August 19, 2020
www.gfb.org
Vol. 2 No. 16
2020 GEORGIA NATIONAL FAIR CANCELED For the first time since the Georgia National Fair began in 1990, the event has been canceled. The Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority (GAEA) made the decision to cancel the 2020 fair on Aug. 12 after determining that it would not be possible to host a fair that abides by Georgia and Centers for Disease Control safety regulations for COVID-19. “We have looked at every factor that plays a part in what makes the Georgia National Fair great. From the rides, vendors, concessionaires, live entertainment and concerts, it is nearly impossible to make our event safe for all members involved due to the recent COVID outbreak,” GAEA Chairman Foster Rhodes said in a released statement. “We feel there is no “half-way” to producing a fair like what we are used to hosting, and because of that we have reached this unforeseen decision to cancel.” Foster said the authority held off making a decision as long as possible but could wait no longer because vendors need a 60-day window to plan for the event that would have been held Oct. 8-18. Many of the estimated 300 part-time employees that the fair hires every October informed fair staff that they would not be able to work the event due to health concerns, GNF Executive Director Stephen Shimp said. The ’20 North Georgia State Fair has also been canceled for the first time since WWII. According to the International Association of Fairs & Expositions, as of Aug. 14 only five major states had not cancelled their state fairs: Delaware, Wyoming, South Dakota, Arizona and Louisiana. The Delaware State Fair completed a 10-day run on Aug. 1. The Wyoming State Fair ran from Aug. 11-15. The Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter plans to proceed with a modified schedule for the Georgia 4-H and FFA livestock shows usually held at the fair. The GNF has put guidelines in place to help ensure that all exhibitors and their families abide by Georgia and CDC regulations. The show schedule, as well as those specific guidelines are being distributed to county Extension agents and ag teachers. Registration for these livestock projects will remain open until Sept. 1, online only, at www.gfb.ag/GNFshowinfo. The livestock shows will be a private event open only to exhibitors, their families, project support staff, agents, ag teachers and show staff. No general admission or spectators will be allowed on grounds throughout the livestock shows. Mask or face coverings will be required while in New South, the Beef and Dairy arenas. Exhibitors do not have to wear face coverings while competing in the show ring.
GFB Field Notes page 2 of 10 USDA ADDS ELIGIBLE COMMODITIES FOR CFAP, EXTENDS DEADLINE On Aug. 11, the USDA announced that additional commodities are covered by the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) in response to public comments and data. Additionally, the USDA is extending the deadline to apply for the program to Sept. 11, and producers with approved applications will receive their final payment. After reviewing more than 1,700 responses, even more farmers and ranchers will have the opportunity for assistance to help keep operations afloat during these tough times. USDA collected comments and supporting data for consideration of additional commodities through June 22. The following additional commodities are now eligible for CFAP: Specialty Crops - aloe leaves, bananas, batatas, bok choy, carambola (star fruit), cherimoya, chervil (french parsley), citron, curry leaves, daikon, dates, dill, donqua (winter melon), dragon fruit (red pitaya), endive, escarole, filberts, frisee, horseradish, kohlrabi, kumquats, leeks, mamey sapote, maple sap (for maple syrup), mesculin mix, microgreens, nectarines, parsley, persimmons, plantains, pomegranates, pummelos, pumpkins, rutabagas, shallots, tangelos, turnips/celeriac, turmeric, upland/winter cress, water cress, yautia/malanga, and yuca/cassava. Non-Specialty Crops and Livestock - liquid eggs, frozen eggs and all sheep. Only lambs and yearlings (sheep less than two years old) were previously eligible. Aquaculture - catfish, crawfish, largemouth bass and carp sold live as foodfish, hybrid striped bass, red drum, salmon, sturgeon, tilapia, trout, ornamental/tropical fish, and recreational sportfish. Nursery Crops and Flowers - nursery crops and cut flowers. In addition, seven commodities – onions (green), pistachios, peppermint, spearmint, walnuts and watermelons – are now eligible for Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability (CARES) Act funding for sales losses. Originally, these commodities were only eligible for payments on marketing adjustments. CFAP payment rates were adjusted for those commodities. Additional details can be found in the Federal Register in the Notice of Funding Availability (PDF, 248 KB) and Final Rule Correction (PDF, 232 KB) and at www.farmers.gov/cfap. To ensure availability of funding, producers with approved applications initially received 80 percent of their payments. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) will automatically issue the remaining 20 percent of the calculated payment to eligible producers. Going forward, producers who apply for CFAP will receive 100 percent of their total payment, not to exceed the payment limit, when their applications are approved. Producers, especially those who have not worked with FSA previously, are recommended to call 877-508-8364 to begin the application process. An FSA staff member can help producers start their application during the phone call. For more information, visit www.farmers.gov/cfap.
GFB Field Notes page 3 of 10 GFB ACCEPTING ENTRIES FOR QUALITY HAY CONTEST & HAY DIRECTORY Georgia Farm Bureau invites all of its members who grow Bermudagrass hay to enter its annual hay contest by Oct. 31. Hay entered in the 2020 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 the first week in December. 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 baler 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. Entry fees, forms and samples may also be taken to your county Farm Bureau office. 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 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 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 jrtaylor@gfb.org or 478-474-0679,ext. 5212.
GFB Field Notes page 4 of 10 JAKE MATTHEWS JOINS GFB PUBLIC POLICY DEPARTMENT Jake Matthews has joined the Georgia Farm Bureau Public Policy Department as a Governmental Affairs Specialist. His first day was Aug. 17. Matthews graduated from the University of Georgia in May with a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness. “We’re excited to have Jake and we think he’ll be a valuable member of our Public Policy team,” said Georgia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long. “We look forward to seeing him develop and we know he’ll serve the interests of our members well.” As governmental affairs specialist, Matthews will work to communicate Georgia Farm Bureau’s policy positions on topics related to agriculture to elected officials while facilitating GFB member interactions with lawmakers and policymaking influencers. A native of Lamar County, Matthews has worked as an intern in the office of Gov. Brian Kemp since May, preparing policy briefs, conducting research and data analysis. During summer 2019, he served as a UGA Congressional Agricultural Fellow in Rep. Sanford Bishop’s office, preparing briefs and memos, conducting research and working on constituent matters related to agricultural and environmental issues. He was a finalist in the 2019-2020 UGA FABricate Entrepreneurship competition, pitching a new food product and learning about food product development. Since 2016, Matthews has worked as an apprentice for the Georgia Rural Water Association, based in Barnesville. While there, he conducted soil and water conservation research and attended training about water and other natural resource topics. GEORGIA AGRICULTURAL COMMODITY COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS MADE The Georgia Agriculture Commodity Commission Ex-Officio Committee met July 30, to select new appointees to serve terms of three years on their respective commodity commissions. At the conclusion of this three-year term, they will be eligible to be reappointed for additional terms. The new appointees are: • Apple Commission- Janice Hale, David Lillard and Stephen Aaron; • Blueberry Commission – Russ Goodman, Steve Mullis and Shane Wade; • Corn Commission – Rodney Harrell, Vann Wooten and Wallace Anderson; • Cotton Commission – Lee Cromley, Chris Hopkins and John Ruark; • Equine Commission – Ron Smith; • Milk Commission – Tim Camp, Pete Gelber and James Coble; • Peach Commission – Jeff Wainwright, Duke Lane III and Lee Dickey; • Pecan Commission – R.G. Lamar and Lanair Worsham Jr.; • Soybean Commission – Greg Mims, Tony Smith and Mark Arial; • Tobacco Commission – Carlos Vickers and Brandt Clifton; • Vegetable Commission – Dick Minor and Glenn Heard. Georgia Agriculture Commodity Commissions are created by the Georgia Legislature. A market order of each commission is passed by the growers of that commodity to allow assessments on the commodity to be paid by each of the producers of such commodity. These funds are used for research, education and promotion of the commodity. Members of the commissions make decisions on how funds are spent and programs the commission supports.
GFB Field Notes page 5 of 10 GEORGIA CORN, PEANUTS, SOYBEANS FORECAST FOR PRODUCTION GAINS The 2020 Georgia corn, peanut and soybean crops are forecast to increase over 2019, according to the August Crop Production Report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Georgia corn for grain production in 2020 is forecast at 62.4 million bushels, up 12% from 2019. Yield is forecast at a record high 181 bushels per acre, a 21-bushel increase over 2019. Georgia peanut production is forecast at 3.22 billion pounds, up 16% from 2019. Yield is forecast at a record high 4,600 pounds per acre in 2020, up 400 pounds per acre from 2019. Georgia soybean production, forecast at 3.11 million bushels, is up 15%. Yield is forecast at 37 bushels per acre, up 8 bushels from 2019. Georgia 2020 hay production is forecast at 1.7 million tons, up from 1.54 million tons in 2019. Georgia hay growers are forecast to harvest 610,000 acres in 2020, a 50,000-acre increase from 2019. Georgia peach production is forecast at 28,000 tons, down 28% from 2019. Georgia cotton growers reduced their planted area by 170,000 acres, planting 1.23 million acres in 2020. Their forecast production, at 2.55 million bales, is down 7% from last year. Georgia tobacco production is forecast at 15.8 million pounds, the lowest production since 1932. MIDWEST CORN AND SOYBEAN CROPS HAMMERED BY AUG. 10 DERECHO A widespread thunderstorm system known as a derecho rolled through the Midwest on Aug. 10, damaging fields of corn and soybeans and causing extensive damage to agricultural infrastructure, across at least four states. The storm reportedly affected 37.7 million acres of Midwest farmland. Iowa and Illinois appear to be the worst hit, with reports of extensive crop and infrastructure damage across 57 Iowa counties. According to an Aug. 17 report in the Des Moines Register, 6.1 million acres of corn and soybeans were flattened in Iowa, and the state’s agricultural damage alone is estimated at $3.8 billion. Iowa is the No. 1 corn-producing state. In the National Agricultural Statistics Service August Crop Report, the state was forecast to produce 2.737 billion bushels of corn, accounting for 18% of the nation’s forecast corn crop. In addition, Iowa’s soybean crop, forecast at 540 million bushels, accounted for 12% of the nation’s soybean crop. The production statistics for both crops are likely to drop due to the damage from the storm, and tens of millions of bushels of grain storage being lost. According to the University of Illinois Extension, 6.95 million acres of corn and 5.82 million acres of soybeans were exposed to the storm in Illinois. Illinois Extension also noted that corn and soybean prices had declined in anticipation of a large harvest in both crops, while the USDA noted that corn and soybean quality in both states were affected by the storm. The derecho included wind gusts up to 130 mph, according to the National Weather Service. To facilitate the neighbor-helping-neighbor process, the Iowa Farm Bureau has developed the Farming Community Disaster Exchange – an online message board where individuals can offer help to those impacted by the storm system. To participate, visit www.gfb.ag/IowaFBdisasterexchange.
GFB Field Notes page 6 of 10 PILGRIM’S TO INVEST $3.5 MILLION IN GA COMMUNITIES On Aug. 12, Pilgrim’s announced plans to invest $3.5 million in Georgia to help local communities respond to coronavirus and invest in the future. The investment is part of a new, national $20 million initiative called Hometown Strong that adds to commitments Pilgrim’s has made this year to protect employees and ensure their job security amid the global pandemic. Pilgrim’s will partner with local officials and community leaders in Athens, Canton, Carrollton, Douglas, Elberton, Ellijay and Gainesville to identify investment projects that strengthen these hometowns where the company’s team members live and work. Pilgrim’s has a significant presence in Georgia, employing more than 7,000 people and paying local growers more than $152 million each year to support its facilities in the state. An important contributor to the Georgia economy, Pilgrim’s has an annual payroll in Georgia of more than $204 million and contributed nearly $270 million in capital investments over the last five years. Nationally, the $20 million Hometown Strong investment will include donations to alleviate food insecurity, strengthen long-term community infrastructure and well-being, and support COVID-19 emergency response and relief efforts. All funds will be committed by the end of the year. Pilgrim’s anchors dozens of rural communities in the U.S. – with more than 30 poultry and prepared foods facilities in 14 states and Puerto Rico, employing more than 30,000 people. To date, Pilgrim’s has invested more than $65 million to enhance safeguards and to reward team members with thank-you bonuses. Additionally, the company hired new team members in all of its facilities to conduct around-the-clock sanitation and cleaning services, and to provide education, training and enforcement of COVID-19 preventive measures.
GFB Field Notes page 7 of 10 EPA TO SUPPORT STATES IN ADDRESSING PFAS On July 28, the U.S. EPA announced the progress it has made in aggressively addressing perand polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at the national level as it implements the PFAS Action Plan. EPA Region 4 has formed partnerships with states, tribes and local communities to address local PFAS challenges across the Southeast, including Georgia. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals that have been in use since the 1940s. PFAS are found in a wide array of consumer and industrial products. PFAS manufacturing and processing facilities, facilities using PFAS in production of other products, airports, and military installations are some of the contributors of PFAS releases into the air, soil, and water. Due to their widespread use and persistence in the environment, most people in the United States have been exposed to PFAS. There is evidence that continued exposure above specific levels to certain PFAS may lead to adverse health effects. The EPA provides technical assistance to states to detect and remove PFAS in drinking water. This includes assisting the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina in addressing instances of elevated levels of PFAS found in some drinking water systems and/or private wells. EPA has assisted several states and local water departments in evaluating drinking water treatment options, including Summerville Public Works and Utilities in Georgia and the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority in North Carolina. In addition, EPA has invested $984,000 in Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) supplemental grants across the eight Southeastern states and one tribal organization to support drinking water protection efforts related to PFAS and other emerging contaminants. Projects range from sampling freshwater sources and drinking water systems, especially those near known or suspected sources of PFAS, to purchasing equipment. This includes sampling of 114 drinking water systems in Georgia for PFAS and other emerging contaminants. EPA Region 4’s laboratory, based in Athens, routinely helps states – including Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina – in collecting and analyzing PFAS samples. Further, regional laboratory staff are working with experts throughout the agency to develop better ways to test for PFAS in water samples. This work is a priority for EPA and the team is on track to make a new method, EPA Method 8327, available to utilities, labs and the public by Sept. 30, 2020. Besides EPA Region 4’s extensive work to address PFAS in drinking water, the region also works with state and federal partners to investigate and address areas with suspected PFAS contamination across the Southeast.
GFB Field Notes page 8 of 10 2021 AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FARM DOG OF THE YEAR CONTEST Aug. 20 deadline to enter Calling all farm dogs! Aug. 20 is the deadline to enter the 2021 American Farm Bureau Farm Dog of The Year contest, sponsored by Purina. A grand prize winner and up to four regional runnersup will be recognized. Visit www.gfb.ag/21farmdogcontest for complete details and to enter. The grand prize winner receives a year’s worth of Purina dog food and $5,000 in prize money. The four regional runners-up will win $1,000 each. Dog owners must be a Farm Bureau member to enter. Anyone with a great dog who isn't a Georgia Farm Bureau member can join at www.gfb.ag/join. GREAT GEORGIA POLLINATOR CENSUS Aug. 21-22 statewide Students and families are encouraged to participate in the second annual Great Georgia Pollinator Census on August 21-22 coordinated by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. About 4,500 participants documented more than 131,000 insect sightings as part of the inaugural census in 2019, and more than 100 events related to the project took place around the state. Census takers are asked to count pollinators on a favorite pollinator plant with abundant insect activity for 15 minutes each day using the provided observation sheet. An Insect Counting and Identification Guide gives detailed instructions on counting and photo examples for classification. Those interested in counting should visit www.ggapc.org to sign up and subscribe to the monthly newsletter about pollinator gardening and insect identification. For more information including publications on recommended plants to attract pollinators, visit www.extension.uga.edu/topicareas/timely-topics/pollinators. STAY AT HOME BEEKEEPING SERIES Aug. 25 Jennifer Berry, UGA/Varroa mites 7:30 p.m. online Sept. 29 Jack Rowe, Ala. Ext./Winter bee biology 7:30 p.m. online Oct. 27 Anthony Abbate, Auburn/Wildflower meadow 7:30 p.m. online Nov. 24 Jeff Harris, MSU/Getting started 7:30 p.m. online Dec. 29 Beekeeping Boxing Day Sales 7:30 p.m online The Alabama Cooperative Extension System is offering members of beekeeping clubs the opportunity to attend these free online meetings, each of which will bring participants up to date on timely beekeeping topics. Time for Q&A is included. Watch with Zoom at https://auburn.zoom.us/j/904522838 stream via Facebook live at www.facebook.com/LawrenceCountyextension/. For more information, visit Allyson Shabel at ams0137@aces.edu.
GFB Field Notes page 9 of 10 CROP INSURANCE FOR ONION PRODUCERS Aug. 31 deadline to apply Georgia onion producers have until Aug. 21 to apply for crop insurance coverage or make changes to existing coverage for the 2021 crop year. Coverage is available for onions in Appling, Bulloch, Candler, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Laurens, Long, Montgomery, Screven, Tattnall, Toombs, Treutlen, and Wayne counties. Please contact your insurance agent to see if your county is covered. Growers are encouraged to contact their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for the 2021 crop year. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers by visiting the RMA agent locator at www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agent.html. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at www.rma.usda.gov. 2020 NORTHWEST GEORGIA MASTER CATTLEMAN PROGRAM Sept. 3 – Oct. 22 Webinars each Thursday 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. online Learn practical, science-based management techniques to increase profitability and sustainability in your beef cattle operation in this series of webinars hosted by the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Advance registration of $60 is required by Aug. 24 and includes program materials for all eight live webinar sessions. The first 20 paid registrants receive a free forage sample lab analysis. For more information, contact Heather Kolich with Forsyth County Extension at 770-887-2418 or hnkolich@uga.edu. GEORGIA PECAN GROWERS ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND ORCHARD TOUR Sept. 10 10 a.m. online The 2020 Georgia Pecan Growers Association annual conference will be held virtually. A $25 access fee will provide on-demand viewing the day of the conference through Sept. 30. Pecan industry experts will present their research and answer questions. Those who registered for the original March event do not need to re-register and will receive a $25 credit with GPGA. To register, visit www.georgiapecan.org/calendar/#Conference. GACD ANNOUNCES GEORGIA CONSERVATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Sept. 10 10 a.m. & 6:30 p.m. virtual workshop Sept. 10-30 application period Georgia Conservation Assistance Program (GCAP) is a partnership between the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts (GACD), Cobb County Conservation District and Fulton County Conservation District that will fund the installation of green infrastructure practices on residential properties located in Cobb and Fulton County. GACD and the Conservation Districts are partnering with the University of Georgia to host a free virtual workshop that will provide information on green infrastructure practices and maintenance and outline the GCAP program and application procedure. This virtual workshop will be held on September 10 at 10 a.m. and again at 6:30 p.m. Anyone who participates in the workshop will receive extra points on their GCAP application. For more information and to register for the virtual workshop, please visit www.gacd.us/gcap.
GFB Field Notes page 10 of 10 U.S. CENSUS TIMELINE ADJUSTED The self-response phase of the 2020 U.S. Census, originally scheduled to run through July 31, then extended to Oct. 31, was on Aug. 3 shortened to Sept. 30, one of multiple adjustments to the Census calendar in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a Census Bureau press release. In announcing the new deadline, the Census Bureau said it is hiring more employees to accelerate the completion of data collection ad apportionment counts by its statutory deadline of Dec. 31, 2020. Delivery of states’ population totals, which determine how many seats states have in the House of Representatives, will be delivered to the president by April 30, 2021. For more information, visit https://census.georgia.gov/ and www.census.gov. GEORGIA AGRIBUSINESS COUNCIL HARVEST CELEBRATION Nov. 20 Cobb Galleria Centre Atlanta The GAC’s focal event of the year for Georgia agribusiness, the Harvest Celebration unites leaders from every agriculture sector and corner of the state in a festive salute to the industry. For the first time the Harvest Celebration will be hosted by the GAC Foundation, the 501(c)3 partner of the Georgia Agribusiness Council, and contributions will directly benefit initiatives that support agriculture education, research, leadership develop, and agriculture policy studies. We hope that you will join us for a celebration that will honor our past and provide vital support for the future of agribusiness leadership in Georgia. The evening’s activities include a silent auction at 5:30 p.m. and a unique Field of Dreams reception that precede dinner at 7:30 and entertainment at 9. Entertainment will be provided by The Kinchafoonee Cowboys! For more information or to buy tickets, visit www.ga-agribusiness.org/Events.aspx. ASA CORTEVA AGRISCIENCE YOUNG LEADER PROGRAM The American Soybean Association (ASA) and Corteva Agriscience are seeking applicants for the 2021 ASA Corteva Agriscience Young Leader Program, a two-phase educational program for actively farming individuals and couples who are passionate about the future possibilities of agriculture. The women and men who participate in this program will be the leaders that shape the future of agriculture. Phase I of the 2021 ASA Corteva Agriscience Young Leader Program will take place Dec. 1 – 4, 2020, at Corteva’s Global Business Center in Johnston, Iowa. The program continues March 2 – 6, 2021, in San Antonio, Texas, in conjunction with the annual Commodity Classic Convention and Trade Show. Soybean grower couples and individuals are encouraged to apply. For more information or to apply, visit www.gfb.ag/21ASAYoungLeaders. 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.