July 10, 2019
www.gfb.org
Vol. 37 No. 13
JULY IS SMART IRRIGATION MONTH IN GEORGIA Gov. Brian Kemp has declared July 2019 as Smart Irrigation Month in Georgia. Smart Irrigation Month highlights farmers’ commitment to using efficient irrigation technologies to water their crops, and conservation measures homeowners and businesses can use to water their yards and landscapes. Irrigating wisely provides social, economic, and environmental benefits. “We are proud to recognize our farmers for their efforts in utilizing Smart Irrigation,” Kemp said. “Using the right amount of water in the right place at the right time enhances the productivity and quality of our Georgia Grown crops and preserves a precious resource for generations to come.” Water is critically important to Georgia’s citizens and industries. New technologies have advanced irrigation methods to optimize water use. “Georgia depends on agriculture. One out of seven jobs are involved in agriculture. It’s not only livelihood, but it’s a way of life, and water is our most precious commodity,” said Georgia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long. A group of government agencies and stakeholder organizations, including Georgia Farm Bureau, has teamed up to spotlight Smart Irrigation tools, management practices and the social and economic benefits derived from irrigated agriculture throughout July, to demonstrate Georgia’s commitment to water stewardship. “Georgia has been blessed with an abundance of natural resources that combine to make us Nature’s Favorite State, and our farmers know that keen conservation of these resources is vital to the continued success of our industry and economy as a whole,” Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black said. “We applaud our farmers for staying ahead of the curve of environmental stewardship with their proactive implementation of smart irrigation methods.” Georgia is nationally and internationally recognized for the efficient irrigation technologies developed by irrigation and precision agriculture scientists and researchers that have been tested, refined and adopted well beyond the state’s borders. Georgia’s farmers are utilizing water resources to produce high quality, safe, affordable and nutritious fresh food to meet our domestic and global market demands. Smart Irrigation Month is celebrating agriculture’s achievements and commitment to the sustainable use of available water resources. For more information, visit www.smartirrigationgeorgia.com. Smart Irrigation Month is an Irrigation Association initiative.
GFB News Alert page 2 of 12 GFB NEWSLETTER GETS NEW NAME, NEW ONLINE LOOK This is the first issue of GFB Field Notes, the latest version of Georgia Farm Bureau’s agriculture volunteer/leader newsletter, formerly known as GFB News Alert. The new design gives the e-newsletter a fresh look intended to improve reader experience, particularly on mobile devices, where the majority of our readers now access the newsletter. We believe the new name, GFB Field Notes, will better represent our mission of publishing stories that advocate for Georgia agriculture and the producers who provide a safe, affordable and abundant food supply year-round. We will continue to cover of GFB and Georgia agricultural events and topics. Thank you for reading! If you have story ideas or calendar items, please send those to Jay Stone at jjstone@gfb.org. HELP ON THE LINE FOR STRESSED FARMERS The damage Hurricane Michael wreaked on agriculture in Georgia has been welldocumented. Because it hit large swaths of rural Georgia so hard, it brought emotional and behavioral health issues to light. Nine months later, the long recovery is continuing in many places. Georgia Farm Bureau News Reporter Jay Stone recently talked with Jennifer Dunn, Region 4 Services Administrator for the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), about how farmers and their neighbors have coped with the storm’s damage. The DBHDD secured funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency last fall to implement the Georgia Recovery Project, which provides crisis counselors for disaster survivors to discuss how they’ve been affected by Hurricane Michael. The program is available through Oct. 11. Jay Stone: From an emotional health perspective, how are things progressing in Southwest Georgia since Hurricane Michael? Jennifer Dunn: People are just starting to increase their access to our services. I think after the shock of the storm itself has gone, people are now wanting to talk. JS: The first five or six days, or even 30 days in this case because some of the places were so bad, I guess they were focused on stuff like being able to get out of their driveway and having power and finding ways to get food. JD: Yes, the first thing was all about power. I literally had somebody pull me over in my car when I was driving in one of the more rural counties that just said … I thought maybe they were in a medical crisis, because they literally pulled my car over and they asked, “Can you help me find a cup of coffee?” [Dunn chuckles] It’s the little things that people were just needing those kind of the basic things. We’ve seen an increase in individuals accessing services through the counseling program we have that was federally funded as a result of the hurricane. But in -continued on next page
GFB News Alert page 3 of 12 Continued from previous page general, with our community service providers. We’ve seen an increase in the rural areas and I think it’s word of mouth, people talking saying, “Hey, it’s been really helpful for me to talk to this person. This is what we’ve been getting help with …” JS: Is it as simple as people having a place to go to sit down and talk about the things bothering them? JD: Absolutely. People feel better when they can talk through it. Some people might need more intensive services, and if that’s the case we refer them to our more intensive programs. Sometimes it’s simply, “Can we talk through this? This is what’s going on at my house or with my children or with me and my spouse.” That sort of thing. JS: What do you mean by community service providers? JD: Our state contracts with what we call community service boards, or CSBs, as we like to call them. They provide services … group counseling, individual counseling, medication management, crisis counseling. Just kind of top to bottom, anything you can think of. They are our safety net providers, and it’s just a place for people to go. They receive the right level of service based on professional assessments. They can see a psychiatrist, they can see a therapist. They may need to see a nurse. In short, they receive the services they need. JS: You’re based in Thomasville but you cover a region of several counties. There’s a large agricultural component in the area that you service, right? JD: That’s right. We have 24 counties, and some people joke that we have more cows than people. JS: So, with farmers in particular, there may be a reluctance to seek behavioral or emotional help. Have you gotten any indication that they’ve become more inclined to seek help? JD: I have. I’ve actually had people to reach out to me personally. Sometimes it’s not the farmer per se. It might be his wife. I’ve had some wives of farmers, or adult children who work the farm with their parents. One or two farmers have been very vocal and said, “This is what I need.” But when I look over the last nine months in general, it’s been more of the family members that have reached out. But they’ve all benefitted from just having somewhere to go, someone to talk to. So I have absolutely seen an increase. JS: Do you have spouses calling you and saying, “Hey, I think my husband is struggling with some stuff.” Does it progress from there to the husband actually reaching out and talking to somebody? JD: It does and it has. We respect that everybody’s in a different place personally. One time we went to an event. The wife of a local farmer pulled me in the back room and said, “Do you mind talking to me for a minute?” We were able to, with his comfort level, ask, “Can we send somebody over? That way we’re not having you come to a clinic.” Because for some people, they might not want their car seen up at the clinic. So, can we come to them … and make it easy for them to get the services they need. JS: Farmers are known for their independence. How does having an independent nature and working in an isolated environment affect farmers? JD: That does make it a little more challenging to get folks who kind of thrive in isolation … they’re entrepreneurs, they’re businessmen and businesswomen, and they’re used to being able -continued on next page
GFB News Alert page 4 of 12 Continued from previous page to handle and take care of things all by themselves, without help from anybody, or with minimal help. That has been something kind of had to work to overcome with these families to say, “it’s OK to ask for help. I’d be concerned if you didn’t. This is a very stressful situation, and statistically speaking it makes sense that you’re struggling with some of this.” We’ve tried to normalize it and provide opportunities for them to get comfortable in their request for help. JS: Since the storm, what kind of issues have come to light? Has there been anything that was specifically the result of what happened with the hurricane, that you don’t normally see? JD: One of the things we’ve noticed that families struggled with was a lot of the storm debris being removed was really stressful. It took a long time for a lot of that, and it was causing some emotional issues to come up. Another thing we were hearing was about people having trouble finding someone to do repairs on their home, or affordable repairs, or a place to live that is affordable. That is a little slowmoving, and it did cause a lot of anxiety and stress as a result of those other things. We’ve seen the community come together; the faith community come together with behavioral health professionals to work with families. Specifically, as it relates to mental health services, behavioral health services, we see a lot of kids and adults having strong reactions during a typical summer thunderstorm … While logically they might know that this is just a typical thunderstorm that is coming through. It does bring up a lot of the feelings they had when the hurricane came through. So, they’re just trying to deal with that. Because of that, it’s given us a lot of places to talk with families about how to cope with anxiety and how to cope with some of these reactions that they’ve been having. When it was school time, we did see a lot of kids missing school when we would have a rainy day. They would just have a lot of anxiety and concern about, is another storm coming? Or when it gets really windy out. Particularly from parents of young children, that they get really scared. JS: Where does someone who feels like they’re struggling go for help? JD: We have the Georgia Crisis and Access line. That number is 1-800-715-4225. Some people prefer to call that number to have a bit of anonymity, and not call somebody that they know. The Georgia Crisis and Access Line [which is available statewide] can connect them back locally with somebody that can help them. If they would prefer to go somewhere locally [in the counties around Thomasville], we have Georgia Pines, which is our crisis counseling center and program. They have a website that has all of their information. It’s www.georgiapines.net. We also have Aspire services in the counties around Dougherty County. Their website is www.aspirebhdd.org. Finally, Legacy serves individuals in counties around the Valdosta area. Their website is www.legacysga.com. NOTE: Georgia Pines serves Colquitt, Decatur, Grady, Mitchell, Seminole and Thomas counties. Aspire services are provided in agency locations as well as partnering community agencies within Baker, Calhoun, Early, Dougherty, Lee, Miller, Terrell and Worth counties. Legacy serves Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Tift, and Turner counties.
GFB News Alert page 5 of 12 ANIMAL AG ALLIANCE OFFERS HIRING TIPS FOR FARMERS AND RANCHERS Are the employees working on your farm there to help care for your animals? Do their goals align with your business? Unfortunately, it’s a common strategy for some animal rights activist organizations to have individuals go “undercover” on farms to record videos that can be taken out of context, stage scenes of animal mistreatment or encourage abuse to record it without doing anything to stop it. While the first step to take is always ensuring that your animal care practices are beyond reproach, the Animal Agriculture Alliance also advises farmers and ranchers to be very vigilant in their hiring processes to ensure that everyone hired is there for the right reason – to provide care to livestock – and does not have any ulterior motives that would distract from that. The Alliance monitors animal rights activists and offers these tips regarding hiring: • It is vital to thoroughly screen applicants, verify information and check all references. • Be cautious of individuals who try to use a college ID, have out of state license plates or are looking for short-term work. • During the interview, look for answers that seem overly rehearsed or include incorrect use of farm terminology. • Search for all applicants online to see if they have public social media profiles or websites/blogs. Look for any questionable content or connections to activist organizations. • Require all employees to sign your animal care policy. Provide training and updates on proper animal handling. • Require employees to report any mishandling to management immediately. • Watch out for red flags, such as coming to work unusually early or staying late and going into areas of the farm not required for their job. Always trust your gut – if something doesn’t seem right, explore it further. Be vigilant and never cut corners on your hiring process, even if you need to hire someone quickly. Doing your homework on every job applicant may be time-consuming, but it can ultimately save your business’ reputation. As always, it is important to work with local legal counsel to ensure compliance with federal and state laws for your hiring process. Farm security resources and background information on animal rights activist organizations are available at www.AnimalAgAlliance.org or by contacting the Alliance at Info@AnimalAgAlliance.org or 703-562-5160. CROP INSURANCE DEADLINES NEAR FOR SWEET CORN, PEPPERS Georgia farmers who produce fresh market sweet corn and peppers have until July 31 to apply for crop insurance coverage or make changes to their existing coverage. 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 sweet corn in Colquitt, Decatur, Grady, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Tift, Toombs and Worth counties. Coverage is also available for peppers grown in Brooks, Colquitt, Cook Echols, Grady, Lowndes, Thomas, Tift, Ware and Worth counties. Growers are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for the 2019 crop year. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers by visiting the RMA agent locator at www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agent.html. Growers can use the RMA cost estimator at www.bit.ly/rmacost to get a premium amount estimate of their insurance needs online. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at www.rma.usda.gov.
GFB News Alert page 6 of 12 SUNBELT FIELD DAY GIVES LATEST IN NEW FARM TECH AND RESEARCH The 2019 Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day is July 25, and farmers are invited to come and get practical information from the region’s top agricultural scientists about the newest technologies farmers can use to improve their operations. The half-day event will take place at the 600-acre Darrell Williams Research Farm, located at the Expo show site at Spence Field in Moultrie. Registration is free for anyone who works in agriculture, and the day starts at 7:45 a.m. with breakfast, followed by quick welcomes from the Georgia Department of Agriculture and Georgia Farm Bureau. Shuttles will be loaded at 8:30 a.m. to tour the farm; approximately 30 stops are scheduled, with specific time allotted for each stop and crop. Farm Credit will provide water for the tour. Tour shuttles will return to the main building by noon, and Ameris Bank, Agri-Supply Co., and Pennington Seed will provide a lunch. Door prizes will be awarded, too. “We have the unique ability to work with university and corporate researchers on our Darrell Williams Research Farm, where we continue to conduct cotton, peanut, corn, soybean and forage research — all aimed at improving the farmer’s bottom line. We look at the latest seed varieties, crop protection methods, soil fertility, irrigation and precision ag technology,” Sunbelt Expo Executive Director Chip Blalock said. “We try the latest technologies and make sure they’re ready to go to work on the farm when farmers adapt them into their operation.” Blalock encouraged field day participants to visit static exhibitors in the RW Griffin building before and after the field tours. “Our mission is to provide a place where research can be done to benefit all row crop and forage farmers — especially those who might not have the resources or land to just go out and try a new variety or technology on a hunch,” said Cody Mitchell, Sunbelt farm manager. “We strive to have the best-looking farm around for field day visitors.” UGA researchers, Extension Specialists, and ag chemical representatives conduct numerous trials at the Sunbelt farm for all major southern agronomic crops. To view more specific Field Day details, download the Sunbelt Ag Expo app or visit www.sunbeltexpo.com.
GFB News Alert page 7 of 12 STORIES, PHOTOS & FUNDS SOUGHT FOR GEORGIA CATTLE HISTORY BOOK The Georgia Cattlemen’s Foundation is working to publish a hardback book that chronicles the history of Georgia’s cattle community – both beef and dairy. The steering committee for the project is asking all Georgia beef and dairy families to share their photos, especially old ones, and the stories of their family farms or experiences with cattle. “We want this book to reflect the whole history of Georgia’s cattle industry, not just the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association,” explained John Callaway, co-chair of the book committee. “We’re looking to include information about sale barns, projects and programs the University of Georgia, Georgia Farm Bureau and the Georgia Department of Agriculture have conducted through the years to improve and support our cattle industry. We also want the stories of Georgia 4-H and FFA members who have been involved in dairy and beef cattle projects and showing cattle.” The intent of the book, Callaway said, is for it to serve as an educational tool that preserves the history of Georgia’s cattle sector but also looks toward the industry’s future. Plans are for the book to be unveiled at the 60th Annual Georgia Cattlemen’s Convention in April 2021. Anyone with stories or photos illustrating Georgia’s cattle history may submit them to be considered for inclusion in the book by sending them to Michele Creamer at michele@gabeef.org or by mailing them to the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association P.O. Box 27990, Macon, Ga, 31221. Photos will be returned. Please adhere a note to the back of all photos submitted with your name, address and phone number. The Georgia Cattlemen’s Foundation is also accepting donations to finance the project. Donations of all amounts are welcome. Tribute gifts in honor or in memory of loved ones who have contributed to the cattle sector are encouraged. All donations to the foundation are tax deductible. Checks should be made payable to the Georgia Cattlemen’s Foundation and designated for the “History Book.” Checks should be mailed to Georgia Cattlemen’s Foundation P.O. Box 27990, Macon, Ga., 31221. Contributors should include a note with their name, address, phone number, email address, donation amount and the name of the person they are making the tribute donation in honor or memory of. If the donor belongs to a local cattlemen’s chapter or county Farm Bureau, please include the chapter/county name. In the spirit of friendly competition, the foundation will recognize the top three groups that raise the most funds for the book. The foundation is encouraging GCA chapters, county Farm Bureaus, breed associations, Young Farmer chapters and other related organizations to compete for recognition as a top fundraiser for the book. Donors who give $1,000 or more will be recognized in the book for their contribution and will receive hard copies of the book.
GFB News Alert page 8 of 12 UGA OFFERS SUMMER READING TIPS TO PREP FOR GA POLLINATOR CENSUS To prepare for the Great Georgia Pollinator Census in August, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is offering a few summer reading suggestions for citizen scientists of all ages. “This is a great opportunity to learn more about our Georgia insects,” said Becky Griffin, UGA Extension school garden specialist and pollinator census coordinator. “By doing some reading before the event, participants will really enjoy participating in the census and will understand more about the insects that they see.” The census, which was modeled after Cornell University’s Great Backyard Bird Count, will run Aug. 23-24. Citizen scientists can sign up individually or in groups at www.ggapc.org. Instructions on how to identify and count pollinators and submit results are also available at this website. The results will give entomologists a better sense of the health and diversity of Georgia’s pollinator population. UGA Extension has a number of training resources online to help train those who wish to count, but for those who want to expand their pollinator knowledge, Griffin suggests reading some of the following books. For younger readers who want to learn more about pollinators before they head back to school in August, Griffin recommends three picture books about nature and conservation: “Where Butterflies Grow,” by Joanne Ryder and Lynne Cherry, is filled with detailed, colorful illustrations and introduces children to the life cycle of a butterfly and how to help support butterflies in home gardens. After reading this book, Griffin recommends that parents take their children outdoors to see which butterflies from the book are in their garden. “Turn this Book into a Beehive!” by Lynn Brunelle includes information about the ecology and behavior of bees, as well as hands-on activities and experiments to help children understand the importance of bees and how to support them. “The activities are great to do as a family,” Griffin said. “Jack's Garden,” by Henry Cole, is an adaptation of “A House that Jack Built,” in which children learn about everything that goes into building a lush, life-filled garden — including creating spaces for pollinators. According to Griffin, this book is a great introduction to the importance of ecosystems. For adults and older readers, these guidebooks will help them build their appreciation of the biodiversity in their backyards: “The Bees in Your Backyard: A Guide to North America's Bees,” by Joseph Wilson and Olivia Messinger, has large, vivid photos and tips for identifying bees. “This is my go-to guide for bee identification," Griffin said. “I keep two copies; one at home and one in my office." “Our Native Bees: North America's Endangered Pollinators and the Fight to Save Them,” by Paige Embry, is a narrative natural history book in which Embry interviews gardeners, farmers and entomologists to learn about the native pollinators that provide the bulk of pollination services on American farms. “Attracting Native Pollinators,” by The Xerces Society and Marla Spivak, is the ultimate guide for turning any backyard or landscape into a haven for native pollinators, Griffin said. In addition to tips for planting and nesting structures, the book offers advice on landscaping practices to avoid and ways to advocate for pollinators.
GFB News Alert page 9 of 12 NASS RELEASES 2019 PLANTED ACREAGE ESTIMATES FOR FIELD CROPS Georgia farmers planted slightly more acres of corn and fewer acres in cotton, peanuts, soybeans and wheat in 2019 than they did in 2018, according to estimates in the June Acreage report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Corn planted for all purposes by Georgia farmers is estimated at 350,000 acres in 2019, up 7.6% from 2018, when they planted 325,000 acres. Georgia’s estimated cotton acreage, at 1.35 million acres in 2019, is down 5.6% from 2018, when Georgia producers planted 1.43 million acres. The state’s peanut growers are planting an estimated 600,000 acres in 2019, down 10% from 2018, when they planted 665,000 acres. Georgia’s soybean producers planted an estimated 110,000 acres in 2019, down 24% from last year. If realized, this would be the state’s lowest soybean planted area since 1960. Winter wheat, including acreage planted in fall 2018, is estimated at 180,000 acres in 2019, down 10% from 2018. Georgia hay producers are forecast to harvest an estimated 580,000 acres in 2019, down from 600,000 acres in 2018, which would be a decline of 3.3 percent. NASS forecast that Georgia tobacco growers would harvest 10,000 acres in 2019, down 20% from 2018 when the state’s producers harvested 12,500 acres. If realized, this would be the state’s lowest tobacco harvested acres since 2012. Nationwide, NASS estimates corn planted for all purposes in 2019 at 91.7 million acres, up 3% from 2018. Soybean planted area for 2019 is estimated at 80 million acres, down 10% from 2018. This represents the lowest soybean planted acreage in the United States since 2013.
GFB News Alert page 10 of 12 UGA EXTENSION SCHOOL GARDEN CONFERENCE July 18 Carroll County Ag Center, 900 Newnan Rd. Carrollton This program is designed to help educators enhance curriculum development by incorporating school gardens and agriculture into all areas of educational learning. This conference will cover everything from starting and maintaining a school garden to curriculum, resources and grants associated with agriculture in school systems. Schools that participate in the School Garden Conference will have the opportunity to win a raised bed kit and gardening supplies. All schools will be given seed packets and plants. Lunch will be provided and participants will have the opportunity to network with other education professionals. Registration is $25 and the registration deadline is July 11. For more details or to register, call us at 770-836-8546 or email Anne Anglin a tanne.anglin@uga.edu. 2019 ADVANCED GRAZING SCHOOL July 16-17 Livestock Instructional Arena Athens This will be an intense, two-day hands-on event that will overlap with the Deep South Stocker Conference on the second day. Registration will include coffee and snacks throughout the day, lunch for both days, a large notebook with handouts and supplemental information, and numerous interactive presentations and hands-on learning activities. Tentative topics include: forage systems for stocker cattle: cool season and warm season systems; economics of forage systems; putting an entire forage system together; regenerative grazing; grassfed livestock production data reviews; supplementation strategies; producer panel fencing and water systems workshop. Registration is $100 per person. For more information or to register, visit https://gfb.ag/19AdvancedGrazingSchool. 2019 DEEP SOUTH STOCKER CONFERENCE July 17-18 UGA Livestock Instructional Arena Athens This will be an intense two-day hands-on event that will overlap with the Advanced Grazing School on the first day. Registration is $100 and will include refreshments, dinner for the first day and lunch for the second, a large notebook with handouts and supplemental information, and interactive presentations and learning activities. Tentative topics include: beef cattle outlook; receiving nutrition feedlot feedback; technologies and strategies for diagnosing sick cattle; necropsy demonstration; and much more. For more information or to register, visit https://gfb.ag/19DeepSouthStockerConf. SOUTHERN PEANUT GROWERS CONFERENCE July 18-20 Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort Panama City Beach, Florida The 21st Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference will provide farmers with information about peanut production, legislative issues, marketing and promotions. In addition to the conference sessions, the event focuses on the family by offering a ladies program and a golf tournament. For more information about the conference and sponsorship opportunities visit www.gfb.ag/19SPGconference. Resort reservations can be made by calling 1-855-512-3843 and ask for the “Southern Peanut Growers Conference Rate� or use the Booking ID: 10Z6G7. Visit
www.resortcollection.com/resorts/edgewater/ to book rooms online. Rooms are available at the group rate until June 14. GFB News Alert page 11 of 12 UGA EXTENSION GWINNETT JOURNEYMAN FARMER PROGRAM July 26-27 Gwinnett County Government Annex Lawrenceville Aug. 1-3 Gwinnett County Government Annex Lawrenceville UGA Extension Gwinnett will be hosting the Journeyman Farmer Certificate Program for people who have started small farms or would like to do so. The first part of the training is Small Farm Business Planning, which addresses financial matters that small farmers need to understand. It will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on both days. Registration deadline is July 19. To register, visit https://jfcppartone07262019.eventbrite.com. The second part is Small Fruit & Vegetable Production that covers a multitude of subjects relating to crop production. It will be held on Aug. 1, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Aug. 2, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Aug. 3, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Aug. 1, participants will visit the small farm at Gwinnett Technical College that is used in its urban agriculture training program. To register, visit https://jfcpparttwo08012019.eventbrite.com. Registration deadline is July 26. For more information, contact Tim Daly at 678-377-4011 or timothy.daly@gwinnettcounty.com. 2019 SUNBELT EXPO FIELD DAY July 25 Spence Field 7:45 a.m. Moultrie Farmers are invited to the Darrell Williams Research Farm on the grounds of the Sunbelt Expo, where they can see the latest research on irrigation, variety trials for Southeastern crops, seeds and chemicals, and agricultural technology. A biscuit breakfast and barbecue lunch will be provided. Attendees can register for door prizes that include a Brown rotary mower, a shotgun and a Titan/Goodyear gift certificate. For more information visit www.sunbeltexpo.com or call 229-9851968. AGAWARE FINANCIAL PLANNING WORKSHOPS July 26 USDA ARS Vegetable Lab Charleston, S.C. Aug. 2 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center Tifton Aug. 16 Central Ga Tech. College Milledgeville Aug. 23 AgSouth Farm Credit Statesboro AgSouth Farm Credit and AgGeorgia Farm Credit have partnered to bring the AGAware program to young, beginning and small farmers in Georgia through this series of workshops aimed at educating them in the many aspects of running a successful agricultural operation. Topics of the program include: Balance Sheets, Income Statements, Family Finance & Family Budgeting, Risk Management and many more. Applications for scholarships for future education through Farm Credit University will be available to graduates of these workshops. AGAware is also certified for FSA Direct Borrower Training Credit. The training is open to anyone who wishes to develop a better understanding of how to run a successful agricultural operation. All classes will be from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., and lunch will be provided. To register online for the Statesboro event, visit https://gfb.ag/AGAwarestatesbororeg. To register online for the Tifton or Milledgeville event, visit https://gfb.ag/AGAwareTifMillreg. For more information about AGAware, contact Christy Smith at CSmith@AgSouthFC.com or 912-764-9091.
GFB News Alert page 12 of 12 LUMBER CITY FARM DAY 5K RACE Sept. 7 Lumber City United Methodist Church Lumber City Onsite registration begins at 6:45 a.m. at Lumber City Methodist Church Annex. One-mile run begins at 7:30 a.m. 5K begins at 8 a.m. There’s a registration fee of $25 for one race or $30 for both to qualify for trophies in both races. Pre-registration guarantees shirt on day of race. A complimentary breakfast will be served after the race. For more information or to register for the race visit www.lumbercityfarmday.org. Contact Jerry or Jeanette Ban at 912-363-4643 or email jeaban2007@mac.com. WEST GEORGIA BEEF MANAGEMENT TOUR Sept. 17 Carroll County Ag Center/various stops 6 a.m. – 7 p.m. Carrollton Stops include Callaway Cattle Company in Hogansville, White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, Oakhurst Farm in West Point and Oliver Angus in West Point. Cost is $50 per person and includes bus, tour and lunch. Registration and payment are due by Sept. 10, and participation is limited to 40 people. For more information contact Paula Burke at pjburke@uga.edu, or Anne Anglin at anne.anglin@uga.edu, or call 770-836-8546. COUNTY FARM BUREAU FARMERS MARKETS CLINCH COUNTY FARMERS MARKET First Saturday each month 8 a.m. – noon Empire Plaza Homerville This monthly farmers market co-hosted by Clinch County Farm Bureau and Homerville Main Street features a variety of locally produced treats, arts and crafts. Empire Plaza is located at the water fountain behind Heritage Bank on U.S. Highway 84. COBB COUNTY FARM BUREAU FARMERS MARKET Tuesdays through September 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. Lost Mountain Park Powder Springs The public is invited to check out a variety of vendors with locally grown produce, baked goods, strawberries, peaches, jams, jellies and much more. Lost Mountain Park is located at 4845 Dallas Highway in Powder Springs. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/cobbcofarmbureau/ or call 770-943-3531.