July 25, 2018
www.gfb.org
Vol. 36 No. 15
YOUNG FARMERS AND RANCHERS GAIN GROUND AT CONFERENCE For Georgia farmers, “gaining ground” might mean acquiring more land, advancing the cause of agriculture, increasing knowledge or meeting new friends. All that and more was the case at the Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher Leadership Conference held July 19-21 on Jekyll Island. The conference itself gained ground, with registration swelling to about 400 people, who were treated to a variety of educational sessions, social gatherings, competitive events and thoughtprovoking discussions on reaching consumers who have no connection to farming. The young farmers and ranchers also advanced their cause through charitable giving. Young farmers and ranchers brought in change they collected at county Farm Bureau offices in the “Calf’s Weight in Change” fundraiser for the Georgia Food Bank Association. The drive resulted in donations of $2,958.06. Farm Bureau Bank committed to matching the donations, so the total raised was $5,916.12. Laurens County Farm Bureau won the awards for total weight of change collected (145 pounds) and total dollar amount collected ($491.53). The GFB 6th District donated the highest total weight in change (186 pounds) and the total dollar amount collected ($845). Educational sessions led by GFB staff and experts from public and private organizations that support agriculture covered business, advocacy and education/policy topics. “Farm Babe” Michelle Miller gave the keynote speech during the morning general session on July 21, discussing social advocacy for agriculture. “You can use social media to bridge the gap between people like you and people out there who don’t know about agriculture,” Miller said. She named a number of information outlets that spread inaccurate or misleading information about farming and advised the YF&R crowd to smarten up their social media news feeds and to check sources of articles they see before sharing them. -continued on next page
GFB News Alert page 2 of 12 Continued from previous page “Fear sells. At the end of the day, fear is a new way for people to make profit, whether it’s food or healthcare, there’s a lot of different avenues where fear sells,” Miller said. “Fear is easy. Science is hard. People don’t always know where to go for trusted information.” She recommended consulting with veterinarians, farmers, animal welfare experts, dietitians or plant breeders for factbased information. Armed with that, Miller urged agriculturalists to be kind and have empathy when interacting with those outside agriculture. “We need to reach out and talk about the science-based evidence behind agriculture,” Miller. “There is no wrong platform. Just find your voice and personality.” American Farm Bureau Federation Director of Organization Development Elise Stoddard examined how the experiences of various generations – Traditionals, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials – shape their worldview. She covered identifying characteristics of each generation, including their culture and technology, and what they offer in support of the Michelle Miller YF&R program. Traditionals – generally those born between the early 1920s and the mid-1940s – have experienced extremely hard times and have a wealth of experience that makes them a valuable resource to younger generations. Baby boomers – those born between the mid-1940s and mid-1960s – are some of the YF&R program’s biggest supporters. “They really and truly believe that what we’re doing here is meaningful,” Stoddard said. Stoddard urged the young farmers and ranchers to embrace Generation Xers – generally, those born between the 1960s and early 1980s. Stoddard said millennials learned how to shake things up from Generation X. “We do need to know that they’re speaking a different language,” Stoddard said. “Every generation makes up slang. Every generation is like the crazy, rebellious ones until they get a little bit older.” Podcaster and AgGrad owner Tim Hammerich gave the closing keynote address about the future of agriculture while examining clues left by successful people. Hammerich said highly successful individuals ask the right questions and do not give up when the answers are tough. The questions: What’s really happening today that has the potential to impact agriculture in the future? What problem do I want to solve? And how will the right people know that I’m solving it? “Everybody I talk about who’s made their mark in agriculture seem to be asking different questions than the rest of us,” Hammerich said. Hammerich talked about leaders of agricultural companies he has interviewed on his podcast. “They become passionate if not borderline obsessive about the problem they want to see solved,” Hammerich said. “They’re thinking about some sort of problem. It could be anything, but the more specific, the better. I want you to ask yourself what problem you solve.”
GFB News Alert page 3 of 12 YF&R COMPETITIVE EVENT WINNERS NAMED Will and Heather Cabe, Becca Creasy and Caroline Lewallen claimed the top prizes in the Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher (YF&R) competitive events during the 2018 GFB Young Farmer & Rancher Leadership Conference on Jekyll Island. The state winners of the three contests will receive expense-paid trips to the 2019 American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana, in January to compete for national honors. The Cabes, from Franklin County, won the GFB Young Farmer & Rancher Achievement Award, given to recognize young farmers who earn the majority of their income from production agriculture. The Cabes raise cattle, broiler chickens, show goats and hay on their farm in Carnesville. Elton Baldy of Colquitt County and Mitchell and Becky Pittman of Toombs County were the other finalists for the Achievement Award. Profiles of the Achievement Award finalists will run in the July/August issue of GFB News. Creasy, of Bulloch County, won the YF&R Discussion meet, which featured 28 competitors from 25 counties. Creasy received an ATV courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance and $500 cash from SunTrust Bank. The other finalists in the Discussion Meet were Kelcie Barnes of Greene County, Kylie Bruce of Franklin County and Marcus Pollard of Newton County. Each received $350 from SunTrust Bank. In the final round the discussion centered on how Farm Bureau can protect farmers’ access to production technology in the face of rapid dissemination of often inaccurate information about agriculture. Bruce, a student at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, was the top collegiate finisher among the Discussion Meet contestants, earning a trip to the 2019 AFBF Young Farmer & Rancher Conference to compete in the AFBF Collegiate Discussion Meet. Lewallen, from Hall County, won the YF&R Excellence in Agriculture Award, which recognizes agriculturalists who earn the majority of their income from something other than farming. Lewallen is the agritourism and marketing director for Jaemor Farms. She received an ATV courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance and $500 cash from Georgia Farm Bureau. Melissa Mathis of Monroe County and Justin Shealey of Cook County were finalists for the Excellence in Agriculture Award. Each received $500 cash courtesy of Georgia Farm Bureau. AFBF, JOHN DEERE TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR TEACHER RESOURCE KITS Kindergarten through fifth-grade educators working in schools are encouraged to apply by Aug. 15 for resource kit grants courtesy of John Deere and the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. John Deere is sponsoring the distribution of 300 kits, each containing one copy of the Foundation’s 2018 Book of the Year, “John Deere, That’s Who!,” an educator guide and a classroom set (30-pack) of Ag Innovation ag mags. Grant winners will be randomly selected from the pool of applicants. Resource kits will be sent to selected teachers in time for National Read a Book Day, Sept. 6. Applications can be submitted online at https://gfb.ag/tchrrsrckits.
GFB News Alert page 4 of 12 GFB ACCEPTING ENTRIES FOR 2018 HAY CONTEST Georgia Farm Bureau is taking entries for the 2018 Bermudagrass Hay Contest and for the GFB Quality Hay Directory for buyers and sellers of Georgia grown hay. The contest is open to Georgia Farm Bureau members who produce any variety of dry Bermudagrass hay on their farm. The contest is designed to encourage farmers to produce better quality hay and the online directory continues to be an important marketing tool for our producers and an excellent resource for consumers of quality hay. Prizes will be awarded to the top five entries. Contest winners the past three years are not eligible for prizes, though they may still submit samples for evaluation. Samples with nitrates above 4,500 parts per million or moisture greater than 18 percent will be disqualified. Entry forms and complete contest rules are available on the GFB website at www.gfb.ag/haycontest. Producers must also be a GFB member to list in the hay directory. Producers who enter the hay contest can have a free listing in the hay directory if they choose. The cost for the contest is $20.00 per sample. Checks for both should be made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau and mailed to the Georgia Farm Bureau Public Policy Department Agricultural Program at 1620 Bass Road, Macon, GA 31210. The deadline for contest entries is Oct. 31. The directory will be only published online and can be entered at any time. The cost for listing in the hay directory alone is $10.00. For more information, please contact the GFB Public Policy Department at 1-800-342-1196. GFB PHOTO CONTEST SHOWCASES SNAPSHOTS OF GEORGIA AGRICULTURE Cute farm kids, funny farm animals, majestic sunrises and sunsets – these are just some of the 254 terrific shots Georgia Farm Bureau members entered in our 9th Annual Picture Agriculture in Georgia Contest. Congratulations to Haley Anderson of Screven County for winning the contest and grand prize of $150. Her photo, shown here, will be featured on the cover of the 2019 GFB Young Farmer & Rancher Calendar, which will be made available at most county offices. The calendar also features the photos of the 11 honorable mention winners, who each received a $75 prize. A panel of judges selected 12 photos from all entries, and GFB members attending the organization’s Young Farmer & Rancher Conference cast their votes for their favorite photo to select the contest winner. The honorable mention winners were: Ariel Holland, Johnson County; Caleb Brandt, Bacon County; Cheryl Harrell, Early County, Debbie Henry, Miller County; Hudson Folsom, Cook County, Jonathan Smith, Telfair County; Justine Palmer, Hall County; Laura Griffeth, Webster County; Justin & Lauren Smith, Walker County; Monique Daniels, Sumter County; and Susie Short, Lee County. To view the top 12 photos visit www.gfb.ag/18photowinners. Thanks to all the GFB members who entered this year’s contest. GFB plans to hold the contest again next year. Contest details will be available next spring on GFB’s website and at county Farm Bureau offices. If you are interested in entering the 2019 contest, contact your county Farm Bureau and ask the staff to notify you when it receives details.
GFB News Alert page 5 of 12 HEATHER KING NAMED GFB 6th DISTRICT FIELD REP Heather King is the new field representative for Georgia Farm Bureau’s 6th District effective July 16. King is responsible for coordinating member programs for the 16 county Farm Bureau offices in the district and will serve as a liaison between the county offices and the organization’s home office in Macon. Prior to joining the GFB staff, King served as the education program specialist at the Camp John Hope FFA-FCCLA Center in Fort Valley. In her former position, King was responsible for arranging summer camp programs, leadership programs, coordinating facility reservations and working with interns. She previously served as a summer intern at the Georgia FFA-FCCLA Center in Covington. GFB’s 6th District includes Baldwin, Bibb, Bleckley, Dodge, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Laurens, Montgomery, Telfair, Treutlen, Twiggs, Washington, Wheeler and Wilkinson counties. A native of Martin in Stephens County, King grew up on a poultry farm operated by her grandparents, Carter and Betty Chastain, and her Heather King late father, Richard Chastain. Her mother, Melissa Hall Chastain, lives in Waco, Texas. King was an active member of the Stephens County Middle and High School FFA Chapters during which time she won the state parliamentary procedure competition in 2008. She graduated from Fort Valley State with a degree in ag economics. She was a member of the Perry Lions Club while working at Camp Hope. “I’m looking forward to meeting the Farm Bureau members of the 6th District and getting to see different aspects of agriculture that I’m not as familiar with,” King said. “Farm Bureau is wellknown as a supporter of agriculture, so I’m excited to become part of the team.” King and her husband, Trey, who is a systems analyst at Navicent Health, live in Macon. HOUSE NAMES FARM BILL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS Three members of Georgia’s delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives have been named to the farm bill conference committee. Reps Austin Scott (R-8th District) and David Scott (D-13th District) were appointed to represent the House Agriculture Committee, as was Rep. Rick Allen (R-12th District), who was named to represent the House Committee on Education and Workforce. House Speaker Paul Ryan named 47 members to the committee, which will work with appointees from the U.S. Senate to reconcile differences between farm bills passed in the two chambers. At press time, the Senate had not announced its conference committee members. Sen. David Perdue (R-Georgia) has expressed a desire to serve on the conference committee. The House passed its farm bill on June 21 by a 215-213 vote. The Senate passed its version on June 28 by an 86-11 vote. The 2014 farm bill, under which federal government farm programs are currently administered, expires Sept. 30.
GFB News Alert page 6 of 12 PERDUE AND PERDUE TOUR GEORGIA AG LOCATIONS Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Sen. David Perdue visited Georgia ag locations and heard from a variety of agricultural stakeholders on July 13. The visit to their home state included stops at Lewis Taylor Farms in Tifton, the Georgia Forestry Association Headquarters in Macon and UGA’s turfgrass and weed science research facilities at the university’s Griffin campus. “We heard directly from stakeholders about the unique challenges they face. I’m hopeful we’ll get a farm bill to the president’s desk soon, that will provide farmers with certainty and help rural America thrive,” David Perdue said. At Taylor Farms, the senator and secretary participated in a roundtable discussion with southwest Georgia agriculture leaders. At the Griffin stop, the Perdues heard from UGA Griffin campus leaders and toured the turfgrass greenhouse to see research centering on numerous grass varieties. They also stepped inside the USDA’s Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit, which stores more than 1,600 plant species from around the world. They fielded questions about tariffs and the farm bill during a session with the media at the Griffin stop. Both acknowledged that farmers will suffer significant economic hardships as a result of the tariffs levied by other nations in response to U.S. tariffs on imports. “Tariffs are a short-term tool for a long-term purpose,” Secretary Perdue said. “That’s to level the playing field. We applaud President Trump for taking on this issue of unfairness. It’s going to take some short-term pain and discomfort for our ag producers with the prices, but we believe the long-term benefits will be better as we get reciprocal trade arrangements. I know the president is ‘America first’ and will be wanting to make sure American producers do well.” For photos from the Perdues’ Georgia ag tour, visit www.gfb.ag/perduesvisit. MURPHY, VAUGHN NAMED TO GEORGIA EQUINE COMMISSION Julie Murphy of Brooks County and Jordan Vaughn of Monroe County have each been appointed to serve a three-year term on the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Equine by the Ex Officio members of the Georgia Equine Commission – Tom Kerlin, Harry Thompson, Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black and Georgia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long. The Equine Commission was created by the Georgia Legislature to oversee promotion, education and research activities to benefit Georgia’s equine industry. The commission is funded from the sale of Georgia Equine specialty license plates. Murphy has raised quarter horses for 27 years. She is a member of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), is an AQHA registered breeder, is a member of the Gotland Russ Association of North America dedicated to preserving Gotland ponies and is a member of the Southern Junior Rodeo Association. Vaughn manages the horse and cattle divisions of Vaughn Farms in Monroe County where he trains and markets horses for both cutting and ranch work. Vaughn is a member of the AQHA, is a director for the National Cutting Horse Association’s (NCHA) Area 18 and a recipient of the NCHA Non-Pro Silver Achievement Award. He competes in NCHA and AQHA shows.
GFB News Alert page 7 of 12 USDA ANNOUNCES ASSISTANCE FOR FARMERS HURT BY FOREIGN TARIFFS On July 24 the USDA announced actions to assist farmers in response to foreign countries’ tariffs on U.S. agricultural products, according to a USDA press release. Specifically, USDA will authorize up to $12 billion in programs that will assist agricultural producers to meet the costs of disrupted markets. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said that U.S. farmers have been treated unfairly by China’s illegal trading practices and have taken a disproportionate hit from retaliatory tariffs. According to the release, trade damage from such retaliatory tariffs has impacted numerous U.S. commodities, including field crops like soybeans and sorghum, livestock products like milk and pork, and many fruits, nuts, and other specialty crops. High tariffs disrupt normal marketing patterns, affecting prices and raising costs by forcing producers to find new markets. The USDA also indicated there is evidence that American goods shipped overseas are being slowed from reaching market by unusually strict or cumbersome entry procedures, which can affect the quality and marketability of perishable crops. This can boost marketing costs and discount prices received by U.S. farmers. The Market Facilitation Program, authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and administered by Farm Service Agency (FSA), will provide payments incrementally to producers of soybeans, sorghum, corn, wheat, cotton, dairy, and hogs. This support will help farmers manage disrupted markets, deal with surplus commodities, and expand and develop new markets at home and abroad. Additionally, USDA will use the CCC Charter Act and other authorities to implement a food purchase and distribution program through the Agricultural Marketing Service to purchase unexpected surplus of affected commodities such as fruits, nuts, rice, legumes, beef, pork and milk for distribution to food banks and other nutrition programs. Finally, the CCC will use its Charter Act authority for a trade promotion program administered by the Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) in conjunction with the private sector to assist in developing new export markets for U.S. farm products. PEANUT FILM TO AIR ON GEORGIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING Growing Peanut Butter, a documentary about the history and production of peanuts and peanut butter, is scheduled to air on the Georgia Public Broadcasting Network Aug. 6 at 5:30 p.m., according to a press release from filmmaker Joseph Barnhart. The film is also available on Amazon Prime. The film describes the story of the peanut plant and peanut butter. Eighty percent of the documentary was filmed in Georgia. It features key figures in the peanut industry, including Tyron Spearman, executive director of the National Peanut Buying Point Association and peanut breeder Dr. Corley Holbrook. Barnhart grew up on a small family farm near Augusta. He is working to make the film available to students statewide and hopes it will be an educational tool for teachers.
GFB News Alert page 8 of 12 ANDY BELL, DONALD CHASE APPOINTED TO NATIONAL PEANUT BOARD Decatur County Farm Bureau Director Andy Bell was appointed to the National Peanut Board and Macon County Farm Bureau Director Donald Chase was named as an alternate in appointments announced by the USDA on July 12. The appointees will serve three-year terms, from Jan. 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2021. The board is composed of 12 producer members and their alternates. Eleven members and alternates are from the primary peanut producing states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. An atlarge member and alternate represent the minor peanut producing states. Since 1966, Congress has authorized 22 industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool their resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity. More information about the National Peanut Board, including a roster of members, is available on the National Peanut Board at http://www.nationalpeanutboard.org/. BISHOP URGES USDA TO ENSURE SNAP RECIPIENTS’ ACCESS CONTINUES Rep. Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA 2nd District) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (DConnecticut) sent a letter on July 12 to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue regarding recent media reports that thousands of low-income people could lose access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits at farmers markets across the country because a company providing the SNAP payment platform plans to shut down, according to a joint press release. “USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service was recently notified that a company currently providing a SNAP transaction platform plans to shut down. At present, many details surrounding this situation remain unclear; however, we would like to stress the importance of identifying a timely solution to this impending problem,” Bishop and DeLauro wrote. The two representatives also noted that the partnership between SNAP and farmers markets is also important to farmers and ranchers in America’s rural economy. SNAP recipients purchase more than $18 million worth of products a year at farmers markets. “Any loss of access to SNAP benefits at farmers markets would result in increased hunger and food insecurity for low-income people and decreased revenues for America’s small farmers and ranchers,” Bishop and DeLauro wrote. On July 14 the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, which administers the SNAP program, issued a statement that the USDA is exploring options to find a replacement mobile EBT provider to avoid a service interruption.
GFB News Alert page 9 of 12 GEORGIA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION 8TH ANNUAL SUMMER CONFERENCE July 26-28 Villas by the Sea Jekyll Island For more information visit www.gabeef.org or contact Will Bentley or Michele Creamer at 478474-6560. OCONEE NATIONAL FOREST LANDOWNERS ACADEMY Aug. 10-11 Rock Eagle 4-H Camp Eatonton This free two-day workshop for the forest land owners near the Oconee National Forest will include discussions on property and estate planning, timber management, forest health, prescribed burns, taxes for forest owners and NRCS programs. Lunch will be served. The deadline to register is July 30 and accepted applicants will be notified on Aug. 1. To register, please contact Teresa Moore with the Georgia Heirs Property Law Center at 470-230-9831 or email at tmoore@gaheirsproperty.org. CROP INSURANCE FOR GEORGIA SWEET CORN GROWERS July 31 deadline to enroll/make changes Coverage is available for corn grown in Decatur, Grady and Mitchell counties. Growers are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for the 2019 crop year. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers by visiting the RMA agent locator at www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agent.html. Growers can use the RMA cost estimator at bit.ly/rmacost to get a premium amount estimate of their insurance needs online. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at www.rma.usda.gov. POND MANAGEMENT SEMINAR Aug. 2 Lake Laceola, North Shore Dr. Cleveland The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and UGA Extension will present information about pond management, and Chris Looney of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources will lead a pond shocking demonstration. To register, contact the Eastanollee NRCS office at 706-779-2134, ext. 3. NOMINATIONS FOR GFB COMMODITY COMMITTEES Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) is taking nominations for spots on its 20 commodity advisory committees. These committees serve in an advisory capacity to the GFB president, board of directors and staff to implement Farm Bureau policy. They also make recommendations to the GFB Policy Development Committee relative to their commodities. Every GFB Commodity Committee has a representative from each of GFB's 10 districts. Committee members must produce the commodity their committee represents. The commodities for which GFB has committees are: aquaculture; beef cattle; cotton; dairy; direct marketing/agritourism; environmental horticulture; equine; feedgrain/soybean; forestry; fruit; goats and sheep; hay; honeybee; peanut; pecan; poultry; swine; tobacco; vegetables and water. Committee chairpersons will be appointed for a one-year term, and will also serve on the GFB Policy Development Committee. Nomination forms should be submitted by county Farm Bureaus and received no later than Aug. 17. For more information contact Joe McManus in the GFB Public Policy Department at jcmcmanus@gfb.org or 478-474-0679, ext. 5259.
GFB News Alert page 10 of 12 JOINT AGRICULTURE CHARMEN’S AG ISSUES SUMMIT Aug. 23 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Perry Topics on the agenda for this annual event include modifications to the Georgia Ag Tax Exemption (GATE) program, the impact of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on water use, information on the new Georgia Center for Rural Prosperity & Innovation, and legislation on expanding ag education programs. The Ag Issues Summit is sponsored by Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia Agribusiness Council, Georgia Poultry Federation, Georgia Urban Agriculture Council and the Georgia Forestry Association. Lunch is provided no charge. Attendance is free, but meeting space is limited, so an RSVP is required. Please respond no later than Aug. 17. To register, contact Leigh Goff at 404-656-5099 or leigh.goff@house.ga.gov, or Taylor Hartshorn at 404-463-5257 – taylor.hartshorn@senate.ga.gov. GEORGIA BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION FALL MEETING Sept. 27-29 Forsyth Conference Center at Lanier Technical College Cumming Featured speakers are Maryann Frazier from the Penn State Center for Pollinator Research and Florida Department of Agriculture Apiary Inspection Assistant Chief Jerry Hayes. The meeting includes GBA Fall Honey Show. Registration is $75 for members and $90 for nonmembers until Sept. 10, after which registration will be $95 for everyone. One-day registration fee is $45 until Sept. 10 and $60 afterward. For more information or to register visit http://www.gabeekeeping.com/. NATIONAL EGG PRODUCTS SCHOOL Sept. 10-13 UGA Food Science Building, 100 Cedar St. Athens Participants will receive a thorough introduction to eggs and egg products, from their initial formation through the packaging of liquid and dried egg products for industrial use. This “farm to fork” review includes side excursions into molecular structure, safety, microbiology and the latest research on egg nutrition. Alongside the presentations, the program incorporates hands-on sessions for participants to use a variety of egg ingredients to create products such as angel food cake, ice cream, mayonnaise and custard. Participants will learn about the effects of impurities or bad processing techniques. Registration is $595 until Aug. 15 and $695 afterward. To register online visit https://bit.ly/2uEXwQ6 and click on “National Egg Products School.” For more information contact Jeniece Vinson at jgvinson@uga.edu or 706-542-1371. NRCS POULTRY FARM ENERGY INITIATIVE SIGN UP Aug. 17 deadline to apply This north Georgia-specific project is one of 88 projects across the country selected for funding two years ago through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP, http://bit.ly/19RCPP). The 18-county project area covers Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Towns, Union, Walker and Whitfield counties. Poultry producers looking to improve on-farm energy efficiency as well as water and soil quality through nutrient management, should visit their local USDA Service Center (http://bit.ly/19NRCSsvcctrs) and submit their Conservation Program Application (NRCS-CPA-1200).
GFB News Alert page 11 of 12 AG SAFETY GRANTS OFFERED BY NATIONAL CHILDREN’S CENTER Proposals are now being accepted by the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety for grants up to $20,000 to support small projects and pilot studies that address prevention of childhood agricultural disease and injury. Application deadline is August 20. Highest priority will be given to projects that: utilize the www.AgInjuryNews.org website; incorporate the Agricultural Youth Work Guidelines (www.CultivateSafety.org/family-farms), and/or focus on special populations (e.g., workers’ children, Anabaptists, African Americans, Native Americans). For more information, visit www.marshfieldresearch.org/nccrahs/mini-grants or contact Marsha Salzwedel at salzwedel.marsha@marshfieldresearch.org; 715-389-5226 or 1800-662-6900 option 8. FADEOSH 3RD ANNUAL BRED HEIFER SALE Aug. 25 8636 Boston Monticello Hwy. 1 p.m. Boston For more information contact Josh Herring at 229-244-2517 or Deidre Parramore at 229-460-6843 or dhp31602@yahoo.com. AFBF ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR COUNTY ACTIVITIES OF EXCELLENCE AFBF is now accepting applications for the 2019 County Activities of Excellence (CAE) program. County Farm Bureaus wishing to enter can access award information, applications and the CAE archives from http://bit.ly/19AFBFCAE. The deadline for counties to have their applications submitted online for state CAE coordinator approval is Sept. 1 at 12 a.m. EDT. AFBF will accept applications that are approved online by the state CAE coordinator by Sept. 14. Georgia’s state CAE coordinator is Field Services Director Dennis Black (478-474-0679, ext. 5224. Winners will be announced no later than Oct. 19. Individual county and multi-county CAE winning entries will each receive a $2,250 cash award to be used toward travel and display costs to attend the 2019 AFBF Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show. In addition, individual and multi-county CAE winning entries will each receive a total of four free registrations for the AFBF Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show. 23rd ANNUAL LUMBER CITY FARM DAY FESTIVAL Sept. 8 & 9 Lumber City Saturday’s events include a Fun Run & 5K race, arts/crafts, food vendors, a parade and street dance. A community church service will be held Sept. 9. 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 12 of 12 32ND ANNUAL GEORGIA PEANUT TOUR Sept. 18-20 Savannah and surrounding area The 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 Bulloch, Burke, Candler and Screven. Tour stops include on-farm harvest demonstrations and clinics, research at the University of Georgia Southeast Georgia Research and Education Center and the Georgia Ports Authority. Hotel accommodations can be made at the Hilton Garden Inn-Savannah Airport by calling 912-964-5550 Rooms are available at the rate of $129.00 plus tax for a standard room. Be sure to ask for the Georgia Peanut Tour room block. COBB COUNTY FARM BUREAU FARMERS MARKET Tuesdays through September 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. Lost Mountain Park, Powder Springs The public is invited to check out a variety of vendors with locally grown produce, baked goods, strawberries, peaches, jams, jellies and much more. Lost Mountain Park is located at 4845 Dallas Highway in Powder Springs. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/cobbcofarmbureau/ or call 770-943-3531. MONROE FARMERS MARKET Saturdays until October 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Court Street, Downtown Monroe This market, sponsored in part by Walton County Farm Bureau, will feature fresh produce and goods from local farmers, work from local artisans and family friendly activities. For more information visit www.monroedowntownfarmersmarket.com. GFB TAKING LISTINGS FOR HAY DIRECTORY Farm Bureau members with hay for sale or offering custom harvesting or custom sprigging services are invited to list in the GFB Quality Hay Directory published on the GFB website. Because this directory is now offered online, hay can be listed or removed from the site as your inventory dictates. To participate, please complete a submission form available at your county Farm Bureau office or online at www.gfb.ag/hay. Please include a $10 check made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau for each listing of hay, custom harvesting or custom sprigging. Multiple listings are allowed.