Georgia Farm Bureau News Alert - March 20, 2019

March 20, 2019

www.gfb.org

Vol. 37 No. 6

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR GFB YF&R CONFERENCE, COMPETITIONS Registration is underway for the 2019 Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Summer Leadership Conference, July 17-20 on Jekyll Island. GFB is also taking applications for its YF&R competitive events and the Picture Agriculture photo contest.

Key features for the 2019 conference are: An opening-night fellowship dinner, a new interactive trade show keynote speakers, educational workshop sessions, interactive children’s program, tons of family-friendly events and the YF&R County Chair development meeting.

All applications, photo submissions and conference registration should be completed online and are due by June 1 at 5 p.m.

To register for the competitive events - YF&R Achievement in Ag Award, Excellence in Agriculture Award, YF&R Member of the Year, and Discussion Meet – visit www.gfb.ag/yfrcompete.

Members interested in the Achievement in Ag Award program should note that the dates for the on-farm interviews have been set for June 20-21.

For the first time, presentations given by the top three Excellence in Agriculture contestants at the conference will be open for YF&R members to attend as spectators.

Also new in 2019, GFB will recognize the YF&R Member of the Year. To learn more about this award, visit www.gfb.ag/yfrcompete.

The GFB YF&R Committee is sponsoring the annual Picture Agriculture photo contest. The contest rules, minor release form, and submission information can be found at www.gfb.ag/yfrphoto. The GFB YF&R Committee encourages every county to send a YF&R representative to the conference. Each county Farm Bureau will have two free registrations for first-time attendees. To register YF&R members visit www.gfb.ag/yfrslc. Registration fees are waved for collegiate members.

For more information contact GFB YF&R Coordinator Erin Nessmith at ennessmith@gfb.org or 478-474-0679, ext. 5232.

GFB News Alert page 2 of 15 KYLIE BRUCE WINS AFBF COLLEGIATE DISCUSSION MEET Franklin County Farm Bureau member Kylie Bruce won the 2019 American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Collegiate Discussion Meet, held during the AFBF Fusion Conference March 15-18 in Milwaukee. As the national winner, Bruce won a $3,000 scholarship from the CHS Foundation.

Bruce, who qualified as Georgia top collegiate competitor in the GFB Young Farmers & Ranchers Discussion Meet last July, competed with Samantha Ludlam of Michigan, Coty Vannoy of Tennessee and Chandler Vaughan of Virginia in the Final Four, during which they addressed how agriculture and Farm Bureau can attract people from Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) into agricultural careers..

The discussion meet is intended to simulate a committee meeting during Kylie Bruce which agriculturalists talk about issues affecting agriculture.

Bruce is a sophomore at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. During high school she served as a local, area and state FFA officer.

GFB AWARDS $14,000 TO GA. JR. NATIONAL GRAND CHAMPIONS For Georgia 4-H and FFA members who’ve grown up showing livestock, winning a grand championship with their animal at the Georgia Junior National Livestock Show is like winning an Olympic medal for a team sport. It takes months of training the animals to calmly walk around the ring then stand still in the best position to showcase their muscles and bone structure to win the judge’s favor.

A total of 1,507 4-Hers and FFA members from across Georgia traveled to the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry to compete in the 2019 Georgia Junior National Livestock Show held Feb. 20-23. These students brought 1,209 hogs, 621 cows, 187 goats and 156 sheep to exhibit in showmanship and species competitions during the multi-day event. The Georgia Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture sponsored the grand champion prizes for all species shown.

“My children showed livestock, so I’ve seen first-hand the positives kids can gain from being responsible for an animal. The months these 4-H and FFA members put into preparing their animals to show taught them to have a good work ethic and how to overcome challenges,” GFB President Gerald Long said. “It’s a privilege for Georgia Farm Bureau to sponsor these awards and support all of the shows at the Georgia Junior National Livestock Show as an investment in the future of Georgia agriculture.”

When the species competitions ended on Feb. 23, the following exhibitors drove home as grand champions: Commercial Dairy Heifer – Morgan Patterson of Jasper County; Breeding Doe – Kylie Whitworth of Madison County; Market Barrow – Cason Gentry of Houston County; Beef Heifer – Taylor Barber of Decatur County; Market Steer – Bailey Rayfield of Union County; Market Gilt – Chanleigh Underwood of Jeff Davis County; and Breeding Ewe - Caroline Grace Burke of Screven County.

Patterson, a junior at Jasper County High School, won $1,500 with her grand champion dairy heifer.

“I picked out my heifer from Godfrey’s Dairy for her depth and breadth of rib and how long she is,” Patterson, an FFA member, said.

-continued on next page

GFB News Alert page 3 of 15 Continued from previous page This is the eighth year Patterson has shown dairy heifers. The daughter of Randy and Susan Patterson of Monticello, Patterson says she has continued to show because she loves working with animals and the family aspect of showing.

Whitworth, an FFA member at Madison County High School, earned a $1,000 prize with her grand champion commercial doe (female goat). As a senior, winning the grand champion award was a dream come true for Whitworth who has been showing goats for 10 years. She is the daughter of Chris and Greta Whitworth of Royston.

“Showing livestock has opened so many different opportunities for me,” Whitworth said. “It’s allowed me to meet so many people, and the people I have met, especially within my community, are my family.”

Gentry, a Houston County 4-Her, collected a $1,500 prize with her grand champion market barrow (male pig raised for meat). Although this was only Gentry’s second time competing in a state show, the fifth-grader at Kings Chapel Elementary in Houston County has been showing livestock for seven years. She also showed goats and cattle at the Georgia Junior National. She is the daughter of Philip and Lindsay Gentry of Elko.

Bainbridge High School senior Taylor Barber captured her fourth grand championship at the Georgia Junior National by winning the grand champion beef heifer prize of $2,500. Barber, an FFA member who has shown livestock for 14 years, previously won the grand champion market barrow award in 2013 and 2017 and the market steer prize in 2018.

“This is the first cow I’ve ever got this connected to,” Taylor said when asked what prompted her to kiss her heifer, Mercedes, in the ring after the judge named her the winner. “She’s a secondyear heifer, and I’ve bred her, so I’ve learned more from her than my other animals.”

There’s another reason the win was emotional for the Decatur County farm girl. Mercedes and the Barbers’ other four show cows weathered Hurricane Michael in a pen near the chicken houses of her parents’ – Jeff and Leslie. The storm ripped tin from the poultry houses and wrapped it around and over the cattle’s pen keeping them from harm.

“We’ve been through a lot together,” Taylor said of her winning heifer and family. “This win means a lot for my whole family.”

Union County 4-Her Bailey Rayfield remained calm after her crossbred steer, Bandit, was named the grand champion market steer and she was presented the $5,000 prize. The senior at Union County High School senior has been showing livestock since she was five years old. She first showed lambs, moved up to hogs and then cows.

“This means a lot because I've never been a grand champion before,” Bailey said. “I've won reserved champion awards at the fair before, but this is something special.”

Bailey said showing has taught her how to deal with adversity. She put this skill to work by coming to the show without her parents, Fred and Tresa, who were unable to accompany her due to illness. Bailey took it in stride, came to Perry with her older sister, Charley, and left a champion.

Her parents watched the show live streamed via Facebook.

Jeff Davis County 4-Her Chanleigh Underwood took home the grand champion market gilt award of $1,500. Underwood, who previously won the award in 2013 and 2014, is the first person to win this award three times according to the list of previous winners in the show catalog.

“I couldn't have done it without the help of the Good Lord and my family. I don't know what to -continued on next pag

GFB News Alert page 4 of 15 Continued from previous page say. The last time I won I was little,” Underwood said. “Showing hogs is my passion. I worked with Thunder about five hours a day. When I picked her, I was looking for a very big-boned hog with correct structure. She's been very easy to train and very sweet.”

Underwood, a sophomore at Jeff Davis County High School, has been showing hogs for 12 years. She is the daughter of Chad and Autumn Underwood of Hazlehurst.

By winning the grand champion breeding ewe award of $1,000, Screven County 4-Her Caroline Burke achieved a dream she’s worked for during the past six years she’s shown lambs.

“Getting to travel and meet people across the nation is what I’ve enjoyed most about showing,” said Burke, a Screven County High School senior. Burke, the daughter of Steven and Denise Burke, has also shown hogs.

This is the eighth consecutive year GFB has awarded the cash prizes presented to the grand champions. In addition to sponsoring the grand champion prizes, GFB is serving as the premier livestock sponsor for the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter’s 2018-2019 show season.

Visit www.gfb.photos/19GAJRNatlShow to view photos from the 2019 Georgia Junior National Livestock Show.

DRP PROGRAM ALLOWS PRODUCERS TO SET PRICE FLOOR For years, dairies have wrestled with low commodity prices and found little relief in the Margin Protection Program included in the 2014 farm bill.

Seeking to crack the code on a dairy insurance plan that works, American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and American Farm Bureau Insurance Services (AFBIS) developed Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP), designed to insure against unexpected declines in quarterly revenue from milk sales. The plan was made public by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation in August 2018 and insurance agents began selling DRP policies in October 2018.

On March 12 at Georgia Farm Bureau, AFBIS Training & Marketing Director Eric Swanson led a tutorial about DRP for a gathering of Georgia dairymen.

“Dairy Revenue Protection in its simplest form, is an opportunity for you to set a floor on your milk price,” Swanson said.

Swanson noted that dairy stakeholders indicated a desire for a plan that is tied to how milk is sold. With that in mind, with heavy input from AFBF Chief Economist Dr. John Newton, AFBF and AFBIS, created a program that offers two pricing options: A class pricing option that provides revenue protection based on prices for Class III and Class IV milk, and a component pricing option based on milk component prices for butterfat, protein and other solids. The crop year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. Producers can purchase Quarterly Coverage Endorsements daily based on three-month average milk prices as published by the Risk Management Agency (RMA) for up to five quarters out.

Milk producers can select coverage levels ranging from 70 percent to 95 percent. The federal government provides premium subsidies ranging from 59 percent at the 70-percent coverage level to 44 percent at the 95-percent coverage level.

“You’re going to pay the difference,” Swanson said. “As your coverage level goes up, as you’re -continued on next page

GFB News Alert page 5 of 15 Continued from previous page shifting risk to the insurance company and the federal program, your subsidy is going to go down.”

Under the class pricing option, producers can choose how much of their coverage is attached to Class III milk prices and how much is attached to Class IV milk prices.

Under the component pricing option, producers can choose coverage options based on the butterfat and protein content of their milk. Coverage for butterfat content can be set between 3.5 and 5 pounds per 100 pounds of milk. Coverage for protein content can be set between 3 and 4 pounds per 100 pounds of milk. For those two categories, the producer can select amounts in .05 increments. Coverage for other solids in the milk is set at 5.7 pounds per 100 pounds of milk.

DRP also has a feature, called the protection factor, that allows producers to increase their indemnity up to 150 percent. Producers can elect a protection factor between 1.00 and 1.50 in .05 increments.

DRP policies are sold for quarterly coverage and producers may elect to purchase coverage for as many as five quarters. Through June 15, coverage is available for the quarters July – Sept. 2019, Oct.-Dec. 2019, Jan.-March 2020, April-June 2020 and July-Sept. 2020. Policies may be purchased on any business day except when USDA publishes the Cold Storage, Dairy Products, and Milk Production reports. There is no up-front money required; producers will be billed for the coverage at the end of the quarter.

Under DRP, in the event of a possible loss the insured must submit milk marketing records corresponding to the quarter insured from the insured dairy operation’s milk cooperative or milk handler that provides records of the actual milk deliveries and, if applicable, the component levels in the milk sold. The milk marketing records shall show the name, address, Grade A identifier assigned by a duly constituted regulatory agency, payroll number or similar identifier of the producer, the daily and total pounds, and the month and dates such milk was received from that produce, and if the component price option was elected, the total pounds of butterfat and protein contained in the producer’s milk.

For more information or to get an online quote, visit www.dairyrp.com.

DRP Sales dates March 16 – June 15, 2019

Quarters Available for Coverage July-Sept. 2019, Oct.-Dec. 2019, Jan. – Mar. 2020, AprilJune 2020, July-Sept. 2020 June 16 – 30, 2019 Oct.-Dec. 2019, Jan. – March 2020, April-June 2020, July-Sept. 2020 * July 1 – Sept. 15, 2019 Oct.-Dec. 2019, Jan.-March 2020, April-June 2020, July-Sept. 2020, Oct.-Dec. 2020 Sept. 16 – Dec. 16, 2019 Jan.-March 2020, April-June 2020, July-Sept. 2020, Oct.-Dec., 2020, Jan.-March 2021 Dec. 16, 2019 – March 15, 2020 April-June 2020, July-Sept. 2020, Oct.-Dec. 2020, Jan.-March 2021, April-June 2021 * - 5th quarter is not available June 16-30 to limit coverage period to two reinsurance years.

GFB News Alert page 6 of 15 ROBERT DICKEY NAMED 2019 GEORGIA FARMER OF THE YEAR Crawford County peach farmer Robert Dickey has been named the 2019 Georgia Farmer of the Year. He was honored at a reception held March 19 in Atlanta.

A fourth-generation farmer, Dickey manages approximately 1,000 acres of peaches and 3,000 acres of timberland with the help of his 90-year-old father, Bob, his wife, Cynde, and their son and daughter-inlaw, Lee and Stacy.

After high school, Dickey’s father encouraged him to pursue a business degree, so Dickey enrolled at the University of Georgia, graduating in 1976 with his bachelor’s degree.

However, banking jobs were scarce so Dickey returned to the farm with a new perspective.

“Although I had worked on the farm through my high school and college years, I did not fully appreciate the value and significance of my family’s heritage until I came back full-time,” Dickey said. “There are no words to fully express the feeling of working alongside my father on the land my great-grandfather, and namesake, initially planted in peach trees in 1897.”

Dickey has made many changes on the farm while honoring his family’s farm history.

He began to offer packing services to meet other peach farmers’ packing needs and generate more income after he noticed other local growers had planted more acres of peaches while Dickey Farms’ packing house was underutilized.

“When I first started working at the farm, we were packing about 75,000 packages a year,” he said. “This year we expect to pack around 400,000 half-bushel boxes.”

To deal with drought conditions, Dickey invested in irrigation equipment and added lakes, wells and piping which “helped immensely,” he said.

Over the past 10 years, the farm transitioned to low-volume drip irrigation from high-volume reels of irrigation hose to increase efficiency and lower the farm’s water and energy use. Peach yields are up and disease pressure is low.

The peach trees are still planted in traditional rows, but the areas between the rows are intentionally maintained in sod. The environmentally friendly practice prevents soil erosion, provides traction for farm equipment, adds organic matter to the soil, improves soil moisture and provides habitat for beneficial insects.

Following recommendations from the USDA’s EQIP program, Dickey reduces scale on his peach trees by using oil instead of a chemical treatment. The farm engages in crop rotations with a local row crop farmer to improve soil fertility and structure and reduce compaction.

Dickey manages the family’s timberland with the help of a registered forester and the Georgia Forestry Commission, and they continue to plant new and improved second- and third-generation -continued on next page

GFB News Alert page 7 of 15 Continued from previous page loblolly pine seedlings.

“Dickey Farms is deliberate in our planting of wildlife habitats,” Dickey said. “Although we don’t want deer and other animals in our (orchards), we welcome wildlife in our forests and timber areas. Hunting and fishing leases are an important part of our farm.”

The farm business recycles all of its cardboard, newspapers, plastic and glass through the local recycling center and recycles its pesticide containers, oil and tires.

Dickey’s father continues to be a part of the farm business. “He’s the farm’s biggest cheerleader, encourager and mentor for both me and my son,” Dickey said. “His memory is amazing, and he has witnessed some of the biggest changes in the industry.”

Dickey has taken the farm into new areas with ideas from his children and insight from his wife, Cynde, the farm’s chief financial officer. She was instrumental in starting the farm’s retail business and mail-order operation, which began 25 years ago.

“She realized how much friends and families who no longer live in Georgia would love to have our juicy Georgia peaches arrive at their doorstep,” Dickey said. “Our retail operation has increased dramatically over the last five years as customers realize the value of purchasing their peaches and produce straight from the grower. The sales are steadily increasing in our non-peach production months and our ice cream is famous in these parts.”

Dickey’s peach crop is marketed through the Genuine Georgia Group, a sales and marketing team with deep roots and interest in the peach business.

Daughter-in-law Stacy promotes the farm’s market through social media, employee training and advertising. The Dickeys’ daughter, Marjie develops new recipes for the farm’s bakery. School groups often visit the farm for educational field trips, which are now in high demand.

Son, Lee, manages the farm’s food safety program and installation of new peach trees and new crops like 100-acres of pecans and two-acres of strawberries. The farm plans to expand its vegetable acreage to meet the local school system’s demand for Georgia Grown produce.

“When Crawford County lost its only grocery store in December 2016, Dickey Farms stepped up and provided fresh produce in season to meet the county’s needs,” said Sarah Greer, the UGA Cooperative Extension Agricultural and Natural Resources agent in Crawford County.

Greer nominated Dickey and his farm for the Farmer of the Year award In addition to his work on the farm, Dickey is serving his fourth term in the Georgia House of Representatives for District 140, which covers Crawford County and parts of Bibb, Houston, Monroe and Peach counties. He represents his fellow farmers on the House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee.

He is also a board member and past president of the Georgia Peach Council, has served as president and treasurer of the National Peach Council and is a member of the Georgia Commodity Commission for Peaches and the Georgia AgriBusiness Council.

Dickey will compete against farmers from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia for the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Award, to be announced Oct. 15 at Sunbelt Expo.

GFB News Alert page 8 of 15 GEORGIA ADVANCES ADOPTION OF EECVI Effective July 1, the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s (GDA) Animal Industry Division will only offer the Extended Equine Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (EECVI). Georgia joins several states in transitioning from the current six-month Equine Event Permit (EEP) to the EECVI. Additional states plan to participate but are awaiting legislative rule changes.

Benefits of the EECVI include: 24/7 access to digital documents and updates; more states will accept the EECVI than the current EEP with more than 20 states actively participating, and more expected to join; health certificates last up to six months.

Across the nation, a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) and a negative test for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) is required for interstate transport of equines. Using the EECVI, veterinarians will inspect the horse and verify health status, then enter that information and EIA test results into the database. Then before each transport, the owner or agent must access the database and obtain an EECVI Health Declaration and Movement Permit. EECVI will be valid for six months or until the current EIA test expires. The cost associated with the EECVI is determined by a veterinarian and paid for by the owner.

Georgia will continue issuing EEPs until June 30 and states will continue to accept the EEP until they expire. Effective Jan. 1, 2020, Georgia will only offer and accept the EECVI. To see participating states, please visit www.globalvetlink.com/products/eecvi/. For more information, visit www.agr.georgia.gov/extended-equine-cvi.aspx.

GEORGIA NRCS ANNOUNCES SIGN-UP FOR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia is accepting enrollment for this year’s Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). To be considered for the fiscal year 2019 program, applications must be submitted by April 19.

The ACEP, created through the 2014 farm bill and included in the 2018 farm bill, is a program that has two components, known as Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) and Wetlands Reserve Easements (WRE). For FY 2019 only, NRCS will be operating under 2014 Farm Bill rules. Any changes made in the ACEP program in the 2018 farm bill will begin in FY 2020.

Applications for the ACEP-ALE are accepted from eligible partners. These eligible entities may submit proposals to NRCS to acquire a conservation easement on eligible agricultural land. NRCS does not accept applications for ACEP-ALE directly from producers. Producers will need to work with an eligible entity to pursue funding for an ACEP-ALE conservation easement. Examples of eligible entities include county board of commissioners, land trusts and land conservancies.

Approved ACEP-ALE easements would prevent productive working lands from being converted to non-agricultural uses and maximize protection of land devoted to food production.

Cropland, rangeland, grassland, pastureland and nonindustrial private forestland are eligible.

The ACEP-WRE applications are accepted directly from producers on eligible lands. These easements will restore and enhance wetlands and improve habitat. Eligible lands include farmed or converted wetlands that can be successfully and cost-effectively restored.

To learn more about ACEP and other farm bill programs in Georgia, visit http://www.ga.nrcs.usda.gov.

GFB News Alert page 9 of 15 TRUMP’S PROPOSED BUDGET FUNDS SHEP, MAKES DEEP CUTS TO USDA President Donald Trump’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2020 recommends more than $130 million in federal funds for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP), marking the third straight year SHEP would receive federal funding, pending Congressional approval.

Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) called the inclusion of funding for SHEP a cause for celebration.

“Our continuous efforts are paying off, and we all look forward to seeing this project through to completion,” Isakson said.

While the SHEP funding was welcome news for Georgia farmers, the president’s proposal to cut the USDA budget by 15 percent drew criticism from House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), as well as agricultural stakeholder groups.

“The president’s budget request is a road map for how to make things worse for farmers, ranchers and those who live in rural communities,” Peterson said, noting that the president’s budget lops $26 billion from crop insurance, $9 billion from conservation programs, $5 billion from programs that help ranchers recover grazing lands harmed by drought among others.

Meanwhile, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), several state Farm Bureaus and nearly 200 organizations sent a letter to House and Senate budget and appropriations committee members urging congressional budget writers to reject calls for cuts to farm bill programs.

“These difficult cuts in 2014 resulted from hard choices made in partnership with agricultural leaders and were designed to substantially reform the farm safety net, conservation initiatives and nutrition assistance – ultimately reducing the financial support provided to America’s farmers and ranchers,” the groups wrote.

LONGTIME GAEA CHAIRMAN SUTHERLAND DIES Gene Sutherland, who served as chairman of the Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority since its inception in 1985, died on March 6. He was 83.

Sutherland was born on June 19, 1935, in Atlanta, to the late Andrew Washington and Lucy English Sutherland. He is survived by his children: Bonnie and Frankie Wilson, Connie and Kenny Hopkins, Diana Earwood and Gene and Delee Sutherland and numerous grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Joan Miller Sutherland, his oldest son, Andrew Norris Sutherland, great granddaughter, Hadley Wallace, his parents, Andrew and Lucy Sutherland; grandparents: James E. and Elvia Moss English and Jule E. and Pearl Milford Sutherland.

An Atlanta native, Sutherland worked with his parents in the family business, Sutherland Produce, from 1947 until his death. His vision and business acumen propelled Sutherland’s to the success it enjoys today as Sutherland’s Foodservice.

Sutherland’s online guest registry is available at www.cannonclevelandfunerals.com.

GFB News Alert page 10 of 15 RHODES, CALLAWAY TO LEAD GA AG EXPOSITION AUTHORITY Georgia Farm Bureau members Foster Rhodes and John Callaway are leading the Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority (GAEA) as chairman and vice chairman following their election by their fellow authority members on March 13. The GAEA oversees the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter in Perry.

Their election follows the death of longtime GAEA Chairman Gene Sutherland on March 6.

Rhodes, a Houston County Farm Bureau member, has been a GAEA director since the authority’s inception in 1985 and has served as vice chairman of the GAEA since 1997. Rhodes is president of Walker Rhodes Tractor Company in Perry.

“The Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter is a wonderful asset to the state, community, and agricultural industry, and I am humbled to be able to serve in a capacity to help promote such an outstanding facility and staff. I have enjoyed watching the fairgrounds grow into what it is today, and as we look toward to the future, we can all expect great things to come from this Georgia Point of Pride,” Rhodes said in a released statement.

Callaway, a Troup County Farm Bureau director, has served on the GAEA since 2011 but has supported livestock exhibitors showing at the fairgrounds through his family and as an Extension Agent when the facility first opened almost 30 years ago. He is a past chairman of the Georgia Farm Bureau Beef Committee and a past president of the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association.

“It has been an honor to serve on the Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority for the past eight years under the leadership of Gene Sutherland. I look forward to the continued success of the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter under the leadership of Chairman Foster Rhodes,” Callaway said. “My family and I are longtime fans of the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter because of its mission of serving children in agriculture as well as the tremendous economic impact it has on the state of Georgia.”

Other members of the GAEA are Roger Branch, Jerry Davis, John Hulsey, Ann Jones, Emily Watson and Johnny Webb.

The Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter is a state-owned, multipurpose rental complex open year-round. It consists of more than 1,100 acres with facilities specially designed for livestock and horse shows, concerts, rodeos, meetings, conferences, trade shows and RV rallies.

Each October it hosts the official, state-sponsored Georgia National Fair.

TWO GEORGIA SITES IN CONSIDERATION TO HOST USDA AGENCIES After the first round of elimination, Athens-Clarke County and Griffin remain in consideration to become the new homes of the USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

The USDA received expressions of interest from 136 locations in 35 states. On March 12 Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the 67 sites remaining after the first round of elimination. USDA is following a rigorous site selection process to identify the new locations with involvement from USDA, ERS, and NIFA leadership.

GFB News Alert page 11 of 15 BOMB CYCLONE PUMMELS AG IN U.S. HEARTLAND; NEBRASKA FLOODING Ranchers in Plains states, including Colorado, South Dakota, Wyoming and Nebraska, are recovering from last week’s “bomb cyclone” that dumped blizzard snowfalls and rain. The melting snow is now flooding farms in Nebraska and neighboring Midwest states. The March 13 storm put parts of seven states under blizzard warnings and 20 states under some level of high wind alert.

The storm struck as many ranches are in calving season, costing the lives of many newborn calves.

Calling the storm “a very epic cyclone,” Greg Carbin, chief of forecast operations at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said, “We’re looking at something that will go down in the history books.”

NOAA released maps on March 19 showing major or moderate flooding in parts of Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin and Illinois. The storm unloaded one to three inches of rain in a short amount of time. As the rain fell, it melted snow already on the ground. As the snow melted, a massive amount of water began running across the frozen ground into rivers and streams instead of soaking into the soil. Those waterways then swelled to historic levels.

About 200 miles of levees have been compromised in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, published reports say.

As of March 19, in Nebraska, where the worst damage is being reported, 65 of the state’s 93 counties and four tribal areas had been declared states of emergency, and in Iowa, 41 of its 99 counties have received disaster proclamations from Gov. Kim Reynolds.

The Washington Post reports Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson as putting early estimates of projected ag losses in his state at $500 million for the ranching sector and $400 million for the state’s row crop sector. Ranching losses include dead livestock and loss of feed sources.

Row crop losses include cost of cleaning debris from fields and yields that could be lost due to late planting or not being able to plant crops.

Anyone wishing to help Nebraska farmers affected by the storm may contribute through the following: Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation: Nebraska Farm Bureau (NFB) has established a disaster relief fund. All donations made to the fund are tax deductible and will be distributed to Nebraska farmers, ranchers and rural communities affected by the storm/flooding. NFB has also created an Agriculture Disaster Exchange portal on its website for affected farmers to post their needs and people willing to help can post items they are willing to donate or sell, such as hay, fencing, etc. Visit www.nefb.org/disaster to make an online monetary donation or to access the exchange portal. Checks may be mailed to P.O. Box 80299, Lincoln, NE 68501-0299.

Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund: Please mail and make all checks to: Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund, 4611 Cattle Drive, Lincoln, NE, 68521. Click here for more information.

To view images of the Nebraska floods from Beef Magazine visit www.gfb.ag/bombcycloneagpics.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association shared this video https://gfb.ag/SDbullrescue from March 14 of South Dakota ranchers rescuing a bull and calf caught in a snow bank.

GFB News Alert page 12 of 15 ARS STUDY SHEDS LIGHT ON BEEF ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT An Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-led team has completed a comprehensive life-cycle analysis quantifying the resource use and environmental emissions of beef cattle production in the United States. The aim is to establish baseline measures that the U.S. beef industry can use to explore ways of reducing its environmental footprint and improve sustainability.

The team's analysis encompassed an array of different types of cattle operations, reflecting a beef supply chain that’s among the most complex food production systems in the world. The study began in 2013 and included data from seven cattle-producing regions and 2,270 survey responses and site visits nationwide.

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association provided a portion of the funding for the study. The team began its beef life-cycle analysis in 2013 and published the first of two sets of results in the January 2019 issue of the journal Agricultural Systems.

Among the results to emerge thus far: • The seven regions’ combined beef cattle production accounted for only 3.3 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. By comparison, transportation and electricity generation together made up 56 percent of the total in 2016 and agriculture in general 9 percent.

• Fossil fuel use in cattle production accounted for less than 1 percent of the total consumed nationally.

• Cattle only consumed 2.6 pounds of grain per pound of butchered beef, which was comparable to pork and poultry.

• Beef operations in the Northwest and Southern Plains had the highest total water use (60 percent combined) of the seven regions analyzed. Irrigating crops to produce feed for cattle accounted for 96 percent of total water use across all the regions.

“We found that the greenhouse gas emissions in our analysis were not all that different from what other credible studies had shown and were not a significant contributor to long-term global warming,” said ARS Agricultural Engineer Alan Rotz, who led the study.

Two areas for potential improvement are water use and reactive nitrogen losses. Water use is increased in the West where U.S. beef cattle are concentrated. Reactive nitrogen losses attributed to bee production (15 percent of the U.S. total) come mainly in the form of ammonia, which can lead to smog, acid rain and algal blooms.

The purpose of the analysis wasn't to identify the top-performing regions or most efficient types of operations, said Rotz, but rather to systematically measure the use of fuel, feed, forage, electricity, water, fertilizer and other inputs to raise beef cattle throughout the country—from birth to slaughter.

In the next six months, the team will combine the results of its analysis with postharvest data from other sectors of the beef supply chain—namely, processing, packing, distribution, retail, consumption and waste handling.

Together, these data will be used to generate a national assessment of the beef industry's resource use, economics, net losses of GHG and other emissions, providing a critical tool for sustainably producing beef, an important source of lean protein and nutrients.

GFB News Alert page 13 of 15 GA DEPT. OF REVENUE ACCEPTING TIMBER TAX CREDIT APPLICATIONS Eligible taxpayers have until May 31 to apply for a Timber Tax Credit to assist in offsetting the substantial economic losses incurred during Hurricane Michael. Under House Bill 4EX, eligible timber properties must be located in the disaster area established in Executive Order 11.06.18.01, which includes the following counties: Baker, Bleckley, Brooks, Calhoun, Clay, Colquitt, Crisp, Decatur, Dodge, Dooly, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Laurens, Lee, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Pulaski, Randolph, Seminole, Sumter, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Turner, Wilcox, and Worth.To learn more about the submission process for the Timber Tax Credit applications, please visit the department’s website at https://dor.georgia.gov/.

CHEROKEE COUNTY AG EXPO March 22 Hickory Flat Fellowship Church 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Canton This annual event, sponsored in part by Cherokee County Farm Bureau, is a celebration of all things agriculture in honor of National Agriculture Month. Exhibitors will include Farm Bureau, Georgia Grown, 4-H, FFA and Farm to School. Farmer Sue & The Art Barn Crew from Morning Glory Farm will be on hand with some of her furry and feathery friends to celebrate agriculture through art and education. The Master Gardeners will present gardening classes. Concessions and refreshments will be available. For more information contact Shirley Pahl at 770-479-1481 or sfpahl@gfb.org. If you would like to exhibit at the Expo, please email Shirley Pahl to receive a vendor application.

74TH ANNUAL GCIA ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING March 28 Holiday Inn Downtown 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Athens Featured speakers include UGA CAES Crop & Soil Sciences Department Head Janine Sherrier, Ellen Zimmerman of the American Seed Trade Association, UGA College of Engineering Professor George Vellidis, UGA Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health Associate Director Joseph LaForest and USDA ARS Research Leader Melanie Harrison. Please register for the meeting by calling the GCIA office at (706) 542-2351 or email joy.cooper@georgiacrop.com before the close of business on March 22.

ABAC MUSEUM OF AGRICULTURE APPRENTICESHIPS March 22 deadline to apply High school students who want to get a taste of the past while gaining valuable experience for the future can become a part of the Youth Apprentice Program at the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Georgia Museum of Agriculture (GMA) and Historic Village. Youth apprentices agree to work a minimum of 30 hours during the summer and another 30 hours during the school year to help with interpretation and special events. Many of the students find it easy to work well beyond the minimum required hours with several fun events hosted by the Museum and plentiful options for interpretation. The apprentice program begins in June and typically runs until the end of July.

The apprentices usually volunteer two days a week, Tuesday and Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in June and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in July; however, the program works with all schedules. For information or to obtain an application, interested students can contact McDonald at (229) 3915223 or e-mail her at lmcdonald@abac.edu .

GFB News Alert page 14 of 15 PEANUT PROUD FESTIVAL March 23 Downtown area Blakely Come celebrate all things peanut at this annual festival on Blakely’s town square. The day-long celebration begins with a 5K race and fun run and ends with a street dance. Festivities include a parade, more than 100 vendors, a kids’ peanut butter obstacle course, free entertainment and more.

For more information, visit www.peanutproudfestival.com.

54TH ANNUAL GEORGIA PECAN GROWERS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE March 26-27 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center Tifton Join the GPGA for this annual event, which features an orchard tour, the annual golf tournament, a trade show with more than 100 exhibitors, the annual awards luncheon and much more.

Registration ends March 21. For more information or to register, visit https://georgiapecan.org/events/.

GEORGIA PESTICIDE WASTE CLEAN DAY April 3 UGA Southeast Research Center 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Midville Georgia Clean Day is a program that offers an opportunity to discard old, unusable, or cancelled pesticides to a hazardous waste contractor for disposal. Participation in the Clean Day Program remains free of charge to all private and commercial applicators with the understanding that the event is intended for farmers, lawn care, golf courses, and pest control companies. The Georgia Department of Agriculture requires pre-registration for the event. For more information about the event contact your local Extension agent, www.agr.georgia.gov/georgia-clean-day.aspx or contact coordinator Rick Hayes at ricky.hayes@agr.georgia.gov, 404-656-4958 or 404-535-1614. Preregistration is mandatory for program participation and must be completed by March 27.

GEORGIA FOOD ANIMAL CONFERENCE March 29-31 The Lodge & Spa at Callaway Gardens Pine Mountain This event is hosted by Georgia Veterinary Medical Association and sponsored in part by Georgia Farm Bureau. The March 29 general session will feature nationally-renowned speakers including Dr. Morgan McArthur and Dr. Francis L. Fluharty. The sessions will focus on greater stress management, finding the value of the veterinary client-patient relationship, lost opportunities in cattle production, and veterinary stewardship. One-day registration is $50 for Georgia Cattlemen’s Association members for March 29. To register, visit http://gfb.ag/food-animal-15a24.

USING PESTICIDES WISELY TRAINING Now through April 18 Various locations There are 30 sessions at various locations around the state for producers to receive the Using Pesticides Wisely (UPW) training. UPW is required training for anyone applying Engenia, XtendiMax or FeXapan. Also, any person in charge of Enlist One and Enlist Duo in-crop applications must attend. The training will last about 2 hours, 15 minutes. Immediately afterward, there will be a 45-minute training for those individuals wanting to obtain a 2 year certified pesticide applicators license to apply Engenia, XtendiMax or FeXapan. Each location has limited capacity under local fire codes, and advance registration is required. For a complete list of training dates and locations, visit http://agr.georgia.gov/auxin-main.aspx.

GFB News Alert page 15 of 15 WATER MANAGEMENT WORKSHOPS April 3 Houston County Extension Office Perry May 7 Dougherty County Extension Office Albany May 13 Gordon County Extension Office Calhoun May 15 Cobb County Water Lab Marietta These free workshops will explain the efficiencies of impact sprinklers, drip irrigation systems, how to develop an Irrigation Water Management Plan and hands-on activities assembling basic irrigation systems. Each workshop runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To register online visit www.tinyurl.com/CRSSWater or contact Dr. Gary L. Hawkins at 706-310-3526 or 706-310-3464.

BOVINE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN TRAINING April 8 Gordon County Agricultural Service Center Calhoun April 10 UGA Tifton Campus Tifton April 11 Henry County Cooperative Extension Office McDonough April 12 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter Perry The Bovine Emergency Response Plan (BERP) provides a standardized framework for response to roadway incidents involving cattle transport. All emergency management disciplines are invited to train together regarding the following: Incident dispatch; emergency response arrival; scene assessment; security and containment; livestock extrication; euthanasia; relocation; mortality disposal; vehicle uprighting and incident debriefing. Four identical eight-hour sessions available.

Registration is required for all sessions. Space limited to 50 trainees per session. Register at the TIME Task Force of Georgia’s website at www.timetaskforce.com/calendar. For more information contact TIME Task Force of Georgia at info@timetaskforce.com or 678-730-7417.

EPA TAKING COMMENTS ON REVISED WOTUS RULE April 15 deadline to submit comments The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published the revised “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule in the Federal Register on Feb. 14, and the agencies are accepting public comments on the rule. The deadline to submit comments is April 15.

To read the proposed rule or submit a comment, visit https://gfb.ag/commentsrevisedwotus.

MAY 1 IS DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR CENTENNIAL FARM AWARD The Centennial Family Farm Award recognizes farms owned by members of the same family for at least 100 years. The Centennial Heritage Farm Award honors farms that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and owned by the same family for 100 years or more. The Centennial Farm Award doesn’t require continual family ownership, but farms must be at least 100 years old and listed in the NRHP. To apply, visit www.georgiacentennialfarms.org or contact Sarah Love at 770-389-7856 or sarah.love@dnr.ga.gov.