September 23, 2015
www.gfb.org
Vol. 33 No. 38
GFB FOUNDATION FOR AG ACCEPTING GRANT APPLICATIONS The Georgia Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is taking applications for its initial round of grants to Georgia county Farm Bureaus for programs that help advance agricultural literacy, consumer education or leadership development. “Expanding our agricultural literacy programs was a key reason we started the GFB Foundation for Agriculture,” said GFB President Zippy Duvall. “We’re very proud to offer this first round of grants to help our county Farm Bureaus have the resources they need to continue working to connect their communities with the farm.” Grants of up to $350 are available twice a year – a winter/spring cycle with an application deadline of Dec. 15 and a summer/fall cycle with an application deadline of June 30. A maximum of 20 grants will be awarded in each cycle. Each county Farm Bureau is eligible to apply once per calendar year. Funding is not available for mileage, field trips, landscaping projects, butterfly gardens, wages and benefits, safety programs or one-time consumable products like copy services, paper or meals. For the winter/spring cycle, grant recipients will be notified by Jan. 15, 2016, and the funds will be issued by Jan. 31, 2016. Payments will only be made to a county Farm Bureau. Selected projects are required to submit a follow-up report, including at least two photos, within 30 days of the event supported by the grant. The grants will be offered on a competitive basis with priority given to those programs demonstrating a need for financial support. Applications and grant guidelines can be accessed by county office staff on the GFB Sharepoint site. Completed applications should be mailed to Jed Evans at P.O. Box 7068, Macon, GA 31209 or sent via email to jcevans@gfb.org. For more information about the GFB Foundation for Agriculture or to make a donation, visit http://www.gfbfoundation.org.
GFB News Alert page 2 of 11 GEORGIA FARM BUREAU OFFERS $65,000 IN AG SCHOLARSHIPS Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) is offering up to $65,000 in scholarships to Georgia students pursuing a degree related to agriculture, veterinary medicine, family and consumer sciences or a related field. GFB is expanding its scholarship program after establishing the GFB Foundation for Agriculture earlier this year, GFB President Zippy Duvall recently announced. For more than 40 years the organization has annually awarded scholarships to high school seniors entering college with plans to pursue a degree in agriculture or family and consumer sciences. In 2016 GFB will award scholarships in the following four categories. Scholarship for Agriculture – This scholarship is for high school students who plan to enter a college that is part of the University System of Georgia or Berry College during the 2016-2017 academic year to pursue an undergraduate degree in agricultural and environmental sciences, family and consumer sciences or a related agricultural field. The GFB Foundation will award five scholarships of $3,000 each and seven scholarships of $1,500 each. Technical College Scholarship for Agriculture – This scholarship is for high school students who plan to enroll in a Georgia accredited technical college who will be majoring in an area of agriculture or agriculturally related field of study. The GFB Foundation will award 10 scholarships of $1,000 each. Rising College Junior/Senior Scholarship for Agriculture – This scholarship is for college students who have at least two semesters of college work remaining to receive an undergraduate degree from a unit of The University System of Georgia or Berry College and are majoring in agriculture and environmental sciences, family and consumer sciences or a related agriculture field. The GFB Foundation will award 10 scholarships of $2,000 each. UGA College of Veterinary Medicine Scholarship - This scholarship is for students currently enrolled in the UGA Veterinary Medicine program specializing in large animal/food animal practice. The GFB Foundation will award two scholarships of $2,500 each. “Agriculture has a great need for well-trained individuals equipped with the skills that a higher level of formal education provides to meet agriculture’s growing technology and research needs,” said Duvall, who chairs the GFB Foundation for Agriculture Board of Directors. “Georgia Farm Bureau wants to financially assist students who are pursuing a career in agriculture and will be the future leaders of our industry.” The deadline to apply for all of the scholarships is Feb. 5, 2016. Applications and scholarship eligibility requirements may be obtained from county Farm Bureau offices across Georgia or downloaded at the GFB Foundation for Agriculture website at www.gfbfoundation.org. The scholarship recipients will be announced in spring 2016, and the scholarships will be distributed in the summer of 2016. Georgia Farm Bureau is the state’s largest general farm organization. Its volunteer members actively participate in local, district and state activities that promote agriculture awareness to their non-farming neighbors. The GFB Foundation for Agriculture is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) corporation. Donations are tax-exempt. GFB is using the foundation to finance activities and educational materials designed to increase the agricultural literacy of Georgia residents. Donations may be made on the foundation website at www.gfbfoundation.org or checks made payable to the GFB Foundation for Agriculture may be mailed to the foundation care of GFB Field Services at P.O. Box 7068 Macon, Ga. 31209.
GFB News Alert page 3 of 11 UGA BIDS DEAN ANGLE FAREWELL The UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (CAES) honored outgoing Dean Dr. Scott Angle during a series of farewell receptions held Sept. 10 in Tifton, Sept. 15 in Griffin and Sept. 16 in Athens. Faculty at the three CAES campuses and members of Georgia’s agriculture community attended each of the three events. Angle left UGA Sept. 18 to serve as president and CEO of the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), an organization active in almost 100 countries that is focused on increasing food security. Dr. Kris Braman, a UGA entomologist who is serving as interim assistant dean of the UGA Griffin Campus, emceed the Griffin reception program. “This is a bittersweet moment for us as we bid farewell to Dr. Angle and thank him for ten years of exceptional leadership. He has strengthened Dr. Scott Angle the links between our research and Cooperative Extension units to insure farmers in all 159 counties have access to the latest research and information,” Braman said. Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue and his wife, Mary, attended the Griffin reception. While speaking at the reception, Perdue complimented Dr. Angle on the job he did as CAES dean saying, “I tried not to interfere in your job too much because you were doing such a good job, and I’m deeply appreciative not just as a former governor but because of my livelihood in agriculture. We will forever be better because you traveled our way.” Perdue teased Angle about his future plans saying, “I never knew what a good marketer you are. I’ve had a fertilizer company for years and I never thought about calling the fertilizer business the anti-hunger business.” Ken Morrow, a turf grass grower and owner of Sod Atlanta, praised Angle for increasing student enrollment and leading the college through tough economic times. “When Scott came here we were struggling with the fact that students had declined. What a wonderful turnaround we’ve seen under Scott’s leadership. You were the right man for the right time. The graceful manner in which you conducted business and your open-door policy were noted by many of us.” Julie T. Cook, an academic coordinator at the UGA Griffin Campus, praised Dr. Angle for taking an active interest in the CAES students. “You’re a cultivator of the students in the College of Agriculture and members of 4-H. You’ve been an excellent leader and you will be missed,” Cook said. After hearing well wishes from UGA staff and members of the Georgia ag community at the Griffin reception, Dr. Angle spoke. He described the IFDC as a philanthropic organization whose purpose is “to help poor farmers around the world who don’t have much going for them. I simply needed one great adventure. I’ve been at a land-grant university since I was 17. I’m 62 years now, and I’ve fallen in love with the African continent. I’m leaving Georgia with very mixed emotions. If there was one thing I’ve done well as dean I made sure I hired people who were good at doing their jobs and I could turn them loose and not micromanage them. If I have any good legacy it was that I hired a bunch of good people. My hats are off to all of you and I thank you for all of your support.” CAES supporters who would like to make a donation in honor of Dr. Angle may mail a check payable to the UGA Foundation with “CAES Deans’ Promise” in the memo line and mail to The UGA CAES Office of External Relations 117 Four Towers Athens, Ga. 30602.
GFB News Alert page 4 of 11 GEORGIA PEANUT TOUR SHOWS HIGH-VALUE CROP The top peanut-producing state in the country showcased its 2015 crop during the annual Georgia Peanut Tour, held Sept. 15-17, as detailed in a UGA press release. UGA and the Georgia Peanut Commission coordinated the three-day tour, which allowed participants to visit southwest Georgia, home of some of the top peanut producers in the state. The tour, which included farmers, industry personnel and visitors from other countries, educated participants about all aspects of peanut production — from planting and harvesting to the manufacturing of the crop. Tour attendees learned why peanuts are a high-value crop for Georgia farmers. “The tour has been excellent. We got to visit a number of sites that showcased Georgia’s peanut production,” said Rajagopalbabu “Babu” Srinivasan, UGA entomologist and chairman of the peanut tour committee. “We got to see farming operations on a big scale, digging and picking. We had a good session at our research station in Attapulgus, Georgia, that allowed us to highlight our research findings over the years.” Srinivasan and fellow UGA team members, including plant pathologists, agronomists, entomologists and economists, provided insight as to why peanut production is a complex — but rewarding — process. The tour included visits to multiple farming operations in Decatur, Grady, Miller and Seminole counties, including John Harrell’s peanut field in Grady County on Thursday. “I’ve been on every Georgia Peanut Tour since 1999, and this is the first year I haven’t traveled all the way with the tour. This is a highlight of mine, to have the peanut tour on my farm north of Whigham, (Georgia),” Harrell said. “My irrigated peanuts look great. We went through tough times in August, so it’s going to affect these yields on my dryland peanuts.” USDA’S APHIS RELEASES HPAI RESPONSE PLAN REPORT The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 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, the agency said in a Sept. 18 press release. The HPAI outbreak that devastated poultry producers during the winter and spring of 2015 was the worst animal disease in U.S. history. It affected more than 48.8 million birds and 21 states before the last diagnosed cae on June 17. The press release said 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. APHIS’ planning activities incorporated experience from this year’s response effort, epidemiologic studies and extensive feedback and input gathered from state partners, industry, academia and other stakeholders. The Fall 2015 HPAI Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan details the results, organizing information on preparatory activities, policy decisions and updated strategy documents into four key areas: Preventing or reducing future outbreaks; enhancing preparedness; improving and streamlining response capabilities and preparing for the potential use of AI vaccines. The report includes an updated biosecurity self-assessment for the poultry industry, streamlined and updated procedures for providing indemnity and other payments, a draft vaccine use strategy and many other items of interest to the agency’s stakeholders. To view the report visit http://tinyurl.com/aphishpaireport.
GFB News Alert page 5 of 11 USDA: WHOLE FARM PROTECTION AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE FOR 2016 The USDA has announced that Whole-Farm Revenue Protection insurance will be available in every county in the nation in 2016. The USDA is also making changes to the policy to give farmers and ranchers with diversified better access to Whole-Farm Revenue Protection, according to a USDA press release. The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) introduced the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection pilot program for a majority of counties in the 2015 insurance year. Starting with the 2016 insurance year, the new program will be available in all counties in the United States, a first for the federal crop insurance program. USDA also provided additional flexibility to producers by making the following changes, including: • Beginning Farmers and Ranchers – RMA makes it easier for more beginning farmers and ranchers to participate in the program by reducing the required records from five to three historical years, plus farming records from the past year. Additionally, any beginning farmer and rancher may qualify by using the former farm operator's federal farm tax records if the beginning farmer or rancher assumes at least 90 percent of the farm operation. • Livestock Producers – RMA removed the previous cap that limited participants to those who received 35 percent or less of their income from livestock production. Producers will now be able to insure up to $1 million worth of animals and animal products. • Expanding Operations – RMA increased the cap on historical revenue for expanding operations to 35 percent from its previous 10 percent to better allow growing farms the opportunity to cover their growth in the insurance guarantee. Whole-Farm Revenue Protection includes a wide range of available coverage levels, provides coverage for replanting annual commodities, includes provisions that increase coverage for expanding operations, and allows the inclusion of market readiness costs in the coverage. The policy is tailored for most farms, including farms with specialty or organic commodities (both crops and livestock), or those marketing to local, regional, farm-identity preserved, specialty, or direct markets. The policy covers farms or ranches with up to $8.5 million in insured revenue. For more information, including product availability, visit http://www.rma.usda.gov/policies/wfrp.html. Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at http://www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agent.html. GEORGIA EQUINE COMMISSION SEEKING NOMINATIONS The Georgia Agriculture Commodity Commission for Equine is accepting nominations of qualified individuals to serve on the Equine Commission. Terms are for three years and can be reappointed for additional terms. The Georgia Equine Commission receives funds from the purchase of the Georgia Equine vehicle license plates. These funds are used for promotion, education and research in supporting the equine industry of Georgia. For more information, contact Georgia Department of Agriculture Commodity Commissions Manager Andy Harrison at 404-586-1405 or andy.harrison@agr.georgia.gov. Completed nomination forms must be returned by Oct. 31 to be considered.
GFB News Alert page 6 of 11 TOP PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA EXEC SENTENCED TO 28 YEARS Former Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) CEO Stewart Parnell was sentenced to 28 years in prison for his conviction in a case that stemmed from a 2008-2009 salmonella outbreak that was traced to peanut paste processed in a PCA plant in Blakely. The outbreak resulted in nine deaths and hundreds of illnesses in 46 states. U.S. District Court Judge Louis Sands handed down the sentence in U.S. District Court of Middle Georgia on Sept. 21. Parnell was convicted in September 2014 on 71 counts of fraud, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and introduction of adulterated food into interstate commerce. Parnell’s brother, Michael, a food broker for the company, was sentenced to 20 years on the same charges. Former PCA quality assurance manager Mary Wilkerson was sentenced to five years for obstruction of justice. McCANN NAMED ASSISTANT DEAN FOR UGA EXTENSION UGA has hired the former head of Virginia Cooperative Extension Mark McCann to serve as assistant dean for Extension, UGA announced in a Sept. 17 press release. McCann, who has had a long career in agricultural research and outreach in Virginia, will be responsible for assisting with UGA Extension’s operations as well as leading agricultural and natural resources programming. He started his career as an assistant professor and Extension beef specialist in the UGA Department of Animal and Dairy Science. “Mark’s long history with Extension in Virginia and in Georgia gives him a familiarity that will allow him to hit the ground running, but will also give him the perspective that comes with having worked in another Extension system,” said Laura Perry Johnson, associate dean for UGA Extension. “We are very excited to have him join our work family and excited to work with him to build a second, impactful century for UGA Mark McCann Extension.” McCann received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in animal science from North Carolina State University and his Ph.D. in agriculture from Texas Tech University. McCann served as director of Virginia Cooperative Extension between 2005 and 2009. He is currently serving as professor of animal and poultry science and as an Extension beef specialist at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. During the seminar McCann gave as part of the interview process in June, he outlined his plans to keep UGA Extension responsive to diverse communities across Georgia, from the row crop farms of southwest Georgia to the urban community gardens of Fulton County. He shared his vision for UGA Extension moving into the future by fostering partnerships and relationships inside and outside the Cooperative Extension System, by monitoring the impacts of Extension programs and by monitoring and responding to the needs of the state. “We’re going to go where our communities, the industry and our partners take us,” McCann said during his seminar. “If we stay in tune, our audiences and our stakeholders will show us the way.”
GFB News Alert page 7 of 11 COTTON BREEDERS TOUR VISITS TIFTON Cotton Incorporated’s biennial Cotton Breeders Tour made its final stop at UGA’s Tifton Campus on Sept. 18, part of a four-day event that provided researchers from around the world a chance to see cotton research and development in the southern United States. The tour, which started at the Cotton Incorporated headquarters near Raleigh, North Carolina, made stops at N.C. State and Clemson before heading to South Georgia, showing participants examples of breeding, fiber technology, irrigation, drones and several other crops. “The whole idea is to bring all the cotton researchers together from both the private and public sectors, in essence to help communication,” said Cotton Inc. Director of Breeding, Genetics and Biotechnology Don Jones. “By helping communication among researchers, you drive innovation, and you hopefully will end up developing varieties for growers. Because that’s what the whole idea here is to help growers.” One of the international researchers on the tour was Dr. Warwick Stiller, who leads the cotton breeding program for CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency. Stiller noted the variety of U.S. environments in which cotton is grown. “You have some very specific production regions,” Stiller said. “West Texas is quite different [from] South Georgia, and we probably don’t quite have that same diversity in environment. So that’s always good to see.” In addition to cotton research, the tour provided looks at other crops produced in the Southeast, including peanuts, sorghum and soybeans. “Sometimes there’s techniques that are discovered in one crop that can be applied to another crop,” Jones said. “So that’s what we try to do, is kind of go across crops or disciplines and in essence think of it as cross-pollinating your brain from ideas, from a host of disciplines to help you. Again, we’re here to drive improvement for growers.”
GFB News Alert page 8 of 11 See page 9 for a list of ongoing Farm Bureau-affiliated farmers markets! SOIL HEALTH AND COVER CROPS FORUM Sept. 30 Barnesville Civic Center 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Barnesville The Lamar and Towaliga Soil & Water Conservation Districts, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission are hosting this forum. Topics include the use of cover crops, common cover crops and selecting the correct one and soil health assessment, baselines and monitoring. Preregister by Sept. 25 to ensure lunch ticket by contacting the Barnesville NRCS Field Office at 770-358-0787, ext. 3, or by email at kyle.penny@ga.usda.gov. GEORGIA FARM BUREAU DISTRICT ANNUAL MEETINGS Sept. 28 8th District South Georgia Technical College 7 p.m. Americus Sept. 29 6th District Poplar Springs Baptist Church 7 p.m. Dublin Oct. 1 1st District First Baptist Church 7 p.m. Calhoun Oct. 13 9th District Mitchell County Ag Center 7 p.m. Camilla Oct. 15 4th Distirct Greene County High School 7 p.m. Greensboro Contact your county Farm Bureau office for more information. Note: These meetings are for Farm Bureau members only and are not open to the general public. SOUTHEAST CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION FALL FIELD DAY Sept. 26 Brantley County Saddle Club 9:30 a.m. – noon Nahunta This field day will focus on vaccination programs and techniques, parasite control and heifer selection. Speakers include Carole Knight, Will Lovett and Ashley Mesa of UGA and Henry Jones of Zoetis. A sponsored lunch will be provided. Register by Sept. 24 by calling the Brantley County Extension office at 912-462-5724. ENROLLMENT UNDERWAY FOR FARM BILL SAFETY NET PROGRAMS Farmers have until Sept. 30 to formally enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) safety-net programs for 2014 and 2015 according to a USDA press release. Farmers and producers had until April 7 to make a one-time choice of the program in which they would participate. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill. 5TH NIAA ANTIBIOTICS SYMPOSIUM Nov. 3-5 Crowne Plaza Midtown Atlanta The National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) will be hosting this antibiotic symposium, focusing on antibiotic stewardship. This unique forum brings together leading researchers, government officials, retailers and industry professionals in animal and human health. Discounted registration is available before Oct. 1. For more information or to register online go to www.AnimalAgriculture.org/2015-Antibiotics-Symposium or contact the NIAA at 719538-8843 or niaa@animalagriculture.org.
GFB News Alert page 9 of 11 FORESTRY WORKSHOP AND FIELD DAY Oct. 6 Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center 9 a.m. Lyons UGA Extension and UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry are hosting this regional meeting for landowners, timber managers and foresters. This meeting will be a great opportunity for anyone who has interests in forestry. Topics include forest management plans, forestry herbicide use, pine straw production, pine seedling sources and more. There is no cost for this meeting, but registration is required since there is limited space available. A sponsored lunch will be provided. Call the Tattnall County Extension office at 912-557-6724 to reserve your seat or send an email to Chris Tyson at tysonc@uga.edu with the names of those attending. 26th ANNUAL GEORGIA NATIONAL FAIR Oct. 8-18 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter Perry The award-winning Georgia National Fair features livestock and horse shows, youth exhibits, home and art competitions, family entertainment and Midway rides and games. Concerts include shows by Alabama and Rascal Flatts. Visit www.georgianationalfair.com for more information. GEORGIA FARM BUREAU FOUNDATION 5K RUN Oct. 17 Rock Creek Park, 445 Martin Rd. 8 a.m. Dawsonville Runners receive race t-shirts, awards to overall winners and age group winners in this event. The course is described as flat and fast and conducive to setting personal records. The proceeds will benefit the GFB Foundation for Agriculture for use in GFB’s Ag In The Classroom program, consumer awareness projects and adult learning opportunities. Register by Oct. 11 to guarantee your t-shirt and shirt size. Registration is $25 in advance, $30 the day of the race. On-site registration and packet pick-up begins at 7 a.m. For online registration visit http://fivestarntp.com/GA_Farm_Bureau_5K.html. 2015 SUNBELT AG EXPO Oct. 20-22 Spence Field Moultrie North America's largest farm show features field demonstrations, the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year and more than 1,200 exhibitors. Tickets are $10 per person per day or $20 for multi-day tickets. Children under 10 get in free with parent. For more information visit www.sunbeltexpo.com. 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 10 of 11 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. 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 biobased 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. ONGOING FARMERS MARKETS WHITE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET Saturdays through Sept. 26 7 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Freedom Park near downtown square Cleveland White County Farm Bureau helps sponsor this market, where customers can shop for some of the freshest produce around while listening to local musicians. The market also features themed market days throughout the season with recipes, taste testing, and other fun events. For more information contact the White County Extension Office at 706-865-2832. Vendors can rent space at the market for $10 per Saturday. Vendors must be residents of White County and or adjacent counties and goods must be grown or locally made. MONROE FARMERS’ MARKET Saturdays through Oct. 10 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Court Street Downtown Monroe This market features vegetables and other ag commodities grown in Walton County along with homemade products made by county residents. Walton County Farm Bureau is one of the sponsors of the market, which is located on Court Street in downtown Monroe. Visit www.monroedowntown.com for more information or contact Cheryl Brady at 770-722-9145 or monroefmdowntown@gmail.com. SHIELDS-ETHRIDGE HERITAGE FARM CULTIVATORS’ MARKET Oct. 17 Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. 2355 Ethridge Rd. Jefferson Jackson County Farm Bureau (JCFB) is sponsoring this open-air market that allows local farmers and entrepreneurs to sell products they make or grow in a festival atmosphere. The market will include live music, games and exhibitions of farming practices to entertain and educate visitors as they shop. Market will be held rain or shine. Please leave pets at home. Vendors will be selected based on quality and originality of product according to the theme of homesteading practices. If you are interested in having a booth at the market, contact JCFB Office Manager Denise Temple at dftemple@gfb.org or call 706-367-8877 or visit www.shieldsethridgefarminc.com to complete an application online.
GFB News Alert page 11 of 11 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. Farmers wishing to participate can sign up at the Rockdale/DeKalb Farm Bureau office. Vendors must be current Farm Bureau members in order to participate. For more information or to receive a vendor application contact the RDCFB office at 770-922-3566.