July 20, 2021
www.gfb.org
Vol. 3 No. 15
GFB YF&R CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON AG ADVOCACY Young farmers and ranchers from across the state met on Jekyll Island July 14-17, for Georgia Farm Bureau’s YF&R Leadership Conference. After being canceled last year due to the COVID19 pandemic, the conference offered farmers and ag professionals between the ages of 18 and 35 a chance to network, tips to advocate for agriculture, and a better understanding of what Farm Bureau does for agriculture. GFB President Tom McCall shared the experience he and his wife, Jane, had as members of the YF&R Program and encouraged the young farmers attending the conference to take home the things they learned at the event to serve their county Farm Bureaus. “The Young Farmers and Ranchers Program means a lot to me and Jane. Y’all are the lifeblood of this organization,” McCall said. “I hope each and every one of you learned something you will take home and share. I’d like to see some of you serving on your county Farm Bureau boards and on the GFB Board and in the state legislature.” GFB Leadership Development Coordinator Breanna Coursey Berry encouraged attendees to share what they learned at the event with their county Farm Bureaus and to get involved with their local Farm Bureaus. Conference attendees were surveyed at the event to get input for future YF&R events. YF&R members who weren’t able to attend the conference are asked to take a quick survey at https://forms.gle/peJ2uUuqNceHbJ5k9 to give input on YF&R programs. Advocating for Ag South Dakota cattle rancher, Beef Daily blogger, and children's book author Amanda Radke encouraged farmers to engage with consumers - whether you're at the airport or at church - to tell the nonfarming public the positive things about how you're growing their food. Radke has spent the last 15 years pushing back against animal rights and environmental activists who have attacked livestock agriculture, but says she thinks farmers and ranchers can make better traction to dispel ag myths consumers hear by sharing on social media the positive stories of what they are doing daily on the farm to care for their animals. “Don’t react defensively when consumers ask questions about something negative they’ve heard about farming,” Radke said. “For example, if you tell someone you’re a dairy farmer or raise beef cows and the consumer asks, ‘So you raise cows that produce methane that is destroying the ozone -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 2 of 15 Continued from previous page layer?’ – don’t respond by saying ‘You fart, too!’ Remember that we all only understand what we’re exposed to on a regular basis and most consumers don’t have a basic understanding of livestock production.” Using Radke’s advice, a good response to this scenario might be to answer, “Did you know that animal agriculture contributes less than 3% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions? Research at Oxford University and the University of California, Davis has shown as long as U.S. dairy and cattle producers have total constant herd numbers or even total decreasing herd numbers, we are not adding additional methane to the atmosphere. The United States reached peak beef cattle numbers in the 1970s and dairy cattle numbers in the 1950s and has reduced its number of animals every decade since, resulting in 50 million fewer cattle in total. U.S. farmers have better animal production and care practices today that allow us to produce more beef and milk to feed our country with fewer cattle.” Radke shared how talking to a Wall Street stockbroker in 2012 at an airport led to him contacting her a few weeks later to get a rancher’s perspective on lean finely textured beef when ABC News ran its “pink slime” story. Her NYC friend contacted her again last year during the COVID-19 pandemic when beef was hard to find to learn how he could buy beef straight from a cattle producer. Nelson Powell, a North Carolina hog farmer and relations manager with Rabobank, encouraged farmers to look at everyday interactions with their nonfarming friends, neighbors and family members as an opportunity to share what, how and why farmers do the things they do to raise their livestock and grow their crops. “We’ve got to stop thinking it’s someone else’s responsibility to advocate for agriculture. It’s not always fun, but it’s beneficial to us as farmers,” Powell said. To increase the chances that people will ask him questions about farming, Powell has placed a hog sticker that says NC Farmer on the back of his RV and wears a pig lapel pin. “I want people to ask me about it,” he said. When talking with people who have an opposing view of agriculture, Powell encourages farmers to resist the temptation to berate their beliefs because it will alienate them and keep them from hearing what you have to say about farming. “You’ve got to realize that you are both on the same level playground, like a balanced seesaw,” Powell said. “If you berate someone’s value’s or elevate your beliefs, it lowers them like a seesaw to the point that you are diagonally opposite each other.” Powell also encourages farmers to remember that what you think you're saying may not be what the other person will hear. Powell shared an entertaining story of traveling in Australia with a coworker. Their Uber driver asked them what brought them to Australia. The co-worker said they were there with Rabobank, but the driver heard, “We’re here to rob a bank,” and stopped the car to leave them. Agriculture, like all jobs, uses a lot of words that only make sense to farmers. Think about phrases you use to describe what you do around the farm and if there’s a better way to explain it to a consumer. -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 3 of 15 Continued from previous page Current ag issues During the second half of the opening session, a panel of Georgia farmers and ag business representatives shared their thoughts on today's current ag environment and trends they're seeing. Brian Lance of Godfrey's Feed, Dusty Engel with Lasseter Equipment, Caroline Lewallen, a cattle producer, and Sarah Dyer, Dade Co. UGA Extension Agent, and cattle producer, participated in the panel discussion. Each was asked to identify one of the greatest challenges facing agriculture right now. Engel said labor shortages. Lewallen said the current polarizing political climate and the need for farmers to have a relationship with the lawmakers who set policy for agriculture. Lance said farmers having access to capital – whether it’s human capital (labor) to run the farm, political capital to influence lawmakers, or land capital to farm. Dyer said it’s important that farmers find their niche to differentiate their farm product with consumers. GFB 101 Georgia Farm Bureau Chief Administrative Officer/Corporate Secretary Jon Huffmaster and Chief Financial Officer/Corporate Treasurer David Jolley gave the conference attendees a crash course in GFB 101. Huffmaster explained that the main purpose of Farm Bureau is to advocate for Georgia farmers regarding legislative issues on the state & national level. He shared that landowners benefit from GFB's work to secure passage of the Conservation Use Value Assessment (CUVA) and the Georgia Agricultural Tax Exemption (GATE) card. He encouraged all farmers and those with an interest in agriculture to support the organization's future legislative efforts by joining Farm Bureau. Jolley discussed the history of the Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance Company, current operations and plans for ensuring the company has a stable financial outlook. He explained that the organization will continue to develop options to drive membership that complements our insurance products for future growth. GFB is working to convince farmers and members of Georgia’s ag community who aren’t Farm Bureau members to join GFB to support Georgia agriculture along with consumers who appreciate farmers and want to support them.GFB Membership Acquisition Manager Slayten Carter encouraged the YF&R group to actively recruit their friends and family to join Farm Bureau's efforts in working for Georgia agriculture. Carter discussed GFB’s new We Are All Farm Bureau membership campaign. “We’re trying to grow the number of our members who love agriculture and the work we do for farmers but don’t have insurance with us,” Carter said. “We’re marketing the concept of joining Georgia Farm Bureau because you love Georgia and because you love to eat. We hope you will go out there and find people in your community to join. Give a Farm Bureau membership as presents for a birthday or Christmas gift so people can experience the wonderful member benefits we offer.” Ag policy updates Members of Georgia Farm Bureau 's Public Policy team shared how they are advocating on -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 4 of 15 Continued from previous page behalf of Georgia agriculture at the state and federal level during a general session on July 16. Harold Earls, a former Airborne Ranger who served as Commander of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, shared life lessons he learned from serving at Arlington Cemetery and leading a team in climbing Mount Everest. GFB National Policy Counsel Tripp Cofield discussed hot topics Congress and President Biden are focused on. He predicts that infrastructure will dominate the headlines in DC for the remainder of the summer and possibly into the fall. Currently, a $579 bipartisan infrastructure plan is being debated. The plan includes $312.8 billion for transportation infrastructure and a combined $266.2 for power, broadband, water & other projects. In the coming weeks, the conversation is likely to shift to a larger package proposed by the president and congressional Democrats with a price tag of $3.5 trillion. This proposal calls for partially offsetting this spending with corporate tax increases and estate tax changes, specifically to the stepped-up basis that determines how inherited assets are valued for tax purposes. Stepped-up basis has allowed American farm families to pass their operations to their children and grandchildren without forcing them to sell land and/or other assets to cover the tax bill. Under stepped-up basis, a farmer pays capital gains taxes only on a property’s increase in value since the time that land was inherited, instead of paying the full increase in value since it was purchased by a deceased relative. In addition, the tax on the new stepped-up value is deferred until property is sold by the surviving family member. One of the reasons the step up in basis is so important to farmers and ranchers is the asset values in agriculture have appreciated significantly in recent years. As a result, when farmland is inherited, without a step up in basis, many farmers would face very significant capital gains taxes. For the American Farm Bureau Federation’s full Market Intel report on stepped-up basis, visit https://gfb.ag/AFBFstepupbasisanalysis. GFB Governmental Affairs Specialist Jake Matthews delivered an overview of the 2021 Session of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia legislators passed a $27.3 billion state budget that includes $40 million Rural Innovation Fund and $20 million for getting broadband into rural communities with an additional $10 million in future funds. GFB State Affairs Coordinator Alex Bradford discussed ag issues Georgia legislators are expected to address during next year’s session including: allowing the sale of raw milk with food safety testing requirements; increasing truck weights to decrease freight traffic through Metro Atlanta; right-to-farm legislation to prevent frivolous nuisance lawsuits against livestock farms; and right-to-repair legislation so farmers can have reasonable repair capabilities for their equipment while protecting manufacturers’ proprietary technology. Bradford explained that Georgia voters will vote on a ballot initiative in the November 2022 election to determine if family farms that have merged may have the same ad valorem tax exemption on farm equipment that they qualified for before merging. The need for passage of this amendment arose after a Southwest Georgia county denied ad valorem tax exemptions to a newly merged farm. GFB Advocacy & Policy Development Coordinator Katie Duvall made the case for GFB members to support the organization’s legislative advocacy activities with some eye-opening -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 5 of 15 Continued from previous page Georgia voting facts: 1) 60% of Georgia’s 10.6 million population lives in Metro ATL. 2) The following counties had the highest number of registered voters: Fulton, Gwinnett, DeKalb, Cobb, Chatham & Clayton – all counties where voters have little understanding of agriculture and the challenges farmers face. Duvall encouraged the young farmers to subscribe to GFB’s Legislative Reports, listen to the Growing On Podcast and participate in future I Farm. I Vote. Campaigns designed to educate both candidates and voters about ag issues. If I Can… Canadian farmer and motivational speaker Chris Koch, who was born without arms or legs, attributes growing up on a farm and his family for giving him his “I can do anything,” attitude for life. Koch encourages parents and farmers to give their children & employees room to learn how to do things on their own. “Push yourself outside your comfort zone,” Koch said. “All those things you dream about doing - DO them.” Koch says our minds and attitude are the biggest obstacles we have to overcome. “My biggest struggles are when I let the six inches of space between my ears get in my way, not because I don’t have arms and legs,” Koch said. “We’re all battling something. Be grateful for the things you do have instead of focusing on the things you don’t.” GFB Leadership Development Coordinator Breanna Coursey Berry encouraged attendees to share what they learned at the event with their county Farm Bureaus and to get involved with their local Farm Bureaus. GREENS, LANCE & JACKSON WIN GFB YF&R COMPETITIVE EVENTS One of the highlights of Georgia Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers & Ranchers Leadership Conference, held July 14-17 was the YF&R contests. YF&R members from across the state competed for state titles in the GFB Achievement Award, Discussion Meet, and Excellence in Agriculture Award competitions. All three contests are open to GFB members between the ages of 18 and 35. Congratulations to Steven and Tara Green, Jessica Lance and Cleve Jackson for taking top honors in the three contests. Steven and Tara Green, of Spalding County, won the GFB Achievement Award, which recognizes farming and leadership efforts among young farmers and ranchers who earn the majority of their income from production agriculture. The Greens raise broilers and cattle, grow hay and you-pick flowers, and sell and spread chicken litter. Steven is vice president of the Spalding County Farm Bureau and chairs the GFB Poultry Commodity Committee. Tara has served on the SCFB YF&R, Women’s Leadership and Promotion & Education Committees since 2014. As the state Achievement Award winners, the Greens received $500 cash, a John Deere ATV, and an expense-paid trip to the 2022 American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Atlanta in January, where they will compete in the national contest. Colt and LeAnna Hart, of Franklin County, who were finalists for the Achievement Award, -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 6 of 15 Continued from previous page raise broilers, beef cows and hay and stocker calves. Colt is the Franklin County Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Chairman and serves on the GFB Beef Commodity Committee. LeAnna serves on the FCFB Women’s Leadership Committee. The Harts received a $500 prize. Jessica Lance, of Morgan County, won the GFB Excellence in Agriculture Award. This award recognizes an individual or couple for their involvement in Farm Bureau and agriculture, and their leadership ability. Ideal candidate(s) for this award do not make the majority of their income from farming, however, the award is not solely based on the applicant(s) occupation. Lance grew up working on her parents’ produce farm in South Carolina. After teaching school for two years, she returned to the family farm to manage the family’s agricultural trucking business. This experience led Lance to start her own logistics company in 2017 that hauls raw grains from farms to processors, and livestock feed to feed mills and farmers. Her company, The Go Ag Group, also hauls fertilizers, biosolids and landscape products. Lance and her husband, Brian, started a Red Angus cow-calf operation in 2019. She is an active member of the MCFB YF&R Committee for which she has served as treasurer since 2017. As the state winner, Lance received $500 cash, a John Deere ATV, and an expense-paid trip to the 2022 AFBF Convention in Atlanta, where she will represent Georgia in the national contest. Brian Fleming of Hart County and Ashley White of North Fulton County were finalists for the Excellence in Agriculture Award. Each received $500 cash. Fleming is assistant farm manager of PTL Agriculture, LLC., his family’s farm that grows soybeans, wheat, milo/grain, sorghum, corn, oats and hay; and raises cattle. Fleming grew up working on the family farm and today has responsibilities for just about every aspect of the farm. He has chaired the Hart County Farm Bureau YF&R Committee since 2014 and grew the county’s YF&R program from just himself to its current membership of about 35. He regularly visits local schools to teach students about agriculture and has served on the GFB YF&R Committee since 2019. White grew up working on her family’s cattle ranch and horse boarding facility in Florida and competing in various equine competitions including barrel racing, rodeo, and dressage, which she still competes in. Having grown up in FFA and 4-H, it was natural for White to become an ag education teacher. She taught seven years in Florida and the past four years at Milton High School in North Fulton County. White has been active in Farm Bureau in both her home state of Florida and in NFCB. She has served as a NCFB director since 2017, as NCFB YF&R Chair in 2018-19 and as NCFB president from 2019 until she and her husband, Ryan, just moved back to Florida where she will continue teaching ag education. Cleve Jackson, of Floyd County, prevailed over 16 other competitors from 16 counties, to win the GFB YF&R Discussion Meet. This event is designed to mimic a committee meeting in which individuals seek solutions to ag issues. In the Final Four round of the discussion meet, Jackson and the other finalists: Will Cabe of Franklin County; Emily Leonard of Echols County; and Willie Sizemore of Lee County; discussed how Farm Bureau can improve its effectiveness at recruiting YF&R members and increasing participating in YF&R programs. Jackson, received $500, a John Deere ATV and an expense-paid trip to the 2022 AFBF Convention to compete in the national contest. Jackson is a sales representative for Elanco Animal Health’s poultry products and runs a commercial cow/calf operation. Cabe is a poultry, cattle, hay, goat and sheep producer who is a past chairman of the GFB YF&R -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 7 of 15 Continued from previous page Committee. Leonard, who was the top collegiate competitor in the discussion meet, is a rising senior at the UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (CAES) where she is majoring in agricultural communications. She will represent GFB in the AFBF YF&R Collegiate Discussion Meet next winter at the AFBF YF&R Conference. Sizemore is a recent graduate of the UGA CAES where he majored in ag communications. The three finalists each received $350. ENTER GFB HAY CONTEST, SUBMIT INFO FOR HAY DIRECTORY BY OCT. 31 Georgia Farm Bureau is calling all members who grow Bermudagrass hay to enter its annual hay contest by Oct. 31. Hay entered in the 2021 GFB Quality Hay Contest will be tested at the University of Georgia Feed & Environmental Water Lab using the Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) Test, which provides an analysis of the nutritional value of the hay. Winners will be determined by the RFQ analysis and announced in December at the annual GFB Convention on Jekyll Island. Prizes will be presented to the top five producers. The first-place winner will receive the free use of a Vermeer 604R baler for one year, courtesy of the Vermeer Manufacturing Company. The winner will have the option to purchase the mower at a reduced price at the end of the year. Entry forms outlining all contest rules may be picked up at local county Farm Bureau offices or downloaded at www.gfb.ag/HayContest. There is a $20 fee for each entry to cover the cost of the lab test. Checks should be made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau. Entry fees, forms and samples should be sent to the GFB Public Policy Department 1620 Bass Road Macon, Ga., 31210. Hay entered in the contest must have been grown in Georgia on a field with at least 25 days of maturity or regrowth. Samples should be naturally dried in the field and taken with a hay probe from the center of at least five different bales (rolls or squares) that come from the same field. Producers may enter more than one sample and will receive RFQ analysis for all samples submitted. Contestants submitting multiple samples, however, may only place in the contest’s top five for the sample with the highest RFQ score. Previous first-place winners are not eligible to win any prizes in the contest for three years after winning. Previous first-place winners may still enter their samples to have their hay analyzed. GFB is also 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 participate, 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 enter the GFB Quality Hay Contest receive a free listing in the online GFB Hay Directory. For more information about the contest contact Jeremy Taylor in the GFB Public Policy Department at 1-800-342-1192 or jrtaylor@gfb.org.
GFB Field Notes page 8 of 15 CASPER & MOON JOIN GA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE STAFF Taylor Casper and Jay Moon have joined the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture (GFA) as program assistants for the GFA Georgia Ag Experience mobile ag classroom. Casper and Moon will be responsible for setting the Georgia Ag Experience’s schedule for visits to schools, community, and statewide events as it travels statewide. They will also serve as the mobile classroom instructors and work closely with county Farm Bureau staff and volunteers as the GAE visits communities. “We’re excited to have Taylor and Jay join the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture team,” said GFA Executive Director Lily Baucom. “They have ag education experience from FFA and 4-H and an understanding of Georgia agriculture that will prove helpful in their positions.” Casper, a native of Oconee County, graduated from the UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (CAES) in May with an ag education degree and is now working towards obtaining a master’s degree in agriculture and environmental education from the UGA CAES. As a CAES ag education student, Casper developed the cotton lesson used in the mobile classroom under the direction of her professor, Dr. Jason Peake. She was an FFA member from middle school until she graduated from North Oconee High School. Casper raised hogs as her FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience project growing up on the hobby farm of her grandparents’ – Terri and James Whitehead. Casper earned her American FFA Degree after investing $7,500 in her swine production SAE and putting in more than 2,000 hours on the SAE and completing more than 65 hours of community service work. Moon, a native of Morgan County, is a 2019 ag education graduate of the UGA CAES. He most recently worked with the Morgan County Cooperative Extension as a 4-H Youth AmeriCorp Service Member. Moon also served as a coordinator of the Morgan County Ag Center (MCAC) for the Morgan Board of Commissioners and served as co-superintendent of The Dairyland Classic Registered Dairy Show held at the MCAC. Moon grew up working on his family’s dairy farm, Moon Dairy, where he and his brother, Hunter, still help their parents, Jim and Sylvia Moon. Moon has been an active member of the Morgan County Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee and served on the GFB Dairy Commodity Committee. He is a member of the Morgan County Dairy Association, Cattlemen’s Association, and Row Crop Association. To learn more about the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture, the Georgia Ag Experience mobile classroom, or to help grow Georgia’s greater agricultural community by making a donation to the foundation, please visit www.gafoundationag.org.
GFB Field Notes page 9 of 15 HENNEBELLE APPOINTED AS STATE VETERINARIAN Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black has appointed Dr. Janemarie Hennebelle as Georgia's next state veterinarian. Hennebelle succeeds Dr. Robert Cobb, who retired in June. Hennebelle has served as assistant state veterinarian since September 2016. In her new role, Hennebelle will oversee the Animal Health Division of the Georgia Department of Agriculture while managing staff veterinarians, the state's Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) program and animal disease investigations as they arise. Hennebelle received her bachelor’s degree in animal science from Berry College and her doctoral degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Georgia. She also pursued a master's in preventative veterinary medicine at the University of California Davis. Dr. Hennebelle has a diverse background in practice ranging from a mixed-animal practice in the Northeast, serving the dairy industry, as well as shelter and companion animal medicine here in Georgia. She joined the Meat Inspection Section of the Georgia Department of Agriculture in December of 2013, where she served as a Public Health Veterinary (PHV) Supervisor. GNFA ANNOUNCES LIVESTOCK AMBASSADOR TEAM Jesse Cronic is chairman of the 2021 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter (GNFA) Livestock Ambassador team, which the GNFA announced recently on social media. Cronic, who enters his junior year of high school this fall, is from Jackson County. He has been showing beef cattle for nine years. Other members are Vice Chairman Tanner Foster, Social Chairman Erynn Allison, Carson Lynn, Kate Day, Peyton Cooper, Rachel Hayes, Jiles Coble, Colleen Barber and Margie Knapek. Foster, a rising senior from Banks County, has been showing livestock for seven years. Allison, a rising senior from Tift County, has shown livestock for three years. Lynn, a rising sophomore from Decatur County, has been showing livestock for 10 years. Day, a rising senior from Coffee County, has been showing livestock for 12 years. Cooper, a rising junior from Oconee County, has been showing livestock for four years. Hayes, a rising junior from Decatur County has been showing livestock for six years. Coble, a rising junior from Burke County, has been showing livestock for 10 years. Barber, a rising senior from Ware County and has been showing livestock for 12 years. Knapek, a rising senior from Houston County, and has been showing livestock for five years. The ambassadors will represent the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter by serving a one-year term showcasing the livestock and equine industry on site and throughout Georgia. Each member of this team exhibits livestock projects throughout the various GNFA show. To be selected, each ambassador submitted a 2-minute or less video. The videos were scored on criteria such as creativity, professionalism, and message. A group of 20-25 students were selected for interviews. After the interviews were completed, a selection committee chose the final 10 members of the ambassador team. In addition to showcasing the livestock industry, the ambassadors will have the chance to learn from some of the best in their respective fields, enabling them to broaden their understanding of agriculture while networking with state leaders, agricultural officials and setting goals toward future educational and career decisions.
GFB Field Notes page 10 of 15 USDA TO PROVIDE AID TO LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS FOR ANIMAL LOSSES Livestock and poultry producers who suffered losses during the pandemic due to insufficient access to processing can apply for assistance for those losses and the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animals under the USDA’s Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP) Livestock and poultry producers can apply for assistance through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) through Sept. 17. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, authorized payments to producers for losses of livestock or poultry depopulated during 2020 due to insufficient processing access as a result of the pandemic. PLIP payments will be based on 80% of the fair market value of the livestock and poultry and for the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animal. Eligible livestock and poultry include swine, chickens and turkeys. Pork producers are expected to be the primary recipients of the assistance. USDA has set aside up to $50 million in pandemic assistance funds to provide additional assistance for small hog producers that use the spot market or negotiate prices. Details on the additional targeted assistance are expected to be available this summer. Eligible livestock must have been depopulated from March 1, 2020, through Dec. 26, 2020, due to insufficient processing access as a result of the pandemic. Livestock must have been physically located in the U.S. or a territory of the U.S. at the time of depopulation. Eligible livestock owners include persons or legal entities who, as of the day the eligible livestock was depopulated, had legal ownership of the livestock. Packers, live poultry dealers and contract growers are not eligible for PLIP. PLIP payments compensate participants for 80% of both the loss of the eligible livestock or poultry and for the cost of depopulation and disposal based on a single payment rate per head. PLIP payments will be calculated by multiplying the number of head of eligible livestock or poultry by the payment rate per head, and then subtracting the amount of any payments the eligible livestock or poultry owner has received for disposal of the livestock or poultry under the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) or a state program. The payments will also be reduced by any Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 1 and 2) payments paid on the same inventory of swine that were depopulated. There is no per person or legal entity payment limitation on PLIP payments. To be eligible for payments, a person or legal entity must have an average adjusted gross income (AGI) of less than $900,000 for tax years 2016, 2017 and 2018. Eligible livestock and poultry producers can apply for PLIP starting, by completing the FSA620, Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program application, and submitting it to any FSA county office. Additional documentation may be required. Visit www.farmers.gov/plip for a copy of the Notice of Funding Availability and more information on how to apply. Applications can be submitted to the FSA office at any USDA Service Center nationwide by mail, fax, hand delivery or via electronic means. To find your local FSA office, visit www.farmers.gov/service-locator. Livestock and poultry producers can also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee.
GFB Field Notes page 11 of 15 USDA ACCEPTING ENROLLMENT FOR CRP GRASSLAND PROGRAM Agricultural producers and landowners can apply for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands signup from until August 20. This year, (USDA) updated signup options to provide greater incentives for producers and increase the program’s conservation and climate benefits, including setting a minimum rental rate and identifying two national priority zones. The CRP Grassland signup is competitive, and USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will provide for annual rental payments for land devoted to conservation purposes. CRP Grasslands helps landowners and operators protect grassland, including rangeland, and pastureland and certain other lands, while maintaining the areas as working grazing lands. Protecting grasslands contributes positively to the economy of many regions, provides biodiversity of plant and animal populations, and provides important carbon sequestration benefits. The minimum rental rate is $15 per acre. To enroll in the CRP Grasslands signup, producers and landowners should contact USDA by the Aug. 20 deadline. BIDEN EXECUTIVE ORDER ADDRESSES LIVESTOCK, RIGHT TO REPAIR ISSUES On July 9, President Joe Biden issued a wide-ranging executive order intended to promote competition in the American economy, according to a White House press release. Included in the order are several provisions addressing issues in agriculture, including competitiveness of livestock markets and the “right to repair.” In the order, Biden directs the USDA to develop a plan to increase opportunities for farmers to access markets and receive a fair return, including supporting alternative food distribution systems like farmers markets and developing standards and labels so that consumers can choose to buy products that treat farmers fairly. “President Biden’s effort to address several pressing issues facing America’s farmers and ranchers comes at a time when many in the farm supply chain are frustrated,” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said. “Growing concern about livestock market fairness is accelerated by the continued rise in grocery store meat prices while ranchers struggle to break even on the cattle they raise and poultry farmers being locked into agreements with very little recourse if they’re underpaid. It’s time to get to the bottom of what’s driving these imbalances. More opportunities for farmers and ranchers to sell their products will ensure they are paid fairly while providing more options for America’s families.” Biden also encouraged the FTC to limit powerful equipment manufacturers from restricting people’s ability to use independent repair shops or conduct DIY repairs—such as when tractor companies block farmers from repairing their own tractors. “Farmers increasingly rely on the latest technology as they grow healthy, affordable food,” Duvall said. “Business purchases—from robotic milkers to high-tech combines—require a substantial investment, and when those tools break down farmers need to get back up and running quickly. Limiting who can work on a piece of machinery drives up costs and increases down-time. Ensuring farmers have the ability to perform cost-effective repairs on their own equipment will keep America’s farms running and financially sustainable.” To access the White House fact sheet about the executive order, visit https://gfb.ag/wheocompete070921.
GFB Field Notes page 12 of 15 SUNBELT EXPO FIELD DAY POSTPONED The 2021 Sunbelt Expo Field Day has been postponed due to muddy field conditions resulting from excessive rain. The event will be rescheduled, with details to be announced. Be sure to follow Sunbelt Ag Expo on social media channels and check www.sunbeltexpo.com for updates. 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. RMA FRESH MARKET PEPPER LISTENING SESSION Aug. 10 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. via Zoom Producers of fresh market peppers are invited to participate in a listening session with Agralytica, which is working under contract for USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA). RMA is seeking feedback about a potential production and revenue history (PRH) policy for fresh market peppers. There are two in-person sessions in South Florida on Aug. 4 and 5. The Zoom videoconference can be accessed by video and audio or by audio alone. The Zoom link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82499205917. For more information, contact Agralytica President Andre Williamson at 240-432-0308 or awilliamson@agralytica.com. If you email, please include “Peppers PRH insurance as your subject line. Public comments will be accepted by by phone or email until August 31.
GFB Field Notes page 13 of 15 UPPER OCMULGEE CONSERVATION DISTRICT MEETING Aug. 17 Jasper County Farm Bureau 10 a.m. Monticello The regular meeting of the Upper Ocmulgee Conservation District will not be held in July. The August meeting will be held on Aug. 17 at 10 a.m. in the Jasper County Farm Bureau Office, 671 W. Washington Street, Monticello. For more information, contact Northeast Georgia Regional Program Manager LeAnn Rutledge at (757) 373-0930. AFBF AG INNOVATION CHALLENGE Aug. 20 deadline to enter The Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge is a national business competition that showcases U.S. startups developing innovative solutions that address challenges facing America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities. The Challenge was the first national business competition of its kind focused exclusively on rural entrepreneurs. Farm Bureau will award $165,000 in startup funds to ten businesses, culminating at a live pitch competition and networking event at the AFBF Annual Convention in January 2022 in Atlanta, GA. The Ag Innovation Challenge Winner will be awarded $50,000 in startup funds provided by sponsors Farm Credit, Bayer Crop Science, John Deere, Farm Bureau Bank, Farm Bureau Financial Services, and FMC Corporation. To apply and learn more, visit www.fb.org/challenge. CLIMATE ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION SURVEY Deadline extended to Aug. 20 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 Georgia 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 Aug. 20. USDA NRCS OUTREACH AND TRAINING PROGRAM Aug. 24 Tilford Winery Farm, 236 Lake Joy Rd. 10 a.m. – noon Perry The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is hosting this free event for farmers, ranchers and landowners. Topics include the NRCA EQIP Program, the FVSU Extension Program, the Southern Farmers Collaborative Group Program, the Southwest Georgia Project for Community Education, Inc. Program, an MCL Jasco – HelpForFarmers.org Soil Health Live Demonstration and a Tilford Winery Farm Propagation Live Demonstration. For more information, contact NRCS South Region Outreach Coordinator Charlie Grace at (229) 268-9106, Ext. 111, (229) 591-9919 or charlie.grace@usda.gov.
GFB Field Notes page 14 of 15 ONION CROP INSURANCE Aug. 31 sales closing date The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds Georgia onion growers that Aug. 31 is the final date to apply for crop insurance coverage for the 2022 crop year. This is also deadline for current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing coverage to do so. Coverage is available for onions in Appling, Bulloch, Candler, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Laurens, Long, Montgomery, Screven, Tattnall, Toombs, Treutlen, and Wayne counties. 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. THE RIVER RATS 5K/1 MILE RUN & BREAKFAST Sept. 11 7:30 a.m. Lumber City One mile race begins at 7:30 a.m. 5K begins at 8 a.m. Entry fee is $25 or $30 for those who enter both the one mile and 5K. This race, sponsored by the Lumber City Woman’s Club, was formerly known as the Lumber City Farm Day Run. Registration forms are available at www.lumbercityfarmday.org. For information, please visit the website or call (912) 363-4643 and leave a message or send email to: jeaban2007@mac.com. 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 15 of 15 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.