November 4, 2015
www.gfb.org
Vol. 33 No. 44
GFB POLICY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE HOLDS SECOND ROUND OF TALKS Members of the GFB Policy Development (PD) Committee met in Macon Oct. 12 and Nov. 2 to prepare the policy GFB members will vote on at the organization’s annual convention in December. The PD Committee consists of 30 county presidents, the chairmen of GFB’s 20 commodity advisory committees, 25 GFB board members and seven Georgia members of the American Farm Bureau Issue Advisory Committees. The PD Committee is tasked with sorting through both existing policy and new resolutions. This year, 80 county Farm Bureaus submitted more than 350 new resolutions for consideration. The PD Committee discussed these at length and provided recommendations for the voting delegates at the annual convention who will ratify the policies guiding Farm Bureau’s legislative initiatives. Most of the tax resolutions were about either the Georgia Agricultural Tax Exemption (GATE) program or Conservation Use Value Assessment (CUVA). The concerns about GATE have been prompted by accusations of misuse of GATE privileges. The committee acknowledged the importance of the GATE program for legitimate agricultural producers and supports efforts to maintain its integrity by working to curb misuse. For long-term preservation of CUVA, the committee urged caution when making changes to the program. The committee expressed support for USDA allowing farmers to utilize generic certificates. These certificates would allow producers additional options in marketing their commodities. Also supported, was the inclusion of cottonseed as a program under the farm bill. This change would treat cottonseed in the same manner as other oil seeds. Several resolutions were submitted regarding highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The committee recommended federal assistance through RMA and disaster programs for growers who are impacted by HPAI. Considering the severe implications HPAI could have for agriculture, the committee supported the state’s efforts to control the outbreak in the timeliest fashion possible. The committee also discussed the use of drones on farming operations and the potential the technology has for agriculture in the future. Some of the policies received on this issue encourage regulators not to restrict access to this new technology, but at the same time, be respectful of private property rights. The committee will meet again for an open session of policy development on Jekyll Island on Dec. 6 at 3:15 p.m. followed by a closed session for committee members only. The purpose of this meeting is to make last-minute recommendations before the voting delegates ratify the final document on Dec. 8 during the GFB Convention.
GFB News Alert page 2 of 8 USDA, STATES CONDUCTING WILD BIRD HPAI SURVEILLANCE The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a report on planning and preparations for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in advance of a potential recurrence of the disease when birds migrate south this fall. Included in the plan is nationwide screening of wild birds for presence of HPAI. According to Georgia State Veterinarian Dr. Robert Cobb, the screening program has tested 32 wild waterfowl in Georgia. None of them have tested positive for HPAI, but Cobb noted in an email that the main migration has not yet begun. The HPAI surveillance is being done by USDA Wildlife Services and personnel from some state departments of natural resources. The overall plan is expected to collect 40,000 samples nationwide. Testing began in July, and during July and August more than 6,000 samples were collected, with none testing positive for HPAI. In Minnesota, where the state’s turkey growers sustained heavy losses from HPAI earlier this year, state officials are testing ducks harvested by hunters. Minnesota is the top turkey-producing state. The HPAI outbreak that devastated poultry producers during the winter and spring of 2015 was the worst animal disease outbreak in U.S. history. It affected more than 48.8 million birds and 21 states before the final detection on June 17. The incredible scope of this outbreak presented many challenges to federal, state and industry resources and clearly identified areas where greater coordination, preparation and communication were needed. While response operations continue in the Midwest, APHIS and its partners have used the time since the last positive detection to plan for the return of the disease, using a hypothetical worst-case scenario in an effort to prepare. To review the entire Fall 2015 HPAI Preparedness and Response Plan, visit http://tinyurl.com/HPAIprep. WHITAKER NAMED UGA COTTON AGRONOMIST Since 2009 Jared Whitaker has been working with cotton growers in Southeast Georgia and soybean growers across the state but as of Dec. 1, he is transitioning into a new role with UGA Extension as its UGA cotton agronomist and will focus solely on cotton statewide. As leader of the UGA Cotton Team, his job will be to keep Georgia producers as informed as possible and to improve production statewide. The University of Georgia’s newly hired Cooperative Extension cotton agronomist believes the biggest challenge Georgia cotton farmers face is making a profit. “Cotton prices have remained far below the levels most producers yearn for. Even if prices improve, management practices continue to be evaluated as new products and issues continue to arise,” Whitaker said. Laura Perry Johnson, UGA associate dean for Extension, said hiring Whitaker should boost the state’s cotton industry. “Cotton is one of the largest and most dynamic industries in Georgia and is incredibly important to the economy of Georgia,” said Johnson, who grew up on a diversified farm in Moultrie. “We are very excited to have filled this position and look forward to the great work Dr. Whitaker will do researching issues and solving problems related to cotton production and sharing that information with county Extension agents and producers that can use the information to be more productive and more profitable.”
GFB News Alert page 3 of 8 UGA: GEORGIA FARMGATE VALUE TOPS $14 BILLION Led by increases in forestry and livestock values, Georgia’s agricultural output increased by $484 million in 2014, making agriculture, once again, the largest industry in the state with a value of $14.1 billion. According to the most recent University of Georgia Farmgate Value Report, published earlier this month, the value of Georgia’s livestock and aquaculture industries increased by almost 36 percent from 2013. The significant increase in beef prices in 2014 combined with anticipated high prices have led Georgia farmers to increase their herds. In one year the value of the state’s beef cattle production rose by $443,394,105 to $1.089 billion, making it the second most valuable commodity group in the state. Coordinated by the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development (CAED), the Farmgate Value Report is one of the most comprehensive annual studies of its kind. Eighty-six Georgia commodities are evaluated. UGA Cooperative Extension agents, who work closely with farmers in every county, collect data that other surveys can’t, according to Kent Wolfe, director of the center and an ag economist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “It’s an on-the-ground survey of what Georgia farmers are growing,” Wolfe said. “It’s really the only study of its depth in the nation. We collect more data than the federal agencies and on more commodities than they are able to survey.” Whereas larger surveys may not count emerging or niche commodities, like southern peas for example, the UGA Farmgate Value Report does. Southern peas, like black-eyed peas, are a $5million-a-year-business in Georgia. “We can look at the economic impact of those commodities on the state and county level,” Wolfe said. “Besides providing agriculture’s economic contribution, it provides a picture of how many people are involved in agriculture across the state and in the county, as well as the impact that their businesses have.” The detail also makes the report invaluable for spotting emerging trends, whether it’s an uptick in commercial okra production or a surging beef market. “It gives Georgia a unique tool that other states don’t have,” Wolfe said. The UGA CAED offers the report free to the public. To view or print the 2015 report, visit the center’s website at www.caes.uga.edu/center/caed/. CROP INSURANCE CUTS IN BUDGET BILL, DEAL REACHED FOR REVERSAL Congress passed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (H.R. 1314) and President Obama signed it into law on Nov. 2. The bill raises federal government spending limits for the next two years and suspends enforcement of the debt limit until March 2017. The bill included provisions to cut $3 billion from the federal crop insurance program by lowering the rate of return allowed for insurers from 14 percent, the level called for in the 2014 farm bill, to 8.9 percent. It also mandated a renegotiation of the Standard Reinsurance Agreement by December 2016. Leaders in the House and Senate agriculture committees voiced opposition to the crop insurance measures, and both committees announced that an agreement was reached with House and Senate leadership to restore the funding in the FY 2016 Omnibus spending bill, which the Appropriations committees in both chambers will write. The current continuing resolution to fund the federal government expires Dec. 11.
GFB News Alert page 4 of 8 FOUR GEORGIA COUNTIES QUALIFY FOR USDA DISASTER ASSISTANCE Burke, Columbia, Richmond and Screven counties qualify for disaster assistance from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) under an Oct. 28 disaster declaration. The USDA has designated 29 counties in South Carolina as primary natural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by excessive rain and flooding occurring since Oct. 1. The four Georgia counties are contiguous to South Carolina counties included in that declaration. All qualified farm operators in the designated areas are eligible for low interest emergency (EM) loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met. 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 losses, security available and repayment ability. In addition to the EM loan program, FSA has a variety of programs to help eligible farmers recover. Additional programs available to assist farmers and ranchers include the Emergency Conservation Program, the Livestock Forage Disaster Program, the Livestock Indemnity Program, the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program, and the Tree Assistance Program. Interested farmers may contact local USDA Service Centers for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov. USDA COMMITS $5.6 BILLION FOR NEW AND BEGINNING FARMERS The USDA will prioritize $5.6 billion over the next two years within its programs and services that serve new and beginning farmers and ranchers, according to an Oct. 29 press release. The USDA also announced a new web tool designed to connect new farm entrepreneurs with programs and resources available to help them get started. The new web tool is available at www.usda.gov/newfarmers. The site was designed based on feedback from new and beginning farmers and ranchers around the country, who cited unfamiliarity with programs and resources as a challenge to starting and expanding their operations. The site features advice and guidance on everything a new farm business owner needs to know, from writing a business plan, to obtaining a loan to grow their business, to filing taxes as a new small business owner. By answering a series of questions about their operation, farmers can use the site’s discovery tool to build a personalized set of recommendations of USDA programs and services that may meet their needs. BILL TO THWART WOTUS RULE FAILS IN SENATE A vote for cloture, which would end debate on the Federal Water Quality Protection Act (S.1140), came up short in the U.S. Senate on Nov. 3. Under Senate rules, cloture requires 60 votes and the S. 1140 cloture motion received 57 votes in favor. The bill would send the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule back to the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and direct them to develop a new rule in consultation with stakeholder, state partners and regulated entities. Farm Bureau has maintained that the WOTUS rule would significantly expand the agencies’ regulatory reach and cause numerous problems for the nation’s farmers. The U.S. House has already passed H.R. 1732, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act, which also requires withdrawal of the WOTUS rule. The House bill fell short of a veto-proof majority.
GFB News Alert page 5 of 8 GA STUDENTS WIN AWARDS, GRETSCH ELECTED NATIONAL FFA VP Georgia FFA students claimed 15 national awards, Abbey Gretsch was elected as the National FFA Southern Region Vice President and the West Jackson Middle School FFA Chapter won the National Outstanding Middle School Chapter Award during the 88th National FFA Convention and Expo, held Oct. 28-31 in Louisville, Kentucky. The convention, which drew more than 65,000 FFA students from around the country, featured the retiring address of National FFA President Andy Paul of Oglethorpe County. Matt Dylan Thompson, a member of the Screven County FFA, was named the overall winner of the National FFA Talent Competition. Thompson sang a country song and played guitar. Gretsch, a native of Oglethorpe County and a Clarke County Farm Bureau member, is an agricultural communications major at the University of Georgia. National officers commit to a year of service to the National FFA Organization. The West Jackson Middle School FFA sells custom wreaths as a fundraiser, so hosting a wreath-making class seemed like a natural fit for their program of activities. FFA members earned how to make wreaths, learned how to critique work and give constructive criticism. They also teach community members how to make the wreaths. The nation’s top five three-star chapters in the middle school division competed for the award. Six Georgia FFA students won National Agricultural Proficiency Awards. They are: John David Sheppard of Screven County FFA (Agricultural Mechanics Design and Fabrication); Erik Lovvorn of the Bowdon FFA (Agricultural Mechanics Energy Systems); Lori Elizabeth Edwards of Sonoraville FFA (Agriscience Research – Animal Systems); Chance Cain Hingson (Agriscience Research – Plant Systems); Ian Bennett of Lowndes FFA (Emerging Agricultural Technology) and Sara Elizabeth Spradlin of Madison County FFA (Environmental Science and Natural Resources Management). Eight projects conducted by Georgians won top prizes in the FFA Agriscience Fair. All eight were from Lowndes FFA: Brinson Coggins and Jackson Sumner (Animal Systems, Division 4) Shaw Wacter (Environmental Sciences/Natural Resource Systems Division 1); Hunter Corbett (Environmental Sciences/Natural Resource Systems, Division 2); Conway McNeil and Levi Herring (Environmental Sciences/Natural Resource Systems, Division 3); Charity Brown and Avery Fletcher (Environmental Sciences/Natural Resource Systems, Division 4); Ian Bennett and Trevor Ross (Power, Structural and Technical Systems, Division 4) and Chandler Kudyk (Social Systems, Division 2). A total of 77 students from Georgia were awarded American FFA Degrees. GA NATIONAL FAIR SETS ATTENDANCE RECORD The 2015 Georgia National Fair shattered attendance records, drawing 501,628 guests from Oct. 8-18. The total attendance was 10 percent more than the 2014 attendance of 456,023. The Georgia National Fair’s previous attendance record was set in 2010 at 465,053, according to a Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter press release. Organizers attribute the increase to a combination of weather, planning, and leadership. The fair drew 42,361 visitors on Oct. 12, surpassing the previous record for Monday attendance by 10 percent. New for the 26th Fair was the addition of a fourth free concert. The 27th Annual Georgia National Fair is scheduled for Oct. 6-16, 2016. For more information visit www.georgianationalfair.com.
GFB News Alert page 6 of 8 See page 9 for a list of ongoing Farm Bureau-affiliated farmers markets! GEORGIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION FORESTRY FORWARD SERIES Nov. 5 Merry Acres Inn Albany Nov. 19 Flinchum’s Phoenix Athens Dec. 9 Interfor Southeast Region Office Peachtree City Dec. 10 James-Bates-Brannan-Groover LLP Macon Dec. 15 TOOHOLLY Tree Farm Oliver Dec. 17 Location TBD Rome Jan. 7, 2016 Oxbow Meadows Columbus Georgia Forestry Association (GFA) members and those who depend on Georgia’s working forests are encouraged to attend the local, reception-style events to learn more about the priorities of the GFA and the challenges facing working forest landowners and the forest industry. GFA is also partnering with Dr. Dale Greene, dean of the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, for the Athens and Columbus events. Attendees at those events will have the chance to meet Dr. Greene and learn about the future of the Warnell School. Space is limited at each event. To RSVP visit www.eventbrite.com/o/georgia-forestry-association-7811066383. UGA GOAT/SHEEP PARASITE WORKSHOP Nov. 10 Boot Leg Farm Springfield This program will teach goat and sheep producers an integrated pest management approach to controlling internal parasite in small ruminants. This includes learning to use FAMACHA, a diagnostic tool to help producers identify parasite infection in small ruminants and then only deworm animals that are infected. Participants will get hands-on training in this technique and a FAMACHA color chart to take home. Registration deadline is Nov. 6. Registration fee is $10. To register contact the Bulloch County Extension Office at 912-871-6130 or email uge3031@uga.edu. Boot Leg Farm is located at 477 Egypt Ardmore Road, Springfield, Ga. 31329. FSA TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR BCAP Enrollment is underway for farmers and forest landowners seeking financial assistance for growing new sources of biomass for energy or bio-based products within designated project areas. The funds are available from the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), which was reauthorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and is administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Biomass energy facilities or groups of producers may submit proposals for new BCAP project areas. Proposals will be accepted on www.grants.gov through Nov. 6.
GFB News Alert page 7 of 8 GA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EQUINE AUCTION Nov. 14 Mansfield Impound Barn, 2834 Marben Farm Rd. Mansfield The Georgia Department of Agriculture will hold this live auction of 12 horses in accordance with the Humane Care for Equines Act. The horses may be inspected at the facility beginning at 10 a.m. and the sale will start at approximately 11 a.m. Pictures of the horses will be posted, when available, on the GDA website, www.agr.georgia.gov. Sealed bids will not be accepted. The GDA will make any documentation about the animals in its possession available upon request; otherwise the horses will be sold on an as-is basis. Purchased animals must be picked up from the facility by 3 p.m. on Nov. 15 and payment is required at that time. For more information, call the GDA Equine Health office at 404-656-3713. Office hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Sealed bids will not be accepted. PRF, APICULTURE CROP INSURANCE Nov. 15 deadline to enroll Forage, livestock and honey producers have until Nov. 15 to enroll in crop insurance under the Pasture, Rangeland and Forage (PRF) program and the Apiculture program. For 2016, both programs are under the Rainfall Index insurance plan. Information about these crop insurance plans and other resources are available on the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) website at http://www.rma.usda.gov/policies/ri-vi/. FREE BQA CERTIFICATION PERIOD Through Nov. 20 online Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica will pay the $25-$50 online training fee for every person completing the Beef Quality Assurance training through Nov. 20. Individuals who work with beef cattle or dairy cattle are eligible. Visit www.bqa.org to take advantage of the open certification period. MM CATTLE COMPANY AND CALLAWAY BULL SALE Nov. 21 Carroll County Livestock Sales Barn noon Carrollton Sale includes 50 Angus and SimAngus bulls and more than 40 commercial replacement heifers. For more information contact Mike McCravey at mmcattle@yahoo.com or 770-328-2047 or John Callaway at callawaycattle@gmail.com or 770-355-2165. 2015 GEORGIA FARM BUREAU ANNUAL CONVENTION Dec. 6-8 Jekyll Island Convention Center Jekyll Island Gov. Nathan Deal and former Senator Saxby Chambliss are slated to speak on Dec. 7 and GFB President Zippy Duvall will give his annual address. Other events at the GFB Convention will include commodity conferences for Georgia’s 20 major commodities on Dec. 7, announcements of the 2015 state award winners on Dec. 6 and the annual trade show Dec. 6-7. Voting delegates will adopt the organization’s policy for 2016 on Dec. 8 and elect the 2016 GFB Board. For more information contact your county Farm Bureau office.
GFB News Alert page 8 of 8 GFB AG FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER BREAKFAST Dec. 7 Jekyll Island Convention Center, Ballroom G-H Jekyll Island This breakfast, part of the 2015 Georgia Farm Bureau Convention, begins at 6:45 a.m. Program includes an update on the GFB Foundation for Agriculture and will highlight the children’s book Bacon County Farm Bureau published this year about blueberries. Tickets are required for entry and are $25 per person. Seats are limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Checks for tickets should be sent to: GFB Foundation for Agriculture, P.O. Box 7068, Macon, GA 31209. For more information, contact the GFB Foundation for Agriculture at 478-474-8411 or by email at jcevans@gfbfoundation.org. ONGOING FARMERS MARKETS NOTE: Schedules are subject to change according to produce availability HINESVILLE FARMERS’ MARKET Thursdays until Nov. 19 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Downtown Hinesville This market, sponsored by the Liberty County Farm Bureau, offers customers fresh local produce and other farm items, cut flowers, plants, baked goods, specialty foods, prepared foods, and original crafts. Market is held in Bradwell Park on Commerce St. across from the Hinesville City Hall. To apply to be a vendor or for more information call the Hinesville Downtown Development Authority at 912-877-4332. ROCKDALE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET Through Nov. 21 Tuesdays and Saturdays 8 a.m. – noon, Thursdays 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Rockdale County Extension office, 1400 Parker Road Conyers Rockdale/DeKalb County Farm Bureau manages this market with support from the Rockdale County Extension, set up to allow farmers to sell locally grown products directly to the public. For more information or to receive a vendor application contact the RDCFB office at 770-9223566.