Georgia Farm Bureau News - January / February 2011

Vol. 73 No. 1

GEORGIA

January/February 2011

FARM BUREAU NEWS

The Voice of Georgia Farmers

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contents

table of January/February 2011

departments we, the farmers PAGE 4

legislative update PAGE 5

commodities update PAGE 10

around georgia

PAGE 20

public relations staff

Paul Beliveau Director Jennifer Whittaker Editor

Lillian Davis Publications/Advertising Manager

Jay Stone Print/Web Specialist

Denny Moore TV Producer/Anchor

Rick Treptow Senior Radio-TV Specialist

Michael Edmondson Web/Video Manager

Mark Wildman Radio-TV Specialist

Dean Wood Radio-TV Specialist

Vickie Amos Office Coordinator For questions about your membership or member benefits, call 1-800-633-5432.

For questions regarding editorial content call 478-474-0679, ext. 5334 or e-mail jawhittaker@gfb.org For questions regarding advertising contact Hurst and Associates, Inc., 1-800-397-8908 Visit the GFB Web site today! www.gfb.org

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GFB holds 72nd annual convention

Highlights of Georgia Farm Bureau’s 72nd annual convention held Dec. 5-7 on Jekyll Island included state awards and speeches by Gov. Nathan Deal and A.D. Frazier, chairman of the Special Council on Tax Reform & Fairness for Georgians.

You’ll find all the details on PAGE 6.

Barnes outlines components of water quantity structure

Learn what Georgia Environmental Protection Division Director Allen Barnes said regarding the state water supply while speaking at the GFB annual convention.

PAGE 8

Fruit & vegetable growers focused on food safety, farm bill

Attendees of the 2011 Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference were exposed to information on a wide variety of topics and had a chance to inspect new farm equipment used to harvest fruit and vegetables.

PAGE 12

Market Bulletin readers urged to pay subscriptions by April

The Georgia Department of Agriculture is urging readers of the Farmers and Consumers Market Bulletin to pay their $10 subscriptions by April 20 to ensure future publication of the biweekly newsletter.

PAGE 13

Centennial Family Farms honored

Since 1993, the Georgia Centennial Farm Program has recognized 379 farms around the state that have been continuously operated for more than 100 years. The latest group of family farms was recognized during a ceremony last fall.

PAGE 15

Georgia hosts annual AFBF convention

Georgia hosted the 92nd Annual American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Atlanta, Jan. 9-12. The winter storm that hit Atlanta the evening of Jan. 9 slowed things down but didn’t stop the convention.

PAGE 16

County Farm Bureaus celebrate Farm-City Week

County Farm Bureaus across the state held a variety of activities to celebrate National Farm-City Week. Screven County Farm Bureau Director Betsy Brunson (left) and Julie Anna Boyd are pictured bagging food the county gave to five local needy families. The county also hosted a Farm-City Breakfast attended by 85 community leaders.

PAGE 19

on the cover (Photo by Robert Grizzle) This photo won Cherokee County Farm Bureau member Robert Grizzle an honorable mention and $75 in Georgia Farm Bureau’s Picture Agriculture in Georgia Contest last year. GFB plans to hold the contest again this year, so start shooting photos that highlight Georgia agriculture and life in rural Georgia. Contest details will be announced this spring and publicized in upcoming GFB publications.

we, the Photo by Jay Stone

farmers Zippy Duvall, GFB President

Perfectly United

The strength of Georgia Farm Bureau is and always will be our grassroots, our volunteers – the people for whom this organization was created to serve as the voice of Georgia agriculture. Our effectiveness lies not only in our passion and willingness to speak up, but also in our numbers.

We have always taken pride in being the largest general farm organization in Georgia, but as the economy weakened and families tightened their budgets to what was absolutely necessary for their economic survival, our membership numbers have dropped below 400,000 to more than 360,000 member families.

During the fourth quarter of 2010, your Georgia Farm Bureau staff conducted strategic planning meetings for our organization to determine areas we need to focus on to maintain the effectiveness and strength of our organization and to better serve our members in the future. Membership was the main area of concern that kept surfacing in these meetings. So the senior management of your federation staff decided Farm Bureau will focus on maintaining and growing our membership this year.

As we go through the year we will roll out programs to accomplish our membership goals. This will be a unified organization-wide effort from the federation through all our member service companies. We intend to reach our goal by working united together.

Our success is important to the future of our organization but in a broader sense it’s important to the future of Georgia agriculture and our rural

communities. So much of the work we do on policy issues benefits not only farmers but everyone who lives in a rural community.

Our organization continues to have great success in being the voice of Georgia agriculture. A good indication of this was the list of speakers at our state convention in December. We were proud to welcome then Gov.-elect Nathan Deal, and A.D. Frazier, chairman of the Special Council on Tax Reform and Fairness for Georgians.

You can read more about the results of the tax council’s study on page five and what Deal and Frazier said on page 6.

Georgia Farm Bureau is excited about working with both Gov. Deal, who grew up on a farm and understands our issues, and our new Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black, who not only has an agriculture background, but also a good understanding of our organization. Gary started his professional career at Georgia Farm Bureau in the field services department. I am sure the working relationships we have enjoyed with both leaders for the last several years will continue well into the future.

On that note, I encourage all Farm Bureau members to support the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s effort to continue publication of the Market Bulletin. State budget cuts have made it necessary for the department to charge a $10 subscription fee and all Bulletin subscribers need to send in their payment by April 20 to ensure the Bulletin continues in print format.

Working perfectly united is a fitting See WE, THE FARMERS page 11

Pictured from left, GFB President Zippy Duvall welcomes Gov. Nathan Deal to the organization’s 72nd annual convention. Deal delivered the keynote speech, sharing his vision for the state.

4 / January-February 2011

GEORGIA

FARM BUREAU NEWS

The Voice of Georgia Farmers

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OFFICERS President ZIPPY DUVALL 1st Vice President/South Georgia Vice President GERALD LONG North Georgia Vice President BERNARD SIMS Middle Georgia Vice President ROBERT FOUNTAIN Treasurer/Corporate Secretary Wayne Daniel General Counsel DUKE Groover

DIRECTORS FIRST DISTRICT: J. Louis Hunt, LaFayette; Henry J. West, Rydal SECOND DISTRICT: Bobby Gunter, Dahlonega; Randy Ruff, Elberton THIRD DISTRICT: George Chambers, Carrollton; Nora Goodman, Temple FOURTH DISTRICT: Marvin Ruark, Bishop; William Hutchins, Winder FIFTH DISTRICT: Jim Ham, Smarr; Ralph Adamson Jr., Barnesville SIXTH DISTRICT: James Emory Tate, Denton; James Malone, Dexter SEVENTH DISTRICT: Ben Boyd, Sylvania; Gennis Folsom, Glennville EIGHTH DISTRICT: Phil Redding, Bluffton; Don Wood, Rochelle NINTH DISTRICT: Paul Shirah, Camilla; Lucius Adkins, Elmodel TENTH DISTRICT: David Lee, Alma; Daniel Johnson, Alma YOUNG FARMER CHAIRMAN: Wesley Hall, Cumming WOMEN’S COMMITTEE CHAIR: Donna Powell, Pelham ADVERTISING POLICY All advertising accepted subject to publisher’s approval. Advertisers must assume liability for content of their advertising. Publisher maintains right to cancel advertising for non-payment or reader complaint about advertiser service or products. Publisher does not accept per-order, political or alcoholic beverage ads, nor does publisher prescreen or guarantee advertiser service or products. Publisher assumes no liability for products or services advertised in the Georgia Farm Bureau News.

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Georgia Farm Bureau News was established in 1937.

Copyright 2010 by the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation. Printed by Panaprint, Macon, Georgia.

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Georgia Farm Bureau News

legislative update Jon Huffmaster, Legislative Director

GFB endorses tax council report On January 27, the Georgia Farm Bureau Board of Directors unanimously endorsed the final report of the Special Council on Tax Reform & Fairness for Georgians. The tax council recommended the General Assembly retain the state’s current sales tax exemptions for farm input costs. The report also urged legislators to expand the sales tax exemptions to include other input costs not currently exempt such as fuel, propane and other energy costs.

“Our board of directors unanimously endorsed this report because when you look at it in its entirety, it’s good for agriculture and it’s good for Georgia’s economy,” said GFB President Zippy Duvall. “We commend the tax council members for their work.”

The tax council was created by the General Assembly last year when it passed House Bill 1405. This legislation charged the council to study Georgia’s tax code and make recommendations for changes. The council was made up of economists and business leaders from across the state including: Chairman A.D. Frazier, then-Gov. Sonny Perdue , Brad Dickson, Roy Fickling, Gerry Harkins, Dr. Jeffrey Humphreys, Skeeter McCorkle , Dr. Christine Ries, Suzanne Sitherwood , Dr. David Sjoquist and Dr. Roger Tutterow.

The council’s report, as outlined by HB 1405, now goes to a Special Joint Committee on Georgia Revenue Structure. House Bill 1405 directs the special committee to develop legislation based on the tax council’s report “without significant changes.”

The special committee consists of eight appointees designated by position: President Pro Tempore of the Senate - Sen. Tommie Williams; Speaker Pro Tempore of the House - Rep. Jan Jones; Senate Majority Leader - Sen. Chip Rogers; House Majority Leader - Rep. Larry O’Neal; Senate Minority Leader - Sen. Robert Brown; House Minority Leader - Rep. Stacey Abrams; Senate Finance Committee Chair - Sen. Bill Heath; House Ways & Means Committee Chair - Rep. Mickey Channell. Two posts were appointed by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle: Sen. Bill Cowsert and Sen. Steve ThompGeorgia Farm Bureau News

son, and two were appointed by House Speaker David Ralston: Rep. Allen Peake and Rep. Bob Bryant.

What’s in the report?

The tax council held 11 hearings across Georgia last fall to hear from citizens regarding Georgia’s tax code. Farm Bureau members attended each meeting to explain how eliminating the sales tax exemptions would affect their farming operations. Tax Council Chairman A.D. Frazier acknowledged the participation in his introduction letter in the final report: “I give kudos to the Georgia Farm Bureau who, through their members, was the most prepared and vocal at each of our meetings.”

The tax council report is not limited to farm tax issues; the 97-page document impacts broad segments of Georgia’s tax code, and the guiding principles are pertinent across all sectors of the economy. The council sought a tax code that enhanced economic growth, was minimally invasive, produced stable revenue for the state, was clear and understandable, fair and based on sound analysis of the issues.

Regarding sales tax exemptions for inputs, the council concluded, “Current business input exemptions are appropriate. If these were removed or eliminated, tax pyramiding would occur in these businesses’ transactions, which would negatively impact the competitiveness of our state in attracting and retaining these businesses. Therefore, retention of these exemptions would be in alignment with the council’s guiding principles.”

In addressing agriculture exemptions in particular, “The council believes that exemptions for inputs for agriculture are inconsistent and should be modified and simplified into one clean exemption that enhances fairness and equity among agricultural producers. The council further recommends that a new business input exemption should be created for energy used in manufacturing, mining, and agriculture.”

The report calls for a certification process for farmers to qualify for the sales tax exemption. To qualify as an agricultural producer, a

person must own or lease real property from which at least $2,500 worth of farm products were produced and sold during the year. Provisions are included to allow qualification for producers who might not sell a crop every year, such as producers of orchard fruits and nuts or timber.

A couple of items in the report are not aligned with Farm Bureau policy. Fruits, vegetables, Christmas trees and other products are often sold directly to consumers from the farm, and taxes are not collected on those sales. The tax council recommends elimination of this exemption based on the principle that sales taxes should be paid by the final consumer rather than during the production process.

Farm Bureau supports the current exemption, however, the savings to farmers resulting from the expanded exemption for inputs will, in most cases, offset additional costs associated with collecting taxes on direct sales.

The tax council also calls for an increase of state cigarette taxes from the current level of 37 cents per pack to 68 cents per pack, an increase of 31 cents. Farm Bureau opposes an increase in tobacco taxes, however, the council came to their recommendation based on the average of Georgia’s surrounding states.

What happens now?

The report does not have the force of law. It is simply a list of recommendations made by the tax council. The special committee is charged with drawing up legislation this year based on the recommendations the tax council made. If the committee recommends legislation, it will bypass all other committees and go straight to the floor of the House for an up or down vote without amendment. If it passes the House, it will follow a similar path in the Senate.

The tax council did an excellent job with the charge given them by HB 1405.

Hopefully, the General Assembly will do as well with theirs.

Jon Huffmaster is director of the GFB Legislative Department.

January-February 2011 / 5

GFB holds 72nd annual co Article & photos by Jennifer Whittaker _____________________________________

C

hange was a common theme of speeches given by Gov. Nathan Deal, A.D. Frazier, chairman of the Special Council on Tax Reform & Fairness for Georgians and Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall during the organization’s 72nd annual convention held Dec. 5-7 on Jekyll Island.

Deal, who became Georgia’s 82nd governor Jan. 10, gave the keynote address of the convention on Dec. 6, speaking to a crowd of about 1,400 farmers and agribusiness leaders. Deal pledged to work with the state constitutional officers and members of the Nathan Deal Georgia General Assembly for the betterment of the state.

Deal, a fiscal conservative, said his transition team is evaluating state government in an effort to eliminate duplication of services and consolidate similar services to save money. Deal also pledged to eliminate state regulations that hinder new businesses from opening in Georgia and said operating the state on a balanced budget will be a priority.

“I think voters want us to ask the hard questions in providing goods and services to our families and for businesses in our community,” Deal said.

Deal praised Georgia Farm Bureau for the advocacy work the organization does to promote agriculture.

“Your work as an organization brings focus to issues. It causes people to think about what’s important for them and their future and then you bring those issues to the legislative and executive branches of government to try to make sure we work cooperatively with you,” Deal said. “I pledge to you that I intend to do that. I think we have a great future ahead of us.”

Frazier chaired the 11-member tax council created by the Georgia General 6 / January-February 2011

Assembly during its 2010 session for the purpose of studying Georgia’s tax revenue structure and making recommendations to make the state’s tax structure more modern, simple, fair and businessfriendly. He said the council realizes the importance of A.D. Fazier agriculture to Georgia’s economy and will not recommend changes to the state’s tax code that would hurt the industry.

“One of the things Georgia has done in the past is to exempt inputs to agriculture production. The message I heard all over

the state was don’t mess it up, so we’re not,” Frazier said.

Noting that Georgia has 47,846 farms and 10 million acres of farmland, Frazier said, “The importance of agriculture in our state cannot be over-estimated.”

While delivering his annual address, GFB President Duvall acknowledged the reality of change Georgia and its number one industry, agriculture, are set to experience as new state leaders and agency heads take office in the coming year.

“Since the beginning of our organization, our mission has been to be the voice of Georgia farmers. Georgia Farm Bureau will continue to work to develop relationships with our state leaders so that the concerns of Georgia’s farmers are heard. We must continue to be aggressive in promoting agriculture and addressing issues by contacting legislators and expressing our concerns. The

GFB President Zippy Duvall introduces the 2011 GFB Board of Directors at the end of the organization’s annual convention.

GFB re-elects Duvall, Long Georgia Farm Bureau voting delegates re-elected Zippy Duvall of Greene County to his third, two-year term. Duvall, a cattle, hay and poultry farmer, is a member of the board of directors of the American Farm Bureau Federation and of the Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company.

His 30 years of community service include graduating from the Georgia AgriLeaders Program and serving as chairman of the Greene County Board of Commis-

sioners. He is a member of Gov. Perdue’s Ag Advisory Committee and was recently appointed to the Georgia Development Authority. He and his wife, Bonnie, have four children and two grandchildren.

In other elections, voting delegates selected their state board of directors and officers for 2011. Gerald Long of Decatur County was re-elected to his second, three-year term as South Georgia vice president and was re-designated the organization’s 1st vice president.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

onvention key to our success is our member involvement. Nobody can speak for a farmer better than a farmer. Farm Bureau is the vehicle that gets you there to speak your concerns.”

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black delivered the invocation to open the general session of the Dec. 6 proceedings. Duvall welcomed Black to his new position and thanked then-Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin for his 42 years of service and for never missing a GFB convention during his years in office.

“While we are saying farewell to Commissioner Irvin, we are pleased to be able to Call Commissioner-elect Gary Black a true friend,” Duvall said. “Gary is certainly no stranger to Farm Bureau. He was the Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer coordinator in the early 1980s. We look forward to working with Gary in the days ahead to ensure the future of Georgia agriculture.”

The following were re-elected unopposed to serve two-year terms on the Georgia Farm Bureau Board of Directors: Henry J. West of Gordon County, 1st District; Randy Ruff of Elbert County, 2nd District; Nora Goodman of Paulding County, 3rd District; William Hutchins of Barrow County, 4th District; Jim Ham of Monroe County, 5th District; James Emory Tate of Jeff Davis County, 6th District; Ben Boyd of Screven County, 7th District; Don Wood of Wilcox County, 8th District; Lucius Adkins Jr., of Baker County, 9th District and Daniel Johnson, of Pierce County, 10th District.

Bernard Sims of Catoosa County begins the third year of the three-year term as GFB North Georgia vice president to which he was elected in 2008. Robert Fountain Jr., of Emanuel County begins the second year of his three-year term as GFB Middle Georgia vice president to which he was elected in 2009.

Wesley Hall of Forsyth County will serve on the GFB Board for one year as the GFB Young Farmer Committee chairman.

Donna Powell of Grady County will serve a one-year term on the GFB Board as chairman of the GFB Women’s Committee.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

GFB honors award winners County Farm Bureau chapters and individual members were recognized during the GFB Convention for efforts made to promote agriculture.

Newton, Greene and Pike counties each were honored with the prestigious 2010 McKemie Award - the highest award given to a county for its outstanding member programs - during the GFB Convention. Newton County, whose president is Brent Galloway, won for the over 3,000 member division. Greene County, whose president was Dene Channell, won for the 1,801 to 3,000 member division, and Pike County, whose president is Thomas Lacy, won in the 0 to 1,800 member division.

Finalist counties in the McKemie competition for the 0 to 1,800 member division were Bacon, Cook, Heard, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Monroe, Upson and Wilcox counties. Finalists in the 1,801 to 3,000 member division were Berrien, Bibb, Floyd, Harris, Jones, Polk, Spalding, Stephens and Washington counties. Finalists in the 3,001-plus member division were: Barrow, Chattooga, Cherokee, Coweta, Emanuel, Habersham, Henry, McDuffie and Madison counties.

Former GFB President Bob Nash and his wife, Betty, of Upson County, received the GFB Distinguished Service Award. This award is the highest honor GFB gives to one of its volunteer leaders and is designed

to recognize volunteer Farm Bureau leaders who have made an outstanding contribution to the organization and agriculture over a long period of time.

Both of the Nashes grew up on farms in Oklahoma and graduated from Oklahoma A&M. Mr. Nash served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in World War II. The Nashes have been active Farm Bureau members since moving to Georgia in 1957.

Mr. Nash has served as a county director for the Coweta, Lamar and Upson County Farm Bureaus and is a past president of the Lamar and Upson Farm Bureaus. He served as a GFB district director from 1974 to 1978 and as GFB president from 1978 until 1988. As GFB president, Nash was concerned with improving member services and increasing membership. He was instrumental in the development and building of Georgia Farm Bureau’s current state office in Macon. He served as treasurer of the Upson County Farm Bureau from 1989 to 1993 and still serves on the board.

Steven and Tiffany Metcalf of Turner County won the GFB Young Farmer Achievement Award. The Metcalfs grow peanuts and cotton and have a herd of about 40 beef cattle. They received a $500 cash prize from Dodge Truck, the use See WINNERS page 9

GFB President Zippy Duvall (standing,right) congratulates the 2010 GFB award recipients (front row, L-R)): Susanne Bell, Rockdale/DeKalb County, Nancy Anderson, Newton County; Nichelle Stewart, Cherokee County: Bob and Betty Nash of Upson County and Tiffany Metcalf of Turner County (back row, L-R) Keith Mitcham, Newton County, B.J. Marks, Newton County, Brent Galloway, Newton County, Dene Channell, Greene County; Tom Lacey, Pike County; Steven Metcalf, Turner County and Jonathan Fordham, Bleckley County.

January-February 2011 / 7

By Jay Stone __________________________________________________________________________

G

eorgia Environmental Protection Division Director Allen Barnes shared his ideas for a comprehensive approach to maintaining a stable water supply for the state while speaking to the Georgia Farm Bureau Water Advisory Committee during the organization’s annual convention. Barnes has been reappointed as EPD director by Gov. Nathan Deal.

His plan starts with getting authorization to use water from Lake Lanier to supply metro Atlanta with water, the subject of a decades-old dispute between Georgia, Ala-

bama and Florida. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson ruled in 2009 that the three states had to reach an agreement on a watersharing plan by 2012. Beyond that, Barnes said the state has several options to consider with the goal of achieving ongoing maintenance of water availability. Included in these are conservation and alternative means of water storage, including additional dams and aquifer storage and recovery (ASR), and interbasin transfers.

“The truth is, we’re all in this together,” Barnes said. “We all have an individual

GFB voting delegates approve 2011 policy

Georgia Farm Bureau voting delegates approved the organization’s official 2011 policy - the guidebook for Farm Bureau’s legislative positions - during the annual convention. The new policy GFB delegates approved addresses numerous issues including taxes, the Grain Inspection Packers & Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) and research/control efforts of glyphosate-resistant pigweed.

GFB delegates also approved policy that encourages Congress to repeal the new IRS form 1099 requirements scheduled to take effect in 2012. Policy pertaining to GIPSA related to livestock and poultry production expresses support for tournament-style production contracts and calls for more fairness for growers related to required capital expenditures. Other policy calls for increased research funding and Cooperative Extension researchers to combat the invasive pigweed threatening Georgia cotton and peanut production.

Media covering the convention chose to highlight GFB policy addressing immigration that states GFB opposes “Any immigration law that discriminates against the farm worker and puts the farmers of Georgia at a disadvantage to farmers in other states.”

GFB maintains immigration is a federal issue, not a state or local issue and com8 / January-February 2011

prehensive reform needs to come from the federal level. GFB urges consideration of the impacts to agriculture by immigration proposals.

“Agricultural interests must be considered when immigration legislation is debated because it is vital to our national security that we’re able to grow our own food,” GFB President Zippy Duvall said. “Our policy states that legislators should consider farmers’ needs for a reliable labor source when writing immigration legislation, and that’s been our position for many years. Media reports that Farm Bureau opposes Arizonastyle immigration legislation are taking our position out of context.”

The only changes voting delegates made to the proposed ag policy the GFB Policy Development (PD) Committee presented to them pertained to eminent domain and commodity promotion boards. The voting delegates added policy that states commodity checkoff boards should be made up of active producers who derive a substantial portion of their income from production of the commodity a board governs and should not be based on other nonrelated criteria. Voting delegates also passed a motion to add mineral rights to the list of assets landowners should be compensated for in the event their private property is condemned under eminent domain.

Photo by Jay Stone

Barnes outlines components of water quantity structure

Georgia Environmental Protection Division Director Allen Barnes (at podium) discussed water issues during the GFB convention.

responsibility, and it boils down to stewardship. That little decision you make every day, ask yourself if you can do better with conserving water.”

The ASR system, where water is pumped in to underground aquifers, is similar to water management practices being employed in Florida.

In January, Barnes was one of several stakeholders who presented ideas in January on enhancing the state’s water supply in a meeting of the Georgia General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Water Supply. During the meeting, Georgia Chamber of Commerce President Chris Clark said that other states are using Georgia’s water crisis as a way to draw business away from Georgia. The committee also heard about financing options for building new reservoirs and potential use of 166 existing watershed dams around the state.

In related news, Barnes has revised the regional water planning schedule issued in July 2010 following a request by several of the state’s regional water councils. Barnes commended the water councils on their progress toward preparing draft plans but noted that some are still considering results of plan studies.

Councils are to select water management practices to adjust demand and resource capacity through April, previously scheduled through January. The regional water plans are to be submitted to Barnes no later than May 2. The previous deadline was Jan. 31.

EPD will make public notice to start a 45-day public comment period no later than May 9. The previous date for public notice was Feb. 7.

The regional water councils are to complete their reviews of public comments and plan revisions and submit final recommended regional water plans to Barnes no later than Sept. 30. The previous deadline was June 30.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

These University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) students were among those who attended a dedication ceremony held last fall for the college’s Double Bridges Farm, its new livestock teaching and research farm. Located partially in Clarke and predominantly in Oglethorpe County off of U.S. Highway 78, the farm will replace the college’s former beef, sheep and swine teaching and research facilities located on South Milledge Avenue in Athens.

The 237-acre farm is expected to be in full operation by spring, according to Dr. WINNERS from page 7 of a Kubota tractor for one year and an expense-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation convention in Atlanta.

Other finalists in the GFB Young Farmer Achievement Contest were Stuart and Lauren Boykin of Screven County and Brian and Melissa Ogletree of Spalding County.

The Boykins grow cotton, peanuts and soybeans. The Ogletrees farm in partnership with Brian’s father, continuing a 75-year family farm that produces brown-top millet, wheat, straw-mulch, grass-fed beef and includes a seed cleaning operation.

Jonathan Fordham of Bleckley County won the Young Farmer Discussion Meet.

He raises brood cows on 120 acres of pasture. As the state winner, Fordham received an Arctic Cat 500 4x4 all-terrain vehicle, $500 cash courtesy of Dodge Trucks and an expense-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation convention in Atlanta.

Christy Bryan of Chattooga County, Jessica Bryant of Jackson County and Will Godowns of Pike County were the other Discussion Meet finalists. The three finalists each received a $350 cash award from SunTrust Bank.

Newton County Farm Bureau received the Outstanding Legislative, Young Farmer and Women’s Committee Awards. Cherokee County won the Outstanding Promotion & Education Award. Rockdale/DeKalb County Farm Bureau Office Manager Susanne Bell won the Outstanding Secretary Award. Bell has been employed with the RDCFB for seven years.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

Photo by Jennifer Whittaker

UGA dedicates Double Bridges Farm

Keith Bertrand, head of the CAES Animal and Dairy Science Department. The farm will be home to a small herd of beef cattle with about 35 head, a flock of 30 sheep and a farrow-to-finish swine facility that will

initially house 60 sows but is likely to grow to a capacity of 100 sows in the next year.

The CAES has 261 undergraduate and 37 graduate students in its ADS program, Bertrand said.

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January-February 2011 / 9

commodities/marketing update Don McGough

GFB names commodity advisory committees DAIRY Chairman Judd Chambers, Jones; Vice Chairman Bud Butcher, Coweta; Frank Wright, Gilmer; Mark Stovall, Madison; S.J. Saffold, Jr., Morgan; James Albert Hale, Sr., Oconee; Joel Keith, Troup; Jimmy Franks, Burke; Matt Johnson, Decatur; Cory Johnson, Bacon

GOATS & SHEEP Chairman Mike Bunn, Walker; Vice Chairman Charles Batten, Washington; Greg Phillips, Whitfield; Greg Gilman, Jackson; Patricia Parson, Elbert; Raymond Bailey, Henry; Mike Hawks, Lincoln; Wes Smith, Upson; Billy Waldrep, Monroe; Gabriel Haman, Glynn

ENVIRONMENTAL HORTICULTURE Chairman Donald McCorkle Sr., McDuffie; Vice Chairman Matt Bottoms, Pike; Paul Long, Cherokee; Kellie Bowen, Hall; Mark Porter, Fayette; Linda Everett, Walton; David Ridgeway, Butts; Blake Rowland, Dodge: Pat Daniels, Jones

HAY Chairman Larry Haley, Hart; Vice Chairman Farrell Roberts, Tift; Jason Witt, Gordon; Keith Mitcham, Newton; Ben Brubaker, Oglethorpe; Stanley Cauthen, Coweta; Jamie Tate, Jeff Davis; Tony Lewis, Evans; Josh Lamb, Wilcox; Corey Tyre, Bacon

EQUINE Chairman Danny Hogan, Laurens; Vice Chairman Gary Walker, Tift; Gerry Weaver, Gordon; Ann Jones, Hall; Barbara Camp, Douglas; Jan Ison, Richmond; Darryl Landreth, Troup; Herbert Warnell, Bryan; James Wood, Jr., Wilcox; Brion Akins, Berrien

HONEYBEES Chairman Bobby Rowell, Brantley; Vice Chairman Gary Rentz, Brooks; J. B. Lemons, Walker; Troy Worthey, Hart; Paul Cooper, Carroll; J. Keith Fielder, Putnam; Raymond Lopes, Pike; John Pluta, Baldwin; Jesse McCurdy, Houston; Sonny Swords, Colquitt

AQUACULTURE Chairman Terry Bramlett, Fannin; Vice Chairman Harvey Weldon, Harris; Bernese Cagle, Cherokee; Travis Henry, Douglas; Harold Fallin, Upson; Frank Cook, Houston; Ricky Boyd, Berrien; Jimmy Lee, Brantley

FEEDGRAIN Chairman Thomas Coleman, Colquitt; Vice Chairman Brian Ogletree, Spalding; Sonny Scoggins, Walker; Brent Galloway, Newton; Hugh H. Veal, Jr., Johnson; Jimmy Thompson, Randolph; Jerry Rhodes, Wilcox; T. E. Moye, Jr., Baker; Daniel Morrell, Mitchell

PEANUTS Chairman Wes Shannon, Tift; Vice Chairman Mike Lucas, Bleckley; Charles Smith, Jr., Jefferson; Randy Branch, Appling; Will Boyd, Screven; George T. Warbington, Dooly; Yates G. Cathrall III, Quitman; Gerald Fowler, Turner; Andy Bell, Decatur; Joey Williams, Cook

BEEF CATTLE Chairman John Callaway, Troup; Vice Chairman Dr. James Strickland, Tattnall; Dr. Lanier Orr, Dawson; Jeff Duncan, Madison; Roger Greuel, Fayette; Charles Crumbley, Greene; Marion Meeks, Washington; Kirk Law, Terrell; Kurt Childers, Brooks; Parrish Akins, Berrien

FORESTRY Chairman John W. Mixon, Pike; Vice Chairman Jimmy Kennedy, Hancock; John Davis, Whitfield; Benjamin Hudson, Polk; Scotty Dumas, Jasper; William Tanner, Johnson; Gary Bell, Evans; Willie J. Tyson, Houston; Steve Collins, Mitchell; James Gaskins, Berrien

PECANS Chairman James Exum, Brooks; Vice Chairman Jim Lumpkin, Turner; Danny Brooks, Habersham; Mark Cook, Washington; Mike Lamb, Tattnall; Elliott Ellis, Dooly; Mike Horne, Sumter; Chris McBryant, Wilcox; Lanair Worsham, Mitchell; Vinson Griffin, Berrien

COTTON Chairman Michael Williams, Bleckley; Vice Chairman Eddie Green, Dooly; Wayne Hurley, Chattooga; Rick Wansley, Elbert; Jason West, Candler; Tim Garrett, Emanuel; Larry Stubbs, Wilcox; Johnny Hagan, Brooks; John Dunn, Tift; Ashley Lane, Berrien

FRUIT Chairman Bob McLeod, Wilcox; Vice Chairman William Mercier, Fannin; Andy Futch, Gilmer; Carla Kelsoe, Gordon; Cathy Grier, Habersham; Jake Carter, Henry; Debra Elliott, Bibb; Richard Prescott, Jefferson; Timothy E. McMillian, Berrien; Larry Moore, Lanier

POULTRY Chairman Larry Cooley, Crawford; Vice Chairman Bubba Johnson, Mitchell; Carroll Castleberry, Forsyth; Michael Thomason, Franklin; Lawrence Shadix, Carroll; Phil Sanders, Oglethorpe; A. W. Leverett, Jr., Baldwin; Bill Crapps, See COMMITTEES page 21

Georgia Farm Bureau has named the members of its commodity advisory committees for 2011. Each committee meets several times during the year to address issues pertinent to their commodity and assist with Farm Bureau’s policy development process. Georgia Farm Bureau has 20 commodity committees.

Each committee chairman serves on the GFB Policy Development Committee. The GFB Commodity Committee chairmen make an important contribution to Farm Bureau by providing knowledge of their commodity and leadership for their committee. Their input provides an important link back to the farm and helps maintain the strong grassroots representation within Farm Bureau.

The committees will meet throughout the spring to discuss issues regarding their commodities. They will meet again in August during the GFB Commodity Conference in Athens. Members of the 2011 GFB Commodity Committees are listed below along with their membership county.

10 / January-February 2011

Georgia Farm Bureau News

GFB members named to AFBF Committees Georgia Farm Bureau members have been named to 11 American Farm Bureau Federation Commodity Committees for 2011, including Andrew Thompson of Brooks County, who will serve as chairman of the AFBF Swine Committee.

The committees provide farmer input to the AFBF policy development process and make recommendations relative to their respective commodities

to the AFBF Board of Directors.

In addition to Thompson, GFB members serving on the committees are: Donald McCorkle Sr., McDuffie County (ag nursery and greenhouse); Terry Bramlett, Fannin County (aquaculture); Michael Williams, Bleckley County (cotton); John W. Mixon, Pike County (forestry); Bobby Rowell, Brantley County (honey/apiculture); Wes Shannon, Tift County (peanut); Larry Cooley, Craw-

Banks County Farm Bureau member William A. Griffin III won the 2010 Georgia Farm Bureau Quality Hay Contest.

Griffin, who runs Griffin Brothers farm with his brother, Westly, submitted Russell Bermudagrass for the contest and earned a relative forage quality (RFQ) score of 113.1.

Griffin lives in Maysville with his wife Leigh and sons Will, age 13, Cole, 12, and Bret, 5. The Griffin brothers grow hay on 90 acres, have a herd of approximately 200 beef cattle and grow corn for silage.

Garren Hall of Franklin County finished second, achieving an RFQ score of 108.3 with his submission of coastal Bermudagrass. Farrell Roberts of Tift County submitted Tift 85 Bermudagrass and was

third with an RFQ score of 104.3. Neal Pannell of Walton County, the 2009 winner, finished fourth with an RFQ score of 103, also with Tift 85, and Russell Elliot of Bibb County was fifth with an RFQ score of 100 for his coastal Bermudagrass.

The contest drew 40 entries from 19 counties across the state and consisted of quality analysis of hay grown by entrants, using the University of Georgia’s RFQ testing method, which measures nutrient content of the hay. Georgia Farm Bureau sponsors the annual contest to encourage superior hay production in the state. The winners were announced Dec. 6 during the 72nd GFB Convention on Jekyll Island.

Photo by Jay Stone

Griffin wins GFB Hay Contest

WE, THE FARMERS from page 4 theme for many levels of our future from telling your friends and neighbors about the services of Georgia Farm Bureau and value of your Farm Bureau membership to working with your legislators, Commissioner Black and Gov. Deal.

I always look to scripture for guidance for myself and our organization.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

ford County (poultry); Mike Bunn, Walker County (sheep and goat) and Lamar Vickers, Berrien County (tobacco).

An additional 10 GFB members were named alternates to the committees. They are: Matt Bottoms, Pike County (ag nursery and greenhouse); Andrew Thompson Harvey Weldon, Harris County (aquaculture); Eddie Green, Dooly County (cotton); Jimmy Kennedy, Hancock County (forestry); Gary Rentz, Brooks County (honey/apiculture); Mike Lucas, Bleckley County (peanut); John “Bubba” Johnson, Mitchell County (poultry); Charles D. Batten, Washington County (sheep and goat); Dania Devane, Randolph County (swine) and Ricky Tucker, Berrien County (tobacco).

Pictured from left, GFB Hay Committee Chairman Larry Haley congratulates Neal Pannell, of Walton County, and Farrell Roberts, of Tift County, for placing 4th and 3rd, respectively in the organization’s annual hay contest. Winners were announced during the hay commodity meeting at the 2010 GFB Convention. First-place winner William A. Griffin III of Banks County, second-place winner Garren Hall of Franklin County and fifth-place winner Rusell Elliot of Bibb County were not present when the photo was taken.

First Corinthians 1:10 tells us “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.”

God Bless.

January-February 2011 / 11

Fruit & vegetable growers focused on food safety, farm bill By Jay Stone __________________________________________________________________________

Photo by Jay Stone

R

there’s a lot about food safety, immigration [and] the overall economy. Those are things the growers are really concerned about. We’ve been fighting on immigration for a long time. It’s just hard to know what’s going on from that standpoint.”

The Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510) was signed into law by President Obama on Jan. 4, giving the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) new authority to implement recalls and requiring larger processors and manufacturers to register with the FDA and create food safety plans. It contained exemptions for small farms, but growers are concerned over the law’s implications.

“I think we all want food safety,” said Roger Futch of R & A Orchards in Gilmer County. “There’s not an easy answer. We’re still looking at how it will affect us.”

The event included 10 commodityspecific conferences (raspberry & blackberry, peach, vegetable, Vidalia onion, muscadine, pecan, blueberry, strawberries, watermelon and sweet corn) and others on food safety, business operations, organics and roadside markets. It featured more than 500 exhibitors and drew a total attendance of more than 2,200.

The conference offered more than 60 hours of educational sessions on a vari(Continued next page)

Gary Black takes helm of GDA

Pictured from left, Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black, joined by his wife, Lydia, takes the oath of office from Gov. Nathan Deal during inauguration ceremonies held at the state capitol Jan. 10. Black, Georgia’s 16th commissioner of agriculture, heads the Georgia Department of Agriculture, which has more than 600 fulltime employees charged with a variety of functions, including issues directly related to agricultural production and those related to product delivery and consumer safety.

Black has begun a strategic planning process designed to review all functions of the department.

“This strategic planning process will be about charting a course for the future. This is not a top down administration. We’re going to be about serving the taxpayers and serving the producers and the folks in agriculture in the state,” Black told GFB reporters during the GFB convention.

12 / January-February 2011

Photo by Jay Stone

Photo courtesy of the state of Georgia

Attendees of the 2011 Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference had a chance to check out products from dozens of farms around the region, including this display for Ware County’s Cornelius Farms.

ecent enactment of the Food Safety Modernization Act and the looming legislative agendas on the 2012 farm bill and immigration were at the top of growers’ minds at the 2011 Southeast Fruit & Vegetable Conference Jan. 6-9.

“We’re getting ready on the farm bill,” said Charles Hall, executive director of the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), which along with the South Carolina Peach Council organized the event at the Savannah Convention Center. “From a legislative standpoint,

Roger Futch of R&A Orchards in Ellijay, Ga., discussed roadside markets.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

Market Bulletin readers urged to pay subscriptions by April By Jennifer Whittaker ___________________________________ The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) is urging readers of the Farmers and Consumers Market Bulletin to pay for their subscriptions by April 20 to ensure the 94-year-old publication continues. Last year, due to the state budget crisis, the Georgia General Assembly eliminated funding for the Market Bulletin - $580,000 - but adopted legislation allowing for subscription fees, donations, or other funds from the department to be used to continue its publication if deemed appropriate.

Last summer the GDA asked readers to begin paying a $10 subscription fee to continue receiving the biweekly newspaper, but as of mid-January, only about 14,000 readers had paid for their subscriptions, according to the department.

“Due to the challenges with the state budget it has become necessary for the Market Bulletin to finance itself with paid (Continued from previous page) ety of topics, including numerous pesticide credit seminars and a discussion of roadside market operations by Futch, whose market on Highway 52 in Ellijay produces and sells apples, strawberries, peaches and vegetables.

Futch, whose farm is a Georgia Farm Bureau Certified Farm Market, outlined how his market functions, noting that 80 percent of the produce from his farms are sold through the roadside market, which he keeps stocked year-round through a number of practices, including staggered growth of apple varieties and value-added products.

He stressed that an operator’s knowledge of his customer base and helping them understand the farm through tours and other promotions are essential.

“We just try to make sure they know that we do grow the apples, that we do grow the strawberries, that we do grow the peaches,” Futch said. “And we try to educate them about some of the problems that we run into with the fruit.

We think that gives us credibility as an orchard and as a farmer.”

Georgia Farm Bureau News

subscriptions rather than state funds,” Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black said. “The crisis we face with the Market Bulletin is real. If our readers value this Georgia tradition and want to continue receiving it in a printed format we need you to send in your subscriptions as soon as possible. There will not be a printed Market Bulletin if we do not get at least forty-four thousand more paid subscribers by the end of April.”

The Market Bulletin is valued by its readers for its classifieds, which serve as a marketplace to connect readers who want to sell or buy livestock, hay, farm equipment, flowers, produce and much more. Georgia Farm Bureau voting delegates adopted policy at the organization’s 2010 convention that supports the continued paper publication of the Market Bulletin.

Subscription fees are $10 per year (26 issues) for Georgia subscribers and $20 per year for out-of-state subscribers.

The GDA is asking readers who

want to renew their subscription via U.S. mail to send a check or money order made payable to Market Bulletin addressed to: Market Bulletin, Georgia Department of Agriculture, 19 MLK Jr. Drive SE, Atlanta, GA 30334-4250.

Please include your mailing address label from the Market Bulletin to speed processing of your payment. Also include a daytime phone number in the event the Bulletin staff needs to contact you concerning your subscription. Do not include ads or other dated correspondence with your subscription payment. You will receive a new expiration date on your mailing label once your payment has been processed.

The GDA is establishing a secure Web site dedicated to the Market Bulletin, which soon will allow subscribers to make payments for renewals and new subscriptions online at http://www.thegamarketbulletin.com. Subscribers will be notified via the Market Bulletin as soon as this payment method is available.

Ireland Farm Tour 12 Days from

Includes taxes. Airfare extra

Join Other Farmers on 8/18/2011 Start in DUBLIN with a city tour including TRINITY COLLEGE (Book of Kells), DUBLIN CASTLE, and ST. PATRICKS CATHEDRAL. Travel to the NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL MUSEUM. Then it’s on to the WATERFORD CRYSTAL FACTORY visitor centre, CORK, and the BLARNEY CASTLE. Next is the KISSANE SHEEP FARM, and a short stop at the CLIFFS OF MOHER. You’ll visit the KYLEMORE ABBEY, the LIVESTOCK MARKET at ENNISKILLEN, The ULSTER & AMERICAN FOLK MUSEUM, GIANT’S CAUSEWAY, and BUSHMILLS DISTILLERY. You’ll also visit the IRISH NATIONAL STUD (only stud farm in Ireland open to the public) and BALLARD ORGANIC FARM (modern Irish organic farm). *Per Person Based on Double Occupancy. AIRFARE IS EXTRA.

Call for Information & Itinerary

800-888-8204 Carefree Vacations Since 1967

January-February 2011 / 13

Photo by Jay Stone

Photo by Jennifer Whittaker

GFB names 2011 Women’s & YF Committees

Members of the 2011 Georgia Farm Bureau Women’s Committee are: (seated, from left) Nanette Bryan (1st District, Chattooga County), Londa Champion (5th District, Jasper County), Chairman Donna Powell (9th District, Grady County), Angela Todd (7th District, Tattnall County), Linda Crumley (4th District, Barrow County) and (standing, from left) Cathy Barber (10th District, Bacon County), Sandi Mitcham (3rd District, Newton County), Beth Kirkland (6th District, Jeff Davis County), Melanie Raines (8th District, Turner County) and Charlotte Ward (2nd District, Elbert County).

Members of the 2011 Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer Committee pictured from left are: Thomas and Alicia Harrell (2nd District, Madison County), Brad and Ashlee Wood (8th District, Wilcox County), Jennifer and Jake Carter (3rd District, Henry County), Nancie and Charlie Sanders (4th District, Greene County), Vice Chairman Cory and Janie Tyre (10th District, Bacon County), Chairman Wesley and Dawn Hall (1st District, Forsyth County), Justin Long and fiancée Kelli Ames (9th District, Decatur County), Brian and Melissa Ogletree (5th District, Spalding County) and Keegan Malone (6th District, Laurens County). Not pictured are Michael and Angela Smith (7th District, Bulloch County).

GFB Harvest For All campaign raises $20,000 County Farm Bureaus from around the state donated more than $20,000 in the 6th annual Harvest for All campaign. On Dec. 21, GFB President Zippy Duvall presented a symbolic check for $20,032.50 to Middle Georgia Community Food Bank (MGCFB) Executive Director Ron Raleigh, representing GFB’s contribution to a statewide network of food banks.

The campaign raised cash through donations in 2010 rather than staple goods as in years past. The money was used to purchase peanut butter grown and processed in Georgia for distribution to seven regional food banks across the state, including the MGCFB. The food banks are providing the peanut butter to more than 800 nonprofit agencies throughout the state. Part of the goal of Harvest For All is to improve food security for Georgia residents. Food security is the availability of food to household occupants.

A recent study by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service shows that nearly 15 percent of U.S. households either have low or very low food security. Five southern states, including Georgia, had food insecurity that exceeded the national average for the years 2007–2009.

14 / January-February 2011

Photo by Jay Stone

By Jay Stone ______________________________________________________

GFB President Zippy Duvall (right) presents a check symbolizing the proceeds of the Harvest For All campaign to Middle Georgia Community Food Bank Executive Director Ron Raleigh. The money raised was used to purchase peanut butter, which was distributed to the seven regional food banks of the Georgia Food Bank Association.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

Recipients of the 2010 Centennial Family Farm Award.

Centennial Family Farms honored

By Jennifer Whittaker __________________________________________________________________________ On Oct. 8, 20 Georgia farms that have been continuously operated for more than 100 years were recognized with the Centennial Family Farm Award during a ceremony held at the Georgia National Fair.

Georgia Sen. John Bulloch, chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee and vice chair of the Senate Natural Resources and the Environment Committee, gave the keynote speech.

Since 1993, the Georgia Centennial Farm Program has recognized 379 farms around the state. The program, adminis-

tered by the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources is supported by the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation, Georgia Department of Agriculure, Georgia Forestry Commission and Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter.

Farms may be recognized through one of three awards. The Centennial Heritage Farm Award honors farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Centennial Farm

Photo by Charlie Miller, Historic Preservation Division, Georgia DNR

Award does not require continual family ownership, but farms must be at least 100 years old or more and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Centennial Family Farm Award recognizes farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more not listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

To nominate a farm for recognition in 2011, visit http://www.gashpo.org and click the Centennial Farms link or contact Steven Moffson, Georgia Centennial Farm Committee chair, at 404-651-5906 or by email at steven.moffson@dnr.state.ga.us.

Nominations for the 2011 award are due on May 1.

200 varieties of fruit, nut and berry plants

2010 Centennial Family Farms J. Leahmon Akins Farm, Bulloch County Garfield Hall Farm, Bulloch County Bryan Family Farm, Dodge County Dunaway-Cape Heritage Plantation, Dooly County Bell Farms, Evans County Hopkins Farms of Grady County, Inc., Grady County W.F. Holcomb Family Farm, Habersham County Hill-Waller Farm, Hancock County T.A. Brown Family Farm, Laurens County

Franks Creek Farm, Lowndes County George W. Greene /R.A. & Mary Greene McLendon Farm, Macon County Charleston-Allen Farm, Morgan County Thornton Farm, Pierce County Cochran-Caldwell Farms, Pike County Gay Farm, Randolph County Brim Farm, Terrell County U.C. Stewart Farms, Thomas County Youngblood Farm, Turner County Hattaway-Harris Farm, Wheeler County Gammage Family Farm, Worth County

2011 Southeast Hay Convention

March 29-30 • GA Farm Bureau Building • Macon Event includes two days of learning and interacting with fellow hay producers and University specialists. The registration fee is $125 per person and $50 for each extra person from the same farm. Registration fee covers the convention notebook, a weed identification guide and many other reference materials. Lunch for both days is included in the fee. Conference is limited to 100 participants. Early registration is recommended. Visit http://www.georgiaforages.com for more information or to register or contact your local Extension office at 1-800-ASK-UGA1.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

Grow Half-Dollar Size Muscadines and Blackberries FREE Color Catalog Buy Direct from the Grower

Since 1934

Ison’s Nursery

P.O. Box 190 • Brooks, GA 30205

1-800-733-0324 www.isons.com

January-February 2011 / 15

Georgia h Photo by Jennifer Whittaker

By Jay Stone _____________________________________

Photo by Jennifer Whittaker

Kirsten Underwood (right) of Ty Ty, Ga., sings the National Anthem during the opening session while the color guard from the Georgia Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion presents the flags. Pictured from left are: PFC Gregory Parker from Memphis, Tenn., PVT Alexander Forbes of Kennesaw and SSG Roger Rosenberry of Douglasville. Not visible are SSG Bodey Holbert of Adairsville and SSG Rico Jones of Cedartown.

Photo by Jay Stone

GFB Women’s Committee members Nanette Bryan (left, front) of Chattooga County and Charlotte Ward (left, back) of Elbert County tell AFBF convention attendees about GFB’s just published cookbook.

The GFB Board of Directors took an active role in the AFBF policy development session.

Pictured from left are: GFB President Zippy Duvall, First Vice President Gerald Long and directors Paul Shirah, Lucious Adkins, Nora Goodman and George Chambers.

16 / January-February 2011

About 690 Georgia Farm Bureau members registered to attend the American Farm Bureau Federation 92nd Annual Convention Jan. 9-12 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Unfortunately, the city’s biggest snowstorm in years prevented all from attending.

“The weather presented us with a challenge but as farmers we’re no strangers to overcoming challenges,” said GFB President Zippy Duvall. “Serving as host for the AFBF convention was an important chance for us to showcase Georgia agriculture.”

GFB won awards of excellence in Agriculture Education and Promotion, Leadership Development, Member Services and Public Relations & Information.

Bleckley County Farm Bureau member Jonathan Fordham competed in the AFBF Young Farmer & Rancher Discussion meet, won by Colin Johnson of Iowa. Turner County Farm Bureau members Steven and Tiffany Metcalf represented Georgia in the Young Farmer Achievement contest, which was won

by Paul and Monica Minzenmayer of Texas.

Members heard AFBF President Bob Stallman speak about producing results, celebrating 50 consecutive years of national membership growth. He pointed out that AFBF membership had reached 6,279,813 families.

At the closing session, “Dirty Jobs” star Mike Rowe challenged Farm Bureau members to continue working to get their own message out, saying, “I do believe in my heart of hearts that you are your own best spokesmen.”

GFB members heard Pro Farmer News Editor Roger Bernard discuss the 2012 farm bill, which he said would be shaped in large part by efforts in Congress to reduce the federal deficit.

Officials from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discussed food safety oversight. Mike Taylor, FDA deputy commissioner for foods, said that the agency has been directed by Congress to develop a set of standards that guide farm practices in terms of food safety. Taylor’s comments were echoed by USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elisabeth Hagen.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

hosts annual AFBF convention ticular, the resolution asked lawmakers to consider legislation to halt the EPA’s regulation of greenhouse gases.

New dairy policy was adopted to allow for the consideration of a temporary supply management program, but delegates maintained AFBF’s opposition to a mandatory milk production quota system.

GFB North Georgia Vice President Bernard Sims moved to strike proposed policy that would have given implied support of federal legislation to legalize the sale of unpasteurized milk for human consumption and the delPictured from left, Bacon County Farm Bureau members Blake Varnedore, Ed Barber, Johnny Rewis and Cory Tyre look over a egates agreed. The state John Deere planter displayed at the AFBF/Ag Connect Expo of Georgia does not allow Trade Show. such sales and GFB suprules, the 2012 farm bill, EPA oversight, coun- ports the state’s position. try of origin labeling and other issues affect- GFB 3rd District Director George Chaming Georgia farmers. AFBF delegates agreed bers moved AFBF retain policy language that the new farm bill should maintain a that supports federal funding to implement safety net that consists of direct payments, a country of origin labeling (COOL) regulacountercyclical and marketing loan program tions and his motion carried.

GFB 9th District Director Lucius Adkins and crop insurance.

In discussion of the proposed rules for offered an amendment adopted by AFBF the Grain Inspection Packers and Stock- delegates that clarifies AFBF’s support of yards Administration (GIPSA), the delegates crop insurance products for all farmers by embraced tournament-style production adding livestock and poultry producers. contracts and adopted policy to support opportunities for producers to participate in programs that pay additional compensation for premium products (for example, Certified Angus Beef). Delegates did not agree with a GIPSA proposal to prohibit livestock buyers from making purchases for more than one packer.

The delegates agreed over- GFB worked with AFBF to give trade and agriculture attachsight of the U.S. Environmen- es from 26 foreign embassies in Washington, D.C. attending tal Protection Agency (EPA) is the AFBF convention a tour of Georgia farms and agribusineeded, adopting a statement nesses. The Jan. 7 tour included stops at the Mayfield Dairy that “congressional action is plant and Chateau Elan winery in Braselton, Jaemor Farms in Alto, London Farms in Cleveland and the Chapman Farm necessary to restore common in Clermont. Hall County Farm Bureau Director and poultry sense to environmental regu- producer Todd Chapman (right) gave the tour participants a lation of our farms.” In par- general overview of his production practices.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

Photo by Jay Stone

Photo by Jennifer Whittaker

Mike Rowe, creator and executive producer of the Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe,” gave the keynote address of the convention. Rowe, who has championed American farmers and their hard work on his show, said, “The rest of the country needs to understand what you do. The rest of the country is not sufficiently Godsmacked with the fact that you feed 300 million people every single day.”

Photo by Jennifer Whittaker

Photo by Jennifer Whittaker

Duvall was re-elected to the AFBF Board of Directors on Jan. 11, representing the organization’s southern region.

Voting delegates at the convention adopted policy addressing the proposed GIPSA

Georgia’s Discussion Meet contestant Jonathan Fordham of Bleckley County discussed the prospect of fostering other organizations as allies for agriculture. “There are people, even in rural counties like the one I live in, who don’t necessarily look at things through the lens of agriculture,” he said. “We’ve got to find other groups that have common interests and look for ways to work with them.”

January-February 2011 / 17

Ga. corn/soybean production awards presented Kevin Cobb of Jefferson County won in the irrigated high yield category, producing 283.1 bushels per acre of the Pioneer 2023 variety. Mike Newberry of Early County won in the irrigated production efficiency category, producing 255.3 bushels per acre at a cost of $2.48 per bushel. Cobb and Newberry each received a $300 cash prize.

Glenn Waller of Washington County

Electric utilities raise copper theft rewards Six Georgia electric utility providers are increasing the rewards offered in cases of copper theft in an effort to minimize its impact. On Jan. 4, Dalton Utilities, Electric Cities of Georgia, Georgia Electric Membership Corporation (EMC), Georgia Power, Georgia Transmission Corporation and Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG) announced in a joint release that the reward was being increased to $3,000. Officials from these providers hope the increased reward will encourage members of the public to come forward with valuable information.

Since February 2009 rewards of $500

have been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those associated with copper thefts.

A statewide copper theft hotline has been established to field reports of copper theft. Details including vehicle license plate numbers and physical descriptions of a person or vehicle could be especially helpful.

The number to call is 877-732-8717.

When reporting a theft in progress, call 911 first, then call the hotline. The utility providers are working with law enforcement and scrap recyclers to apprehend those responsible.

Georgia receives USDA disaster designation

In November, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack designated 151 Georgia counties as primary disaster areas due to crop losses resulting from drought and excessive heat since July 1. The disaster designation allows farmers in affected counties and contiguous counties to be considered for Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) and lowinterest emergency loans from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency.

Farmers in 151 Georgia counties sustained a 30 percent or greater production loss due to drought conditions. Eight contiguous counties – Camden, Glynn, Jas-

per, Morgan, Clayton, Greene, McIntosh and Newton – also qualify for disaster assistance.

Farmers in qualified counties have until July 26 to apply for emergency loan assistance. The FSA will review each application, considering the extent of production losses, security available and repayment ability.

SURE applications for 2010 crop losses will be accepted in 2011, when 2010 farm revenue data required by statute becomes available. For more information or to apply for assistance, contact your local FSA office.

GEORGIA PECAN GROWERS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE

March 30 • Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter • Perry Event runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and includes a trade show and research presentations from pecan specialists and promotion updates from the Georgia Pecan Commission. For additional information or to register visit http://www.georgiapecan.org or contact Janice Dees at 229-382-2187.

18 / January-February 2011

won both the high yield award and production efficiency award presented by the Georgia/Florida Soybean Association. In the high yield category, Waller produced 66.94 bushels per irrigated acre of Pioneer 95M50. In the production efficiency category, Waller produced a yield of 58.12 bushels per dryland acre of Northrup King S78g6 at a cost of $4.73 per bushel.

Bryan Tolar new GAC president

The Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) has named Bryan Tolar its president, effective Jan. 1.

Tolar, of Douglasville, is a 1992 graduate of the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. He has been with the GAC since 1997, serving stints as a member services representative, as director of marketing, education and environmental programs and as vice president of public affairs.

Prior to joining the GAC, Tolar worked in the Georgia Department of Agriculture Pesticide Division. He succeeds Gary Black, who resigned last year to run for election as the state’s commissioner of agriculture.

Photo Courtesy of GAC

The Georgia Corn Growers Association recently named the 2010 winners of their annual Georgia Corn Yield Contest.

David Stafford of Murray County won the non-irrigated high yield and production efficiency category of the contest. Stafford produced 216.8 bushels per acre of Anderson’s SX 723 variety at a cost of 80 cents per bushel, claiming the $400 overall top prize.

GFB’s Duvall on list of influential Georgians

Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall was included in the list of Georgia Trend’s 13th edition of 100 Most Influential Georgians. The list, published in the magazine’s January issue, includes Georgians who, “… are people who affect the course of events in Georgia, who influence what you think and how you live during the toughest economic era since the Great Depression.”

Georgia Farm Bureau News

County Farm Bureaus celebrate Farm-City Week Last year, Georgia Farm Bureau put a renewed effort into using National Farm-City Week, observed Nov. 19-25, as a tool for educating the public about the importance of agriculture. The GFB Field Services Department hosted a webinar last fall for all county office managers designed to offer tips on how to effectively sponsor Farm-City Week activities in their county.

Our county chapters responded enthusiastically by hosting a wide variety of activities and events to promote the week. We didn’t have room to share all of the Farm-City Week photos we received.

Visit GFB’s Facebook page at http://facebook.com/GeorgiaFarmBureau to view a photo album of all the events we received.

BULLOCH & CHATHAM COUNTIES The Bulloch and Chatham County Farm Bureaus joined forces to host a field day Nov. 19 for a group of 90 Bulloch County fifthgraders at Ottawa Farms, owned by CCFB Director Pete Waller. The students had the chance to navigate their way through Waller’s corn maze, watch pig races and learn more about life on the farm. The fifthgrade students viewed GFB’s Georgia Grows video before visiting the farm as part of a study on agriculture for their social studies class. CCFB provided lunch for the kids during the visit to the farm and BCFB threw the students a pizza party for performing well on the quiz they took about agriculture.

COOK COUNTY The Cook County Farm Bureau held a proclamation signing during their annual membership meeting. Officials and CCFB members who participated in the event were: (seated, L-R): LeRoy Howell, Adel Mayor Richard Barr, Cook County Commission Chairman Michael Dinnerman and (standing, L-R): Ike Jefferson, Wayne Boyette, Chad Sumner, Derry Bennett, Jared Howell, Joey Williams, Michele Waters and Irma Lee Howell.

During the meeting, GFB 10th District Field Representative David Mauldin gave a brief history of Farm-City Week.

FORSYTH COUNTY Forsyth County Farm Bureau held a breakfast for elected officials and board members on Nov. 23 at the county office. Attending were Georgia Rep. Mark Hamilton, County Commissioner Jim Boff and two newly elected commissioners, Pete Amos and Todd Levent.

After breakfast, some of the group proceeded to the Tyson Foods, Inc., poultry processing plant located in Cumming for a tour.

COBB COUNTY Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairman Tim Lee (right) presents a proclamation to Cobb County Farm Bureau President Clarence McCollum declaring Nov. 19-25 Farm City Week in the county. GFB President Zippy Duvall spoke during the Cobb County Farm-City Week luncheon.

OGLETHORPE COUNTY Oglethorpe County Farm Bureau held a drop-in Farm-City luncheon on Nov. 17 at the Oglethorpe County Farm Bureau building. Pictured from left are Jeff Aaron, Kyle Colquitt, OCFB Director Dale Brubaker, Ben Brubaker and OCFB Director Jimmy Yarbrough.

Crawford County Crawford County residents who visited the county library during Farm-City Week learned more about the celebration thanks to a window display Crawford County Farm Bureau created.

The county also visited two third-grade classes to discuss Farm-City Week.

RANDOLPH COUNTY Randolph County Farm Bureau held a drawing for a free turkey on Nov. 23 in honor of Farm-City Week. Cathy White (right), RCFB office manager and Women’s Committee member, presents the turkey to winner Wilmon Rainey.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

January-February 2011 / 19

AROUND GEORGIA News from County Farm Bureaus BERRIEN COUNTY Berrien County used its office Christmas tree to promote GFB’s commodity of the year – peanuts. “We got foam peanuts from the Georgia Peanut Commission to hand out during Farm-City Week. We had some left over and decided to use them on our tree,” BCFB Office Manager Phyllis Boyd said.

The county also celebrated the true meaning of Christmas by giving a donation to an elderly couple who lost their home to a fire.

BIBB COUNTY In November, Bibb County Farm Bureau co-sponsored a blood drive with the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors at the Bibb County Farm Bureau office.

The donated blood went to the Augusta Burn Center. Pictured from left are: BCFB member Tracey Green, Kelli Toland, Jana Tully and Louis Abbott.

CLAYTON COUNTY Clayton County Farm Bureau hosted a booth during the Clayton County Fall Festival held in October. The booth provided festival attendees information regarding member benefits and promoted GFB’s scholarship program and art/essay contests. Volunteers manning the booth also gave out gift bags containing peanuts and peanut bookmarks to promote the peanut commodity. Natalie Carlisle (far left) and Linda Schray (far right) talk to festival attendees about Farm Bureau.

DOUGLAS COUNTY Douglas County Farm Bureau is a Partner in Education with the Douglas County School System. Last fall, DCFB arranged to 20 / January-February 2011

have Harry Werner perform a Johnny Appleseed re-enactment to encourage reading and accelerated reading in several schools. The program reached more than 1,200 kindergarten through fifth-grade students at two schools.

Werner kept the students entertained by pulling various types of apples from his bag, along with stuffed farm animals. Werner also wove facts about the different varieties of apples and their nutritional value into the presentation.

EMANUEL COUNTY Pictured from left, Emanuel County Farm Bureau President Robert Fountain Jr. and Mary Ann Brown present Jessica Moore and her parents, Becky and John Moore, with the 2010 Dolan E. Brown Scholarship. Moore plans to obtain a bachelors degree in education. A 2010 graduate of Swainsboro High School, Moore was active in 4-H, FFA, FBLA, Beta Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

The scholarship memorializes Dolan Brown, who served as ECFB president from 1963 to 1983 and as a director until his death in 2006. Brown also served on the Georgia Farm Bureau Board of Director for 40 years.

IRWIN COUNTY Pictured from right, Irwin County Farm Bureau President Gary Paulk presents Othella Hudson, joined by family members Earlene Hudson, Diane Csordas, Janice and Jim Carlisle the 2010 J. E. Leger Georgia Farm Bureau News

Farmer of the Year Award on behalf of the ICFB. The award was presented during the Farmers Appreciation Luncheon that kicked off the 2010 Georgia Sweet Potato Festival held annually in Ocilla.

guests were asked to guess the number of peanuts the jar contained.

The first place prize went to Janice Saint, second place went to Dawn Welch and third place went to Tracy Watson.

LANIER COUNTY Lanier County Farm Bureau got into the Christmas spirit by participating in the Toys for Tots drive in December. The Lanier County School System and Lanier County DFCS distributed the toys to local needy families.

LCFB Directors pictured with the toys are: (standing, L-R) Ronnie Courson, Harold Simpson, Glyndon Register, LCFB President Paul Folsom, Larry Moore and Bobby Weldon and (seated L-R) Elvin Andrews, Lee Ivey and Darrell Watson.

TATTNALL COUNTY Every year in December, the Tattnall County Farm Bureau collects and donates toys to the local Department of Family and Children Services for underprivileged children in the area. TCFB directors and staff members are asked to bring new, unwrapped toys to their annual Christmas party.

The toys are delivered to the local DFCS office to be distributed as needed. TCFB Women’s Committee Chair Shirley Jarriel (right) is pictured delivering the toys to Janice Arnold at the Tattnall DFCS.

MARION COUNTY Marion County Farm Bureau held a Member Appreciation Day in October. To celebrate their members, MCFB served refreshments and gave out Farm Bureau hats, cups, calendars, measuring cups, koozies, pencils and pot holders. MCFB members Claudia Fulford (right) and Julie Taylor were among those attending the event. The third and fifth-grade P.A.L. students of Faye Wells and Angie Highnote’s kindergarten class at L.K. Moss Primary School provided the artwork on display in the background.

To highlight GFB’s commodity of the year - peanuts - a jar of peanuts was displayed on the front counter during the event and

GFB 4th District secretaries support military

The GFB 4th District office managers and secretaries (pictured with GFB 4th Dist. Field Rep. Rick Hubert) decided that instead of exchanging Christmas gifts last year during their annual Christmas party, they would donate the money they would have spent on gifts to Operation Homefront Georgia. This organization works with all branches of the military, Army Reserve and National Guard units throughout Georgia to meet the needs of military families. Wounded Warriors are helped during their recovery with assistance while their Veteran’s Affairs disability claims are being processed.

COMMITTEES from page 10 Appling; Scott Dougherty, Macon; Josh E. Giddens, Charlton SOYBEANS Chairman Olin Boyd, Screven; Vice Chairman Jimmy Phillips, Whitfield; Alan Scoggins, Walker; Bobby Eavenson, Elbert; Neil Skipper, Bibb; Cal Chester, Johnson; Glenn Waller, Washington; Michael Jon Baxley, Appling; Daniel Page, Bryan SWINE Chairman Andrew Thompson, Brooks; Vice Chairman Dania DeVane, Randolph; Steve Wilhoit, Whitfield; Danny Gunter, Georgia Farm Bureau News

Wilkes; Bill Waldrep, Jr., Monroe; Clint Oliver, Tattnall; Don Williford, Crisp; Terry Danforth, Berrien; Charles H. Usry, Jr., Lee; Pat Thrift, Charlton

er, Chattooga; John Lowrey, Floyd; Augustine Leo, Carroll; Russ Elliott, Bibb; Walter Driggers, Tattnall; Sam Watson, Colquitt; John Hudson, Irwin

TOBACCO Chairman Lamar Vickers, Berrien; Vice Chairman Ricky Tucker, Berrien; Reid Turner, Appling; Billy Burch, Wayne; Tim Crosby, Brooks; Daryl Metts, Coffee; Paul Folsom, Lanier

WATER Chairman John Bridges, Sr., Decatur; Vice Chairman Larry Eley, Greene; Sam Chapman, Hall; Steve Dixon, Berrien; William Grizzle, Cherokee; C.F. Harris, Crawford; Billy Sanders, Dooly; Doug Sowar, Paulding; Lee Webster, Jr., Burke; Jim Reid, Sumter

VEGETABLES Chairman Greg Murray, Decatur; Vice Chairman Sam Payne, Gordon; Clint Hunt-

Don McGough is director of the GFB Commodities/Marketing Department.

January-February 2011 / 21

Photos by Megan Dickerson

Left photo: Wyatt Chandler (far right) of Jackson County is pictured with his heifer, Blossom, with which he won the showmanship award for his age division. Pictured (R-L) with Chandler is his uncle David Farmer, Farmer’s fiancée Sarah Jenkins and Chandler’s

little sister, Bella Brook. Chandler also won the Grand Champion Steer prize. Right photo: Kellie Panter of Lumpkin County (far right) is pictured with her Supreme Champion Heifer. Pictured with Panter is her sister, Brittney.

Haunted heifers and spooked steers stars of GFB 2nd District Cattle Show By Jennifer Whittaker __________________________________________________________________________

E

ighty-eight students competed in the 2nd Annual Georgia Farm Bureau 2nd District Young Farmer Steer & Heifer Show held Oct. 30 at the White County Agricenter in Cleveland. First to 12th grade students from every county in the district entered 133 steers and heifers in the show for which the theme was again appropriately titled “Haunts & Heifers, Spooks & Steers.” More than 300 people attended the event.

The show was spearheaded by GFB 2nd District Young Farmer Chairs Clay and Brittany Talton and the county Young Farmer Committees in the district with collaborative help from GFB 2nd District Women’s Chair Charlotte Ward and the county Women’s Committees and GFB 2nd District Field Representative Dennis Black.

GFB 2nd District Directors Bobby Gunter and Randy Ruff supported the event along with the county presidents and agency managers from every county in the district by donating prize money.

“Last year’s show was so enthusiastically received by our Farm Bureau members in the Second District that we decided to hold a second district-wide show. This show is a great way to help our youth keep their showmanship skills sharp between the Georgia National Fair in Perry and the few shows in early December,” said

22 / January-February 2011

Clay Talton. “This show would not have been so successful if not for the support we received from all of the county Farm Bureau staff, members and district leaders.

This was truly a team event.”

The GFB 2nd District used the cattle show to promote Farm Bureau membership benefits and the Young Farmer program. Each of the students who competed received a GFB membership brochure and a green souvenir t-shirt decorated with a heifer in a pumpkin patch. The t-shirt was designed by Taylor Bryant, who graduated from Franklin County High School earlier this year. The 11th and 12th grade students received information about GFB Young Farmer activities to encourage

them to join their county committees.

Kellie Panter of Lumpkin County captured the Supreme Champion Heifer prize of $300 while Thomas Ross of Lumpkin County won the Supreme Reserve Champion Heifer prize of $200. Wyatt Chandler of Jackson County walked out of the ring with the Grand Champion Steer prize of $300 while LeAnna Roberts of Franklin County won the Reserve Champion Steer prize of $200.

Showmanship winners were as follows: 4th Grade and under Wyatt Chandler of Jackson County; 5th Grade – Brandon Boling of Banks County; 6th Grade – Sydney Arnold of Madison County; 7th Grade – Austin Floyd of Hart County; 8th Grade – Kellie Panter of Lumpkin County; 9th Grade – Adam Floyd of Franklin County; 10th Grade – Johnathan Barrett of Habersham County; 11th Grade – Morgan Tolbert of Madison County; and 12th Grade – Dillon Parker of Rabun County.

Columbus to host GFB Educational Leadership Conference

“Answering the Call to Leadership” is the theme for Georgia Farm Bureau’s annual Educational Leadership Conference to be held Saturday, March 26 at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center. The conference will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. Conference workshops will cover the organization’s commodity promotion for 2011-2012, building a membership program and being a more effective leader. There will also be a make-and-take session to give volunteers a variety of activities they can use in their local schools and community.

Registration for the conference is $45 per person. The Columbus Convention and Trade Center is located in downtown Columbus on the Chattahoochee River. Accommodations are at the Columbus Marriott across the street. The rate is $114 per night, single or double occupancy, plus state and local state tax, and includes 2 breakfast buffet vouchers.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

President Barack Obama on Dec. 17 signed into law H.R. 4853, the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010, which extends numerous tax provisions enacted during the Bush administration and establishes a new estate tax structure.

The new law sets for two years an estate tax rate exemption of $5 million per person with a maximum rate of 35 percent that was supported by Farm Bureau. The estate tax was repealed for 2010 only. Without the legislation, an estate tax structure that allowed an exemption of $1 million per person with a top tax rate of 55 percent would have gone into effect Jan. 1.

In addition to estate tax relief, the new law continues a number of other tax provisions supported by Farm Bureau. It

extends lower capital gains tax rates for all taxpayers and lower income tax rates for all taxpayers until 2012.

The law also extends tax incentives for the production of biodiesel through 2012.

It extends tax incentives for the production of ethanol and the tariff on imported ethanol through 2011. It also extends the alternative fuels tax credit for liquid fuels derived from biomass and other sources through 2011.

Under the bill, the Alternative Minimum Tax relief is extended through the 2011 tax year, and the higher Section 179 small business expensing provisions are extended through 2012. Also extended are expanded child and dependent care tax credits, marriage penalty relief and expiring unemployment benefits.

Smith named 4-H State Leader

Arch Smith, who has served 4-H in a number of capacities during his 25-year career, has been named state leader and director of Georgia 4-H. Smith has served as interim state 4-H director for the past year, leading the organization through the 2010 budget process. In that time, he helped form the official response to budget proposals that included the elimination of the 4-H program.

Smith graduated from the University of Georgia in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics. He also holds a master’s degree in public administration from West Georgia.

Smith worked as a county 4-H agent in Carroll County from 1985 to 1988 before joining the state 4-H team as director of the Rock Eagle 4-H Center. In 1995 he became associate state 4-H leader and executive director of the Georgia 4-H Foundation.

Blane Marable/UGA

Legislation offers limited estate tax reprieve

High school students participate in rodeo event The Georgia High School Rodeo Association (GHSRA), a state-wide association of high school students who participate in rodeos held throughout the state, hosted its 20th Annual Southeastern Showdown, Nov. 5-7 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry. In addition to the more than 80 Georgia competitors, the event drew contestants from Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Contestants competed in barrel Georgia Farm Bureau News

racing, bucking bulls, bucking horses, team roping and calf roping events in preparation for the National High School Rodeo Finals in Gillette, Wy., next July.

Here the Georgia delegation rides in the parade of states on Nov. 7.

Charlie Lowry of Summerville, Ga., received the GHSRA Southeastern Mills Top Hand Award in recognition of his longtime support of the event. Lowry, owner of 4L Rodeo Company, has provided the rodeo stock for all 20 Southeastern Showdowns.

Macon County Farm Bureau decorates tree for bank

Royal British Canadian Centura Bank employee Terri Cumbus enjoys the Christmas tree the Macon County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee decorated for the bank. The tree featured agricultural products grown in Macon County. Kim Brown serves as chairman of the committee.

January-February 2011 / 23

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