June 27, 2018
www.gfb.org
Vol. 36 No. 13
SUPREME COURT GIVES VERDICT IN FLORIDA-GEORGIA WATER LAWSUIT In a 5-4 decision made public on June 27, the U.S. Supreme Court sent the Florida-Georgia water lawsuit back to Special Master Ralph Lancaster to reconsider his recommendation. In the majority opinion written by Justice Stephen Breyer, the court found that the special master applied too strict a standard in concluding Florida failed to demonstrate that the Court can reach a fair ruling. The court also reserved judgment for the ultimate disposition of the case, addressing only the narrow “threshold” question the special master addressed - whether Florida has shown that its injury can “effectively be redressed by limiting Georgia’s consumptive use of water from the Basin without a decree binding the Corps.” The court found Florida showed that an effective remedy is possible. “Georgia Farm Bureau had hoped that the Supreme Court would accept the recommendation to reject Florida’s request to have limits placed on Georgia’s use of water from the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers. This long-standing dispute deserves a resolution. It is our hope that the continued litigation will serve to demonstrate that Georgia’s farmers practice responsible water use and continue to pursue efficient application of this most valuable of our natural resources.” Florida filed the suit in 2013, claiming that excessive water withdrawals from Georgia users, including farmers, caused insufficient stream flows that resulted in harm to the oyster industry in Apalachicola Bay on the Florida’s coast on the Gulf of Mexico. The case, referred to as an equitable apportionment case, fell into the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction because it was a suit between states. Florida asserted that excessive withdrawals from Lake Lanier to meet Metro Atlanta’s civic water needs combined with withdrawals from the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers by farmers to irrigate their crops, caused diminished stream flows. The Chattahoochee and Flint flow into Lake Seminole, which feeds into the Apalachicola River in Northwest Florida. The lower stream flows, Florida claimed, caused increased salinity in the Apalachicola Bay, harming the oyster populations there. Georgia argued that the oyster issues in the bay were the result of Florida’s oyster industry overharvesting the oysters in the bay. The suit is the latest development in the decades-long water dispute between Georgia and Florida. Alabama, which was not a party in the suit, also has complained that Georgia takes -continued on next page
GFB News Alert page 2 of 12 Continued from previous page excessive water from the Chattahoochee and Flint. Georgia Farm Bureau filed an amicus brief to the court in 2016. In its brief, GFB pointed out the economic ramifications of drastic reduction or elimination of irrigation in Southwest Georgia. It was noted that water use has a $2.5 billion impact on the economy of Southwest Georgia. Half the counties in the Flint River Basin are designated by the USDA as “persistently poor” counties that depend on farming. Lancaster was appointed as special master to manage the case and conducted the trial phase. In February 2017, he recommended denying Florida’s request, saying Florida failed to show that imposing a cap on Georgia’s water consumption from the Chattahoochee and Flint would solve the issues in Apalachicola Bay. Lancaster noted that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers controls the flow of the Chattahoochee and Flint with a series of dams. Because the Corps of Engineers was not part of the lawsuit, Lancaster indicated he could not order it to alter the stream flows. “Though the court remanded this case back to the special master following a five-week trial, during which the ineffectiveness of draconian caps placed on Georgia’s water use as a solution was demonstrated, I remain confident in the state’s legal position,” said Gov. Nathan Deal in a prepared staement. “Georgia heeded the special master’s warning and took legislative action, which is now law, to address his concerns. I look forward to continuing to defend our position in this case. Georgia remains committed to the conservation efforts that make us amicable stewards of our water resources and Attorney General Chris Carr and I remain committed to making every effort to defend Georgia’s water resources for our current and future citizens. We look forward to obtaining a positive ruling on the merits in this case.” U.S. HOUSE PASSES FARM BILL; SENATE CONSIDERING ITS OWN VERSION On June 21, the U.S. House passed the 2018 farm bill (H.R. 2, or the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018) by a 213-211 vote. Georgia’s 10 Republican House members voted for the bill; the state’s four Democratic members voted against it. The current farm bill expires Sept. 30. Georgia Farm Bureau and other agricultural organizations have urged Congress to pass the new farm bill before then to ensure continuity of farm programs. “Georgia Farm Bureau is pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives passed the farm bill. The bill provides a critical safety net for Georgia’s farmers, who, like farmers across America, have struggled with declining commodity prices and a variety of other financial pressures in recent years. We look forward to working with Congress as the process of approving a new farm bill moves forward.” According to a summary from the House Agriculture Committee, H.R. 2 would help farmers and ranchers overcome an extended period of low commodity prices that have reduced farm income to its lowest point since 2006 and decreased farm income by half over the past five years. The bill reauthorizes Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), providing producers a one-time choice between ARC and PLC and allows a new yield update opportunity for those who experienced severe drought. The bill continues to allow seed cotton to be eligible for ARC and PLC, as established under the Bipartisan Budget Act passed earlier this year. The bill also maintains the peanut program. For all the PLC programs, reference prices are -continued on next page
GFB News Alert page 2 of 12 Continued from previous page allowed to adjust as market conditions improve. H.R. 2 adjusts coverage and premium levels in the dairy program, renaming it the Dairy Risk Management Program, with measures to ensure the feed cost formula is accurate, as well as expanding availability of the Livestock Gross Margin Dairy insurance policy. The bill also continues funding for voluntary incentive-based conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). H.R. 2 was forwarded to the Senate after its passage in the House. The Senate is expected to vote on its version of the farm bill this week. After the Senate passes its bill, a conference committee will be established to work out the differences between the two bills. Visit http://gfb.ag/Senfarmbill to read more about the Senate bill. GFB ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR 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. All county Farm Bureaus may nominate members to serve on a GFB Commodity Committee for a one-year term. Every county is encouraged to review their candidates and make nominations to each committee that is applicable. Please remember that a person can only be nominated to serve on one committee. 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. PROPOSED PEANUT ASSESSMENT PUBLISHED IN FEDERAL REGISTER A change in the regulation for the National Peanut Board (NPB) assessment rate computation was published in the Federal Register on June 14. The effective date for the new assessment rate is July 16 and will be applicable to the 2018 crop year. The Federal Register notice can be viewed at http://bit.ly/pnutassessmt. The new rule changes the basis for assessment from value to volume (per ton). The new computation will be flat rates of $3.55 per ton for farmers stock peanuts graded Segregation 1 and $1.25 per ton for farmers stock peanuts graded Segregation 2 or 3. The rule also updates the definition of “fiscal year� from the 12-month period beginning August 1 of any year and ending July 31 of the following year to the 12-month period beginning November 1 of any year and ending October 31 of the following year. For more information contact USDA Marketing Specialist Jeanette Palmer 202-720-9915; or email Jeanette.Palmer@ams.usda.gov.
GFB News Alert page 4 of 12 TYSON FOODS BUYS ONE OF TOP ORGANIC CHICKEN BRANDS On June 4, Tyson Foods announced its purchase of Tecumseh Poultry LLC. The purchase announced includes the air-chilled Smart Chicken, according to a Tyson press release. Tecumseh Poultry was founded in 1998 and produces air-chilled, fresh chicken, as well as delistyle chicken and a variety of chicken sausages. The air-chilling process involves using cold air to cool chicken during processing, while the most common method used by the U.S. chicken industry is water-chilling. Both methods are monitored by USDA inspectors and are considered safe. The company’s operations include two plants located in Tecumseh and Waverly, Nebraska, as well as company-owned farms. Tyson currently plans to operate Tecumseh Poultry as a separate, wholly owned subsidiary and expects to retain its approximately 600 team members, including operations staff, sales teams and management. A company spokesman noted that Tyson will continue to work with Tecumseh’s contract farmers. “This is a well-run company with a solid customer base that’s earned consumer loyalty. We’re excited for Tecumseh to continue to produce quality chicken while providing the business the scale and resources it needs to continue growing,” said Doug Ramsey, group president of Poultry for Tyson Foods. “Customers should continue to work with existing contacts.” Tyson Foods also produces organic products under its NatureRaised Farms and Aidells brands. AFBF ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR COUNTY ACTIVITIES OF EXCELLENCE Hall County Farm Bureau and Paulding County Farm Bureau have received American Farm Bureau’s (AFBF) County Activities of Excellence recognition in recent years. Your county could be next! 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. AFBF uses an online submission process for all CAE applications. No paper or PDF applications will be accepted. Click on the appropriate link on the CAE page at www.fb.org/cae to be directed to the application site. Each county that wishes to apply must create a unique user account on the application website. Please use a unique email for each county Farm Bureau that applies. For multi-county applications, choose one county to set up as the application user. As many as 24 county Farm Bureau activities from across the nation will be selected to display in the IDEAg Trade Show January 2019, in New Orleans. Multiple county Farm Bureaus that work together to plan and carry out an activity may submit CAE applications jointly. 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.
GFB News Alert page 5 of 12 GROWERS PRODUCING MORE PEACHES IN 2018 Last year’s summer peach crop was disastrous, but Georgia’s peach crop rebounded this summer following colder temperatures in December and January, according to Jeff Cook, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Taylor and Peach counties. “We were very optimistic this winter, but then we kind of got our feelings hurt because of that late-season freeze in March. But I will say that everybody is excited about having a lot more peaches this year than last year,” Cook said. The mild winter in 2017 contributed to an 80 percent loss of Georgia’s peach crop. Cook estimated that about 70 percent of those losses could be attributed to a lack of chill hours. Peaches need chill hours with temperatures between 32 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit to mature. Most trees need between 900 and 1,000 chill hours. Peaches require chill hours to grow, though temperatures that dip below freezing can also hurt the quality of the crop. Peach trees bloom in early to mid-March, so late-season freezes can damage the crop. According to Cook, a late-season freeze affected this year’s crop. “We started the season with low volume, but now that we are into our high-chill-hour peaches, that volume is picking up with good quality and size,” he said. Georgia peach farmer Lee Dickey manages a farm in Crawford County, Georgia, that covers approximately 1,000 acres. He has been pleased with the early-season varieties that account for 25 to 30 percent of his entire crop. “I think that, although we had good chill hours, the quality of the chill this year was not great. We had a lot of hours below 45 degrees and also had a lot of chill below 32 (degrees), which is not ideal,” Dickey said. “I think some growers in places, certainly south of us, have seen some chill issues this year, but that’s relatively small compared to damage from the freeze.” Dickey was one of many Georgia peach producers who suffered through a warm winter with last season's crop. The lack of cold temperatures was a big reason Dickey harvested only about 20 percent of his standard crop in 2017. Cook has seen cases of bacterial spot disease in many varieties this year. He said it is not something growers experience every year with every variety, but it is a lot more widespread this summer. “Right now, mainly all we’re seeing are leaf spots and some defoliation. We’re not seeing too much on the fruit,” Cook said. Bacterial spot is a sporadic leaf-spot disease that can cause defoliation in certain cultivars. Spots can also appear on the fruit, causing damage and leaving fruit unmarketable. For more information about growing peaches in Georgia, visit www.extension.uga.edu/topicareas/fruit-vegetable-ornamentals-production/peaches.
GFB News Alert page 6 of 12 GEORGIA BOLL WEEVIL FOUNDATION SEEKS FIELD OFFICER The Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation of Georgia (BWEFG) has an open position for a field service officer (FSO) position covering Bulloch, Burke, Jefferson, Jenkins and Screven counties. The FSO is responsible for installing, monitoring and retrieving boll weevil traps in the assigned area under minimum supervision. The FSO must live in one of the aforementioned counties or be willing to relocate. The FSO reports directly to the executive director of the BWEFG. The position requires regular and recurring physical activity and applicants must be able to lift and carry supplies that weigh up to 40 pounds. Applicants must have a high school diploma, at least two years of agricultural work experience, and ability to operate a computer with Microsoft Office software, internet service and file transfer procedures. A valid Georgia driver’s license is required. For complete job details and application instructions visit www. gfb.ag/bollweeviljob. ASA SEEKING APPLICANTS FOR YOUNG LEADER PROGRAM The American Soybean Association (ASA) and Corteva Agriscience, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont are seeking applicants for the 2018-19 Young Leader Program. The Young Leader Program, sponsored by Corteva Agriscience™ and ASA, is a two-phase educational program for actively farming individuals and couples who are passionate about the future possibilities of agriculture. The women and men who participate in this program will be the leaders who shape the future of agriculture. Phase I of the 2018-19 Young Leader program will take place in Johnston, Iowa, Nov. 27 – 30. The program continues Feb. 26 – Mar. 2, 2019 in Orlando, Florida, 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. Spouses, even those not employed full-time on the farm, are encouraged to attend and will be active participants in all elements of the program. ASA, its 26 state affiliates, including the Grain Farmers of Ontario and Corteva Agriscience, will work together to identify the top producers to represent their state as part of this program. Applications are being accepted online now. For more information or to apply, visit http://bit.ly/1819asayngldrs. 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). Since 2002, 56 projects have been funded. For more information, visit www.marshfieldresearch.org/nccrahs/mini-grants or contact Marsha Salzwedel at salzwedel.marsha@marshfieldresearch.org; 715-389-5226 or 1-800-662-6900 option 8.
GFB News Alert page 7 of 12 KNOX NAMED INTERIM DIRECTOR OF GA WEATHER MONITORING NETWORK University of Georgia agricultural climatologist Pam Knox has been named interim director of the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network. The position came open when Dr. Ian Flitcroft retired in May. As interim director, Knox will oversee the UGA weather network, which includes 86 weather stations statewide. Every second, each station monitors air temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, solar radiation, wind speed and direction, soil temperature at depths of 2, 4 and 8 inches, atmospheric pressure and soil moisture. Data from the stations are summarized at 15minute intervals. At midnight, a microcomputer on the UGA Griffin campus calculates a daily summary. This data can be accessed on the weather network’s website at weather.uga.edu. Pam Knox “The weather network is used by a great variety of people in the agricultural industry to keep track of growing degree days or chill hours. Chill hours are especially important for peach growers, as peaches require a number of these hours to bloom properly. If they don’t get them, farmers have to spray chemicals to mature the trees,” Knox said. “Corn growers use the weather data to determine when to apply pesticides to fight fungal diseases.” The National Weather Service (NWS) uses the weather network precipitation data to create the drought monitor map released every Thursday, Knox said. The NWS also uses current wind and rainfall data to identify severe weather in progress. In addition to those in the agricultural industry, utility companies use the UGA weather network, established in 1991, to help them determine when maximum loads will occur. “They need to know the hottest and coldest parts of the day to prepare for power usage,” Knox said. Average people who are interested in weather and students who are learning about weather use the stations, too. Knox was once one of those students. “I became interested in the weather when I was in the third grade and a tornado came three blocks from my house,” she said. “In college, I was into physics and I got my master’s degree in meteorology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.” Knox came to UGA in 2001 and worked alongside David Stooksbury, UGA agricultural engineer and former state climatologist. Since 2012, Knox has worked as an agricultural climatologist in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “Some of the projects I have been doing over the past five to six years have been granted-funded projects on agriculture and climate variability and how climate affects crops and livestock,” Knox said. Before coming to Georgia, Knox was the Wisconsin state climatologist. Over her career, she has worked with numerous weather observation systems and cooperated with the National Weather Service and other state and federal offices. For more on Knox and the weather network, visit http://www.caes.uga.edu/newswire/story.html?storyid=7611.
GFB News Alert page 8 of 12 UGA CAES LAUNCHES AG DATA SCIENCE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM From remote moisture sensors that produce a real-time feed of soil conditions to drones that use optical data to spot plant disease, the next green revolution will be fueled by new streams of data. Remote sensing technologies will offer farmers the ability to customize irrigation and fertilizer applications for areas that have unique characteristics within fields, which will reduce costs and environmental impacts. However, putting precision agriculture strategies into practice requires agricultural scientists who are equipped to interpret the data that these sensors generate. In fall 2018, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) will launch an interdisciplinary Certificate in Agricultural Data Science to equip CAES graduate students with the data analysis expertise that they will need to capitalize on this big data revolution. “In other disciplines — business and health care — programs that are focused on data science have already taken off,” said Harald Scherm, professor and head of UGA’s Department of Plant Pathology. “But there is no such formal program in agricultural data science. We think there is a need for that.” CAES’ certificate program will be one of the first of its kind in the nation. CAES faculty members have heard from students, researchers and employers that there is a need for data analysis expertise in agricultural research and applied agricultural science, said Scherm, who worked with colleagues in the UGA statistics and computer science departments and in the UGA College of Engineering to develop the certificate program. Through the certificate, current and future CAES graduate students will plan a schedule of elective and related courses that will complement their agricultural research and expose them to a wide range of principles and practices of data analysis. “The goal of the graduate certificate is to develop a curriculum that will produce crossdisciplinary and cross-functional, data-smart graduates who can bridge the gaps between the generation, analysis and interpretation of complex data in the agricultural field,” Scherm said. “We’re not looking to train computer scientists, but we want them to be able to discuss data issues and incorporate analysis into their practice.” A summer 2017 survey of CAES graduate students showed that almost 90 percent were interested in the certificate program, and almost 50 percent said they were definitely interested in learning to integrate big data science into their disciplines. The certificate program will be open to all graduate students at UGA but will be most helpful to those studying agriculture or environmental sciences, Scherm said. CAES’ interdisciplinary Certificate in Agricultural Data Science will leverage UGA’s strength in agricultural research and UGA’s campuswide informatics initiative to build a reputation as a leader in agricultural data science, Scherm said. Elective courses will be drawn from four different colleges (CAES, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, and Family and Consumer Sciences) and two Institutes (Georgia Informatics Initiative and Institute of Bioinformatics).
GFB News Alert page 9 of 12 GEORGIA TOBACCO CROP HURT BY EXCESSIVE RAIN Excessive rainfall in May reduced the potential yield of Georgia’s tobacco crop by as much as 15 percent, according to University of Georgia Cooperative Extension tobacco agronomist J. Michael Moore. Moore believes that some producers experienced as much as 15 to 25 inches of rainfall during the last two weeks in May, a time when tobacco is starting to grow. The added moisture leached a lot of nitrogen — a vital nutrient — out of the soil, which caused the tobacco to turn yellow. “When you think about losing 15 percent of optimum yield for the season, it’s really not a good start. But then again, it’s not just Georgia. We see damage in South Carolina and in North Carolina from late crop planting because it’s been too wet,” Moore said. Alex Csinos, UGA professor The increased rain combined with limited sunlight emeritus in plant pathology, talks caused the tobacco roots to suffocate when the soil filled about tobacco during the Tobacco with water. The roots died and began to rot. Moore said Tour at UGA-Tifton on June 13. farmers are now trying to grow a new root system that (UGA photo) will soak up the nitrogen that still resides in the soil. The plant will regrow roots as the soil dries if it did not totally drown. Some growers replaced some of the nitrogen that leached from the soil to make it available to the plants growing new roots. “We experienced a drought several weeks prior to the beginning of the rain. We needed rainfall, we just didn’t need it all at once and we didn’t need the volume that we received,” Moore said. Growers have worked with local UGA Extension agents to determine how best to replace the leached nitrogen, the amount of nitrogen that needs to be replaced based on what was applied earlier, and the amount of rainfall over this period of time in May. The first round of tobacco harvests in Georgia should begin in the next two weeks. According to Moore, approximately 12,500 acres of tobacco were planted in Georgia this year.
GFB News Alert page 10 of 12 ELEMENTARY FFA PROGRAM APPLICATIONS DUE JUNE 30 Georgia school systems interested in implementing a pilot program for elementary agricultural education have until June 30 to submit their applications. The pilot program, authorized under Senate Bill 330 passed unanimously by the Georgia Legislature this year, will take the FFA education model into a minimum of six elementary schools. The elementary school pilot program will last three years and will help determine whether and how elementary agriculture education can be implemented statewide. The application can be found online at http://bit.ly/ElemFFAapplication. For more information, contact Georgia Agricultural Education Program Manager Chip Bridges at jbridges@doe.k12.ga.us or 404-656-8311. SOUTHERN PEANUT GROWERS CONFERENCE July 19-21 Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort Miramar Beach, Fla. This annual gathering of peanut growers from multiple states features a show by magician and mentalist Dennis Watkins, interaction with university researchers and Extension specialists, sessions on agricultural advocacy and a golf tournament. For the full schedule visit http://bit.ly/19SPGCsked. Register by June 30 to save $50. To register, visit http://bit.ly/19SPGCreg. SYNGENTA #ROOTEDINAG CONTEST June 30 deadline for entries Syngenta is offering members of the ag community a way to honor those individuals who have ignited their ag passion the most. The application period is open for the annual #RootedinAg contest. In exchange for sharing their stories, participants will have a chance to be named one of five finalists, who will each receive mini touch-screen tablets and have their inspirational stories featured on the Syngenta Thrive website at http://bit.ly/syngentathrive. From those finalists, one grand prize winner will receive a $500 gift card and have their story published in Thrive magazine, plus Syngenta will make a $1,000 donation in the winner’s name to a local charity or civic organization. To participate, interested candidates should : Fill out on the easy-touse online entry form at http://bit.ly/rootedinag; in about 200 words, describe who most inspired them to be #RootedinAg; when prompted, upload a photograph or video that visually supports their written entry. AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE OF THE SOUTH July 23-25 Alpharetta Conference Center Alpharetta This is Georgia’s first conference dedicated to innovation and entrepreneurship that is shaping the future of agriculture. Hosted by Tech Alpharetta, in partnership with the City of Alpharetta, the three-day conference will address the explosive growth in ag tech that has resulted from the intersection of agriculture and technology. The event will feature an impressive list of speakers from leading organizations like ACGO, Syngenta, Microsoft, Proagrica, The Climate Corporation, Oracle, Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia, and many more. Panel discussions and break-out sessions will cover a variety of topics, including big data, ag tech logistics and supply chain, state of the region in ag tech, innovation, plant genetics and biotechnology. Registration is $495 until June 30, then $550 until July 23. Day-of-event fee is $595. To register, visit http://bit.ly/agtechconf18.
GFB News Alert page 11 of 12 CROP INSURANCE DEADLINE NEARS FOR GEORGIA CABBAGE GROWERS Georgia cabbage producers have until July 1 to apply for crop insurance coverage or make changes to their existing coverage under the 2014 farm bill. Coverage is available for cabbage grown in Brooks, Colquitt, Tift and Toombs 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. GFB YF&R “A CALF’S WEIGHT IN CHANGE” FOR GEORGIA FOOD BANKS The Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher Committee is asking Farm Bureau members and ag supporters to dig deep to help each county collect a calf’s weight in loose change, estimated to be 65 pounds of coins, until July 16. All money collected will be donated to the Georgia Food Bank Association. Donations are accepted at county Farm Bureau offices. Farm Bureau Bank has pledged to match all donations collected. For more information, contact GFB YF&R Coordinator Erin Nessmith at ennessmith@gfb.org or at 478-474-0679, ext. 5232. 2018 SUNBELT EXPO FIELD DAY July 24 Spence Field 7:15 a.m. Moultrie Farmers are invited to the Darrell Williams Research Farm on the grounds of the Sunbelt Expo, where they can see the latest research on irrigation, variety trials for Southeastern crops, seeds and chemicals, and agricultural technology. A biscuit breakfast and barbecue lunch will be provided, and attendees can register for door prizes. For more information visit www.sunbeltexpo.com or call 229-985-1968. 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. The intent is to demonstrate functional characteristics egg ingredients supply to these applications, investigate the scientific principles behind the functionality, and then taste the results. 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.
GFB News Alert page 12 of 12 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. UPCOMING BEEF EVENTS GEORGIA JUNIOR BEEF FUTURITY July 12-14 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter Contact Christa Steinkamp at 706-552-4460 or csteinkamp@gaaged.org.
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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. 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.