December 4, 2019
www.gfb.org
Vol. 1 No. 11
GFB CONVENTION A TIME OF CELEBRATION From Dec. 8-10, Georgia Farm Bureau members will visit Jekyll Island to settle on the organization’s focus for next year, celebrate their achievements and get a glimpse of what’s on the horizon for the state’s largest economic sector during the 82nd Annual GFB Convention. “There are always challenges for our farmers and ranchers to overcome, but they keep pushing, trying to find better ways to provide basic necessities that make modern American life possible,” said GFB President Gerald Long, who will give his annual address on Dec. 9 during the morning general session. “Our convention fulfills a similar function – to look for better ways to help Georgia’s farmers and ranchers thrive. It’s our members’ chance to renew long-time friendships, get updates on ag issues and determine the positions our organization will take next year on things that affect their farms and rural communities.” Convention activities begin at 10 a.m. on Dec. 8 at the Jekyll Island Convention Center. Sunday events include a trade show with more than 50 exhibitors from many of Georgia’s agricultural organizations and agencies, and a reception showcasing GFB’s Certified Farm Markets. During the Celebrating Ag Leaders event, GFB will recognize agricultural advocacy efforts by county Farm Bureaus and teachers’ work to include agriculture in their lessons through the Ag in the Classroom program. The day will close with a memorial service at 4:30 p.m. Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black will also address convention attendees during the general session on Dec. 9 between 8:15 a.m. and noon. The convention trade show will be open from 9 a.m. until noon. The commodity conferences, featuring speakers who will address management and policy issues for the major commodities grown in Georgia, will be held at 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Topics include Georgia right-to-farm legislation, details on producing industrial hemp, peanuts, cotton, poultry and many other Georgia crops and livestock. On Dec. 10, GFB voting delegates will meet at 8:15 a.m. to discuss and approve policy resolutions submitted by county Farm Bureau chapters statewide. The resolutions approved by the delegates will become the organization’s official policy that will guide its legislative efforts in 2020. Delegates will also elect the 2020 GFB Board of Directors.
GFB Field Notes page 2 of 11 KEMP APPOINTS LOEFFLER TO SERVE IN PLACE OF ISAKSON On Dec. 4, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp named Kelly Loeffler to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by Johnny Isakson’s retirement. Loeffler will serve in the Senate through the 2020 election. A special election will be held Nov. 3, 2020, to finish Isakson’s term. Loeffler indicated she would campaign to keep the seat. “On behalf of Georgia Farm Bureau, I congratulate Kelly Loeffler on her appointment to the U.S. Senate and wish her well,” said Georgia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long. “Our organization looks forward to working with Sen. Loeffler to ensure the concerns of Georgia’s farmers are taken into account as she considers federal policy. We will be glad to serve as a resource on agricultural topics for her regarding how proposed legislation may affect Georgia farmers.” Loeffler grew up on her family’s corn and soybean farm in Illinois. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois and an MBA from DePaul University. “I was shy. I had braces on my legs, braces on my teeth. We lived simply. Life revolved around farming, church, school and 4-H,” Loeffler said. “There was a rhythm to our lives. We planted in the spring. I showed cattle at the county fair in the summers, and in the fall we harvested. Sundays were for church and family. I attended public schools and helped pay my way through school waiting tables. Hard work, faith and family, this is not a political slogan. This is at the foundation of everything I believe.” Loeffler is the CEO of Bakkt, a management firm for digital assets like Bitcoin, and co-owner of Atlanta’s Women’s National Basketball Association franchise, the Atlanta Dream. “From the farm to the New York Stock Exchange, Kelly Loeffler has lived the American Dream,” Kemp said. “I’m confident that she will work every single day to keep that same dream alive for our children, grandchildren, and generations to come.” Isakson announced his resignation in August due to ongoing health issues. Isakson was elected to three terms in the Senate. MATELING, MONTFORD NAMED GFB DISTRICT FIELD REPRESENTATIVES Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) has hired Kari Mateling and Christie Montford as district field representatives. Mateling, a Rockdale County native, will serve as the GFB District 5 field rep, succeeding Cliff Bowden. District 5 includes Butts, Coweta, Crawford, Harris, Heard, Jasper, Lamar, Meriwether, Monroe, Muscogee, Peach, Pike, Spalding, Talbot, Taylor, Troup and Upson counties. Mateling earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Georgia College and State University and has completed work toward a master’s degree in public administration from Valdosta State. She has worked the past four years as the Bibb County 4-H agent. She lives in The Rock and is engaged to Brandon Creamer. Montford, who has worked as the Toombs County Farm Bureau office manager since February 2018, will serve as the GFB District 7 field rep, succeeding Todd Faircloth. District 7 includes Appling, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Candler, Chatham, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Jenkins, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Screven, Tattnall, Toombs and Wayne counties. Montford earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Georgia. She and her husband, Joey, live in Cedar Crossing with their two children, Kayleigh and J.J.
GFB Field Notes page 3 of 11 USE GFB CFM FARM PASSPORT TO GET TASTY HOLIDAY TREATS AND GIFTS! In need of Christmas decor? Looking for gift ideas? Would you like to complete your holiday shopping and qualify for cool prizes at the same time? The Georgia Farm Bureau Certified Farm Markets Farm Passport lets you do all three! The Farm Passport is available at GFB county offices and at the 67 farms participating in the GFB Certified Farm Markets (CFM) program. Christmas trees, holiday treats and gifts are all available through the CFM program. The passport guides family and friends to farms across Georgia that offer food items for virtually any taste. Travel with the passport to live out your love of exploring Georgia, supporting local farms and eating fresh. Passport travelers will discover where their food comes from, meet the people who grow it, and see our state’s agricultural diversity firsthand! The GFB Certified Farm Markets are listed in the passport. These markets grow a majority of what they sell on their farm or they allow people to visit for a farm tour. As marked in the passport, some farms have corn mazes and farm games, offer educational opportunities, or host special events. Participants can start a family tradition and make new friends while relaxing in a rocking chair and taking in Georgia’s beautiful farm landscapes. Passports can be picked up at any participating farm found at www.gfb.ag/farmpassport or at any local county Farm Bureau office. Passports must be stamped by Dec. 31, 2019. The deadline to submit your passport for prizes is Jan. 10, 2020. Mailing in a passport with at least one stamp will enter the passport holder to win a basket of favorite products from CFMs valued at $100. Collect five stamps and earn a Georgia Farm Passport T-shirt. Ten stamps gets the traveler a GFB insulated tumbler. A collection of 15 stamps will qualify for a $15 gift certificate to the CFM of choice. Those who earn 20 stamps will receive a full access pass farm tour with a farm-to-table meal in Spring 2020. For each level reached, the participant receives all of the prizes below that level. One passport allowed per person. One stamp allowed per farm per person. As you visit, share your journey with #farmpassport #gafarmbureau. While no purchase is required to participate, please be kind and make one since these farms are their owners’ livelihoods. Email cfm@gfb.org for questions.
GFB Field Notes page 4 of 11 WOODARD NAMED DIRECTOR OF AG ED, FFA CHAIR AND NATIONAL ADVISOR On Nov. 15, the National Council for Agricultural Education (The Council) named Dr. James Woodard the director of Agricultural Education, FFA Board chair and National FFA advisor. Woodard replaces Dr. Steve Brown, who has served as board chair and national advisor for the past 11 years. Brown recently retired from his position at the U.S. Department of Education after 39 years of service to the agricultural education profession. In this role, Woodard will serve as chairperson of the National FFA Board of Directors, where he will provide oversight for the National FFA Organization. He will advise the National FFA officers, the board of directors, and the National FFA Delegates and committees on matters of policy and will help the national officers conduct meetings. In this three-year renewable role, he will co-direct the joint governance committee of the National FFA Organization and the National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees and serve as an advocate for issues affecting FFA and agricultural education stakeholders. Woodard serves as superintendent of the Morgan Charter School Systems in Madison, Ga., until his appointment. His agricultural education and FFA journey began at Nicholls High School in Georgia. He began his collegiate studies as an agriculture major at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and later completed his Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education at the University of Georgia. In 2015, Woodard received his doctorate in education leadership and administration from the University of Georgia. He has been engaged in many capacities involving agricultural education since 1987, when he began his career as a high school agriculture teacher and FFA advisor in Jeff Davis County, Ga. Woodard served as state director of agricultural education for the Georgia Department of Education from 2000-05, when he served as advisor for the Georgia FFA Association and president of the board of trustees for the Georgia FFA Foundation. He also served on the National FFA Board of Directors and National FFA Board of Trustees from 2002-05. From 2005-08, he served as state director for Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education in Georgia, where he provided direction for restructuring career, technical, and agricultural education through the development of Georgia’s Career Pathway System. “I feel overwhelmed with the magnitude of the responsibility bestowed upon me,” said Woodard. “I am honored to be named to a position that has the opportunity to influence so many current and future FFA members. My life was changed as a result of the leadership and direction provided by former National FFA advisors. I appreciate their dedication and will work to continue my personal mission: To make a difference in the lives of students to the same degree my ag teacher made in my life.”
GFB Field Notes page 5 of 11 GEORGIA CITRUS IN STORES JUST IN TIME FOR HOLIDAY SEASON Just in time for the holidays, shoppers can now add the Georgia citrus brand, Besties to their grocery lists. More than 1 million pounds of Georgia-grown satsuma mandarin oranges are going to market in major retailers including Publix, Kroger, Walmart and Whole Foods. “We’re very excited to introduce Besties around the state,” said Eric Bolesta, sales manager at Corbett Brothers Farms located in Lake Park. “We’ve received great response from major retailers, and as consumers get to know the brand and taste the fruit, we expect growing demand.” After a decade of research and planning, Georgia farmers and agricultural partners have successfully brought a widely available citrus product to the market. Today, more than 100 acres of satsumas are in production in South Georgia. Ripening mostly during warm, humid summers, satsuma trees can also withstand cold temperatures as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit, making them ideal for Georgia’s climate. Satsumas are mostly seedless with a thin and leathery skin lightly attached around the fruit, making them easy to peel. “Georgia has a great history of branding agricultural commodities into household names,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black. “We are known just as much as the Vidalia state as the peach, and we expect Besties to once again highlight farmers in Nature’s Favorite State doing what they do best, grow a wide a variety of food for consumers in our state and around the world.” The Besties citrus brand is a product grown and packaged by the Grower Network, a collective of North American farmers working to create a year-round supply of citrus and vegetables for wholesalers and retailers across the country. To learn more about Georgia’s newest citrus fruit, please visit www.bestiescitrus.com. GEORGIA PECANS ENTER TAIWANESE MARKET Georgia pecans are headed to Taiwan and are expected to enter retail stores there by midDecember. The pecan purchase from a grower in Ocilla is a direct result of bilateral trade efforts between Georgia and Taiwan, according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture. During October, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black joined representatives from the Georgia Pecan Growers Association (GPGA), Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA) and the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) for a week-long trade mission to Taiwan. An inbound mission followed, providing prospective Taiwanese buyers the opportunity to visit Georgia pecan growers in South Georgia. Georgia’s delegation to Taiwan also included Chef Holly Chute, senior executive chef for the Georgia Grown program, who collaborated with Taiwanese chefs to prepare traditional Taiwanese dishes that include Georgia pecans. “Our opportunities to curate and supply Georgia-based recipes and ingredients globally are growing exponentially,” Chute said. “Leaders in Taiwan’s commercial baking industry shared a strong interest in the versatility of Georgia pecans.” This year, the GDA participated in trade missions to Vietnam, Taiwan, Ghana and Mexico. Each mission represented Georgia's proactive approach in developing ongoing trade relationships with foreign buyers.
GFB Field Notes page 6 of 11 FLINT RIVER SWCD AWARDED FUNDING FOR FERAL SWINE PROJECT The Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District (FRSWCD) has been awarded $1.5 million for a three-year project in the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program in the Albany project area. The Albany project area includes parts of Calhoun, Baker, Terrell, and Dougherty Counties. In the 2018 farm bill, the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program was established to respond to the threat that feral swine pose to agriculture, native ecosystems, and human and animal health. In Georgia alone, feral swine cause upward of $150 million in damage each year. The pilot program, which is jointly administered by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Service (APHIS) will award $75 million from the 2018 Farm Bill towards targeted areas where feral swine have been identified as a threat. The Pilot Project has three primary components, including feral swine removal which will be conducted by APHIS, restoration efforts supported by NRCS and direct landowner and producer assistance and coordination from non-federal partners. “Farmers and landowners in our area are feeling the impact of a growing destructive feral swine population daily, not to mention the natural resource concerns” said Marty McLendon, chairman of the FRSWCD. “With the district’s proven record of launching and managing successful projects with federal and non-federal partners and landowners that address natural resource concerns in our area, this project was a natural fit for us.” The project area includes the Flint River and its tributaries, an important habitat for several native species including bobwhite quail, gopher tortoise, and four species of threatened or endangered aquatic mussels, as well as a refuge for growing feral swine populations. The area is also more than 50% agricultural. Southwest Georgia is the hub of agriculture in the state, with a farm gate value of the region reaching $2 billion annually. Farmers have been plagued feral swine, which cause destruction to crops, infrastructure, and areas near bodies of water. Forestry, pecan production, and bobwhite quail preserves and commercial operations also suffer from feral swine damage. The project area also includes Chickasawhatchee Wildlife Management Area, managed by the Department of Natural Resources. The FRSWCD will work closely with APHIS in working directly with landowners on feral swine control outreach and efforts. Effective control requires a combination of methods, including surveillance cameras, corral traps, and aerial operations. And feral swine don’t recognize property or county lines, meaning collaborative approaches are imperative for successful feral swine control. The District will also work with NRCS through a partnership agreement and in implementing restoration to critical areas.
GFB Field Notes page 7 of 11 GACD OFFERING $1,500 SCHOLARSHIP To encourage study and careers in soil and water conservation-related fields, the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts (GACD) awards one $1,500 scholarship each year to a student majoring in, or intending to major in, a soil and water conservation-related area. Acceptable areas of study include, but are not limited to, agricultural education, agronomy, horticulture, plant pathology, and agricultural communications. The applicant may be a high school senior, or a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior or graduate student from Georgia at any accredited college, school, or university in the United States. Applicants in their first semester of college should send their high school transcript and proof of college enrollment. Students must maintain a GPA of at least 2.75 and need financial assistance. There will be no discrimination on basis of race, sex, or religion. The GACD Scholarship winner is selected by the Scholarship Committee. The awardee will be recognized at the GACD Annual Meeting in April 2020. Disbursements will be made in two payments of $750 paid to the student upon receipt of proof of satisfactory completion of each of two semesters of full-time academic work. To apply, please fill out the following scholarship application and email to info@gacd.us. Applications are due by Feb. 1, 2020. To access the application visit www.gfb.ag/2020GACDscholarship. TOWALIGA SWCD ANNOUNCES CONSERVATION EDUCATION INITIATIVE The Towaliga Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) is offering funding for educators and other public organizations to install raised garden beds on site. This financial and technical assistance opportunity is available to schools, 4-H educators and other educational partners within the Towaliga SWCD service area, including Butts, Fayette, Monroe, Pike, Spalding and Upson counties. Through this opportunity, educators, individuals and students alike will be able to learn more about soil health, irrigation and fresh food options, all while being involved in their own communities. Each project application considered is eligible for $650 in project funding, and project sites will be inspected prior to full application review by the Towaliga SWCD Board of Supervisors. These site inspections will occur between Jan. 16 and 30, 2020, A project coordinator/lead should be available for a meeting between these dates. Paper copies are available at your local county Extension office or interested individuals can contact Towaliga SWCD Program Coordinator Wesley Doyle at wesley.doyle@gacd.us for an electronic copy of the application. All applications and required materials must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Jan. 14, 2020. Partially completed applications or those submitted without the requested supporting paperwork will not be considered for funding.
GFB Field Notes page 8 of 11 USDA, GEORGIA SIGN SHARED STEWARDSHIP AGREEMENT On Nov. 23, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue joined Georgia Governor Brian Kemp to sign a shared stewardship agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the State of Georgia. The agreement was signed at a ceremony at the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. The agreement strengthens the commitment between federal and state agencies to work together to accomplish mutual natural resource management goals, further common interests, and effectively respond to the increasing ecological challenges and natural resource concerns in Georgia. Specifically, the agreement establishes a framework for collaboration between USDA's Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Georgia Forestry Commission. In addition to providing a framework for how the federal and state agencies will work together, the agreement outlines the importance of ensuring meaningful participation from state and local partners such as Georgia's State Parks, Georgia Department of Transportation, Conservation Districts, and non-governmental conservation organizations. Chief of the U.S. Forest Service Vicki Christiansen, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Mark Williams, Georgia Forestry Commission State Forester Chuck Williams, and Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division Director Rusty Garrison joined Secretary Perdue and Governor Kemp at the ceremony. The agreement can be found at https://gfb.ag/sharedstewardship. LINCOLN CO. FARMERS RECEIVE POLLINATOR CONSERVATION AWARD The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign’s (NAPPC) 19th annual conference in Washington D.C. presentation with the recognition of the U.S. Farmer-Rancher Pollinator Conservation Award, which went to Brian and Becky Tankersley of Lincolnton, Georgia. The Tankersleys own and operate Double Branches Farm, a garden and you-pick operation that grows fruits and veggies but primarily offers berries such as strawberries, blackberries and blueberries. The farm is also available for educational opportunities and the farmers utilize their local partnerships to provide these events. Earlier this year, Double Branches Farm, together with the Lincoln County Conservation District, was the host site for a high school field day where students toured the farm and received lessons from Brian Tankersley. The Tankersleys are known for advocating for conservation, pollinators and agriculture education. As pollination is vital to the success of the farm and to the success of agriculture everywhere, the Tankersleys have included pollinator friendly habitat throughout their farmland.
GFB Field Notes page 9 of 11 50TH ANNUAL CALHOUN PERFORMANCE TESTED BULL SALE Dec. 6 Northwest Georgia Livestock Pavilion Calhoun Sale begins at 12:30 p.m. and features 75 bulls in Angus, Hereford, Limflex, Red Angus, Simmangus and Simmental breeds. All bulls are genomic tested and parentage verified. For catalog and information, contact Jason Duggin at 706-624-1403 or jduggin@uga.edu. 2019 GEORGIA FARM BUREAU ANNUAL CONVENTION Dec. 8-10 Jekyll Island Convention Center Jekyll Island Georgia Farm Bureau members trek to the Georgia coast for this annual must-attend event featuring the always-popular trade show, finalization of GFB’s 2020 policy stances, board elections, renewal of long-time friendships and much more! For information, contact your local county Farm Bureau office. Visit www.gfb.org/about-us/contact-us.cms for a directory of our county offices. 2020 SOUTHEAST REGIONAL FRUIT & VEGETABLE GROWERS CONFERENCE Jan. 9-12 Savannah International Trade Center Savannah The Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference is the largest educational conference and trade show in the southeastern United States that unites growers, vendors and suppliers. The conference features more than 70 hours of commodity-specific seminars for peaches, vegetables, Vidalia onions, watermelons, muscadine, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. There are also sessions on business operations, food safety, roadside markets, organic production and precision ag technology. For more information on hotels, educational sessions or to register for the 2019 SE Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference, visit www.seregionalconference.org or call 877-994-3842. Take advantage of early bird discounts by registering before Dec. 9. DOR SECOND TIMBER TAX CREDIT SIGN-UP FOR HURRICANE LOSSES A second timber tax credit application period has begun for forest landowners who missed the first sign-up that ended May 31. Landowners who applied and were preapproved in the first round need not reapply. The tax credit applies to landowners with timber damage from Hurricane Michael within the 28-county state-declared disaster area who plan to replant or restore acreage for the production of forest products or ecological services. The tax credit is designed to assist in offsetting up to $400 per acre of timber fair market value losses. Applications for the Hurricane Michael Georgia Timber Tax Credit are being taken online by the Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) at www.gfb.ag/timbertaxcredit through Dec. 31. 2020 GEORGIA/FLORIDA SOYBEAN/SMALL GRAIN EXPO Jan. 8, 2020 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter Perry The Soybean/Small Grain Expo will provide marketing projections and the newest production techniques, as well as remarks from University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences leaders. Attendees are invited to visit with exhibitors showcasing the latest in new varieties, pest control and more. To register for the Expo call 706-542-3793. Registration is $10 until Jan. 3 and $20 after. Attend and receive pesticide applicator credits for commercial categories 21 (Agricultural Plant), 25 (Seed Treatment) and two hours for private applicators.
GFB Field Notes page 10 of 11 44TH ANNUAL GA PEANUT FARM SHOW & CONFERENCE Jan. 16, 2020 UGA-Tifton Campus Conference Center 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Tifton Don't miss out on the 44th Annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show & Conference. Peanut farmers and those involved in the peanut industry will be able to learn more about the latest products, services and peanut research at the show, which is sponsored by the Georgia Peanut Commission. The event features the UGA Peanut Production Seminars and the industry-sponsored Peanut Seed Seminar, as well as the annual awards ceremony and door prizes for farmers. The Georgia Peanut Commission will hold a blood drive through OneBlood during the show. January is Blood Donor Month, so help save a life by donating during the Farm Show. All donors receive a FREE gift and wellness screening including cholesterol, iron and blood pressure check. Give the gift of life donate blood! Donors can stop by the blood mobile bus any time during the show. For more information visit www.gfb.ag/20GAPnutFarmShow or contact Hannah Jones at 229-386-3470 or hannah@gapeanuts.com. 2020 GEORGIA DAIRY CONFERENCE Jan. 19-22 Marriott Savannah Riverfront Savannah The annual Georgia Dairy Conference includes educational sessions covering robotic milking, milk quality, marketing, a trade show with more than 80 companies exhibiting and much more! Registration to attend is free for Georgia dairy farmers. Indiana farmer and motivational speaker Damian Mason will present the keynote address. Visit www.gfb.ag/2020gadairyconf to register. For a complete speaker agenda and information on special rate for accommodations, visit our website at www.gadairyconference.com. GEORGIA COTTON COMMISSION 12TH ANNUAL MEETING Jan. 30, 2020 UGA-Tifton Campus Conference Center Tifton The Georgia Cotton Commission Annual Meeting is held in conjunction with the UGA Cotton Production Workshop conducted by the UGA Research & Extension Cotton Team. The workshop will feature breakout sessions where attendees will learn the latest technical production strategies from researchers whose projects are funded by the Commission’s research program. The Georgia Cotton Commission Annual Meeting will follow the breakout sessions and feature speakers from several industry organizations. The program speakers are Southern Cotton Growers Vice President Lee Cromley, National Cotton Council Vice Chairman Michael Tate and Cotton Council International Executive Director Bruce Atherly. Following the program, the GCC will host a lunch where door prizes will be given away. The meeting, production workshop, and lunch are open to cotton growers and anyone interested in the cotton industry. The UGA Cotton Production Workshop breakout sessions will be repeated after lunch. There is no charge to attend. Preregistration is requested to help with meal plans. To register, call (229) 386-3416.
GFB Field Notes page 11 of 11 USDA 1890 NATIONAL SCHOLARS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY The 2020 scholarship application cycle is open for the USDA/1890 National Scholars Program. The program aims to increase the number of students studying agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, and other agriculture-related disciplines. The program is available through the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE). All application materials must be postmarked by Jan. 31, 2020. Visit www.gfb.ag/1890hsapp for the 2020 high school application and www.gfb.ag/1890sophapp for the the 2020 college application. For other questions, email 1890init@usda.gov. WEST GEORGIA SMALL FARM CONFERENCE Feb. 26-27, 2020 West Georgia Technical College Waco This event, free to the first 120 to register, is co-hosted by the Chestatee RC&D Council, Carroll County Young Farmers and the UGA Cooperative Extension in Carroll and Haralson counties. Featured exhibits include small ruminants, crop scheduling, honeybees/pollinators, business practices and more. Todd Anduze of the UGA Small Business Development Center will give the keynote address. For more information or to register call 770-836-8546. The deadline to register is Feb. 17, 2020.