Photo by Leighton Cooley, honorable mention in 2020 GFB Photo Contest
September 1, 2021
www.gfb.org
Vol. 3 No. 18
USDA ANNOUNCES CONTRACT GROWER AID PROGRAM On Aug. 24, the USDA announced that farmers who were previously ineligible for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) can now apply for aid thanks to collaboration between the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), lawmakers and USDA. Up to $1 billion will be made available through the Consolidated Appropriations Act to livestock and poultry producers who suffered financial losses from Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 27, 2020. AFBF first raised concern about contract farmers being left out of the aid package in May 2020 and has been engaged on this issue for more than a year. Coverage has now been expanded to include chickens, poultry eggs, turkeys, hogs and pigs, ducks, geese, pheasants and quail including eligible breeding stock and eggs of all eligible poultry types produced under contract. “We appreciate USDA recognizing the incredible losses farmers endured during the height of the pandemic,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. “When restaurants and schools closed, the demand for fresh food disappeared almost overnight. While previous CFAP funding addressed many losses, AFBF recognized that contract growers were left out and worked with lawmakers and the administration to ensure all farmers’ voices were being heard. “We thank Senator Roger Wicker and Senator Chris Coons, as co-chairs of the Senate Chicken Caucus, as well as the Senate and House Agriculture committees for their work to address the shortcomings of CFAP assistance, and we appreciate the Biden administration and Secretary Vilsack for seeing this aid through. COVID relief will help farmers across the country recover from the damage caused by the pandemic and ensure they can continue putting food on the table for America’s families.” New and modified CFAP 2 applications are due by Oct. 12, 2021. Interested farmers should contact their local Farm Service Agency office. To find a local FSA office, visit www.farmers.gov/service-locator.
GFB Field Notes page 2 of 13 2020 CENSUS: GEORGIA TO KEEP 14 CONGRESSIONAL SEATS The results of the 2020 Census are in, and Georgia won’t be getting an extra congressional district. Or losing one. The state’s population grew to 10,711,908, an increase of 1,024,255 from the 2010 Census count, according to 2020 Census results released Aug. 12. (https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/2020-population-and-housing-statedata.html) The state’s delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives will remain at 14, but the district lines almost certainly will change when the Georgia General Assembly meets this fall to redraw them. Six of the 14 current congressional districts have populations that fall below what the Census refers to as “ideal value,” or 765,136 people (the state’s total population divided by the number of districts, 14). The largest of these is Georgia’s 2nd Congressional District (currently represented by Sanford Bishop) where the population of 673,028 is 91,108 below the ideal value. The 8th District (Austin Scott) is 45,217 below ideal; the 14th District (Marjorie Taylor Greene) is 36,585 below ideal; the 12th District (Rick Allen) is 26,512 below ideal; the 1st District (Buddy Carter) is 9,355 below ideal; and the 3rd District (Drew Ferguson) is 2,061 below ideal. Among the information the Georgia House will likely consider is population change at the county level. The eight fastest-growing counties (Gwinnett, Fulton, Cobb Forsyth, DeKalb, Cherokee, Clayton and Henry) are in metropolitan Atlanta. Agricultural groups have held that voting power has been shifting toward metro areas, and the 2020 Census results bear that out. To equal the population of the state’s largest county, Fulton (1,066,710), would take the combined populations of the state’s 85 smallest counties, according to one report. Six of the top 10 agricultural counties by farm gate value experienced population growth. Madison County had the largest population growth at 2,000 people, followed by Franklin County (1,340), Coffee County (736), Hart County (615), Colquitt County (400) and Appling (208). Tattnall County had the largest decline at 2,678. Overall, Georgia had population growth in 92 counties, but population declined in 67, most of them in rural and South Georgia where agriculture dominates the economy. The 10 counties with the largest population decline are Dougherty (down 8,775), Telfair (4,023), Dooly (3,710), McIntosh (3,358), Crisp (3,311), Sumter (3,203), Tattnall (2,678), Macon (2,658), Pulaski (2,155) and Baldwin (1,921). The 10 counties with largest population growth are Gwinnett (up 151,741), Fulton (146,129), Cobb (78,071), Forsyth (75,772), DeKalb (72,489), Cherokee (52,274), Clayton (38,771), Henry (36,790), Columbia (31,957) and Chatham (30,163).
GFB Field Notes page 3 of 13 DENNIS BLACK RETIRES FROM GFB AFTER 25 YEARS Georgia Farm Bureau Assistant Administrative Officer & Field Services Director Dennis Black will retire Sept. 3 after faithfully serving the organization for more than 25 years. “The Farm Bureau family sincerely thanks Dennis for the years of dedicated service and leadership he has provided our organization,” GFB President Tom McCall said. “We wish him and his wife, Teresa, all the best as they enter this new phase of their lives.” Black has been a farmer member of the Stephens County Farm Bureau for more than 30 years. He began his GFB career in July 1996 as the GFB 2nd District federation manager. He assisted county Farm Bureaus in their efforts to advocate for farmers and promote agriculture in the 14county district in Northeast Georgia. In 2014, Black became GFB Field Services Department associate director and in 2017 was named GFB Field Services director. In these positions, Black worked with county Farm Bureaus and GFB staff to fulfill the organization’s mission. He was a major driver in GFB and the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture’s efforts to create the Georgia Ag Experience mobile ag classroom that was unveiled last year. In November 2020, Black was named GFB assistant administrative officer in addition to leading the Field Services Department. Black plans to return to his Stephens County cattle and poultry farm to spend more time with his family. The Blacks raise beef cattle, breeder hens and hay. He and Teresa have three adult children: Chris (Coda); Ellen (Fonzo) and Clay (Annalise) and three grandchildren. BENNETT JOINS GA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE STAFF Natalie Bennett has joined the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture (GFA) as an educational program assistant for the GFA Georgia Ag Experience mobile ag classroom. Bennett will be responsible for setting the Georgia Ag Experience’s schedule for visits to schools, community, and statewide events as it travels statewide. Bennett will also serve as a mobile classroom instructor and work closely with county Farm Bureau staff and volunteers as the GAE visits communities. “We’re excited to have Natalie join the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture team,” said GFA Executive Director Lily Baucom. “Her work with the Georgia 4-H Program the past three years has prepared her to serve as an instructor with the Georgia Ag Experience mobile classroom.” Bennett, a native of Gwinnett County, is the daughter of Greg and Kathy Bennett of Lawrenceville. She graduated from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College with an associate degree in animal science in 2015. Bennett received her bachelor’s in animal science from the UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (CAES) in 2017 followed by a Master of Agricultural & Environmental Education from the UGA CAES this summer. For the past two years Bennett has worked with the Tift County Cooperative Extension (TCCE) as a 4-H educator, and she worked with the TCCE as an AmeriCorp Service Member for the previous year. During this time, the TCCE has had eight 4-Hers earn 12 Master degrees for various 4-H competitions. “Through my time in undergrad I found a passion for sharing agriculture and spreading ag awareness,” Bennett said. “I have worked with youth since I was 18 and enjoy helping them learn about their various interests and passions which led me to 4-H. Through these experiences I found a love for teaching youth about agriculture. Bennett may be reached at nabennett@georgiaagexperience.org. -continued from previous page
GFB Field Notes page 4 of 13 Continued from previous page To learn more about the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture, the Georgia Ag Experience mobile classroom, or to help grow Georgia’s greater agricultural community by making a donation to the foundation, please visit www.gafoundationag.org. GACD & GFA ANNOUNCE FALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STEM CHALLENGE Georgia elementary classes in third through fifth grades are encouraged to put their science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills to work to explore the role healthy forests play in creating healthy communities by protecting our air, soil and water resources. Elementary teachers and their students may enter the Fall ’21 Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities STEM Challenge by Nov. 12 for the chance to win a prize package totaling $350 for their class. The top grade-winner from the third, fourth and fifth-grade entries will win a prize package. Winners will be announced later in Nov. 17. The Georgia Association of Conservation Districts (GACD), a non-profit organization that promotes the conservation of natural resources, is sponsoring the statewide competition, which is being coordinated by the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture (GFA). Teachers interested in participating in the Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities STEM Challenge may visit www.gfb.ag/stemchallenge for more information and to register for the program. Once teachers register their classes, they will receive access to a digital resource toolkit that equips their students to participate in the forestry stem challenge. The purpose of the challenge is to encourage elementary teachers and students in grades 3-5 to explore aspects of Georgia agriculture by applying their STEM skills to solve real-world problems farmers face in producing our food and fiber. Participating classes will be asked to use their STEM skills to answer a real-life question pertaining to forestry and create a video presentation highlighting what they learned. The GACD is also holding its annual poster contest this fall with the theme of “Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities.” Schools that submit their STEM Challenge entries by Nov. 1 and indicate they wish to be considered for the annual GACD Poster Contest will also be considered for the prizes that contest offers. Almost 50 classes registered for the Spring ’21 Soil Health Explorers STEM Challenge, which the GACD sponsored. Winners were announced in May. Congratulations to Roopville Elementary’s “QUEST Kids,” taught by Jennifer Carroll, for winning the third-grade prize! Trinity Christian School’s “Fourth-Grade Crusaders Team,” taught by Nona Dasher took top honors in its division. Dallas Elementary’s “Venture Soil Detectives,” taught by Stephanie Atkinson won the fifth-grade competition. Teachers of each winning class received a $250 classroom supply grant and an educational conservation resource kit donated by GACD. Each class that participated in the spring STEM Challenge answered the question, “How can we improve soil biodiversity and overall soil health?” Visit www.gfb.ag/spring21GAESTEMwinners to see the spring awards presentation and the three winning video presentations.
GFB Field Notes page 5 of 13 EPA FINALIZES BAN ON USE OF CHLORPYRIFOS On Aug. 30, the EPA published a final rule banning all use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos. The agency took this action in accordance with an April court order from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The ban takes effect Feb. 28, 2022. According to UGA researchers, chlorpyrifos is used to control insects that inflict damage on several key Georgia crops. Chlorpyrifos is the only product recommended for control of lesser cornstalk borer in soybeans. It is also used to combat peanut burrower bugs and rootworms in peanut fields and is recommended for control of cutworms in cotton but is used on a small percentage of cotton acres. “We are fortunate that these pests do not occur in every field every year, but when they are present, their injury can result in significant economic loss,” said UGA Associate Professor of Entomology Dr. Mark Abney. “A load of peanuts at the buying point will be downgraded from [a quality grade] segregation 1 to segregation 2 if 3.5% or more [of the peanuts in a load] have insect damage. The economic impact of that reduction in grade is huge.” Abney said the abundant rainfall in Georgia this year is a prime example of the importance of chlorpyrifos to protect peanut crops, noting that rootworms require moist soil to survive and flourish. “Due to the abundant rainfall we have received in 2021 we are seeing abnormally high populations of rootworm in peanut fields,” Abney said. The state’s soybean growers will need an alternative product for their 2022 crop. According to UGA Extension Entomologist Dr. Phillip Roberts, chlorpyrifos is the only pesticide recommendd to control the lesser cornstalk borer in soybeans. “We have little information on alternatives,” Roberts said. “One potential alternative is chlorantraniliprole. We have limited data in soybean but this insecticide is used for lesser cornstalk borer control in peanut.” Roberts said chlorpyrifos is also recommended for cutworm control in soybeans, but growers can also use pyrethroids for cutworms. UGA Assistant Professor of Entomology Dr. Brett Blaauw said chlorpyrifos is not essential to pest management in peach orchards, but the EPA ban could be costly Georgia peach growers. “It is commonly used for peachtree borer, lesser peachtree borer, and scale insect management,” Blaauw said. “It is relatively inexpensive and works well, so the loss of chlorpyrifos has the potential to significantly change how producers grower peaches, especially economically.” Blaauw said that the USDA and UGA have collaborated on research into the use of mating disruption dispensers to control peachtree borers. Additional studies have shown that placing parasitic nematodes that prey on insects at the base of peach trees may control peachtree borers. As for pesticides there aren’t many options, but novaluron has been shown to be effective for borer management. Blaauw noted that to control scale insects, insect growth regulators and horticultural oils, can be used to effectively. Those compounds are more expensive, but can also be more effective than chlorpyrifos, he said. “The loss of chlorpyrifos has the potential to hurt the peach industry, but thankfully we still have the tools needed to continue to grow fantastic peaches in the Southeast,” Blaauw said. -continued from previous page
GFB Field Notes page 6 of 13 Continued from previous page Chlorpyrifos is also used by Georgia onion, pea and sorghum producers. The EPA’s final rule was published in the Federal Register on Aug. 30. It can be read in its entirety at www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/08/30/2021-18091/chlorpyrifos-tolerancerevocations. UGA RESEARCHERS TARGET NEW VIRUS THREATENING COTTON CROPS While aphids aren’t a direct threat to cotton plants, they can carry a persistent virus that is difficult to control and can cause significant losses in one of Georgia’s most important crops. First identified in Alabama in 2017, cotton leaf roll dwarf virus (CLRDV) — which causes leaf reddening, crinkling and curling, as well as deformation of cotton bolls — started spreading quickly. By 2019, it had been detected in every state of the cotton-producing region east of Texas, including Georgia. CLRDV is related to the virus that causes cotton blue disease (CBD), which has been endemic in cotton crops in Argentina and Brazil, causing yield losses up to 80%. To better understand the genetic diversity of the CLRDV population, the team mapped the nearcomplete genomes of six virus samples from Georgia and one from Alabama to compare with samples from other areas in the U.S., South America and China. While CLRDV has not caused as much yield loss in Georgia as CBD has in other cottongrowing regions, avoiding the virus to prevent potential yield loss is an important focus of research for Sudeep Bag, assistant professor of crop virology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) at the University of Georgia’s Tifton campus. In March, Bag published a paper describing the virus in the journal Crops and Soils with UGA Cooperative Extension entomologist Phillip Roberts and UGA plant pathology professor Bob Kemerait. Because the virus has spread rapidly throughout the Cotton Belt and has been detected in both symptomatic and asymptomatic cotton plants — and because there are not yet reliable chemical controls for either the aphids that carry the disease or the virus itself — Bag said avoidance and removal of alternate hosts are currently the best recommendations based on the team’s research. “Until we had knowledge of the virus, aphids had not been a problem to cotton growers. It’s not the pest — it’s the virus that is the problem,” said Bag, adding that research into chemical control for the virus is not developed enough to help producers currently dealing with the disease. Cotton leaf roll dwarf virus causes symptoms such as leaf reddening, crinkling and curling, as well as deformation of cotton bolls. Since 2018, the researchers have tracked the virus extensively in Georgia cotton fields and have discovered that the virus is able to survive in harvested cotton stalks in the field over the winter. It is a common practice to leave cotton stalks in the field after harvest, then till them into the soil before the next season’s planting. But it appears to be time to rethink that practice. “Many growers leave the cotton stalks in the field after all of the bolls are harvested. The general thinking is that winter will come the freezing weather will kill the plant and the virus, but based on what we have learned in the past year, winter temperatures are often not cold enough to kill all of the virus in south Georgia,” Bag said. Field testing over the past year has shown that winter temperatures were not enough to kill all of the plants, allowing the virus to remain viable. Once those stalks are tilled under and new cotton -continued from previous page
GFB Field Notes page 7 of 13 Continued from previous page is planted, the virus is then able to infect the new plants. “Growers should remove those stalks as soon as possible after harvest. We understand this adds an extra expenditure for growers in an already expensive farming operation, but it is about trying to avoid a virus and minimizing its inoculum in nature, which could cause heavy losses in the next crop,” said Bag, adding that his team found that the virus had survived in 75% of the cotton stalks left in one field tested for the study. Cotton leafroll dwarf virus has been detected on the following weeds in Georgia: (1) Amaranthus palmeri (2) Arachis glabrata, (3) Cerastium glomeratum, (4) Erigeron annuus, (5) Gamochaeta pensylvanica, (6) Geranium carolinianum, (7) Glandularia pulchella, (8) Hypochaeris radicata, (9) Jacquemonita tamnifolia (10) Lamium amplexicaule (11) Lepidium coronopus, (12) Lepidium virginicum, (13) Medicago polymorpha, (14) Mollugo verticillata, (15) Oenothera laciniata, (16) Physalis minima, (17) Portulaca Pilosa, (18) Raphanus raphanistrum, (19) Richardia scabra, (20) Sida rhombifolia, (21) Solidago altissima, (22) Trifolium campestre, (23) Wahlenbergia marginata. Additionally, researchers have identified at least 23 common weeds that can carry the virus between crop plantings. “Through alternate host studies, we found that there are 23 species of weeds where the virus survived outside of the cotton plants. These weeds are not all winter weeds, some fall across the seasonal and calendar year. Apart from the cotton plants, the virus is surviving on those plant species growing close to the cotton fields,” Bag said. “Growers need to avoid or control those weed species in their cotton fields.” The results, published this summer in the journal Crop Protection, recommend weed control, conservation tillage and field sanitation by removing spent cotton stalks to help growers avoid or mitigate the virus. The research is a combined effort of the UGA Extension Cotton Team, with researchers from the CAES departments of plant pathology, entomology, and crop and soil sciences. The research team on the project includes Kemerait, Roberts, UGA Extension cotton agronomist Jared Whitaker, postdoctoral researcher Afsha Tabassum, doctoral candidate Nabin Sedhain and master’s degree student Patrick Triana. The research is supported by the Georgia Cotton Commission, Georgia Farm Bureau and Cotton Incorporated. For more information on plant virology research being performed at UGA-Tifton, visit the lab’s website at http://site.caes.uga.edu/plantvirologylab.
GFB Field Notes page 8 of 13 NEW USDA REPORTS TO ENHANCE CATTLE MARKET PRICE TRANSPARENCY On Aug. 9, USDA began issuing two new Market News reports based on Livestock Mandatory Reporting data that will provide additional insight into formula cattle trades and help promote fair and competitive markets, according to a release from the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). This action is in compliance with President Biden’s Executive Order 14036 on Promoting Competition in the American Economy, which directed USDA to, among other things, “enhance price discovery, increase transparency, and improve the functioning of the cattle and other livestock markets.” The first new report, the National Daily Direct Formula Base Cattle, will provide greater information into the foundational prices used in cattle market formulas, grids and contracts. The second report, the National Weekly Cattle Net Price Distribution, will show the volume of cattle purchased at each different level of pricing within those formulas, grids, and contracts. “During the past five years, stresses and disruptions caused by concentration in livestock markets have hurt producers, workers, and consumers, and highlighted vulnerabilities in America’s food system supply chain resiliency. Current negotiated cash cattle trade is approximately 30% less than it was in 2005, while formula transactions have increased at the same rate. Our new reports on formula transactions will bring needed clarity to the marketplace.” said Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Also, in the coming months, we plan to conduct several producer-focused outreach sessions to help producers and others understand how these data can inform real-world marketing decisions at farm, ranch, feedlot, and other points in the supply chain.” These new reports will be issued by USDA Market News, overseen by the AMS. The National Daily Direct Formula Base Cattle reports will enable stakeholders to see the correlation between the negotiated trade and reported formula base prices, as well as the aggregated values being paid as premiums and discounts. Daily formula base price reports will be national in scope and released in morning, summary and afternoon versions. The weekly and monthly formula base reports will be both national and regional in scope and include forward contract base purchase information. The National Weekly Cattle Net Price Distribution report will show at what levels (price and volume) trade occurred across the weekly weighted average price for each purchase type – negotiated, negotiated grid, formula and forward contract. Currently, the market speculates whether large or small volumes of cattle trade on both sides of the price spread. And in fact, with premiums and discounts applied to the prices, the spreads shown on reports can be wide. Publishing a price distribution for all cattle net prices will offer more transparency to each of the purchase type categories. This report is a window into what producers are paid for cattle (net) and retains confidentiality by segregating volumes purchased in $2.00 increments +/- the daily weighted average price depending upon premiums and discounts. AMS has published a similar net price distribution report for direct hogs since January 2010. Both reports can be accessed online at www.ams.usda.gov/market-news/national-directslaughter-cattle-reports.
GFB Field Notes page 9 of 13 GA FSIS OFFERS COVID SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR PEANUT The recent spike in COVID-19 cases has caused more precautions to be re-implemented. The Georgia Federal-State Inspection Service (GA FSIS) is implementing the same measures and precautions as last year to provide a safe and sanitary workplace is crucial. The Georgia Federal-State Inspection Services encourages peanut buying points to take extra measures to ensure employees are protected. Georgia Federal-State Inspection Service will be taking these steps: • Following current guidelines set in place by the CDC & DPH; • Providing additional training to all inspectors including proper handwashing techniques; • Encouraging social distancing by remaining 6 feet apart where possible and limiting interaction with buying point personnel; • Requiring employees to wear masks where applicable; • Sanitizing the grade rooms regularly; • Performing daily checks using a questionnaire covering symptoms and exposure. Commodity points are encouraged to take the following measures: • Providing hand-washing stations in close proximity of the grade room (Close proximity is being within the same building at a minimum; existing restrooms within close proximity are sufficient); • Hand-washing areas should remain supplied with soap and paper towels; • Restrooms should follow regular and frequent cleaning and sanitizing practices; • Adding partitions to separate GAFSIS employees from buying point personnel where feasible; • Request all buying point personnel to limit interaction with GAFSIS employees; • Post warning signs as detailed in Georgia House Bill 112 (2021 Session), the Covid 19 Pandemic Business Safety Act.
GFB Field Notes page 10 of 13 COTTON/PEANUT RESEARCH FIELD DAY Sept. 8 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center 8 a.m. Tifton The Georgia Cotton Commission, Georgia Peanut Commission and the University of Georgia Extension Cotton and Peanut Teams, are co-sponsoring this joint research field day. Attendees will visit the RDC Pivot and the UGA Lang Farm to tour several trials and hear from speakers. Attendees will return to the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center for lunch and a short program. The field day is a free event, but attendees are encouraged to RSVP to Ashley Golden at ashley.golden@uga.edu or calling 229-386-3366 to provide an accurate count for lunch. To view an agenda, visit www.georgiacottoncommission.org or www.gapeanuts.com. 28TH ANNUAL FRANKLIN COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP RODEO Sept. 10 & 11 Flat Creek Arena 1516 Diamond Lane Royston Hosted by the Flat Creek Rodeo Company, this event begins at 8 p.m. each night. Sanctioned by the Southern Rodeo Association, this rodeo features eight championship contests. Advanced tickets are available at Bar-H BBQ, Northeast Georgia Livestock, Ag Parts Supply & Owens Farm Supply. Advance tickets cost $12 for attendees age 13 & up and $8 for children 6-12. Tickets bought at gate are $15 for attendees age 13 & up and $10 for children age 6-12. Children 5 & under are free. For more information about event call 706-498-2771. Anyone interested in competing should register online at www.rodeosportsnetwork.com Sept. 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or call 337427-6336 FOOD ANIMAL VET LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM Sept. 13 deadline to apply Georgia food animal veterinarians with student loans have until Sept. 13 to apply for funds under the Georgia Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program. Completed applications can be returned via email to statevetedboard@agr.georgia.gov or mailed to: Georgia Department of Agriculture, Attn: Bo Warren, 19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. SW, Suite 210, Atlanta, GA 30334. Complete program information and application documents are available online at https://gfb.ag/21GVELRPapps. INMAN FARM HERITAGE DAYS Sept. 17-19 Minter’s Farm, 283 Hill’s Bridge Rd. Fayetteville Admission is free for this annual event featuring hundreds of antique farm implements, including antique tractors, as well as cars and trucks. Demonstrations include sawmilling, planing, pea shelling, threshing, syrup making, quilting and more! Hours are 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sept. 17 and 18, 9 a.m.– 4 p.m. on Sept. 19. For more information call 770-461-2840 or 770-296-8360, or visit www.mintersfarm.com.
GFB Field Notes page 11 of 13 KEL-MAC SADDLE CLUB HORSE SHOWS Sept. 18 & Oct. 9 Morgan County Agricultural Center Madison These shows are open to equestrians of all ages and experience levels. Classes include hunter/jumper, western, gaited, trail obstacles, halter/showmanship, beginner, open, costume contests & more! Both shows begin at 9 a.m. - rain or shine. For more information call Susie at (706) 342-3775 or visit the Kel-Mac Saddle Club Facebook page or www.kel-mac.com. These volunteer-run shows generate funds to benefit equestrian related charities. The Kel-Mac Saddle Club has donated an estimated $156,750 back to Georgia’s Piedmont region through the years including: the Georgia Equine Rescue League, the Morgan County Sherriff’s Empty Stocking Fund, the Calvin Center’s Horses & Warriors program, a student scholarship and the equestrian facilities of Georgia & County Parks such as A. H. Stephens, Hard Labor Creek, Don Carter, Watson Mill Bridge and Heritage Park. FVSU DISASTER & RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS UPDATE Sept. 21 virtual This virtual conference, hosted by Fort Valley State University, will provide a general overview of crop insurance and USDA Farm Service Agency disaster programs. Speakers will include Janice Moore with USDA, FPAC-RMA and Theresa L. Windham, USDA FSA District Director for the Fort Valley office. Those wishing to participate should register in advance at http://bit.ly/fvsuagdisaster-risk-management-202109. After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. For more information contact Leon Porter at 478-235-8697 or porterl@fvsu.edu. GEORGIA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE ONLINE AUCTION Sept. 27 – Oct. 8 Register at www.gafoundationag.org/auction by Sept. 26 to receive auction alerts. Bids will be accepted Sept. 27 – Oct. 8. Get a jump start on your Christmas shopping while supporting the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture. This year’s auction will feature great items such as: football tickets for multiple teams, tech gadgets, home décor, family activities & much more. GFA is a 501(c3) nonprofit registered charity. Donations are tax deductible. All auction proceeds will benefit the Georgia Foundation of Agriculture programs including: Georgia Ag Experience mobile ag classroom; scholarships for students pursuing ag careers; ag teacher workshops; mental health research for farmers and more. For more information, contact Lily Baucom at lrbaucom@gfb.org or 478.405.3461 or Jennifer Farmer at jmfarmer@gafoundationag.org or 478.405.3463.
GFB Field Notes page 12 of 13 AFBF WHITE-REINHARDT GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS Oct. 15 application deadline The American Foundation for Agriculture is accepting applications for WhiteReinhardt scholarships and White-Reinhardt community/classroom grants. WhiteReinhardt grants fund projects that will increase agricultural literacy. County and state Farm Bureaus may apply for $1,000 grants for education programs for grades K-12 in order to initiate new ag literacy programs or expand existing programs. Please note that mini-grant funds cannot be used for consumable items like food or paper, transportation, wages or safety programs. Grant payments can only be made to a state or county Farm Bureau. Applications for the grants are due Oct. 15. To learn more or apply for a grant visit www.agfoundation.org/projects/wr-grants-home. The AFBF Foundation is also accepting applications for White-Reinhardt scholarships to the 2022 National Ag in the Classroom Conference for full-time educators and/or volunteers who actively participate in classroom ag literacy programs or events. This scholarship provides travel expense funds for educators to attend the national conference and then use the information gained to expand their outreach to students regarding food, fiber and fuel. Applications for the grants are due Oct. 15. Learn more or apply at www.agfoundation.org/projects/ag-scholarships. For more information email foundation@fb.org. POLLINATORS IN AG EDUCATION WORKSHOP SERIES Oct. 16 NESPAL/UGA Tifton Campus 3:30 p.m. Tifton Oct. 23 Gordon County Ag Services Center 3:30 p.m. Calhoun Georgia Association of Conservation Districts (GACD) and Monarchs Across Georgia (MAG) have partnered together to create four regional workshops across Georgia that focus on the role of pollinators in agriculture, the science behind pollinator life cycles, and methods for teaching pollinators to students of all ages. For more information and to register please visit www.gacd.us/pollinators. Registration deadlines are two weeks prior to each workshop date. GEORGIA FARM BUREAU QUALITY HAY CONTEST Oct. 31 deadline to enter Georgia Farm Bureau is calling all members who grow Bermudagrass hay to enter its annual hay contest. Hay entered in the 2021 GFB Quality Hay Contest will be tested at the University of Georgia Feed & Environmental Water Lab using the Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) Test, which provides an analysis of the nutritional value of the hay. Winners will be determined by the RFQ analysis and announced in December at the annual GFB Convention on Jekyll Island. Prizes will be presented to the top five producers. The first-place winner will receive the free use of a Vermeer 604R baler for one year, courtesy of the Vermeer Manufacturing Company. The winner will have the option to purchase the mower at a reduced price at the end of the year. Entry forms outlining all contest rules may be picked up at local county Farm Bureau offices or downloaded at www.gfb.ag/HayContest. There is a $20 fee for each entry to cover the cost of the lab test. Checks should be made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau. Entry fees, forms and samples should be sent to the GFB Public Policy Department 1620 Bass Road Macon, Ga., 31210. For more information about the contest contact Jeremy Taylor in the GFB Public Policy Department at 1-800-342-1192 or jrtaylor@gfb.org.
GFB Field Notes page 13 of 13 2022 GEORGIA DAIRY CONFERENCE Jan. 17-19, 2022 Savannah Marriott Riverfront Savannah Online registration is now open for the 2022 GA Dairy Conference! This event is a “must attend" for the Southeast. It provides companies with the option to network with dairy producers and industry leaders, while extending a company’s brand with several sponsorship opportunities. Dairymen from Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky and Virginia have attended this conference in the past. Registration is free for Georgia dairy farmers. For more information or to register, visit www.gadairyconference.com/. 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 2021 GFB Quality Hay Contest receive a free listing in the online GFB Hay Directory. DAIRY VOLUNTEERS LEND A LISTENING EAR FOR THOSE IN STRESS Are you a dairy farmer who would like to talk to a fellow farmer or industry friend about the stress you’re experiencing? Georgia Milk Producers has partnered with dairy groups in other Southeastern states to compile a list of dairy producers who are volunteering to talk with fellow farmers & dairy industry employees as the dairy sector navigates these difficult times. Click here to access the list of volunteers & other tips/suggestions for dealing with stress. UGA VETERINARY SCHOOL DOG AGING PROJECT Researchers at the University of Georgia are looking for new participants for a study that aims to determine why smaller dogs live longer lives than their larger counterparts. Dog owners from around the country have volunteered for this community science research project as part of a fiveyear, $23 million project funded by the National Institute on Aging, a part of the National Institutes of Health. All kinds of dogs are welcome to join, but researchers are specifically seeking dogs, both purebred and mixed breed, in the following categories: Large breed dogs weighing between 70-100 pounds, especially breeds other than Labradors, golden retrievers and German shepherds (the most common breeds in the U.S.); Giant breed dogs weighing more than 100 pounds, such as Great Danes, wolfhounds and mastiffs; Hound dogs, spaniels, pointers, terriers, bulldogs and pit bulls (purebred and mixed breed); Working dogs, such as herding, K9 and service dogs. Because the Dog Aging Project (DAP) is a long-term study, puppy participants are especially beneficial to the project. The research team wants to follow dogs through their entire lives. To participate in the Dog Aging Project, owners nominate a dog (one per household) at the project website, www.dogagingproject.org. After this, they are invited to set up a personal research portal where they answer scientific surveys about their dog and upload veterinary records. For more information, or to nominate your dog, visit www.dogagingproject.org.