September 11, 2019
www.gfb.org
Vol. 1 No. 5
GFB, ANTHEM TO OFFER MULTIPLE EMPLOYER SELF-INSURED HEALTH PLAN On Aug. 29, Gov. Brian Kemp and the Georgia Department of Insurance announced a new partnership between Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) and Anthem/Blue Cross Blue Shield—a license granted to the Georgia Farm Bureau Member Health Program Trust to operate as a “Multiple Employer SelfInsured Health Plan” in Georgia. The GFB Health Care Plan will offer potential savings for small business employers who are either sole proprietors or groups with at least two enrolled and no more than 50 eligible employees that fall within a broad range of agricultural industry Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes. The only other requirement for an employee to participate is that he/she be or become a GFB member. GFB President Gerald Long said the organization’s members have longed asked for health insurance options. “In 1959, Georgia Farm Bureau started an insurance company to meet the insurance needs of its members, particularly those living and working in rural Georgia,” Long said. “Now, sixty years later, we are partnering with Anthem to continue the tradition of meeting the insurance needs of our members by providing a health insurance program that will reach all areas of Georgia, both rural and urban.” The new GFB Member Health Program will provide better health insurance coverage, at competitive pricing, to underserved populations across the state. It will become available before the end of the year. Kemp expressed gratitude for the access to health care the partnership provides. “I certainly want to take this opportunity to thank the Georgia Farm Bureau and Anthem/Blue Cross Blue Shield for working together, for partnering on this worthwhile endeavor and for listening to the needs of hardworking Georgians in every part of our state,” Kemp said. The health program is considered an innovative way to address the many challenges Georgians face regarding health care access and affordability. To join Georgia Farm Bureau, visit www.gfb.ag/join or your local county Farm Bureau office.
GFB Field Notes page 2 of 15 AID SIGNUP BEGINS FOR AG DAMAGE FROM MICHAEL, OTHER DISASTERS Agricultural producers affected by natural disasters in 2018 and 2019, including Hurricane Dorian, can apply for assistance through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+). Signup for this USDA program began Sept 11. More than $3 billion is available through the disaster relief package passed by Congress and signed by President Trump in early June. WHIP+ builds on the successes of its predecessor program the 2017 Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program (2017 WHIP) that was authorized by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. In addition, the relief package includes new programs to cover losses for milk dumped or removed from the commercial market and losses of eligible farm stored commodities due to eligible disaster events in 2018 and 2019. Also, prevented planting supplemental disaster payments will provide support to producers who were prevented from planting eligible crops for the 2019 crop year. Eligibility WHIP+ is available for eligible producers who suffered eligible losses of certain crops, trees, bushes or vines in counties with a Presidential Emergency Disaster Declaration or a Secretarial Disaster Designation (primary counties only). Disaster losses must have been a result of hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, typhoons, volcanic activity, snowstorms or wildfires that occurred in 2018 or 2019. Also, producers in counties that did not receive a disaster declaration or designation may still apply for WHIP+ but must provide supporting documentation to establish that the crops were directly affected by a qualifying disaster loss. A list of counties that received qualifying disaster declarations and designations is available at www.farmers.gov/recover/whip-plus. Because grazing and livestock losses, other than milk losses, are covered by other disaster recovery programs offered through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), those losses are not eligible for WHIP+. General Eligibility and Payment Limitations WHIP+ is only designed to provide assistance for production losses, however, if quality was taken into consideration under federal crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) policy, where production was further adjusted, the adjusted production will be used in calculating assistance under this program. Eligible crops include those for which federal crop insurance or NAP coverage is available, excluding crops intended for grazing. Eligibility will be determined for each producer based on the size of the loss and the level of insurance coverage elected by the producer. A WHIP+ factor will be determined for each crop based on a producer’s coverage level. Producers who elected higher coverage levels will receive a higher WHIP+ factor. The WHIP+ payment factor ranges from 75 percent to 95 percent, depending on the level of crop insurance coverage or NAP coverage that a producer obtained for the crop. Producers who did not insure their crops in 2018 or 2019 will receive 70 percent of the expected value of the crop. Insured crops (either crop insurance or NAP coverage) will receive between 75 percent and 95 percent of expected value; those who purchased the highest levels of coverage will receive 95percent of the expected value. Once signup begins, a producer will be asked to provide verifiable and reliable production -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 3 of 15 Continued from previous page records. If a producer is unable to provide production records, WHIP+ payments will be determined based on the lower of either the actual loss certified by the producer and determined acceptable by FSA or the county expected yield and county disaster yield. The county disaster yield is the production that a producer would have been expected to make based on the eligible disaster conditions in the county. WHIP+ payments for 2018 disasters will be eligible for 100 percent of their calculated value. WHIP+ payments for 2019 disasters will be limited to an initial 50 percent of their calculated value, with an opportunity to receive up to the remaining 50 percent after January 1, 2020, if sufficient funding remains. WHIP+ benefits will be subject to a payment limitation of either $125,000 or $250,000 per crop year, depending on their verified average adjusted gross income. As under 2017 WHIP, the payment limitation for WHIP+ factors in the person’s or legal entity’s income from activities related to farming, ranching, or forestry. A person or legal entity, other than a joint venture or general partnership, cannot receive more than $125,000 in payments under WHIP+, if their average adjusted gross farm income is less than 75% of their average adjusted gross income (AGI) for 2015, 2016, and 2017. The $125,000 payment limit is a single combined limit for payments for the 2018, 2019, and 2020 crop years. However, if at least 75 percent of the person or legal entity’s average AGI is derived from farming, ranching, or forestry and the participant provides the required certification and documentation, the person or legal entity, other than a joint venture or general partnership, is eligible to receive, directly or indirectly, up to $250,000 per crop year in WHIP+ payments, with a total combined limitation for payments for the 2018, 2019, and 2020 crop years of $500,000. The relevant tax years for establishing a producer’s AGI and percentage derived from farming, ranching, or forestry related activities for WHIP+ are 2015, 2016, and 2017. For information regarding the payment limitation that applies to WHIP+, please contact your local USDA service center or visit farmers.gov/recover. Future Insurance Coverage Requirements Both insured and uninsured producers are eligible to apply for WHIP+. But all producers receiving WHIP+ payments will be required to purchase crop insurance or NAP, at the 60 percent coverage level or higher, for the next two available, consecutive crop years after the crop year for which WHIP+ payments were paid. Producers who fail to purchase crop insurance for the next two applicable, consecutive years will be required to pay back the WHIP+ payment. Additional Loss Coverage The Milk Loss Program will provide payments to eligible dairy operations for milk that was dumped or removed without compensation from the commercial milk market because of a qualifying 2018 and 2019 natural disaster. Producers who suffered losses of harvested commodities, including hay, stored in on-farm structures in 2018 and 2019 will receive assistance through the On-Farm Storage Loss Program. Additionally, the disaster relief measure expanded coverage of the 2017 WHIP to include losses from Tropical Storm Cindy, and peach and blueberry crop losses that resulted from extreme cold. -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 4 of 15 Continued from previous page Enhanced Assistance Through Tree Assistance Program (TAP) TAP traditionally provides cost-share for replanting and rehabilitating eligible trees. WHIP+ will provide payments based on the loss of value of the tree, bush or vine itself. Therefore, eligible producers may receive both a TAP and a 2017 WHIP or WHIP+ payment for the same acreage. In addition, TAP policy has been updated to assist eligible orchardists or nursery tree growers of pecan trees with a tree mortality rate that exceeds 7.5 percent (adjusted for normal mortality) but is less than 15 percent (adjusted for normal mortality) for losses incurred during 2018. Prevented Planting Agricultural producers faced significant challenges planting crops in 2019 in many parts of the country. All producers with flooding or excess moisture-related prevented planting insurance claims in calendar year 2019 will receive a prevented planting supplemental disaster (“bonus”) payment equal to 10 percent of their prevented planting indemnity, plus an additional 5 percent will be provided to those who purchased harvest price option coverage. As under 2017 WHIP, WHIP+ will provide prevented planting assistance to uninsured producers, NAP producers and producers who may have been prevented from planting an insured crop in the 2018 crop year and those 2019 crops that had a final planting date prior to January 1, 2019. Other USDA Disaster Recovery Assistance When major disasters strike, USDA has an emergency loan program that provides eligible farmers low-interest loans to help them recover from production and physical losses. Livestock owners and contract growers who experience above normal livestock deaths because of specific weather events, as well as from disease or animal attacks, may qualify for assistance under USDA’s Livestock Indemnity Program. Producers who suffer losses to or are prevented from planting agricultural commodities not covered by federal crop insurance may be eligible for assistance under USDA’s Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program if the losses were from natural disasters. USDA’s Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program provides payments to producers of these commodities to help compensate for losses because of diseases (including cattle tick fever) and adverse weather or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires, that are not covered by other disaster programs. USDA also provides financial resources through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program for immediate needs and long-term support to help recover from natural disasters and conserve water resources. Additionally, the Emergency Watershed Protection Program helps local communities immediately begin relieving imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods. In addition, the Emergency Conservation Program provides funding and technical assistance for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters and help put in place methods for water conservation during severe drought. For more information on FSA disaster assistance programs, please contact your local USDA service center or visit www.farmers.gov/recover. For all available USDA disaster assistance programs, go to USDA’s disaster resources website.
GFB Field Notes page 5 of 15 NAME OUR PODCAST! We need your help! We’re in the process of starting a podcast here at Georgia Farm Bureau and are trying to name it. We have a few ideas but wanted to see if there are creative minds out there that can come up with something better than ours! What’s in it for you? Well, we think you’re going to like it! Everyone who submits a suggestion will be entered for a chance to win a GFB polo, UGA/GFB co-branded hat, and a GFB tumbler. Sound cool? We’re not done yet! If your suggestion ends up being used as the name of our podcast, you will win two UGA football tickets to see the Dawgs face off against South Carolina in Sanford Stadium Saturday, October 12! Interested yet? We thought so! Visit to the GFB Facebook page (www.facebook.com/GeorgiaFarmBureau) or the Friends of Georgia Farm Bureau Facebook page (www.gfb.ag/GFBfrnds) to make your suggestion! The deadline to enter is Sept. 23! NEWSPAPER EDITOR USES GFB CFM PASSPORT TO EXPLORE FARMS NOTE: This article is reprinted from the July 17 issue of the Jackson Herald. By Angela Gary Picking blackberries in the fields at Buffalo Creek Berry Farm, a family- run farm in the countryside of Oglethorpe County. Driving through the curvy roads of Ellijay and stopping at several of the “apple houses” where we bought fruit and vegetables, ate a fruit pie and had lunch. I have been on a quest to visit as many of the farms listed in the Georgia Farm Bureau Passport as possible. My goal is to go to at least 20 of the farms by the end of the year. The passport guides family and friends to farms across Georgia that offer fruit, vegetables and other local food. The 67 farms listed in the passport are in the Georgia Farm Bureau’s Certified Farm Markets program. The Farm Bureau gives prizes as you visit 5, 10, 15 and 20 of the farms. I first found out about the passport at the Banks County Farm Tour, where the participants were given one of the passports as we lunched at Jaemor Farms at Banks Crossing. Both the Banks Crossing and Alto Jaemor Farms sites are listed in the passport. I bought some strawberries and got my first farm “stamped” in the passport at the Jaemor Farms in Banks Crossing. I looked through the booklet and thought I could visit at least 20 of the farms by the end of the year. The farms are all across the state, so some would be too far away. My next stop was at Southern Belle Farm in McDonough in Henry County and it was certainly a delicious stop. I enjoyed strawberry shortcake and strawberry ice cream while touring the farm, and then bought some strawberry jam and fig jam to take home. I also brought home a basket of the wonderful peaches. At Southern Belle Farm, the fifth generation of the Carter family strive to let people, including the many children who come to the farm on field trips, know where food comes from. During our visit, family matriarch, Mimi, was present and she visited with guests in the store. She makes her homemade pound cake and shortcake for the bakery. She shares that, “Farming is -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 6 of 15 Continued from previous page the heart of our family.” The 330-acre farm has strawberries, peaches and a large variety of other fruits and vegetables offered. Visitors can pick their own strawberries and visit the on-site bakery for delicious strawberry shortcake and other treats. Two farms in Rabun County were next on my list of places to visit. My sister, nephew and I were headed to North Carolina for some gem mining and I looked to see if we would pass any farms on our trip. Sure enough, two farms were listed in Rabun County that we would be passing by. One of the farms, Osage Farm Market in Rabun Gap, is a place that our family has stopped many times. We love their fresh fruits and vegetables and bought some of our favorites. We also stopped at Hillside Orchard Farms in Lakemont. This was a first for us at this farm which mostly features jams, jellies and pickles. We picked out a few of our favorite jellies, as well as some blackberry juice which we love to put in tea. I looked through the booklet listing all the farms trying to decide where to go next. Buffalo Creek Berry Farm looked to be less than an hour away, so my mother and I headed there one afternoon. We traveled on several country roads with no businesses in site, so I began to worry we were lost. No worries though as we soon saw the farm sign. It is a u-pick farm so Mom and I headed out to the fields where we filled two baskets with blackberries, which Mom later made into jelly. In addition to getting some wonderful blackberries, we also enjoyed visiting with husband-wife owners, Cameron Phillips and Laura Pallas. Cameron pointed out the best spot to find blackberries, and Laura shared some of the history of the farm when we checked out. She says they will have okra in the fall, so we plan to return then. I love Mom’s pickled okra. On a recent Saturday, I headed to Ellijay with Mom and Dad where we stopped at the Mack Aaron Apple House and R&A Orchards. At the Mack Aaron Apple House, we talked with Bill, who is the third generation in his family to operate an apple house. Here, you receive friendly, personal service. It’s great to visit with Bill and his wife as you shop. We bought local vegetables and a few of the wonderful fruit pies and got our passport stamped. Mack Aaron’s Apple House has a history of expertise in growing apples in Gilmer County that dates back to 1944. Bill’s father, Mack, was 4 years old when his parents, Otis Shafter Aaron and Reba Ellis Aaron, bought a farm of over 200 acres from Bob Ayers to produce apples for commercial and retail sales. Popular apples have included Red Delicious, Rome Beauty, Ben Davis, Shockley, Limbertwig, Detroit Reds, Arkansas Blacks, Yates, and Gilmer Pippin. In 1977, Mack and Joyce Aaron built nearby on the current location, opening for the 1978 season. The family-oriented business continued wholesale and retail sales with emphasis on friendly service. In 2008, Mack and Joyce turned day to day operations over to their son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Gina Aaron. In addition to apples, peaches and nectarines, they also offer several other types of produce as well as a multitude of tasty goodies ready to enjoy. Special care is given to the delicious hand-continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 7 of 15 Continued from previous page made fried pies. You are guaranteed to find at least 11 varieties to choose from. Our last stop for the day in Ellijay was at R&A Orchards, where we bought peaches and had lunch in the diner in the back of the store. The hamburger and fries were great! Nothing like an old-fashioned burger with everything on it! I have more farms to visit before the end of the year to make my goal of 20, and I’m looking forward to discovering more great family farms. The Georgia Farm Passport is available at GFB county offices and at the 67 farms participating in the GFB Certified Farm Markets (CFM) program. These markets grow a majority of what they sell on their farm or they allow people to visit for a farm tour. These farms range from u-pick strawberry patches to farms that grow a variety of goods. As marked in the passport, some farms have corn mazes and farm games, offer educational opportunities, or host special events. The deadline to submit your passport for prizes is Jan. 10, 2020. Simply mailing in a passport with at least one stamp will enter you to win a basket of favorite products from CFMs valued at $100. Collect five stamps and earn a Georgia Farm Passport T-shirt. Ten stamps gets the traveler a GFB insulated tumbler. A collection of 15 stamps will qualify for a $15 gift certificate to the Certified Farm Market of choice. Those who earn 20 stamps will receive a full access pass farm tour with a farm-to-table meal in the Spring 2020. TWO NORTH GEORGIA APPLE ORCHARDS VOTED IN NATION’S TOP THREE R&A Orchards in Gilmer County was ranked the top apple orchard in the U.S. and Mercier Orchards in Fannin County was rated No. 3 in an online poll conducted by USA Today’s travel website. R&A and Mercier’s are both Georgia Farm Bureau Certified Farm Markets. In USA Today’s 10best.com Reader’s Choice 2019 contest, online voters chose the two Georgia orchards in the top three. Beak & Skiff Apple Orchard in LaFayette, New York, was voted No. 2. The top 10: 1. R&A Orchards – Ellijay; 2. Beak & Skiff Apple Orchard; 3. Mercier Orchards Blue Ridge; 4. Spicer Orchards - Fenton, Michigan; 5. The Apple Shed - Newark, New York; 6. Historic Weston Orchard & Vineyard - Weston, Missouri; 7. Marker-Miller Orchards Winchester, Virginia; 8. Anderson Orchard - Mooresville, Indiana; 9. Carter Mountain Orchard Charlottesville, Virginia; and 10. Ochs Orchard – Warwick, New York. R&A and Merciers each allows customers to pick their own apples, and each has a roadside market where visitors can shop for a wide variety of locally grown produce, jams and jellies and other products. In-market dining is available at both orchards. GFB ACCEPTING RENEWALS, NEW APPLICATIONS FOR CFM PROGRAM Georgia Farm Bureau is accepting applications for new member farms and renewals for existing ones in the 2020 Certified Farm Market program. The purpose of the Certified Farm Market program is to directly connect consumers to farmers and provide specialized support to farmers who sell directly to consumers and welcome the public to see their farm operation in person. The deadline to join or renew is Nov. 15. To learn more, visit www.gfb.ag/cfmfarmer or contact the CFM Coordinator Kelly Thompson at kathompson@gfb.org.
GFB Field Notes page 8 of 15 TRUMP SIGNS BILL PROVIDING DEBT RELIEF TO MORE FAMILY FARMERS On Aug. 23 President Donald Trump signed the Family Farmer Relief Act of 2019, a measure that raises the Chapter 12 debt limit from $4.1 million to $10 million. The law will help family farmers struggling with export market disruptions, weather events and declining farm income, American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall said. “It will help family farmers reorganize after falling on hard times by increasing the debt limit for relief eligibility under the Chapter 12 bankruptcy code,” Duvall said. “While this is a sobering reflection of the current state of the agricultural economy, we are grateful to Congress, the president and his administration for their prioritization of reforming our current bankruptcy laws.” According to AFBF, deteriorating financial conditions are affecting farmers and ranchers’ abilities to meet their obligations. AFBF analysis of court records show that there were 29 Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies filed in Georgia from July 2018 to June 2019. Only Wisconsin (45), Kansas (39) and Minnesota (31) had more. Chapter 12 bankruptcies provide a seasonal repayment schedule over a three- to five-year period and lower costs relative to other types of bankruptcies. LOMBARDINI NAMED HEAD OF UGA HORTICULTURE DEPARTMENT Plant physiologist Leo Lombardini joined the University of Georgia as head of the Department of Horticulture on Sept. 1. Lombardini, who will lead the department in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), comes to UGA from Texas A&M University, where he served on the faculty for the past 17 years. Most recently he was a professor of horticulture and founding director of the Center for Coffee Research and Education at the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture. “When the opportunity came up to continue my career at UGA, an institution which is known worldwide for its excellence in research, education and extension programs, as well as its traditions, I knew I could not pass,” Lombardini said. “And now I can say that I could not be prouder to join this Leo Lombardini prestigious department and university.” Looking ahead, he sees the next few years as a time of great change for the CAES Department of Horticulture as a few key tenured faculty members retire. He plans to spend the upcoming months traveling the state to learn more about Georgia’s horticulture industry and discuss ways to develop new relationships and strengthen existing partnerships with industry leaders. A native of Italy, he received a laurea degree (equivalent to a combined bachelor's and master’s degree) in forestry from the University of Florence in Firenze, Italy, and a doctorate in horticulture from Michigan State University. Lombardini joined Texas A&M University in June 2002 as an assistant professor of horticulture and pecan physiology. His research focused on plant physiology, especially in relation to plant responses to environmental stress and gas exchange. He also taught undergraduate and graduate courses in plant physiology and global issues in horticulture. He joined the Borlaug Institute in 2014 as the director deputy director of world coffee research and became the founding director of the Center for Coffee Research and Education in 2016. For more about the UGA Department of Horticulture, visit the www.hort.caes.uga.edu.
GFB Field Notes page 9 of 15 USDA OPENS 2019/2020 CROP YEAR ENROLLMENT FOR ARC AND PLC Agricultural producers can now enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2019 crop year. Interested producers must sign up for either program by March 15, 2020. The 2018 farm bill reauthorized and made updates to these two USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs. ARC provides income support payments on historical base acres when actual crop revenue declines below a specified guarantee level. PLC program provides income support payments on historical base acres when the price for a covered commodity falls below its effective reference price. Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium grain rice (which includes short grain rice), safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat. Updated provisions in the 2018 farm bill allow producers with an interest in a farm to enroll and elect coverage in crop-by-crop ARC-County or PLC, or ARC-Individual for the entire farm, for program year 2019. The election applies to both the 2019 and 2020 crop years. If a 2019 election is not submitted by the deadline of March 15, 2020, the election defaults to the current elections of the crops on the farm established under the 2014 farm bill. No payments will be earned in 2019 if the election defaults. For crop years 2021 through 2023, producers will have an opportunity to make new elections. Farm owners cannot enroll in either program unless they have a share interest in the farm. Once the 2019 election and enrollment are completed, producers on the farm for 2020 can complete an enrollment contract for the 2020 crop year beginning Oct. 7 and ending June 30, 2020. Although 2019 enrollment must occur first, a producer waiting until Oct. 7 to enroll is afforded the opportunity to enroll in either program for both 2019 and 2020 during the same office visit. During this time, farm owners have a one-time opportunity to update PLC payment yields that takes effect beginning with crop year 2020. If the owner accompanies the producer to the office, the yield update may be completed during the same office visit. In partnership with USDA, the University of Illinois and Texas A&M University are offering web-based decision tools to assist producers in making informed, educated decisions using crop data specific to their respective farming operations. Tools include: • Gardner-farmdoc Payment Calculator (https://gfb.ag/illfarmpaycalc): the University of Illinois tool that offers farmers the ability to run payment estimate modeling for their farms and counties for ARC-County and PLC; • ARC and PLC Decision Tool (www.afpc.tamu.edu/): the Texas A&M user-friendly tool that allows producers to analyze payment yield updates and expected payments for 2019 and 2020. Producers who have used the tool in the past should see their user name and much of their farm data will already be available in the system. Enrolling in ARC or PLC programs can impact eligibility for some forms of crop insurance. Producers who elect and enroll in PLC also have the option of purchasing Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) through the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA). Producers of covered -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 10 of 15 Continued from previous page commodities who elect ARC are ineligible for SCO on their planted acres. Upland cotton farmers who choose to enroll seed cotton base acres in ARC or PLC are ineligible for the stacked income protection plan (STAX) on their planted cotton acres. To be eligible for STAX coverage, producers must not enroll their seed cotton base acres into the ARC or PLC programs. For the USDA fact sheet on ARC and PLC, visit https://gfb.ag/19USDAARCPLCfacts. To sign up for the program, visit your FSA county office. USDA TO SURVEY FRUIT, COTTON GROWERS ABOUT CHEMICAL USE The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey fruit growers in 11 states, including Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, for its biennial Fruit Chemical Use Survey. NASS will also gather information about farm economics and production practices from cotton producers across Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina as part of the 2019 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS). The Fruit Chemical Use Survey will collect information on bearing acreage, pest management practices, pesticide application, acres treated and rates applied for more than 12 fruit crops, and it will provide information about current crop production practices in the United States. The results of this survey will paint a detailed picture of pesticide use as well as other pest management practices used by the fruit growers across the nation. Within the next few weeks, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) enumerators will contact selected Florida, Georgia and South Carolina growers to arrange inperson interviews for conducting the survey. For ARMS, NASS enumerators will conduct the survey of more than 600 cotton producers across the Southern Region, conducting in-person interviews starting in October. NASS recommends that farmers have their fertilizer and pesticide spray records available to speed up the survey process. ARMS began in May with the first of three phases through April 2020. The first phase screened participants to make sure they had the commodity of interest and would accurately represent the entire U.S. farm sector. In the current phase, NASS will collect information on production practices and chemical use for the specific commodity mentioned above. In the final phase, NASS will survey producers on cost of production, farm income, and production expenditures. ARMS is a joint effort of NASS and USDA’s Economic Research Service. For more information about the 2019 Agricultural Resource Management Survey visit www.nass.usda.gov/go/arms. Survey results and all NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov/Publications. For more information call the NASS Southern Regional Field Office at (800) 253-4419.
GFB Field Notes page 11 of 15 CROP INSURANCE DEADLINES NEAR FOR MULTIPLE GA GRAIN COMMODITIES Georgia farmers who produce barley, canola, oats and wheat have until Sept. 30 to apply for crop insurance coverage or make changes to their existing coverage. Federal crop insurance is critical to the farm safety net. It helps producers and owners manage revenue risks and strengthens the rural economy. Coverage is available for barley in Crisp, Jefferson, Pike and Walton counties. Coverage is available for canola in Bartow, Calhoun, Chattooga, Cherokee, Floyd, Franklin, Gordon, Hart, Murray, Polk Walker and Whitfield Counties. Please contact your insurance agent to see if your county is covered. Growers are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for the 2019 crop year. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers by visiting the RMA agent locator at www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agent.html. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at www.rma.usda.gov. GREAT GEORGIA POLLINATOR CENSUS NETS 4,567 COUNTS More than 4,000 Georgians logged 4,567 counts in 133 counties participated in the nation's first statewide pollinator census, logging more than 133,963 insect interactions. “I think the story now is how excited people were to participate,” said Becky Griffin, school and community garden coordinator for University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and the pollinator count organizer. “I have heard several times that people will never look at their gardens the same way again and that slowing down for 15 minutes to look at the insects was eye-opening. I am so very, very grateful for all of the Georgia citizens who were willing to give up their time to support our pollinators.” Each participant spent 15 minutes focusing on one individual blooming plant. They tallied the number of insects and the types of insects they witnessed during those 15 minutes and then recorded and reported the type of plant they selected, the time of day, the weather and their location. Griffin is working with other pollinator experts to crunch the data to look for trends about which pollinators were most populous in different parts of the state. Once analyzed, the results should provide a needed benchmark for the state's native pollinator population. Future censuses will help track the health of Georgia pollinators. Pollinators, both domestic and wild, contribute about $367 million to the Georgia economy each year, according to a 2015 study by UGA economists. In addition to the data generated by the census, Griffin wanted the count to serve as an educational experience for Georgians. After spending 15 minutes focused on one plant to count pollinators, many participants reported having a new respect for their backyard or garden ecosystems, Griffin said. While it was hard to stay still and count for 15 minutes, each student came away with a new appreciation of the tiny world that exists on the plants in the school garden, Parr added. Griffin plans to publish insights from the census on the Great Georgia Pollinator Census website as well as in traditional academic journals. To keep up with the latest news from the census, join the Great Georgia Pollinator Census Group on Facebook.
GFB Field Notes page 12 of 15 ONE TREE PLANTED FUNDS OAK SEEDLINGS FOR NORTH GEORGIA One Tree Planted, a non-profit organization geared toward reforestation, is providing funding to purchase oak tree seedlings for private landowners in North Georgia. The funds will be used to purchase GFC seedlings, which will be given to qualified landowners. The first signup period runs through Sept. 20. To apply, complete a “One Tree Planted� seedling application and return to your local GFC Forester. The application must be signed by the landowner. The list of applicants will be compiled and randomly selected if necessary. Approvals will be announced by Sept. 25. A GFC forester will visit the sites of all approved applicants and develop a tree planting plan for the acreage involved. The plan will quantify the acreage and address site preparation and planting specifications. The applicant must agree to follow the plan in order to receive seedlings. The seedling application of all approved applicants will be mailed directly to the GFC nursery and seedlings will be delivered as directed on the form. A GFC Forester will visit the site after planting to ensure that the reforestation plan was followed. In the case that the plan was not followed or the designated area was not planted, the landowner will be required to pay for the portion of trees not properly utilized. General guidelines: The planting area must be a minimum of 2 acres in size; the oak species selected should be commercial, native and match the site; a mixture of red and white oak species is preferred; funding can go toward cost-share program participants but will receive lower priority; the site must be ready for planting during the 2019-2020 planting season. For more information, visit www.gfb.ag/onetreeplantedseedlings or contact State Forester Michael Sampson at 706-546-2421 or michael.sampson@usda.gov.
GFB Field Notes page 13 of 15 SCORE SOUTH GEORGIA FARM TOUR Sept. 12 Colquitt County Ag Complex 8:15 a.m. – 4 p.m. Moultrie For those interested in starting a farm or expanding their existing one, SCORE South Georgia will host this tour to offer key information about starting businesses in beekeeping, growing pecans, blueberries and citrus. The tour begins at the Colquitt County Ag Complex at 350 Veterans Parkway North in Moultrie and includes stops at Rossman Apiaries in Moultrie, Craftwood Farms in Boston, Georgia, and Florida-Georgia Citrus in Monticello, Florida. Cost is $25 per person and covers transportation and lunch. To register, visit www.bit.ly/scorefarmtour. 2019 OUR WORLD BALLOON FESTIVAL Sept. 14 Southern Belle Farm 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. McDonough This festival is a charitable event benefitting Our World School, a school for children with special needs. General admission for ages 3 and up is $30, which includes parking, admission, car show, live music headlined by Corey Smith, a live falcon show, and access to all Southern Belle Farm amenities except the corn maze. For tickets visit http://gfb.insure/BalloonFestival. To learn more about Our World School, visit www.OurWorldSchool.org. WEST GEORGIA BEEF MANAGEMENT TOUR Sept. 17 Carroll County Ag Center/various stops 6 a.m. – 7 p.m. Carrollton Stops include Callaway Cattle Company in Hogansville, White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, Oakhurst Farm in West Point and Oliver Angus in West Point. Cost is $50 per person and includes bus, tour and lunch. Registration and payment are due by Sept. 10. Participation is limited to 40 people. For more information contact Paula Burke at pjburke@uga.edu, or Anne Anglin at anne.anglin@uga.edu, or call 770-836-8546. 23RD ANNUAL INMAN FARM HERITAGE DAYS Sept. 20-22 Minter’s Farm, 283 Hill’s Bridge Rd. Fayetteville Admission is free for this annual event featuring dozens of antique farm implements, including 100 antique tractors, 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. 20 and 21, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Sept. 22. For more information call 770-461-2840 or 770-296-8360, or visit www.mintersfarm.com. TRI-STATE PEANUT DISEASE TOUR Sept. 24-26 Various locations GA, AL & FL Stops on this annual tour are at UGA-Tifton (Sept. 24), Wiregrass Experiment Station in Headland, Alabama (Sept. 25) and the North Florida Research & Education Center in Live Oak, Florida (Sept. 26). On Sept. 25, lunch at UGA’s Black Shank Farm Pavilion will be served at 1:00 p.m. While there is no registration for the tour, if you plan to attend the lunch in Tifton on Sept 24, please contact Albert Culbreath at spotwilt@uga.edu. For more information about the Wiregrass Experiment Station visit, contact Lee Campbell at campbho@auburn.edu. Lunch will be served at the North Florida Research & Education Center at noon on Sept. 26, with tour wrap-up at 1:30 p.m. For more information, contact De Broughton deonne@ufl.edu.
GFB Field Notes page 14 of 15 AFBF AG INNOVATION CHALLENGE Sept. 30 deadline to enter The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, is accepting online applications for the 2020 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. In its sixth year, the Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge is a national business competition for U.S. food and agriculture startups. Entrepreneurs will compete for $145,000 in startup funds. To apply for the 2020 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge, competitors can apply online at http://fb.org/aginnovationchallenge by midnight Eastern Standard Time on Sept. 30. 2019 GEORGIA NATIONAL FAIR Oct. 3-13 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter Perry The 30th annual Georgia National Fair features livestock shows, nightly concerts, rides on the Midway and the always popular fair food! Concert acts include Diamond Rio, George Clinton & Parliament, the Gin Blossoms and the Oak Ridge Boys. Ticket prices: Advance Gate, $9 each; Advance Midway $10; Two-day Pass $16; Season Pass $65. For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit www.georgianationalfair.com/. WETLANDS SEMINAR Oct. 4 Henry County Farm Bureau 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. McDonough This one-day event hosted by the Henry County Conservation District features a discussion of the wetland oversight roles of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Topics include how to determine if an aquatic resource is a wetland or a stream, when permits are needed and project criteria considered by the agencies. Cost is $60 and includes lunch. For more information, contact Sharon Burns at Sharon.burns@gacd.us. 2019 SUNBELT AG EXPO Oct. 15-17 Spence Field Moultrie This annual three-day celebration of all things agriculture features something of interest for everyone – shiny new farm equipment, daily harvest demonstrations, more than 300 educational seminars, cooking demonstrations, stock dog trials and much more. Gates open at 8:30 a.m. each day of the show and admission is $10 per person. Discount tickets may be purchased at www.sunbeltexpo.com.
GFB Field Notes page 15 of 15 ENTER GFB HAY CONTEST, SUBMIT INFO FOR HAY DIRECTORY BY OCT. 31 Georgia Farm Bureau is calling all members who grow Bermudagrass hay to enter its annual hay contest by Oct. 31! Hay entered in the 2019 GFB Quality 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 the hay. Winners will be determined by the RFQ analysis and announced in December at the GFB Convention on Jekyll Island. For contest rules and to access the entry form, visit www.gfb.ag/haycontest. GFB is also accepting listings for its online hay directory. Farm Bureau members with hay for sale or who offer custom harvesting or custom sprigging services are invited to list their hay and/or services in the GFB Quality Hay Directory published on the GFB website. Hay for sale or services can be listed or removed from the directory throughout the year. To participate, complete a submission form by visiting your county Farm Bureau office or online at www.gfb.ag/hay. For more information about the contest contact Jeremy Taylor in the GFB Public Policy Department at jrtaylor@gfb.org. FFA ALUMNI/DAWSON COUNTY FARM BUREAU TRACTOR SHOW & AG DAY Nov. 23 Tractor Supply 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Dawsonville This event provides support for the Dawson High School FFA Chapter. Trophies will be awarded for Best in Show and FFA Favorite. All tractors and all vendor booths will need to be in place by 9 a.m. the day of the event. Contact Tammy Wood at Dawson County Farm Bureau for tractor reservations at 706-265-3350 or tewood@gfb.org. Drive-ups welcome, but advance reservations are preferred. To reserve vendor booths contact Kim Glaze at 706-265-6555, kim.glaze@newname.cc or kpankey@dawson.k12.ga.us. COUNTY FARM BUREAU FARMERS MARKETS CLINCH COUNTY FARMERS MARKET First Saturday each month 8 a.m. – noon Empire Plaza Homerville This monthly farmers market co-hosted by Clinch County Farm Bureau and Homerville Main Street features a variety of locally produced treats, arts and crafts. Empire Plaza is located at the water fountain behind Heritage Bank on U.S. Highway 84. COBB COUNTY FARM BUREAU FARMERS MARKET Tuesdays through September 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. Lost Mountain Park Powder Springs The public is invited to check out a variety of vendors with locally grown produce, baked goods, strawberries, peaches, jams, jellies and much more. Lost Mountain Park is located at 4845 Dallas Highway in Powder Springs. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/cobbcofarmbureau/ or call 770-943-3531.