MAY 19, 2010
www.gfb.org
Vol. 28 No. 20
PETERSON WARNS TIGHT BUDGET WILL MEAN CHANGES IN NEXT FARM BILL
U.S. Congressmen from both sides of the aisle who spoke at the farm bill hearing held by the U.S. House Agriculture Committee in Morrow on May 14 repeatedly warned that there will be less federal funding available for the 2012 farm bill than there was for the 2008 bill. “We’re not going to have any more money for the next farm bill. We’re going to have less money. It’s not going to be easy because someone is going to have to give up something,” said House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson D-Minn. “ Maybe it’s time we’re going to have different programs for different crops. We’ve got to think outside the box. Are we spending our money the best way? That’s why I’m starting these hearings so early.” Peterson also called for simplifying the farm program. Peterson was joined by fellow Democratic committee members Reps. David Scott and Jim Marshall of Georgia; Bobby Bright, Ala.; Ranking Minority Member Bob Goodlatte, Va. and fellow Republicans Mike Rogers, Ala.; Adrian Smith, Neb. and Glenn Thompson, Pa. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., participated as a member of the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Agriculture and related agencies. Georgia farmers who testified included Georgia Farm Bureau Peanut Advisory Committee member Andy Bell, GFB President Zippy Duvall, Southern Cotton Growers, Inc. Director Ronnie Lee, Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association 1st Vice President Dick Minor, Georgia Peanut Commission Chairman Armond Morris, Georgia Pecan Producers Association Past President Hilton Segler and Ricky Williams, member of the USDA Dairy Advisory Committee. Duvall encouraged Congress to include provisions in the next farm bill that motivate young people to enter production agriculture. “There is one thing we need to do - encourage young people graduating from our agriculture schools to return to the land. If we don’t succeed in getting them to return to the farm and engage in production agriculture we will lose agriculture.” Duvall also encouraged Congress to take measures to ensure proposed agribusiness mergers and vertical integration arrangements don’t hamper farmers’ access to inputs and markets. Bell testified improvements need to be made to the federal crop insurance program saying, “Insurance coverage above the 70 to 75 percent level is simply not affordable.” He added that while some type of workable permanent disaster program is needed, the Supplemental Revenue Assistance program, included in the 2008 farm bill, doesn’t work in the South because growing multiple crops makes it almost impossible for southern farmers to qualify.
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YOUNG FARMER COMMITTEE ACCEPTING PHOTO CONTEST ENTRIES The Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer Committee is accepting entries to its 2010 Amateur Photography contest through June 11. The contest is open to amateur photographers who are GFB members. Employees of the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation, its affiliated companies and county Farm Bureau employees may not participate. The competition offers amateur photographers the chance to explore the many aspects of the state’s largest industry. The top prize is $150 with five honorable mention prizes of $75 each to be awarded. The winning photographs will capture the image and spirit of agriculture and Farm Bureau in Georgia. All photos must have been taken in 2009 or 2010. Judging will take place during the GFB Young Farmer Family Conference July 24 and 25. All entries must be submitted via e-mail as an attachment in JPEG format by 4:30 p.m. on June 11 to yf@gfb.org. For more information and complete contest rules, please visit http://www.gfb.org/programs/yf/photo_contest.html. GA. EGG COMMISSION AWARDS $3,600 IN PRIZES TO CONTEST WINNERS Rhonda Hitch of Kathleen won the first place prize of $2,000 in the Georgia Egg Commission’s 27th Annual Recipe Contest, held May 5 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter in Perry. Hitch entered her Bella Luna Savory Pie inspired by her favorite Italian movie “Moonstruck.” She put a unique spin on chicken alfredo and mushrooms with her recipe by making a pie shell using angel hair pasta, Parmesan cheese and eggs. “I’m truly shocked to have been named the winner. I thought someone else had it this year,” Hitch said. “The idea for this recipe came from a basic pasta recipe I saw in Southern Living years ago that I’ve tweaked through the years and made my own.” The theme for the 2010 contest was “Eggs Go Hollywood.” To be considered, recipes had to be original, serve at least four people, use at least four whole eggs, be prepared in 60 minutes or less and contain ingredients representing the theme of a Hollywood movie. Andrew Brooks, of Byron, won the second place award of $850 for his American Graffiti Beef and Egg Angus Burger, which featured a Black Angus beef patty, hash browns, a fried egg, cheese and bacon. Jamie W. Jones, of Madison, captured third place and $650 for her “Gone With the Wind” themed Frankly My Dear, I’d love a Mini Praline Apple Bundt Cake, which included apples, carrots and pecans. Other contestants were: Beth Boyd of Ludowici; Rachel Brooks of Bonaire; Jenna Chrisman of Conyers; Phil Herron of Rome; Betsy Podriznik of Lawrenceville; Karen Slaughter of Warner Robins and Virginia Webb of Clarkesville. Webb won Best of Show for the second consecutive year for the creativity with which she displayed her recipe. Webb dressed as an angel to prepare her recipe It’s a Wonderful Bread Pudding inspired by the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” She won $100 for the award. For a free copy of all ten recipes, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Winning Recipes, Georgia Egg Commission, P.O. Box 2929, Suwanee, GA 30024. Visit the Georgia Egg Commission Web site at www.georgiaeggs.org for more information about the 2011 contest. The deadline to enter is April 1, 2011.
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FARM BUREAU STUDYING EFFECTS OF NEW CLIMATE CHANGE BILL While the American Power Act introduced to the U.S. Senate last week by Sens. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) addresses some issues farmers had with previous climate-change legislation, there are still concerns over increases in fertilizer and energy costs that would result from its ratification. Called a jobs-promotion bill by its authors, it features a sector-by-sector approach to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, rather than an economy-wide approach, beginning with caps on utilities in 2013. Farm Bureau is studying the legislation to see how the proposed caps might affect farmers and ranchers over time and whether they might be able to recoup some of their costs through offsets or conservation programs. GFB ANNOUNCES SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS Casey Kimbrell Jr. of Pierce County, Jessica Spaid of Candler County and Josh Barron of Hart County have been awarded the top Georgia Farm Bureau 2010 Scholarships for Agriculture, valued at $3,000 each. The scholarships, intended to recognize and assist deserving and outstanding young people who are pursuing college degrees in agriculture or related fields, are for students who plan to enroll in a unit of the University System of Georgia or Berry College for the 2010-2011 academic year. In addition to the three top awards, seven other students were awarded $750 each. “We’re extremely proud to help these students in pursuing their dreams,” said GFB President Zippy Duvall. “Each of them has performed well in the classroom and in a variety of extracurricular activities, and we’re confident they’ll continue to achieve success as they move beyond high school and pursue careers in agriculture.” Kimbrell plans to attend Waycross College this fall and major in animal science. Spaid plans to study water and soil resources at the University of Georgia, while Barron plans to study biology at UGA. The other scholarship winners were Sara Beth Pelham of Decatur County, Rachel Wigington (Pickens), McCall Trammell (Monroe), Morgan Strickland (Houston), William Groover (Bulloch), Christopher Campbell (Carroll) and Addison Hooks (Candler). CSP PAYMENT APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED THROUGH JUNE 11 The deadline is June 11 to be considered for the next ranking and funding period under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Stewardwhip Program (CSP). Authorized under the 2008 farm bill, CSP offers payments to producers who maintain a high level of conservation on their land and who agree to adopt higher levels of stewardship. Eligible lands include crop land, pasture land, range land and non-industrial forest land. Enrollment for CSP is limited to 12.7 million acres per year nationwide. Applicants will compete within state-identified ranking pools. CSP is offered in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the Pacific and Caribbean areas. For more information about CSP, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/new_csp/csp.html.
Leadership Alert page 4 of 4 UPCOMING EVENTS MILK QUALITY & MASTITIS CONTROL WORKSHOP May 19 Greene County Extension Office & Stewart Dairy 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Greensboro Workshop will cover how mastitis develops, quality milk standards, mastitis detection and control of mastitis. Training will be available for both English and Spanish speaking producers and employees. The $20 registration fee covers the cost of the book Winning the Fight Against Mastitis, which is available in English and Spanish. Please call 706-453-2083 to register or for more information. GA HEIFER EVALUATION AND REPRODUCTIVE DEVELOPMENT SALE June 2 Northwest Ga. Research & Education Center Livestock Pavilion Calhoun Sale begins at 12:30 p.m. For more information contact Ted Dyer at 706-624-1403 or via e-mail tgdyer@uga.edu or Phil Worley at 706-624-1398 or via e-mail nwgastn@uga.edu ORGANIC PEANUT FIELD DAY June 11 UGA Lang Farm, Ponder Farm & Black Shank Farm Tifton Farmers can learn how to break into the organic peanut market or reduce input costs. Contact Jonathan Tescher at 678-702-0400 or at jonathan@georgiaorganics.org or visit http://georgiaorganics.org/events/event.php?id=1174. NATURAL RESOURCES CAMP AT ABAC June 13-17 Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Tifton This weeklong camp provides a rare, one-of-a-kind chance to learn about Georgia’s natural resources. Tuition is $150 and 20 tuition grants are available. THE DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR THE GRANTS IS JUNE 4. Contact Vonda Fenn at 229-391-5070 or vfenn@abac.edu. UGA COTTON SCOUT SCHOOLS June 14 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center Tifton June 22 Southeast Georgia Research and Education Center Midville These programs offer general information on cotton insects and scouting procedures and will serve as a review for experienced scouts and producers and as an introduction to cotton insect monitoring for new scouts. The training programs at each location will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at 12:30 p.m. For more information contact Guy Collins at guyc@uga.edu or 229-386-3006. GA PORK PRODUCERS MEETING & PORK ACT DELEGATE ELECTION June 16 Georgia Farm Bureau Home Office Macon Georgia pork producers will elect delegate candidates as outlined in the Pork Act for the 2011 National Pork Forum at 2 p.m. along with a meeting of the Georgia Pork Producers Association. Producers should bring a sales receipt proving that hogs were sold in their name and the checkoff was paid to be eligible as delegates or candidates or participate in the election. This meeting will follow the 2010 Georgia Pork Congress that begins at 8:30 a.m. For information, contact the Georgia Pork Producers Association at 1800-537-5988. GFB YOUNG FARMER FAMILY CONFERENCE & DISCUSSION MEET July 24-25 Lake Blackshear Cordele Conference will include the preliminary rounds of the Discussion Meet, YF workshops and child-oriented activities. The Discussion Meet is open to Young Farmers ages 18-35. The four finalists will compete during the GFB Annual Convention on Dec. 5. Registration is $75 for adults and $40 for children ages 412. To register, contact the GFB Field Services Department at 478-474-0679, ext. 5224 or yf@gfb.org. DEADLINE TO ENTER THE DISCUSSION MEET OR REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE IS JUNE 4.