Photo by Logan Thomas
September 29, 2021
www.gfb.org
Vol. 3 No. 20
ASIAN LONGHORNED TICK FOUND ON NORTH GEORGIA COW The Asian Longhorned Tick - an invasive species with the potential to cause severe anemia and tick fever in livestock - has been positively identified on a cow this month in Pickens County, the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) announced Sept. 21. The USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories made the positive identification, UGA Entomologist Dr. Nancy Hinkle said. “The Asian Longhorned Tick looks very similar to other ticks in Georgia, so we don't expect people to be able to distinguish them. One distinctive aspect of Asian Longhorned Ticks is they tend to occur in large numbers. If an animal has one tick it's probably our common Lone Star Tick,” Hinkle said. “If a cow [or other animal] shows up with hundreds of ticks on it, we're going to be very suspicious that we're looking at an Asian Longhorned Tick infestation.”
What does it look like? Asian Longhorned Ticks (Haemaphysalis longicornis) are light brown and can be smaller than a sesame seed before expanding to the size of a pea when full of blood, according to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Most Asian Longhorned Ticks (ALT) are female and can reproduce without a male. One female ALT can produce 1,000 to 2,000 eggs at one time without mating, APHIS reports. This is how a single animal could find itself hosting hundreds of ticks.
What’s impact to animals? APHIS explains that an individual animal with such a heavy infestation of ticks will be stressed and experience reduced growth and production. A severe infestation could potentially kill the animal from excessive blood loss. In other countries with established ALT populations, the species can transmit bovine theileriosis (infectious anemia) to cattle and babesiosis (tick fever) to several domestic animal species, according to APHIS.
Where did it come from? This tick species is native to eastern Asia and had spread to Australia, New Zealand and western Pacific islands (New Caledonia, Fiji) by the early 1900s. In these countries, the species is called bush tick, cattle tick or scrub tick.
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GFB Field Notes page 2 of 16 Continued from previous page According to APHIS, the ALT probably arrived in the U.S. in or before 2010 via domestic pets, horses, livestock or people. In late 2017, the USDA confirmed the ALT was present in the United States when the species was identified on a sheep in New Jersey, according to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. In less than four years, the species has been identified in 17 states, ranging from lower New England to Arkansas. Georgia is the latest state added to the list. Other states where the ALT has been identified are: (listed geographically from north to south to west): Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Missouri and Arkansas, where it has been detected along the state’s border with eastern Oklahoma.
What should producers do if they discover a suspected ALT infestation? Georgia livestock producers are encouraged to help UGA and the GDA determine the extent of the ALT’s presence in the state by monitoring their cattle, goats, horses and sheep for large infestations of ticks. Since the summer of 2019, Hinkle has been conducting a study to watch for the expected arrival of the ALT in Georgia and collect baseline information on existing tick populations related to Georgia cattle prior to the ALT’s arrival. Anyone who finds large infestations of ticks on any one animal - cattlemen, horse people, backyard poultry producers, pet owners, hunters - should call their veterinarian and report it to the Georgia Department of Agriculture Animal Health Division at 404-656-3667.
Can livestock producers control ALT population? The GDA recommends that livestock producers or backyard poultry growers work with their veterinarian and/or UGA Cooperative Extension agent to develop an appropriate strategy to fight tick infestations of any type. “The good news is that products registered for use on cattle that are recommended for other tick species will be effective against ALT,” Hinkle said. Visit www.gfb.ag/UGAlivestockpestmanagement and scroll down to the section on ticks for a list of pesticides the UGA Cooperative Extension recommends for treating cattle and other livestock for ticks. All treatment should be done in consultation with a veterinarian to ensure proper withdrawal times are observed and that a product is not overused to allow resistance to a product to build.
Hinkle working to protect Georgia cattle The Georgia Beef Commission partially funded Hinkle’s study, which helped lead to finding the presence of ALT in Georgia. “Dr. Hinkle told the Georgia Beef Commission in 2018 that this tick had shown up in New Jersey. She told us ‘It’s not a matter of if, but when it shows up in Georgia,’ and here we are,” Georgia Beef Commission Chairman John Callaway recalled. “I think this has been money well spent to get a baseline to know where we {Georgia} was on tick populations before the Asian Longhorned Tick arrived.”
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GFB Field Notes page 3 of 16 Continued from previous page Hinkle’s baseline data shows that prior to the arrival of the ALT in Georgia, there were 22 species of ticks in the state. Some of these species were only found on the gopher tortoise or squirrels. “In our study, we found only two tick species on cattle - the Lone Star Tick and the American Dog Tick, both of which have very broad host ranges,” Hinkle said. “In our survey, 82 percent of the ticks on cattle are Lone Star Ticks. We never found more than a half dozen ticks on a cow at one time. Best of all, only 3 percent of sampled cattle had any ticks. So, Georgia cattlemen are doing something right.” Hinkle says the Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma Americanum) is the most common tick in the Southeast and can be found on a wide range of animals. “If you have a tick on you, the vast majority of times it will be a Lone Star (same with your dog, or other animals,” Hinkle said. About 500,000 head of cattle are sold annually in Georgia, Callaway said. Cattle producers pay a $1 per head assessment for each cow sold to fund research projects, such as Hinkle’s, that address beef production and marketing issues along with educating consumers about the nutritional value of beef. “It’s [arrival of ALT] just one more thing that [beef] producers will have to contend with,” Callaway, who raises beef cattle in Troup County, said of the arrival of the new tick species in Georgia. AGRIBUSINESSES CONTINUE TO BE TARGETED BY CYBERATTACKS Two midwestern farm co-ops are the latest American agribusinesses to be targeted by cyberattackers, according to published media reports. On Sept. 19, Crystal Valley, a Minnesota-based farm supply and grain co-op, was hit by a ransomware attack that infected its computer systems, severely interrupting the company’s daily operations according to a statement released by the co-op on Sept. 21. The attack necessitated that the co-op write manual hand tickets when receiving farmers’ grain rather than recording the transactions electronically. The co-op also suspended accepting major credit cards and notified its customers that they should assume their personal information on file had been compromised and should take precautionary measures to monitor their bank accounts and other financial information. At some point during the third weekend in September, Iowa-based New Cooperative, one of the largest farm cooperatives in the U.S., was also targeted. According to Bloomberg News, the Iowa co-op received a ransom demand of $5.9 million from cybercriminal group BlackMatter, founded in July 2021, which claims to have incorporated the "best features" from Russian ransomware group DarkSide, REvil and LockBit. The Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a private industry notification on Sept. 1 warning the food and agriculture sector that it is under active attack by cybercriminals. The U.S. Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 2,474 ransomware complaints in 2020 with adjusted losses of more than $29.1 million across all industry sectors, the FBI reported in its Sept. 1 notification. While cybercriminals use a variety of methods to infect victims’ computer systems with ransomware, the most common means of infecting a network are email phishing, remote desktop protocol vulnerabilities and software vulnerabilities, the FBI reports.
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GFB Field Notes page 4 of 16 Continued from previous page Business owners/managers are encouraged to visit https://www.cisa.gov/stopransomware to access resources related to the prevention and mitigation of cyberattacks. In the event you experience a cyberattack or suspect someone may be trying to access your system, contact your local FBI field office. A directory of FBI field offices is available at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/fieldoffices or by calling 855-292-3937. These latest two attacks come in the wake of more than a year of escalating cyberattacks during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular ransomware attacks targeting groups critical to key U.S. supply chains. In a June meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Joe Biden warned the Kremlin that cyberattacks against 16 U.S. industries – including agriculture – would not be tolerated. The entities Biden said are off limits also include energy, water, health care, emergency, chemical, nuclear, communications, government, defense, food, commercial facilities, IT, transportation, dams, manufacturing and financial services In May there were cyberattacks against Colonial Pipeline, which provides 45 percent of the East Coast’s fuel, and on JBS USA, one of the largest meat providers. Both Colonial Pipeline and JBS USA chose to pay the ransom payments demanded, according to published media reports. The Justice Department was able to recover the majority of the $4.4 million in bitcoin paid to hackers by Colonial. THE GEORGIA NATIONAL FAIR IS BACK! Experience Georgia agriculture. See the animals. Watch the livestock shows. Sample Georgia farm products. Take your pick of entertainment. Enjoy fair food. After a COVID-19 hiatus in 2020, the Georgia National Fair is back with all that and more. The fair runs Oct. 7-17 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter in Perry. As always, Georgia Farm Bureau will have a big presence at the fair. GFB is a Premier Sponsor for the fair and provides prizes for the Georgia National Fair livestock shows and the grand champion prizes for the Market Doe, Market Wether and Market Lamb shows held at the fair that are part of the 4-H & FFA’s Georgia Junior National Livestock Show program. Hundreds of 4-H and FFA students from around the state will show cattle, goats, sheep and hogs during the fair. “The fair is one of the state’s signature events, and it supports one of our main objectives at Georgia Farm Bureau – to promote agriculture and help educate the general public about where its food comes from.” GFB President Tom McCall said. “We’re proud of our long-standing commitment to support the Georgia National Fair and encourage the public to attend and enjoy all it has to offer.” The Georgia Grown Building features agricultural vendors from around the state, as well as the Faces of Georgia Agriculture photo exhibit, Georgie’s Farm, cooking demonstrations and samples and booths presented by agribusiness vendors from around the state. The immensely popular Georgia Grown Baby Barn, where visitors can witness live births of cattle and swine, makes its return. There will be 70+ rides, 11 free concerts, hundreds of vendors, and endless entertainment across the fairgrounds. Returning favorites include Nerveless Nocks Extreme Water Ski Show, Cirque Ma’Ceo, Sea Lion Splash, and many more. This year’s fair will also feature exciting new
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GFB Field Notes page 5 of 16 Continued from previous page entertainment such as The Birdman Show of Las Vegas, and physical comedian, The Groovy Guy. At the Georgia National Fair, free entertainment keeps this Georgia event fun and affordable. Free headlining concerts will perform every night of the fair on the Georgia National Stage. Listen to classics from The Eagles cover band – Hotel California or the platinum pop hits of 90’s boy band, 98 Degrees. From country to rock to funk and R&B, the 32nd Annual Georgia National Fair has something for everyone. All concerts begin at 7:30 P.M. Bleachers and chairs will be provided by the fairgrounds and all seating is first come, first serve. Visitors can find new attractions and entertainment throughout the Fair. Several new musical groups will take the Tower stage for the first time, including Presley & Taylor - a powerhouse sister country music duo, and Tokyo Joe – a South Carolina quartet that plays popular cover songs spanning 4 decades. Fairgoers are encouraged to visit the new Starbuck Learning Farm located on the south side of the property. Here, folks can learn about residential gardening, food sustainability, and native Georgia crops. Another exciting new attraction is Middle Georgia Gellyball. They will be hosting a pay to play Gellyball course, a game similar to paintball but without the pain and stains! Food continues to be a main attraction of the Fair and concessions from around the country will gather in Perry to serve up all your favorites. Classics such as Granny Smith Apple Dumplings, Gabby’s Dough Factory, and Hot Wisconsin Cheese will be available, plus some new vendors! It goes without saying, but after a year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are more excited than ever to welcome fairgoers back to the Georgia National Fair. For more information about safety policies, visit the Georgia National Fair’s FAQ’s page at https://www.georgianationalfair.com/p/about/faqs. Gate admission for adults is $15, seniors (age 60 and up) are $10, children 10 and under are free with a paying adult. For more information about the 2021 Georgia National Fair, visit www.GeorgiaNationalFair.com, MINNESOTA COURT ALLOWS BEEF ANTITRUST SUIT TO MOVE FORWARD On Sept. 14, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota denied a motion to dismiss an antitrust suit against Tyson, Cargill, National Beef and JBS over the companies’ alleged manipulation of beef prices. R-CALF is one of the plaintiffs in the suit and announced the ruling in a Sept. 14 press release. The class action suit, originally filed in June 2020 by Central Grocers Inc. and Strack and Van Til Super Market Inc., accuses the meat packers of “conspiring to constrain beef supplies in the United States,” and as a result causing artificial inflation of domestic prices paid by entities purchasing beef directly from the packers. According to the suit, the packers sold more than 80% of the 2.5 million pounds of beef supplied to the U.S. beef market. The plaintiffs claimed the packers used a scheme to limit the supply of beef entering the domestic supply chain, resulting in artificially high domestic beef prices. The plaintiffs assert that these actions violate the Sherman Antitrust Act. In ruling on the motion to dismiss, Judge John R. Tunheim found that the plaintiffs’s accusations are plausible. As a result of the ruling, the case can proceed to the discovery phase, in which parties to the case gather information in preparation for trial.
GFB Field Notes page 6 of 16 ABAC PRESIDENT BRIDGES ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT On. Sept. 14, Dr. David Bridges announced that he plans to retire from his position as president of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. “I have some other things in my life that I want to do,” said Bridges, the longest-serving president in the history of ABAC. “I believe it is the right time. The institution is on solid footing for the future.” Bridges plans to retire from the position on Dec. 31, but indicated he is willing to stay until the end of the spring semester, if that is the desire of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG). “As the longest-serving president among our 26 institutions and ever in the history of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, President David Bridges for the past 16 years has been a leading voice for rural Georgia and its students,” USG Acting Chancellor Teresa MacCartney said. “An ABAC graduate himself, he skillfully guided the college through the addition of bachelor’s degrees, consolidation with the former Bainbridge State College and record growth in enrollment. Before that, he spent two decades as a faculty member and administrator at the University of Georgia. The son of a farmer and a teacher, he never strayed far from his roots. The University System of Georgia is better for it, and we’re incredibly grateful for his service to our students and state.” A native of Terrell County, Bridges is the only ABAC president to have once been an ABAC student, receiving his ABAC associate degree in 1978 before completing his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Auburn University and his Ph.D. at Texas A&M University. Prior to becoming the 10th president in the history of ABAC on July 1, 2006, Bridges was the assistant dean of the Tifton Campus of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. He joined the UGA faculty in 1987 as an assistant professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. Bridges, who turned 63 this summer, will retire as one of the most accomplished presidents in ABAC’s 113-year history. The college began offering bachelor’s degrees under Bridges’ leadership in 2008. ABAC now offers 12 different bachelor’s degrees. The school’s enrollment of approximately 4,000 includes students from 155 of Georgia’s 159 counties, 52 of Florida’s 67 counties, 19 countries, and 18 states. “My goal was to transform ABAC from a two-year college into a senior college of excellence,” Bridges said. “I believe we have done that. ABAC is the leading producer of undergraduates who work and lead Georgia’s number one industry, agriculture. In my opinion, ABAC also has the largest and best nursing program in South Georgia.” Bridges cited the introduction of bachelor’s degrees as his greatest accomplishment at ABAC. He said several of the degree programs required extraordinary work and patience. “Many people doubted whether ABAC could ever offer a bachelor’s degree in Forestry or Agricultural Education,” Bridges said. “It did take a long time, but we did it.” Bridges led efforts to renovate the front portion of campus, which culminated with the remodel of ABAC’s three original buildings, Tift Hall, Lewis Hall and Herring Hall, in 2012. Bridges paved the way for the implementation of the Freedom Gallery in Tift Hall, a room which honors Medal of Honor recipient and ABAC alumnus Harold Bascom Durham, Jr., and all other
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GFB Field Notes page 7 of 16 Continued from previous page veterans. In 2020, ABAC added Edwards Hall to the front of the campus, a sparkling, multi-purpose facility that provides a home for the ABAC music and fine arts program, including gigantic practice facilities for the ABAC Concert Band and Concert Choir. Through Bridges’ work with the ABAC Foundation, Inc., the college now offers more than $800,000 in scholarships for students, the largest amount of scholarship funds in school history. The foundation’s net assets have doubled during Bridges’ tenure. In 2010, Bridges navigated the addition of the Georgia Museum of Agriculture to the ABAC campus. Formerly known as the Georgia Agrirama, the facility is still open to the public, and ABAC students guide thousands of school children annually through the museum in the Destination Ag program. In 2017 and 2018, Bridges concentrated his efforts on the consolidation of the former Bainbridge State College into ABAC. At its fall and spring commencements, ABAC now conducts three ceremonies, two for ABAC students in Tifton and another for students in Bainbridge. These are two special days that Bridges treasures each year. “Graduation days are the days I will miss the most,” Bridges said. “Seeing those students walk across that stage in Tifton and Bainbridge are always my favorite days at ABAC. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve my alma mater. It has been the greatest of times for me.” FIELD TO CLOSET MEDICAL SCRUBS NOW AVAILABLE Medical scrubs made from Georgia-grown cotton are now available to order through The Cotton Project, part of the Field to Closet initiative to create an end-to-end U.S. cotton product supply chain, according to a release from AmericaKnits. The scrubs, made with cotton grown from Deltapine seed, are treated with PROTX2AV, a patent-pending medical grade, anti-viral, antibacterial, anti-odor and metal-free technology scientifically proven to destroy SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19), demonstrating a 99.9% reduction in active viral loads and completely disabling the virus. The project also included the delivery in mid-September of 100% cotton scrubs to 15 rural Georgia hospitals at no cost for their employees. The hospitals were Brooks County Hospital, Burke Medical Center, Crisp Regional Medical Center, Colquitt Regional Medical Center, East Georgia Regional Medical Center, Emanuel Medical Center, Irwin County Hospital, Jeff Davis Hospital, Jenkins County Medical, LifeBrite Community Hospital of Early, Memorial Hospital and Manor, Mitchell County Hospital, SGMC Berrien Campus, Southwell Medical, and Taylor Regional Hospital. The initiative’s partnerships are generating higher cotton need and demand, fair compensation for farmer's sustainability efforts, and a positive light on an all U.S. end-to-end supply chain. For more information about this project or to order the scrubs in bulk this fall for spring 2022 delivery, go to Rhino Medical Supply https://www.rhinomedicalsupply.com/.
GFB Field Notes page 8 of 16 STUDY: PEANUT CONSUMPTION HAS COGNITIVE BENEFITS, REDUCES STRESS The University of Barcelona has released new research showing that consumption of peanuts and peanut butter may improve cognitive function and reduce stress in healthy young adults. Researchers point to the polyphenols in peanuts that likely aided memory, executive function and processing speed and resulted in a reduction of cortisol, anxiety and depressive levels in a control group of mostly college students. The ARISTOTLE study was published online in Clinical Nutrition on Sept. 22. “The improvement of memory function and stress response after consuming regular peanuts and peanut butter seem to be related to the mental health effects of bioactive compounds such as resveratrol and p-coumaric acid found in peanuts, as well as the increased level of short chain fatty acids and very long chain saturated fatty acids in plasma and feces associated with peanut consumption,” said Dr. Rosa M. Lamuela-Raventós, the lead researcher from the University of Barcelona. The three-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted from November 2019 to June 2020 with 63 healthy participants (44 females and 19 males) who were 18 to 33 years of age. The participants, who were mostly students, were from the University of Barcelona in Spain and consumed either 25 grams a day of roasted peanuts with skins or two tablespoons (32 grams) a day of peanut butter or two tablespoons (32 grams) a day of a control butter. The control had a similar macronutrient composition as the roasted peanuts and peanut butter but was free of phenolic compounds and fiber. Consumption of the peanut products began after a two-week, peanut-free period in advance of the study. Study participants followed their regular diet and consumed the peanut products at any time of the day. Wine, grapes, berries and dark chocolate with more than 70% cacao and berries were excluded from the participants’ diets due to their high levels of resveratrol, an antioxidant present in peanuts. In addition, other nuts were excluded from the diet. “This new research involves a group of young participants and points to the possible cognitive and mental health benefits from a relatively small daily serving of peanuts or peanut butter,” said Dr. Samara Sterling, a nutrition scientist and research director for The Peanut Institute. “When you break down the nutritional structure of peanuts, they have a unique combination of vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds, including resveratrol, niacin, vitamin E and coumaric acids, that can contribute to cognition and mental health.” At the beginning and end of the study, trained personnel assessed the cognitive functions of participants, administering in a standard order a broad range of validated neuropsychological tests and mood disorder questionnaires. The tests evaluated the three main cognitive domains – memory, executive function and processing speed. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, validated for the Spanish population, was also used to detect anxious states and depressive states. Biological samples (fasting blood, 24-hour urine and feces) were collected prior to the start of the study as a baseline and after six months of participation in the study. Participants were also contacted three months into the research to encourage their ongoing adherence to the study parameters. “This is first-of-its-kind research that points to the potential ‘brain benefits’ of peanut and peanut butter consumption in a younger demographic,” Sterling said. “The results show that a small addition to the diet can have a significant impact.”
GFB Field Notes page 9 of 16 GDA ACCEPTING COMMENTS ON PROPOSED HEMP RULE CHANGES On Sept. 16, the Georgia Department of Agriculture announced its intent to make changes to the state hemp program, to bring it in line with USDA rules and to address operational realities identified during initial growing seasons. The department will accept comments on the proposed rule changes until 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 18. The amended rules are expected to take effect on Jan. 2, 2022. Proposed changes include: • Raising the threshold for a negligent violation for growing hot hemp from .5% to 1% delta- 9 THC on a dry weight basis; • Providing for additional methods of disposal of non-compliant cannabis, as well as provide for the possibility of remediating non-compliant cannabis. • Expanding the harvest window from 15 days to 30 days; • Updating sampling and testing guidelines to current USDA guidelines; • Revising and adding definitions to conform to USDA Final Rule, which went into effect Jan. 19. The proposed amendments conform the Hemp Rules to changes to the Georgia Hemp Farming Act established by HB 336, which became effective on May 7. These proposed changes include: • Clarifying that cultivation, handling, or processing of hemp in structures used for residential purposes is prohibited; • Updating the background check process for license and permit applications; • Creating a procedure for claims on permittee surety bonds; • Reflecting change in processor renewal fees; • Revisionmg definitions to conform to HB 336. The proposed amendments make additional changes intended to better the Georgia Hemp Program based on observations during initial growing seasons. These include: • Allowing limited performance-based sampling for nursery growers; • Allowing for limited amendments to licenses and permits and streamline and clarify grower and processor application requirements; • Clarifying that hemp seed and live hemp plants are governed by the Georgia Seed Law and the Entomology Act and their respective regulations; • Requiring a planting report; • Expanding and clarifying signage requirements to cover all grow sites, which will facilitate smooth grower interactions with law enforcement; • Removing repetitive transportation requirements already provided for in the Georgia Hemp Farming Act; • Clarifying recordkeeping requirements apply to out of state contracts; • Requiring lot labeling; • Clarifying total THC standard and adding and revising definitions. Public comments will be considered on Oct 20. Please submit written comments to Jamie Arrington, Hemp Program Administrator, Georgia Department of Agriculture, 1109 Experiment Street, Redding Building, Room 213, Griffin, Georgia 30223. Arrington may be reached at
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GFB Field Notes page 10 of 16 Continued from previous page 404-586-1140 or by email at hemp@agr.georgia.gov. Interested persons may call or submit a written request to obtain a copy of the proposed rule changes. A copy of the synopsis and the proposed rule changes may be downloaded from the Georgia Department of Agriculture website at http://agr.georgia.gov/notice-of-intent-to-amendhemp-rules.aspx. GEORGIA PEANUT COMMISSION, GPB LAUNCH VIRTUAL LEARNING JOURNEY The Georgia Peanut Commission and Georgia Public Broadcast (GPB) Education have launched of a new virtual learning journey, Georgia Peanuts. This interactive journey, available at www.gpb.org/peanuts, offers students a unique learning experience as they explore the impact peanuts have on Georgia and beyond. In addition to the launch of the virtual learning journey, GPB Education is producing a live exploration of Georgia's peanuts that will air Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. Viewers can watch live online at www.gpb.org/peanuts-live or on their local GPB-TV channel. “We are excited to partner with GPB Education in development of this new virtual educational resource,” said Tim Burch, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission Education and Information Committee. “The resource targeted for teachers and students provides an overview of the value of the peanut industry to the state of Georgia and captures the many career opportunities available within the peanut industry.” Aligned to the Georgia Standards of Excellence, Georgia Peanuts Virtual Learning Journey targets learners in third through eighth grades. In the journey, a variety of concepts are divided into four main sections: History and Origins; Cultivation and Uses; Technology and Economy; and Working with Peanuts. The first three sections include interactive elements, videos, writing prompts and activities, virtual reality experiences, photo galleries, vocabulary lists, and informative text. The final section, Working with Peanuts, highlights 13 different career profiles for students to learn about the various jobs in the peanut industry. Hear from individuals who create delicious peanut products, others who grow peanuts, and even those who design and develop robots for farming peanuts! “This Georgia Peanuts Virtual Learning Journey will allow students from all over the state to learn about Georgia’s state crop and the importance it plays in our history, economy, and even diets,” said Laura Evans, GPB director of education. “As Georgia’s leading provider of digital learning resources, we appreciate the opportunity to work with new partners like Georgia Peanut Commission to add great new resources to our library of content.” Learn more about and explore Georgia Peanuts Virtual Learning Journey at www.gpb.org/peanuts.
GFB Field Notes page 11 of 16 GEORGIA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE ONLINE AUCTION Sept. 27 – Oct. 8 Visit www.gafoundationag.org/auction until noon on Oct. 8 to bid on a variety of fantastic items and support 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. GRAIN CROPS INSURANCE Sept. 30 enrollment deadline The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds Georgia barley, canola, oat and wheat growers that Sept. 30 is the final date to apply for crop insurance coverage for the 2022 crop year. This is also deadline for current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing coverage to do so. Coverage is available for 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. Coverage is also available for oats and wheat in select counties. A list of crop insurance agents is available online using the RMA Agent Locator. Producers can use the RMA Cost Estimator to get a premium amount estimate of their insurance needs online. PECAN FIELD DAY Oct. 7 Vidalia Onion Research Center 10 a.m. – noon Lyons This field day, hosted by Southeast District Area Pecan Agent Andrew Sawyer, will be held at the site of UGA’s Low-Input Variety Trial. Since the trees are brand new, most of the discussion will center on young trees for growers who want to plant trees or have newly planted trees. Topics will include fertilizer trials, insecticide trials, pecan budmoths, drip vs. microsprinklers, soil moisture sensors, and ambrosia beetle monitoring and control. RSVP to Sawyer at agsawyer@uga.edu. FOOD PLOT WEBINAR Oct. 7 noon – 1 p.m. online This webinar, presented by Evans County Extension, features UGA Horticulture Senior Public Service Associate Bob Westerfield, who will present information on soil sampling, planting early season vs. late season and designing food plots for success. To register online, visit https://bit.ly/foodplotweb21.
GFB Field Notes page 12 of 16 2021 AG LABOR RELATIONS FORUM Nov. 9-10 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center Tifton The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association is hosting this event in partnership with Georgia Farm Bureau and Georgia Agribusiness Council. The forum will equip agricultural professionals dealing with agricultural labor relations to become compliant with new ag labor regulations in the new COVID world. Topics this year will include Political Outlook on Ag Labor Policies; Farm Labor Modernization Act; Wage Calculations and Audit Prep; Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation in the Workplace; What’s up with AEWR; H-2A Updates and H-2A Basics; and H-2B Updates. Presenters will include a who’s who of ag labor relations from both regulatory agencies and industry experts who know how to navigate the complex and often changing environment our growers face on a daily basis. Attendees can take advantage of the Early Bird Registration Price, $225, until Oct. 8, when the price will increase to $250. For more information on this event, visit, www.georgiaaglaborforum.com. KEL-MAC SADDLE CLUB HORSE SHOW Oct. 9 Morgan County Agricultural Center Madison This show is open to equestrians of all ages and experience levels. Classes include hunter/jumper, western, gaited, trail obstacles, halter/showmanship, beginner, open, costume contests & more! The show begins 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. This volunteer-run show generates funds to benefit equestrian-related charities. The Kel-Mac Saddle Club has donated an estimated $156, 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. NASS VIRTUAL DATA USERS MEETING Oct. 13-14 Noon-3 p.m. each day online This meeting is free and open to the public. The Data Users’ Meeting is held to share recent and pending statistical program changes with the public and to solicit input on these and other programs important to agriculture. The Oct. 13 agenda includes agency updates followed by breakout sessions for participants to choose from one or more in-depth topics. On Oct. 14, the floor will open to participants for questions and comments, and the event will close with additional breakout sessions. A detailed agenda with breakout session descriptions can be found on our website at http://nass.usda.gov/Education_and_Outreach/Meeting. Anyone interested in should register online. (https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_QffPSZnwRYukyadCGTmTWw) Links to this Zoom meeting will be emailed to participants after registration. Summaries of previous meetings are also available on the meeting webpage. For more information, contact Marisa Reuber at Marisa.Reuber@usda.gov or 202-690-3099.
GFB Field Notes page 13 of 16 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. SUNBELT AG EXPO Oct. 19-21 Spence Field Moultrie The annual Sunbelt Expo, the largest farm show in the United States, features more than 1,200 exhibitors with displays and demonstrations of the latest in agricultural products on Sunbelt’s 100acre show site. Sunbelt brings together all segments of agribusiness including farmers, educators, policymakers, ag enthusiasts and families. Admission at the gate is $10 per person per day. Advance and discount tickets can be purchased online at www.sunbeltexpo.com. The Show site is four miles southeast of Moultrie, GA on Hwy 133.
GFB Field Notes page 14 of 16 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. U.S. COTTON TRUST PROTOCOL ENROLLMENT WEBINARS Nov. 2 9 a.m. Nov. 16 9 a.m. Dec. 9 9 a.m. Dec. 14 9 a.m. The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol will present six live enrollment webinars focusing on how the program helps U.S. cotton producers meet the changing demands from their end customer while also better documenting/verifying their on-farm sustainability practices and advances. Enrollment for the 2021 crop is open. For producers not yet participating, the webinars will provide an opportunity to learn about program benefits and ask questions. Speakers include Trust Protocol representatives and producer members. Producers can register at https://trustuscotton.org/enrollment-webinar-live-sessions/. For more information, visit www.TrustUSCotton.org. 2021 GEORGIA FARM BUREAU ANNUAL CONVENTION Dec. 5-7 Jekyll Island Convention Center Jekyll Island Georgia Farm Bureau members trek to the Georgia coast for this annual must-attend event featuring the always-popular trade show, finalization of GFB’s 2022 policy stances, board elections, renewal of long-time friendships and much more! For information, contact your local county Farm Bureau office. Visit www.gfb.org/about-us/contact-us.cms for a directory of our county offices.
GFB Field Notes page 15 of 16 EXECUTIVE FARM MANAGEMENT TRAINING Jan. 18-21 Pawley’s Island, S.C. Jan. 31-Feb. 3 Raleigh, N.C. Feb. 20-23 Savannah The Executive Farm Management program is offered by North Carolina State State Cooperative Extension Service, Clemson Cooperative Extension, East Carolina University College of Business and UGA Cooperative Extension. The 2022 program will consist of 9 days of content and curriculum taught across 3 sessions in 3 states over the course of 6 weeks. EFM is designed to increase the management competencies and profitability of large farms by utilizing a holistic operation-focused curriculum. Primary farm owner early-bird registration for first-time participants is $6,000 until Nov. 15. Returning participant fee is $5,500. Discounts apply for extra participants from the same farm. For more information or to register, visit https://execfarmmgmt.ces.ncsu.edu/2022-program-info/, or contact EFM Director Blake Broan (919.515.4536 or abbbrown@ncsu.edu) or Margaret Huffman (919.515.4498 or mmhuffm2@ncsu.edu. 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.
GFB Field Notes page 16 of 16 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.