Oct. 10, 2018
www.gfb.org
Vol. 36 No. 20
GFB LEADING VOTE PLEDGE DRIVE AT SUNBELT EXPO Visitors at the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition are encouraged to sign the I farm. I vote. pledge banner, part of Georgia Farm Bureau’s campaign to urge farmers and rural Georgians to educate themselves on ballot issues and candidates and to vote in the Nov. 6 GFB PREPARING FOR election. HURRICANE MICHAEL The banner will be located in the The Georgia Farm Bureau Georgia Agriculture Building inside the Claims Department is ready to main gate at Sunbelt, which takes place Oct. 16-18 in meet the needs of our members Moultrie for losses resulting from The 41st Sunbelt Expo, sponsored in part by GFB, will Hurricane Michael. feature more than 1,200 exhibitors, displays and product If you have a claim please demonstrations. report it as soon as possible The largest farm show in America with field to (855)432-2567 or by starting demonstrations, Sunbelt brings together all segments of a claim through our website agribusiness, including farmers, educators, policy makers, ag https://www.gfbinsurance.com enthusiasts and families. All attending the show will see the /GFBApp/ or mobile app. Due latest innovation and technology that the agriculture industry to the volume of calls/claims this has to offer. storm could generate, GFB asks Education is the key component of the show with more for your patience as we move to than 300 seminars and demonstrations available. These help our members through the seminars and demonstrations are taught in exhibit areas for recovery process. beef, dairy, poultry, forestry, pond management, equine and cattle management. Farmers and ranchers can gain knowledge on the latest techniques from industry leaders and university specialists. The Expo works with 21 different education sponsors to host a strong seminar and demo schedule. These education sponsors include major universities and colleges with six of these having permanent exhibit buildings on-site. New this year, the Expo will feature Youth Educational Challenges for students as a competitive and fun opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge in six different content areas. The Hoss Tools Sustainable Living Center focuses on topics for the specialty gardener. If you -continued on next page
GFB News Alert page 2 of 9 Continued from previous page are interested in learning how to garden year round, visit this section. Hoss Tools Owner Greg Key will offer gardening tips, tools and more in the demonstration garden. The 600-acre research farm’s field demonstrations are annual crowd-pleasers. These demos showcase harvesting and tillage equipment for cotton, peanuts, corn, soybeans and hay. As in the past, cotton will be harvested during the show. In addition, hay demos will include all facets of hay harvesting from cutting to baling and will provide visitors the opportunity to see 80 different types of hay harvesting equipment run in a true farm setting. Kentucky is the 2018 Sunbelt Expo Spotlight State. The Kentucky Spotlight State Committee put together an all-encompassing exhibit themed “Kentucky Start to finish: Pioneering Innovation.” The exhibit will feature a special section on Agricultural Safety. Attendees will find there is something for the entire family. There is a daily rolling Antique Tractor Parade, the American Grand Finals Stock Dog Trials (the largest field of competition in recent Expo history), and a Cow Milking Contest. Add in rural lifestyle fun, truck, tractor and ATV test drives, and the venue is perfect for rural enthusiasts. “The Sunbelt Expo is an unbelievable showcase of rural living blanketed with agriculture’s newest ideas and technologies. Its 3-days of fun, education and dreaming about agriculture’s future as we team together to feed, clothe and house a growing population around the world,” Sunbelt Executive Director Chip Blalock said. The Sunbelt Ag Expo is open, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 16 and 17 and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 18. Admission at the gate is $10 per person per day. Advanced and discount tickets can be purchased online beginning August 1. The show site is four miles southeast of Moultrie on Georgia Hwy 133. For more information, see the show website at www.sunbeltexpo.com. U.S., CANADA, MEXICO REACH TRADE AGREEMENT On Sept. 30, the United States reached a new trade agreement with Canada to complete negotiations to update the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), including provisions expected to benefit U.S. agricultural producers. The “announcement regarding the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement is welcome news,” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said in a prepared statement. “This was a hard-fought win and we commend the administration for all the efforts to solidify the trading relationships we have with our North American neighbors.” According to a White House fact sheet, the new agreement, titled the United States-MexicoCanada Agreement (USMCA), includes modern provisions that serve the interests of American workers and businesses. Among the changes are several that the Trump Administration maintains will help U.S. farmers and ranchers. For example, Canada will eliminate its “Class 7” program that allows low-priced dairy ingredients to undersell American dairy products. Canada will also provide new access for American dairy products, eggs, and poultry. “Farm Bureau will review the details of the new treaty as they become available, but the elimination of Canada’s Class 7 dairy pricing program is a clear victory for our farmers,” Duvall said. We also now have access to an additional 3.6 percent of Canada’s dairy market, which is even better than what we would have achieved under TPP. Trade is critical to agriculture, especially trade with our two closest neighbors. The USMCA builds on the success our farmers and ranchers have seen from NAFTA.”
GFB News Alert page 3 of 9 GEORGIA NATIONAL FAIRGOERS WITNESS MIRACLE OF BIRTH There’s no doubt the Georgia Grown Baby Barn has been the must-see sight at this year’s Georgia National Fair! Crowds have flocked to the new addition to the Georgia Grown Building to watch Holstein cows give birth to calves. Newborn piglets are also on display with their mama sows. “This is a great experience for young people to witness live or by video,” Gov. Nathan Deal said of the Baby Barn while speaking at the Georgia National Fair opening ceremony. “It’s also a great experience for would-be fathers to experience. Watching an animal give birth teaches people compassion and empathy.” Calf Fairchild was delivered in the barn before the fair officially opened Oct. 4, followed by twins, Cotton and Candy, Perry, Peaches, Rosie, Bullet, Stella, Georgia, Lilly, Buttercup, and Ferris. Fair goers watching the calves’ births suggested names for each calf. Audience members then used their smart phones to vote for their favorite name. The person who suggested the winning name for each calf received a certificate from a veterinarian who helped with the delivery. “Because of a great team effort, the public can come witness the miracle of life and meet agriculture,” Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black said. “I’m convinced this is the best investment ever made by the taxpayers of Georgia. We’re going to see youngsters come see a calf born or baby pigs and maybe they will become the ones in the next generation motivated to grow our food and fiber.” Livestock shows are also a big part of the fair with 4-H and FFA members from across the state showing goats, sheep, dairy and beef cattle during the event. Georgia Farm Bureau is also the premier livestock sponsor for the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter for the 2018/19 show season. GFB provided all registered livestock exhibitors with a free t-shirt to honor the hard work they did to prepare their animals for the shows. Sunny, warm weather gave the fair a strong opening weekend before Hurricane Michael necessitated the GNF to close the fair for Oct. 10 after Gov. Deal issued a state of emergency for Houston County. At press time the fair is scheduled to reopen Oct. 11 after roads and the area have been deemed safe. The fair has rescheduled the free Peabo Bryson concert for Oct. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in Reaves Arena with gate admission. An additional armband day has been added for Oct. 12 all day. Armband ride tickets are $20 available on the midway. Sunny, temperate weather is expected for the fair’s closing weekend, so, make plans to attend if your schedule allows. Events scheduled for the weekend include a live auction Oct. 13 featuring 2018 World Champion Livestock Auctioneer Jared Miller. The auction, set for 1 p.m. in the Georgia Grown Building, will benefit the Georgia 4-H and FFA Foundations.
GFB News Alert page 4 of 9 LIVESTOCK VETS: APPLY FOR LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM BY NOV. 9 Veterinarians willing to treat livestock in under-served areas of Georgia are encouraged to apply for the Georgia Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program (GVELRP). The program, administered by the State Veterinary Education Board (SVEB), is offering payments of $20,000 towards the outstanding student loan debt of 11 veterinarians. Applicants must devote at least 20 hours a week to providing food animal veterinary services in a rural Georgia county with a population of 35,000 or less for a year before receiving their payment. Georgia has 109 counties that meet the population requirement based on the 2010 U.S. Census. Participants will sign a service commitment with the SVEB requiring them to meet their service obligation in the rural counties identified in their applications. The Georgia General Assembly appropriated $100,000 for FY 2018 and FY 2019 to fund the program. Funding for the 11th recipient comes from unawarded money for the 2017/2018 program year. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and a Georgia resident. Eligible candidates may either be practicing veterinarians or vet students in their final year of school. Veterinarians who recently completed their one-year service period for the GVELRP for the inaugural class of 2017/2018 are: Dr. Jana Powell of Eatonton, Dr. LeAnna Wilder of Montezuma, Dr. Madison Fyke of Forsyth and Dr. Tyson Strickland of Winterville. The Georgia Department of Agriculture is coordinating the application process and will accept applications until 5 p.m. Nov. 9. To apply and to view a map of counties applicants may serve visit http://agr.georgia.gov/georgia-veterinary-education-loan-repayment-program.aspx. For more information, contact Bo Warren at bo.warren@agr.georgia.gov . EVENT WILL PROVIDE FARMERS TIPS TO FEND OFF AG LABOR PITFALLS The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour division has been increasing investigations in the Southeast in recent years and enacting some of the highest fines allowable. The labor industry in Georgia will soon be the focus of many of these investigations. The 2018 Ag Labor Forum, Nov. 13 & 14 at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center, features presentations from labor experts about how the current political climate may impact the agricultural workforce and steps farmers can take to make sure they are not the focus of any U.S. DOL investigation. The event is sponsored in part by Georgia Farm Bureau. For farmers using domestic or H-2A labor, may be interested in "Why Do I Still Care About MSPA?" (Migrant & Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act) with Ann Margaret Pointer and Joshua Viau of the law firm Fisher Phillips. Employers will not want to miss “Preparing for a DOL Wage and Hour Audit” with Mike Rios, Enforcement Coordinator with the U.S. Dept. of Labor. Farmers considering using H-2A workers or wanting to make sure all bases are covered, Dan Bremer with AgWorks will lead a discussion on “H-2A Basics.” Lobbyist Bob Redding of The Redding Firm will provide analysis of “How the Current Political Climate May Impact Ag Labor and Your Workforce.” The Ag Labor Forum also includes sessions on agricultural transportation, labor crews and local law enforcement, Worker Protection Standard and the Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Registration is $175 per person and includes lunch on Nov. 13. For more information visit https://gfb.ag/18aglaborforumreg.
GFB News Alert page 3 of 9 CENTENNIAL FARMS RECOGNIZED AT GA NATIONAL FAIR Since 1993, the Georgia Centennial Farm program has honored more than 530 farms for being in continuous operation for 100 years or more, with most owned by the same family. Another 18 farms from across Georgia were recognized for their historic contribution to Georgia agriculture during the program’s annual ceremony on Oct. 5 at the Georgia National Fair in Perry. “I want to congratulate each one of y’all for being able to hold your farms together for 100 years,” Georgia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long said to the recipients during the awards ceremony. “As I’ve talked to some of you, I’ve learned that most of y’all are the third or fourth generation on your farm. It’s unique when we stop and think about what our forefathers had to go through so we could be here today. For 81 years Georgia Farm Bureau has been working to represent Georgia farmers in the legislative arena so families like yours can continue to farm.” Farms may be recognized with one of three awards. The Centennial Heritage Farm Award honors farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The Centennial Family Farm Award recognizes farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more that are not listed in the NRHP. The Centennial Farm Award doesn’t require continual family ownership, but farms must be at least 100 years old and listed in the NRHP. This year's recipients are: Centennial Heritage Farm Award - Lebanon Plantation, Chatham County; Centennial Family Farm Award - Darsey Family Farm, Appling County; Malbone Farms, Bartow County; Hillhouse Farms, Cherokee County; C.H. Cannon Family Farm, Colquitt County; Cleveland Farm, Crawford County; Lewis Farm, Crisp County; Muse Farm, Houston County; Harper-McWhorter Farm, Irwin County; Merk Farms, Jackson County; Jimmie L. & Ann B. Cowart Farm, Jenkins County; Ruffin Family Farm, Monroe/Upson Counties; Triple H Family Farm, Peach County; Rutland Farms, Polk County; Max E. Beverly Farm, Thomas County; Old Home Place, Mitchell County; Waller Farms, Washington County; Wood-Watson Farm, Wilcox County. GFB members will be interested to note that Malbone Farms in Bartow County is owned by descendants of Robert M. Stiles, the first president of Georgia Farm Bureau. Many of the other recipients are Farm Bureau members. Georgia Farm Bureau is proud to partner with the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to sponsor the program. Other program sponsors include the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter, the Georgia Forestry Commission, the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Georgia EMC. Farm owners interested in applying for the award in 2019 should visit http://georgiashpo.org/centennialfarms or contact Sarah Love at 770-389-7856 or sarah.love@dnr.ga.gov. The postmark deadline for applications is May 1 of each year.
GFB News Alert page 4 of 9 GEORGIA PESTICIDE WASTE CLEAN DAY IS NOV. 14 Georgia Clean Day is a program that gives everyone an opportunity to discard old, unusable, or cancelled pesticides to a hazardous waste contractor for disposal. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sunbelt Expo site in Moultrie. Pesticides in leaking containers or disposed of improperly may cause environmental damage by contaminating water supplies or harming people and wildlife. Some pesticides that have been used in the past are now in need of proper disposal. Participation in the Clean Day Program remains free of charge to all private and commercial applicators with the understanding that the event is intended for farmers, lawn care, golf courses, and pest control companies. The Georgia Department of Agriculture requires pre-registration for the event. For more information about the event please contact your local Extension agent, http://agr.georgia.gov/georgia-clean-day.aspx or contact event coordinator Rick Hayes at ricky.hayes@agr.georgia.gov, 404-656-4958 or 404-535-1614. This is an opportunity to dispose of pesticides that famers have been holding because they had neither an economical nor legal means to dispose of them. Canceled and suspended pesticides cannot be used and must be disposed of, often as hazardous waste. All canceled, suspended, unusable and unlabeled materials classified as pesticides may be turned in for collection. Please refer to the brief list below to determine what types of materials will or will not be accepted at the event. Please list all pesticides to be turned in on the preregistration form in order to estimate types and volumes to be collected. Any pesticides without a brand name, trade name, or active ingredient on the label may require analysis to determine the contents. Please label all unidentifiable pesticides as “unknown� on the pre-registration form. Acceptable materials are: insecticides; growth regulators; fungicides; harvest aid chemicals; nematicides; bactericides; herbicides and miscellaneous pesticides. Excluded materials are: compressed gases (methyl bromide, chloropicrin, vikane, etc.); solvents; paints; antifreeze; motor oil; explosive materials and fertilizers or nutrients that are neither hazardous or do not contain pesticide admixtures. Pre-registration is mandatory for program participation and must be completed by 4 p.m. Nov. 9. All pesticides brought to the collection site must be listed on the pre-registration form. Items not registered will be refused at the collection site. Empty containers or rinsates will not be accepted. Special arrangements can be made to accommodate ag dealers. Your pesticide waste disposal will be weighed and billed on site at approx. $1.15 per pound. Please Contact Rick Hayes for special instructions at ricky.hayes@agr.georgia.gov To access the pre-registration form, visit https://gfb.ag/18pesticidecleanday.
GFB News Alert page 5 of 9 GEORGIA PEANUT BANK WEEK PAYS TRIBUTE TO STATE’S PEANUT FARMERS The Georgia Peanut Commission and Georgia Bankers Association will join forces Oct. 15-19 to promote the 42nd annual Georgia Peanut Bank Week. Financial institutions and local banks across the state will offer a tribute to Georgia’s 4,500 peanut farm families and the sustainability they provide to Georgia’s state and local economies. The 2018 theme, “Bank on Georgia Peanuts,” will showcase the sustainability peanuts provide on and off the farm, as well as highlight the fact Georgia peanuts contribute more than $2 billion annually to the state’s economy; a contribution that helps maintain Georgia’s largest industry: agriculture. More than 120 bank branch locations are scheduled to participate. “We’re excited to continue Georgia Peanut Bank Week for the forty-second year and salute peanut farmers,” Armond Morris, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission said. “This promotion is a great way to highlight all peanuts have to offer our communities across the state.” The annual promotion takes place during an opportune time of the year: peanut harvest. In 2017, Georgia peanuts were planted on more than 825,000 acres throughout Georgia and accounted for nearly 50 percent of peanut production in the United States. Peanuts were planted in more than 75 of Georgia’s 159 counties with an average yield of more than 4,353 pounds per acre. The Georgia Peanut Commission invites everyone to visit a participating bank to show support for Georgia’s peanut farmers, as well as the banking industry. Peanuts, recipe cards and other promotional material will be available during the week of Oct. 15-19 at participating financial institutions. For more information, visit the GPC website at www.gapeanuts.com. AFBF, BUSINESS GROUPS ASK COURT TO MAKE WOTUS ORDER NATIONWIDE The American Farm Bureau Federation and a broad coalition of business groups on Wednesday asked a federal district court in Georgia to expand its prior order delaying implementation of the flawed 2015 Waters of the U.S. rule in 11 states. The coalition asked that the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia extend its previous injunction to block the WOTUS rule in the remaining 22 states that are currently subject to the controversial and unlawful rule. AFBF’s motion was prompted by another court’s decision in August striking down an Environmental Protection Agency rule that had delayed application of the WOTUS rule nationwide pending the agency’s ongoing reconsideration of the rule. In addition to the court in Georgia, federal courts in North Dakota and Texas have blocked the WOTUS rule in specific states. These decisions have left only 22 states subject to the 2015 rule. If the Georgia court extends its injunction as requested, the WOTUS rule will be temporarily blocked in all 50 states. As explained in the motion, one of the many problems with the WOTUS situation is the hodgepodge of states in which the federal rule is applicable. “This is a deeply troubling state of affairs. A rule this fundamental to the [Clean Water Act’s] regulatory scheme should not apply in a patchwork manner.” Most importantly, the filing highlights the illogic of allowing piecemeal enforcement of an almost certainly doomed regulation. As stated in the motion, “the public has no interest in the enforcement of an illegal rule.”
GFB News Alert page 6 of 9 GEORGIA SMALL GRAINS PRODUCTION MAKES BIG GAINS Oat, rye and winter wheat growers in Georgia made significant gains in production in 2018 over 2017, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Southern Region Small Grains report. The state’s oat growers produced 1.065 million bushels in 2018, up 45 percent over 2017, when they produced 735,000 bushels. NASS attributed the increase to average yield of 71 bushels per acre, the second-highest yield on record. Georgia rye growers produced 390,000 bushels in 2018, up from 285,000 bushels in 2017, an increase of 37 percent. Georgia wheat growers produced 3.78 million bushels in 2018, up from 3.29 million bushels in 2017, an increase of 15 percent, in part because of an additional 40,000 planted acres and yield at 54 bushels per acre, up from 47 bushels per acre in 2017.
GFB News Alert page 7 of 9 THE DAIRY ALLIANCE COMMUNITY & COWS EVENTS Oct. 25 Farmview Market 6:30 p.m. Madison The Dairy Alliance invites all local farmers and their families to a meal and discussion forum designed to address concerns and get farmers’ feedback. Prizes will be given away and Dairy Alliance staff will be introduced. Contact Mekenzie Panhans at mpanhans@thedairyalliance.com or 404-210-4504. Please RSVP at https://gfb.ag/commUNITYnCows. PEANUT LEADERSHIP ACADEMY CLASS XI Oct. 15 application deadline Applications are now being accepted for Class XI of the Peanut Leadership Academy. To be eligible for participation, candidates must derive their primary livelihood from farming and currently produce peanuts, make a commitment to the program and agree to attend all sessions except in times of illness or a family emergency, be between the ages of 22 and 45 and provide a completed application. Five sessions take place throughout the 18-month class and require approximately 20 days of travel. Each class also has one leadership session in Washington, D.C., where participants have an opportunity to visit with members of Congress on issues affecting the peanut industry. To download a copy of the upcoming class application, visit www.southernpeanutfarmers.org. Applications must be postmarked by Oct. 15 for consideration. The first session will begin in December 2018. BRANTLEY COUNTY FOREST LANDOWNERS TOUR & MEETING Oct. 16 Brantley County Middle School 3:30 p.m. Nahunta Tour stops include the Southern Ionics Forest and mineral mining sites. Topics covered will include site prep methods, endangered species management, forest soils and many more. Registration is limited to the first 75 people. For more information, contact Shanda Thompson at 912-427-2502 Ext 3 or Shanda.thompson@ga.usda.gov. 2018 GFB HAY CONTEST Oct. 31 deadline to enter Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) members who grow Bermudagrass hay are encouraged to enter the GFB 2018 Quality Hay Contest. Hay entered in the contest will be tested at the University of Georgia Testing Lab using the Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) Test, which predicts fiber digestibility and likely animal intake of hay. Producers may enter more than one sample in the contest. There is a $20 entry fee for each sample entered in the contest to cover lab costs. Applications and instructions for submitting samples are available at county Farm Bureau offices or may be downloaded at the GFB website https://www.gfb.org/membership/hay-contest.cms. Checks to cover the entry fee should be made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau. Entry forms and samples should be sent to the GFB Public Policy Department, Agricultural Programs, 1620 Bass Road Macon, Ga., 31210. The deadline to enter is Oct. 31.
GFB News Alert page 7 of 9 SCORE MOULTRIE/USDA AG MENTOR WORKSHOP Nov. 13 Colquitt County Ag Center 6 p.m. RSVP by Nov. 9 Moultrie SCORE Moultrie and USDA are teaming up to host this workshop for people interested in starting a farm or agribusiness. The workshop will feature Sam Watson of Chill C Farms and David Hopkins of Hopkins Farms in Cairo, who will discuss rules and regulations vegetable growers face, especially for small farm-to-table producers. GFB TAKING LISTINGS FOR HAY DIRECTORY Farm Bureau members with hay for sale or offering custom harvesting or custom sprigging services are invited to list in the GFB Quality Hay Directory published on the GFB website. Because this directory is now offered online, hay can be listed or removed from the site as your inventory dictates. To participate, please complete a submission form available at your county Farm Bureau office or online at www.gfb.ag/hay. Please include a $10 check made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau for each listing of hay, custom harvesting or custom sprigging. Multiple listings are allowed.