbelflower@gfb.org or 478-474-0679,ext, 5259.
The Georgia Wildlife Federation (GWF) and Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are expanding the Georgia Hunters for the Hungry program for the 2024-2025 hunting season need new deer processors across the state. Through this program, hunters are able to provide venison - the ultimate high-protein, low fat, organic meat - to local food banks and onto the tables of those in your community who need it most. GWF provides compensation for participating processors ($2.50 per pound) and connections with Feeding Georgia to link processors with donation sites. For more information about the program and how to get involved, please contact:
Adam Schiavone at aschiavone@gwf.org or 770-787-7887 or visit https://gwf.org/ghfth/.
GA COMMODITY COMMISSION MEMBERS NAMED
The Georgia Department of Agriculture announced producer appointments to Georgia’s Agricultural Commodity Commissions in August. The ex officio committee for these commissions, which includes Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall, Russ Moon, appointed by the Georgia Senate Committee on Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, and Al Pearson, appointed by the Georgia House Committee on Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, makes these appointments.
Georgia’s Commodity Commissions collect a per-unit assessment from producers of each commodity, as allowed in each commission’s marketing order, to support growers by funding research, education, and marketing efforts for their respective commodities.
APPOINTMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Apple Commission: Andy Futch and John Reece, both of Gilmer County, were reappointed.
Beef Commission: Kenneth Murphy of Meriwether County was reappointed as the dairy representative. Kristi Arnold of Wayne County was reappointed. Cannon Mosely of Early County was appointed as an advisory member with his term expiring in 2025.
Blueberry Commission: Jerome Crosby of Atkinson County and John Strickland of Clinch County were reappointed. Mike Bruorton of Clinch County will continue serving as a special appointee with his term ending in 2025.
Corn Commission: Lee Webster of Burke County was reappointed. Mark Hanna of Seminole County was appointed.
Cotton Commission: Bart Davis of Colquitt County and Chad Mathis of Baker County were reappointed.
Equine Commission: Julie Murphy of Brooks County was reappointed. Courtney Hester of Jeff Davis County was appointed to replace Robin Tardy, who was appointed as an advisory member.
Milk Commission: Aillene Schaapman of Wilcox County was reappointed. Ashley Bailey of Brooks County was appointed.
Peach Commission: Drew Echols of Hall County and Lawton Pearson of Peach County were reappointed.
Pecan Commission: Brenda Evans of Peach County was reappointed. Arren Moses of Montgomery County and Jena Ellis Wright of Dooly County were appointed. Jeff Worn, Will Easterlin and Cason Anderson were appointed as advisory members with terms expiring in 2025.
Tobacco Commission: Daniel Johnson of Pierce County was reappointed.
Vegetable Commission: Bill Brim of Tift County was reappointed. Ben Herring of Lowndes County and Courtney Hamilton Griffin of Colquitt County were appointed. Brad Calhoun will continue as an advisory member with his term ending in 2025.
Wine & Grape Commission: Gary Engel of Gilmer County and Eric Miller of White County were reappointed.
YF&R members step up to serve YF&R Update
By Breanna Berry
The Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) showed their commitment to service throughout the year. At the YF&R Summer Leadership Conference in July, attendees packed 13,000 meals for a local food bank.
The annual “Harvest for All” campaign kicked off in the fall with county Farm Bureaus contributing generously. This initiative allows GFB to make a significant financial contribution to Feeding Georgia, a network of food banks that serves communities statewide.
After Hurricane Helene, Georgia Farm Bureau mobilized quickly to support affected areas, and the YF&R Committee was at the forefront of relief efforts.
Thanks to the committee's swift response, 500 meals and a trailer full of supplies were delivered to Echols County on Oct. 3. The committee partnered with Echols County Farm Bureau to serve the meals and distribute supplies. Members of the Alabama Farmers Federation Young Farmers program drove over with supplies to support this effort.
Another 1,000 meals were served in Jeff Davis County on Oct. 7 and 300 meals in Montgomery County.
“Several members of our committee were impacted by Hurricane Helene. In a different scenario, it could have been my family. It’s our responsibility to ensure Farm Bureau is an organization stepping up to care for our friends and neighbors,” said GFB YF&R Chairman Cleve Jackson.
Trailer loads of supplies were also sent to Atkinson, Clinch, Coffee and Toombs counties.
This article was written by former GFB Leadership Programs Coordinator Breanna Berry. Levi Davis is the new GFB Young Farmers & Ranchers Coordinator. He may be reached at ledavis@gfb.org or 1-800-342-1192. Contact your county Farm Bureau if you’d like to get involved with your local YF&R program.
Davis new YF&R Coordinator
Levi Davis is leading GFB’s Young Farmers & Ranchers Program, effective Nov. 25. Davis was previously GFB’s 8th District federation manager since March 2022. He began his GFB career in the GFB Claims Department in 2019.
Davis is a Houston County native who grew up on his family’s beef farm and was active in FFA. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness from the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences.
He and his wife, Amy, and their son, Wyatt, live in Cochran.
GFB YF&R Committee members & GFB staff cooked & served meals for 1,000 people at Macedonia Church of God on Oct. 7.
Levi Davis
Women's Leadership Update Community key for Women’s Leadership Program
By Breanna Berry
Georgia Farm Bureau’s Women’s Leadership Program has provided women opportunities for growth and community all year.
The 3rd Annual Women in Ag Summit, held Nov. 11-12 in Savannah, provided a platform for personal and professional growth while providing attendees a chance to give back. Hosted by the GFB Women’s Leadership Committee, this year’s summit emphasized the importance of making a difference while investing in oneself.
Before the conference, more than 35 participants visited the Second Harvest Food Bank of Coastal Georgia. One group spent time preparing a hot meal for those in need, while the other sorted donations and assisted with other essential tasks.
The conference also included a service project session. Attendees made over 30 blankets donated to the Savannah Ronald McDonald House (RMH) and assembled 100 toiletry kits for local food banks.
This fall, GFB WLC district chairwomen hosted meetings for the ladies in their districts to network while learning about GFB programs and agriculture. District 1: Melissa Petty hosted a tour of R&A Orchards and the Gilmer County Cannery. District 2: Stephanie Branch held an event at the Northeast Georgia Food Bank that highlighted the Hunters for the Hungry program. District 3: Kaylee Goodson coordinated a tour of Nixon Holler
Flower Farm. District 4: Angie Roberts arranged a tour of pecan, forestry and mushroom farms. District 5: Amy Moncrief hosted a meeting at Cooley Farms to learn about poultry production and bees. District 8: Alicia Berry’s event at Calhoun Produce included a farm tour and lunch.
This article was written by former GFB Leadership Programs Coordinator Breanna Berry. Heather King is the new Georgia Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Coordinator. She may be reached at hcking@gfb.org or 1-800-342-1192. Contact your county Farm Bureau if you’d like to get involved with your local WL Program.
King new WL Coordinator
Heather King is leading GFB’s Women’s Leadership Program effective Nov. 25. King was previously GFB’s 6th District federation manager since July 2018. Prior to joining GFB, she was the education program specialist at Camp John Hope FFAFCCLA Center in Fort Valley.
King is a native of Stephens County where she grew up on a poultry farm and was active in FFA. She holds a bachelor’s degree in ag economics from Fort Valley State University. She and her husband, Trey, live in Macon.
Heather King
GFB WLC members Alicia Berry & Jane Wooten volunteer at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Coastal Georgia/ Photo by Logan Thomas
PICNIC ON THE FARM CELEBRATES
GEORGIA’S AG HISTORY
The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture hosted its 3rd Annual Picnic on the Farm Sept. 14 at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture in Tifton. Guests enjoyed Southern cuisine, music from Megan Fowler and activities that celebrated Georgia's agricultural heritage. Highlights included live pork rind frying by E&T Porky Bites, painting a barn quilt, a farmers market and the chance to explore the museum’s historic village.
The more than $60,000 the event raised will directly support the GFA’s mission to provide scholarships, educational outreach, and mental health support for Georgia farmers.
“We are grateful to all who made this day so memorable. We sincerely appreciate all our sponsors, vendors, volunteers, and attendees for making this event such a success,” Georgia Foundation for Agriculture Executive Director Lily Baucom said. “Their support will help us continue to grow and sustain the future of agriculture in Georgia.”
GFA thanks the sponsors that made the event possible: Georgia Farm Bureau, Farm Bureau Bank, Alliant Insurance Services, Harley Langdale, Jr. Foundation, Inc., Farm Credit Associations of Georgia, Five Star Credit Union, Hilton Garden Inn Tifton, Sapiens, ABAC School of Ag & Natural Resources, Anthem BCBS, Barrow Co. Farm Bureau, Ben Hill Co. Farm Bureau, Cardinal Investment Advisors, Cobb Co. Farm Bureau, Curtis Packing Company/Georgia Best Brand Meats, Georgia Poultry Federation, Guy Carpenter, James Bates Brannan Groover LLP, Mar Jac Poultry, National Peanut Buying Point Association, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine South Georgia, Premium Peanut, Teresa & Marc West (The West Family), Tidewater, Tifton Tourism, Truist Bank, Pike Creek Turf, Inc., Sunbelt Ag Expo, Carroll’s Sausage, and the Georgia Agribusiness Council.
Lily Baucom is executive director of the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture. She may be reached at lrbaucom@gfb.org or 478-405-3461. Visit www.gafoundationag.org to learn more about GFA programs or to make a tax-deductible donation.
Scenes from the 2024 GFA Picnic on the Farm held at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture./ Photos by Logan Thomas.
Ag in the Classroom Update
GFB awards $10,000 for ag classroom projects
By Lauren Goble
Georgia Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program has awarded $1,000 grants to ten elementary school teachers to help them fund innovative agricultural projects. These teachers, who maintain close ties with their county Farm Bureaus, were selected for their commitment to teaching students about agriculture in fun, hands-on ways.
The grants will support projects focused on composting, school gardens, and hydroponics, giving students a chance to actively engage with farming, sustainability, and how food systems work.
These projects not only educate but also foster curiosity and a deeper appreciation for agriculture, which contributed more than $83 billion to Georgia’s economy in 2022 and provided more than 323,000 jobs.
Despite its importance, many students do not fully grasp how agriculture impacts their daily lives. These hands-on projects will teach students how agriculture affects everything from the food they eat to the natural resources they depend on.
Students will also explore environmental responsibility and sustainability. Whether it’s learning to reduce food waste through composting or discovering modern growing techniques like hydroponics, these projects will provide students with a deeper understanding of how agriculture can help address environmental challenges.
The school gardens, for example, will allow students to grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs while also teaching them about pollinators, local food production, and the nutritional benefits of fresh produce. These activities help develop life skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and environmental stewardship.
Georgia Farm Bureau is excited to support these teachers in making agriculture a relevant and engaging part of their students’ curriculum. By funding these projects, Farm Bureau hopes to inspire a lifelong interest in agriculture and encourage students to become informed citizens who understand the vital role agriculture plays in their communities.
Congratulations to the following teachers in the following counties for their dedication to bringing agriculture into their classrooms:
Barrow: Monica Massei/Kennedy Elementary
Barrow: Andrea Rowe/Austin Road Elementary
Carroll: Holly Challen/Central Elementary
Carroll: Meredith Stone/Bowdon Elementary
Clarke: Jerry Taylor/Prince Avenue Christian
Thomas: William Sherrard/Harper Elementary
Elbert: Andrea Marlow/Elbert County Elementary
Meriwether: Amanda Scogin/Glanton Elementary
Walker: Rebekah Searels /Rossville & Stone Creek Elementary Schools
White: Julie James/New Holland Leadership Academy
Georgia Farm Bureau Educational Programs Coordinator Lauren Goble may be reached at ldgoble@gfb.org or 478-474-0679, ext. 5135. Contact your county Farm Bureau if you’d like to volunteer with its Ag in the Classroom program.
GFB accepting entries for middle & high school art contests
Middle School Bookmark Contest
• Open to students in 6th - 8th grades
• Previous state winners are not eligible to re-enter
• Contestants will be provided with a blank bookmark & asked to create a design illustrating Georgia agriculture
• Open to students in 9th -12th grades
• 10 district winners each receive $100
• State winner receives an additional $150
High School Art Contest
• Previous state winners are not eligible to re-enter
• Artwork must be on 8.5x11-inch white paper
• Artwork must be created in the colors black, white & gray
• 10 district winners will receive $100 each
• State winner receives an extra $250
IMPORTANT INFO FOR BOTH CONTESTS
• Contact your county Farm Bureau to enter & for deadline to submit entries for both contests to local Farm Bureaus
• Visit gfb.ag/contests for contest details
• Both contests are open to homeschool, private & public-school students
• Students are encouraged to watch this video about Georgia agriculture for inspiration gfb.ag/video
2025 Georgia Foundation for Agriculture Scholarships
GFA offers $65,000 In Scholarships | Application deadline is March 1, 2025
Scholarship for Agriculture
10 scholarships of $3,000 each for eligible high school seniors.
Top 2 applicants will receive a $1,500 bonus.
Technical College Scholarship for Agriculture
4 scholarships of $1,500 each for eligible technical college students.
Rising College Jr./Sr. Scholarship for Agriculture
8 scholarships of $2,000 each for eligible college students.
UGA College of Veterinary Medicine Scholarship
2 scholarships of $5,000 each for eligible students currently enrolled planning to be food animal veterinarians
Visit www.gafoundationag.org/scholarships for eligibility details about each scholarship.
Insurance You Can Feel Good About
When you partner with Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance, your dollars are reinvested right back into your community.
Having access to fresh, locally grown food is important to everyone. From the fresh food on our plate to the fiber in our clothes to the timber in our homes, it is important to support our family farms so our agriculture community can remain strong. You can help by buying local, and also by buying your insurance through Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company. As a Georgia driver, you’re legally required to purchase auto insurance, so why not partner with a company that reinvests dollars into Georgia’s rural communities? Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance was founded on supporting Georgia Agriculture and continues that mission into the future. Georgia Farm Bureau agents are in your community, and as your neighbor, are committed to being there when you need them most. Learn more at GFBInsurance.com.