January 13, 2021
www.gfb.org
Vol. 4 No. 2
GFB YF&R COMPETITORS SHINE IN NATIONAL COMPETITION Georgia Farm Bureau’s (GFB) representatives in the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) competitive events represented the state well, and one brought home a prize. State winners Steven and & Tara Green (YF&R Achievement Award), Jessica Lance (YF&R Excellence in Agriculture Award) and Cleve Jackson (YF&R Discussion Meet) all competed for national honors. Lance, from Morgan County, finished fourth in the competition for the Excellence in Agriculture Award, which recognizes young farmers and ranchers who do not derive the majority of their income from farming, but who actively contribute to agriculture and grow through their involvement in agriculture, leadership ability and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations. Lance and the other Excellence in Agriculture Award contestants gave individual presentations to teams of three judges. The presentations detailed their biographical backgrounds, agricultural involvement and issues facing agriculture. Lance claimed the fourth-place prize of a Case IH 40” Combination Roll Cabinet and Top Chest and a $500 Case IH parts card, courtesy of Case IH. Brady Revels from Nebraska won the Excellence in Agriculture Award, which featured 27 state winners. Jackson, from Floyd County, advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the YF&R Discussion Meet, which features committee-style conversations focusing on topics important to agriculture. In the first round, the discussions centered on how farmers and ranchers can increase efficiency and transition to green energy sources. In the second round, contestants talked about how to ensure economic viability for small animal processing facilities while maintaining a healthy work environment. In the Sweet 16 round, the discussion centered on what can be done to create a preventative approach to farm safety. Malarie Thompson from North Carolina won the Discussion Meet, which drew entries from 31 states. The Greens, from Spalding County, represented Georgia in competition for the Achievement Award, which recognizes young farmers and ranchers who earn the majority of their income from production agriculture. Jacob and Jill Smoker from Indiana won the Achievement Award.
GFB Field Notes page 2 of 12 GEORGIA FARMS PUT BEST FOOT FORWARD FOR AFBF VISITORS Three Georgia farm tours offered during the 2022 American Farm Bureau Convention gave farmers from across the country a glimpse of Georgia agriculture. On Jan. 8, the “Got Milk? Got a Green Thumb?” Tour took about 26 farmers from across the U.S. and 16 international diplomatic staff who handle agricultural policy for their countries to tour Hillcrest Farms and McCorkle Nurseries in McDuffie County. The tour participants traveled on two buses with one bus touring Hillcrest Farms Inc., while the other bus toured McCorkle Nurseries. The two groups met at lunch hosted by the McDuffie County Farm Bureau at the Dearing Community Center. During the tour of Hillcrest Farms Inc., owned and operated by father, Billy, his sons Mark and Marci, and Andy and Jan Rodgers, and their children Caitlin, and Joshua and Marlee Rodgers, the tour group learned how the family makes the comfort and health of their cows their top priority. The tour of the four-generation farm began in the farm’s viewing room where visitors are able to see cows milked in two of the five robotic milking stations the Rodgers began using in 2019. The farm is the first in Georgia to install robotic milkers, which allow the cows to walk into the milking station to be milked when the cow wants to be milked. A blue activity monitor that each cow wears around her neck operates similar to a Fitbit. When the cow enters the robotic milking station, a computer reads the chip & downloads data about the cow's temperature, movements, and milk production, etc., that helps the dairy owners monitor the cow's health. Soft sand beds and backscratchers help make the cows comfortable as they eat and relax in their barn in between milkings. During the summer, fans and water misters help them to stay cool. Hillcrest Farms implements environmentally friendly management practices by using the manure its cows produce to fertilize the forage crops grown on the farm to feed the cows. The farm also runs recycled water through the alleys of the freestall barns to flush away the cows' manure and loose sand. The sand is separated from the manure water and purified before being used again. During the tour of McCorkle Nurseries, tour guests learned how the McCorkles propagate, grow, market and ship the almost 1,000 varieties of woody ornamentals, perennials and groundcover plants they grow. In its 80th year, McCorkle Nurseries is owned and operated by Donald and Jack McCorkle and their sons, Skeetter and Chris McCorkle. The business was started by Donald and Jack’s father. Skeetter McCorkle discussed the many facets of the operation that markets more than 4 million plants each year to more than 1,800 customers in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic States. He discussed how the nursery collects rainwater in ponds to irrigate its plants and collects runoff water as plants are irrigated to use again. Brian Jernigan, who oversees the propagation and patent efforts at McCorkle Nurseries, discussed the research the nursery does on its own and in cooperation with universities or other nurseries to develop new varieties of plants. McCorkle Nurseries developed the Endless Summer hydrangea that blooms multiple times throughout the summer. Jernigan has patented three new gardenia varieties. “It’s not a cheap nor a quick process to develop a new variety. A new gardenia we recently -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 3 of 12 Continued from previous page patented took ten years to develop,” said Jernigan. McCorkle Nurseries has patented almost 100 new plant varieties in the past 15 years, including a dwarf crape myrtle, Endless Summer hydrangeas and gardenias with double blooms. The nursery begins the process by planting thousands of seedlings that are whittled down to one or two with the trait being sought. Chris McCorkle discussed how the nursery uses six Harvest Automation robots to move plants from one location to another in the greenhouses to free up their employees to do more important tasks like propagation or repotting. The nursery has been using these robots for six years. The Harvest Automation robots used at McCorkle Nurseries save employees from the backbreaking job of moving plants about the greenhouses. Since finding workers is an issue, the robots allows the McCorkles to use their employees for more productive tasks. All tour participants gathered at the Dearing Community Center for a delicious barbecue lunch hosted by the McDuffie County Farm Bureau. The tour group experienced true Southern hospitality with a delicious barbecue lunch catered by Neil’s Bar-B-Q and tables beautifully decorated with centerpieces highlighting Georgia commodities by Christan Rosier. Each guest left with a gift bag containing a souvenir from Thomson, the county seat of McDuffie County, compliments of the Thomson/McDuffie County Convention Visitors Bureau. MCFB President Sammy McCorkle welcomed the tour group to McDuffie County and MCFB Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee Chairman Jonathan Rosier read a welcome statement to the group from Dearing Mayor Sean Kelly who was unable to attend due to being sick. Gayle McCorkle, Angie Roberts, and Office Manager Kim Cora Kay played a major role in hosting the lunch and preparing for the tour. On Jan. 11, a group of 40 AFBF attendees took the “I Feel the Need for Speed & Southern Hospitality” Tour in Henry County. Participants got a VIP tour of the Atlanta Motor Speedway that included a stop at the start/finish line in the Grandstands and a chance to stand in the winner’s circle at Victory Lane. The guests also saw the 120-acre infield, walked in the pit lanes and saw the Richard Petty Memorial Garden. Henry County Farm Bureau hosted lunch for the tour group at Harvest Pointe United Methodist Church, serving a delicious meal of baked chicken, meatloaf, green beans and macaroni and cheese. HCFB President Ross McQueen welcomed the tour and discussed how urban sprawl from Atlanta has affected agriculture in the county. McQueen told the group that the land where the speedway is located was once fields of soybeans, corn and cotton. HCFB volunteers including Joyce White, Clark & Carolyn Runion, Ross & Carol McQueen and Office Manager Jean Dykes coordinated the decorations and served the meal. After lunch the tour traveled to Southern Belle Farm where Jimmy Carter welcomed the group, telling how he once operated a dairy on the farm but transitioned into agritourism and growing strawberries, peaches and other fruit after his son, Jake, returned home from college. Farm Manager Daniel Welliver spoke to the group about the farm’s you-pick operation and the field trips that bring over 20,000 local students to the farm each school year. The tour participants also took a hayride around the farm to see the beef cattle, peach and blueberry orchards and blackberry patches. Southern Belle served the guests fresh homemade strawberry short cake with homemade continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 4 of 12 Continued from previous page ice cream, all made in its kitchen. On Jan. 11 a second group of 40 AFBF attendees enjoyed the “Apples, Wine & Beautiful North Georgia Mountains” Tour traveling to Fannin County where they visited Mercier Orchards and Gilmer County where they toured R&A Orchards and Engelheim Vineyards. The first stop was R & A Orchards where Andy Futch welcomed the group with coffee, cider, fried pies and apple donuts. The group learned about the variety of apples grown in North Georgia and the type of maintenance needed for tree care. The tour included a wagon ride around the orchard and learned the history of the farm. The second stop was at Mercier Orchards. Tim Mercier welcomed the group and his son-in-law David Lillard gave a tour of the market, cider making process and the bakery. The group enjoyed lunch made by Mercier Orchards. The third stop was at Engelheim Vineyards where the guests split into two groups. One half toured the grounds exploring the vineyard’s new wedding facility and learning about the wine making process from their wine maker, Billy. The other half enjoyed a wine tasting learning about the different types of wine made on the estate. AFBF HONORS SONNY PERDUE WITH DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD The American Farm Bureau Federation presented its highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award to former Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Jan. 9 during the 2022 American Farm Bureau Convention in Atlanta. AFBF established the Distinguished Service Award in 1928 to honor individuals who have devoted their careers to serving the national interest of American agriculture. Perdue’s work on behalf of agriculture includes serving as secretary of agriculture from 20172021, where he led USDA’s implementation of the 2018 farm bill. Under his leadership, the department’s notable accomplishments included launching the Market Facilitation Program to provide financial assistance to farmers during trade disputes, development of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program and the Farmers to Families Food Box Program during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the creation of ReConnect, a rural broadband initiative. “Growing up on a diverse family farm gave me an early appreciation for hard work and doing things the right way,” Perdue said. “From early mornings milking dairy cows, to harvesting watermelons, to the challenge of planting a straight row before GPS, my experience as a young person gave me a respect and gratitude for the men and women who dedicate their lives to nourish others. That is why I was so humbled and honored to serve this selfless agricultural community as secretary of agriculture. American Farm Bureau was an amazing partner in that service. I thank American Farm Bureau for granting me this honor and I thank American farmers, ranchers and producers for the incredible work they do on a daily basis.” Perdue’s collaboration with leaders at other federal agencies included working to improve the H-2A program and secure farm labor during the pandemic. Additional accomplishments during his USDA career included representing U.S. agriculture during negotiation of the World Trade Organization Phase I trade agreement with China, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement and continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 5 of 12 Continued from previous page numerous other trade pacts. On the state level, Perdue served two terms as governor of Georgia, where he led the establishment of Regional Water Councils and worked closely with farmers on issues related to water, taxes and property rights, among others. During his 11 years in the Georgia Senate he was recognized as a leading authority on a broad range of issues including agriculture, education, emerging technologies and economic development. “Governor Perdue is a true leader for Georgia and U.S. agriculture,” said Tom McCall, president of Georgia Farm Bureau. “His dedication and investment to our industry will have a long-lasting impact on our nation and the world. Sonny is deserving of this honor.” DUVALL CELEBRATES ACCOMPLISHMENTS, POINTS TO BRIGHT FUTURE American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall welcomed AFBF members to Georgia and celebrated the organization’s accomplishments during his annual address at the opening session of the 2022 AFBF Convention in Atlanta on Jan. 9. Building on the convention theme, “Growing tomorrow, together,” Duvall noted that he resumed visits around the country in the past year, stopping in 26 states and Puerto Rico for what he likened to family visits, and promised travel to more states in the coming year. “It is good to see you all, and I'm so glad we can be here together,” Duvall said. “Welcome to Georgia. It's an honor to host you all in my home state. As your president, I see that the future is bright for agriculture as we work to get through this pandemic.” He emphasized Farm Bureau’s role of ensuring that farmers’ needs are communicated to national leaders in Washington, D.C. Among these were the Waters of the United States rule and how it affects farmers in Louisiana, how delays in processing H-2A visas hurt farms in Arizona and other states, the realities of the border crisis, difficulties for ranchers selling their animals through livestock markets in Kansas, and how farm bill programs are helping farmers in Puerto Rico. “The American Farm Bureau team is sharing your stories on Capitol Hill, with the administration, and through many communications channels that reach far and wide,” Duvall said. “Sharing those stories is important within our organization, too, because we are stronger when members understand what their neighbors in other regions are facing.” Duvall celebrated poll results that showed 87% of Americans trust U.S. farmers. He noted the success of the #stillfarming social media campaign, which reached more than 110 million people, assuring them that while the pandemic ground many parts of the country to a halt, farmers continued their work to make sure everyone is fed and clothed. “You showed the American people that you have their backs and as you did that, trust in farmers went up when trust in just about everything else seemed to plummet,” he said. Duvall touted AFBF’s work to build consensus on climate change among a variety of groups, including environmentalists who are often critical of farm practices. Through the development of the Farmers for a Sustainable Future and the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA), continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 6 of 12 Continued from previous page AFBF was able to show how agriculturalists actually work to sustain environmental resources “We started not by focusing on our differences, but by looking at our common goals,” Duvall said, pointing out that some of the key policy recommendations developed by the FACA were in line with established AFBF policy. “The alliance recommendations have not only guided climate discussions in D.C., they are the foundation of legislation and USDA programs that respect farmers,” Duvall said. Duvall discussed the national push to improve infrastructure, including roads, bridges, ports and waterways as well as expanding communications technology that allows greater access to broadband internet. The infrastructure bill passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in 2021 does all of that. “We are finally on our way to leveling the playing field for farmers, ranchers, rural hospitals, rural schools, and all rural Americans with a historic investment in broadband,” Duvall said. All of this, he said, points to a bright future for American farming. “From our grassroots advocacy to our leadership development programs to our work together to strengthen our communities through resources like Farm State of Mind, you have every reason to be proud of what we are achieving together,” Duvall said. “Someone asked me the other day what I thought the future of Farm Bureau looked like. I didn't hesitate for a moment in saying the future of Farm Bureau is bright. And that's because we invest in people with a common, noble purpose and believe in the possibilities of tomorrow. That's the Farm Bureau way and yes, the future is very bright.” AFBF ATTENDEES HEAR MESSAGES FROM BIDEN, VILSACK American Farm Bureau Federation Convention attendees heard a recorded message from President Joe Biden and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack delivered live remarks during the AFBF Convention on Jan. 10. Biden expressed his appreciation for farmers and ranchers and highlighted the administration’s priorities related to the Packers and Stockyards Act, infrastructure improvements and promoting fair competition in agricultural markets. Vilsack addressed the prospect of climate-smart commodities. Vilsack shared his thoughts on broadband deployment, trade negotiations, and investments in livestock processing capabilities. “Listening to Farm Bureau and listening to those in agriculture, we know that it’s important to establish a partnership in this effort [to create climate-smart commodities],” Secretary Vilsack said. “This is not something that’s top-down, this is really a bottom-up effort. Vilsack said that markets in both the U.S. and around the world continually demand more climate-smart commodities, and that people are going to want to know where and how various products are produced. At the same time, Vilsack said, markets for climate-smart commodities should be left to the general public and free markets. “We know that it has to be voluntary, and it has to be incentive-based. It can’t be regulated,” Vilsack continued. While U.S. farmers have benefitted from increased trade with China, Vilsack noted that the continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 7 of 12 Continued from previous page Chinese are $16 billion short of meeting their obligations to purchase U.S. ag products under the Phase One trade agreement. The secretary emphasized that the U.S. would enforce its trade agreements and work to remove barriers to trade. Vilsack said that while American agriculture is at the forefront of developing precision agriculture, farmers cannot fully realize its potential without significant upgrades to internet access in rural areas. To that end, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed and signed into law in 2021 provides funding for the USDA to help develop rural broadband networks. “We’ve been talking about infrastructure improvements in this country for at least 10 years or more,” Vilsack said. “We finally got the job done, and part of that is to provide more additional resources for the expansion of broadband. Meaningful broadband. The ability for broadband to actually have the upload and download speeds that will equip you as producers and your members as producers, the opportunity to fully utilize precision agriculture.” On supply chain issues, Vilsack ran down a list of contributing factors. First, there is strong demand for farmers’ products, which is positive, but after reductions in logistic capability during the pandemic, the supply chain was not prepared for an immediate uptick in demand. Weather, workforce reductions related to people leaving jobs, congestion in U.S. ports and decisions by trading partners to establish export bans have combined to create a complex national problem. Vilsack said the USDA asked port operators to increase their hours of operation, created disincentives for shipping companies that were leaving empty containers on the docks and established pop-up ports to help relieve the backlog of shipping vessels arriving and departing U.S. ports. The U.S. Department of Labor has worked to accelerate apprenticeship programs to get drivers behind wheels and offset the nationwide shortage of tractor-trailer drivers. “We are working on the areas that we can control,” Vilsack said. “We’re going to continue to encourage and look for ways to help.”
GFB Field Notes page 8 of 12 USDA TO BEGIN SURVEY IN PREPARATION FOR 2022 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has mailed the National Agricultural Classification Survey (NACS) to more than a million potential U.S. agricultural producers, in preparation for the 2022 Census of Agriculture. The NACS will ask survey recipients if they are involved in agricultural activity and for basic farm information. Response to the NACS is required by law for all who receive the questionnaire, even if the recipient is not an active farmer or rancher. Questionnaires can be completed online or by mail. The response deadline is Jan. 24. “NACS plays an integral role in getting a complete count of U.S. agriculture,” said Census and Survey Division Director Barbara Rater. “It is one of the most important early steps to determine who should receive next year’s Census of Agriculture questionnaire. Every response to NACS is vital.” USDA defines a farm as any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products are produced and sold, or are normally sold, during the year. This definition was first used for the 1974 Census of Agriculture and is now consistent across USDA surveys. “The definition of a farm is not based on size, type, or location,” said Rater. “A farm can be an urban rooftop or a backyard greenhouse. It can be large pastures of cattle or fields of corn, as well as blooms, honey, vegetables, or eggs sold to neighbors, friends, and family. Our mission is to give every U.S. producer the opportunity to share their voice in the ag census.” The influential Census of Agriculture dataset is used by local and federal governments, educators, researchers, agribusinesses, media, and many more, impacting decisions that affect the lives of every American. Data collection for the 2022 Census of Agriculture begins November 2022. All information reported to NASS is kept confidential, protected by federal law. For more on confidentiality, read NASS’s Confidentiality Pledge. To learn more about NACS and the Census of Agriculture, visit www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.
GFB Field Notes page 9 of 12 12TH ANNUAL GEORGIA FARM BUREAU 2ND DISTRICT STEER & HEIFER SHOW Jan. 22 Jackson County Agricultural Facility 9:30 a.m. Jefferson Come out to watch youth from the GFB 2nd District show their cattle. Show will be held at Jackson County Agricultural Facility, 1869 County Farm Rd, Jefferson, Ga. 30549. Show will be held at Jackson County Agricultural Facility, 1869 County Farm Rd, Jefferson, Ga. 30549. CLIMATE ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY SURVEY If you are a cattle or cotton farmer in Georgia, please consider completing a survey being conducted by a University of Georgia graduate student regarding farmers’ willingness to adopt various technology for your farm as well as your perceptions on climate change. It should take just 20 minutes to complete, and the information collected goes to help the graduate student \complete her degree. To participate in the survey, please visit https://gfb.ag/UGAclimatetechsurvey. For more information on the survey contact Julian Worley at julian.worley@uga.edu. Participants are asked to respond by Jan. 15, 2022. 2022 GEORGIA DAIRY CONFERENCE Jan. 17-19 Savannah Marriott Riverfront Savannah Online registration is now open for the 2022 GA Dairy Conference! This event is a “must attend” for the Southeast dairy sector. It provides companies the option to network with dairy producers and industry leaders, while extending a company’s brand with several sponsorship opportunities. Dairymen from Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky and Virginia have attended this conference in the past. Registration is free for Georgia dairy farmers. For more information or to register, visit www.gadairyconference.com/. WINTERGREEN 2022 Jan. 18-20 Gas South Convention Center Duluth Wintergreen, Georgia’s premier multi-day trade show and conference for the green industry, boasts more than 250 exhibitors and thousands of attendees each year. The event offers three days of industry educational sessions and updates to keep producers ahead of the competition. The Gas South Convention Center is located at 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth. For more information, visit www.mywintergreen.com.
GFB Field Notes 10 of 12 EXECUTIVE FARM MANAGEMENT TRAINING Jan. 18-21 Pawley’s Island, S.C. Jan. 31-Feb. 3 Raleigh, N.C. Feb. 20-23 Savannah The Executive Farm Management (EFM) program is offered by North Carolina State Cooperative Extension Service, Clemson Cooperative Extension, East Carolina University College of Business and UGA Cooperative Extension. The 2022 program will consist of 9 days of content and curriculum taught across 3 sessions in 3 states over the course of 6 weeks. EFM is designed to increase the management competencies and profitability of large farms by utilizing a holistic operation-focused curriculum. Returning participant fee is $5,500. Discounts apply for extra participants from the same farm. For more information or to register, visit https://execfarmmgmt.ces.ncsu.edu/2022-program-info/, or contact EFM Director Blake Broan (919.515.4536 or abbbrown@ncsu.edu) or Margaret Huffman (919.515.4498 or mmhuffm2@ncsu.edu. 2022 GEORGIA PEANUT FARM SHOW & CONFERENCE Jan. 19-20 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center Tifton To better accommodate social distancing, this always-popular show will be open for two days. Peanut farmers and those involved in the peanut industry will be able to learn more about the latest products, services and peanut research at the show, which is sponsored by the Georgia Peanut Commission. For more information on the show, contact the Georgia Peanut Commission office at 229-386-3470 or visit www.gapeanuts.com. Potential exhibitors can click here for the exhibitor packet. GEORGIA COTTON COMMISSION 15TH ANNUAL MEETING Jan. 26 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center 7:30 a.m. Tifton The annual meeting is held in conjunction with the UGA Cotton Production Workshop conducted by the UGA Research & Extension Cotton Team. The UGA Cotton Production Workshop will feature breakout sessions where attendees will learn the latest technical production strategies from the researchers whose projects are funded by the Commission’s research program. The Georgia Cotton Commission Annual Meeting will follow the breakout sessions and feature speakers from several industry organizations. There will also be an area for interested producers to ask questions and sign up for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, the Cotton Industry’s sustainability platform. The program speakers are National Cotton Council Chairman Kent Fountain, The Cotton Board Chairman Jimmy Webb; and Cotton Incorporated Senior Vice President for Consumer Marketing Kim Kitchings. Following the annual meeting speakers, the Commission will host lunch where door prizes will be given away, and the Georgia Quality Cotton Awards for the 2021 crop will be awarded. The meeting, production workshop, and lunch are open to cotton growers and anyone interested in the cotton industry. The UGA Cotton Production Workshop breakout sessions will be repeated after lunch. There is no charge to attend. Pre-registration is requested to help with meal plans. To view the agenda, click here. Register online at www.ugatiftonconference.caes.uga.edu or call (229) 386-3416. (https://georgiacottoncommission.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2022-GACottonConferenceAgenda.pdf)
GFB Field Notes page 11 of 12 CROP INSURANCE FOR TOMATO, PECAN PRODUCERS Jan. 31 deadline to apply/re-enroll The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds Georgia fresh market tomato and pecan growers that the final date to apply for crop insurance coverage for the 2022 crop year is Jan. 31. Current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing coverage also have until the Jan. 31 sales closing date to do so. Federal crop insurance is critical to the farm safety net. It helps producers and owners manage revenue risks and strengthens the rural economy. Coverage is available for fresh market tomatoes in Colquitt, Decatur, Grady, Mitchell, Seminole, and Tift counties. Coverage is available for pecans in select counties. Please contact your insurance agent to see if your county is covered. Growers are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for the 2022 crop year. RMA is authorizing additional flexibilities due to coronavirus while continuing to support producers, working through Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) to deliver services, including processing policies, claims, and agreements. RMA staff are working with AIPs and other customers by phone, mail and electronically to continue supporting crop insurance coverage for producers. Farmers with crop insurance questions or needs should continue to contact their insurance agents about conducting business remotely (by telephone or email). More information can be found at www.farmers.gov/coronavirus. Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available online using the RMA Agent Locator. Producers can use the RMA Cost Estimator to get a premium amount estimate of their insurance needs online. GRAIN BIN RESCUE TRAINING Feb. 5 Franklin County High School Cafeteria 8 a.m. Carnesville Farmers and firefighters are invited to attend this free event. Lunch will be provided. Franklin County High School is located at 6570 Georgia Highway 145 in Carnesville. For more information, contact Cole Hart at 706-498-2771. To register, contact Katie Murrray by email at kamurray@gfb.org. RSVP by Jan. 31 to provide head count for meal. 29th ANNUAL UGA FOCUS ON GENETICALLY ENHANCED EPDS SALE Feb. 9 UGA Livestock Instructional Arena Athens Sale will feature 43 Angus bulls, 4 Hereford bulls, 4 SimAngus bulls, 2 Registered Angus open heifers, and 12 Angus-cross commercial open heifers. For more information, call Carroll T. Cannon at 229-881-0721 or 229-881-2705 or email CannonMarketingCompany@gmail.com. Sale is at 2600 S. Milledge Ave., Athens, Ga. 30605. GEORGIA FARMERS, AG WORKERS RURAL STRESS SURVEY The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture is partnering again with the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center at Mercer University to study the mental well-being, stressors, and coping mechanisms for Georgians in farm occupations. These organizations kicked off a survey Jan. 3 that runs through the end of February. Visit www.gafarmsurvey.org to participate. Responses will remain anonymous. Participants will receive $10 for taking the survey.
GFB Field Notes 12 of 12 GFB HAY DIRECTORY GFB is accepting listings for its online hay directory. Farm Bureau members with hay for sale or who offer custom harvesting or custom sprigging services are invited to list their hay and/or services in the GFB Quality Hay Directory published on the GFB website. Hay for sale or services can be listed or removed from the directory throughout the year. To be included in GFB’s online hay directory, complete a submission form by visiting your county Farm Bureau office or online at www.gfb.ag/hay. Please include a $10 check made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau for each listing of hay, custom harvesting or custom sprigging. Multiple listings are allowed. Listings can be updated in the directory throughout the year as hay inventories change. Hay producers who entered the 2021 GFB Quality Hay Contest receive a free listing in the online GFB Hay Directory.