September 9, 2015
www.gfb.org
Vol. 33 No. 32
NORTH DAKOTA JUDGE LIMITS WATER RULE INJUNCTION In a Sept. 4 ruling, Judge Ralph Erickson of the U.S. District Court of North Dakota declined a nationwide application of his injunction stopping the water rule established by the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. On Aug. 27, Erickson granted the injunction in a case filed by 13 states against the EPA and the Corps, blocking them from enforcing the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule that went into effect on Aug. 28. The order was issued in response to a suit filed by North Dakota and 12 other states, and left open the question of whether the injunction would apply nationwide or only in the states that sued in the North Dakota District Court. Erickson received additional briefs on scope of the injunction last week. In his ruling, Erickson cited a respect for decision-making authority for other courts that have ruled on the issue as well as respect for the states that desire the implementation the WOTUS rule. His ruling halts implementation of the WOTUS rule in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. The Sept. 4 ruling leaves the agencies free to proceed with implementation of the rule in the other 37 states. District Court judges in four other districts – including Southern Georgia – denied similar preliminary injunction requests in suits filed by other states. Multiple states filed lawsuits in multiple district courts in an attempt to have the agencies withdraw the rule. In the case filed by Georgia and eight other states in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, Judge Lisa Godbey Wood found that her court had no jurisdiction since the various cases around the country had been consolidated into one cast to be heard by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Georgia’s lawsuit asks for the rule to be declared unlawful, that the court order the agencies to set aside the rule in its entirety, issue an injunction that prohibits its enforcement and send the rule back to the agencies to issue a rule that complies with the Clean Water Act and the Administrative Procedures Act. Georgia Farm Bureau has opposed the rule since it was initially proposed by the agencies in April 2014.
GFB News Alert page 2 of 12 USFRA STUDY SHOWS CONSUMER ATTITUDES ABOUT AG SUSTAINABILITY The U.S. Farmers and Rancher’s Alliance recently unveiled the results of research into the topic of agriculture and sustainability. The study was conducted by The Tarrance Group, which surveyed 1,000 people in late June on their attitudes regarding sustainability. Of those, 500 were millennials (ages 18-34). In reacting to the series of statements regarding production sustainability, the results show broad acceptance of the contention that “farmers and ranchers are committed to improving how food is grown and raised” (59 percent agreed), and the assertion that “farmers and ranchers use new technologies and innovations to protect the environment” (56 percent agreed). Of the 8 messages tested, the two that were most effective were messages regarding farmers and ranchers wanting to improve soil conditions and water quality (59 percent more likely), and wanting to be sustainable today so that they can continue to operate tomorrow (58 percent more likely). The post message ballot shows positive movement. The percentage of respondents who agree that the way most of today’s farming and ranching operations in the U.S. grow and raise food meets the definition of sustainability rose by seven points to 54 percent overall and increased by at least five points among respondents in each of the four segments. According to the study, women are less likely than men to agree farming and ranching are sustainable. Throughout its work this year, USFRA will focus on the sustainability issue and how it relates to the wide range of other issues facing agriculture today. GEORGIA AVERAGE FARM REAL ESTATE VALUE DOWN SLIGHTLY Georgia’s overall farm real estate values declined from 2014 to 2015 despite gains in cropland values, according to a release from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The state’s farm real estate average value was $3,270 per acre, a decline of $30 per acre from 2014, when farm real estate values averaged $3,300 per acre. The farm real estate average value takes into account cropland, pasture land, woodland and buildings. Using the NASS statistics, the average-size farm in Georgia (228 acres according to the 2012 Census of Agriculture) fell in real estate value by $6,840. Georgia cropland value grew from $3,080 in 2014 to $3,160 in 2015, an increase of 2.6 percent. Irrigated cropland values grew by 5 percent, from $3,430 per acre in 2014 to $3,600 in 2015. Non-irrigated farmland values grew by 1.7 percent, from $2,950 per acre in 2014 to $3,000 per acre in 2015. The average value for Georgia pasture land in 2015 is $3,580 per acre, down from $3,650 in 2015, a decline of 1.9 percent. The cost to rent Georgia farmland overall is slightly less in 2015 than in 2014. According to the NASS report, it cost an average of $110 per acre to rent crop land in 2015, down from $111 per acre in 2014. Irrigated land rents fell from $195 per acre in 2014 to $191 per acre in 2015, while non-irrigated land rents grew from $62 per acre in 2014 to $63 per acre in 2015. Pasture land rents averaged $28 per acre in 2015, up $1 per acre from 2014.
GFB News Alert page 3 of 12 UNITED SOYBEAN BOARD RELEASES FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN On Sept. 2, the farmer-leaders of the national soy checkoff made driving innovation the center of their new, groundbreaking 5-year strategic plan, which will guide all national soy checkoff investments from fiscal years 2017 to 2022. “We American soybean farmers have had a good run these past few years, but being profitable in the future will mean something different than being profitable in the past,” said United Soybean Board (USB) Chairman Bob Haselwood, who raises soybeans, corn and wheat on his farm in Berryton, Kansas. “We need to focus on meeting our customers’ changing needs, and giving them a reason to keep choosing U.S. soy over increasing competition. That’s what’s going to help us ensure our children and grandchildren will have the same chance to maximize their profit opportunities that we have had.” The new plan sets its sights on a future in which the U.S. soy industry increases the value of soybean meal for various species, from poultry to pork to aquaculture, and is recognized by customers for its highly desirable attributes such as its superior amino-acid profile and sustainability. The new plan also prioritizes supporting soybean farmers’ use of technological advances to maximize their on-farm profit opportunities, as well as the ongoing development of high oleic soybean oil to increase soy’s share of the edible-oil market. To view the plan visit http://tinyurl.com/usbplan. GEORGIA COMMODITY COMMISSIONS NAME NEW BOARD MEMBERS Nine of Georgia’s Agriculture Commodity Commissions (ACCs) recently appointed new members. The ex officio committee for the ACCs recently met to vote for appointments, according to a Georgia Department of Agriculture press release. Georgia Farm Bureau 10th District Directors David Lee of Bacon County and Daniel Johnson of Pierce County received appointments. Lee was appointed to the ACC for Bluberries, while Johnson was appointed to the ACC for Tobacco. The other appointees were: Apple - Andy Futch, Gilmer County and Robert Mitcham Sr., Rabun County; Blueberry – Albert Wildes, Bacon County; Corn - Mike Jaros, Peach County and Jerry Smith, Dawson County; Cotton - Bart Davis, Colquitt County and James Webb, Calhoun County; Milk - Phil Harvey, Jasper County and Paul Johnson, Decatur County; Peach Lawton Pearson, Crawford County and Sean Lennon, Meriwether County; Pecan- Thomas Mason, Houston County, Mark Cook, Washington County and Roy Goodson, Lee County; Tobacco - Wayne McKinnon, Coffee County; and Vegetables - Glenn Heard, Decatur County, Ken Corbett, Echols County, Bill Brim, Tift County and Brett Williams, Toombs County. Georgia Agriculture Commodity Commissions are created by acts of the Georgia Legislature and collect assessments from the growers of the commodities under the authority of farmer approved market orders. These funds are used to support research, education and promotion projects for the commodities. Appointed members of the commissions serve terms of three years and can be reappointed for additional terms.
GFB News Alert page 4 of 12 BEEF CHECKOFF: CONSUMER REPORTS STUDY COULD MISLEAD CONSUMERS A Consumer Reports study released on Aug. 24 includes misleading information that could increase consumer confusion about food safety, according to an Aug. 25 release from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. “I have relied on Consumer Reports when purchasing cars and electronics but unfortunately this report will not help consumers when purchasing safe ground beef. The good news is the bacteria found in the Consumer Reports tests are not the type of bacteria commonly associated with foodborne illness in ground beef,” said Mandy Carr-Johnson, Ph.D., senior executive director of science and product solutions for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. “As an industry, our number one priority is producing the safest beef possible. Ground beef is the safest it has ever been with greater than 90 percent reductions in bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7 and significant reductions in salmonella in recent years. The beef community continues to invest millions of dollars in developing new safety technologies with the goal of eliminating foodborne illness.” Carr-Johnson says the only helpful takeaway from the report for consumers is that all ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit and confirmed with an instant-read meat thermometer, as recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Other food safety experts are concerned the Consumer Reports article and subsequent media coverage misleads consumers into thinking that organic and/or grass-fed beef is safer. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “organic” and “grass-fed” labels do not imply any additional safety factor. “Our concern is that leading consumers to believe organic and grass-fed beef are safer could make them think they do not need to cook those products to 160 degrees, creating a food safety concern,” said Dr. Mindy Brashears, professor of food microbiology at Texas Tech University. “It is important to note that bacteria was also found in the organic and grass-fed samples. The bottom-line is that no matter what the label says ground beef should be cooked to 160 degrees as a final step to ensure safety.” The good news is the Consumer Reports study did not find pathogenic bacteria like shigatoxin producing E. coli (STECs) in any of the samples, including conventional beef. Controlling pathogenic bacteria is the key in terms of ensuring safety. Unfortunately, the Consumer Reports study confuses that issue with the finding of generic E. coli and other bacteria that are not commonly associated with illnesses from consuming undercooked ground beef. “Both S. aureus and C. perfringens found in the Consumer Reports study are toxin-producing bacteria that are typically associated with picnic-type food poisoning cases where food has been left out for long periods of time at the incorrect temperature, not undercooked ground beef,” says Brashears. Also, use of the term “sustainable” in the Consumer Reports article is incorrect and misleading. “Organic” and “grass-fed” are marketing terms that are not an accurate indicator of either sustainability or safety. Research has found that the efficiencies created by conventional methods of raising beef have led to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, water use and resource consumption and energy use. “All beef production models can be sustainable,” said Dr. Kim Stackhouse, executive director of sustainability for NCBA.
GFB News Alert page 5 of 12 UGA: AVIAN INFLUENZA DRIVING PRICE INCREASES FOR EGGS, TURKEY Avian influenza has driven the cost of eggs up and will result in consumers paying more for their holiday turkeys, according to a University of Georgia press release. Avian flu has affected 21 states and 48 million birds to date since the discovery of the current outbreak of the disease in North American in December 2014. Commercial and backyard poultry in Georgia have gone untouched so far, but the state’s agriculture industry is preparing for the potential arrival of the pathogen. While it is strictly an animal health issue and not a food safety or public health issue, avian flu still impacts consumers, especially those who enjoy eating eggs. The price of eggs has increased this year because the U.S. egg-layer industry has lost 10 percent of its average inventory to the disease. The U.S. turkey industry has lost 7.45 percent of its average inventory. As a result, consumers can expect higher prices for this year’s Thanksgiving and Christmas turkeys. Commercially produced poultry is tested for avian flu in the U.S. prior to being processed, so poultry products are safe to eat. Agriculture is the largest segment of Georgia’s economy, and the poultry industry tops the commodity list. Georgia’s poultry/egg industry contributes an estimated $28 billion annually and supports nearly 109,000 jobs in the state. Believed to have originated in Asia and spread through wild waterfowl to northern North America, avian flu has been spread across the U.S. by migrating birds. The virus cannot survive above 65 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 10 days, which helps to safeguard Georgia poultry. However, as birds begin migrating south this fall, Georgia will become more susceptible. Before now, the disease has been concentrated in the Pacific Northwest and upper Midwest. While Georgia’s commercial poultry industry has the greatest risk in terms of potential for loss, it also has multiple safeguards in place and limits commercial birds’ exposure to migratory birds. However, avian flu can easily be introduced into Georgia through backyard chicken flocks. For more information on avian flu, call the Georgia Department of Agriculture at 404-6563667 or see the UGA Extension website at extension.uga.edu/topics/poultry/avian-flu. For information on keeping backyard poultry flocks healthy, contact your local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agent or read UGA Extension publications at extension.uga.edu/publications.
GFB News Alert page 6 of 12 See page 11 for a list of ongoing Farm Bureau-affiliated farmers markets! GEORGIA FARM BUREAU DISTRICT ANNUAL MEETINGS Sept. 10 2nd District Ga. Baptist Conference Center 7 p.m. Toccoa Sept. 14 7th District First Baptist Church 7 p.m. Statesboro Sept. 15 5th District Thomaston Civic Center 7 p.m. Thomaston Sept. 17 10th District Jamestown Baptist Church 7 p.m. Waycross th Sept. 28 8 District South Georgia Technical Coll. 7 p.m. Americus 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. FAREWELL RECEPTIONS FOR DEAN SCOTT ANGLE Sept. 10 John Hunt Lobby 5 p.m.-7 p.m. UGA Tifton Campus Sept. 15 Stuckey Auditorium 3 p.m.-5 p.m. UGA Griffin Campus Sept. 16 UGA Hotel/Conf. Ctr. 4 p.m.-6 pm. Athens This series of receptions will honor Dean Scott Angle for his decade of service to the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. RSVP to attend the reception of your choice at www.caes.uga.edu/events/farewell. Those interested are encouraged to consider making a gift to support The Deans’ Promise, an initiative created by Angle that supports opportunities and provides funding for CAES students to enrich their learning beyond the classroom. Gifts will go toward core areas of the initiative including internships, research, leadership, service learning and study abroad opportunities. Gifts may be made online at www.caes.uga.edu/events/farewell or checks made payable to “UGA Foundation” and specified for “CAES Deans’ Promise” in the memo line may be mailed to: The University of Georgia CAES Office of External Relations 117 Four Towers Athens, GA 30602. A list of donors will be presented to Dean Angle on Sept. 16. STARTING A NEW FOOD BUSINESS WORKSHOP Oct. 6-7 UGA Griffin Melton Building Griffin This workshop will provide information on producing safe and wholesome food products. Presentations include food safety and sanitation, getting your product label reviewed, meeting Georgia Department of Agriculture and FDA regulations, recordkeeping and product traceback and choosing a co-packer or a shared kitchen. Registration is $150. The deadline to register is Sept. 10, and registration is limited to 40 participants. To register online visit http://EFSonline.uga.edu. For more information, call 706-542-2574. POND MANAGEMENT FIELD DAY Sept. 17 Flat Creek Arena, 1516 Diamond Lane 5:30 p.m. Royston This informative session provided by the Broad River Soil and Water Conservation District, will include information on improving water quality, fish health, pond maintenance and NRCS programs. Dinner will be provided. Register by Sept. 10 by calling 706-552-4479 or sending an email to jbee@gaswcc.org.
GFB News Alert page 7 of 12 20TH ANNUAL LUMBER CITY FARM DAY FESTIVAL Sept. 11 & 12 Downtown Lumber City Festival events begin Sept. 11 at 5 p.m. with a fish fry at the Lumber City American Legion on Hwy 341. The opening ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. on Main Street with entertainment by Old Souls of the South from Atlanta. Events on Sept 12 begin with breakfast at the Lumber City Methodist Church from 6:30 a.m. – 10 a.m., followed by a 5K run/walk at 7:45 a.m. ($20 5K registration includes a free breakfast for all runners), a dog show at 9 a.m. and parade at 10 a.m. Other events will include live stage entertainment, an amusement park, cakewalk, arts & crafts, and food vendors all day. A street dance will be held from 7-ll p.m. featuring the Soul Purpose Band from Atlanta, admission is free for all festival events except 5k. A community church service will be held Sunday at 9 a.m. on Main Street. For more info visit www.lumbercityfarmday.org or call 912-363-4341. UGA EXTENSION GRAZING SCHOOL Sept. 15-16 Carroll County Ag Center Carrollton This two-day workshop will focus on soil fertility, forage crop establishment, plant growth, animal nutrient requirements, and management-intensive grazing. Training will take place in both classroom and field settings. Multiple classroom lectures addressing plant and grazing management will be combined with a farm visit for hands-on activities. Participants will also get a chance to hear from other producers who have successfully utilized better grazing management. Guest speakers include Terry Chandler from Stillwater Farms in Danielsville and Kathy Voth, who is widely known for her research at Utah State University. Cost of the two-day program is $150 for the first person from each farm and $75/person for each additional person from each farm or family. This registration fee includes lunches and breaks on each day, dinner on the first night, and a grazing school handbook. Registration is limited to 75 participants and accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information or to register, visit www.georgiaforages.com. UGA TIFTON CAMPUS RECRUITING EVENT Sept. 15 UGA Campus Conference Center 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Tifton Students desiring to attend the University of Georgia or those interested in learning more about the UGA Tifton Campus are invited to attend Southwest ShowCAES 2015, a recruiting event on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at the Tifton Campus Conference Center. For more information visit http://apps.caes.uga.edu/gafaces/?public=viewStory&pk_id=5565 2015 GEORGIA PEANUT TOUR Sept. 15-17 Thomasville and surrounding area The 29th annual Georgia Peanut Tour brings the latest information on peanuts. Tour stops will be made in several peanut producing counties including Thomas, Grady, Decatur, Seminole and Early County. This year's tour includes on-farm harvest demonstrations and clinics, peanut processing facilities, and several special highlights which include research at the University of Georgia Research & Education Center in Attapulgus, Lewis M. Carter Manufacturing, FudgeBirdsong Peanuts Buying Point and Birdsong Peanuts shelling plant. To register online visit http://2015gpt.eventzilla.net/web/event?eventid=2139089481. To download a registration form, visit http://tinyurl.com/pnuttoursignup. Registration is $ $90 per person.
GFB News Alert page 8 of 12 AGROFORESTRY AND WILDLIFE FIELD DAY Sept. 17 Westbrook Farm, UGA Griffin Campus 8 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. Griffin This event, hosted by UGA Griffin every three years, will provide attendees with information on ways to increase the value of their land. Federal and state government agency officials and representatives of private business will provide management recommendations and demonstrate real-life techniques at this unique educational event, which features more than 30 topics, including wildlife openings, pond management, feral hog issues and many more. Continuing Education Credits (CEU) are available for several fields, including pesticide (several categories), forestry, loggers, arborist and wildlife. Registration is $30 and includes lunch. Pre-registrants will receive an Agroforestry and Wildlife Field Day ball cap. Field trip opportunity and special pricing is available for high school students. For more information or for registration information, visit www.caes.uga.edu/events/awfd/index.html. POLLINATOR HABITAT FIELD DAY Sept. 23 Foster-Brady Farm, 4290 Snows Mill Road 9 a.m. – noon Monroe This field day, offered by the Walton County Soil and Water Conservation District, will cover reasons for decline of bee colonies, pollinator habitat, the benefits of bats and federal government programs to benefit pollinators. Speakers include UGA’s Jennifer Berry and Keith Fielder, Trina Morris of the Department of Natural Resources and Jennifer Anderson Cruz of the NRCS. To register, contact Joel Burnsed at 770-267-1324 or jburnse1@uga.edu. RSVP by Sept. 18. 2015 GEORGIA APPLE FESTIVAL APPLE PIE RECIPE CONTEST Oct. 10 Lions Club Fairgrounds 10 a.m. Ellijay This annual contest is part of the Georgia Apple Festival in Ellijay. The 1st-place winner will receive $300 and a ribbon. The 2nd place winner will receive $100 and a ribbon. To enter, submit an entry form and the recipe (Attn: Recipe Contest) to the Gilmer Extension office in Ellijay. Only put your name (contestant name) on the back of the recipe, not on the front. All recipes must be received by noon on Sept. 18 and all recipes must use fresh Georgia apples. Five finalists will be selected from the entries. There are no kitchen facilities available at the festival, so contestants will bring their prepared apple pie to the Lions Club Fairgrounds Oct. 10 by 9:45 a.m. Judging begins at 10 a.m. Eligibility rules apply. Only one entry per family and only one entry per person. Contestants must be 10 years old or older. For more details or to get an entry form, call the Gilmer County Extension office at 706-635-4426 or visit the office at 1123 Progress Road in Ellijay. TRAVELER'S REST PIONEER DAY Sept. 19 Traveler’s Rest State Historic site 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Toccoa The public is invited to join in this celebration of 200 years of history. Traveler's Rest Stagecoach Inn opened for business around 1815. All ages will enjoy the Pioneer era demonstrators, musicians, crafts, and samples of open-hearth cooking. Tour this historic inn, which still has some of the original family furnishings from the 1800's. Traveler’s Rest State Historic Site is located at 4339 Riverdale Road in Toccoa. For more information visit www.gastateparks.org/TravelersRest or call Tugaloo State Park at 706-356-4362. On Saturdays and Sundays call Travelers Rest Inn 706-886-2256.
GFB News Alert page 9 of 12 2015 TRI-STATE PEANUT DISEASE TOUR Sept. 22-24 Florida, Georgia, Alabama The tour begins on Sept. 22 with a tour of the plots at the University of Florida’s North Florida Research Center in Quincy. Sept. 23 stops are on the UGA Tifton Campus, including the LangRigdon Farm and the Black Shank Farm. Lunch is at 12:30 p.m. Albert Culbreath at spotwilt@uga.edu. Sept. 25 stops are at Auburn University’s Wiregrass Experiment Station in Headland, Ala. Contact Albert Culbreath at 229-326-7683 or spotwilt@uga.edu for more information. 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. 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.
GFB News Alert page 10 of 12 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 fine arts 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 TO 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. 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.
GFB News Alert page 11 of 12 ONGOING FARMERS MARKETS SHIELDS-ETHRIDGE HERITAGE FARM CULTIVATORS’ MARKET Sept. 19, Oct. 17 Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. 2355 Ethridge Rd. Jefferson Jackson County Farm Bureau (JCFB) is sponsoring this monthly open-air market that will allow 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. Each month’s market will have a different theme. Market will be held rain or shine. Please leave pets at home. The Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm is an outdoor ag museum that functions as an educational and interpretative facility. The farm is unique for its collection of intact historic buildings that exist in their original location and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Proceeds from the market will be used for restoration projects at the farm. 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. 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. 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.
GFB News Alert page 12 of 12 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 RDCFB Office Manager Susanne Bell at shbell@gfb.org or call 770-922-3566. WHITE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET Saturdays through Sept. 27 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. UNION COUNTY FARMER’S MARKET Saturdays through Oct. 31 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. Tuesdays through Oct. 27 2 p.m. - 6 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