Georgia Farm Bureau's October 14 Field Notes

October 14, 2020

www.gfb.org

Vol. 2 No. 20

KEMP DISCUSSES RURAL ECONOMY, OTHER MATTERS WITH GFB LEADERS On Oct. 7, Georgia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long hosted Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in an installment of GFB’s “Digging In” webinar series, during which Kemp touted the state’s efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, talked economic recovery in rural areas of the state and discussed projects in development that he expects will enhance recovery efforts.

Kemp indicated there have been positive developments in the agricultural economy, though commodity prices are not as strong as they could be.

“There’s a lot of good there,” Kemp said. “We obviously need to see commodity prices rebound on the row crop side of things and hopefully at some point we’ll see that. I keep thinking that’s going to come any month and it hasn’t come yet.”

Georgia’s economic recovery overall is going well, the governor said, noting that the state’s unemployment rate of 5.6% was among the lowest in the nation and compares favorably against California, New Jersey, New York and Illinois, all of which had unemployment rates greater than 10%.

Kemp said economic development projects in rural areas of the state increased by 30% in the past year.

“The projects that we have that are either in rural parts of our state or in parts of our state that are directly tied to Georgia-based agriculture,” he said. “I’m really excited about what we’re working on. I’m working hard to get those deals done where we can get them announced and have them start happening.”

Kemp said that state revenues have mostly remained steady, and the anticipated cuts to the state budget were less than what many observers feared earlier in the year.

“We’re not laying off teachers around our state or other state employees. We’re open for business, you can get things done in state government,” Kemp said.

One business sector that has struggled in its rebound has been convention business. Georgia Farm Bureau, for example, canceled its in-person convention scheduled for early December on Jekyll Island, and similar steps have been taken by numerous other organizations that normally hold events at venues around the state. Kemp said this has had a ripple effect through other sectors, including transportation and hospitality.

“We’re just going to have to weather through the rest of the year I think. I hope that 2021 will -continued on next page

Continued from previous page GFB Field Notes page 2 of 11 be better,” Kemp said.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, the state’s numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases have generally been declining since late July. Kemp said the state is succeeding in slowing the spread of the virus and thanked Georgians for doing their part.

“We’ve asked Georgians for many weeks now to do four things for fall, and those are to wear a mask, socially distance yourself, continue to use good practices, washing your hands and things of that nature, just adhere to the public health guidance,” Kemp said. “We just want to tell people to keep doing more of the same. Our case counts have continued to go down since our peak, our percent positive continues to go down, and our hospitalizations are down almost 67%.”

Kemp said the percentage of positive test results was between 6% and 7% on Oct. 7, down from more than 10% three weeks before, and that hospitalizations for COVID-19 patients had declined by two-thirds.

“We’ve been able to do all of this while schools have gone back in, our universities have opened up. We’ve seen high school football games on Friday nights in the community,” Kemp said. “So there’s a lot going on that wasn’t going on at the end of the summer. We’ve still been able to drive our numbers down. I feel like we’re in great shape right there.”

GFB PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS CAPTURE BEAUTY OF FARM LIFE Agriculture provides endless opportunities for great photos as the 53 contestants who submitted 104 photos in the Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers 11th Annual Picture Agriculture in Georgia Contest proved.

Congratulations to Amber Smith of Screven County for winning the contest and $150 grand prize! Her photo “Pivot at Sunset,” will be featured on the cover of the 2021 GFB Young Farmers & Ranchers calendar available at most county Farm Bureau offices this fall.

The calendar also features the 11 honorable mention winners, who each received a $75 prize.

The 16-member GFB YF&R Committee judged the submitted photos and narrowed them down to the top 12. From the top 12, votes were cast to select the 2021 contest winner - a unanimous decision. Click here to see the top 12 photos.

The YF&R Committee thanks all GFB members who entered the contest. The committee plans to hold the contest again next year. Look for contest details next spring on GFB social media and at county offices. If you’re interested in entering the 2021 contest, ask your county office to notify you when it receives contest details.

GFB Field Notes page 3 of 11 UGA CLOSES TIFTON DAIRY RESEARCH CENTER After several years of battling low milk prices, changes in administrators and recent state budget cuts from COVID-19, the vacuum pumps at the University of Georgia (UGA) Tifton Dairy Research Center were permanently turned off on Sept. 4, Georgia Milk Producers reported in its September Georgia Milk Review.

Since 1998, UGA faculty have utilized these facilities to conduct research in the areas of nutrition, lactation and metabolic physiology, milk quality, animal health, heat stress abatement, production management, nutrient management and water quality.

With the announced retirement of Dr. John Bernard earlier this year, a noted animal nutritionist focusing on applied dairy nutrition, the Tifton campus was left with only one researcher conducting trials at the facility, Dr. Sha Tao. Upper administration for the UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences decided to shift Dr. Tao to the UGA Athens campus, to interact closer with remaining UGA dairy scientists, Dr. Jillian Bohlen, a reproductive physiologist, and Dr. Valerie Ryman, an immunologist whose research focuses on mastitis.

According to a letter sent to the Georgia Milk Producers Board of Directors, Dr. Francis Fluharty, head of the Animal and Dairy Science Department, said that Tao’s move to Athens will allow students in ADS to learn more about the interaction of heat stress and immunity, and will allow for more opportunities for undergraduate and graduate research.

“Dr. Tao’s research uses technology that is not currently available in Athens. The movement of his equipment to Athens brings new opportunities in both teaching and research and will strengthen our overall undergraduate and graduate programs in the dairy area,” Fluharty said.

While the closure of the dairy is a major hit for Georgia dairy production research, Fluharty is certain that the department will not abandon its mission in Tifton. With 1.3 million beef cows in Georgia, the ADS department will transition the Tifton campus toward research and Extension efforts impacting the beef industry. Fluharty plans to hire an extension researcher for beef at the Tifton campus in the spring of 2021.

“The goal of these changes is to use our fiscal, personnel, and land resources responsibly to best serve the beef and dairy industries in Georgia, and to consolidate our scientists serving these two industries into groups with a greater critical mass in both Athens and Tifton so that interaction is strengthened, thus increasing interdisciplinary research and Extension efforts that addresses the complex issues facing animal agriculture.” Fluharty said.

GFB Field Notes page 4 of 11 USTR REQUESTS ITC INVESTIGATION INTO BLUEBERRY IMPORTS United States Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer has asked the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) to initiate a Section 201 global safeguard investigation into the extent to which increased imports of blueberries have caused serious injury or threat to domestic blueberry growers.

This is one of multiple actions announced in the Report on Seasonal and Perishable Products in U.S. Commerce jointly released by USTR, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Commerce in September following August hearings with producers in Georgia, Florida and other states. In the hearings, growers voiced their frustrations at their dwindling market share in the face of cheaper Mexican imports. Read more information about the federal government’s plan here.

The USTR’s request includes all imports within the product descriptions under the following statistical reporting categories in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States: • 0810400029 (cultivated blueberries, including highbush, fresh or chilled); • 0810400026 (certified organic blueberries, fresh or chilled); • 0810400024 (wild blueberries, fresh or chilled); • 0811902024 (wild blueberry, uncooked or cooked by steaming or boiling in water, frozen); • 0811902030 (blueberries, certified organic, cultivated (including highbush), uncooked or cooked by steaming or boiling in water, frozen); and • 0811902040 (blueberries, cultivated (including highbush), uncooked or cooked by steaming or boiling in water, NESOI, frozen).

The ITC published notice of the commencement of this proceeding in the Federal Register on Oct. 9. The Federal Register notice, which includes instructions on how to participate in the investigation, can be found at https://gfb.ag/20ITCblueberryinvestig. USITC has scheduled public hearings for Jan. 12, 2021, and Feb. 25, 2021, during which the interested parties and consumers may present evidence or otherwise be heard.

USDA ANNOUNCES OCT. 30 DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR WHIP+ The USDA has announced Oct. 30 as the deadline to submit applications for the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program – Plus (WHIP+) for 2018 and 2019 losses. USDA did not originally specify a deadline when the program was announced.

WHIP+ compensates producers for losses due to hurricanes, floods, snowstorms, tornadoes, typhoons, volcanic activity, drought, excessive moisture, and wildfires occurring in calendar years 2018 and 2019. Drought and excessive moisture were added as eligible losses for the program in March 2020. To date, FSA has received more than 133,000 applications for WHIP+ disaster assistance and paid out nearly $1.4 billion in WHIP+ benefits.

Visit www.farmers.gov/recover/whip-plus for information about the program and how to apply.

FSA indicated it will announce soon the details for producers who experienced quality loss from 2018 and 2019 natural disaster events authorized in appropriations legislation. There will be a separate signup period for producers reporting quality loss.

GFB Field Notes page 5 of 11 CENSUS RESPONSE DEADLINE MOVED TO OCT. 16 On Oct. 13, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that self-response and field data collection operations for the 2020 Census will conclude on Oct. 15.

The announcement followed a Supreme Court decision to overturn a lower court’s ruling to keep the self-response deadline at Oct. 31.

Specifically: • Internet self-response will be available across the nation through October 15, 2020 until 11:59 pm Hawaii Standard Time (HST), (6:00 am Eastern Daylight Time on October 16, 2020) Visit 2020Census.gov to respond today.

• Phone response will be available for its regularly scheduled time on October 15, 2020.

Click here for schedule and a list of numbers.

• Paper responses must be postmarked by October 15, 2020.

• Nonresponse Followup census takers will continue resolving nonresponding addresses through the end of the day on October 15, 2020.

To respond to the 2020 Census, visit www.2020census.gov/en.html.

COLD STORAGE FACILITIES TO OPEN IN NORTH GA TO SUPPORT POULTRY Agile Cold Storage will invest over $60 million in the construction of two new facilities in North Georgia to support the state’s poultry industry, the company announced on Oct. 1. Agile’s new semi-automated freezer buildings will be located in Bartow and Hall counties and create approximately 170 jobs between the Cartersville and Gainesville facilities.

In Cartersville, Agile Cold Storage plans to build and own a 150,000-square-foot facility, where the company plans to create about 70 jobs.

The company also plans to build and own a 150,000-square-foot facility in Gainesville, where they plan to create approximately 100 jobs. Positions at both the Cartersville and Gainesville facilities will include warehouse management, administration, clerical, forklift operators, maintenance, and other general warehouse positions. Additional information will be posted on the company’s website at www.agilecoldstorage.com closer to the facilities’ opening dates next summer.

“As a Georgia-based company, we are very excited to make these investments and to be able to create these jobs in our home state. When we looked around the Southeast for the ideal location for these two facilities, Georgia really stood out. Georgia is home to a wide variety of food manufacturers, tremendous temperature-controlled logistics partners, and a world-class port in Savannah,” said Agile President and CEO Don Schoenl. “We appreciate the state’s interest in helping us grow and understand - from our previous experiences with various state agencies – we appreciate how committed they are to providing exceptional training and work environments for our team members.”

Agile’s state-of-the-art facility will use automation where possible to make the work environment safer and more efficient for its team members. The company’s advanced technologies reduce its environmental impact by eliminating ammonia refrigerants and decreasing energy and water consumption. Agile’s experienced management team and best practices will allow for reliable, efficient, and flexible receiving, storage, and shipping of its customers’ products. Agile’s customers’ products will satisfy demand for both the domestic and international markets. The -continued on next page

GFB Field Notes page 6 of 11 Continued from previous page facilities include frozen and deep freeze temperature zones to ensure products are blast frozen and maintained at the highest levels of quality in accordance with industry specifications and government regulations.

While per capita chicken consumption has doubled since 1978, Georgia’s production has tripled, and three of four Georgia counties support facilities involved in poultry and egg production. In 2018, Georgia was the top broiler producing state in the U.S. with a $4.5 billion industry. Poultry is also one of the state’s top 10 exports, and the state export receipts for the segment totaled $990.6 million in 2019. Top markets for Georgia agriculture include Canada, Mexico, Vietnam, China, and the United Kingdom.

NASS: GA PECAN PRODUCERS FORECAST BIG PRODUCTION GAIN IN 2020 Georgia pecan corn, hay, peanut, oat and wheat producers are set to harvest significantly larger crops in 2020 than they did in 2019, according to the October Crop Production Report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

NASS forecast Georgia pecan production in 2020 at 125 million pounds, an increase of 71 percent from 2019. If realized, this would be the state’s largest crop since 2007.

Georgia corn growers are forecast to yield a record-high 182 bushels per acre. Corn for grain production in 2020 is forecast at 69.2 million bushels, up 24% from 2019.

Hay producers in Georgia are expected to produce 1.8 million tons in 2020, up 19% from 2019.

Peanut production is forecast at a record-high 3.60 billion pounds in 2020. The NASS forecast on the October report remained the same as on the September report and if realized would represent a 31% increase from 2019.

Soybean growers in Georgia are expected to harvest 3.63 million bushels, which would represent a 45% production increase over 2019.

Georgia cotton production for 2020 is forecast at 2.40 million bales, down 12 percent from 2019.

Georgia tobacco production, at 16.6 million pounds, is up from the 15.8 million pounds forecast in August, but still the lowest production since 1932. Georgia growers harvested 18.9 million pounds in 2019.

Georgia oat production, at 1.08 million bushels, would represent a 31% increase from 2019.

Planted acreage, at 80,000 acres, is up 10,000 and harvested acres, at 20,000 acres are up 5,000 from 2019. Oat yield is 54 bushels per acres, a one-bushel decline from 2019.

Winter wheat production, at 4.68 million bushels, would be an increase of 67 percent from 2019.

Winter wheat planted acreage, at 190,000 acres, is up 40,000 and harvested acreage, at an expected 85,000 acres is up 35,000 from 2019. Yield, at 55 bushels per acre, is down 1 bushel from 2019.

GFB Field Notes page 7 of 11 USDA AWARDS $2.8M TO EXPAND TELEMEDICINE, DISTANCE LEARNING On Oct. 7, the USDA announced $72 million in grants to help rural residents gain access to health care and educational opportunities. Of this total, $2.8 million is awarded for four distance learning and telemedicine expansion projects in rural Georgia. Funding comes from the Distance Learning & Telemedicine Program which helps rural residents tap into the enormous potential of modern telecommunications and the Internet.

“I already knew the need for broadband in Rural Georgia and had been working to provide resources to rural areas and promote USDA’s Rural Development broadband opportunities. We were making headway,” said USDA Rural Development State Director Joyce White.” However, when COVID-19 hit, the need for broadband was made even more critical. Students need to be able to learn without attending in-person classes and doctors need to be able to reach rural patients without the patients coming into the office or hospital. People need to be able to reach their customers and offices without getting in their car. COVID-19 proved further what we already knew and that is E-connectivity is not a luxury, but rather a necessity.”

The grants awarded to Georgia projects: • Augusta University $576,035 for Telemedicine - This money will be used to assist primary care providers in rural clinics for transmitting images of patient lesions to dermatologists at hub sites in 15 Georgia counties. This improved capability will expand access to quality healthcare and serve to expedite diagnosis and treatment plans. The hub sites will be located in Appling, Baker, Burke, Calhoun, Candler, Dooly, Dougherty, Evans, Jefferson, Lee, Montgomery, Richmond, Screven, Terrell and Treutlen counties.

• Northeast Georgia Health System $794,881 for Telemedicine - This money will be used to expand medical services provided by The Medical Foundation, Inc. dba Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) physicians to patients from eight rural counties in northeast Georgia. These rural residents are often located hours away from primary, urgent, and specialty care. NGHS Foundation will purchase Telehealth carts which will be equipped to enable video and audio communication that will allow doctors to connect with remote patients in real time for consultation visits. This will result in an increase in workflow and increase in access and timeliness to care. Services will be available to residents in Barrow, Dawson, Gwinnett, Hall, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, White counties.

• Taylor County Board of Education $570,050 for Distance Learning - This money will allow the Taylor County Board of Education to equip interactive distance learning rooms at eight different schools in both Taylor and Cook counties. This new capability will provide student access to additional course offerings in language and math, virtual field trips, and increased access to counselors and advisors in order to prepare students for a high-tech future.

• UGA Research Foundation Inc. $866,030 for Telemedicine - This money will be used to improve the management of chronic health conditions in rural residents of nine communities in Central Georgia through partnership between the UGA, Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance (IMA), and Georgia Union Missionary Baptist Association (GUMBA). Faculty members and students will have access to videoconferencing technology to provide patient counseling, wellness checks, healthcare education, and outreach to underserved communities. These services will be available in Ben Hill, Clarke (hub site – UGA), Dooly, Houston, Macon, Pulaski and Sumter counties and cities/towns are involved in the project: Americus, Athens (hub site – UGA), Elko, Fitzgerald, Hawkinsville, Leslie, Montezuma, Vienna, and Unadilla).

GFB Field Notes page 8 of 11 2020 GEORGIA NATIONAL FAIR LIVESTOCK SHOW October 15-17 Live coverage via Walton Webcasting The 2020 Georgia National Fair Livestock Show is not open for the public to attend as a part of COVID-19 safety protocols. However, Georgia Farm Bureau is sponsoring the shows to be webcast via Walton Webcasting to allow anyone who wants to watch Georgia’s youth exhibit their livestock live. Visit www.waltonwebcasting.com/ for more information. #fairstrong #waltonwebcasting #georgiafarmbureau #gnflivestockshow WHITE-REINHARDT GRANTS/SCHOLARSHIPS Oct. 15 Deadline to apply Applications for White-Reinhardt scholarships and classroom/community grants are now available. The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is looking for exceptional educators to attend the National Ag in the Classroom Conference and for engaging ag literacy projects to fund. Applications are available online www.agfoundation.org/projects/wr-grantshome or www.agfoundation.org/projects/ag-scholarships. All applications must be submitted electronically. The application period closes Oct. 15.

TASTE OF THE FAIR RECIPE CONTEST Oct. 16 Deadline for entries Sad about the prospect of not getting your fix of fair food this fall? The Dairy Alliance has a cure: A “Taste of the Fair” Recipe Contest to give us the chance to recreate our favorite fair flavors using at least 8 oz. of milk & one other dairy product among the ingredients. Think Cotton Candy Milkshake, Funnel Cake Latte, a Cheesy Corndog or Loaded Taco Fries! Visit www.gfb.ag/dairyalliancetasteofthefair for contest rules & to enter. Grand prize winner wins a Cuisinart ice cream maker, a grocery store gift card & more. Top two Georgia recipes will receive a Dairy Alliance gift bag with great swag & will be featured in the organization’s Taste of the Fair Recipe Contest booklet to be distributed at fairs across the Southeast next year.

DIGGING IN: A DISCUSSION ON LEADERSHIP Oct. 20 2 p.m. online GFB’s Public Policy Department presents the next installment of its webinar series, Digging In. GFB President Gerald Long will be joined by UGA CAES Dean Designee Dr. Nick Place and Interim Dean Dr. Joe West to share their ideas on leadership. Register in advance at https://gfb.ag/DiggingIn102020.

GFB AG IN THE CLASSROOM VIRTUAL SOYBEAN FIELD TRIP Oct. 21 8 a.m.

Hart County/online Farm Bureau is excited to offer resources for teachers to teach students about soybeans. To register and receive access to the class resources, visit www.gfb.ag/soybean. After classroom lessons about soybeans are implemented, GFB will host the Virtual Soybean Field Trip via video.

GFB Field Notes page 9 of 11 GEORGIA AGRIBUSINESS COUNCIL HARVEST CELEBRATION Nov. 20 Meadows Gun Club Registration 8 -8:30 a.m.; Lunch at Noon Forsyth On Oct. 6, the GAC announced a new location and change in format for its annual Harvest Celebration due to COVID-19. The annual event will now be a daytime event offering guests the option of participating in a sporting clays tournament or a holiday cookie decorating/floral arranging class. The safety talk for shooting clays begins at 8:30 a.m. followed by shooting. The holiday decorating class begins at 10 a.m. A Georgia Grown lunch and program will be held at noon followed by the Field of Dreams Drawing at 1 p.m. The event’s traditional silent auction will also be held. All current ticket and table purchases will be transferred to the corresponding sponsorship level unless otherwise requested. For more information or to buy tickets by Oct. 23, visit www.ga-agribusiness.org/Events.aspx.

STAY AT HOME BEEKEEPING SERIES Oct. 27 Anthony Abbate, Auburn/Wildflower Meadow 7:30 p.m. online Nov. 24 Jeff Harris, MSU/Getting started 7:30 p.m. online Dec. 29 Beekeeping Boxing Day Sales 7:30 p.m online The Alabama Cooperative Extension System is offering members of beekeeping clubs the opportunity to attend these free online meetings, each of which will bring participants up to date on timely beekeeping topics. Time for Q&A is included. Watch with Zoom at https://auburn.zoom.us/j/904522838 stream via Facebook live at www.facebook.com/LawrenceCountyextension/. For more information, visit Allyson Shabel at ams0137@aces.edu.

GFB QUALITY HAY CONTEST Georgia Farm Bureau invites all of its members who grow Bermudagrass hay to enter its annual hay contest by Oct. 31. Hay entered in the 2020 GFB Quality Hay Contest will be tested at the University of Georgia Feed & Environmental Water Lab using the Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) Test, which provides an analysis of the nutritional value of the hay. There is a $20 fee for each entry to cover the cost of the lab test. Checks should be made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau.

Entry fees, forms and samples should be sent to the GFB Public Policy Department 1620 Bass Road Macon, Ga., 31210. Entry fees, forms and samples may also be taken to your county Farm Bureau office. For more information about the contest contact Jeremy Taylor in the GFB Public Policy Department at jrtaylor@gfb.org or 478-474-0679, ext. 5212.

2020 AG LABOR RELATIONS FORUM Nov. 5, 10, 12, 17 and 19 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. each day online This annual event, sponsored in part by Georgia Farm Bureau, offers the latest labor updates for growers, shippers, processors and other agricultural professionals. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from industry experts as they help you comply with labor laws, all from the comfort and convenience of your home! Cost is $95 per participant includes access to all webinars and resources. Each webinar will be available for on-demand access and viewing for all registered attendees. To learn more about the event or register visit www.georgiaaglaborforum.com/.

GFB Field Notes page 10 of 11 ASA CORTEVA AGRISCIENCE YOUNG LEADER PROGRAM The American Soybean Association (ASA) and Corteva Agriscience are seeking applicants for the 2021 ASA Corteva Agriscience Young Leader Program, a two-phase educational program for actively farming individuals and couples who are passionate about the future possibilities of agriculture. The women and men who participate in this program will be the leaders that shape the future of agriculture. Phase I of the 2021 ASA Corteva Agriscience Young Leader Program will take place Dec. 1 – 4, 2020, at Corteva’s Global Business Center in Johnston, Iowa. The program continues March 2 – 6, 2021, in San Antonio, Texas, in conjunction with the annual Commodity Classic Convention and Trade Show. Soybean grower couples and individuals are encouraged to apply. For more information or to apply, visit www.gfb.ag/21ASAYoungLeaders.

51ST ANNUAL UGA PERFORMANCE TESTED BULL SALE Dec. 4 NW Ga. Livestock Pavilion 12:30 p.m.

Calhoun UGA expects to catalog 86 bulls at this annual sale, including Angus (60), Charolais (1), Chiangus (2), Red Angus (2), Simangus (6) and Simmental (6). In addition to in-person bidding, the sale will be available on LiveAuctions.tv and via phone bidding. All bulls have been parentage tested and have genomic enhanced EPDs. Reports can be found at www.ugabeef.com/bulltest.

DAIRY MARGIN COVERAGE ENROLLMENT Dec. 11 deadline to apply The USDA is accepting applications for the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program for 2021 enrollment. DMC is a voluntary risk management program that offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed price (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. DMC payments triggered for seven months in 2019 and three months so far in 2020. More than 23,000 operations enrolled in DMC in 2019, and more than 13,000 enrolled in 2020. For more information or to sign up for coverage, visit www.gfb.ag/21DMC. 2021 SOUTHEASTERN FRUIT & VEGETABLE GROWERS VIRTUAL CONFERENCE Jan. 5-7 online The education, trade show, poster sessions and networking opportunities that traditionally take place in person in Savannah will take place through the Internet on a virtual platform that will be easy to use and navigate. The conference will have the latest in production and crop operational information that you have come to expect from the SE Regional Conference. All educational and exhibitor content will be available for on-demand viewing until April 30, 2021 to all registered attendees. All-Access Passes are $125 each and allow access to all education sessions, the virtual trade show, poster sessions and networking events until April 30, 2021. GFVGA members receive 15% off All Access Registration. Check your email for a discount code. Trade Show Passes are free, and the exhibits will be available until April 30, 2021. To register, visit https://gfb.ag/21SEFVGAConfreg.

GFB Field Notes page 11 of 11 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 enter the 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.