October 22, 2014
www.gfb.org
Vol. 32 No. 42
USDA BEEF CHECKOFF PLAN DRAWS IRE OF CATTLEMEN’S GROUPS On Oct. 14 a group of 45 state cattlemens’ associations, including the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association (GCA), sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, urging him not to issue an order for a supplemental beef checkoff under the 1996 General Commodity Promotion, Research and Information Act. Earlier this year, Georgia beef producers approved a $1 per head assessment for cattle sold in Georgia. The Georgia Beef Commission began collecting the state assessment on July 1, in addition to the $1-per-head National Beef Checkoff. Recognizing that additional money is needed for beef promotion and research, Georgia is one of several states that have taken this step, opting not to wait on an increase in the National Beef Checkoff assessment. After national beef stakeholder groups could not reach a consensus on raising the National Beef Checkoff, Vilsack said on Sept. 30 that he would issue an order establishing a second checkoff under the Commodity Promotion, Research and Information Act of 1996. Establishment of a second checkoff would have to follow the federal rulemaking process. The USDA would have to publish it in the Federal Register and allow for comment from the public before putting it into place. In published reports Vilsack said he anticipated the second checkoff would be in place by 2016. GCA President Melvin Porter said the additional national checkoff would make it more difficult to keep Georgia’s beef assessment when it comes up from reaffirmation in three years, and the USDA’s plan for a second checkoff at the national level would reduce producer input on how the funds are spent. “I can see a lot of that money being gobbled up in administrative costs,” Porter said, noting that the administrative costs for the Georgia assessment are at 2.5 percent. “But the main thing is that the Secretary will have the power to appoint board members from the general public and they will decide how the money is spent. Who else knows better than the producer how that money needs to be spent. We’re the ones out there living it.” In the letter to Vilsack, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) expressed concerns that forming a second checkoff under the 1996 law would give more control to the federal government and add bureaucracy while failing to assure a coordinated national/state partnership concept. The NCBA has started a petition to have the supplemental beef checkoff proposal withdrawn. To sign the petition, visit http://tinyurl.com/beefpetition. For more information visit http://www.beefUSA.org.
GFB News Alert page 2 of 7 PRELIMINARY REPORT SHOWS GEORGIA NO. 1 IN BLUEBERRY PRODUCTION Georgia has moved to the top of U.S. blueberry production according to a preliminary report the North American Blueberry Council (NABC) distributed to its members in early October. According to the report, Georgia growers produced 96 million pounds of blueberries in 2014, up 37 million pounds from 2011. Michigan, frequently the national leader, was second at 91.5 million pounds. The final numbers will be made public in February. University of Georgia blueberry breeder Scott NeSmith, who helped launch UGA’s current blueberry breeding program in the late 1980, was surprised to hear Georgia’s production topped the nation this year. The state has been No. 1 in blueberry acreage for the last few years, but it was uncertain when all this new acreage would impact the state’s annual blueberry production. “We’ve been gaining a lot of potential over the last five years, and I think we just reached that potential a little earlier than we thought,” NeSmith said in a UGA press release. “Other states have held onto their positions as far as production goes, but we’ve just gotten much higher numbers.” Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black celebrated the state’s move up the blueberry rankings during a speech at Sunbelt Ag Expo on Oct. 14 and predicted more success for the state’s blueberry industry. “Georgia’s going to be a blueberry leader for the next generation,” Black said. Hundreds of Georgia farmers have worked tirelessly over the last three decades to increase the state’s blueberry production and meet consumers’ growing demand for blueberries. The increase in production has been buoyed by the research and Extension support of UGA faculty and staff. When NeSmith started producing blueberry varieties that could thrive in Georgia’s sandy soils and warm summers, the state’s farmers were only growing about 3,500 acres of blueberries. Today, they are cultivating about 20,000 acres and have grown production tenfold. “We probably only produced about 5 million or 10 million pounds a year back in 1990,” he said. “That’s a long ways to go to get to 100 million pounds. I remember when we hit 25 million pounds a year, we were thinking, ‘Well, it just doesn’t get better than this.’” SIX GEORGIA COUNTIES DESIGNATED AS PRIMARY DISASTER AREAS The USDA designated six counties in Georgia as primary natural disaster areas on Oct. 15 due to damages and losses caused by a recent drought. Those counties are Baker, Colquitt, Decatur, Grady, Mitchell and Thomas. Farmers and ranchers in an additional nine counties in Georgia also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous to the primary counties. Those counties are Brooks, Calhoun, Cook, Dougherty, Early, Miller, Seminole, Tift and Worth. All qualified farm operators in the designated areas 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. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the EM loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from adversity. For more information visit http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.
GFB News Alert page 3 of 7 EPA REGISTERS ENLIST DUO HERBICIDE IN 6 STATES The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Oct. 15 that it has registered the new herbicide Enlist Duo for six states – Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. This follows the USDA’s Sept. 17 announcement that it had approved the use of genetically modified (GM) corn and soybean seeds that tolerate the combined chemistry of 2,4-D and glyphosate used in Enlist Duo. The USDA is charged with regulating the safety of GM plants while the EPA oversees the safety of herbicides for human and environmental health. According to the EPA, the agency is accepting comments until Nov. 14 on whether to register Enlist Duo in 10 more states: Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee and North Dakota. University of Georgia Extension Weed scientist Dr. Stanley Culpepper explained that the EPA didn’t register Enlist Duo for use in Georgia primarily due to the Endangered Species Act. “EPA is challenged by the Endangered Species Act and must meet certain requirements regarding this act before labeling a product in a given state,” Culpepper said. The EPA found that Enlist Duo poses no threat to endangered species in the six states for which it has approved the use of the herbicide and the additional 10 states for which it is accepting comments. “Georgia has more endangered species than many of the registered states, which may make the EPA approval process for use of the new technology in Georgia take slightly longer,” Culpepper said. Culpepper expressed hope that the EPA can address the Endangered Species Act requirements for Georgia by 2016, by which time Georgia may also be on the front line for a cotton registration. “Although Georgia growers will see a slight delay with these corn and soybean traits, it is hopeful that Dow AgroSciences will have premier cultivars available for our growers once EPA approval is granted,” Culpepper said. The herbicides 2,4-D and glyphosate are two of the most widely used herbicides in the world for controlling weeds, according to the EPA. Dozens of other countries including Canada, Mexico, Japan and 26 European Union members have approved these pesticides for use on many crops and lawns. Last year Canada approved the use of Enlist Duo for corn and soybeans. The EPA evaluated the risk Enlist Duo presents to all age groups ranging from developing fetuses and infants to the elderly by considering exposure through food, water, pesticide drift and use around homes. The EPA maintains its decision meets the Food Quality Protection Act standard of “reasonable certainty of no harm” to human health. The formula of Enlist Duo the EPA approved contains the choline salt of 2,4-D, which is less prone to drift than other forms of 2,4-D. EPA has put in place restrictions of use to avoid pesticide drift including a 30-foot in-field “no spray” buffer zone around the application area in fields, forbidding pesticide application when the wind speed is over 15 mph and forbidding air applications. To ensure weeds won’t become resistant to 2,4-D and continue increased herbicide use, EPA is also imposing a new set of requirements on the registering company, Dow Agrisciences. The requirements include extensive surveying and reporting to EPA, grower education and remediation plans. The registration will expire in six years allowing EPA to revisit the issue of resistance. The EPA said in a released statement that it intends to apply this approach to weed resistance management for all existing and new herbicides used on herbicide-tolerant crops.
GFB News Alert page 4 of 7 WTO RULES IN FAVOR OF U.S. IN POULTRY DISPUTE WITH INDIA The World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled on Oct. 14 in favor of the United States in a dispute challenging India’s ban on various U.S. agricultural products – such as poultry meat, eggs and live pigs – allegedly to protect against avian influenza. The panel agreed with the United States that India’s ban breached numerous international trade rules, because it was imposed without sufficient scientific evidence. For more than seven years, India has imposed import restrictions on various U.S. agricultural products, particularly poultry meat, eggs and live pigs, purportedly to prevent entry of avian influenza into India. The United States has not had an outbreak of high pathogenic avian influenza since 2004. The United States initiated this dispute on March 6, 2012, by requesting consultations with India. After consultations proved unsuccessful in resolving U.S. concerns, the WTO established a panel at the request of the United States to hear its claims that India’s avian influenza restrictions are inconsistent with India’s WTO obligations. In its report, the WTO panel found that India’s restrictions breached its obligations under the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. The poultry industry annually contributes more than $15.1 billion to the Georgia economy, including farmers, processing, and allied industries. The U.S. poultry industry, which directly employs more than 350,000 workers and consists of nearly 50,000 family farms – has been particularly affected by India’s restrictions. The industry estimates that U.S. exports to India of just poultry meat alone could easily exceed $300 million a year once India’s restrictions are removed. GEORGIA DNR, AG DEPT. LAUNCH HUNTERS HELPING FARMERS PROGRAM Boars. Wild hogs. Feral Pigs. No matter the term, hogs can be a big problem, especially for landowners who depend on their property to grow crops that provide their livelihood. Hunters Helping Farmers is a new program combining the efforts of the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to help alleviate the agricultural and financial damage caused by these non-native invasive pests. Rooting, trampling and consumption of crops are the most common type of damage seen by farmers. Crops most often destroyed include sorghum, wheat, corn, soybeans, peanuts, potatoes, watermelon and cantaloupe. Hogs also can potentially contribute to bacterial contamination and sedimentation issues in waterways and they can carry numerous diseases, such as brucellosis and pseudorabies. The Hunters Helping Farmers program provides a way to match farmers who have unwanted wild hogs and hunters who want to hunt them. Interested farmers can register on the Georgia Department of Agriculture website at http://www.agr.georgia.gov. Information from interested farmers and hunters will be matched based on geographical area and given to the farmer to choose if and when to contact a hunter. The farmer will be responsible for making all arrangements with the hunter. For more information, please call 1-844-464-5455.
GFB News Alert page 5 of 7 MARGIN PROTECTION PROGRAM EDUCATIONAL MEETINGS Oct. 29 Sumter Co. Ag Center 10 a.m. Americus Oct. 30 The Hut 10 a.m. Eatonton Georgia Milk Producers, Inc., UGA Extension and USDA-FSA will hold three educational sessions in Georgia this month for dairymen interested in learning more about the Margin Protection Program. The Margin Protection Program (MPP) for Dairy producers is a new risk management program established by the 2014 farm bill that replaces the MILC program. It offers producers protection against low margins and provides a payment if margins fall below a specified level. Meetings are open to dairymen, managers and employees - free of charge and will be held from 10 a.m. until noon, ending with lunch. Please preregister for meal purposes by contacting Georgia Milk Producers at 706-310-0020 or gamilkproducers@gmail.com. Producers attending the Waynesboro meeting will also receive one CE credit hour for waste operators. FARMLAND AVAILABLE FOR FREE VIEWING ON HULU THROUGH OCT. 30 Academy Award®-winning filmmaker James Moll’s feature length documentary, Farmland, is exclusively available to stream on the free, ad-supported Hulu and Hulu Plus subscription service until Oct. 30. Viewers have the opportunity to stream Farmland from their connected TVs, Bluray players, gaming consoles, laptops, tablets and mobile devices. To watch Farmland in its entirety on Hulu at http://www.hulu.com/farmland. GDA PESTICIDE COLLECTION DAY Oct. 30 Brooks Co. Ag. Annex/Extension Office Quitman From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Georgia Department of Agriculture will collect unwanted, old, unusable or cancelled pesticides. No fees are charged for participating in the program. Persons wishing to participate in the program must pre-register with the Brooks County Extension office by Oct. 27 so program organizers may plan for the collection, transportation and disposal of the pesticides collected. Farmers in surrounding counties are welcome to participate. Contact Andrea Duncan at 229-263-4103 or uge4027@uga.edu to obtain pre-registration forms. GFB ACCEPTING ENTRIES TO HAY CONTEST AND HAY DIRECTORY Georgia Farm Bureau is conducting its annual Bermuda grass Hay Contest and publishing the GFB Quality Hay Directory for buyers and sellers of Georgia grown hay. Checks for both should be made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau and mailed to the Georgia Farm Bureau Commodities/Marketing Department. The cost for the contest is $15 per sample. Anyone entering the contest receives a free listing in the hay directory. The directory will be distributed statewide. The cost for listing in the hay directory alone is $10. The deadline to submit entries for the contest and the directory is Oct. 31. For more information, please contact the GFB Commodities Department at 1-800-342-1196. WOODSTOCK FARMERS MARKET GRITS & GREENS DAY Nov. 1 Downtown/Market Street Woodstock This season’s corn crop will be served up as grits this day at the market. Yellow, white and speckled grits along with seasonal greens will be served up by area restaurants and local cooks. Market goers will vote for the best grits and greens! Donations will be accepted to benefit the Woodstock Farmers Market Ag Scholarship Fund. To enter the grits or greens contests contact Liz Porter via email at lp1954@gmail.com or call 678-491-5843.
GFB News Alert page 6 of 7 CHILD AG SAFETY GRANTS AVAILABLE Nov. 7 Deadline to apply The National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety is offering three mini-grants of up to $20,000 each to support small-scale projects and pilot studies that address prevention of childhood agricultural disease and injury. Information on eligibility, priority topics and the application process is available at http://www.marshfieldclinic.org/nccrahs/minigrants. CROP MANAGEMENT SEMINAR & WORKSHOPS Nov. 12-13 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center Tifton This free workshop, sponsored by Cotton Incorporated, offers continuing education units. Meals will be provided. To register visit http://www.ugatiftonconference.org. For more information call 919-678-2392 or visit http://www.cottoninc.com. MID-ATLANTIC GRAZING CONFERENCE Nov. 12-13 Sunbelt Expo grounds Moultrie The program will include discussions on grazing management, genetic selection, branding and marketing, herd management, building soil organic matter, rainfall/runoff simulator, equipment demonstrations and incorporation of corn silage. For more information or to register visit http://www.georgiaforages.com. EPA ACCEPTING COMMENTS ON WATERS OF THE U.S. RULE The comment period for the “Waters of the United States” rule proposed by the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been extended to Nov. 14. Farm Bureau is urging its members to submit comments calling for the rule to be withdrawn. For more information about the proposed rule and to submit comments, visit http://www.gfb.org/ditchtherule. NATIONAL COTTON COUNCIL FARM BILL INFORMATION WORKSHOPS Nov. 18 Bulloch County Ag Center 3 p.m. Statesboro Nov. 19 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center 9 a.m. Tifton The National Cotton Council (NCC) staff are conducting another round of information meetings regarding the implementation of the 2014 farm bill. This round of meetings will emphasize new crop insurance provisions, including sample STAX and SCO rates, county groupings and county yield information for upland cotton for 2015. Information will also be presented on additional 2015 crop insurance provisions and updated information on FSA program sign-up details. NCC staff will conduct subsequent regional webinars for those unable to attend these regional meetings. The meetings are co-sponsored by the Georgia Cotton Commission (GCC) and Southern Cotton Growers. For more information contact the GCC at 478-988-4235 or visit http://www.georgiacottoncommission.org. CENTRAL GEORGIA FARMERS LUNCH AND LEARN Nov. 19 Bleckley County Extension Office 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Cochran This free event will feature discussions of issues affecting farmers. Speakers include Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, Fort Valley State Vice President for Land Grant Affairs Dr. Mark Latimore, Sen. Ross Tolleson, James Mitchel of Chaney Bush Irrigation and Cartrell Watts of Georgia Power. RSVP by Nov. 12 to Rhonda Fulford at rbfulfor@southernco.com or 800-891-0958.
GFB News Alert page 7 of 7 GEORGIA AGRIBUSINESS COUNCIL HARVEST CELEBRATION Nov. 21 Cobb Galleria Center Atlanta Tickets are on sale for this annual event, which features platinum country group Diamond Rio scheduled to perform. For more information about Harvest Celebration, please contact GAC’s Christy Page at cpage@ga-agribusiness.org or 800/726-2474. To purchase tickets visit https://connect.computility.com/f/fid.php?id=955559f0f92e71e5e95de669f5af3da0. MM AND CALLAWAY BULL SALE Nov. 22 Carroll County Livestock Sales Barn noon Carrollton Sale includes 40 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. CALHOUN PERFORMANCE TESED BULL SALE Dec. 5 NW Ga. Research & Education Center Calhoun Sale begins at 12:30 p.m. For more information contact Jason Duggin at 706-624-1403 or jduggin@uga.edu or Phil Worley at 706-624-1398 or pworley@uga.edu. AG SAFETY GROUP OFFERING GRANTS Jan. 7, 2015 Deadline to apply Grants of up to $10,000 are being offered by a national coalition of agribusinesses, producer organizations and safety professionals in order to foster new champions of agricultural safety and health. The Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA) has announced an application deadline of January 7, 2015. Information regarding eligibility, priorities, application instructions and frequently asked questions is available at http://www.ashca.org. The purpose of the ASHCA Safety Grants Program is to provide financial support to promote evidence-based safety/health strategies addressing farmers, ranchers and agricultural workers.