July 2, 2013
www.gfb.org
Vol. 31 No. 27
SENATE PASSES IMMIGRATION BILL; GA. E-VERIFY RULE IN EFFECT The U.S. Senate passed the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744) by a 68-32 vote on June 27. Georgia Farm Bureau supported passage of the bill, which sets up a “blue card” program that allows experienced agricultural workers the opportunity to obtain legal immigration status after passing background checks and paying a fine. “This is an encouraging step that keeps the possibility of meaningful immigration reform alive. While the bill wasn’t perfect, we would have no hope of Congress reforming our current flawed immigration policy without the Senate passing its bill, ” said GFB President Zippy Duvall. “Hopefully the House will pass an immigration reform bill this summer. Then, the two chambers can resolve their differences in conference committee to finalize an ag labor program that will ease the problems Georgia farmers have in finding labor to plant and harvest their crops.” The bill was introduced in the Senate in April by the so-called “Gang of Eight.” It passed the Senate Judiciary Committee in May. In addition to the blue card program, S. 744 creates a new, less cumbersome guest worker program for agriculture. Farmers, particularly those in small operations, have found difficulty accessing the number of laborers they need to plant and harvest their crops. Once the new plan is in place, the current H-2A program would be phased out. Georgia Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson voted against S. 744. The U.S. House has multiple bills concerning immigration, including one that sets up an agricultural guestworker program. In another immigration-related development, the last portion of Georgia’s mandatory E-Verify requirements went into effect on July 1. Under HB 87, the immigration law passed by the Georgia General Assembly in 2011, employers who had 11 or more full-time employees on Jan. 1 must now use E-Verify to screen new hires. The requirement was already in effect for employers with more than 100 employees as of January 1 each year. In order to obtain or renew any county or city business license, occupational tax certificate or any other document required to operate a business, employers are required to sign an affidavit attesting that they use E-Verify on all new prospective employees. For more information on E-Verify, visit http://www.dhs.gov/e-verify.
Leadership Alert page 2 of 6 CFTC FILES CHARGES AGAINST MF GLOBAL On June 27, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed an enforcement action in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against MF Global Inc., which failed in 2011, costing its commodity customers approximately $1 billion. Former MF Global Chief Executive Officer of MF Global and Holdings Jon S. Corzine and former assistant treasurer of MF Global Edith O’Brien were also charged in the CFTC action, which is based on MF Global’s unlawful use of customer funds that harmed thousands of customers and violated fundamental customer protection laws on an unprecedented scale. MF Global has agreed to settle all charges against it subject to court approval. The terms include 100 percent restitution money lost by all its commodity customers. According to the complaint, Corzine failed to enhance MF Global’s deficient systems and controls sufficiently to ensure that the firm’s financial practices did not result in unlawful uses of customer money. Ultimately, these failures contributed to the massive customer losses. O’Brien, MF Global’s Assistant Treasurer, is charged with aiding and abetting the firm’s misuse of customer funds. If approved by the United States District Court and the United States Bankruptcy Court, the proposed settlement of all charges against MF Global will require 100 percent restitution of all remaining commodity customer claims. The proposed order also includes the imposition of a $100 million penalty, which can be paid to the extent MF Global has not fully exhausted all available funds and assets paying customers and then other creditors entitled to priority under bankruptcy law. For more information on the CFTC charges against MF Global visit http://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/pr6626-13. USDA ISSUES DISASTER DECLARATION FOR FOUR GEORGIA COUNTIES On June 19 the USDA designated Evans, Montgomery, Tatnall and Treutlen counties as primary natural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by excessive rain, high winds and hail that occurred between Feb. 24 and March 24. Farmers in the designated counties may be eligible for emergency loans from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency. An additional 13 counties also qualify for disaster assistance because they are contiguous. Those counties are Appling, Bryan, Bulloch, Candler, Emanuel, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Liberty, Long, Toombs, Wayne and Wheeler. 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 the losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs in addition to the emergency loans to assist farmers and ranchers, including the Emergency Conservation Program, Federal Crop Insurance and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program. Interested farmers may contact their local USDA Service Centers for more information on eligibility requirements and application procedure. Additional information is also available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.
Leadership Alert page 3 of 6 CORN, WHEAT MAKE BIG GAINS IN GEORGIA Georgia farmers planted significantly more corn and harvested more winter wheat in 2013 than in 2012, according to the June Crop Acreage Report released June 28 by the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service. This year Georgia farmers devoted almost as many acres to corn as to peanuts, planting 500,000 acres of corn, up from 345,000 acres in 2012, a gain of 45 percent. An oversupply of peanuts from the record 2012 crop prompted Georgia growers to scale back peanut acres, which declined 31 percent from 735,000 acres in 2012 to 510,000 acres in 2013. Georgia farmers planted 400,000 acres in winter wheat last fall for the 2013 crop, up from 290,000 acres for the 2012 crop, a gain of 38 percent. The state’s cotton growers expanded acreage 0.8 percent, from 1.29 million acres in 2012 to 1.3 million acres in 2013. Nationwide, cotton acreage declined from 12.08 million acres in 2012 to 10.03 million acres in 2013. Cotton acreage declined in Alabama and South Carolina and increased by 16 percent in Florida. Georgia farmers planted 260,000 acres of soybeans, up 18 percent from 2012. GEORGIA LAND GRANT SCHOOLS GET NEW PRESIDENTS Georgia’s two land grant institutions - the University of Georgia and Fort Valley State - are under new leadership. Dr. Jere Morehead took over as the new UGA president effective July 1. The University System of Georgia has named Dr. Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith as the new president at Fort Valley State. Griffith begins on July 22. Morehead, UGA’s 22nd president, served as UGA’s senior vice president and provost since 2010. He was named as the sole finalist for the position by the Georgia Board of Regents in February. Morehead holds a law degree from UGA and has worked as a U.S. attorney for the Department of Justice. He is also the Meigs Professor of Legal Studies in UGA’s Terry College of Business. Morehead has served stints as UGA’s vice president for instruction, vice provost for academic affairs and director of the honors program. He succeeds Michael Adams, who was the UGA president for 16 years and now holds the title of president emeritus. Griffith, provost and senior vice president at York College of the City University of New York, was named as the new president of Fort Valley State University by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. The board’s vote was unanimous and the announcement was made in a June 21 press release. Griffith succeeds Dr. Larry Rivers, who stepped down effective June 30 after seven years in the position. Rivers is headed to Valdosta State, where he will teach history. Fort Valley State is an 1890 Land Grant institution. University System of Georgia Vice Chair Kimberly Ballard-Washington will serve as interim president at FVSU through July 21. Griffith has served as provost at York College since 2007. He earned a bachelor of social sciences degree from the University of Guyana, a masters of arts degree in political science and public administration from Long Island University, New York, and both a master of philosophy and doctorate in political science from the City University of New York. He also is a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s educational leadership program.
Leadership Alert page 4 of 6 SUNBELT EXPO FIELD DAY July 11 Sunbelt Agricultural Expo, Spence Field Moultrie This free preview of 36th Annual Sunbelt Expo is an opportunity for farmers to see the latest seed varieties, crop protection, irrigation technology and precision ag technology in an applied research setting. Company representatives and university researchers will make presentations on their equipment and research. Registration begins at 7:15 a.m. followed by a free biscuit breakfast with Georgia Department of Agriculture and Georgia Farm Bureau representatives. Trams will depart for the fields promptly at 8 a.m. Tours will last until noon. No lunch will be served. All breakfast attendees will receive a free Expo cap and may register for door prizes including: a Brown 472 six foot rotary cutter, farm tires and a shotgun. For more information, call 229-985-1968 or visit http://www.sunbeltexpo.com. 2nd ANNUAL UGA ORGANIC RESEARCH FARM TWILIGHT TOUR Jul. 11 UGA Durham Horticulture Farm Watkinsville From 6 p.m to 8 p.m., UGA organic and sustainable agriculture experts will discuss research being conducted on apple variety trials, squash diseases, summer vegetable production, cool season vegetable production, summer cover crops and the use of high tunnels. The Durham Horticulture Farm is located at 1221 Hog Mountain Road. The event is free and open to the public. For more information contact UGA Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator Julia Gaskin at jgaskin@uga.edu or 706-542-1401. USDA SEEKS APPLICATIONS TO FUND RURAL BROADBAND PROJECTS The USDA is accepting applications for grants to finance broadband deployment in remote, rural areas. Through this notice, USDA Rural Development may award up to $21 million in grants through the Community Connect Grant program. It serves rural communities where broadband service is least likely to be available, but where it can make a tremendous difference in the quality of life for citizens. For more information, see page 34979 of the June 11, 2013 Federal Register, or visit http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-06-11/pdf/2013-13827.pdf. The deadline for submitting applications is July 11. AGSOUTH FARM CREDIT FINANCIAL WORKSHOPS July 27 Conner Hall, UGA Register by July 13 Athens These free workshops are designed for young, beginning, small and minority farmers. All workshops run from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and include a provided lunch. Topics will include: applying for financing, preparing a business plan, record keeping, credit scores, risk management and more. Workshops are certified for FSA Direct Borrower Training Credit. To register or for more information visit http://www.agsouthfc.com/AgSouthAgAwareProgram.html or email Christy Smith at csmith@agsouthfc.com. GEORGIA GROWN FARMER SHOWCASE July 13 Park Market, Centennial Olympic Park 9 a.m. - noon Atlanta July 27 Park Market, Centennial Olympic Park 9 a.m. - noon Atlanta Aug. 10 Park Market, Centennial Olympic Park 9 a.m. - noon Atlanta This family-friendly series features dozens of vendors from around the state, offering locally grown fresh Georgia produce and plant sales, meet and greets with local farmers and much more. For more information, visit http://www.georgiagrown.com or call 404-656-3689.
Leadership Alert page 4 of 6 UGA TRIAL GARDENS ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE Jul. 13 UGA Campus Athens The public is invited to attend an open house from 8 a.m – 1 p.m. at the UGA Horticulture Department’s trial garden on the UGA Athens Campus located between Snelling Dining Hall and the UGA pharmacy building. Visitors will get an up-close look at a new class of vetted ornamentals including annuals, perennials, roses and hardy bulbs. Dr. Allen Armitage, who is retiring after 31 years at UGA, will give tours during the event and sign copies of his books. A short recognition ceremony will be held to honor Armitage at 11 a.m. Planters designed by the garden staff will be available for sale. A $5 donation will be accepted to help support the trial garden. Visit http://www.ugatrialgardens.com/ for more information or call 706-583-0285. PEANUT STANDARDS BOARD SEEKING NOMINEES The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominations for peanut producer and processing organization candidates to serve on the Peanut Standards Board (Board). Nominations are due by July 22. The Board consists of 18 members with representation equally divided between peanut producers and industry representatives. Representation is divided among three regions: the Southeast (Alabama, Georgia, and Florida), the Southwest (Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico), and Virginia/North Carolina. Each region has three producer seats and three industry representative seats with staggered terms. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will appoint one producer and one industry representative from each region to succeed members whose terms expire June 30. The six new members will serve terms ending June 30, 2016. For nominating forms and additional information, visit www.ams.usda.gov/PeanutStandardsBoard. INTERNATIONAL AGRIBUSINESS CONFERENCE AND EXPO Sept. 25-26 Savannah International Trade & Convention Center Savannah This inaugural event, sponsored by Georgia Farm Bureau, will help farmers and businesses learn how to capitalize on the growing export market. Participants will be provided with information on what markets are open to their products, how to export their goods and what exporting can do for their bottom lines. Participants will attend educational forums and workshops, learning from experts in agricultural importing and exporting and about the latest practices in processing valueadded agricultural products. They also will have a chance to meet with international trade representatives. The conference’s main sponsor is Georgia Farm Bureau. For more information about the conference’s schedule, see www.iace.us.com. Early registration is $170 and ends July 30. For more information visit http://ceps.georgiasouthern.edu/conted/iace.html. NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR FSA COUNTY COMMITTEES The nomination period for local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees is now open and runs through Aug. 1. To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area in which the person is a candidate. Farmers and ranchers may nominate themselves or others, and organizations representing minorities and women also may nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign the nomination form, FSA-669A. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available online at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.
Leadership Alert page 4 of 6 GEORGIA EQUINE COMMISSION SEEKS NOMINATIONS The Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Equine (ACCE) is seeking nominations to fill the positions of three members whose terms expire later this year – Jim Gibby, Debbie Lanier Guy and Danny Hogan. The positions are for three-year terms. Nomination forms are available at the ACCE website http://www.gaequine.com or by contacting Nathan Wilson by phone at 404-656-3678 or via email at nathan.wilson@agr.georgia.gov. Nomination forms and a one-page resume must be submitted to Wilson by August 1 to be considered. DEEP SOUTH STOCKER CONFERENCE Aug. 8-9 Athens, GA Theis two-day event, a joint effort between the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, the Mississippi State University Extension Service, and the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, features live animal demonstrations and hands-on opportunities on Aug. 8, and educational seminars on Aug. 9. Additionally, the conference will be held in conjunction with Georgia Grazing School (http://www.GeorgiaForages.com). This will give producers an opportunity for up to three days of hands-on, demonstration, and classroom learning opportunities. Registration for each event is separate. The Deep South Stocker Conference registration will cost $125/person and will cover all seminars, events, meals, and handouts for the two-day event. A trade show will also be held in conjunction with the conference to allow stocker operators the opportunity to network with industry professionals and to become aware of products and services that can improve their profitably and product quality. For more information or to register, visit http://www.deepsouthstocker.com. USDA TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH, EDUCATION GRANTS The USDA is accepting applications for grants of up to $500,000 to provide access to education, training and healthcare resources in rural areas. Funding is authorized through the Department’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant Program. Under this notice, USDA may provide up to $17.5 million in grants. Funds can be used to buy equipment and provide technical assistance. To be eligible, applicants must serve a rural area, demonstrate economic need and provide at least 15 percent in matching funds. Completed applications must be received by Aug. 12. For further details about eligibility rules and application procedures, see the notice published on page 38915 of the June 28 Federal Register: http://tinyurl.com/nv62aeq. UGA CONDUCTING SURVEY ON MOBILE POULTRY PROCESSING As a part of its Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education program, UGA is conducting an online survey on the feasibility of establishing a Mobile Processing Unit. (MPU). This survey collects information on production costs and processing costs at a USDA inspected facility and on-farm processing. The information will aid in determining the cost-effectiveness and benefits of using MPUs. The results of the cost-benefit analysis and profitability of using MPUs will be shared with pasture poultry growers and other stakeholders. The 15-question survey should only take about 5 minutes and is anonymous. To participate, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NNXKFN7.