October 10, 2019
www.gfb.org
Vol. 1 No. 7
ACCURATE 2020 CENSUS COUNT MEANS ACCESS TO RESOURCES The 2020 U.S. Census will determine how many members of the U.S. House of Representatives each state will have. According to Georgia Department of Community Affairs Deputy Commissioner Rusty Haygood, Georgia’s delegation appears likely to remain at 14 seats. But Haygood, co-chairman of the Georgia Complete Count Committee, says the ramifications of the census the United States conducts every 10 years go well beyond congressional representation and carry enormous importance at the local level. “The purpose of this committee is to make sure everybody around the state knows that the census is coming and it’s important,” Haygood told the Georgia Farm Bureau Policy Development Committee on Oct. 7. “Number two, it’s to make resources available to communities, organizations and individuals around the state, for them to use to make sure the count is as successful as possible.” GFB President Gerald Long is one of 75 members appointed to the Complete Count Committee by the office of the governor. The census, Haygood said, boils down to political power and money. In addition to congressional reapportionment, census data is the basis for drawing state and local political districts, from the Georgia General Assembly down to local school boards, county commissions and city councils. There are 55 federal rural programs for which funding is determined in whole or in part by census data. These include Medicaid, Medicare Part B, the National School Lunch Program, the Head Start program, the aid for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), USDA business and industry loans and the Cooperative Extension Service. Haygood noted that in 2016 Georgia received $23.8 billion in federal funding for rural programs, an average of $2,300 per Georgia resident. It was the most federal money received by any state for those rural programs. “If you know somebody that benefits for these programs, then it’s very important that they are counted, because that’s going to equal dollars coming back to the state of Georgia. If we are undercounted, those dollars are going to go somewhere else,” Haygood said. Haygood said the most undercounted demographic groups are children from birth up to five years old. More than a million children in that age group went uncounted in 2010. The effect of -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 2 of 13 Continued from previous page undercounting preschool-age children is that when they reach school age and there is need for more classroom space, the financial burden for adding that space falls more on local funding sources. Haygood said people who do not have English as their primary language are also historically undercounted. “Two demographics right there that historically have a significant undercount of millions of people are present within each of your communities,” Haygood said. The 2020 Census will be the first that is done primarily online. It is scheduled to launch in March, when the U.S. Census Bureau will send out postcards instructing individuals where to go online to fill out the census. The Complete Count Committee is partnering with libraries around the state to provide local internet connections for people with limited access. Those who do not fill out the nine-question census form online have the option of doing so by phone or doing so in person when a census employee visits them. Haygood encouraged the GFB Policy Development Committee members to participate in or form local complete count committees in their communities. FLORIDA, GEORGIA TAKE WATER CASE BEFORE SPECIAL MASTER OCT. 17 On Oct. 17, representatives of Florida and Georgia will each have 45 minutes to present their state’s case to Special Master Paul Kelly regarding the Florida-Georgia water lawsuit. In the suit Florida filed against Georgia in the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013, Florida claims overuse of water by Georgia resulted in diminished fresh water downstream in the Apalachicola River and ultimately the Apalachicola Bay, causing harm to the oyster industry there. Georgia contends that overfishing resulted in the oyster losses. “Judge Kelly is expected to issue his ruling in late winter to early spring, so the earliest the U.S. Supreme Court will get the case is in 2020. I expect a decision from the Supreme Court in early 2021,” Georgia Environmental Protection Division Rick Dunn said while giving a status update on the suit at the Georgia Joint Agriculture Committee Chairmen Ag Issues Summit held Sept. 27 in Perry. The Supreme Court appointed Kelly, a judge with the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Mexico, as special master to the case Aug. 9, 2018, after original special master Ralph Lancaster asked to be removed. Lancaster subsequently died in January. Lancaster recommended in 2017 that the court dismiss the case because Florida failed to show that imposing a cap on Georgia’s water use from the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers would provide the relief Florida was seeking. Lancaster noted that he could not provide sufficient relief to Florida because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which controls flows on the Flint and Chattahoochee, was not a party to the lawsuit. The Supreme Court sent the case back to Lancaster noting that he applied too strict a standard in concluding that Florida failed to demonstrate that the Supreme Court could reach a fair ruling. Dunn highlighted the questions Kelly has asked the states to answer: 1) Has Florida suffered harm as a result of decreased water flows? 2) Has Florida shown Georgia has taken more than its fair share from the Chattahoochee & Flint River Basins? 3) Has Georgia’s water use harmed Florida? 4) Would a cap on Georgia’s water use lead to increased flow to Florida? -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 3 of 13 Continued from previous page 5) How much would a cap on Georgia’s water use harm Georgia? Since 2004 Georgia has been collecting water use data on ag irrigation pivots in Southwest Georgia. “The [irrigation] mapping efforts and water data collected is helping us determine that some of the numbers Florida has thrown out are not real,” said Cliff Lewis, who works with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s ag water permitting and metering programs. “We’ve determined there’s not the significant amount of irrigation happening in some areas that Florida claimed there are.” Marjie Dickey, EPD ag water project manager, outlined steps the agency has taken to ensure the meters are in place and in good working order. “We want to make sure we have the most accurate data possible,” Dickey said. Georgia Rep. Tom McCall praised the water metering program for showing farmers are using water responsibly as they irrigate their crops. “I know there was some heartburn by farmers when we started putting meters on 15 years ago, but without the data we have collected we would be in a whole lot worse shape with Florida than we are now,” McCall said. “This was one of the best things we’ve done [to protect farmers’ right to water].” FSA, UGA DETAIL FARM BILL, TRADE AND DISASTER ASSISTANCE The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service held a series of meetings this week detailing key federal programs for agricultural producers, walking through farm bill crop insurance options, trade assistance and disaster assistance programs during a series of meetings this week. Georgia FSA Farm Programs Chief Brett Martin reviewed the Price Loss Coverage (PLC), Agricultural Risk Coverage-County (ARC-CO) and Agricultural Risk Coverage-Individual (ARCIC) under the 2018 farm bill. The ARC programs provide payments when actual crop revenue drops below specified guarantee levels for 22 covered commodities. PLC covers losses when prices for covered commodities fall below established reference prices. The covered commodities are wheat, oats, barley, corn, grain sorghum, long grain rice, medium/short grain rice, temperate japonica rice, seed cotton, dry peas, lentils, large and small chickpeas, soybeans, peanuts, sunflower seed, canola, flaxseed, mustard seed, rapeseed, safflower, crambe and sesame seed. Martin discussed eligibility, enrollment dates, payment limitations and payment dates of each program. Perhaps the most significant change for Georgia farmers was the addition of seed cotton as a covered commodity. Enrollment for contract year 2019 is underway and continues through March 15, 2020. Enrollment for contract year 2020 is also underway and continues through June 30, 2020. Visit https://gfb.ag/19ARCPLCfacts for the FSA fact sheet on the ARC and PLC programs. UGA Extension Economist Adam Rabinowitz provided analysis of the programs, cautioning producers that making a blanket selection on program enrollment might not be in their best interest. -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 4 of 13 Continued from previous page “This is going to be very much a crop-by-crop decision and very much a farm-by-farm decision,” Rabinowitz said, noting he expects more Georgia farmers to enroll in PLC under the 2018 farm bill than they did under the 2014 farm bill. Rabinowitz directed producers to the Texas A&M Agricultural and Food Policy Center Decision Tool for help in determining the program in which they will enroll. The online decision tool is located at www.afpc.tamu.edu/tools/farm/farmbill/2018. To use it, producers will need to establish a login, and the tool requests the farm location (by county and state), crop, number of base acres, 2014 PLC payment yield, historical irrigated percentage and historical planted or prevented planting acres and yields from 2013-2017 for both irrigated and non-irrigated lands. Martin reviewed trade assistance payments provided under the Market Facilitation Program (MFP), the federal government’s relief option for farmers affected by ongoing trade conflict, particularly with China. Rabinowitz estimated that Georgia’s share of the $3 billion MFP package would be around $341 million. “We didn’t expect the trade dispute to last this long with respect to China and we really don’t see an end in sight,” Rabinowitz said, noting that moving forward, the market dynamics have changed and global competition is likely to continue increasing even after the dispute between the U.S. and China is settled. Signup for MFP is underway and continues until Dec. 6. Visit https://gfb.ag/19MFPfactsheet for details. The UGA Center for Agribusiness & Economic Development has published two policy briefs on the Georgia impact of trade disputes. The briefs may be accessed online at https://gfb.ag/19CAEDtradebriefs. GEORGIA NATIONAL FAIR CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY Thirty falls after the Georgia National Fair (GNF) opened its gates for the first time in October 1990, the agricultural extravaganza continues! Children born that year are now bringing their families to the state fair in Perry to continue a family tradition. State leaders and members of Georgia's ag community celebrated the 30th anniversary of the fair during opening ceremonies held Oct. 3. Gov. Brian Kemp shared memories of he and his wife, Marty, coming to the fair with their three daughters to compete in lamb shows. “Marty and I have spent many years in the barns with our kids showing lambs. We’ve been here when it’s been really hot and really cold. It makes me feel good to see the kids out in the barn. I’ve enjoyed taking pictures with them in their dirty t-shirts and their hair messed up,” Kemp said. “I encourage everyone to come support the fair and the Georgia Grown Building. We have so many things to be thankful for in our state and this is one of them.” Foster Rhodes, a 30-year member of the Agricultural Exposition Authority (AEA), which oversees the fairgrounds and agricenter, thanked the Georgia Legislature for its continued support of the fair and facility. “We’re very blessed to have a state legislature that supports our mission of educating and supporting youth programs through the fair and this facility,” said Rhodes, who chairs the AEA. -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 5 of 13 Continued from previous page “It doesn’t seem like it’s been 30 years but time flies when you’re having fun!” Rep. David Ralston, Georgia Speaker of the House, was among the state legislators attending the celebration. “Agriculture is the number one industry in our state and this is a celebration of what you do,” Ralston said. “This is our 30th year, so we have a lot to celebrate,” said GNF & Agricenter Executive Director Stephen Shimp. Shimp recognized Pat Alligood, Cindy Bellew, George Neal and Richard Scuderi – the GNFA’s four 30-year employees. Vendors who have participated in all 30 fairs were also honored. These include: Reithoffer Shows, Concessions by Cox, Gabby’s, Granny's Apple Dumplings, the Honeybee Story, Perfection Confection, Robinson's Racing Pigs, and VFW Post 6126. Rhodes and Shimp both thanked the Perry City Council and Houston County Commissioners for purchasing the property where the GNFA is located and donating it to the state of Georgia. “It was a really exciting time back then when we knew we had a chance to get it [the fairgrounds and Agricenter],” recalled Ralph Gentry, who was serving on the Perry City Council in the late 1980s when the council and county commission put in a bid to secure the facility. Gentry called Perry lawyer Tom Daniels a “driving force” and former Perry City Manager Marion Hayes “a big influencer” in securing the facility. “We all realized if we could get it how much it would help the city,” Gentry said. And what does he think of what the fair and facility have become? “A lot of folks come here, not only for the fair but other events throughout the year. I never dreamed that it would grow this big and useful for all the kids in the state of Georgia. It’s become more than we ever realized it could be.” Fittingly, Gentry’s grandson, Philip Gentry, is the GNFA agricultural/youth livestock director. Philip taught ag education at Perry High School for 10 years before accepting the position in June 2016. “Georgia Farm Bureau has been a strong supporter of the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter from the start. Our organization and members saw the need Georgia had for a modern facility where 4-H and FFA members could exhibit their livestock in statewide shows. Farm Bureau worked to secure state support for the fairgrounds,” said GFB President Gerald Long. “We’re so happy to see how the fair and Agricenter continue to grow and fulfill its mission to educate consumers and youth about agriculture.” This is the eighth consecutive year GFB has awarded the cash prizes presented to the grand champions of the Georgia Junior National Livestock Show. In addition to sponsoring the grand champion prizes, GFB has been a premier livestock sponsor for the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter’s past three show seasons. If you haven’t made it to the fair yet, there’s still time. The fair runs through 10 p.m., Oct. 13.
GFB Field Notes page 6 of 13 SUNBELT EXPO GEORGIA FARMER OF THE YEAR: ROBERT DICKEY Robert Dickey III was six or seven years old when he went to work in the family’s peach packing shed. “Of course, somebody was with me. I think I was putting labels on the baskets or something like that or working in the attic where they were putting the baskets down the chute,” said Dickey, the 2019 Sunbelt Expo Georgia Farmer of the Year. While he’s lived farming all his life, he said it wasn’t a foregone conclusion that growing and selling peaches would be his ultimate career choice. His father, Robert Dickey Jr., encouraged him to get a business degree, so Dickey went to the University of Georgia and earned a degree in finance. While in Athens, Dickey was in the Air Force ROTC and had other career options. “I had an uncle in the banking business,” Dickey said. “So, I wasn’t sure farming was going to be what I wanted to do. I’d seen all the good side of it, but you have a lot of challenges, as well. You take the good with the bad. I love it. It’s something different every day.” After graduating from UGA in 1976, Dickey returned to the family’s Crawford County farm and hasn’t looked back. “I didn’t want to do anything else,” he said. “My wife [Cynde] loved it as much or more than I did. She’s a very integral part of the farm, doing all the detail work in the office.” Dickey Farms has approximately 1,000 acres in peaches and another 3,000 in pine timber. The farm is adding pecan trees. The Dickeys have been growing peaches since the 1890s. The farm’s historic packing house in Musella includes a market offering a variety of peach and Georgia-grown products. The market was added to capitalize on customers already coming to the packing house to buy peaches. Robert said Cynde has worked to grow the market into a thriving business where visitors can get their fill of delicious peach ice cream, buy fresh fruits and vegetables and sit in the open-air store’s rocking chairs enjoying the breeze from overhead fans. Dickey said seeing customers enjoy what the family has grown is one of his favorite things about farming. “I really like growing a product that people love to eat and love to enjoy multiple ways, whether it’s fresh-sliced, in a cobbler or ice cream. I just love growing a great, useful product,” Dickey said. It takes a combination of more than 100 seasonal and permanent employees to run the farm, Dickey said, including Robert’s son, Lee and his wife, Stacy. Dickey indicated his ability to continue farming is worth protecting, which is why he ran in 2010 to represent District 140 in the Georgia House of Representatives. He has served since taking office in 2011. Finding the time to be a part-time lawmaker is tough, Dickey said, but his family’s support and the seasonal nature of his operation allow for it. “I’ve been encouraged,” he said. “The time I’ve been there, I’ve seen a lot more support for agriculture. I’ve sensed that urban legislators, people from the city, really have come to appreciate the value of strong agriculture, a plentiful supply of safe food.” Dickey and the other nine state farmers of the year are competing for the Swisher Sweets Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year. The winner will be announced during the Sunbelt Expo on Oct. 15.
GFB Field Notes page 7 of 13 LILY BAUCOM NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GA FOUNDATION FOR AG The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture has named Lily R. Baucom as its executive director. “We are fortunate to have Lily bring her talents to the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture,” said GFB President Gerald Long, who also serves as the chairman of the foundation board. “We’re proud of what the foundation has done and we’re excited to see where Lily takes it moving forward.” The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture, formerly the Georgia Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, supports agricultural literacy projects and helps fund educational opportunities for students pursuing agricultural and related degrees, as well as helping to meet other needs in the farm community. Baucom is tasked in part to explore other needs the foundation can help address. “I think with Georgia Farm Bureau’s connections throughout the state and the statewide infrastructure, it presents a unique opportunity to do something that no other non-profits or foundations are doing throughout the state,” Baucom said. An Atlanta native, Baucom earned a bachelor’s degree in public policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2015. She joins the foundation after working four years at Common Market Georgia. She was the organization’s executive director the last two years. Common Market Georgia is a non-profit wholesale logistics operation that connects family farmers with institutional customers throughout Georgia and Alabama. “The work that the foundation has been involved in previously, scholarships and Ag in the Classroom, are tremendously important to encouraging young children and young adults to pursue agricultural careers,” Baucom said. “That’s something that I think is extremely vital to the longevity of farming in the state. We need to be investing in supporting and getting younger kids interested in the future of farming.” Baucom is married to Billy Baucom, an attorney with Troutman Sanders in Atlanta. Help grow Georgia’s greater agricultural community by making a donation to the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture. For more information, visit www.gfbfoundation.org. U.S. SIGNS TRADE AGREEMENT WITH JAPAN On Oct. 7, President Donald Trump signed the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, an important step forward with U.S. agriculture’s fourth-largest export market according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). The signing “marks the successful end to more than a year of negotiation between Japan and the United States,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said. “This agreement means sharply lower tariffs on our farm and ranch exports with the promise of more to come.” Duvall said that while the opening of the Japanese market is not finished, the conclusion of these talks means U.S. exporters can now trade with Japan with the same advantages enjoyed by signers of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. “We hope the momentum from this win carries through to the negotiations with China this week and sets the stage for similar bilateral agreements with other countries involved with the TPP. We appreciate this Administration’s efforts to improve trade opportunities for farmers,” Duvall said. According to AFBF analysis, the agreement immediately eliminates all tariffs on U.S. exports of sweet corn, almonds, broccoli and prunes, among other things. Other tariffs on products such as ethanol, cheese and whey, fresh cherries and other farm and ranch products will be phased out over a number of years.
GFB Field Notes page 8 of 13 EPA, USDA ANNOUNCE ACTIONS TO PROMOTE BIOFUELS On Oct. 4, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced actions intended mitigate the impact of 31 waivers granted earlier this year to oil refineries from requirements under the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). Corn growers opposed the waivers, contending that they would result in diminished demand for corn-based ethanol. According to a joint press release, the following actions will be undertaken by the EPA and USDA: • In a forthcoming supplemental notice building off the recently proposed 2020 Renewable Volume Standards and the Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2021, EPA will propose and request public comment on expanding biofuel requirements beginning in 2020; • The EPA will seek comment on actions to ensure that more than 15 billion gallons of conventional ethanol be blended into the nation’s fuel supply beginning in 2020, and that the volume obligation for biomass-based diesel is met. This will include accounting for relief expected to be provided for small refineries; • The EPA intends to take final action on this front later this year; • The EPA will initiate a rulemaking process to streamline labeling and remove other barriers to the sale of E15; • The EPA will continue to evaluate options for renewable identification number (RIN) market transparency and reform; • The USDA will seek opportunities through the budget process to consider infrastructure projects to facilitate higher biofuel blends; • The Trump administration will continue to work to address ethanol and biodiesel trade issues. Congress passed the renewable fuel standard (RFS) program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and expand the nation’s renewable fuels sector while reducing reliance on imported oil. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said the actions promote increased ethanol use in vehicles and will encourage “increased biofuel infrastructure through the federal budget process.” The RFS was authorized under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and expanded under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. In addition to the goals of increasing production of homegrown renewable fuels, the program supports domestic demand for farm commodities, increases farm income, and creates rural jobs. SOUTHEAST GEORGIA HAS BEST BLUEBERRY CROP SINCE 2016 Ideal weather conditions this year helped blueberry farmers in Southeast Georgia produce what is expected to be their best crop since 2016, according to University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agent Renee Allen. According to Allen, who specializes in commercial blueberry production, yields are expected to exceed the 2017 crop that produced 28.1 million pounds and the 2018 crop that yielded 54 million pounds. The 2019 yields are still being calculated. The lack of freezing temperatures had a positive effect on the 2019 season for blueberry farmers, she said. -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 9 of 13 Continued from previous page “We had a good crop load this year,” said Allen. “We did have some frost and freeze-type temperatures, but they were borderline and specific, so not as drastic as ones we have had the previous two years.” Georgia farmers apply frost protection, including overhead irrigation, when they anticipate freezing weather. After a freeze, applying plant growth regulators to protect the fruit is the only option. But frost protection is not 100% effective. Georgia’s blueberry crop is vulnerable when the weather warms in February. This happened in 2018 when plants started to bloom and, ultimately, succumbed to freezing temperatures in early March. Blueberries thrive when they produce in the spring and are not hindered by the weather. In 2014, Georgia produced 95 million pounds of blueberries and became the No. 1 blueberryproducing state. This year’s crop yields have farmers believing Georgia can produce similar results. Growers are hoping for more postharvest rain during the fall but are using irrigation to keep the crop from being harmed by the current drought. For more information about Georgia blueberries, visit t.uga.edu/5iA or UGA’s blueberry blog at https://site.caes.uga.edu/blueberry/. UGA: DRYLAND PEANUT GROWERS SHOULD START DIGGING CROP Georgia’s recent hot, dry weather has dryland peanut farmers making tough decisions about when to dig their crops, according to Scott Monfort, UGA Cooperative Extension peanut agronomist. The entire state is experiencing some level of drought and 124 of the state’s 159 counties are experiencing at least moderate drought according to data from the Oct. 1 U.S. Drought Monitor report. Since much of South Georgia has experienced little to no rainfall in the past month and even less is expected in the coming weeks, Monfort is encouraging farmers to move forward with digging their crops. “If you’ve got a crop right now, you probably want to get it,” Monfort said. “If your crop is wilting during the daytime and not recovering at night, and you don’t have any moisture at all, then I’d probably get it.” To determine if their crop is mature enough for digging, peanut farmers sample about five areas in the field to acquire a total of 200 peanuts for the maturity analysis. Monfort said dryland producers experienced “split crops” early in this year’s harvest season based on the maturity profile board analysis. A “split crop” refers to a sample of peanuts where approximately half of the peanuts are near maturity while the other half is very immature. This happens when the peanut plants experience hot, dry temperatures, which typically occurs in dryland fields, or fields without access to irrigation. Lack of rainfall and extremely hot conditions cause a disruption in the blooming and/or pod set for a period of time. Then farmers face a tough decision; how do they proceed? With half of their sample close to maturity and half that is not, should a grower risk the peanut pods that are ready with hopes that -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 10 of 13 Continued from previous page the rest will eventually mature? “What farmers have to start doing there is determining, ‘Where’s my money?’ Do they have enough in that front group that’s mature enough to say, ‘That’s my crop’? If those peanuts are good quality, most of the time I would suggest that the farmer go ahead and dig to grab those,” Monfort said. “Especially since the forecast is not calling for much, if any, rain in the near future. It’s too big of a risk to think those immature peanuts will mature up at some point. There’s no guarantee whatsoever. We can make a choice but it’s a hard one. The later it gets, the more risky it gets.” One positive outcome of the recent dry weather is that it has created perfect conditions for farmers who are in the process of harvesting their peanuts. Peanuts in irrigated fields are drying very quickly after being dug out of the ground. According to Monfort, drying time has been reduced to three or four days; it usually takes five to seven days for peanuts to dry. For more information about Georgia’s peanut production, see www.peanuts.caes.uga.edu. FLINT RIVER SWCD, NRCS, UGA TO EXPAND SMART IRRIGATION TO PECANS A joint project between the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District (FRSWCD), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and UGA will develop new tools to optimize irrigation water management for pecan production in southwest Georgia and provide outreach to pecan producers in the region. The group will work with growers in the Lower Flint-Ochlocknee Regional Water Council Area, which includes six of the top 10 pecan-producing counties in Georgia, to gather irrigation data, use data to develop irrigation scheduling tools and make these tools available to all growers through outreach and education. This project will build on existing region and crop specific irrigation scheduling tools developed in partnership by UGA and the University of Florida. These tools are available to growers for several crops as smart phone applications, giving growers tools to continue improving agricultural water use efficiency through innovation. Dr. Vasileios Liakos will lead the UGA team developing similar tools for pecans. The group will host workshops to share the new pecan irrigation resource with growers. “The Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District and our partners have a strong track record of improving agricultural irrigation efficiency through innovative tools, such as irrigation scheduling,” said Marty McLendon, chairman of the FRSWCD. “This is a wonderful opportunity for Southwest Georgia growers to continue to be leaders in smart irrigation practices.” Funding for this work comes from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division Water Plan Seed Grant Program and a cooperative agreement with the NRCS. The FRSWCD consists of farmers, landowners, and community leaders who are dedicated to the conservation, wise use, and protection of natural resources in the Flint River Basin. Learn more about the district at www.flintriverswcd.org. Visit www.smartirrigationgeorgia.com to learn more about irrigation efficiency efforts in Georgia.
GFB Field Notes page 11 of 13 CROP INSURANCE DEADLINES NEAR FOR PRF, HONEY AND FRUIT PRODUCERS Georgia forage, livestock and honey producers have until Nov. 15 to apply for crop insurance coverage or make changes to existing coverage. Acreage intended for grazing and hay is insurable under the Pasture, Rangeland and Forage (PRF) program. Colonies of bees are insurable under the Apiculture program. The PRF and Apiculture programs fall under the Rainfall Index insurance plan and coverage is available in all Georgia counties for both programs. Georgia farmers who produce apples, blueberries and peaches have until Nov. 20 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 apples in Fannin, Gilmer and Rabun counties. Coverage is available for blueberries in Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Brantley, Burke, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Jeff Davis, Lanier, Long, Pierce Ware and Wayne counties. Coverage is available for peaches in Bacon, Banks, Bleckley, Brooks, Crawford, Dooly, Hall, Henry, Macon, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Oconee, Peach, Pierce, Pike, Schley and Taylor 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 2020 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.
GFB Field Notes page 12 of 13 AFBF AG INNOVATION CHALLENGE Deadline extended to Oct. 14 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 on Oct. 14. 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. 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. 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. AG LABOR RELATIONS FORUM Nov. 5-6 UGA-Tifton Campus Conference Center Tifton Sponsored in part by Georgia Farm Bureau, this event offers producers information about employing agricultural laborers, including how to navigate the federal H-2A visa program and how to comply with various laws governing agricultural labor use. Visit www.georgiaaglaborforum.com for more information or to register. 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 GFB CFM Coordinator Kelly Thompson at kathompson@gfb.org.
GFB Field Notes page 13 of 13 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.