Photo by Jay Stone October 25, 2023
www.gfb.org
Vol. 5 No. 20
45TH EXPO CELEBRATES SOUTHEASTERN AG, HIGHLIGHTS ROAD & MENTAL SAFETY
Sunbelt Ag Expo held its 45th show this year and Mother Nature blessed the event held Oct. 1719 with terrific weather: crisp fall mornings followed by sunny days with high temperatures only in the 70s. Georgia Farm Bureau, which is a 45-year exhibitor, greeted Expo guests at the Georgia Ag Building as they streamed through the main gate under the water tower and behind the flight tower. GFB staff talked with attendees about the many activities the organization does to promote agriculture to consumers and students and how GFB represents farmers and rural communities in Atlanta and D.C. GFB’s exhibit also gave attendees the chance to write a thank-you note to a Georgia farmer for growing food to feed us, cotton to make our clothes, and timber for our homes. These notes will be displayed at the GFB convention in December for Georgia farmers from across the state to see. The Georgia Ag Experience mobile classroom, coordinated by the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture, was on display near the Georgia Ag Building. Attendees had the chance to learn about Georgia’s top economic sector through interactive computer games that give participants the chance to raise broilers in a modern poultry house and drive tractors through peanut and cotton fields. Arkansas farmer Steve Cobb was named the 2024 Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern farmer of the Year during the Willie B. Withers Expo Lunch. Cobb Farms is a partnership enterprise that began over 50 years ago. Today, on 4,500 acres (2,500 rented and 2,000 owned), it grows row crops, produce and show pigs. Three entities make up the partnership: 1) Steve Cobb & Family is a leading show-pig operation that produces 1,000 plus show pigs a year as well as breeding stock for club pig production; 2) Cane Island Farms oversee production of corn, cotton, and peanuts; 3) The Cane Island Produce branch grows vegetables, specializing in year-round greenhouse tomatoes. As the overall winner, Cobb and his wife, Terri, won a $15,000 cash prize, the use of a Massey Ferguson tractor for a year or 250 hours (whichever comes first), a jacket from the Sunbelt Ag Expo, a Hays Smoker/Grill from Hays LTI, and a Henry Repeating Arms American Farmer -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 2 of 13 Continued from previous page Tribute Edition rifle from Reinke Irrigation. Colquitt County Farm Bureau members Bart and Paula Davis represented Georgia in the 2023 Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year contest. The Davis family grows cotton and peanut,s and raise purebred and F1 Angus & Hereford cattle. As the Georgia winners, the Davises received a $2,500 cash award and an expense-paid trip to the Sunbelt Expo from the contest sponsors. A vest from the Sunbelt Ag Expo was given to each state winner and nominator. The Moultrie Colquitt Co. Chamber of Commerce gave each state winner a local keepsake. Additionally, Massey Ferguson North America provided each state winner with a gift package. Sponsors of the 2023 Farmer of the Year program were: Massey Ferguson, Harper Family Holdings, the Alabama Farmers Federation, Arkansas Farm Bureau, Florida Farm Bureau, Georgia Farm Bureau, Kentucky Farm Bureau, Mississippi Farm Bureau, North Carolina Farm Bureau, South Carolina Farm Bureau, Tennessee Farm Bureau, Virginia Farm Bureau, Southeast Farm Press/Farm Progress, Hays LTI and Reinke. These new sponsors picked up the mantle from Swisher Sweets, which previously sponsored the award for 32 years. Anyone interested in supporting the Expo Farmer of the Year Award may visit www.sunbeltexpo.com/foty. Donations are tax deductible. A total of $1,284,000 in cash awards and other honors have been awarded to 286 Southeastern farmers since the award was initiated in 1990. Beef 101 Beef producers attending Expo had the chance to attend Top Hand demos each day at the Priefert Arena on the west side of the Beef Pavilion. These demos highlighted the UGA Extension Top Hand Stockmanship/Stewardship Contest for 9th-12th grade students while also hearing tips for working cattle. Visit www.ugabeef.comm/tophand to learn more about the contest that teaches students about Beef Quality Assurance best practices for raising cattle. While emceeing a session on Oct. 17, Jason King with Priefert’s Ranch Equipment encouraged cattle producers to invest in a set of scales to weigh cattle while giving them vaccines and tagging them. “Weighing cattle is one of the most important things you can do. At the end of the day, we’re trying to grow pounds in calves,” King said. “By weighing your calves when you wean them as you work them and then again near sell time, you can keep up with what type of calf your Mama cows are producing. If you aren’t weighing your cows all you’re doing is guessing at how much your calves weigh.” UGA Extension Beef Specialist Jason Duggin shared tips for implementing Beef Quality Assurance best practices when working cattle. Duggin encouraged producers to use a clean needle on each cow when giving vaccines or at the least to use the same needle on no more than 10 cattle. “The best money you can make is to throw away a 15-cent needle. You need a clean needle with every cow to avoid the risk of infection that can lead to abscesses. At least change needles after every 10 head of cattle at the very least. Throwing away that 15-20 cent needle will make you money." -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 3 of 13 Continued from previous page During other daily sessions at the Priefert Arena, cattle experts discussed the state of the cattle industry, Weaver Livestock gave tips on “Daily Care for Cattle Show Hair” and experienced livestock exhibitors gave fitting demos. Sweet Grown Alabama Alabama was the 2023 Expo Spotlight State. Expo guests who visited the Spotlight State Building were able to take a virtual road trip through Alabama and learn about the state’s major commodities and parts of the state where they are grown. You couldn’t help but hum the words "Sweet Grown A-la-bam-a" to a familiar tune with a similar name as you left the building. The slogan is the Alabama Department of Agriculture’s theme for promoting Alabama agriculture. The exhibit highlighted Alabama’s peanut & cotton crops grown in the state’s Wiregrass region; its pecan crop grown in Central Alabama; poultry grown in East Alabama; agritourism found in the north part of the state; the corn & soybean crops grown in Northwest Alabama; the peaches & strawberries grown in Central Alabama; timber grown in Southwest Alabama; catfish grown in Southern Alabama from the east to west borders and cattle raised across the state but predominantly in western Alabama. Alabama ag facts the exhibit highlighted included: Alabama ranks 2nd in the U.S. (behind Georgia) for production of broilers (chickens grown for meat). Alabama ranks 2nd in the U.S. for catfish production. Alabama ranks 3rd in the contiguous U.S. for timber acreage. Farmers’ mental health On. Oct. 18, the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) Commissioner Kevin Tanner, Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, and Dr. Laura Perry-Johnson, Associate Dean for Extension at the University of Georgia, launched a statewide collaboration to address farm workers' mental health. These state leaders held Georgia’s first listening forum with notable members of Georgia’s farm and faith communities followed by a press conference announcing this multi-agency effort at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie. “Our commitment to addressing farmer mental health issues is unwavering. We believe in the power of collaboration and the importance of reducing stigma while creating resources that truly support our farming communities,” said Tanner. “This joint effort will sow the seeds of hope, resilience, and recovery, nurturing the mental well-being of those who sustain our agricultural heritage and guide our spiritual journeys.” DBHDD, Georgia Dept. of Agriculture, and the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension have invested a total of $5.26 million for programming tailored to reaching agriculture communities since the COVID-19 pandemic. Georgia Farm Bureau and the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture will also provide their resources during this statewide collaboration. DBHDD has dedicated nearly $2 million to address the growing mental health crisis in rural Georgia. Through its crisis network initiatives, $317,000 of this funding will support educating faith leaders who often serve as a primary resource to farmers experiencing a mental health crisis. Over the last four years, more than $1.2 million has been spent on partnerships with faith leaders to address opioid and substance use disorders and overdoses. Through a statewide marketing campaign, the Department has allocated $450,000 to educate rural communities, farmers, and faith leaders about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 4 of 13 Continued from previous page The Georgia Department of Agriculture has made a substantial investment of $500,000 in mental health resources and awareness using a USDA NIFA Georgia Healthy Farmer Mindset Grant. Over the past five years, this funding has been dedicated to various critical initiatives, including training, outreach, education, and collaboration with partner agencies. Training efforts encompass staff and public outreach, veteran training, as well as legal and financial training. The grant funding has also supported events such as Mental Health Day at the Capitol, Mental Health Awareness Month, and World Mental Health Day. Under Commissioner Harper’s leadership, the Department has also amped up efforts to streamline existing state resources for farm workers’ mental health. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension also recognized an increased need for assistance in farming and rural communities, notably after Hurricanes Irma and Michael in 2018, leading to an expansion on educational opportunities focused on farmer stress. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated stress, prompting UGA Extension to educate and expand personnel in the field and invest more than $460,000 in this effort, along with $200,000 in additional resources. UGA Extension formed a Behavioral Health Team with a diverse range of experts, securing nearly $2.2 million in grant funds for behavioral health and rural stress work since 2020. Over the past decade, UGA Extension has received more than $27 million in grant funds to support general health and wellness. UGA’s “Rural Georgia: Growing Stronger” program also offers workshops, online courses, and a holistic approach to improving mental health outcomes for farmers and their families. To address the pressing issues of farmer mental health and well-being, several listening forums will be held across the state to foster understanding, compassion, and support within Georgia’s farming and faith communities. The forums are designed to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, raise awareness about the unique challenges faced by these communities, and collaboratively build resources tailored to their specific needs, ensuring that no farmer ever feels alone in their struggles. A 2022 study conducted by the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center at Mercer University, in collaboration with the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture, highlights the significant mental health challenges farmers face. This survey of 1,651 respondents revealed that a staggering 96 percent of farmers experience moderate to high levels of stress. Almost half of the respondents reported feeling sad or depressed, with 39 percent feeling hopeless. The survey showed 29 percent of farmers think of dying by suicide at least once per month, and 42 percent of all farmers thought about dying by suicide at least once in the past 12 months. Most farmers reported not being able to access a psychologist (telephone, online or in-person). Approximately 60 percent of farmers do not have access to basic medical care. Safety on the roads During an Oct. 18 press conference at Expo, the Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) announced it is once again partnering with the Georgia Department of Agriculture to remind drivers to watch for and safely pass farm equipment when traveling in rural areas. The combined effort is titled “Yield Behind the Wheel.” -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 5 of 13 Continued from previous page With the fall harvest in full swing, Georgia farmers are on the road moving equipment from field to field and transporting their crops to buying points. GOHS also reminded drivers on the importance of driving the speed limit, wearing seat belts, and staying focused on the road to help prevent crashes in rural areas. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 43% of the nation's traffic fatalities happened in rural areas in the United States in 2020, even though this area accounts for 19% of the country's population according to the U.S. Census Bureau and less than a third of the total miles traveled in the nation. According to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 52% of those who died in rural passenger vehicle crashes in 2020 were not wearing seat belts, compared to 49% of people killed in urban passenger vehicle crashes in the U.S. in 2020. According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, ten people have been killed in 363 crashes involving farm and construction vehicles in the state over a five-year period from 20172021. The data shows that 40 percent of these crashes in Georgia involved a suspected or confirmed distracted driver. COLQUITT COUNTY, ABAC TEAMS WIN ADVOCACY IN ACTION CONTEST Teams from Colquitt County High School and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) won the Third Annual Advocacy in Action Contest, sponsored and run by Georgia Farm Bureau. The final rounds for the contest were held Oct. 18 at the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition in Moultrie. The Colquitt County team of Anna Grace Hunter, Ellery McBryde, Carolyne Turner and Anna Grace Hunter, coached on site by Georgia Farm Bureau Agricultural Programs Manager Raynor Churchwell, won the high school division. ABAC’s No. 2 team of Colton Peacock, Jenna Williams and Whitnie Yoder, coached on site by Georgia Chamber of Commerce Director of Government Affairs Katie Duvall, won the collegiate division. Colquitt County Farm Bureau Office Manager Greta Collins advised both teams helping them prepare for the contest. “As a former elected official, I appreciate these young people pursuing this skill,” said GFB President Tom McCall, who served in the Georgia House of Representatives for 26 years and chaired the House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee. “Talking with public officials is at the core of Georgia Farm Bureau’s mission, and the Advocacy in Action contest is one way we can help future agricultural leaders experience how these discussions often happen.” Teams of three or four students made policy pitches to each of three judges concerning how to help young and beginning farmers overcome the risks associated with taking over a family farm or starting a new farm. A total of 23 teams submitted video entries for the contest. The top three in each division competed at Sunbelt, where they gave presentations to judges Brian Hardin from the Alabama Farmers Federation, Reaganne Hart from the office of Gov. Brian Kemp and Dale Sandlin from Georgia Cattlemen’s Association. The competition is designed to simulate lobbyist conversations with elected officials in a variety of environments. The pitches were limited to three minutes, followed by a question-and-answer period of up to five minutes. -continued on next page
GFB Field Notes page 6 of 13 Continued from previous page “The participants in the Advocacy in Action Contest did a great job in the short amount of time to advocate for their position,” Sandlin said. “This contest allows them to advocate with tons of distractions being in the middle of Sunbelt Ag Expo. When we’re lobbying on behalf of our members, we often may only get one chance of a couple of minutes to make a case for our position and it’s rarely in a quiet environment. Having them compete in this way is very true to life and will help train the next generation of advocates for agriculture.” The winning teams received cash prizes and invitations to participate in Georgia Farm Bureau Day at the Capitol in Atlanta in February. AVIAN INFLUENZA AFFECTING WESTERN COMMERCIAL FLOCKS Commercial poultry producers in Minnesota, South Dakota and Utah have sustained flock losses in a 30-day period ending Oct. 24 due to an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), according to data provided by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Information Service (APHIS). In that time span, HPAI has been detected in 12 commercial turkey flocks, affecting an estimated 520,000 birds, and 10 backyard flocks affecting another 100,000 birds. In 2022 and 2023, a total of 862 flocks in 47 states have had confirmed cases of HPAI, affecting 59.41 million birds. The most recent HPAI detection in Georgia occurred in August 2022, though U.S. outbreaks are always cause for concern because Georgia is the top poultry-producing state. The state’s chicken broilers and egg production are worth an estimated $4.5 billion annually. Poultry producers are encouraged to maintain rigorous biosecurity practices and to monitor their flocks for signs of avian influenza infections, including decline in egg production, soft eggshells, discolored combs and feet, birds stop eating or drinking, diarrhea and sudden mortality. According to the Georgia Department of Agriculture, HPAI does not pose a risk to the food supply, and no affected animals entered the food chain. The risk of human infection with avian influenza is very low. If you suspect your birds have avian influenza, call the AI Hotline at 770-766-6850. Testing is free through the Georgia poultry lab website. For more information about avian influenza, visit the GDA avian influenza webpage for biosecurity resources. GEORGIA CENTENNIAL FARM PROGRAM HONORS 13 FAMILIES This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Georgia Centennial Farm Awards program, which honors farms that have been operating for 100 years or more. The program began with Georgia Farm Bureau joining forces with other state agencies in 1993 to offer a way to identify and recognize farm families who had been farming for 100 years or more. Since 1993, more than 620 farms have been recognized. This year, 13 were celebrated during a ceremony at the Georgia National Fair held Oct. 11. “Thank you for taking care of your farms so your children and grandchildren will have somewhere to come back home to. Thank you for keeping your farms producing for over a hundred years or more,” Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall said while speaking at the 2023 Georgia Centennial Family Farm ceremony. “Georgia Farm Bureau works representing family -continued on net page
GFB Field Notes page 7 of 13 Continued from previous page farms like yours at the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta and the U.S. Capitol in D.C., so y’all can concentrate on farming. Most of you are Farm Bureau members, but if you’re not, I encourage you to join our organization.” Recipients of the 2023 Centennial Family Farm Award are: • Boggy Branch Farm, Bulloch County • L & M Farms, Bulloch County • Teloga Springs Farm, Chattooga County • Stone Family Farm, Cook County • Ash Farms, Effingham County • The Threatte Farm at Bunton Place, Evans County • Price Family Farm, Franklin County • J.B. Gay & Son, Jenkins County • R. E. Roberts Farm, Jones County • Ganas Farm, Lanier County • White Family Barn Farm, Lumpkin County • Rolling D Farms, LLC, Murray County • Fulghum-Beusse Farms, Wilcox County Farms may be recognized with one of three awards. The Centennial Family Farm Award recognizes farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more. The Centennial Heritage Family Farm Award honors farms owned by the same family for 100 years or more that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The Centennial Farm Award does not require continual family ownership but farms must be at least 100 years old and listed in the NRHP. “This is a big day to recognize families that have given so much to our state. The fact that your farms have been in operation for at least 100 years, and in many cases more, is remarkable,” Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said while speaking at the 2023 Georgia Centennial Family Farm ceremony. This program is administered by the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs with support from Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia EMC, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter and UGA Extension. Want to nominate a farm? Anyone interested in nominating a farm for recognition should visit www.gfb.ag/centennialfarmsapply for more information or to download an application or contact outreach@dca.ga.gov. The postmark deadline for applications is May 1 of each year. Qualifying farms are recognized each October during a ceremony held at the Georgia National Fair. One farm’s story John B. Gay inherited his family’s Jenkins County farm in 1992 when his father, Emerson, died. His father and mother, Joyce, who still lives on the farm, raised John B. along with his brother, Carroll, and sister, Kathy Gay Bacon, on the farm that has been in the family since at least 1869. Today, John B. raises beef cows, hogs, peanuts, cotton and corn. The farm included a herd of dairy cows, which his parents started, until 2007. In the 1970s and ‘80s Emerson and Joyce had -continued on net page
GFB Field Notes page 8 of 13 Continued from previous page layer houses with hens that laid table eggs. Joyce, who taught school before marrying Emerson and starting a family, helped out when needed in the layer houses. “There’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears put into this farm over the generations,” John. B said. “We are proud we’ve been able to keep it in the family this long and hope we can keep it another 100 years.” John B. and his wife, Jean’s, sons – Branham and Tiller – both have off-farm jobs but teamed up in 2019 to start a beef cow operation on the farm that the family maintains at over 100 head. Branham did the family research to apply for the Centennial Farm Award. The location of the Gay farm hasn’t changed through the years, but the name of the county where it is located did as the state of Georgia created new counties from existing ones. In 1869 the farm was in Bulloch County. Then, the farm was placed in Emanuel County until it became Jenkins County in the early 1900s. “The land is currently in Jenkins County, which is reflected on the 1915 deeds, but was considered Emanuel County in the 1905 deeds. The oldest land deed we were able to find in the Emanuel County courthouse was from 1869 with a transfer from father to son, so we know it goes back prior to that,” Branham said. “However, the land was in what was considered Bulloch County prior to the 1869 deed, so we’ve got to do more research at the Bulloch County courthouse to determine the actual start date [of the farm].” The one thing that hasn’t changed for the Gay family is their love of the land and their determination to continue farming. USDA PROPOSES REVISING PECAN STANDARDS The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing to revise the U.S. Standards for Grades of Pecans in the Shell and the U.S. Standards for Grades of Shelled Pecans to reflect current industry descriptions and practices. The proposed changes would replace the current grades with U.S. Extra Fancy, U.S. Fancy, U.S. Choice, and U.S. Standard grades. The two current grades for pecans in the shell are U.S. No. 1 and U.S. No. 2. The six current grades for shelled pecans are U.S. No. 1 Halves, U.S. No. 1 Halves and Pieces, U.S. No. 1 Pieces, U.S. Commercial Halves, U.S. Commercial Halves and Pieces, and U.S. Commercial Pieces. AMS also proposes updating terminology, definitions, and defect scoring guides in the standards. The notice of the proposed revisions was published in the Federal Register on Oct. 11. Written comments must be received by Dec. 11, 2023. Comments should be submitted online at regulations.gov, faxed to (540)361-1199, or mailed to the USDA, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, Virginia, 22406 Copies of the proposed U.S Standards for Grades for Pecans in the Shell and U.S. Standards for Grades of Shelled Pecans are available here. For more information, please contact Olivia Banks at (540) 361-1120 or Olivia.Banks@usda.gov.
GFB Field Notes page 9 of 13 U.S. FOREST SERVICE GRANTS SUPPORT FORESTS, RURAL AMERICA On Oct. 18, the USDA announced that the U.S. Forest Service is making nearly $50 million in grant funding available for proposals that support crucial links between resilient, healthy forests, strong rural economies and jobs in the forestry sector. “A strong forest products economy contributes to healthier forests, vibrant communities and jobs in rural areas,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “We are investing in rural economies by growing markets for forest products through sustainable forest management while reducing wildfire risk, fighting climate change, and accelerating economic development.” The grant funding is part of the Biden administration’s plan to generate economic opportunity and build a clean energy economy nationwide. The grants authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in history and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, an historic investment to rebuild America’s aging infrastructure. The open funding opportunity comes through the Forest Service’s three key grant programs to support the forest products economy: Wood Innovations Grant, Community Wood Grant, and Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Grant Programs. The agency is seeking proposals that support innovative uses of wood in the construction of low carbon buildings, as a renewable energy source, and in manufacturing and processing products. These programs also provide direct support to expand and retrofit wood energy systems and wood products manufacturing facilities nationwide. The Forest Service is requesting proposals from eligible entities in the private, non-profit, and government sectors including Tribes, local and state governments, businesses and for-profit entities, institutions of higher education, as well as public utility, fire, conservation, and school districts, among others. These investments will support forest management projects to improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk across all land ownerships. Byproducts of these activities, like small diameter timber and woody biomass, have historically been of little market value. Thanks in part to these Forest Service grant programs, funding is available to support the use of this often-unused material in many types of wood products. Businesses that are engaged in or support the forest products economy are eligible to apply for funding to expand manufacturing capacity. These businesses are vital employers in local communities, especially in tribal or rural communities. The investments will also support the Forest Service’s 10-year strategy to address the wildfire crisis in the places where it poses the most immediate threats to communities. The agency is investing in projects that source wood from activities that reduce risks to communities, like prescribed fire and mechanical thinning to reduce the vegetation that fuels wildfires. Visit the Forest Service webpage for more information on funding for the Wood Innovations, Community Wood and Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Grant Programs.
GFB Field Notes page 10 of 13 BEEKEEPING SHORT COURSE Oct. 28 Henry Co. Farm Bureau Office 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. McDonough The Henry County Beekeepers are hosting this workshop scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The course will cover: Introduction to Beekeeping; Hive Assembly; NUC’s, Packages & Swarms; Hive Manipulation; Extracting Honey; and beekeeping issues. Early registration by Oct. 27 is $25 or $30 at the door day of the event. The registration fee includes a one-year membership to the Henry County Beekeepers. The Henry County Farm Bureau is located at 117 Racetrack Road, McDonough, Ga. 30253. To register or receive more information please contact Tom Bonnell by calling 678-983-7698 or e-mail Tom at tombonnell@bellsouth.net. 2023 GFB HAY CONTEST ACCEPTING ENTRIES Oct. 31 deadline to enter Georgia Farm Bureau is calling all members who grow any variety of Bermudagrass hay to enter its annual hay contest. The contest winner will receive the free use of a Vermeer Mid-sized Trailed Mower for one year, courtesy of Vermeer Manufacturing. The winner will have the option to buy the mower at a reduced price at the end of one year. Additional prizes will be awarded to the top five producers. Hay entered in the 2023 GFB Quality Bermudagrass Hay Contest will be tested at the UGA Feed & Environmental Water Lab using the Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) Test, which provides an analysis of the nutritional value of the hay. Winners will be determined by the RFQ analysis and announced in December at the GFB Convention. Prizes will be presented to the top five producers. Entry forms outlining complete contest rules may be picked up at your county Farm Bureau office or downloaded at www.gfb.ag/HayContest. There is a $20 fee for each entry to cover the cost of the lab test. Producers may enter more than one sample. Checks should be made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau. GFB SEEKS MEMBERS FOR 2024 AMBASSADOR TEAM Nov. 1 Application Deadline Any young adults interested in promoting Georgia Farm Bureau in member recruitment & brand awareness campaigns as a 2024 GFB Ambassador are invited to apply by Nov. 1 at 11:59 p.m. Applicants must be at least 18 years old & must be GFB members. If an applicant lives in the household of a family member, such as parents who are members, the applicant is considered a member. Learn more about the program and apply at gfb.ag/ambassadors. FORESTRY FIELD DAY Nov. 7 UGA Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Lyons This event includes presentations from Dr. David Dickens and Dr. David Clabo. Topics include: Importance of herbicides for site prep; first-year herbaceous weed control; longleaf pine seed source study; pine straw raking study; longleaf vs. slash vs. loblolly planting; and pine tree genetics research plots. The Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center is located at 8163 Ga. Hwy. 178 in Lyons. Lunch will be provided. Please register by contacting the Candler County Extension office at 912-685-2408 or the Evans County Extension office at 912-739-1292.
GFB Field Notes page 11 of 13 DEER CROP DAMAGE SURVEY Nov. 10 deadline for submissions Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) is collaborating with the Georgia Department of Agriculture and UGA Extension to conduct a deer impact survey to determine losses from deer activity across the state during the last five years. Data collected from this survey will be used in support of increased mitigation measures and reform, research expansion, and legislative education. GFB is asking that agricultural stakeholders help share the 2023 survey through their publications, social media, and other resources. The survey has seven questions, and farmers can submit a survey entry for each county in which their farmers have sustained deer damage. Farmers may take the survey at https://gfb.ag/deersurvey . The deadline for submissions is Nov. 10. For more information, contact GFB Agricultural Programs Manager Raynor Churchwell at rdchurchwell@gfb.org or 1800-342-1196 Ext. 5288. 2023 GEORGIA AG LABOR FORUM Nov. 14 &15 UGA Tifton Conference Center Tifton This event brings ag labor regulators and renowned experts together with farm owners and personnel managers. The forum's format encourages active engagement, enabling ag employers, HR managers and administrators to collaboratively tackle the ongoing and dynamic challenge of securing and sustaining a reliable workforce within a complex regulatory landscape. This event is suited for all owners, operators, office managers, personnel managers and service providers for the produce, nursery, landscape, dairy, cotton, and any agricultural professional dealing with agricultural labor relations. For more info about the forum visit https://gfb.ag/aglaborforuminfo . To register, visit https://gfb.ag/aglaborforumregister. Early bird registration by Nov. 6 is $295. Regular registration is $325. GEORGIA AG LABOR RELATIONS FORUM Nov. 14-15 Georgia Museum of Agriculture at ABAC Tifton Hear from regulatory and industry experts to help you navigate the complex realm of agricultural labor relations. This event is suited for all owners, operators, office managers, personnel managers and service providers in produce, nursery, landscape, dairy, cotton, forestry, peanuts, pecan, and any other agricultural professional dealing with agricultural labor relations. Early bird registration by Nov. 6 is $295. Regular registration is $325 Click here to register. HOUSE RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL MEETINGS Nov. 16 University of Georgia Athens An agenda and a live stream for the meetings may be found here. Details about the Nov. 16 meeting will be announced closer to the date. Check back here. Meetings of the House Rural Development Council will be livestreamed and are open to the public. Established in 2017, the House Rural Development Council was renewed for the 2023-2024 by the unanimous adoption of House Resolution 488 during the 2023 legislative session.
GFB Field Notes page 12 of 13 CROP INSURANCE FOR FRUITS, WHOLE-FARM REVENUE Nov. 20 deadline to apply or renew The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds Georgia apple, blueberry, and peach growers that the final date to apply for crop insurance coverage for the 2024 crop year is November 20. Growers who are interested in the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection policy and are late fiscal year filers have until November 20 to apply for crop insurance. Current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing coverage also have until the November 20 sales closing date to do so. 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. Coverage is available for Whole-Farm Revenue Protection in all Georgia counties. Growers are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for the 2024 crop year. Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov. FERAL SWINE WORKSHOP & TRAPPING DEMONSTRATION Nov. 28 Lincoln County Extension Office 5 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. Lincolnton A group of agricultural and natural resource organizations are partnering to bring Georgia’s top experts on feral swine together in a series of educational workshops for farmers and landowners. Partnering agencies will host a workshop and trapping demonstration on Nov. 28 at UGA Extension located at 2080 Rowland- York Drive, Lincolnton, GA 30817. The workshop will be in the evening from 5:00 to 8:45pm with dinner provided and is sponsored by the Columbia County Conservation District, Lincoln County Conservation District and McDuffie County Conservation District. Topics will include disease issues, swine biology, economics, water quality issues, effective control techniques, transport issues, and regulations to be followed by a question and answer panel of experts. Each workshop will also include a feral swine trapping demonstration. Partnering agencies for this effort include the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Wildlife Services, Georgia Association of Conservation Districts, Georgia Department of Natural Resources - Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Agriculture, and University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources. There is no cost to attend the workshops, but space is limited, so preregistration is required. More details and registration information is available at www.GACD.us/events.
GFB Field Notes page 13 of 13 USDA DISCRIMINATION FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Jan. 13, 2024 Application deadline Farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA farm lending programs prior to January 2021 and/or are currently debtors with assigned or assumed USDA farm loan debt that was subject to USDA discrimination occurring prior to January 1, 2021, have until Jan. 13, 2024, to apply for financial assistance. Visit the program website https://22007apply.gov to file an application and for more information on the program. Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) directs USDA to provide financial assistance to producers who have experienced discrimination in USDA’s farm lending programs and has $2.2 billion for this program. Under the law, the Secretary of Agriculture is responsible for administering the assistance through qualified nongovernmental entities under standards set by USDA. Applications will be reviewed in November and December, with payments reaching recipients soon thereafter, according to USDA statements. USDA has become aware of some lawyers and groups spreading misleading information about the discrimination assistance process, pressuring people to sign retainer agreements, and asking people to fill out forms with private and sensitive information. The official application process is free and does not require an attorney. 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. CONSERVATION DISTRICTS OFFER NO-TILL EQUIPMENT FOR RENT Ongoing Local Conservation Districts and their partners help farmers try a number of conservation practices by purchasing equipment and making it available to rent. Some districts offer no-till drills, PVC pond pipe systems and repair parts, as well as geotextile fabric for agricultural and road use. To see what equipment is available in your conservation district, click here. 988 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE OFFERS SUPPORT The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be reached by calling or texting 988 or chatting on 988lifeline.org. 988 serves as a universal entry point so that no matter where you live in the U.S., you can easily access 24/7 emotional support. You don’t have to be suicidal to reach out. 988 trained crisis counselors can help you through whatever mental health challenges you are experiencing. SAMHSA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Communications Commission & other suicide prevention and mental health partners worked together to create 988 and its expanded services. #988Lifeline.