November 2, 2011
www.gfb.org
Vol. 29 No. 44
FARM BUREAU PROPOSES SAFETY NET PROGRAM FOR 2012 FARM BILL Stating that government agricultural support programs traditionally were intended to provide a safety net to help farmers deal with large systemic risk issues rather than smaller fluctuations in income that can result from “average weather and market events, the American Farm Bureau Federation sent a proposal to Congress to establish a “systemic risk reduction program” (SRRP). The proposal was offered as an alternative to “shallow loss” proposals that would provide government support after a region, or in some cases an individual farmer, experiences an initial loss of as little as 5 to 10 percent of expected revenue. Shallow-loss programs were structured to support “only a relatively small portion of a producer’s potential loss, should a major problem occur,” according to AFBF President Bob Stallman. “Our systemic risk reduction program would help protect America’s farmers from catastrophic type losses that truly would endanger the economic viability and the core of their farms,” Stallman said. “The business of farming has always been risky and it always will be, but we firmly believe that farmers possess the business skills and have tools at their disposal to manage the shallow ups and downs associated with typical weather and market events. That is especially true as our nation wrestles with deficit and debt issues. Helping protect farmers from large systemic type losses, however, is entirely a different situation that warrants government support and is in the best interest of our nation.” The SRRP is similar to the current ACRE approach but would result in a restructuring of government support. This approach to the safety net gives farmers more down-side protection and let them deal with the upside of the risk profile on their own, according to Stallman. AFBF’s proposed program would provide farmers “area-based coverage” that would be similar but not identical to core-type policies offered today at a minimal charge to the farmer. Countylevel yield data would be used for the area trigger, but where data is limited, a crop reporting district or other geographical region would be used. One of the major differences between current core-type policies and the SRRP is that the price used to determine trigger levels would be based on a three-year average or a five-year Olympic average, depending on budget considerations. Proposed systemic risk reduction program coverage levels would likely be in the 70-80 percent range, with the exact level of coverage determined by budgetary guidelines. A detailed description of the SRRP can be seen online at http://bit.ly/pGXGZT.
Leadership Alert page 2 of 4 DOL LOOKS TO TIGHTEN SAFETY RULES FOR CHILD FARM WORKERS The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed revisions to child labor regulations that will change the safety requirements for young workers employed in agriculture and other fields. The agricultural hazardous occupation rules under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) bar young workers from certain tasks. DOL issued the notice of proposed rulemaking on Sept. 1 and is seeking public comments. The comment period has been extended to Dec. 1 and a public hearing will be held following the comment period. Georgia Farm Bureau and American Farm Bureau requested the extension, as did numerous lawmakers. In a letter to the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division, GFB President Zippy Duvall expressed concern that the timing of the notice, which was issued at the height of the agricultural harvest season, makes it difficult for farmers and farm organizations to thoroughly review the more than 200 pages of documentation contained in the proposed rule. “For our organization to respond to the proposal, it is vital for us to get feedback from our membership,” Duvall wrote. “Feedback is difficult to obtain when farmers are busy with harvest.” Comments can be mailed to Wage and Hour Division, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S3502, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. To submit a comment online, visit http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=WHD-2011-0001-0001. To view the entire document, visit http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=WHD-2011-00010001. USDA ALLOTS $1.2 MILLION TO UGA FOR PECAN NUTRITION STUDY The University of Georgia has been awarded a $1.2 million grant under the USDA’s Specialty Crop Research Initiative. The grant will allow UGA to study the nutritional benefits of pecans and the information produced in the study will be used in efforts to market the nuts. The UGA grant is one of 29 awarded by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture totaling $46 million. It will fund research by UGA food science professor Ronald Pegg, who is investigating whether pecan consumption can help prevent heart disease and provide other health benefits. Georgia produces more pecans than any other U.S. state and its 2011 yield is expected to be more than 90 million pounds. OBAMA SIGNS FTAS WITH COLUMBIA, PANAMA AND SOUTH KOREA President Barack Obama signed bilateral free-trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea on Oct. 21, clearing the way for an anticipated $2.5 billion in new agriculture exports. The agreements, which passed the House on Oct. 12 and the Senate on Oct. 13, serve to remove tariffs for U.S. exports to those countries. U.S. businesses may begin shipping goods to Colombia and Panama immediately. The agreement with South Korea is pending passage by that country’s government. Farm Bureau supported the passage of the free-trade agreements, which are expected to increase direct exports from Georgia by $44.5 million per year.
Leadership Alert page 3 of 4 SIX GEORGIANS WIN NATIONAL FFA AWARDS, THURMOND ELECTED VP Six Georgia FFA members won national awards and Cain Thurmond, a junior UGA agribusiness major, was elected National FFA Southern Region vice president during the 84th National FFA Convention, held Oct. 19-22 in Indianapolis. Five Georgians won national proficiency awards in the Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs. Garrett South of the Franklin County FFA won the the agricultural mechanics design and fabrication category; James Porter of the Echols County FFA won in agricultural mechanics energy systems; Jacob Schindler of the Lowndes County FFA won in emerging agriculture technology; Kaitlyn Grizzle of the Franklin County FFA won in floriculture and Nicholas Shealy of the Oglethorpe County FFA won in swine production placement. Tyler Claxton of the Perry FFA was named the top individual in the national nursery/landscape Career Development Experience (CDE). Nine other students from Georgia were named SAE finalists. Ten Georgia FFA chapters received the national 3-Star ranking, the highest ranking offered in the National Chapter Award program. They were Cross Creek (Richmond County), Early County, East Jackson, Franklin County, Hephzibah, Irwin County Middle School, Loganville, Lowndes County, Southeast Bulloch and Screven County. In addition to the 3-star winners, 16 Georgia chapters earned a national 2-Star ranking. Seven Georgians received the Honorary American FFA degree for their contributions to agricultural education: John “Chip” Bridges (Franklin County), Danny Carter (Candler County), Don Dekle (Seminole County), Jeff Fariss (Appling County), Dr. Mark Latimore (Peach County), Herbert Teague (Gilmer County) and Martha White (Jackson County). A group of 55 Georgia FFA members received the prestigious American FFA Degree. The Georgia FFA Association was recognized as a membership growth state for the 13th straight year and Bill Lott of Jackson County was recognized with the National FFA Alumni Outstanding Achievement award. USDA EXTENDS COMMENT PERIOD ON PROPOSED TRACEABILITY RULE The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) extended the comment period on its proposed rule on animal disease traceability. Originally set to end on Nov. 9, the deadline to submit comments on the rule is now Dec. 9. According to a USDA press release, the proposed rule would require livestock moved across state lines to be officially identified and accompanied by an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection or other documentation, such as owner-shipper statements or brand certificates. The proposed rule encourages the use of low-cost technology and specifies approved forms of official identification for each species. Georgia Farm Bureau is studying the issue, and American Farm Bureau is preparing comments on the proposed rule, which would have the most dramatic impact on producers of beef cattle because most other major species of livestock already have extensive traceability programs in place. USDA is not proposing significant changes to existing programs currently in place for swine, sheep or poultry. Visit http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2009-0091-0001 to submit a comment online.
Leadership Alert page 4 of 4 GEORGIA FARM BUREAU DISTRICT ANNUAL MEETINGS Nov. 3 8th District South Georgia Technical College 7 p.m. Americus Nov. 8 4th District Greene County High School 7 p.m. Greensboro Nov. 10 6th District Poplar Springs North Bapt. Ch. 7 p.m. Dublin Contact your county Farm Bureau office for more information. Note: These meetings are for Farm Bureau members only and not open to the general public. GEORGIA FARM BUREAU 73RD ANNUAL MEETING Dec. 4-6 Jekyll’s Historic District Convention Campus Jekyll Island This annual event includes the address from GFB President Zippy Duvall, the organization’s policy development session, commodity conferences, the final round of the Young Farmer Discussion Meet, announcement of 2011 state award winners and a trade show. For more information, contact your county Farm Bureau office. TECHNICAL LARGE ANIMAL EMERGENCY RESCUE TRAINING Dec. 7-9 TLAER Facility Gray This event will provide certification training in operations and awareness on large animal rescue topics. For more information visit http://www.tlaer.org/. CALHOUN PERFORMANCE TESTED BULL SALE Dec. 9 NW 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 tgdyer@uga.edu or Phil Worley at 706-624-1398 or pworley@uga.edu. UGA CONDUCTING EQUINE ECONOMIC IMPACT SURVEY The University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development is conducting an economic impact study of the equine industry in the state. All Georgia horse owners are strongly encouraged to participate in this survey. The response of horse owners is very important to the success of the study and the future of the equine industry in Georgia. All individual survey responses will be kept confidential. To participate in the survey, visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Equine2011.