Georgia Farm Bureau News Alert - March 18, 2015

March 18, 2015

www.gfb.org

Vol. 33 No. 11

BEEF GROUPS SIGN MOU ON CHANGES TO BEEF CHECKOFF On March 13 seven national organizations, members of the Beef Checkoff Enhancement Working Group (BCEWG), signed a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding agreed-upon enhancements to the National Beef Checkoff program under the 1985 Beef Promotion and Research Act and Order.

According to a BCEWG press release, the member organizations are the American Farm Bureau Federation, the American National CattleWomen, Inc., the Livestock Marketing Association, the Meat Import Council of America, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the National Livestock Producers Association and the National Milk Producers Federation.

The National Beef Checkoff is a producer and importer-funded program designed to increase global demand for beef through investments in education, research and promotion.

In the MOU, the organizations agree to support legislation to increase the current Beef Checkoff assessment of $1 per head to $2 per head. Within a year of the legislation being signed into law, a referendum will be conducted among beef producers and beef importers to increase the assessment. A majority vote would be required in the referendum for the assessment to be increased.

Additional provisions in the MOU: • Assessments will continue to be collected as they are now and state beef councils will have the authority to retain 50 percent of the assessment.

• If an increase is improved, a refund of the additional assessment amount, but not the current $1 per head, will be available to beef producers paying into the checkoff.

• Every five years, the Secretary of Agriculture will publicize a 30-day comment period during which beef checkoff payers may request a referendum vote on the continuation of the beef checkoff and/or a change to the assessment rate. If ten percent or more beef checkoff payers request such a referendum, a timely referendum will be held. The wishes of beef checkoff payers indicated by a majority vote in the referendum will be implemented. The current ability for the Secretary to conduct a referendum only on the continuation of the beef checkoff if 10 percent or more of beef checkoff payers sign a petition will remain in place.

• The new Joint Nominating Committee, which will recommend candidates to serve on the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC), will include members from the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, the Federation of State Beef Councils, and other national organizations representing beef checkoff payers.

• The Cattlemen’s Beef Board will annually provide all interested eligible contractors information and training on the contracting process.

GFB News Alert page 2 of 10 GFB YOUNG FARMERS VISIT WASHINGTON, D.C. A group of 35 young farmers from across Georgia traveled to Washington, D.C., on March 10-13 as part of the 30th Annual Young Farmers to Washington trip hosted by the Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer Committee. The young farmers had a chance to tell Georgia’s congressmen how critical issues like immigration and excessive regulation affect their farms.

Sens. Johnny Isakson and David Perdue met with the group in the Russell Senate Office Building and discussed several issues facing American agriculture. The U.S. House of Representatives was on recess during this week, but delegates were able to visit with staffers of all Georgia congressmen and share the concerns from back home.

GFB President Zippy Duvall also addressed these young farmers and shared the importance of working with their elected officials and telling their story.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for young farmers to visit Washington, D.C. and tell our great story as we work together to make sure that American agriculture is protected on the federal level,” said GFB Young Farmer Committee Chairman David Cromley from Bulloch County.

The young farmers also toured Washington, D.C. and visited with AFBF lobbyists on a number of priority issues including the recently passed farm bill, farm labor and immigration reform, Environmental Protection Agency regulations and genetically modified crops.

FORMER GFB PRESIDENT BILL LANIER DIES Bill Lanier, who served as Georgia Farm Bureau President from 1964 to 1970, died on March 17. He was 88.

A native of Candler County, Lanier served as Candler County Farm Bureau president from 1988 to 2009.

A farmer from the age of 21, Lanier was appointed to a position with the USDA in 1970. He held multiple jobs with the USDA, including work as director of policy analysis and assistant administrator of the Agriculture Stabilization Conservation Service, the predecessor to the current Farm Service Agency.

“We at Georgia Farm Bureau are extremely saddened to learn of Mr. Lanier’s death,” said GFB President Zippy Duvall. “Mr. Lanier spent his life serving farmers in a variety of roles and while he will be sorely missed, Lanier he will also be fondly remembered as a dedicated servant to agriculture.”

Lanier served six terms in the Georgia House of Representatives, including chairmanship of the House Agriculture Committee from 1954 to 1958. His work in the Georgia Legislature included a bill that led to the elimination of the disease vesicular exanthema in Georgia’s swine herds as well as authoring an amendment to the state constitution that led to the Boll Weevil Eradication Program.

Lanier was a 2004 inductee into the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Agriculture Hall of Fame, and he received the 2009 Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Award in recognition of a lifetime spent in service to agriculture in Georgia and on the national level.

Funeral services will be held March 21 at 2 p.m. at Metter First Baptist Church. Burial will be in the Rosemary Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 20 at Kennedy Funeral Home in Metter.

GFB News Alert page 3 of 10 GEORGIA PEANUT COMMISSION HOLDING REFERENDUM The Georgia Peanut Commission opened voting in its reaffirmation referendum on March 16, giving peanut producers an opportunity to vote on reaffirming the commission. Voting continues through April 15.

State law mandates that a referendum be held every three years. Georgia peanut producers invest $2 per ton to fund the commission and its research, education, promotion and communication programs. The last referendum in 2012 passed with an 87.6 percent reaffirmation.

“I urge all peanut producers to vote in this referendum.

Research, education, and promotion continue to be the core focus of the commission,” said GPC Chairman Armond Morris, an Irwin County peanut farmer. “With continuing budget cuts at the federal and state level it is extremely important for growers to continue to focus their efforts on supporting research and promotional efforts through their checkoff dollars. One way for farmers to do that is by continuing their support of the Georgia Peanut Commission.”

Peanut producers should contact GPC Executive Director Don Koehler by email at don@gapeanuts.com or 229-386-3470 if they have any questions about the commission’s activities or the referendum. Peanut producers who do not receive a ballot may obtain one by calling the commission.

The commission requests that anyone who receives a ballot but is no longer farming to write, “no longer producing” on the certification envelope and return it to the commission. This will assist the commission in updating its mailing list. The commission's address is P.O. Box 967, Tifton, GA 31793. The Certified Public Accounting Firm of Allen, Pritchett, and Bassett will count the votes.

BLUEBERRY REFERENDUM PASSES Georgia blueberry growers agreed to continue the assessment on blueberries grown in Georgia during the recent referendum, held Jan. 21 through Feb. 20.

The blueberry marketing order passed with 77.45 percent of eligible grower ballots cast in favor of continuing the assessment at a rate of $5 per ton of marketed blueberries.

Funds received from the grower assessment on blueberries can be spent on research, education and promotion of blueberries. The Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Blueberries determines which projects to fund with assessment dollars.

Funded projects for 2015 include research on anti-oxidant and nutritional values for Georgia blueberries, herbicide programs, disease management, nutrient management and variety development. Georgia ranked number one in the production ofblueberries in the United States in 2014.

GFB News Alert page 4 of 10 STATE ISSUES EMERGENCY RULE TO COMBAT AVIAN INFLUENZA Following the confirmation of two different strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in birds in eight Midwestern and Western states, the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) has implemented an emergency rule requiring testing of all live birds being transported into Georgia prior to the birds entering the state.

“The normal movement of poultry and poultry products from any state in which avian influenza virus is present and spreading is a major and real threat to Georgia’s public welfare,” the notice said.

The USDA National Veterinary Services Lab (NVSL) recently confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N8 in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California.

The NVSL has also confirmed the presence of HPAI H5N2 in Washington, Idaho, Minnesota, Missouri, Arkansas and Kansas. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States, Canada, or internationally.

HPAI is a highly contagious poultry disease that spreads rapidly and has the potential to mutate. HPAI can also cause sporadic infections of the respiratory tract of humans. According to the emergency rule notice, most human infections with avian influenza A viruses have occurred following direct or close contact with infected poultry. The GDA noted that the spread of HPAI viruses could threaten Georgia’s poultry industry.

AFBF FILES BRIEF IN APPEAL OF CALIFORNIA EGG DECISION A California law that regulates agricultural production in other states is unconstitutional for multiple reasons, and a lower court ruling that barred other states from bringing suit against California on behalf of their citizens should be reversed, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).

In a friend-of-the-court brief filed March 11 in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (State of Missouri, et al. v. Harris, et al.), AFBF urged the court to find that six states have standing to challenge California’s egg law.

A federal district court in California dismissed a lawsuit brought by officials from Missouri, Alabama, Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska and Oklahoma on behalf of their citizens in October 2014, months before a new California law imposed hen cage size restrictions on any shell eggs sold in the state, including those produced out-of-state.

California’s legislature enacted the law to protect California egg producers from a competitive disadvantage resulting from the 2008 Proposition 2 ballot initiative that imposed cage size restrictions on California egg producers.

The California law presents out-of-state egg producers with an untenable situation, and because all “consumers will suffer,” the states of Alabama, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma should be allowed to file suit against California on behalf of all their citizens, AFBF said. According to AFBF’s brief, the law would have detrimental effects on the national egg market, since California accounts for one in every eight eggs sold in the U.S. As for out-of-state egg producers, they “are placed between a rock and a hard place,” deciding whether to opt out of that sizeable market, or comply by incurring enormous capital costs associated with installing cage systems required by California law. The Congressional Research Service estimates compliance costs between $25 and $30 per hen. For a medium-sized farm with 300,000 hens, costs would be between $8 million and $9 million.

GFB News Alert page 5 of 10 FOREST INDUSTRY REMAINS STRONG CONTRIBUTOR TO GA ECONOMY Georgia's forestry industry continued to deliver strong results for the state's economy in 2013.

According to a new Georgia Forestry Commission report provided by the Georgia Institute of Technology, total economic activity generated by the state's forest industry increased 3.6 percent to $16.9 billion between 2012 and 2013. The measurement is determined by calculating output, employment and compensation produced directly by Georgia's forestry industry. The total impact of the forest industry, including dollars brought into the state and recirculated through all major industry sectors, was $28.9 billion, approximately the same as 2012.

“It’s a strong showing for an industry on which so many Georgians rely,” said Robert Farris, director of the Georgia Forestry Commission. “For the third consecutive year we’re seeing steady job growth within the industry and compensation over the past year has increased somewhat over 2012. We’re heading in the right direction.”

Additional highlights of the 2013 Economic Benefits of the Forestry Industry in Georgia report include: · Net state revenues generated by the forest industry equaled $365 million, an increase of 51percent from 2012 and more than double the revenue since 2011. · The industry supported 50,110 jobs in 2013, up 1.2 percent from 2012. · Including wages and salaries, forest industry workers earned $3.1 billion, an increase of 0.7 percent from 2012.

Georgia's 179 primary wood-using industries convert logs into products such as lumber, poles and posts, wood pulp and energy products such as wood pellets. Approximately 1,100 secondary manufacturers convert wood products into furniture, manufactured homes and buildings, paper products and more.

To read the 2013 report and learn more about the services of the Georgia Forestry Commission, visit www.GaTrees.org.

MONSANTO AWARDED DAMAGES IN SEED-SAVING CASE In a March 4 ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Ashley Royal awarded Monsanto $360,000 in damages in its complaint against Tift County farmer Christopher Ponder.

The court found that Ponder violated two Monsanto patents in 2011, 2012 and 2013 when he saved Roundup Ready Flex, Bollgard II and Roundup Ready Flex with Bollgard II cotton seed without authorization, and that his actions deprived Monsanto of technology fees it is entitled to receive under those patents. Further, the court found that Ponder directed Omega Farm Supply to catch specific varieties of harvested cotton containing Monsanto’s patented traits so he could delint and plant it.

In addition to monetary damages, the court issued a permanent injunction against Ponder from “making, using, buying, acquiring, selling, offering to sell or otherwise transferring any of Monsanto’s patented agricultural crop seed biotechnology (to or from any source or seed licensee) covered by any patent, including U.S. Patent Nos. 6,949,696 and 7,064,249.”

GFB News Alert page 6 of 10 STUDY: PEANUT CONSUMPTION IN INFANCY PREVENTS PEANUT ALLERGY Introduction of peanut products into the diets of infants at high risk of developing a peanut allergy was safe and led to an 81 percent reduction in the subsequent development of the allergy, a clinical trial has found. The study was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and was conducted by the NIAID-funded Immune Tolerance Network (ITN). The results appear in the Feb. 26 online issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (http://www.nejm.org/ - registration required) and were presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Researchers led by Gideon Lack, M.D., of King’s College London, designed a study called Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP), based on observations that Israeli children have lower rates of peanut allergy compared to Jewish children of similar ancestry residing in the United Kingdom. Unlike children in the UK, Israeli children begin consuming peanut-containing foods early in life. The study tested the hypothesis that the very low rates of peanut allergy in Israeli children were a result of high levels of peanut consumption beginning in infancy.

“Food allergies are a growing concern, not just in the United States but around the world,” said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. “For a study to show a benefit of this magnitude in the prevention of peanut allergy is without precedent. The results have the potential to transform how we approach food allergy prevention.”

LEAP compared two strategies to prevent peanut allergy — consumption or avoidance of dietary peanut — in infants who were at high risk of developing peanut allergy because they already had egg allergy and/or severe eczema, an inflammatory skin disorder.

“The study also excluded infants showing early strong signs of having already developed peanut allergy. The safety and effectiveness of early peanut consumption in this group remains unknown and requires further study,” said Dr. Lack. “Parents of infants and young children with eczema or egg allergy should consult with an allergist, pediatrician, or their general practitioner prior to feeding them peanut products.”

More than 600 high-risk infants between 4 and 11 months of age were assigned randomly either to avoid peanut entirely or to regularly include at least 6 grams of peanut protein per week in their diets. The avoidance and consumption regimens were continued until 5 years of age.

Participants were monitored throughout this period with recurring visits with health care professionals, in addition to completing dietary surveys by telephone.

The researchers assessed peanut allergy at 5 years of age with a supervised, oral food challenge with peanut. They found an overall 81 percent reduction of peanut allergy in children who began early, continuous consumption of peanuts compared to those who avoided peanut.

“Prior to 2008, clinical practice guidelines recommended avoidance of potentially allergenic foods in the diets of young children at heightened risk for development of food allergies,” said Daniel Rotrosen, M.D., director of NIAID’s Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation. “While recent studies showed no benefit from allergen avoidance, the LEAP study is the first to show that early introduction of dietary peanuts is actually beneficial and identifies an effective approach to manage a serious public health problem.”

A follow-up study called LEAP-On will ask all LEAP study participants to avoid peanut consumption for one year. These results will determine whether continuous peanut consumption is required to maintain a child’s tolerance to peanuts.

GFB News Alert page 7 of 10 DEVANE SERVES AS PORK ACT DELEGATE Randolph County hog farmer Dania Devane, served as a delegate to the Pork Act Delegate assembly, held March 5-7 in San Antonio, Texas. Devane was appointed as a delegate by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

“It was important to me to represent pork producers from across the United States as a Pork Act delegate,” said Devane, who is a member of the Georgia Farm Bureau Swine Committee. “As an industry, we are committed to elevate U.S. pork as the global protein of choice by continuously and collaboratively working to do what’s right for people, pigs and the planet.”

Devane was one of 155 delegates from 42 states to represent pork producers and importers who sell pork products in the United States.

Georgia Pork Producers Association President Mark Clemmer was also appointed. The duties of a delegate body include nominating members to Devane serve on the National Pork Board, establishing how much of the Pork Checkoff is returned to state pork organizations and providing direction on the pork promotion, research and consumer and producer education priorities funded by the Pork Checkoff.

To fund programs, America’s pork producers contribute 40 cents of every $100 of sales to the checkoff. Importers use a sales formula to contribute a similar amount. The role of the Pork Checkoff is to promote and enhance consumer demand for pork on a global basis, as well as invest in research designed to improve production practices and safeguard the pork supply, environment and animal well-being. Building consumer confidence and educating America’s pig farmers on modern livestock production practices through training and certification programs are also key priorities.

The National Pork Board earlier approved a 2015 budget for national spending of $66 million for promotion, research and education programs. The strategic direction of the Pork Checkoff is centered on building consumer trust, driving sustainable production and growing consumer demand both in the United States and globally.

GFB News Alert page 8 of 10 GA VEGETABLE COMMISSION REFERENDUM UNDER WAY A referendum is being held through March 31 to decide whether to re-establish a marketing order authorizing an assessment to fund activities of the Georgia Vegetable Commission. The referendum, which will be conducted by mail ballot, will allow vegetable producers to determine if they will pay to fund research, promotion & education activities coordinated by the commission. The commission is proposing to establish a marketing order for bell peppers, specialty peppers, beans, broccoli, beets, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, cucumbers, eggplants, greens, squash, sweet potatoes and tomatoes. Growers, who produce 50 acres or more of the vegetables listed above, would pay an assessment of not more than 1 cent per marketing unit for each vegetable. For more information about the referendum contact Andy Harrison of the Georgia Department of Agriculture at 404-586-1405 or andy.harrison@agr.georgia.gov.

CHEROKEE COUNTY AG EXPO March 19 City Center 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Woodstock This free event is sponsored by Cherokee County Farm Bureau, the Cherokee County Extension Office, Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce and the City of Woodstock. Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black and Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall are scheduled to speak. The expo will feature locally grown foods, plants, animals, and hand-crafted products, with representatives from farmers markets, 4-H, FFA and master gardeners. For more information visit www.cherokeeagexpo.info.

AG SAFE FARM SMART AWARENESS EVENT March 28 Ag-Pro 10 a.m.

Carnesville This event to promote ag safety is sponsored by Franklin County Farm Bureau, AgGeorgia Farm Credit and Ag-Pro. The event will feature kid-friendly activities, tractor and implement demonstrations and educational speakers. Lunch will be provided. RSVP by March 14 to Franklin County Farm Bureau Office Manager Rebecca Whitfield at 706-384-2222 or rmwhitfield@gfb.org.

Peanut Proud Festival March 28 Town Square Blakely This all-day event kicks off with a 5k and Fun Run and ends with a street dance. In-between is a parade, over 100 vendors, a kids' zone and an obstacle course, and free entertainment. For more information or schedule of events, please visit peanutproudfestival.com or the Peanut Proud Festival Facebook page.

GEORGIA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION 54TH ANNUAL CONVENTION April 1-4 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter Perry This jam-packed four-day event covers all things beef, including a forage conference led by UGA’s Dr. Dennis Hancock, Zoetis Cattlemen’s College seminars on a variety of topics, a livestock marketing seminar led by National Institute for Animal Agriculture Board Member Dr. Nevil Speer; the annual awards banquet; the GCA general membership meeting; Angus and Hereford sales; the annual Cattlemen’s Ball; and a junior awards luncheon. Visit www.georgiacattlemen.org for more information or to register.

GFB News Alert page 9 of 10 GEORGIA FORAGE CONFERENCE April 1 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter 9 a.m.

Perry Held in conjunction with the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association Convention for the fourth straight year, this conference features presentations on selecting and establishing new forage, selecting new hay equipment, preventing mold and heat damage and understanding and improving quality.

Registration is $40, which covers the program, lunch, a notebook and other resources available as handouts. To register, visit www.georgiacattlemen.org/conventionregistration.aspx.

MONSANTO OFFERS GRANTS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 34 GA COUNTIES April 1 deadline to apply Farmers in 34 Georgia counties may nominate a public school district for grants of up to $25,000 from Monsanto’s America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Fund. Eligible counties are Appling, Baker, Berrien, Bleckley, Brooks, Bulloch, Burke, Calhoun, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Crisp, Decatur, Dooly, Early, Grady, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Lee, Macon, Miller, Mitchell, Randolph, Screven, Seminole, Sumter, Tattnall, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Turner, Wilcox and Worth. Visit www.growruraleducation.com and click the “Farmers Nominate Now” button or call 1-877-267-3332 to submit a nomination. Complete rules and eligibility requirements are posted on the aforementioned website.

BAYER SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR BEEKEEPING AWARD Bayer CropScience is seeking nominations for its third annual Bee Care Community Leadership Award, which recognizes an individual who uses their interest in and commitment to honey bees to benefit their community. The award, an initiative of Bayer’s North American Bee Care Program, provides a $5,000 grant to the winner to be used in support of a community beekeeping project. The winner will also receive an all-expense paid trip to a reception in Washington, D.C., during National Pollinator Week June 15-21. Any beekeeper or individual with a focus on honeybees may apply. Individuals interested in applying for the award can obtain an application at www.pollinatorweek.bayer.com. The deadline to apply is April 3.

UGA EXTENSION, USDA GRANT-WRITING WORKSHOPS April 15 Gwinnett Technical College 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Lawrenceville April 23 Fort Valley State University 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Fort Valley The process of applying for federal grants can be daunting, but extra funding can help farmers diversify their farms or make them more sustainable or profitable. University of Georgia Extension is currently working with the USDA to host two workshops to help farmers apply for grants through the USDA’s Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion programs. The workshops are free to attend but there is a limit of 50 participants per workshop. Visit http://georgiafaces.caes.uga.edu/?public=viewStory&pk_id=5404 for more information or to register.

NEWTON COUNTY AG DAY ON THE SQUARE April 18 On the Square 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Covington This event, sponsored by the Newton County Farm Bureau Young Farmers, features a modern and antique tractor show and lots of family fun. For more information, contact NCFB Office Manager Crystal Powell at 770-786-7201.

GFB News Alert page 10 of 10 38th ANNUAL VIDALIA ONION FESTIVAL April 23-26 Various locations Vidalia This festival celebrating Georgia’s official state vegetable includes an air show featuring the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, the Miss Vidalia Onion Pageant, country band Lonestar in concert, the Golden Onion professional chef competition, the Vidalia Onion Recipe Contest and much more.

For more information visit www.vidaliaonionfestival.com.

GCW TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR COTTON SCHOLARSHIPS May 1 Deadline to apply The John M. and Connie H. Mobley Memorial Scholarship is presented to the child or grandchild of an active Georgia cotton producer. The $1,500 scholarship will be payable onethird each quarter or one-half each semester. The Georgia Cotton Women Scholarship is presented annually to the child or grandchild of a Georgia cotton producer or a cotton industry employee and who is the child or grandchild of a GCW member. This $1,500 scholarship is also payable one-third each quarter or one-half each semester. The Georgia Cotton Women Scholarship is funded through the sales of the organization’s two cookbooks, Georgia Cotton Heritage Cookbook and the newly-released Cooking in High Cotton.Applicants for both scholarships must have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 and must maintain a minimum 2.5 grade point average to receive the scholarship the following term. Applications are available at www.georgiacottonwomen.org. For more information email Nancy Coleman at georgiacottonwomen@gmail.com or call 229-941-2930.

2015 YOUNG HARRIS/UGA BEEKEEPING INSTITUTE May 14-16 Young Harris College 8 a.m. each day Young Harris This event, one of the most comprehensive beekeeping educational events in the Southeast, offers classes for beekeepers at all levels of experience and the annual honey show. May 14 is dedicated training and certification exams for journeymen and master beekeeper qualifications, as well as the Welsh honey judge training. May 15 and 16 provide training and certification, including individual and colony biology, pathogens and parasites, and much more. Registration fees for ages 18 and older are $130 for May 15, $110 for May 16 and $220 for both days. For ages 17 and under, fees are $65 for May 15, $55 for May 16 and $110 for both days. Two-day registration and additional fees apply for advanced courses and exams on May 16. Space is limited and classes generally fill up quickly. For more information, visit www.ent.uga.edu/Bees/young-harris/index.html.

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION WORKSHOP June 7-11 Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Tifton The camp, for rising 10th, 11th and 12th-grade students with a desire to learn more about Georgia’s natural resources and the opportunities and responsibilities these resources provide, focuses on the value, protection and conservation of Georgia’s wildlife, forestry, soil and water resources.

Tuition is $150 per students who register by May 1 and $175 for those who register after May 1.

The deadline to register is May 28. For more information, visit www.abac.edu/nrcw or contact your local office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division or UGA Cooperative Extension Service.