Georgia Farm Bureau's Aug. 14 Field Notes

WEATHER, ECONOMY & POLITICS KEY TOPICS AT GFB COMMODITY CONF.

The 2024 Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Conference on Aug. 8 in Tifton gave the organization’s 20 commodity advisory committees a chance to begin considering policy stances for 2025. They also heard presentations on state government, weather, land values, farm-related legal issues, the economy and the political landscape. Here’s a look: Harper summarizes GDA work

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper praised Georgia Farm Bureau for its advocacy efforts and reviewed some of the work the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) is doing to support Georgia's farmers and consumers.

Harper said the department has created a separate division specifically for farmers markets. GDA has named Lindsey Brown as division director to oversee the markets.

Harper noted that the state legislature allocated $37.5 million for infrastructure improvements at the Atlanta State Farmers Market.

“We are building out a team that will focus solely on our farmers markets and ensuring that they have the needed resources and staff to be able to provide that access to market,” Harper said. “The farmers markets are different today than they were when they were built in the 1950s and in a lot of different capacities. But the mission still is the same in providing our producers, our farmers with an avenue to sell their product to a consumer.”

The commissioner said the GDA is still challenged with hiring people to carry out its functions, including issuing some 80,000 licenses and conducting more than 125,000 inspections per year.

“When I walked in the door, we had about 130 vacancies in the department,” Harper said. “We still have around 90, which is significant for us because it makes it a lot more difficult obviously for us to do the job that we've been tasked with every single day.”

He said the legislature helped by authorizing 4% raises for state employees and an extra $2,000 for GDA inspectors.

Harper discussed agricultural land conservation and foreign ownership of agricultural land. The legislature passed the Georgia Farmland Conservation Act, which establishes the Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund. The legislature budgeted $2 million to support the fund, which is a -continued on next page

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Continued from previous page conservation easement program through which farmland can be protected and kept for agricultural purposes. The Farmland Conservation Fund is modeled after a land conservation program used in Florida.

“It's a way to protect ag land in our state,” Harper said.

He mentioned the work of the GDA’s law enforcement division, which investigated a food processing facility in South Georgia in the winter that did not have a GDA license. The GDA worked with other state and local law enforcement to raid the facility, seizing $25 million worth of marijuana and arresting four Chinese nationals. The land and facility are owned by a Chinese citizen.

Harper pointed out that a new state law prohibits ownership of agricultural land by citizens or organizations from nations, including China, with adversarial relationships with the state, as well as prohibiting those entities from owning land near military bases in Georgia.

“China has invested in our state in a variety of different ways and that was one of them,” Harper said. “They used a food processing facility as a coverup to run a drug operation on land that they own.”

La Niña expected to continue into next year

USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey discussed weather patterns Georgia can expect as the world experiences a La Niña weather pattern. This summer, Georgia experienced its fourth driest June on record for the past 130 years with statewide rainfall averaging just 2.08 inches, Rippey said, less than half what we usually receive in June. Georgia only had a drier June in 1990, 1988 and 1931.

June temperatures made it the 21st hottest June the state has had in 130 years. In the past decade, Georgia has experienced hotter June weather in 2016 and 2022.

Rippey said weather data shows that over the last 50 years Georgia has warmed 1.7˚F for the April – September period. For all months, Georgia has warmed nearly 2.5˚F during the past 50 years.

With the world experiencing a La Niña weather pattern, the water in the Atlantic Ocean is warmer than usual, which increases the chances the U.S. will have more tropical storms/hurricanes. Water temperatures are cooler than usual along the equator in the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. Pacific coast and off the coast of Africa.

The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration has predicted 21 such storms for the 2024 hurricane season. As of Aug. 14, five have formed, but the season runs through Oct. 31.

“The wild card is all the warm water in the Atlantic, especially in the North Atlantic,” Rippey said. “It’s a big contribution to warm nights. Warm water also affects temperatures on land.”

For historical perspective, the U.S. experienced 30 named storms in 2020, 28 in 2005, 21 in 2021, 20 in 1933 and 2023. The U.S. experienced 15 hurricanes in 2005 (7 major); 14 in 2020 (7 major) and 12 in 2010.

There is a greater than 80% chance the La Niña weather pattern will continue next year. If this -continued on next page

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Continued from previous page happens, Georgia will most likely experience a drier and warmer winter, Rippey said.

“During a La Niña weather pattern, the Southeast U.S. tends to be warm and dry in winter,” Rippey said. “If La Niña lasts into next spring, then that will cause some concern. For the most part, Georgia has gotten through previous La Niñas without it having a major negative impact, with the exception of 2007. We had a warm, early spring that year followed by a drought.”

Georgia land values update

Georgia experienced notable sales volume of ranchland last year, Bryant Peace, a senior advisor with Saunders Ralston Dantzler Real Estate, said because development pressure in Florida is pushing cattle production into Georgia. Last year the average sales price of ranchland between 100-500 acres was $4,108 for 107 verified sales.

“Georgia continues to experience growth and development because industry is expanding, not contracting,” Peace said. “Georgia’s population is growing year over year, and Baby Boomers are retiring and leaving metro areas for rural America.”

Peace said Georgia continues to see a demand for farmland due to its quality soil, water resources and climate and its robust infrastructure for growing, marketing and selling commodities. For 70 verified transactions that Peace’s company had knowledge of, the average price for irrigated farmland averaged $5,555 last year and was $4,053 for nonirrigated land. Pecan orchards sold for an average of $5,913/acre.

Georgia is an exceptional market for anyone wanting to invest in timberland because the state has significant wood processing infrastructure, Peace said. Also, stumpage prices are generally favorable due to consistent mill demand. Last year the average sale price of timberland between 100-500 acres was $2,855 for 105 verified sales.

However, the demand for farms with woods and pasture that are managed for wildlife that fall into the recreational sales category is stronger than timberland. Peace said the average sale price of tracts between 100-500 acres was $4,290 for 239 verified sales last year.

Rumley reviews legal topics

Rusty Rumley, a senior staff attorney with the National Agricultural Law Center, reviewed a variety of legal issues the center is monitoring, including California Proposition 12 and similar state laws, and their requirements that animal products sold in these states come from farms adhering to certain confinement standards.

California Proposition 12 and Massachusetts Question 3 were ballot initiatives in which voters in those states supported confinement standards for livestock produced and sold in those states. Proposition 12, which establishes animal confinement standards to pork, veal and eggs, was upheld in the U.S. Supreme Court. A legal challenge to Question 3, Triumph Foods vs. Campbell, was rejected in a July 22 ruling in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts.

“Agriculture has lost this issue in the courts,” Rumley said.

Other states have similar restrictions. Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon and Washington restrict sales of eggs from producers who do not follow their state’s confinement -continued on next page

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Continued from previous page standards for layer hens, regardless of their place or origin. Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Ohio and Utah have confinement standards that apply to producers in their states. Illinois, Maryland and New York are considering bills that would restrict sales based on animal confinement standards.

Rumley said the trouble with these rulings is they could allow states to pass other laws based on moral grounds, mentioning several scenarios that are now possible because of the court rulings.

“No irrigation being used. How about being carbon neutral? Unless you're carbon neutral, you can't sell in our state. How about minimum wage? Unless you pay a $20 an hour minimum wage, you can't sell your products in our state,” Rumley said. “When you open things up, allow states to regulate other states on morality grounds, it really kind of opens the barn doors.”

Rumley said ultimately processing companies may adopt stricter animal confinement standards as their policy so they do not have to sort out which products can go to what state.

Chevron Deference

Rumley also discussed the Supreme Court decision that overturned the Chevron Deference standard, under which courts would rely on federal agencies to interpret laws in cases where laws in question were unclear. The Supreme Court ruled that it is the courts’ role to interpret laws.

Whether this benefits agriculture might vary from issue to issue and depend on which agency has regulatory authority, Rumley said.

“We really don't know what is going to be impacted, just because agriculture is so heavily regulated, especially at the federal level,” Rumley said “This is going to be something that we're going to be dealing with this for years.”

Tutterow talks economy, politics

Kennesaw State University Professor Dr. Roger Tutterow presented information about the economic, business and political climate.

Tutterow reviewed the progression of prices paid for agricultural inputs compared with prices received by the producer for their commodity. In 2021 and into 2022, prices received went up, Tutterow said.

“That sounds like good news,” he said. “The problem is the prices paid went up as well.”

In some segments of agriculture, prices received went up faster than prices paid.

“We did actually see some compression there, meaning prices received went up faster than prices paid, and that should show up as some expansion in your margin depending, of course, on which segment of the agricultural market you're in,” Tutterow said.

In 2023 and early 2024, prices received dropped significantly, ranging from 15% to 40% and varying by crop.

“If the prices of the inputs that go into providing those products go down as much, it gives you a lot of offset, but in the last year you really haven't gotten as much offset,” Tutterow said.

He touched on challenges with inflation, how consumer sentiments relate to consumer spending and how personal savings have dwindled back to pre-pandemic levels. Businesses, he said, are facing tight labor markets, and the shift to work-from-home culture could end up meaning -continued on next page

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employers pay wage premiums for jobs that have to be done in person.

“Talk to an HR manager in any industry and they'll tell you particularly as it relates to younger workers, they're losing more prospective employees to the question, ‘Can I work hybrid or remote?’ And so that genie is not going back into the bottle,” Tutterow said.

He noted that the strong U.S. dollar serves to benefit those who are importing goods and is a challenge for those who export goods, including farmers.

Tutterow discussed electoral politics and noted that recent declines in the number of children born in the U.S. and migration within the country from state to state could be key factors in the outcome of the 2024 presidential and congressional elections.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the 2020 national birth rate, at just over 60 births per 1,000 women aged 15-44, is at its lowest point since 1920, while the number of births has been relatively flat since the mid-1980s.

The 2023 data from the Tax Foundation showed that six of the 10 states with the largest growth are in the South. Georgia, which grew by 0.5%, ranked 13th. South Carolina had the largest percentage growth at 1.6%. New York had the largest percentage of people to leave the state at 1.1% and the next-largest percentage is California at 0.9%.

Tutterow showed two projected electoral maps from Sabato’s Crystal Ball from the University of Virginia Center for Politics. The projection map from before the Republican National Convention showed Georgia and its 16 electoral votes as a toss-up. Democrat Kamala Harris was projected with 260 electoral votes (270 are needed to win) and Republican Donald Trump was projected with 235. The map from after the RNC showed Georgia leaning Republican. The afterconvention map showed five states – Arizona (11 electoral votes), Nevada (6), Wisconsin (10), Michigan (15) and Pennsylvania (19) – as toss-ups. That map forecast 251 votes for Republican Donald Trump and 226 for Democrat Kamala Harris.

Tutterow declined to say who would win the presidency or the House of Representatives. He said his guess was the Senate would flip to Republican control.

“With that in the background, I ask you to support the Farm Bureau here in the state of Georgia,” Tutterow said “I ask you to spend time with Tom, learn about candidates at the state, local, and federal level that understand the importance that agricultural plays and has always played in the American economy, and support those candidates who embrace the power of entrepreneurial spirit.”

ARE YOU COMPLIANT WITH CORPORATE TRANSPARENCY ACT?

NOTE: This article does not constitute legal advice. For guidance on complying with the Corporate Transparency Act, consult with an attorney or your accountant.

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) of 2021 requires businesses to file a Benefical Ownership Interest Report (BOIR) detailing who owns the business and who holds major decisionmaking authority over it.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is implementing the law that went into effect Jan. 1, 2024 Businesses in existence at that time must file their BOIR by Dec. 31.

Businesses formed during 2024 have 90 calendar days after their formation to file a BOIR. Companies formed after Jan. 1, 2025, must file the report within 30 days of being formed.

“They want to know who owns all of these small businesses across the country,” said National Ag Law Center Senior Staff Attorney Rusty Rumley, who spoke at the Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Conference Aug. 8. “The stated purpose is to look for tax evasion and money laundering.”

The potential penalties for failing to file the report are $500 for each day not in compliance, with a maximum of $10,000, and up to two years in prison.

The law requires any business that is incorporated – limited liability companies (LLCs), limited liability partnerships (LLPs), limited partnerships (LPs) and other businesses formed through a state office in which a business is incorporated such as the Georgia Secretary of State – to file a BOIR with FinCEN.

The BOIR includes identifying information about the business and personal identifying details of all “beneficial owners.” Beneficial owners are individuals who own or control at least 25% of the reporting company, or anyone who exercises substantial control over the reporting company, like a president, CEO, CFO or general counsel.

“Any farm that has an LLC, which quite a few of them do, or an S-corporation, you're going to have to register your business with the federal Department of Treasury,” Rumley said.

Businesses already under extensive regulatory requirements that qualify as a “large operating company” are exempt from having to file a BOIR, but many farms or ag businesses may not qualify.

FinCEN defines a “large operating company” as one that meets all of the following criteria: has more than 20 full time employees in the U.S.; physically operates in the U.S.; filed a federal income tax return or information return in the U. S. for the previous year; reported $5 million in gross receipts or sales on IRS Form 1120, consolidated IRS Form 1120, IRS Form 1120-S, IRS Form 1065, or other applicable IRS form; and the entity’s amount of gross receipts or sales remains greater than $5 million if its gross receipts or sales from sources outside the U.S., as determined under federal income tax principle, are excluded.

An ag business would qualify for an exemption if it is a subsidiary of an exempt large operating company.

According to the Center for Agricultural Law & Taxation at Iowa State University, the BOIR -continued on next page

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Continued from previous page requires the business’ name, complete address and a Taxpayer Identification Number. It also requires beneficial owners’ full legal names, birth dates, current residential addresses and an i d number from a current driver’s license, passport or other approved document.

Rumley said that if a company or a beneficial owner changes its name or address or other required information, or the beneficial ownership changes, the new information must be reported.

“If the information on your driver's license changes or the ownership percentages at your company change so that somebody gets more than 25%, you've got to amend that report,” Rumley said, offering some examples where this scenario might come up. “So, you move to a different house, and you get a new driver's license, you’ve got to update this. You get married and your last name changes. You get a new driver's license; you’ve got to change this. The older generation passes away, and now the kids or grandkids are stepping in, taking up the reins.”

The CTA was ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama in March. However, the ruling only applies to the plaintiffs in the case National Small Business Association (NSBA) United vs. Yellen. These included businesses that were NSBA members as of March 1 and co-plaintiff Isaac Winkles, according to information from the National Agricultural Law Center (NALC). The federal government has appealed the ruling.

U.S. Reps. Zach Nunn (R-IA) has introduced the Protect Small Businesses from Excessive Paperwork Act (H.R. 9278), which would delay the CTA’s reporting requirements by one year. The bill is backed by Reps. French Hill (R-of Ark.), Sharice Davids (D-KS) and Yadira Caraveo (D- CO). Similar legislation is on hold in the Senate.

For the NALC’s review of the law, click here

For the Iowa State University review of the law, click here.

For FinCEN’s guide to the BOIR or to file a BOIR, click here.

https://nationalaglawcenter.org/who-owns-the-business-corporate-transparency-act-andforeign-entity-disclosures/

https://www.calt.iastate.edu/blogpost/small-entities-must-file-new-beneficial-ownershipinformation-reports-2024

https://www.fincen.gov/boi

REG WILBANKS RECEIVES 2024 GFB COMMODITY AWARD

Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) presented Reg Wilbanks its 2024 GFB Commodity Award during the annual GFB Commodity Conference held Aug. 8 at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center.

Wilbanks, a fourth-generation beekeeper, served as president of Wilbanks Apiaries in Claxton, Ga., for 44 years before retiring. He held leadership roles in numerous Georgia and national beekeeping organizations, advocating for research and policy to protect honeybees from harmful pests and diseases. Wilbanks collaborated with state legislators in the 1970s to have the honeybee designated Georgia’s official state insect.

The GFB Commodity Award, one of the organization’s highest honors, is given to individuals -continued on next page

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Continued from previous page who have supported and promoted Georgia agriculture. The GFB Board of Directors selects the award recipient from nominees submitted by the organization’s commodity advisory committees. The GFB Honeybee Committee nominated Wilbanks for the award.

“Honeybees play a vital role in agriculture by pollinating the fruit, vegetables, pecans and many other crops grown in our state. Reg has spent his life not only keeping bees that were shipped across the country to pollinate crops but also serving as an advocate for his industry,” GFB President Tom McCall said. “Reg has probably done more for the honeybee industry than anyone.”

According to the USDA, more than 2.5 million pounds of honey were produced in Georgia in 2023. Honey and honeybees had a farm gate value (FGV) of over $78 million in 2022 according to the UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. A recent UGA CAES study shows the 2021 FGV of Georgia crops that depend on pollination was $4.4 billion.

A native of Claxton, Wilbanks is a 1972 graduate of Georgia Southern University. After graduating from GSU, he returned home to work at Wilbanks Apiaries, started by his father, Warren, and grandfather, Guy, who was given four beehives by his father as a wedding present The Wilbanks transformed the queen and package bee business, creating an innovative winterfeeding system still widely used by beekeepers.

The Wilbanks’ operation flourished under Reg’s leadership reaching a peak of more than 7,000 bee colonies and supplying 60,000 queens and 20,000 package bees to farms across the U.S. growing crops that depend on pollination.

“I would like to thank Georgia Farm Bureau for this prestigious award, and I’d like to thank Farm Bureau for the work they’ve done representing farmers in Atlanta and D.C.,” Wilbanks said.

Reg’s two sons are continuing the family’s beekeeping legacy. Patrick owns and operates Wilbanks Apiaries in Claxton. Tim owns and operates Heritage Honeybee in Sullivan, Wis.

Wilbanks is a past president of the Georgia Beekeepers Association, the American Bee Breeders Association and the American Beekeeping Federation. He served on the National Honey Board for six years.

During his career, Wilbanks served on numerous research advisory committees. In 1988, then U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Richard Lyng appointed Wilbanks to serve on a USDA committee focused on controlling the Varroa mite, which has devastated bee populations worldwide. He chaired the research advisory committee for the USDA Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in Tucson, Ariz. He also chaired the UGA CAES Research Advisory Council and championed the establishment of a new UGA beekeeping lab.

As a longtime Farm Bureau member, Wilbanks chaired the GFB Honeybee Committee for many years and served on the American Farm Bureau Honeybee Committee. He is a past president of the Evans County Farm Bureau.

Reg resides in Pearson, where his wife, Dr. Melissa Wilbanks, is the Atkinson County school superintendent.

TROPICAL STORM DEBBY DELUGES GEORGIA FARMS, WIPES OUT ROADS

More than a week after Tropical Storm (TS) Debby crawled across Southeast Georgia Aug. 5-6, farmers and rural residents in her path are still evaluating crop damage and dealing with washed out roads the storm left in her wake. TS Debby traveled a route very similar to the one Hurricane Idalia took last year crossing the Florida line near Valdosta and moving north through counties including but not limited to Thomas, Brooks, Lowndes, Echols, Lanier, Clinch, Berrien, Irwin, Ware, Bacon, Pierce, Appling, Toombs, Evans, Tattnall, Bulloch, Effingham and Screven counties to the South Carolina line and across to the Georgia coast.

Rainfall between 5-10 inches fell from Valdosta to Vidalia to Statesboro and points to the east, Georgia Emergency Management Agency Meteorologist Will Lanxton reported Aug. 6. By the morning of Aug. 7, Lanxton reported that 8 to 12 inches of rainfall had accumulated across SouthCentral, Southeast, and East-Central Georgia. Parts of Effingham, Screven and Bulloch counties received over a foot of rain from Debby. These rainfall totals align with a 100-year flood recurrence interval, Lanxton reported.

“This week has been tough. Tropical Storm Debby has been a significant issue for Southeast Georgia. Keep our farm families in your prayers,” Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler Harper said while speaking at the Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Conference in Tifton, Aug. 8. “If you’re in the impacted zone, the most important thing is to document, document, document any damage your crops or farm suffered. We’re hearing reports that Georgia’s tobacco crop has been destroyed for all practical purposes. We’ve heard reports of some peanut and cotton fields having been flooded, which could lead to disease pressure that affect yields on down the line. We had some poultry houses that were flooded, and chickens were lost. We’re working to assess damage and collect data to see where we’re at to work on getting disaster assistance.”

Debby was more of a rain event than a wind event, UGA Weather Network Director & Agricultural Climatologist Pam Knox said.

“The highest gusts in Georgia were in the range of 55-60 mph, mostly in Southeastern Georgia or near the coast,” Knox said. “This means it was not as strong a wind event as Hurricane Michael in 2018, the peak gust in Georgia from that storm was 115 mph. TS Alberto in 1994 had a maximum rain amount of over 27 inches, so we were not very close to that either.”

Report damage to your USDA Service Center

Farmers who suffered losses from Tropical Storm Debby and whose crops are covered for the crop year by the Federal Crop Insurance Program or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) are reminded to report crop damage to their crop insurance agent or local FSA office. Producers are encouraged to report damage within 72 hours of discovering the damage and follow up in writing within 15 days.

Producers must keep accurate records to document damage or loss and to report losses to their local USDA Service Center as soon as possible. After a storm, always take photos of your damage and crop loss to turn into USDA.

Due to federal law, producers should not perform any cleanup efforts until your local FSA/USDA service center has completed an evaluation UNLESS there is an immediate threat to -continued on next page

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human life. Failure to comply could jeopardize a producer's payment eligibility. Disaster programs for producers offered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) include:

• The Tree Assistance Program provides cost-share assistance to rehabilitate or replant orchards and vineyards when storms kill or damage trees, vines, or bushes. NAP or Federal Crop Insurance often only covers the crop, not the plant.

• The Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program can assist landowners and forest stewards with financial and technical assistance to restore damaged farmland or forests.

• Visit https://gfb.ag/usdadisasterprogramsinfo for more info on USDA disaster programs. Tobacco crop shows immediate damage

TS Debby couldn’t have come at a worse time for Georgia tobacco producers as they had finished growing their crop and were only starting to harvest it. UGA Extension Tobacco Agronomist J. Michael Moore estimates only 15% of Georgia’s crop had been harvested Aug. 5, when the storm arrived in Georgia.

Tobacco growers harvest their crop in phases starting at the bottom of the stalk near the ground.

“This is the lowest quality [of the crop] and brings the lowest price,” Moore said. “However, this may be some of the best that some growers have to sell from their crop this year.”

Pierce County tobacco grower Daniel Johnson estimates he had harvested about 15% of his 540acre tobacco crop when TS Debby blew in Aug. 5, bringing 8.5 inches of rain to his farm. As of Aug. 13, Johnson estimates Debby cost him 290 acres of his total crop or about 54%.

“I’ve had losses before but not to this extent. “It’s bad. We’re expecting catastrophic loss,” Johnson said. “We had 73 barns picked but still had about 300 barns worth of tobacco in the field.”

If there are any good spots of tobacco left in the fields, Johnson said he’ll pick those and harrow under what goes bad.

Moore says tobacco damage was sustained from the excess rain and wind damage.

“Leaves that are whipped by the wind for long periods of time are bruised and release natural ethylene which accelerates the yellowing process,” Moore explained. “This is faster in plants that are nearing maturity and whose root system is killed by oxygen deficiency from drowning.”

Moore said previous thunderstorms the weekend before Debby in parts of Georgia’s tobacco belt caused saturated soils. Debby’s winds blew over some tobacco stalks, breaking roots that support the leaves on the upper parts of the plants.

The amount of rain Georgia tobacco growers got from Debby ranged from 2 inches in the Thomas/Brooks County area, to six to 12 inches with lower amounts as the storm moved east of Echols to Appling and Wayne County, Moore said. Rainfall seemed to be the heaviest as Debby moved north towards Evans, Bulloch and Screven counties.

Screven County grower Brant Clifton received 12 inches from Aug. 5 through the night of Aug. 6 after having received two inches Aug. 3.

“I had an excellent crop before the storm came through, probably as good a crop as I’ve ever -continued on next page

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Continued from previous page had,” Clifton said. “At this point we’ve done everything you’re supposed to do to grow a good crop. The only thing left to do was to harvest it. There’s nothing we can do now to make this better. If this had happened around Memorial Day, there may have been some things we could have done to salvage the crop.”

Clifton couldn’t get back in his fields to start harvesting his crop until Aug. 13 because the dirt road his farm is on had several deep washouts.

“I was waiting to get dirt to rebuild the road so we could get our equipment into the fields,” Clifton said.

Clifton estimates he’s lost 40 to 50% of his crop – “That’s what Debby drowned,” he said. “The other 60% that didn’t drown, I don’t know how good the quality will be when or if we can harvest it.”

Clifton grew up on a tobacco farm and took over the family operation from his dad in 1999. He says this is the worst storm he remembers, since he’s been farming on his own.

“We grow our tobacco on high land. We try to plant it on land where water won’t stand, but I never dreamed we’d get 14 inches of rain at one time,” Clifton said.

The only storm that comes close for him, Clifton said, was Tropical Storm Bonnie that hit his farm Memorial Day 2016 leaving behind 7 inches of rain.

“I have never seen as much damage to the flue cured tobacco crop as a whole as this hurricane has caused,” Moore said.

For tobacco companies, the bad news is Debby hit growers from Newberry, Fla., through the Carolinas to Danville, Va.

“The crazy thing is, believe it or not, there’s a shortage of tobacco worldwide because Brazil and Zimbabwe had bad crop years,” Johnson said.

Cotton & Peanut damage still being evaluated

UGA Extension Cotton Agronomist Camp Hand said much of the damage to the state’s cotton crop may not be realized for some time, in part because field access is limited due to flooding and excess soil moisture.

“There were certainly direct impacts with lots of rain, some wind, and overcast conditions but my major concern are the more indirect losses that we’ll see from road access being limited following the storm,” Hand said. “This will hinder timely crop protectant applications, and depending on how long it takes to clean everything up, could affect timely harvest.”

In Evans County, Gary Bell says he expects to have some yield loss on his cotton and peanut crops, but the crops look better at this point than he expected.

“Wet soil is keeping us out of the field, but hopefully we can get back in to spray fungicides and insecticides by the end of the week,” Bell said Aug. 13.

In Screven Co, Lindy Sheppard says between 12 to 15 inches of rain fell on different parts of his farm.

“We’ve got drowned cotton and peanuts, but we really don’t know what the damage is going to -continued on next page

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be because we’ve never had this much rain before, and I’ve been farming all my life,” said Sheppard, 63. “I’ve never seen this much rain in this short of time. I don’t know the long-term effect on yields due to disease pressure. We had a pretty good crop before Debby hit.”

On Aug. 13, Sheppard said his fields were just drying out enough to let him get back in to evaluate the situation.

“With cotton I’m concerned about boll loss and fruit loss. I’ve probably got 5-10% of my cotton crop still standing in water,” Sheppard said.

Sheppard describes most of his fields as having “pretty heavy dirt,” but he says he’s had fertilizer leach out in places he’s never seen that happen before.

He estimates between 5-10 acres of his 200 acres of peanuts were washed away. The storm left a deep washout in his field that looks like a miniature canyon.

“More than just the loss of the peanuts, the washes make it inconvenient to get into the field and spray to prevent the crop from getting white mold from all the rain,” Sheppard said.

Sheppard, who also raises cattle, had to deal with large oak trees falling on his fences. Even worse, he’s seen the army worm population in his pastures explode since the storm.

“They’re also in some of my peanut fields,” Sheppard said. “I’ve never seen that before.”

Debby dumped 10 to 12 inches of rain on David Morgan’s Ware County cotton and peanut farm.

While he says it’s too early to know the full extent of damage to either crop, Morgan says he’s seeing signs of damage.

“In places we have some drowned cotton and, in some places, in our older cotton, we have stalks blown over or lodged [twisted] Having twisted stalks makes it hard to harvest the crop,” Morgan said. “I just hope our crops are not eat up with disease in the next 10 days. That’s why we’re spraying fungicides, trying to prevent that.”

Morgan said cotton fields he has on the west side of Ware County seem to have more wind damage than those he has in the east side of the county, but he got more rain on his fields on the east side.

Morgan is also seeing his cotton shed fruit and some of his cotton stalks are starting to turn red and the leaves turn purple.

“This is because the cotton plants have gotten too much water and have a lack of oxygen,” Morgan explained.

He’s concerned the excess rain leached fertilizer and nutrients from his fields, so Morgan is starting to apply foliar fertilizer and fungicides to help his cotton and peanuts fight the threat of diseases.

Farming his 17th crop, Morgan says he had a similar experience in 2017 when Tropical Storm Irma hit in September, but then, his crop was further along.

Visit https://gfb.ag/peanutpodcast224 to hear members of the UGA Extension Peanut Team discuss disease issues like white mold and leaf spot that Georgia peanut growers may experience -continued on next page

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Continued from previous page after Debby deluged fields in Southeast Georgia. Look for Season 2, Episode 24 recorded Aug. 9.

“We’re moving into the time of the year when we start to see disease developing in peanuts anyway. You can’t stop all disease but there are things we can do.

Monfort says timeliness of fungicide applications is important. If the storm has left your peanut fields saturated, and you think you need to spray don’t wait until you can get equipment back into field try to get an airplane to spray fungicide.

“With the tropical storm that came through, West Georgia and Central Georgia in Tifton, we got about 2 inches, which is plenty if we want to see a white mold outbreak,” UGA Extension Pathologist Bob Kemerait said. “Temperatures are climbing back up into the 90s, which is absolutely perfect for white mold. I’m getting a lot of pictures from agents & consultants showing white mold active in the field.”

Water, water everywhere

Evans Co. farmer Gary Bell called TS Debby “a once- in-a-lifetime” event. Bell, who grows pecans, pine seedlings, peanuts, cotton and cattle estimates he received 14-16 inches of rain Aug. 5 and 6. From then to Aug. 13, Bell said flooded spots on his farm went from being covered with as much as two feet of water to only four-five inches.

“It’s drying off in a hurry now the temperatures have climbed back into the 90s, but we still have water hanging around in low spots,” Bell said. “We only have two to three bad spots in our cotton and grazing pasture. I’d estimate about five acres still under water on our whole farm.”

Bell also has a low spot on his driveway that goes from the highway that runs through his farm to his house. Right after Debby passed through, Bell had about four feet of standing water in this low spot where water runoff collects from the highway and surrounding 75 acres of pasture and a pecan orchard.

Despite having drain tiles installed in the low spot and running a pump, there were still eight to 10 inches of water in this section of his driveway a week after the storm.

“I’ve never known this spot to be more than two feet deep with water,” Bell said. “We were blessed that the water didn’t come in our house. We have a lot of neighbors who had water come in their houses two-three feet deep.”

He’s already been able to pull dirt through the alleys between his raised pine seedling beds to build back up any dirt that washed away.

“Our pine seedlings faired good with very little damage. We may have lost about 10% of our seedlings growing on the edge of the beds,” Bell said.

Gary and his brother, Danny, have about 34 acres of seedlings.

“It’s something we’ve never experienced before, this much rain. Hopefully it will dry out and we’ll recover. You’ve got to be positive.”

Pecans

The soils across much of South Georgia were already saturated because of rains prior to Debby’s arrival. According to UGA Extension Area Pecan Agent Andrew Sawyer, Waycross and Blackshear had 10 inches of rain before the hurricane. Sawyer said some orchards may have lost -continued on next page

Field Notes page 14 of 29

Continued from previous page at much as 10% of the nuts from the trees. There was some random tree loss.

“They are affected by wet, flooded soils,” Sawyer said. “One tells me they will be back in the orchard this week.”

UGA Extension Pecan Agronomist Lenny Wells echoed concerns about excessive water.

“One problem in those areas where flooding occurred is that many of the nuts blown off the trees were carried away by flood waters, making it a little harder to assess,” Wells said, noting that pecans can handle short-term flooding like that in the short term, but the timing of the storm, coinciding with a key point in the pecans’ development, could result in residual effects in next year’s crop. “I don’t know that I’ve ever seen flooding like this on them at this time of year.”

Wells said early-maturing Pawnee variety pecans seem to have been hardest-hit in terms of nut loss, with some orchards losing as much as 20%, according to an Aug. 12 blog post on the Extension Pecan page, where he noted that reduced crop quality could result from storm winds.

The Bell Brothers in Evans County have about 150 acres of pecans. Gary estimates they had 10 pecan trees fall over due to a combination of strong wind and saturated soil. Six of the trees were more than 80 years old, and four were 15-20 years old.

Debby latest adverse weather in ’24 growing season

Like many farmers in parts of Southeast Georgia, Debby isn’t the first adverse weather Johnson has dealt with this year, but she may be the final straw.

Daniel Johnson got a lot of rain in April and May during his planting season that caused him to have to replant 120 acres of peanuts due to flooding in early May.

Although Johnson has crop insurance, he says, “The question is will it be enough to pay my debt? We’re just hoping for the best.”

“We never had to replant tobacco, but we had to refertilize every acre to get the crop to come on,” Johnson said.

Then it turned dry in June on his farm and didn’t rain until July 19, making it necessary for Johnson to replant about 150 acres of cotton due to June’s dry weather.

Since then, Johnson estimates he received 19 inches before Debby arrived.

For Lindy Sheppard, the storm is making a financially tight year harder.

“We were already looking at a bleak year financially because of higher input costs for everything – fertilizer, fuel, equipment, equipment repairs – and lower commodity prices,” Sheppard said.

David Morgan had to replant peanuts because of too much rain in May.

In addition to having one of the most weather adverse growing seasons, farmers are also contending with an economic storm caused by high production costs and low commodity prices.

“We were already in a storm no one understands,” Georgia Peanut Commission Executive Director Don Koehler said. “I had one banker tell me this may cause him to lose half of their farmers because of the carry forward debt farmers already have.”

OSSOFF, BISHOP INTRODUCE BILL TO PROTECT FAMILY FARMS

On Aug. 6, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff and Rep. Sanford Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) introduced the Protecting Our Produce Act to boost resources and support for Georgia specialty crop growers facing unfairly priced imports.

“Georgia family farms are getting buried by unfair crop imports from South and Central America,” Ossoff said. “That’s why we are introducing this bill to ensure Georgia’s family farms and rural communities can thrive.”

The bill would establish a five-year pilot program to provide support for certain specialty crop producers blueberries, squash, bell pepper, cucumber, or asparagus when a crop’s national average market price (effective price) falls below its five-year average price (reference price), if the difference is caused by imports.

The bill, which can be read here, would provide recovery payments to producers of seasonal and perishable crops who experience low prices caused by imports.

“Georgia’s farmers thrive when there is fair competition and Congress can do its part to protect them from unfairly priced imports,” said Congressman Bishop. “Not only is this bill important for the financial stability and security of our nation’s farmers, but also to help protect our supply chain and ensure Americans can get affordable, healthy food closer to home.”

In May, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai and the USDA USDA established a Seasonal and Perishable Agricultural Products Advisory Committee to help ensure Georgia farmers are at the table to address unfair trade practices by Mexican importers.

“Georgia’s fruit and vegetable farmers continue to face an un level playing field from rising levels of imported produce. This has resulted in our nation’s first agricultural trade deficit and will ultimately increase our reliance on other countries for fresh, healthy produce. This program can be a game changer for our growers helping level the playing field and ensuring a sustainable future for farmers while providing greater access to healthy foods for all,” said Chris Butts, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) Executive Vice President.

FVSU BREAKS GROUND ON VEGETABLE COLD STORAGE FACILITY

On July 18, Fort Valley State University broke ground for construction of a new vegetable cold storage facility on its campus in Peach County.

According to FVSU Extension Director Dr. Mark Latimore, the facility will be the first of its kind in Georgia and will offer processing and short-term storage services to farmers. Latimore said the university is considering a fee-based revenue structure to cover the cost of services, similar to what the school already does with its meat processing facility.

“What this would do also is provide opportunities for the small farmers to sell to farm to school programs and restaurants in Atlanta,” Latimore said. “It would be a good opportunity because they provide a value-added product.”

The project was funded through a $1.6 million 1890 Facilities Grant through the USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The facility is expected to open in fall 2025, -continued on next page

Field Notes page 16 of 29

Continued from previous page though Latimore said it could be ready by late summer.

The facility will have three coolers, one of which could be operated as a freezer. Farmers would bring their crops from the field, and the facility will clean, package and label the products, then store them until the farmer can return to pick them up within a few days. The facility would also serve the school’s on-campus produce operation.

Latimore said the school is encouraging farmers to use the USDA’s Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) program while producing their crops, noting that restaurants and grocery stores ask for GAP certification.

Latimore said FVSU is considering the acquisition of refrigerated transportation, which would expand the area the facility could serve.

The July 18 groundbreaking ceremony featured U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, State Rep. Robert Dickey, Fort Valley Mayor Jeffery Lundy, and other city, county and state officials, local farmers and community members took part in the ceremony.

GACD NAMES 2024 AWARD RECIPIENTS

On Aug. 6, the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts held its annual Hall of Fame Banquet to honor and award those individuals who have gone above and beyond to further conservation efforts for our state. The awards are Superior Professional Support, District of the Year, Supervisor of the Year, Urban Conservationist of the Year and Conservationist of the Year. Scholarship recipients and special recognitions were also honored.

Jackson named Conservationist of the Year

Jon Jackson of Baldwin County is the recipient of GACD’s 2024 Conservationist of the Year award. After completing six deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, Jackson exited the military and was faced with many difficulties as he felt he had lost his sense of purpose. He regained purpose when he founded Comfort Farms.

Comfort Farms utilizes several practices around the farm that give farm workers and the community a better understanding of conservation. Practices implemented include irrigation, wells, cover crops, hoop houses, terraces and heavy fencing. Jackson was also named 2024 Friend of Conservationist by the National Association of Conservation Districts and is a Soil Health Champion. He was nominated for this award by the Piedmont Conservation District.

Kellogg named Urban Conservationist of the Year

The recipient of GACD’s 2024 Urban Conservationist of the Year award is Chy Kellogg.

This award recognizes urban conservationists for their exemplary work and strong commitment to soil and water conservation through their land stewardship, outreach, community interactions, and education in urban areas of Georgia.

Kellogg has been instrumental in providing environmental education to Georgia’s youth since 2016 where she exposes inner city students to sustainable agriculture. Through a partnership with NRCS, she is working to build relationships between local urban growers in Cobb County and -continued on next page

Field Notes page 17 of 29

Continued from previous page NRCS, and to provide more urban agriculture focused lessons and farm tours for the community and schools. She was nominated for this award by the Cobb County Conservation District and the Marietta NRCS office.

Johnson named Supervisor of the Year

In appreciation of District Supervisors’ commitment to the protection of Georgia’s natural resources, GACD presents a Supervisor of the Year award annually at Annual Meeting. The award recognizes exemplary achievements, leadership, and service to GACD, NACD, and local communities. This year, Dewey Johnson, District Supervisor representing Jackson County for the Oconee River Conservation District, is the 2024 Supervisor of the Year. Following in the footsteps of his father, Jimmy Johnson, Dewey has been an elected district supervisor representing Jackson County since 2009 where he currently serves as chair. As a former agriculture teacher, he is an active supporter of local schools and agriculture programs.

He maintains relationships with local teachers and promotes conservation education through events including a multi-county tree identification contest, recruiting students for the Natural Resources Conservation Workshop and the conservation themed poster contest. In addition, as a leading contributor of artifacts and information, Johnson has been valuable in the development and success of the Jackson County Agricultural Facility. On his farm, he furthers his conservation efforts by taking part in various USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service programs where he has applied and maintained cover crops, critical area plantings, herbaceous weed treatment, intensive rotational grazing, mulching, and nutrient management.

Minick honored for superior professional support

The 2024 GACD Superior Professional Support recipient is Lisa Minick with the Barnesville NRCS office.

Each year, GACD presents this award to an individual recognized as providing superior support to soil and water conservation districts in Georgia. Minick provides support to the Lamar County and Towaliga conservation districts. She is instrumental in organizing the Lamar County Conservation District’s beef cattle workshops where local farmers learn about pasture management, USDA- Natural Resources Conservation Service programs, and the promotion of healthy soil and water practices.

In addition, she maintains a quarterly newsletter for the Lamar County Conservation District, Lisa also provides review of erosion and sediment control plans on behalf of the Lamar County Conservation District and keeps the District Supervisors informed of the reviews and provides administrative support as needed.

The GACD’s also recognized its scholarship recipients. Mason Sorrow of Newton County received the GACD Scholarship, and Breyanna Williams of Clarke County received the Georgia Conservation District Scholarship at the Natural Resources Conservation Workshop.

Turner inducted into GACD Hall of Fame

Sonny Turner was inducted into the GACD Hall of Fame on Aug. 6. The GACD Hall of Fame preserves the history of the conservation movement in Georgia by recognizing individuals who -continued on next page

Field Notes page 18 of 29

Continued from previous page have made extraordinary contributions to soil and water conservation.

Sonny Turner has been a district supervisor representing Walton County for the Walton County Conservation District for 14 years. He currently serves as a GACD Board Member serving as the Group 2 alternate vice president and was awarded GACD Supervisor of the Year in 2023 for his leadership efforts throughout his region.

Turner grew up in Greene County, helping his parents on their family dairy farm. As a young man, he became interested in resource conservation after attending Georgia's first ever Natural Resources Conservation Workshop in 1962.

Sonny received a degree from the University of Georgia in Agricultural Education with a minor in Agricultural Engineering. After teaching Agriculture Education for three years at Monroe Area High School he began a career at Walton EMC but continued his involvement in local agriculture as a 4-H volunteer and President of the FFA Alumni Association.

Walton County named District of the Year

The District of the Year award was established by GACD and the Tennessee Valley Authority in 2001 to recognize the conservation district in Georgia which best plans, implements, and reports a conservation program each year. The Walton County Conservation District is the 2024 District of the Year. The Walton County Conservation District has been a consistent leader in the community by actively promoting conservation to local producers and students. Over the past year, the district has hosted an urban agriculture educational event to educate landowners about soil health and plant care and spoke to local schools about invasive species and tractor safety. They provide further support to schools by awarding the Julian E. Brown Conservation Scholarship and supporting FFA Chapters. In addition, they are passionate advocates of the Natural Resources Conservation Workshop and look forward to recruiting students to attend. The Walton County District supports their local Matthews Park by hosting a park cleanup, honors a Conservationist of the Year annually, and is actively involved in GACD events and advocacy opportunities. They also participate in GACD’s Feral Swine Control program and offer trapping services to landowners throughout the county.

GACD Elects 2024 Leadership

On Aug. 6, the GACD announced its 2024 executive committee elected at the organization’s annual meeting. The GACD officers are: President (re-elected) Jake Ford, Alapaha Conservation District, Berrien County; Vice President (re-elected) Brian Ponder, Middle South Georgia Conservation District, Tift County; Vice President (re-elected) Ellis Lamme, Gwinnett County Conservation District; Secretary (re-elected) Jim Waters, Satilla River Conservation District, Pierce County; Treasurer (re-elected) Tabatha Wooten, Altamaha Conservation District, Jeff Davis County; NACD Representative Jimmy Bramblett, Lower Chattahoochee River Conservation District, Stewart County; Immediate Past President (re-elected) Mark Masters, Lower Chattahoochee River Conservation District, Terrell County.

2023 GEORGIA QUALITY COTTON AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

The 2023 Georgia Quality Cotton Awards were presented at the 2024 Georgia Cotton Commission Mid-Year Meeting on July 24. The awards are co-sponsored by the Georgia Cotton Commission and Bayer Crop Science/Deltapine and administered by the University of Georgia (UGA) Cotton Team. Yangxuan Liu from the UGA Cotton Team conducted the analysis and presented the awards at the event in Statesboro.

The purpose of the awards is to recognize producers and ginners of high-quality cotton fiber and to identify their general management practices for the benefit of other growers. The producers and their gins received a plaque, and the winning producers received a $500 cash award. The UGA County Extension agent for each winner was also recognized as they work closely with the farmers during the growing season.

The awards are given in each of these three cotton acreage categories: 1) less than 500 acres, 2) 500 to 1,000 acres, and 3) greater than 1,000 acres within the four regions of the state. Winners in these categories are determined by the loan value and premiums of their cotton. The winners’ excellent achievements are due largely to their management practices and expertise. The sponsors of this program congratulate the following winners:

Region 1

• Less than 500 acres: Grower – MGB Farms, Pulaski County; Ginner – Heart of Georgia Peanut & Gin, Hawkinsville; nominated by Jay Porter;

• 500-1000 acres: Grower – Melissa Cape Farms, Pulaski County; Ginner – Heart of Georgia Peanut & Gin, Hawkinsville; Nominated by Jay Porter;

• 1000+ acres: Grower – WB Cape Farms, Pulaski County; Ginner – Heart of Georgia Peanut & Gin, Hawkinsville; Nominated by – Jay Porter.

Region 2

• Less than 500 acres: Grower – Dickens Farms, Inc., Oconee County; Ginner – Bostwick Gin, Bostwick; Nominated by – Carsen Dean and Lucy Ray;

• 500-1000 acres: Grower – Bill Godowns, Jefferson County; Ginner – Farmer’s Gin and Storage, Wadley; Nominated by Pamela Sapp;

• 1000+ acres: Grower – Dean Johnson, Burke County; Ginner – Bryant’s Inc., Bartow; Nominated by Cliff Collins and Peyton Sapp.

Region 3

• Less than 500 acres: Grower – Tommy Kenny, TFK In. Farms, Lowndes County; Ginner – B.C.T. Gin Company, Inc., Quitman; Nominated by Joshua Dawson;

• 500-1000 acres: Grower – Lee and Cole Ballard Farms, Brooks County; Ginner – B.C.T. Gin Company, Inc., Quitman; Nominated by Will Brown;

• 1000+ acres: Grower – Johnson Farms, Cook County; Ginner – B.C.T. Gin Company, Inc., Quitman; Nominated by Tucker Price.

Region 4

• Less than 500 acres: Grower – Jonathan Hart, Thomas County; Ginner – Boston Gin, -continued on next page

Field Notes page 20 of 29

Continued from previous page Boston; Nominated by Sydni Ingram and Michasia Dowdy;

• 500-1000 acres: Grower – Patterson Farms, Worth County; Ginner – Worth Gin & Warehouse, Inc., Sylvester; Nominated by Scott Carlson

• 1000+ acres: Grower – M & G Farms, Worth County; Ginner – Worth Gin & Warehouse, Inc., Sylvester; Nominated by Scott Carlson.

The 2023 Best Cotton Award went to Oconee County’s Dickens Farm, Inc. with a loan value of 57.81 cents/lb and a premium of 5.81 cents/lb. The Best Cotton Award is presented to the Georgia cotton producer with highest loan value and premium.

AMADAS INDUSTRIES EXPANDS IN ALBANY

The Albany Dougherty Economic Development Commission has announced that AMADAS Industries, the world's leading manufacturer of advanced harvest systems for peanuts, is expanding its manufacturing facility in Albany, bringing three new product lines to Georgia. The company expects to invest $10 million in Dougherty County due to this expansion, including sixteen new manufacturing, service, and engineering jobs.

Through this expansion, AMADAS plans to produce all peanut diggers and lifters in the Dougherty County facility. Additional products planned to transition to Albany include stalk puller choppers and large peanut combine accessories. AMADAS is also expanding its service department in Albany to enhance its customer support. The additional manufacturing capacity is expected to reduce lead times on many fabricated parts.

“We are proud to be making this significant investment in our facility, our team, and our community in Southwest Georgia. We are committed to growth in the heart of peanut country to better serve the farmers and farm equipment dealers who are our valued customers. We have been a corporate citizen in Albany for 50 years, and we are excited to grow our operations and infrastructure here, thanks to the business-friendly economic development teams at the City of Albany and the State of Georgia,” said AMADAS Industries President Jimmy Adams.

The decision to expand in Dougherty County was driven by several factors, including the area's fertile agricultural landscape, skilled workforce, and supportive business environment. By increasing its presence, AMADAS aims to enhance its capacity to serve farmers and stakeholders across the United States, bolstering agricultural productivity and sustainability.

Georgia is also home to Kelley Manufacturing Co., which has been building peanuut harvesting equipment since 1966. The Tifton-based company is owned by a Georgia family and employes more than 210 employees year-round.

Field Notes page 21 of 29

GA HOUSE STUDY COMMITTEE ON NAVIGABLE WATERS

Aug. 15

The Georgia House Study Committee on Navigable Streams & Related Matters will hold its first meeting on Thurs., Aug. 15 at 9 a.m. in Room 606 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building in Atlanta. It’s important for farmers to make their voice heard on this pivotal issue. This committee, chaired by Rep. Lynn Smith (R-Newnan) will examine aspects of navigable streams in Georgia & issues surrounding their ownership, private & public rights of use & related matters. This committee was formed to hold further discussion regarding issues that arose from HB 1172 , which was passed this year and SB 115 last year. One of those issues is determining the criteria & methods used to determine which waterways are designated as navigable. If you can’t attend the meeting, you can watch it via livestream here. Other committee members include: Reps. James Burchett (R-Waycross), Johnny Chastain (R-Blue Ridge), John Corbett (R-Lake Park), Stan Gunter (R-Blairsville) & Al Williams (D-Midway). Jud Turner, a water attorney, will serve as the non-legislative member.

https://www.legis.ga.gov/schedule/house/AQIARgAAAxpEc5CqZhHNm8gAqgAvxFoJAGeQL C1kSDdIixjC7EHFmfIAAAJaYAAAANZQGGA2fqFiaHBHrewZqJ2eET4ABFxyjiQAAAAuA AADGkRzkKpmEc2byACqACGGA2fEWgMAZ5AsLWRIN0iLGMLsQcWZ8gAAAlpgAAA A

FERAL SWINE WORKSHOP AND TRAPPING DEMONSTRATION

Aug. 20 Burke County Office Park Auditorium, 715 W. 6th St. 5 p.m. Waynesboro

A group of agricultural and natural resource organizations are partnering to bring Georgia’s top experts on feral swine together in a series of educational workshops for farmers and landowners. A meal will be provided and topics will include disease issues, swine biology, economics, water quality issues, effective control techniques, transport issues, and regulations to be followed by a question-and-answer panel of experts. Each workshop will also include a feral swine trapping demonstration. There is no cost to attend, but space is limited and re-registration is required. More details and registration information are available at www.GACD.us/events.

GEORGIA AG LABOR RELATIONS FORUM

Aug. 20-21 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center Tifton

The Georgia Ag Labor Relations Forum offers a comprehensive two-day program of updates and discussions tailored for agricultural employers. About this event: This event brings together regulators and renowned experts from the ag labor industry. The forum's format and design encourage active engagement, enabling ag employers, HR managers, and administrators to collaboratively tackle the ongoing and dynamic challenge of securing and sustaining a reliable workforce within a complex regulatory landscape. Who should attend: Owners, operators, office managers, personnel managers and service providers for the produce, nursery, landscape, dairy, cotton, and any other agricultural professional dealing with agricultural labor relations. To register, click here.

GFB Field Notes page 22 of 29

SUSTAINING THE FARM THROUGH ESTATE PLANNING

Aug. 22 FVSU Ag Technology Conference Center 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Fort Valley University of Georgia Extension and Fort Valley State Extension are offering a free workshop, “Sustaining the family home and farm through estate planning,” on Aug. 22 to educate Georgia landowners on the benefits of creating an estate plan. Attendees should register by Aug. 15 here. Attorney Gracy Barksdale will provide an overview of estate planning, covering topics such as wills, power of attorney and health care directives. UGA Extension’s Amanda Smith will give a farm bill update. USDA Farm Service Agency representatives will discuss USDA cost-sharing programs, disaster assistance, loans and record-keeping. The Georgia Farmer’s Initiative for Training and Sustainability (GA-FITS) program is presenting the workshop. Contact Ida Jackson at (706) 678-2332 or ida.jackson@uga.edu with questions.

GREAT SOUTHEAST POLLINATOR CENSUS

Aug. 23-24

Residents across Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida will be counting all of the pollinators that they can find in their environment. Learn more about the different types of pollinators and how you can join in the count at https://GSePC.org

JOINT AG CHAIRMEN’S AG ISSUES SUMMIT

Aug. 16 RSVP required for free meal count

Aug. 27 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Perry The Ag Issues Summit, hosted by Georgia House Ag Committee Chairman Robert Dickey and Georgia Senate Ag Committee Chairman Russ Goodman, will take place in the Miller Murphy Howard Building at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter. The event will include discussions on issues relevant to agriculture and will provide insight from various leaders in the industry. Coffee and lunch will be provided to attendees at no charge. RSVP is required by Aug. 16. To RSVP, please send the full name, organization and telephone number for each attendee to Rachel Whitted at Rachel.Whitted@senate.ga.gov.

AFBF ANNOUNCES VETERAN FARMER AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

Aug. 30 deadline to apply

The Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence is a new recognition program launched by the American Farm Bureau Federation with support from Farm Credit. AFBF and Farm Credit will recognize one individual who has served or is currently serving in the U.S. military and is actively involved in agriculture and their community. Applicants will be evaluated based on excellence in farming and community impact. The award winner will receive $10,000 plus reimbursement of up to $5,000 in travel and other expenses incurred for the recipient and a guest to attend the American Farm Bureau Convention in San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 25-27. Veterans or service members may apply for the award online through Aug. 30. The application consists of both short-answer and essay questions covering two main focus areas: how the applicant has exhibited excellence in farming or agriculture, and how the applicant has impacted their community in a positive way. Applications for the award submitted on behalf of worthy recipients also will be considered; if chosen, however, the recipient must be willing to be acknowledged publicly. Farm Bureau membership is not required to apply for the award. The national award recipient will be recognized by AFBF in a variety of ways and should be willing to share his or her story and represent the veteran farmer community. The recipient of the 2024 AFBF Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence will be notified in mid-September. The award winner will be announced on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Complete details, including eligibility and requirements, are available online. Applications must be received by Aug. 30 for consideration.

ONION CROP INSURANCE

Aug. 31

deadline to enroll/renew

The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds Georgia onion growers that the final date to apply for crop insurance coverage for the 2025 crop year is Aug. 31. Current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing coverage also have until the Aug. 31 sales closing date to do so. Federal crop insurance is critical to the farm safety net. It helps producers and owners manage revenue risks and strengthens the rural economy. Coverage is available for fresh market sweet corn in Colquitt, Decatur, Grady, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Tift, and Worth counties. Coverage is also available for peppers 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 2025 crop year. 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. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at https://rma.usda.gov. The Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance Company contracts with three companies - Rain & Hail, Sompo, and Crop Risk Services to offer crop insurance. GFB has more than 70 experienced crop insurance agents (and growing) across the state to help their members protect their investment. Find your local agent and learn more at www.GFBInsurance.com or email crops@gfbinsurance.com for more details. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Field Notes page 24 of 29

REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGIES FOR BEEF CATTLE CONFERENCE

Sept. 4 &5

Classic Center Athens

The Beef Reproduction Task Force, a multi-disciplinary group formed by research and Extension faculty members from universities across the U.S. with a focus on beef cattle reproduction, management and reproductive technologies, is hosting this conference. Workshop topics will include: using reproductive technology to increase profitability, strategies to maximize production using natural service, cow herd nutrition: impact on subsequent fertility and offspring performance, implementing estrus synchronization plan for small & large herds, factors that influence pregnancy success in embryo transfer programs, impact of temperature & stress on reproductive efficiency, nutritional management of heifers. For more information or to register click here

(https://beefrepro.org/arsbc/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3NDhSuMdVmn3Uw8axCldJYS3k16znnJAIqAfLr9H94nWK1gnd8H54u9Q_aem_eLCAlV6Qu2zKw0X2-9Y5vg)

KEL-MAC SADDLE CLUB HORSE SHOWS

Sept. 7 & Oct. 5

Morgan Co. Ag Center Madison

These shows are open to equestrians of all ages and experience levels. Classes include hunter/jumper, western, gaited, trail obstacles, ranch riding, ranch reining, dressage on the rail, halter/showmanship, “small fry” and more. All shows begin at 9 a.m. - rain or shine. Show participants will enjoy an exciting jumping course and pattern changes, re-themed jumps and online registration/payment. Entry fee per class is $10 regular class and $12 for championship classes. Stall fees are $15 for club members & $20 nonmembers. All overnight stalls are $25. For more information about the shows, visit the KelMac Saddle Club Facebook page, or www.kelmac.com or call Arlene Williams at 706-431-8600. General admission is free and concession food and drinks will be available. The Morgan County Ag Center is located at 2380 Athens Hwy (441), north of Madison. These volunteer-run shows generate funds to benefit Kel-Mac’s equestrian related charities. The Kel-Mac Saddle Club has donated more than $167,500 back to Georgia’s Piedmont region during its 48 years including: the Georgia Equine Rescue League, ReDux Equine Rescue, Sweet Olive Rescue, the Barbara Cumming Scholarship, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Empty Stocking Fund, and the equestrian facilities of state & county parks such as A. H. Stephens, Hard Labor Creek, and Heritage Park.

GFB Field Notes page 25 of 29

GEORGIA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE PICNIC ON THE FARM

Sept. 14

Georgia Museum of Agriculture

1 p.m.-4 p.m. Tifton

Take a step back in time with the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture at ABAC's Georgia Museum of Agriculture in Tifton for its 2024 Picnic on the Farm. Each year this unique “pop-up” picnic event explores Georgia agriculture throughout the state at a different location. This year, the foundation is celebrating Georgia's agricultural history at the GMA! The picnic will feature Southern Fixins’ picnic baskets, an immersive art experience, live history actors, historical crafts demos, live music by Megan Fowler, family friendly activities, tours of the Historic Ag Village, a cash bar and Plein Air painters. Tickets are $50 for students ages 21 and under, $75 general admission and $150 for VIP admission. To buy tickets, click here

UGA HARDWOOD MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP

Sept. 17-18

Flinchum’s Phoenix, 650 Phoenix Rd. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Athens

This workshop will include a field tour at UGA's Whitehall Forest. The course will offer 10.5 hours of Continuing Forestry Education credits (Category 1), 10 hours of GA Master Timber Harvester Logger Education credits (category B), 2 hours Category 23 GA pesticide applicator credits, 1 hour category 10 pesticide applicator credits, and 10 hours Georgia Association of Realtors credits. The course will cost $280 for early registration and $330 for late registration after Sept. 3. Lunch is included both days and participants will receive copies of the presentations. For more information or to register, click here.

36TH ANNUAL GEORGIA PEANUT TOUR

Aug. 16 hotel room block rate deadline

Sept. 17-19 Various locations Americus

The tour offers the latest information on peanuts while giving a firsthand view of industry infrastructure from production and handling to processing and utilization. Tour stops will be made in several peanut-producing counties in South Georgia. Attendees can expect to see nearly every aspect of peanut production in the state. This year’s tour includes many exciting stops including on-farm harvest demonstrations and clinics, as well as research at the University of Georgia Southwest Georgia Research and Education Center and the USDA-ARS National Peanut Research Lab. For specific tour info or details, contact David West at 229-386-3475. Registration is $150. Visit www.georgiapeanuttour.com for more info. To register, click here

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NEWTON COUNTY RODEO

Sept. 20-21 T.M.

“Mort” Ewing Newton County Ag Center Covington

The Newton County Rodeo will feature bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling, calf roping, team roping, breakaway roping and bull riding. Gates open at 4 p.m. and the rodeo begins at 8 p.m. Only 2,000 tickets will be sold per night. Interested persons should recommend purchasing tickets online in case it sells out. Parking will be in a grass field. There will be signs and volunteers directing drivers to park. A limited amount of handicap parking is available. Be aware that areas around the arena are uneven. Patrons can also take advantage of the Behind the Chutes Tour, which begins at 6:30 p.m. and features an inside look at the daily life of the animal and human athletes competing in the rodeo. The Newton County Ag Center is located at 120 FFA FHA Camp Road in Covington. For more information, visit www.newtoncountyrodeo.com.

2024 TRI-STATE PEANUT DISEASE TOUR

Sept. 24-26 AL, GA, FLA

The 2024 Tri-State Peanut Disease Tour will be held Sept 24-26, beginning in Headland, Alabama on Sept. 24, moving into Florida on Sept. 25 and finishing in Tifton on Sept. 26. Lunch will be provided at the UGA Black Shank Pavilion on Sept. 26. There is no registration for the tour, but RSVP is requested for lunch on Sept 26. Specific times and maps are TBA. For more information, contact Albert Culbreath at spotwilt@uga.edu.

GEORGIA VET LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM

Sept. 30 Deadline to apply for 2025 cycle

The Georgia Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program (GVELRP) is open for applications for the 2025 cycle. through September 30th, 2024. Financial relief is available to veterinarians through the GVELRP, provided they commit to delivering veterinary services for a minimum of 20 hours per week, over at least one year, in designated rural counties facing shortages in food animal care across the state. Applicants must practice or intend to practice in Board-approved rural counties with populations of 35,000 or less to be considered for an award. A map of eligible rural counties can be found here. To qualify for this program, applicants must be a U.S. citizen or have lawful presence in the U.S., live in Georgia, be a practicing veterinarian or a veterinary student in the final year of study. This year, participants can receive awards of up to $20,000 per twelvemonth service period. Preference will be given to previous participants in GVELRP, provided they continue to demonstrate their commitment to practicing food animal veterinary medicine in the area of need they serve. Each participant must reapply after completing their initial contract, with a maximum total assistance cap of $80,000 per participant. Payment will be applied by the Georgia Student Finance Commission directly to the applicant's designated student loans. For detailed program information and to apply, please visit https://agr.georgia.gov/vet-education-loanrepayment-program. Inquiries about the program can be made to: statevetedboard@agr.georgia.gov or by calling GDA’s Policy office at 404-656-3656.

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GEORGIA FARM BUREAU HAY CONTEST

Oct. 31 deadline for entries

Georgia Farm Bureau members who grow any variety of dry Bermudagrass hay have until Oct. 31 to enter the organization’s 33rd Annual Quality Bermudagrass Hay Contest. The contest winner will receive the free use of a Vermeer mower-conditioner for one year. The winner will have the option to buy the equipment at a reduced price at the end of that year. This is the 26th year that Vermeer has sponsored GFB’s hay contest. Hay entered in the 2024 GFB Quality Bermudagrass Hay Contest will be tested at the UGA Feed & Environmental Water Lab using the Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) Test, which provides an analysis of the nutritional value of hay. Additional prizes will be awarded to the top five producers. Winners will be determined by the RFQ analysis and announced in December at the GFB Convention. Entry forms and complete contest rules may be picked up at your county Farm Bureau office or downloaded at www.gfb.ag/HayContest. You may also contact the GFB Public Policy Department at 1-800-342-1192 if you have any questions about the contest. Important rules to note include: Only hay grown in Georgia by a GFB member is eligible; hay samples must be taken from fields with a minimum maturity or regrowth of at least 25 days to ensure fair competition; hay must have been dried in the field and should not be artificially dried by fans or forced air in a barn; forage samples must be collected with a hay probe. Any samples with moisture above 18% or nitrates above 4500ppm will be disqualified. There is a $25 fee for each entry to cover the cost of the lab test. Producers may enter more than one sample. Checks should be made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau. Contest participants will receive a detailed copy of their hay analysis and may choose to have a free listing in the 2024/25 online GFB Hay Directory available at https://www.gfb.org/join/hay . Producers must be a GFB member to enter the contest or list hay for sale in the hay directory. The cost to list hay in the directory alone is $10 and may be submitted at any time. If you aren’t a Farm Bureau member, you may join at the county Farm Bureau office of your choice or at https://www.gfb.org/join/join-today .Previous first place winners are not eligible to win any prize category for a period of five years from the year they won the contest. A previous first place winner may enter his/her hay sample for the purpose of having it officially graded. Any producer submitting more than one sample can only place in the Top 5 with one sample – their highest scored sample – but will receive analysis for all submitted samples.

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UGA CITRUS ORCHARD NUTRITIONAL SURVEY

For the past three growing seasons, the UGA Agricultural and Environmental Services Labs (AESL) has been conducting a foliar nutrient survey of Georgia's citrus industry with funding from the USDA and Georgia Department of Agriculture's Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. One of the conditions of the project’s grant funding is that researchers seek stakeholder feedback on the effectiveness of the program, and how this work may influence future grower decisions. The project researchers ask that you please complete this short (7 questions, 3-5 minutes) Citrus Nutrition Questionnaire here (https://ugeorgi a.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bgr8t6TWhUKNJ4i) These results will help UGA researchers demonstrate the importance of this work to their sponsors, which increases the likelihood of future funding in this area. If you would like to learn more about this project and the results of the study, please visit the project website.

PIEDMONT CONSERVATION DISTRICT FERAL SWINE CONTROL SERVICES Ongoing

The Piedmont Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) has acquired a trapping system to provide control services throughout Piedmont SWCD which includes Morgan, Greene, Taliaferro, Putnam, Hancock, Baldwin, and Jones Counties. If you are interested in feral swine control services, please contact the District’s Hog Control Custodian, Kris Pope at kmpope@bellsouth.net or 404-402-2207.More information can be found at www.gacd.us/piedmont.

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 2023 GFB Quality Hay Contest receive a free listing in the online GFB Hay Directory.

CONSERVATION DISTRICTS OFFER NO-TILL EQUIPMENT FOR RENT

Ongoing

Local Conservation Districts and their partners help farmers try a number of conservation practices by purchasing equipment and making it available to rent. Some districts offer no-till drills, PVC pond pipe systems and repair parts, as well as geotextile fabric for agricultural and road use. To see what equipment is available in your conservation district, click here.

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CONSERVATION DISTRICTS OFFER FERAL HOG CONTROL SERVICES

For a list of feral hog control services available in each GACD Conservation District, visit https://gfb.ag/feralhoggacdresources.

988 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE OFFERS SUPPORT

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be reached by calling or texting 988 or chatting on 988lifeline.org. 988 serves as a universal entry point so that no matter where you live in the U.S., you can easily access 24/7 emotional support. You don’t have to be suicidal to reach out. 988 trained crisis counselors can help you through whatever mental health challenges you are experiencing.