Georgia Farm Bureau's June 23 GFB Field Notes

Page 1

June 23, 2021

www.gfb.org

Vol. 3 No. 13

AFBF: WATER RULE REVERSAL A BLOW TO AGRICULTURE On June 9, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of the Army announced their intent to revise the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS). The action reflects the agencies’ intent to initiate a new rulemaking process that restores the protections in place prior to the 2015 WOTUS implementation. Georgia Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau Federation supported measures in the Navigable Waters Protection Rule rolled out in 2020. GFB and AFBF maintained that the 2015 WOTUS rule represented a massive regulatory overreach that violated landowners’ private property rights. “The American Farm Bureau Federation is extremely disappointed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement of its intention to reverse the environmentally conscious Navigable Waters Protection Rule, which finally brought clarity and certainty to clean water efforts,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said in a written statement. “Farmers and ranchers care about clean water and preserving the land, and they support the Navigable Waters Protection Rule.” Duvall said the agencies failed to recognize the concerns of farmers and ranchers in deciding to reverse the Navigable Waters Protection Rule. “This is an important moment for Administrator [Michael] Regan and will be pivotal to his ability to earn the trust of farmers on this and other administration priorities. He must keep his word to recognize the efforts of agriculture and not return to flawed, overly complicated and excessive regulations,” Duvall said. AFBF urged the EPA to be aware of the burden placed on farmers and ranchers by overreaching regulation and to ensure the term “navigable” is not effectively removed from the Clean Water Act via the new rule. “On this issue, and particularly prior converted croplands and ephemerals, we also urge [Agriculture] Secretary [Tom] Vilsack to ensure that we don’t return to the regulatory land grab that was the 2015 WOTUS Rule,” Duvall said. “Clean water and clarity are paramount, and that is why farmers shouldn’t need a team of lawyers and consultants to farm.”


GFB Field Notes page 2 of 14 GEORGIA AG EXPERIENCE SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE Since January, about 6,500 Georgia elementary students have enjoyed the ultimate farm field trip without leaving their schools. The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture (GFA) is taking the farm to third through fifth graders statewide with its Georgia Ag Experience (GAE) - a 36-foot mobile classroom. Using hands-on, interactive technology, the GAE is designed to give students a virtual experience of visiting poultry houses, peanut and cotton fields, peach and pecan orchards, cattle in pastures, timber stands, blueberry fields and horticulture nurseries. When students walk through the GAE mobile classroom, they learn how farmers plant and harvest their crops, take care of their animals, and preserve the natural resources on their farms. There is also a station highlighting agricultural career options. All GAE exhibits and lessons have been professionally designed by educators to meet science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum standards. As the mobile classroom continues to make its way across Georgia, the GFA invites businesses to help it take agriculture to schools by joining the Driving Agriculture Sponsorship Program. Businesses looking to expand their visibility in their county, region or statewide will find the sponsorship program offers options for a range of budgets from $1,000 to $150,000. Sponsors benefit from a wide array of recognition including: advertising on the exterior of the GAE mobile classroom, mention in Georgia Farm Bureau publications - GFA’s founding organization - and directly with students, teachers, parents and ag stakeholders. From January to May, the Georgia Ag Experience visited 29 schools in 23 Georgia counties educating 6,502 students and 352 teachers. Teachers and students at participating schools were asked to complete a survey before and after touring the GAE classroom. The preliminary findings of these surveys show that 76% of students who toured the GAE are now more interested in agriculture and 98% of teachers are more likely to incorporate agriculture into their class curriculums in the future. Businesses interested in helping the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture’s Georgia Ag Experience classroom visit more schools are encouraged to contact the GFA soon as there are high-visibility events at which the mobile classroom will be on display before the end of 2021. The Georgia Ag Experience will visit schools in Georgia Farm Bureau’s 1st District from Aug. 18-Sept. 20, and will visit schools in GFB’s 2nd District from Sept. 13-Oct. 4. The Georgia Ag Experience will be displayed at the 2021 Georgia National Fair in Perry Oct. 7-Oct. 17 and at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie Oct. 19-21. School visits will resume Oct. 25Nov. 12 in GFB’s 4th District and from Nov.15-Dec. 10 in GFB’s 7th District. For more information about the Georgia Ag Experience and the Driving Agriculture Sponsorship Program visit www.georgiaagexperience.org.


GFB Field Notes page 3 of 14 CHAIRMAN SCOTT: MAKE 1890 LAND GRANT SCHOLARSHIPS PERMANENT On June 16, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing with presidents of the 1890 Land Grant Historically Black Colleges and Universities to discuss making permanent $80 million in scholarships authorized under the 2018 farm bill. Fort Valley State University (FVSU) President Dr. Paul Jones was among the HBCU presidents who testified. “This funding is already helping but there is more work to be done. I fully intend, and am working on a bill right now, to make these scholarships permanent,” said House Agriculture Committee Chairman David Scott (D-Georgia), a graduate of Florida A&M University, one of the 19 1890 Land Grant schools. “This is a much-needed investment in the future of our food production. Furthermore, investing in the 1890 Centers of Excellence is essential as they mold talented young minds for our food and agricultural sector, to ensure the success and prosperity of our smaller farmers and ranchers, and fighting hunger across the globe.” Scott pointed out that the American Rescue Plan included funds to be used at 1890 Institutions to support agricultural research, education, and Extension. These Extension services at 1890 institutions serve a variety of agricultural needs in rural and socially disadvantaged communities. Jones said the scholarship program has boosted enrollment in FVSU’s college of agriculture. “This new 1890 Scholarship Program created in the 2018 farm bill helps us to develop a highly skilled workforce, and I’m pleased to report that we have seen significant enrollment increases during this past year,” Jones said. “Fort Valley State awarded 76 scholarships this past year, which resulted in a 22% increase in our undergraduate enrollment in the college of agriculture. We firmly believe that had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic and perhaps our students’ reluctance to being on campus, we would have seen even larger enrollments in these agricultural fields.” WHITE HOUSE ENCOURAGES AMERICANS TO GET VACCINATED Throughout June, the Biden administration has worked to make it easier for Americans to get vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. As of June 22, 42.1% of Georgians eligible to receive the vaccination (all persons ages 12 and up) had received at least one dose, according to data from the Mayo Clinic. Nationwide, 53.5% of those eligible have received at least one dose. President Joe Biden announced a “Month of Action” on June 2, with the goal of reaching at least a 70% one-dose vaccination rate, spurred in part by the expansion of the coronavirus delta variant. “What we know about this variant is that it appears to be more transmissible and is associated with increased severe disease like hospitalizations compared to other variants,” White House Vaccinations Coordinator Bechara Choucair told GFB media. “The good news, though, is that we know that two doses of the mRNA vaccines are effective against the Delta variant. Dr. Choucair pointed out that while COVID-19 case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths have declined significantly, there is still risk of infection for people who are not vaccinated. “You can still get the disease, you can still get hospitalizations from it, and unfortunately we’re still having some people die from COVID-19,” Choucair said. “The best path to protect yourself protect your family and protect your community, getting us back to a sense of normalcy, is through vaccination.” -continued on next page


GFB Field Notes page 4 of 14 Continued from previous page Choucair acknowledged that people are asking legitimate questions about the COVID-19 vaccines, including: • Are the vaccines safe? “Yes, they are.” • Were they developed too fast? “No, they weren’t. That technology has been researched and studied and developed over the last two decades.” • Are they going to have any side effects on fertility? “We don’t have any evidence that fertility issues are side effects to the vaccine.” • Is the vaccine safe to take while you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant? “We have literally hundreds or thousands of pregnant women who got vaccinated, and it doesn’t appear that there are any serious concerns there, and the CDC is continuing to track that.” The Month of Action includes a “We Can Do This” national vaccination tour led by Vice President Kamala Harris to highlight the ease of getting vaccinated, encourage vaccinations, and energize and mobilize grassroots vaccine education and outreach efforts. Harris stopped in Atlanta on June 18 as part of the tour. While encouraging people to get vaccinated, the administration has worked with public and private organizations to remove barriers to vaccination. Choucair noted that pharmacies have stayed open for extended hours, ride-share services Uber and Lyft have provided free transportation to and from vaccination sites, and free child care is available, through federal emergency funding, to allow parents to receive vaccinations. Private businesses and local and state governments have offered incentives to reward vaccine recipients. “We are pulling out all the stops here to get as many people vaccinated as we can moving toward the fourth of July,” Choucair said. For information about where to get a COVID-19 vaccination, visit www.vaccines.gov/. SIX GEORGIANS TO PARTICIPATE IN ON THE FARM STEM EVENT Georgia Tech Constellations Center Fellow Yolanda Payne will lead a group of Georgia participants at the On the Farm STEM event in Nashville this August. As a Constellations Fellow, Payne coaches teachers in low-resource schools to build effective teaching practices through classroom-based professional development. Participants include Georgia Tech Outreach Coordinator Nykema Lindsey, Lashawne Long Myles from Atlanta Public Schools, Jefferson City Schools BioSTEM Coordinator Liz French, Georgia Tech Research Associate Darryl Adderly and Georgia Tech College of Computing Associate Dean Cedric Stallworth. The On the Farm STEM event allows educator teams made up of classroom teachers, administrators and specialists to engage with experts (including Payne) in both science education and the scientific community to design lessons and classroom materials that use agriculture to help students understand science. The 2021 On the Farm STEM teams include a total of 33 participants, representing 14 educational institutions across six states. The professional development opportunity, co-created by the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture and NextGenScience with funding from the Beef Checkoff Program, was designed to bring science to life for participants with the help of American beef cattle ranchers, -continued on next page


GFB Field Notes page 5 of 14 Continued from previous page researchers, geneticists, nutritionists and veterinarians. Participants will begin their study with a three-part webinar series exploring the relevancy, authenticity and scientific concepts of agriculture to better understand how to weave this context into their curriculum, and then will come together in Nashville to tour farms and ranches and investigate the science that drives beef production. These events build on the success of national On the Farm education events facilitated by the foundation over the past five years. Visit www.onthefarmstem.com for additional information and resources. Meanwhile, Cherokee County Farm Bureau and Georgia Farm Bureau were awarded fall grants through the AFBF White-Reinhardt Fund for Education program. These grants were awarded to communities that are creating new and exciting ways to help learners of all ages understand agriculture and the important role it plays in their lives. Criteria for selecting winners included: the effectiveness of demonstrating a strong connection between agriculture and education, how successfully the project enhances learner engagement in today’s food, fiber and fuel systems, and the timeliness and processes for accomplishing project goals. Grants are awarded twice a year, in the spring and fall. The grant awarded to Cherokee County Farm Bureau will be used to help Woodstock High School add a garden component to its existing nutrition and food science courses. This will provide students with a strong understanding of where food comes from and how it is produced. The grant awarded to GFB will go toward a new hands-on activity for visits through the Georgia Ag Experience, a 36-foot mobile classroom. The Georgia Ag Experience visits elementary school students across the state to instill knowledge of agriculture and cultivate interest in farming careers. The White-Reinhardt Fund for Education, which honors two former American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee chairwomen Berta White and Linda Reinhardt, is a project of the Foundation in cooperation with the Women’s Leadership Committee. White and Reinhardt were trailblazers in early national efforts to expand the outreach of agricultural education and improve agricultural literacy. COOSA RIVER CONSERVATION DISTRICT OFFERING FERAL SWINE SERVICES The Coosa River Soil and Water Conservation District has launched its feral swine trapping program. Landowners located in Bartow, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Paulding, Polk and Walker counties are invited to participate in the district’s feral swine control services. Feral swine have become increasingly detrimental in Georgia, causing significant damage to agricultural crops and natural resources throughout the state. The economic impact of damage caused by feral swine in Georgia is estimated at over $150 million. Feral swine are one of the greatest invasive species challenges facing Georgia. The Coosa River Conservation District serves as the local voice for soil and water conservation. In order to offer relief to landowners struggling with invasive feral swine, the district purchased a Boar Buster Trapping System and contracted with a hog control custodian to operate the system -continued on next page


GFB Field Notes page 6 of 14 Continued from previous page throughout the district. There is a $250 set-up/monitoring fee, which includes remote usage on-site for a minimum of two weeks. After two weeks, the landowner may renegotiate terms for additional compensation. There is an additional reimbursement fee for mileage at $0.56 per mile. If you are interested in hog control services, please contact District Hog Control Custodian Billy Edwards (Floyd County) at 770-548-1081 or 706-290-9979. For more information about the Coosa River Conservation District visit www.gacd.us/coosariver. AFPC STUDY: PROPOSED ESTATE TAX BILLS WOULD HARM FARM FAMILIES A new study from the Agricultural & Food Policy Center (AFPC) at Texas A&M shows sproposed changes to taxes on inherited property will have a devastating impact on the next generation of family farmers and ranchers. At the request of Republican leaders on the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, AFPC analyzed two bills introduced in the Senate that would change the tax liabilities of family members when farm and ranch estates are passed from generation to generation. AFPC found that if enacted, the two bills analyzed—the Sensible Taxation and Equity Promotion (STEP) Act, which proposes to eliminate stepped-up basis upon death of the owner and the For the 99.5 Percent Act, which would decrease the estate tax exemption—would have a devastating impact on the hardworking families that own and operate farms and ranches. AFPC maintains a database of 94 representative farms in 30 states, which allows AFPC to analyze policy changes on farms and ranches across the country. In this study, published on June 15, AFPC analyzed the tax results of five different farm estate scenarios: Current Tax Law with No Generational Transfer; Generational Transfer under Current Tax Law/Generational Transfer under STEP Act.; Generational Transfer under the For the 99.5% Act and Generational Transfer under both the STEP Act and the For the 99.5% Act. The STEP Act’s proposed changes to stepped-up basis mirror proposals discussed by the Biden administration. If it were to be implemented, 92 of AFPC’s 94 representative farms would be impacted with an average additional tax liability of more than $720,000 per farm. Together, the two bills would raise taxes an average of $1.4 million on 98 percent of AFPC’s representative farms. AFPC’s study is available online here. UGA WEATHER NETWORK CELEBRATES 30 YEARS SERVING GEORGIA AG On June 1, 1991, the first agricultural weather station operated by the University of Georgia began transmitting data from Griffin. Since then, the UGA Weather Network has grown to include 87 stations across the state, providing weather data to a variety of users. This 30-year record of continuous weather data makes the UGA Weather Network one of the oldest state weather networks in the country. The network, originally known as the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network, was the brainchild of Gerrit Hoogenboom, an adjunct professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at the UGA College of Engineering. He placed the first four stations -continued on next page


GFB Field Notes page 7 of 14 Continued from previous page at UGA facilities around the state — in Griffin, Tifton, Midville and Watkinsville — and directed the network until 2010. He was followed by Ian Flitcroft, who retired in 2018. Hoogenboom, now a professor and preeminent scholar at the University of Florida, still uses the UGA weather data as inputs in his ongoing Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) training classes that are offered each summer on the Griffin campus. “One of the main goals of the network when it was initiated was to be able to provide access to near real-time weather data for the main agricultural regions across Georgia. That's why we installed an automated weather station first at each of the Research and Education Centers,” said Hoogenboom. “We were also interested in observing variables that are important for agriculture beyond temperature and precipitation, including solar radiation, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, soil temperature at different depths, and pan evaporation. Since installing the weather stations another goal has been to add value to the collected weather data by providing simple decision support systems for degree-days, chilling hours, etc.” The network also played a major role during the 1996 Olympics when stations were installed at six Olympic venues in the state, including the whitewater canoeing venue in Tennessee and around Georgia in Conyers, Savannah, Gainesville and Jonesboro to provide information four times per day on sky conditions, visibility, temperature, dewpoint temperature, pressure, wind speed and direction, and rainfall amounts. “The weather data were used by the National Weather Service for now-casting during the Olympics,” Hoogenboom said. “The assimilation of the additional surface weather data by the forecast models proved to be a key factor in improving the accuracy of the forecast products and achieving the National Weather Service's goal of providing both real-time weather information and spot forecast products in support of the summer games.” By 2000, the network had grown to 36 stations, and now includes 87 stations around the state, plus a legacy station in Costa Rica at a former UGA facility there. Most of the stations are located in agricultural areas and measure weather information like temperature, precipitation, wind speed/direction, and humidity, along with agriculturally important variables like soil moisture and temperature at three levels, and solar radiation. Information is collected every 15 minutes and disseminated through the UGA Weather Network website. Tools to calculate chill hours, degree days and evapotranspiration are also available online. Some historical data is made available through the website, but additional information can be requested by emailing aemn@uga.edu. Farmers and UGA Cooperative Extension agents use the information to help determine when to plant crops and to monitor crop development. The information is also used by the Georgia Forestry Commission to augment fire-monitoring activities and by conventional and solar utilities to assist with load forecasting and to help place new equipment. The network is funded through UGA, grants from several commodity groups and data sales. UGA supports the work of three full-time personnel, including Pam Knox, agricultural climatologist and director of the UGA Weather Network, plus a half-time technician and a data -continued on next page


GFB Field Notes page 8 of 14 Continued from previous page specialist whose positions are supported by data sales. These team members visit and maintain the stations regularly, calibrate equipment, quality control data, and even mow the grass to make sure the stations are reporting accurate information. The National Weather Service is currently the largest purchaser of data from the UGA Weather Network. The network data are used to augment the National Weather Service network of airport stations and cooperative observers to provide real-time information that is used when severe weather or flooding rains threaten the state. In 2018, the station at Donalsonville reported a wind gust of 115 mph in the eyewall of Hurricane Michael. In 2019, the station at Cairo was narrowly missed by a tornado that passed less than 400 feet from the station — the station recorded a peak wind gust of 102.5 mph when the storm moved through the area. During Tropical Storm Alberto in 1994, the station at Fort Valley recorded 13.72 inches of rain on July 5. With 30 years of data in hand, the network group is in the process of creating climate summaries of the data available from the longest-standing stations. This data will help agents and farmers plan for future growing seasons and assess trends in weather variables over time and will be provided to users in the future through the website and in UGA Extension publications. “The UGA Weather Network appreciates the support of commodity groups, farmers and Extension in providing high-quality, useful data to growers and others,” said Knox. “We look forward to continuing network operations for many years to come.” More information on the UGA Weather Network is available at www.weather.uga.edu. CHINA BEHIND ON PHASE ONE PURCHASES, BUT CATCHING UP The Phase One Agreement signed by the United States and China in January 2020 committed China to large purchases of U.S. agricultural products in 2020 and 2021. Phase One laid out that over the course of 2020 and 2021, total exports of U.S. agricultural products to China would increase by $73.8 billion, equivalent to $80 billion in Chinese imports, once shipping and freight are added. The agreement split the total purchases into individual annual commitments – 45% of the total, or $33.4 billion, was to be purchased in 2020 and 55% of the total, or $40.4 billion, was to be purchased in 2021. According to American Farm Bureau Federation analysis, China missed the 2020 target by $6.15 billion and is 22% behind through the first four months of 2021, though purchases are coming on strong. According to Census Bureau data, total exports of agricultural and related products covered under the agreement for the most recent month available, April, were $2.2 billion. April was the first month in 2021 in which actual exports met or exceeded the value of exports needed to reach the year-end goal. From January to April agricultural and related product exports totaled just over $10 billion, which is 22% less than the $12.9 billion needed to reach the year-end goal. While being behind the goal seems like bad news, U.S. agricultural exports, relative to the Phase One commitments, are in much better shape in 2021 than they were over the same period in 2020. Cumulative January - April 2020 exports were 60% below the cumulative total that would have met the 2020 target. U.S. exports started gaining considerable ground relative to the needed pace in April 2020, with the first month in which actual exports exceeded “needed” exports occurring in August. That increasing pace brought the gap between China’s purchasing target and China’s -continued on next page


GFB Field Notes page 9 of 14 Continued from previous page actual purchases to 18%. And while missing the 2020 target by 18%, or $6.15 billion, is significant, it is sizably better than when exports were two-thirds off the target during the early months of 2020. With sizable purchase commitments of new crop commodities expected to ship in the latter months of 2021 and current commodity prices, there is a real chance that the 2021 Phase One commitment level might be reached. If achieved, the $40.4 billion in exports to China would blow past the $27.2 billion record for exports of agricultural products covered by the agreement achieved last year.


GFB Field Notes page 10 of 14 GEORGIA FORAGE & GRASSLAND COUNCIL SUMMER TOUR June 24 McGill-Woodruff Ag Center 8 a.m. Washington, Ga. National Forage Week is the week of June 20 and the Georgia Forage and Grassland Council is hosting a tour on June 24 to celebrate. Space is limited, so advance reservations are recommended. To register, contact Wilkes County Extension at 706-678-2332. Registration is $5 at the door. The McGill-Woodruff Agricultural Center is located at 136 Campbell St., Washington, GA 30673. USDA HOLDING AMERICAN PECAN COUNCIL REFERENDUM Pecan growers in 15 states have until June 28 to vote on whether to continue their federal marketing order in a mail referendum the USDA is holding. The marketing order authorizes the American Pecan Council to conduct crop and market data collection, domestic pecan research and promotion campaigns, and efforts to regulate grade, size, quality, pack and container requirements under USDA’s oversight. The federal statutes that outline how USDA manages commodity marketing orders stipulates that the USDA conduct a continuance referendum every five years to determine growers’ level of support for the program. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has mailed ballots and voting instructions to all growers of record. Eligible growers who did not receive a ballot should contact Abigail Campos at Abigail.Campos@usda.gov or 863-3242145. Requests for a ballot may also be faxed to (863) 291-8614 or mailed to USDA, AMS, 1124 First Street South, Winter Haven, FL 33880. AGRABILITY NATIONAL TRAINING WORKSHOP June 29 Alternative or Value-Added Agricultural Enterprises 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. The National AgrAbility Project’s National Training Workshop has gone virtual and is free for 2021. To register, visit www.agrability.org/agrability-national-training-workshop. You only need to register once to have access to all of the free sessions. Sessions will use Zoom. For more information, contact Tess McKeel at 585-953-8430 or tmckeel@goodwillfingerlakes.org. GA COTTON COMMISSION SEEKS NOMINEES FOR COTTON BOARD In July, the USDA will convene a caucus of certified producer organizations representing cotton producers in Georgia to nominate individuals to serve as members and alternates of the Cotton Board, which administers the Cotton Research & Promotion Program, for three-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2022. Current board members’ terms expire on Dec. 31, 2021. The Georgia Cotton Commission is seeking nominees for vacant positions. The Georgia Cotton Commission is focused on helping the USDA realize its commitment to full representation of women, minorities, and opinions on research and promotion board by nominating individuals of diverse backgrounds, farming practices, operational sizes, and geographical locations. Interested individuals should email the commission’s office at info@georgiacotton.org.


GFB Field Notes page 11 of 14 GEORGIA COTTON WOMEN SCHOLARSHIPS July 1 Application deadline The Georgia Cotton Women (GCW) is accepting applications for two scholarships – the John M. & Connie H. Mobley Memorial Scholarship and the GCW Scholarship. Applicants for both $1,500 scholarships should be entering freshmen or rising sophomores for the 2021-22 academic year planning to attend or attending a Georgia college. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 and should possess demonstrated leadership potential and have participated in organized activities. The GCW Scholarship is annually presented to the child or grandchild of a cotton producer or anyone involved in the cotton industry with priority given to children or grandchildren of GCW members. The Mobley Scholarship is annually presented to the child or grandchild of an active Georgia cotton producer, with priority given to children of GCW members. Email georgiacottonwomen@gmail.com to request an application. Completed applications and supporting material must be postmarked no later than July 1. AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FARM DOG OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS OPEN Farmers have until July 2 to enter their dogs in the 2022 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year contest, supported by Purina. This is the fourth year of the contest, which celebrates farm dogs and the many ways they support farmers and ranchers in producing nutritious food for families and their pets across America. The grand prize winner will win a year’s worth of Purina dog food and $5,000 in prize money. The winner will be recognized at a Farm Dog of the Year award ceremony at the American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in January 2022. Up to four regional runnersup will each win $1,000 in prize money. Desired attributes for the Farm Dog of the Year include helpfulness to the farmer and his/her family, playfulness and obedience. The 2022 Farm Dog of the Year will also be featured in a professionally produced video. The profile of 2021 Farm Dog of the Year Bindi can be viewed at https://www.fb.org/land/fdoty. Farm dog owners must be Farm Bureau members to enter their dogs in the competition. Prospective applicants who are not Farm Bureau members can visit www.gfb.ag/join to learn about becoming a member. Eligibility guidelines and submission requirements are available at www.gfb.ag/fdoty. Farm Dog of the Year nominations, which include written responses to questions, still photos and a video clip (optional), must be received by July 2 for consideration. FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY GOAT & SHEEP WORKSHOPS July 8 Meat Technology Center 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Fort Valley This workshop will include a live demonstration of processing a goat at the FVSU Meat Technology Center. The workshop will also include hands-on demonstrations of body condition scoring, hoof trimming, and using the FAMACHA test to determine the number and growth stage of parasites an animal has to know when/how to treat the animal. Other workshop topics will include: forage/feed management, parasite control, predator control, selecting animals for your herd, reproduction issues, and pre-harvest management of animals. Attendees are asked to preregister at bit.ly/fvsuag-small-ruminant-workshop-registration. Lunch will not be provided but there will be a lunch break. Workshop organizers are willing to help place lunch orders or pick it up if desired. Bottled water and light snacks will be available. For more information contact Dr. Niki Whitley at 478-825-6577 or 478-391-4840 or whitleyn@fvsu.edu. The Meat Technology Center is located on the FVSU Campus on Toomer Lane, which intersects with Carver Drive.


GFB Field Notes page 12 of 14 GEORGIA PORK CONGRESS/GPPA DELEGATE ELECTION July 13 Georgia Farm Bureau 8 a.m. Macon Registration for the Georgia Pork Congress starts at 8 a.m. and the program begins at 8:30. Lunch will be served at noon. The election of pork producer delegate candidates for the 2022 National Pork Producers (Pork Act) Delegate Body will take place at 2:00 p.m. on July 13, in conjunction with a Board of Directors meeting of Georgia Pork Producers Association. All Georgia pork producers are invited to attend. Any producer, age 18 or older, who is a resident of the state and has paid all assessments due may be considered as a delegate candidate and/or participate in the election. All eligible producers are encouraged to bring with them a sales receipt proving that hogs were sold in their name and the checkoff deducted. For more information, contact Georgia Pork Producers Association, P.O. Box 1566, Bainbridge, Ga., telephone 1-229-246-8297. JULY 13 IS DEADLINE TO FILE CLAIMS IN PEANUT ANTITRUST SETTLEMENT Recently, some peanut farmers may have received an email or letter in the mail regarding an antitrust litigation notice. If you received the notice, check the peanut sales information listed on the letter and file your claim by July 13. The notice was sent to farmers or entities who sold raw, harvested runner peanuts in the U.S. to Birdsong Peanuts, Golden Peanut or Olam Peanut Shelling Company from Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 31, 2019. The full notice regarding the proposed settlement is available at www.PeanutFarmersAntitrustLitigation.com. Continue to check the website to be kept informed about any future developments. For more information, contact the settlement administrator at 844-754-7469 or Info@PeanutFarmersAntitrustLitigation.com. GFB SEEKS AG IN THE CLASSROOM TEACHER OF THE YEAR This award recognizes a Georgia educator for his/her excellence in incorporating agriculture into their curriculum. Agriculture as a topic can support the teaching of many academic programs such as Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM), STEA(rts)M & STR(eading)EAM. July 16 deadline to apply. High school/middle school/elementary school ag teachers are not eligible for this award. Visit www.gfb.ag/teacheraward for more information & to apply. CABBAGE GROWERS CROP INSURANCE DEADLINE July 1 sales closing date Georgia cabbage growers have until July 1 to apply for crop insurance coverage for the 2022 crop year. Current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing coverage also have until the July 1 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 cabbage in Brooks, Colquitt, Tift, and Toombs counties. Growers are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for the 2022 crop year. SUNBELT EXPO FIELD DAY July 22 Spence Field Moultrie This half-day event, which will use the drive-through format implemented in 2020, is packed full of ag technology, and the latest equipment and techniques for successful farming in the Southeast! Details will be announced soon at www.sunbeltexpo.com.


GFB Field Notes page 13 of 14 PINE GENETICS AND NURSERY UPDATE WORKSHOP Aug. 5 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. via Zoom UGA Warnell School of Forestry faculty Dr. David Dickens and Dr. David Clabo will lead this virtual workshop. Participants will learn about performance rating sheets and seedling consideration, survival and growth performance results from genetics trials, information about regional nurseries, economics of pine genetics selection and more. Registration is $150. Fees include the meeting registration link and instructional materials. There is a $25 discount for fees paid and postmarked by July 22. Final day to register is July 29. To register, visit http://conted.warnell.uga.edu/. FARMTASTIC FAMILY FUN DAY AT ROCKHOUSE CREAMERY July 24 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Rockhouse Creamery Newborn Save the date and plan to join the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture and Georgia Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom Program as they bring to life the story of the children’s book “Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish (Tales of the Dairy Godmother) at Rockhouse Creamery in Morgan County. Just as Chuck, the book’s main character, enjoys a memorable visit to a dairy farm, this fun-filled event will include tours of the family-owned dairy, free ice cream and the chance to explore AGCO tractors, just like farmers use. Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall will read the book for attendees at 11:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. Book illustrator Ward Jenkins will sign books during the event and teach attendees how to draw a dairy cow. The Georgia Ag Experience Mobile Classroom, which highlights Georgia’s major crops through videos and interactive computer games, will be onsite for tours. There will also be activity stations where kids can make butter and plant seeds to take home to watch grow. This event is a public fundraiser for the GFA to support its ag literacy programs, sponsored by Georgia EMC. Tickets are $10/person ages 4 and up. Children under 3 are free. Register online to attend at www.gfb.ag/farmtasticfamilyfundaytics. KEL-MAC SADDLE CLUB HORSE SHOWS Sept. 18 & Oct. 9 Morgan County Agricultural Center Madison These shows are open to equestrians of all ages and experience levels. Classes include hunter/jumper, western, gaited, trail obstacles, halter/showmanship, beginner, open, costume contests & more! Both shows begin at 9 a.m. - rain or shine. For more information call Susie at (706) 342-3775 or visit the Kel Mac Saddle Club Facebook page or www.kel-mac.com. These volunteer-run shows generate funds to benefit equestrian related charities. The Kel-Mac Saddle Club has donated an estimated $156,750 back to Georgia’s Piedmont region through the years including: the Georgia Equine Rescue League, the Morgan County Sherriff’s Empty Stocking Fund, the Calvin Center’s Horses & Warriors program, a student scholarship and the equestrian facilities of Georgia & County Parks such as A. H. Stephens, Hard Labor Creek, Don Carter, Watson Mill Bridge and Heritage Park.


GFB Field Notes page 14 of 14 UGA VETERINARY SCHOOL DOG AGING PROJECT Researchers at the University of Georgia are looking for new participants for a study that aims to determine why smaller dogs live longer lives than their larger counterparts. There are almost 90 million dogs living in the United States, and to date, nearly 30,000 dog owners from around the country have volunteered for this community science research project as part of a five-year, $23 million project funded by the National Institute on Aging, a part of the National Institutes of Health. All kinds of dogs are welcome to join, but researchers are specifically seeking dogs, both purebred and mixed breed, in the following categories: Large breed dogs weighing between 70100 pounds, especially breeds other than Labradors, golden retrievers and German shepherds (the most common breeds in the U.S.); Giant breed dogs weighing more than 100 pounds, such as Great Danes, wolfhounds and mastiffs; Hound dogs, spaniels, pointers, terriers, bulldogs and pit bulls (purebred and mixed breed); Working dogs, such as herding, K9 and service dogs. Because the Dog Aging Project (DAP) is a long-term study, puppy participants are especially beneficial to the project. The research team wants to follow dogs through their entire lives. To participate in the Dog Aging Project, owners nominate a dog (one per household) at the project website, www.dogagingproject.org. After this, they are invited to set up a personal research portal where they answer scientific surveys about their dog and upload veterinary records. For more information, or to nominate your dog, visit www.dogagingproject.org. 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 2020 GFB Quality Hay Contest receive a free listing in the online GFB Hay Directory. DAIRY VOLUNTEERS LEND A LISTENING EAR FOR THOSE IN STRESS Are you a dairy farmer who would like to talk to a fellow farmer or industry friend about the stress you’re experiencing? Georgia Milk Producers has partnered with dairy groups in other Southeastern states to compile a list of dairy producers who are volunteering to talk with fellow farmers & dairy industry employees as the dairy sector navigates these difficult times. Click here to access the list of volunteers & other tips/suggestions for dealing with stress.


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