July 12, 2017
www.gfb.org
Vol. 35 No. 14
AG SECRETARY PERDUE, EPA ADMINISTRATOR PRUITT VISIT GEORGIA U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt visited Middle Georgia on July 7, touring Gully Branch, the tree farm operated by Earl and Wanda Barrs in Bleckley County before meeting with approximately 100 landowners and agricultural stakeholders. Perdue and Pruitt carried a message that their agencies will work with farmers and landowners to ensure their needs are considered while implementing environmental regulations. The visit came 10 days after the EPA announced it would rescind the controversial Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. “The EPA has been an impediment, not just in your industry but in other industries,” Pruitt said. “There’s been a distrust that’s been engendered in Washington D.C., that we can’t trust people. We can’t trust folks who own private property to do what’s necessary to protect Sonny Perdue, left, and the water and the air. That’s just simply not the case.” Scott Pruitt After the pair of federal government leaders made remarks, they opened the floor, and the crowd responded with questions about the Trump adminisration’s stance on conservation, environmental education and forest fire The next issue of prevention. GFB News Alert Pruitt was asked about rapid changes in water quality standards and the effects comes out they have on small communities. July 26. “We need regulatory certainty,” Pruitt said. “We need to work with communities across the country and say here’s where we want to be and then along the runway, so people and communities can invest and plan and allocate resources.” Georgia Farm Bureau Forestry Committee Chairman John Mixon asked Perdue about the USDA’s budget for the U.S. Forest Service, particularly for fire prevention practices. “One thing we’ve always heard is get on that fire while it’s small and put it out,” Mixon said. “You don’t get there and wait two days to get all the planning altogether and instead of a five-acre fire you may have a 50-acre fire or a 500-acre fire. Please look at this as well.” Perdue said the issue has drawn the attention of Congress and a budgetary fix is possible. “The budget of the U.S. Forest Service has been decimated by the fact that we’ve had to fight major, major disaster forest fires and it’s drained the budget,” Perdue said. “We couldn’t manage those. We couldn’t clean the undergrowth. We can’t do controlled burning. We can’t harvest the dead wood out of there, which just provides for good fire wood when that fire starts. There’s a good bit of interest in Congress to do that. We’re going to work on that and try to get it done.” For photos from the Perdue/Pruitt meeting visit http://bit.ly/PerduePruittvisit.
GFB News Alert page 2 of 11 GCC APPROVES BUDGET, ELECTS BART DAVIS CHAIRMAN At its June 28 meeting, the Georgia Cotton Commission approved its budget for fiscal year 2018 (FY18) that started July 1. Along with supporting cotton industry organizations such as the National Cotton Council and Southern Cotton Growers, the FY18 budget includes $645,000 for cotton research. These research projects cover all aspects of cotton production including cotton breeding, variety testing, weed science, entomology, pathology and engineering. The commission’s research program also includes a grant for continued support of the UGA Cotton Team’s extension activities. A list of current and past research projects can be found on the commission website at www.GeorgiaCottonCommission.org. Also at its June 28 meeting, the commission elected Bart Davis of Colquitt County as chairman and Matt Coley of Dooly County as viceBart Davis chairman. Davis, who was first appointed to the board in 2012, succeeds Mike Lucas of Bleckley County, who has served on the commission’s board since 2003 and as the board’s chairman since 2013. Coley, also appointed to the board in 2012, succeeds Lee Cromley of Bulloch County, who has served as a board member since 2011 and as vice chairman since 2014. Davis operates Davis Farms, a cotton, peanut, corn, hay, and cattle operation, with his wife, daughter and two sons. Davis is a longtime supporter of FFA, holds a State FFA Degree, has been named Georgia Star Farmer and has been named Farmer of the Year at the Annual Peanut Festival in Sylvester. In addition to serving as the Georgia Cotton Commission’s Chairman, Davis serves as a delegate to the National Cotton Council, a director for Southern Cotton Growers, and as an alternate director for Cotton Incorporated. Coley is the fourth generation to operate Coley Farms, a cotton and peanut farm, and Coley Gin & Fertilizer, a cotton gin and peanut buying point in Vienna. After college, Coley served on the staff of Sen. Saxby Chambliss. In addition to serving as the Georgia Cotton Commission’s vice chairman, Coley serves as a board member for the National Peanut Buying Points Association and as director for the American Cotton Producers of the National Cotton Council. Coley was a member of the Leadership Georgia Class of 2016. 2017 GEORGIA PEACH CROP HIT HARD BY WEATHER A devastating combination of low chill hours and a mid-March freeze resulted in massive crop losses in Georgia’s peach industry, so much so that out-of-state shipping has been severely limited and the harvest season cut short by two months or more, according to published reports. Georgia Peach Council President Duke Lane told Fresh Fruit Portal the losses – an estimated 75-80 percent of the state’s crop – would result in the state’s smallest peach crop in 35 years. Peaches require approximately 850 hours of temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit – “chill hours” - between October and February, but an unusually warm winter allowed just 500 such hours in the primary peach growing region in the middle of the state. The warm winter prompted early blooms, which were exposed to bitter cold in mid-March, when most of the state recorded temperatures in the low 20s. Georgia generally comes in behind California and South Carolina in peach production. South Carolina was also hit extremely hard by the winter weather.
GFB News Alert page 3 of 11 GA VET EDUCATION BOARD ANNOUNCES LOAN REPAYMENT RECIPIENTS The State Veterinary Education Board (SVEB) of Georgia has selected five veterinarians to participate in the inaugural year of the Georgia Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program. The SVEB received 11 applications for the program’s first year of funding. Participants for the 2017 Award Year are: Dr. Jana Powell of Eatonton; Dr. LeAnna Wilder of Montezuma; Dr. Madison Fyke of Forsyth; Dr. Edmond Strickland of Winterville and Dr. Charlie Clark of Twin City. The Georgia General Assembly appropriated $100,000 to the Georgia Student Finance Authority for the 2017 Fiscal Year to grant financial assistance to veterinarians willing to provide food animal services in underserved areas across the state. The SVEB is responsible for administering the program and works alongside the Georgia Student Finance Authority to make payments on the student loans of the program’s participants after their service period is complete. Prior to receiving their award, participants must devote at least 20 hours per week to providing food animal veterinary services in rural counties with populations of 35,000 or less for a period of 12 months. Each participant has signed a service commitment with the SVEB that will require them to dedicate their time to providing these services in the rural counties identified in their applications. In total, the participants will serve more than 30 counties in their immediate and surrounding areas. Funding for the 2018 Program Year will be available next year for any qualified veterinarians who wish to apply. For updates on when the application period will open, please visit http://agr.georgia.gov/georgia-veterinary-education-loan-repayment-program.aspx. OLIVER JOINS UGA AS FRUIT PATHOLOGIST Jonathan Oliver’s study of blueberries and his homegrown knowledge of citrus makes the Palatka, Florida, native a valuable addition to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Stationed on the UGA Tifton campus, Oliver recently joined the college as a fruit pathologist specializing in blueberries, blackberries, citrus, pomegranates, olives and mayhaws. “Georgia has a tremendous array of commodities just in fruits. That’s one of the reasons I am excited about working here,” Oliver said. “We have established fruits, like blueberries, and up-and-coming fruits, like citrus, that should only continue to grow in popularity. Hopefully, I can help our farmers continue to be as successful as they have been.” Georgia is a national leader in blueberry production. Georgia blueberries were valued at more than $255.7 million in 2015, according to the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development’s farm gate value Jonathan Oliver report. Oliver previously worked at Auburn University, where he studied Xylella fastidiosa, the cause of bacterial leaf scorch in blueberries. He coordinated some of his research with UGA Cooperative Extension county agents in Georgia and hopes to continue those studies in his new role at UGA. Oliver earned undergraduate degrees in plant pathology and microbiology and cell science from the University of Florida and a doctoral degree in plant pathology from Cornell University.
GFB News Alert page 4 of 11 GA COUNTIES RECEIVE DISASTER DECLARATIONS DUE TO MARCH FREEZE On June 30 the USDA issued disaster declarations for Burke and Wilcox counties to help farmers mitigate their losses caused by a freeze that occurred from March 15-18. The following counties qualify for USDA disaster assistance programs because they are contiguous to a primary county designation: Ben Hill, Crisp, Dodge, Dooly, Emanuel, Jefferson, Jenkins, Pulaski, Richmond, Screven, Telfair and Turner. Farmers in counties named either primary disaster areas or contiguous counties are eligible for low interest emergency (EM) loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses. FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the EM loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from adversity. Other FSA programs that can provide assistance, but do not require a disaster declaration, include Operating and Farm Ownership Loans, the Emergency Conservation Program, the Livestock Forage Disaster Program, the Livestock Indemnity Program, the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program and the Tree Assistance Program. Interested farmers may contact their local USDA Service Centers for more information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov. GA FARMERS INCREASE COTTON AND PEANUT ACREAGE Georgia cotton and peanut farmers are expected to plant significantly more acres in those two crops in 2017 than they did in 2016, according to the June acreage report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Georgia farmers also increased acreage in oats and rye. Georgia growers reduced their acreage planted in corn and soybeans, while sorghum and hay acreage remained the same. The state’s peanut farmers are expected to plant 850,000 acres in 2017, up from 720,000 in 2016, an increase of 18 percent. Cotton farmers in Georgia are forecast to plant 1.35 million acres in 2017, up from 1.18 million in 2016, an increase of 14 percent. Georgia corn growers scaled back planting from 410,000 acres in 2016 to 370,000 acres in 2017, a decrease of 9.8 percent. Georgia farmers are forecast to harvest 600,000 acres of hay in 2017, the same as in 2016. The state’s soybean acreage is expected to decline by 31 percent, from 260,000 acres in 2016 to 180,000 acres in 2017. Georgia oat producers are forecast to increase acreage by 11 percent, from 45,000 acres in 2016 to 50,000 acres in 2017. The state’s rye acreage is expected to increase by 25 percent, from 200,000 acres in 2016 to 250,000 acres in 2017. The state’s wheat growers are expected to plant 160,000 acres in 2017, down from 180,000 in 2016, a reduction of 11 percent. Georgia sorghum growers are forecast to plant 20,000 acres in 2017, the same as in 2016.
GFB News Alert page 5 of 11 EPA TAKING NOMINATIONS FOR ADVISORY PANELS The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking nominations for the Science Advisory Board (SAB) and Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC). Nominations will be accepted until July 27. Members serve at the request of the EPA administrator and are selected for their scientific expertise and independence. In 1978, Congress directed EPA to establish an SAB to provide independent scientific advice to the Administrator on science that underlies agency rulemaking. As spelled out by the Clean Air Act, CASAC has specific statutory duties, including advice related to air quality standards like the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). A recent Government Accountability Organization report found that CASAC has never provided advice on adverse social, economic or energy effects related to NAAQS because it was not asked to play that role. Moving forward, EPA will ensure the CASAC addresses this serious deficiency and fulfills its complete duties, as spelled out by legislative statute. Nominations can be submitted on each board’s respective website. To learn more about SAB and submit a nomination, visit: www.epa.gov/sab. To learn more about CASAC and submit a nomination, visit: www.epa.gov/casac. EPA PROPOSES RFS VOLUMES FOR 2018 On July 5, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed a proposed rule setting the minimum amount of renewable fuels that must be supplied to the market in calendar year 2018 under the Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) program. The Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO) rule proposes volume requirements and associated percentage standards that maintain renewable fuel volumes at levels comparable to the 2017 standards. The EPA has proposed that the 2018 RVO be lowered from 4.28 billion gallons to 4.24 billion gallons. Under federal law, the EPA has until Nov. 30 to finalize the proposed standards. According to the agency press release, the rule is on track to be finalized by that deadline. The proposed volumes, the EPA said, are based on requirements under the law and an analysis of current market dynamics, including energy demand, biofuel production, and market constraints. The proposed standards drew mixed reviews from agricultural groups. National Corn Growers Association President Wesley Spurlock said the proposed standards are good for farmers in difficult economic times. The American Soybean Association (ASA) expressed disappointment in the EPA’s proposal to lower the RVO for advanced biofuels. Under the proposed rule, non-advanced or “conventional” renewable fuel volumes are maintained at the 15-billion gallon target set by Congress. The biomass-based diesel standard for 2019 would be maintained at the 2018 levels of 2.1 billion gallons. The proposed rule would cut cellulosic biofuel required volume from 311 million gallons in 2017 to 238 million gallons in 2018. The RVO for biomass-based diesel would go from 2.1 billion gallons in 2017 to 2.1 billion gallons in 2018. The advanced biofuel RVO standard is proposed a 4.24 billion gallons in 2018, down from 4.28 billion gallons in 2017. The renewable fuel RVO is proposed at 19.24 billion gallons in 2018, down from 19.28 billion gallons in 2017. The EPA is beginning technical analysis that will inform a future rule to reset the statutory volumes for cellulosic, advanced, and total biofuels. The law requires this reset when certain conditions are met. To read the rule in its entirety visit http://bit.ly/18RFS.
GFB News Alert page 6 of 11 FORMER JONES COUNTY FARM BUREAU PRESIDENT PAUL MONCRIEF DIES Former Jones County Farm Bureau President Paul Moncrief died on June 30. He was 85. He was born July 15, 1931, in Cordele and had lived in Jones County for the past 62 years. He was the son of the late Joseph Cleveland Moncrief and Bessie Lee Stripling. Moncrief served as Jones County Farm Bureau president from 1997 to 2000. He was a livestock farmer and retired from KeeblerKellogg Company. He started Apple Valley Feed Company in 1993, closing the company in 2012. He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Lois, and his son Hugh Skinner. Paul Moncrief Moncrief is survived by his grandsons: Regan and wife Missy Skinner; and Jeffery and wife Kristy Skinner. The family may be contacted at 215 Old Highway 18, Gray, GA 31032.
GFB News Alert page 7 of 11 SUNBELT EXPO FIELD DAY July 13 Sunbelt Ag Expo/Spence Field 7:15 a.m. Moultrie World-renowned research by University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences scientists will be featured at this year’s Sunbelt Field Day in Moultrie. More than 600 acres of agricultural research conducted by various UGA commodity teams, as well as industry scientists, will be on display during the field day at the Darrell Williams Research Farm, located at the Sunbelt Agricultural Expo site at Spence Field in Moultrie. The event is free and registration will begin at 7:15 a.m. Trams depart for the field tours at 8 a.m. and the event concludes at noon. For more information visit http://sunbeltexpo.com/2017-field-day/. CHEROKEE COUNTY CANDIDATE FORUM/MEET & GREET July 27 Cagle’s Family Farm, 5267 Conns Creek Rd. 6:30 p.m. Ball Ground All local, state and national candidates running for office in 2017 are invited to attend and each will have two minutes to speak if they have opposition. Those candidates with no opposition will be introduced. Questions from the audience will follow. Current elected officials will also be introduced. Everyone will have time to meet & greet the candidates before and after the event. Homemade ice cream will be served by Boy Scout Troop #465. Soft drinks, water and peanuts will be provided by Cherokee County Farm Bureau. RSVP by July 21 to Cherokee County Farm Bureau Office Manager Shirley Pahl at sfpahl@gfb.org or 770- 479-1481 ext. 0. STRIPLING IRRIGATION RESEARCH PARK FIELD DAY July 27 Stripling Irrigation Research Park 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Camilla This field day includes remarks from UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Dean Sam Pardue and Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black. Field tours feature advanced irrigation scheduling, soil moisture sensors and smartpone app, chemgiation of fungicides on cotton and corn and much more. RSVP by July 21 by calling 229-522-3623 or sending an email to sirp@uga.edu. FSA COUNTY COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS Aug. 1 deadline for nominations The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting nominations for its county committees. County committees are made up of farmers and ranchers elected by other producers in their communities to guide the delivery of farm programs at the local level. Committee members play a critical role in the day-to-day operations of FSA. After the nomination period, candidates will encourage the eligible producers in their local administrative area to vote. FSA will mail election ballots to eligible voters beginning Nov. 6, 2017. Ballots will be due back to the local county office either via mail or in person by Dec. 4, 2017. Newly-elected committee members and alternates will take office on Jan. 1, 2018. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign an FSA669A nomination form. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. All nomination forms for the 2017 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1. Locate your local office at https://offices.usda.gov and visit to get more information.
GFB News Alert page 8 of 11 NATIONAL CHILDREN’S CENTER OFFERING AG SAFETY GRANTS Aug. 16 deadline to apply Proposals are now being accepted for mini-grants up to $20,000 to support small-scale projects and pilot studies that address prevention of childhood agricultural disease and injury. The National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety plans to award three grants. Since 2002, 55 projects have been funded through the National Children's Center. For information on eligibility, how to improve your chances of being funded, submitting a proposal and frequently asked questions, go to: https://www.marshfieldresearch.org/nccrahs/mini-grants or contact Marsha Salzwedel, M.S., salzwedel.marsha@marshfieldresearch.edu or by phone at 715-389-5226 or 1800-662-6900 option 8. 2017 AGAWARE WORKSHOP Aug. 25 Burke County Office Park Waynesboro AgSouth Farm Credit and AgGeorgia Farm Credit are hosting this workshop to give farmers a better understanding of how to approach their finances. Topics covered in the program include: balance sheets; income statements; family finance & family budgeting; risk management; accrual income; applying for financing and preparing a business plan. Bonus videos on recordkeeping, marketing and technology will be available for continued education. To register visit http://bit.ly/agawaresignup. AFBF COUNTY ACTIVITIES OF EXCELLENCE Sept. 1 deadline to apply The American Farm Bureau Federation County Activities of Excellence (CAE) Awards are designed to celebrate unique volunteer-driven programming at the local level. The program recognizes and shares successful county Farm Bureau programs and activities to help generate grassroots activity. The CAE program categorizes activities into the following areas: Education and Ag Promotion, Member Services, Public Relations and Information, Leadership Development and Policy Implementation. Up to 24 county Farm Bureau activities from across the nation will be selected to display in the IDEAg Trade Show January 2018, in Nashville, Tennessee. Individual county activities and multi-county collaborative activities selected will receive $2,250 toward expenses incurred to participate in the CAE program at the AFBF Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show as well as four free convention registrations. For information about the program or to enter, visit http://bit.ly/AFBFCAE. 22nd ANNUAL LUMBER CITY FARM DAY FESTIVAL Sept. 9 & 10 Lumber City Saturday’s events include a Fun Run & 5K race, arts/crafts, food vendors, a parade and live entertainment. A community church service will be held Sept. 10. For more information or to register for the race visit www.lumbercityfarmday.org or call Jeanette Ban at 912-363-4643 or email jeaban2007@mac.com.
GFB News Alert page 9 of 11 31ST ANNUAL GEORGIA PEANUT TOUR Sept. 19-20 Southwest Georgia The 31st annual Georgia Peanut Tour brings the latest information on peanuts while giving a firsthand view of industry infrastructure from production and handling to processing and utilization. Tour stops will be made in several peanut producing counties including Dougherty, Lee and Sumter County. Attendees can expect to see first-hand nearly every aspect of peanut production in the state. This year's tour hosts many exciting stops including on-farm harvest demonstrations and clinics, peanut processing facilities, and several special highlights which include research at the University of Georgia Southwest Georgia Research and Education Center, Jimmy Carter's Boyhood Home, Georgia Seed Development Commission Foundation Seed Facility in Plains, Smithville Peanut Company Buying Point and JLA USA in Albany. Hotel accommodations can be made at the Merry Acres Inn in Albany, Georgia, by calling 229-435-7721. Rooms are available at the rate of $89 plus tax for a standard room. Ask for the Georgia Peanut Tour room block. To register online visit http://bit.ly/17GAPnutTour. For more information contact the Georgia Peanut Commission at 229-386-3470. FIREWISE ON THE FARM FIELD DAY Sept. 26 William Harris Homestead, 3636 Hwy 11 N, 9:30 a.m. – noon Monroe This free field day, sponsored in part by Walton County Farm Bureau, promotes fire safety on the farm and in the home. Numerous agencies will give demonstrations and provide information about fire safety. The fire departments will be demonstrating equipment and methods of prevention and easy and convenient methods of extinguishing fires and how to equip a utility task vehicle with a small tank of water that is easily transported for equipment fires. For more information contact Frank Riley by email at frank@CCRCD.gmail.com or by phone at 706-897-1676. GEORGIA FARM TO SCHOOL SUMMIT Oct. 5 & 6 Helms College Augusta The Farm to School Summit connects schools, early care centers, and local farms and distributors to serve and champion healthy, local meals in cafeterias, improve student nutrition, and increase farm and gardening educational opportunities. This year’s summit welcomes farmers, teachers, early care educators and administrators, school nutrition staff, students, parents, and others interested in learning more about Georgia’s farm to school movement. Highlights include the opening keynote address from national farm to school leader Betti Wiggins of Detroit Public Schools, closing keynote address from Burke County School Nutrition Director and Presidentelect of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Donna Martin, workshops, educational sessions and networking. For more information visit http://bit.ly/farmtoschoolsummit. ASA DUPONT YOUNG LEADER PROGRAM Applications are being accepted for the ASA DuPont Young Leader program, a challenging and educational two-part training program. Phase I of the 2017–18 program will take place at the DuPont Pioneer headquarters in Johnston, Iowa, Nov. 28–30, 2017. The program continues Feb. 25–28, 2018 in Anaheim, California, in conjunction with the annual Commodity Classic Convention and Trade Show. Soybean grower couples and individuals are encouraged to apply for the program which focuses on leadership and communication, the latest agricultural information and the development of a strong peer network. To apply, visit https://soygrowers.com/learn/youngleader-program-application/.
GFB News Alert page 10 of 11 SAVANNAH COMMUNITY GARDEN SEEKS VOLUNTEERS, DONATIONS The community garden at Savannah Regional Hospital needs volunteers to help with garden maintenance – weeding, watering, transplanting, pruning and other tasks – that cannot be completed by the hospital’s therapeutic patients. The garden has six raised beds and houses various plants that provide forage for butterflies and bees. The hospital also needs donations of small gardening supplies and other items to make it visually interesting. For more information, contact Volunteer Services Coordinator Jessica Mathis at 912-356-2826. FARM BUREAU-AFFILIATED FARMERS MARKETS CANTON FARMERS MARKET Through Oct. 28 Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Cannon Park Canton This market features 100 percent GA Grown produce and handcrafted items. Cherokee County Farm Bureau will hold an event once a month at the market promoting watermelon day, apple day, peach day etc. COBB COUNTY FARM BUREAU FARMERS MARKET Tuesdays 3 p.m.-7 p.m. Lost Mountain Park Powder Springs Cobb County Farm Bureau (CCFB) in cooperation with Cobb County Parks & Recreation is hosting this farmers market. CCFB is offering vendor space to farmers, growers and producers in Cobb and surrounding counties, with the goal of offering locally grown food to the community. Each vendor must be a Farm Bureau member. Vendor fees are only $5 per week, with a discount for paying in full for the entire market season. For more information contact cobbcountyfarmbureau@gmail.com or Debbie Payne at dmpayne@gfb.org or 770-9433531. MONROE FARMERS MARKET Saturdays until Oct. 7 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Court Street, Downtown Monroe This market, sponsored in part by Walton County Farm Bureau, features fresh produce and goods from local farmers, work from local artisans and family friendly activities. For more information visit www.monroedowntownfarmersmarket.com PAULDING COUNTY FARM BUREAU FARMERS MARKET Thursdays through Oct. 26 3 p.m.-7 p.m., 549 Hardee St. Dallas Paulding County Farm Bureau (PCFB) is accepting vendors for its weekly farmers market being held at the PCFB office. Visit the market’s Facebook page (http://bit.ly/PCFBmkt) for weekly updates. Vendors sell locally grown produce and other ag commodities or homemade crafts. There is no fee to participate but vendors must be Farm Bureau members. To participate in the market, contact Tracy Grice at 770-445-6681 or email her at tcgrice@gfb.org.
GFB News Alert page 11 of 11 ROCKDALE/DEKALB FARM BUREAU FARMERS MARKET Tuesdays & Saturdays 8 a.m. – noon, RDCFB office Conyers The Rockdale/DeKalb Farm Bureau Farmers Market will be held at 1400 Parker Rd. SE in Conyers. The public is invited to stop by and shop for fresh, locally grown vegetables, dairy products, crafts and more. The market is expected to run into late summer or early fall when produce production ends. For more information contact the Rockdale/DeKalb County Farm Bureau office at 770-922-3566. SHIELDS-ETHRIDGE HERITAGE FARM CULTIVATORS MARKET Aug. 5, Sept. 2 & Oct. 21 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. 2355 Ethridge Rd. Jefferson Jackson County Farm Bureau (JCFB) sponsors this monthly open-air market that features local farmers and entrepreneurs selling products they make or grow in a festival atmosphere. Market held rain or shine. The Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm is an outdoor ag museum that functions as an educational and interpretative facility. Proceeds from the market will be used for restoration projects at the farm. If you are interested in having a booth at the market, contact JCFB Office Manager Denise Temple at dftemple@gfb.org or call 706-367-8877 or visit www.shieldsethridgefarminc.com to complete an application online. UNION COUNTY FARMERS MARKET Tuesdays 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Saturdays 7 a.m. – 1 p.m., 148 Old Smokey Road Blairsville The public is welcome to shop for fresh, locally grown vegetables from local farmers. For more information contact Mickey Cummings or Kristy Peney at 706-781-8802 or visit www.ucfarmersmarket.com. Union County Farm Bureau will sponsor a tractor show at the market Labor Day weekend. WOODSTOCK FARM FRESH MARKET Saturdays through September 8:30 am to Noon. Woodstock Located on Market Street in Downtown Woodstock, the market features vendors who grow at least 85 percent of the products they sell. The Cherokee County Farm Bureau is partnering with the market to bring special events to the market throughout the 2017 season. For more information call 770-924-0406 or visit http://bit.ly/WoodstockFarmFreshMarket.