Georgia Farm Bureau News Alert - October 21, 2015

October 22, 2015

www.gfb.org

Vol. 33 No. 42

SUNBELT EXPO ENDORSES DUVALL, CELEBRATES AGRICULTURE The Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition announced its endorsement of Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall and thousands of patrons soaked up the sun on the first day of the 38th Sunbelt Expo in Moultrie, kicking off the annual three-day ag trade show/celebration.

Sunbelt Executive Director Chip Blalock announced the endorsement for Duvall, who is running for American Farm Bureau president, as part of the kickoff media breakfast at the Georgia Agriculture Building.

“It’s a special occasion for us in the Southeast, and it’s a great chance for us to promote our candidate from the great state of Georgia and the Southeast, Zippy Duvall,” Blalock said. “Zippy’s done a great job managing and running the Georgia Farm Bureau and we know he’ll carry that leadership to Washington.”

Duvall talked about building bridges to reach solutions to issues affecting agriculture.

“This campaign is about staying true to the roots of this organization and that is the farmers and ranchers across this country. As we focus on them we’re going to make sure that we solve some problems by building bridges and relationships with people all over this country, with other organizations and commodity groups, but most of all with policy makers that affect agriculture,” Duvall said. “We’re looking forward to being able to take on those opportunities that come up.

Whether they are challenges or changes, we’re going to manage through them and we’re going to find good solutions for the American farmer. We’re going to be at the table to have those national conversations about immigration, about rules and regulations, or federal regulations that are imposed on our farmers.”

GFB staff handed out literature about the organization and farming in the Georgia Agriculture Building, where representatives of each of GFB’s departments were available to interact with Sunbelt visitors. For the first time, the IdeAg trade show also had a booth in the building. IdeAg partners with American Farm Bureau to stage its farm show in conjunction with the AFBF convention.

During the Willie B. Withers Luncheon, North Carolina row crop farmer Danny Kornegay was named the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year from a collection of 10 state farmers of the year, including Georgia’s James Lyles from Catoosa County.

South Carolina Commissioner Hugh Weathers gave an update on farm losses due to floods in -continued

GFB News Alert, page 2 of 9 -continued from previous page early October, saying crop losses had reached $300 million and were expected to increase.

Weathers said that the state is pursuing federal government assistance, but anticipated that there would be gaps between the losses suffered by South Carolina farmers and the help the federal government would provide.

Weathers asked for donations to help farmers fill in the gaps.

Those wishing to contribute can visit www.plantitforwardsc.com, which is currently set up to accept pledges. Weathers indicated the site would soon be able to accept online donations. Sunbelt Expo has established an American Red Cross link on its website (www.sunbeltexpo.com) to accept donations toward South Carolina flood relief.

Duvall Gov Nathan Deal welcomed the crowd and said that while the state has drawn rave reviews for its business climate and enticed big-name corporations to locate here, agriculture remains Georgia’s top industry.

“As much as we are proud of having national headquarters decide to come to our state, like Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, and others, as much as we are proud of having technology companies and other high-tech companies come to our state and call Georgia home, we still acknowledge that the number one economic driver in the state of Georgia is agriculture and agribusiness," Deal said.

Ag is also the top driver in Mississippi, the 2015 Spotlight State, which has an $8 billion ag economy and leads the nation in production of catfish. At the Spotlight State Building, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture, Mississippi State University Extension, Alcorn State University and Mississippi Farm Bureau served visitors shrimp and sweet potatoes, provided a one-man honky-tonk band and for entertainment handed out cowbells.

Mississippi Farm Bureau President Mike McCormick used his time at the Withers Luncheon to tout the state’s agricultural production and its work, along with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and MSU to protect the honeybee population and the Farm Families of Mississippi campaign, a series of advertisements that promote the positive aspects of agriculture.

McCormick noted that because Mississippi has a state population of less than three million people, ag’s $8 billion contribution to the state economy plays an important role in the daily lives of all Mississippians.

The Withers Luncheon, normally held in the Maule Flight hangar, was held in a new location, the Spence Field Speculative Building.

As always, visitors were able to kick the tires on all manner of farm equipment, including test drives of small tractors, and see harvest field demonstrations of major Georgia commodities.

According to Blalock, the 2015 Expo featured a record 1,221 exhibitors.

Southeastern Land Grant institutions showcased their ag schools. At the Fort Valley State University building, FVSU professor Charlie Williams presented information on uses for unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, including finding lost cattle and detecting stresses in field crops, and outside FVSU showed off its mobile solar power unit, which uses photovoltaic cells to provide a remote source of electricity for tools and other applications in the field.

GFB News Alert page 3 of 9 BACKYARD POULTRY OWNERS URGED TO PROTECT BIRDS FROM AVIAN FLU The number of Georgians keeping backyard chickens has skyrocketed in recent years as more people are raising their own food. Following the outbreak of avian influenza that hit turkey and egg producers in the Midwest earlier this year, Georgia is preparing for the possibility that the disease could be brought to Georgia this fall by migratory birds flying south for the winter.

Backyard poultry flocks are more likely than birds in poultry houses to be exposed to migratory wild waterfowl carrying the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), Georgia Department of Agriculture State Veterinarian Robert Cobb said.

All commercially produced poultry is tested for avian influenza prior to being allowed for processing for human consumption. Backyard flocks are not routinely tested.

To prepare for the possibility of HPAI being diagnosed in Georgia, the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) is encouraging Georgians with backyard poultry to identify their premise with the GDA. Backyard poultry owners who do so will receive regular e-newsletters from the GDA with tips to protect their birds, notifications of breaking news and updates and will receive a quicker response time if their poultry is in danger. Visit http://agr.georgia.gov/backyardpoultry-owners.aspx to register or learn more about HPAI. Early detection is critical to prevent the spread of avian influenza. If you suspect your flock is infected, call the GDA Animal Health Office & State Veterinarians’ Office at 855-491-1GDA or the Georgia Poultry Laboratory Network at 770-766-6810.

HPAI FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS The Georgia Department of Agriculture has provided the following information about Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI): • What is HPAI? Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is a strain of avian influenza characterized by high morbidity and mortality in poultry, as high as 100 percent.

• Can HPAI infect humans? No human cases of AI have been confirmed in the U.S. This particular strain of the virus is not zoonotic, meaning it cannot pass between humans and animals. Public health agencies are closely monitoring the virus because AI viruses can mutate easily. Therefore, precautions should be taken. At this time, AI is an animal health issue, not a food safety or public health issue.

• Is it safe to consume chicken and eggs? All commercially produced poultry is tested for avian influenza prior to being allowed to be processed for human consumption. Poultry products and eggs are still safe to eat. Unlike commercial flocks, backyard flocks are not routinely tested.

Poultry industry recommendations for handling and cooking of poultry should be followed to minimize risks. The National Chicken Council’s food safety tips are available at http://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/important-food-safety-tips-for-poultry/.

• How does the virus spread in poultry? Avian Influenza is highly contagious and easily spreads in birds. Wild waterfowl are a reservoir for the virus. The virus can be spread bird to bird, by human movement such as trucks, trailers, clothing, equipment, and airborne transmission.

• Where did the virus originate? How did it get to the United States? It is believed the virus migrated through wild waterfowl flocks from Asia to Canada. From there, wild birds travel in four different flyways heading south for the winter. During the migration in 2014, the virus circulated among wild birds and backyard and domestic poultry (both chickens and turkeys).

GFB News Alert page 4 of 9 UGA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION TIPS TO PROTECT BACKYARD CHICKENS KEEP YOUR DISTANCE • Restrict access to your property and your birds.

• Consider placing the birds inside a fence, and only allow those who care for the birds to come in contact with them.

• If visitors have backyard chickens of their own, do not let them come in contact with your birds.

• Game birds and migratory waterfowl should not have contact with your flock.

• Keep chickens inside a pen or coop, and do not let them run free.

KEEP CLEAN • Wear clean clothes when coming in contact with your birds; scrub your shoes with disinfectant.

• Wash your hands thoroughly before entering the chickens’ pen.

• Clean cages, and change food daily.

• Keep stored feed in enclosed containers and protected from wild birds and vermin.

• Clean and disinfect equipment that comes in contact with your birds or their droppings, including cages and tools.

• Remove manure before disinfecting.

• Properly dispose of dead birds.

• Use municipal water as a drinking source instead of giving chickens access to ponds or streams. (The avian influenza virus can live for long periods on surface waters.)

DON’T BRING DISEASE HOME • If you have been near other birds or bird owners, at a feed store or bird hunting, for instance, clean and disinfect your vehicle’s tires and your equipment before going home. Shower and put on clean clothing before approaching your flock.

• Keep any new birds or birds that have been off-site separate from your flock for at least 30 days.

DON’T BORROW THE VIRUS • Do not share tools, equipment or supplies with other bird owners.

• If you do bring borrowed items home, clean and disinfect them before you bring them home.

KNOW THE SIGNS OF A SICK BIRD • A sudden increase in deaths, a clear-sign of the N5NW strain of the virus • A drop in egg production, or eggs that are soft, thin-shelled or misshapen • A lack of energy or poor appetite • Watery and green diarrhea • Purple discoloration of the wattles, combs and legs • Swelling around the eyes • Nasal discharge To learn more about how to care for backyard flocks, see the UGA Extension publications on the topic at extension.uga.edu/publications or visit http://agr.georgia.gov/backyard-poultryowners.aspx

GFB News Alert page 5 of 9 BE AWARE OF FARM EQUIPMENT ON THE ROAD With the fall harvest in full swing, large, slow-moving farm vehicles will be using roads around the state to move between farm and fields. These vehicles were designed primarily for use in the fields and travel significantly slower than passenger vehicles.

According to Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) Data, there were 510 crashes statewide in 2014 from accidents involving farm vehicles, resulting in 22 deaths and injuries to 169 people. So far in 2015, there have been 269 collisions and four deaths in accidents involving farm vehicles.

“Because tractors are slow-moving vehicles and things like peanut and cotton wagons often don't have lights, we're particularly warning folks to be careful at dusk and dawn,” GOHS Director Harris Blackwood said in a press release. “We want to encourage motorists to yield to slow-moving vehicles no matter how inconvenient it might seem, but we also want to ask farmers that if their equipment doesn't have lights, to add a series of inexpensive, magnetic lights to keep themselves and other motorists as safe as possible.”

When approaching a slow-moving vehicle, motorists are cautioned to slow down as soon as possible. If a vehicle is traveling at 55 mph and comes upon a tractor moving at just 15 mph, it will only take five seconds to close a gap the length of a football field.

Farmers should always make sure any equipment they have to drive on a public road is marked with the slow moving vehicle triangle, which is orange with a red border and is reflective. Data, however, shows that fewer than 30 percent of drivers know what that symbol means, which can be a matter of life and death for farm equipment operators. It symbolizes that the vehicle it is affixed to travels at speeds of 25 mph or less.

A common accident occurs when motorists try to pass farm vehicles turning left. The tractor may appear to be pulling to the right side of the road to let cars pass but is really preparing to make a wide left turn. Check the left side of the road for anyplace a farm vehicle might turn, such as gates or driveways. Also, watch closely for hand and light signals.

During a press conference at Sunbelt Expo Oct. 21, Blackwood and Captain Buddy Johnson, commander of the Georgia State Patrol Troop G in Southwest Georgia, encouraged farmers to install flashing lights on all equipment that will be traveling highways during harvest season.

Blackwood and Johnson said the flashing light kits are readily available at most automotive or big-box stores.

“These lights are cheap and they’re easy to install,” Johnson said. “We don’t care what color the lights are – red, yellow, orange or white – it will keep the driver of your [farm] vehicle protected. We love our farmers and we’re out there to make sure you’re safe.”

Johnson also cautioned peanut growers not to overload peanut wagons and trucks headed to buying points and shellers.

“When you load up an eighty thousand pound truck with one hundred thousand pounds of peanuts it’s a problem when you take a curve,” Johnson said. “We realize there are exemptions [for ag trucks] but don’t overload them beyond what’s safe. Also make sure your drivers are capable of driving heavy loads and have the proper licenses they need.”

Blackwood also stressed the importance for all drivers to put cell phones away while driving.

“The number one cause of distraction is cell phones,” Blackwood said. “We need to put those cell phones down especially in rural areas where there are cotton and peanut pickers on the road.

Put down those cell phones and put your mind on the road."

GFB News Alert page 6 of 9 FARMERS SEE OPTION TO COMBAT FERAL HOGS Feral hogs present a major challenge to farmers and ranchers. In Georgia alone, the wild swine cause millions of dollars in crop damage annually, and the pigs also present risks of spreading disease to farm livestock, not to mention property damage.

After fielding numerous requests for help from farmers exasperated from years of dealing with the pesky pigs, Oklahoma-based Noble Foundation began researching ways to trap them in sufficient numbers to rein in their population growth.

“Feral hogs impact every different discipline out there,” said Noble Wildlife and Range Consultant Josh Gaskamp. “They impact everyone from the farm producers, the corn producers to the livestock guys to the wildlife folks because of the hogs’ tendency to destroy habitats and compete with native wildlife for natural resources.”

Because the hogs produce two litters of piglets a year and they are capable of reproducing as early as six months of age, 70 percent of their population must be eliminated every year to keep their numbers from continued expansion.

A common complaint farmers had about conventional box traps was that the animals were becoming “trap shy,” associating the walls of the trap with danger and avoiding it. This was solved with the use of drop nets.

“The pigs don’t associate that overhead canopy with any danger. So they were more apt to walk underneath it,” Gaskamp said. But the nets required man-hours to install and monitor. If hogs were caught, they had to be removed immediately.

After years of development, Noble presented farmers with a new trap option called Boar Buster, which Gaskamp and representatives from licensee WW Manufacturing demonstrated at the Sunbelt Expo.

Licensed to WW Manufacturing, Boar Buster is a hybrid trap that combines the size of a corral with the trap efficiency of a drop net. The corral is suspended above the ground, allowing hogs to enter from any direction. A wildlife camera monitors the corral and the area around it using motion-detection technology. When movement is detected, the camera sends a text message to the owner’s cell phone. The owner can then log on to the Boar Buster website and view a live video stream, transmitted by broadband from the camera. If there are sufficient hogs inside the corral, he can then trigger the trap remotely. The walls of the trap drop to the ground, containing the pigs inside an 18-foot perimeter.

Gaskamp said the initial prototype was 16 feet square, but tests showed the hogs would congregate in the corners and try to climb out. So the system was converted to a round configuration, but what researchers found was a group of 30 or more hogs wouldn’t fit in a 16foot diameter. So it was expanded to 18 feet. The 16-foot version was lifted by two electric wenches and dropped straight to the ground. The latest version spirals to the ground, allowing the entire trap to be raised by one person with a hand-crank wench. According to Gaskamp, the entire setup can be done by one person in less than half an hour.

Gaskamp said Boar Buster captures an average 88 percent of targeted hogs, well above the 70 percent required to maintain the hog population status quo.

The streaming camera is the key. It frees the landowner to trigger it from anywhere there is an internet connection.

For more information, visit www.boarbuster.com.

GFB News Alert page 7 of 9 See page 9 for a list of ongoing Farm Bureau-affiliated farmers markets!

PESTICIDE SAFETY AND HANDLING TRAINING Oct. 23 St. Simons Island Casino, 550 Beachview Dr. St. Simons Island Five hours of Georgia Commercial Pesticide Credits are available in 15 categories, as well as five hours of International Society of Arborculture (ISA) Credit. Training lasts from 8:40 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Cost is $65. Lunch and breaks are sponsored by FIS Outdoor Inc. For an agenda and registration form, visit http://tinyurl.com/SSI10-23. For more information call 770-229-3477 or send an email to conteduc@uga.edu.

LEMMON CATTLE ENTERPRISES ANGUS BULL SALE Oct. 23 Lemmon Cattle Enterprises Noon Woodbury Lemmon Cattle Enterprises will be selling 100 registered angus bulls. Bulls are performance tested with complete, up-to-date EPDs. For more information visit http://www.lemmoncattleenterprises.com/sale.html or call 706-553-3911.

2015 YOUNG CATTLEMEN’S SHORT COURSE Oct. 24 ABAC/UGA Tifton Campus 9 a.m.

Tifton Cattle experts will review low-stress handling, hay quality, rumenology, live animal evaluation, beef cattle marketing and more at this one-day course. Pre-registration fee is $10 and registration at the door is $15. Lunch is included. For more information or to register, contact Dr. Jacob Segers, UGA Extension beef cattle specialist at Jacobs@uga.edu or 229-386-3214.

FOREST INSIGHT CONFERENCE Oct. 27-29 Rainwater Conference Center Valdosta International Forest Company (IFCO), Dougherty & Dougherty Forestry Services, Inc. (DDFSI) and the Forest Landowners Association (FLA) are hosting the second annual Forest inSight Conference, which seeks to connect forest resource owners and stakeholders with leading-edge updates on the sustainability, productivity and profitability of the forest management sector in the Southeast. On the last day, each attendee will also have an opportunity to participate in a field tour of advanced pine plantation management on Superior Pines Forestland in Fargo, Georgia. Cost registration is $100 per attendee for the conference only, $120 for the conference and field tour and $50 for the field tour only. For more information or to register visit www.forestinsightconf.com. For more information, contact Sabra Rockwell at srockwell@progressiveforestry.com or 706-795-0055.

GFB TAKING ENTRIES FOR HAY CONTEST, HAY DIRECTORY Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) members who grow Bermudagrass hay are encouraged to enter the GFB 2015 Quality Hay Contest. GFB is also accepting entries for its 2016 Quality Hay Directory. The deadline for submissions for both the contest and the directory is Oct. 30.

Hay entered in the contest will be tested at the UGA Testing Lab using the Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) Test, which predicts fiber digestibility and likely animal intake of hay. There is a $15 entry fee for each sample entered in the contest to cover lab costs. Applications and instructions for submitting samples, as well as updated contest rules, are available at county Farm Bureau offices or may be downloaded at the GFB website http://www.gfb.org/commodities/hay_contest.html.

GFB News Alert page 8 of 9 SOUTH EFFINGHAM FFA ALUMNI GOAT SHOW Nov. 7 Effingham County Fair Grounds Springfield This show is open to youth from age four through 12th grade. Exhibitors may show only wethers or does that are dehorned or have tipped horns. All goats must have current Georgia health papers and must have an ear tag matching the number on the entry form. Entry fee is $20 per goat entered by Oct. 30 and $25 for late entries. Cash prizes will be given for first through fifth place. Goats will be weighed by show officials at check-in and divided into weight classes as equal in number as possible. Showmanship classes will be determined based on exhibitor’s age as follows: Class 1: age 4 years - 2nd grade; Class 2: 3rd – 5th grade; Class 3: 6th-8th grade; Class 4: 9th-12th grade. Check in for the show begins Nov. 6 from 7 to 9 p.m. and continues Nov. 7 from 7 to 9 a.m. Pens are limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Exhibitors are responsible for their own bedding in pens. To obtain an entry form or more information about the show, contact Diane Parks at mommyx3ms@yahoo.com or call 912-6313043.

AFBF FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE BULLETIN BOARD CONTEST The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture’s ag-themed bulletin board contest for teachers is open for submissions through Oct. 31. The winner receives a copy of “Farm a Month,” the Foundation’s activities kit about agriculture across America, plus the 12 books that accompany it. To enter, visit http://www.agfoundation.org/projects/bulletin-board-contest.

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 those 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.

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.

GFB News Alert page 9 of 9 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.

ONGOING FARMERS MARKETS NOTE: Schedules are subject to change according to produce availability UNION COUNTY FARMER’S MARKET Tuesdays through Oct. 27 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Saturdays through Oct. 31 7 a.m. - 1 p.m.

148 Old Smokey Road!

Blairsville This market, supported by the Union County Farm Bureau, offers locally grown produce, farmfresh eggs and meats, artisan cheeses, breads, jams, jellies, honey and other delicious prepared foods. The market also features handmade crafts such as pottery and paintings. Special event days are: Ramp (Wild Onion) Day May 9, Strawberry Day May 23, Greenbean Festival July 25 & Tractor Show/Parade Sept. 5. For more information contact Mickey Cummings! or Kristy Peney at farmersmarket@uniongov.com PAULDING COUNTY FARM BUREAU FARMERS’ MARKET Thursdays until Nov. 19 3 p.m.-7 p.m.

Paulding County High School Paulding County Farm Bureau is accepting vendors for its weekly farmers market that will be held each Thursday from April 16 to Nov. 20. There is no fee to participate but vendors must be Farm Bureau members so that the market qualifies as a Georgia Farm Bureau Certified Farm Market. If you would like to participate in the PCFB Farmer’s Market, please contact Tracy Grice at Paulding County Farm Bureau at 770-445-6681 or email her at tcgrice@gfb.org.

Vendors may sell locally grown produce or other ag commodities or homemade crafts. PCFB is teaming up with the Paulding County High School this year to host the market in the north parking lot of the school located at 1297 Villa Rica Hwy., Dallas, Ga. 30132.

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.