Georgia Ag News August 30, 2013 Edition

Georgia

AG News

Inside Planting pansies Page 2 Blueberry state Page 3 Squirrel season Page 7 Emerald ash borer Page 9

Fr

ee

SEPTEMBER 2013

North Georgia’s Agricultural Newspaper

Whether for birdhouses or decor, dried gourds abound in the fall

By David B. Strickland Georgia Ag News Staff

dstrickland@poultrytimes.net

GAINESVILLE — They make good birdhouses; and they make good fall decorations. Dried gourds can be fun to make into useful items, or creatively used simply for display.

Among the many types of birds that enjoy birdhouse gourds include martins, wrens, swallows, chickadees, bluebirds and nuthatches.

Gourd birdhouses were once very synonymous with purple martins, which unfortunately are

migrating out of North Georgia by the fall.

“Not too long ago, every farmhouse had boxes, gourds or other houses to attract purple martins,” said Frank Watson, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agent in Wilkes County, in information provided by the university.

“Martin houses are not as common today as they once were. But increasing interest in the environment and non-chemical pest control has the martin regaining its popularity.

In fact, more people provide housing today for the purple martin than for any other bird.”

About the bird’s migration, Watson noted that, “the martin is not a year-round Georgia resident. It winters in South America, arrives in South Georgia in early February, reaches North Georgia by midMarch or April and leaves in the fall. Older martins tend to return to their nesting areas. This means once a house is used, it probably will continue to be used. First-year martins looking for places to nest will eventually occupy new houses.”

Whatever your planned use,

See Gourds, Page 12

Photo by David B. Strickland

Dried gourds: Both potentially useful and decorative, dried gourd uses can range from birdhouses to seasonal centerpieces.

Fall Festivals: Fun, Food, Friends

By Barbara Olejnik Georgia Ag News Staff bolejnik@poultrytimes.net

Photo by David B. Strickland

Festival season approaching: Fall festival season will soon be here and North Georgia towns will be filled with arts, crafts, fun and food, as seen in this file photo from a previous Dahlonega Gold Rush Days (held this year on Oct. 19-20).

GAINESVILLE — Where did the year go? Summer is ending and fall is right around the corner.

But with fall comes more nippy weather and entirely different activities to experience.

Among these are the many fall festivals to be enjoyed by the entire family.

Towns and communities across the state have their own special festivals. Some of the festivals scheduled for October include: yy Now through Oct. 27: 43rd annual Oktoberfest — Helen’s largest celebration featuring German music and dancing, food and drink. Hours: Mondays-Thursdays,

6-10:30 p.m., Fridays, 6 p.m.-midnight, Saturdays, 1 p.m.-midnight, Sundays, 1-7 p.m. Helen Festhalle, 1074 Edelweiss Strasse, Helen. Ph: 706-989-1908; www.helenga.org. yy Oct. 3-14: Georgia National Fair — The annual Georgia National Fair offers a little bit of everything, from entertainment, concerts, food events, horse and livestock shows and attractions. Parking is free every day. Hours: Oct. 3, 3-10 p.m., Oct. 4-13, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.

Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter, 401 Larry Walker Pkwy., Perry. Ph: 800-987-3247; www.georgianationalfair.com. yy Oct. 3-13: Cumming Country Fair & Festival — Concerts, rides, crafts, food, and the American Bull Riders Tour. Hours: Monday-Thursday 4-10 p.m., Friday 4

p.m.-midnight, Saturday 10 a.m.midnight, Sunday 12:30-9 p.m.

Cumming Fairgrounds, 235 Castleberry Road, Cumming. Ph: 770781-3491; www.cummingfair.net. yy Oct. 10-13: Mule Camp Market — What began as a farmer’s cub market now is a three-day fall festival in downtown Gainesville. Featuring arts and crafts, live music, rides and food vendors.

Hours: Thursday 5:30-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Ph: 770-532-7714; www.gainesvillejaycees.org. yy Oct. 11-19: Georgia Mountain Fair Fall Festival — Featuring musical performances, educational demonstrations, arts and crafts, a flower show and the Geor-

See Festivals, Page 13

2

GEORGIA AG NEWS, September 2013

Fall is the perfect time to plant pansies

By Michael Wheeler

Special to Georgia Ag News

GAINESVILLE — As we get in to some cooler weather, I always get to thinking about fall flowers and how they always add a little bit of color and life back to the garden after the long heat of summer.

Pansies are a wonderful way to add color to your landscaping, and they can Wheeler withstand the cold weather providing color all throughout the winter and even into the springtime.

With a track record like that, it is no wonder that the pansy is the most

planted flower in the fall.

Pansies can be found in every color of the rainbow with different patterns from solid to those with faces.

Pansies perform well when nighttime temperatures get down to 65 degrees or below. Now is the best time to plant them because temperatures are cooler, but soil temperatures are still warm enough to encourage the flowers to establish a healthy root system.

Pansies come in a variety of bloom sizes, ranging from large blooms that are 3 1/2 inches to 4 1/2 inches. Medium size blooms run 2 1/2 inches to 3 1/2 inches. The small, or multiflora, bloom sizes run 1 1/2 inches to 2 1/2 inches.

The smaller sized blooming pansies tend to tolerate heat and adverse growing conditions better than the larger varieties.

Some pansies that grow well in

Georgia include the Springtime Yellow Blotch, Universal Plus Yellow Blotch, Happy White Face, and Imperial Pink Shades.

If your soil is typical of Hall County, a bed of pansies will grow much better if you do a good job in preparing the flower bed.

Choose a spot that has well drained soil and incorporate four to six inches of organic matter like HUSQVARNA MZ 5225 peat moss, compost, or rotted ma• Engine manufacturer: Kohler nure in to the bed. Pull a soil sample • Engine name: Courage Pro V-Twin to know exactly how much fertilizer and lime to add to your soil to • No turning radius by individual Deena Chadi, University of New Haven, wheel-drive Bugwood.org optimize growth.

Price: $ 4,699.95 Typically though,HUSQVARNA pansies like a MZ 5225 If you have any questions, please Keep them well watered for the soil that is relatively low in pH and first few weeks while they get es- give me a call at the office.

Engine manufacturer: Kohler they do not require a•lot of fertilizer. tablished, and lightly fertilize them Once you get your bed planted • Engine name:periodically Courage Pro V-Twin strong Michael Wheeler is the Hall County to encourage add a good layer of•mulch to insuNo turning radius by individual wheel-driveExtension Coordinator and agrigrowth. late them from the heat during the If you have limited space, use a cultural Extension agent. He can be $ 4,699.95 early fall, and keepPrice: them protected container for your pansies. They reached at 770-535-8293; e-mail at from the cold during the dead of really can add to a back patio or a wheelerm@uga.edu; or www.hallwinter. county.org/extension. front door.

Designed to make the toughest work easy.

Designed to make the toughest work easy.

Designed to make the toughest work easy.

HUSQVARNA MZ 5225 Designed to make the toughest work • Engine manufacturer: Kohler • Engine name: Courage Pro V-Twin easy.

• No turning radius by individual wheel-drive Designed to make the toughest work

easy.

Price: $ 4,699.95

Husqvarna YT42XLS

• Engine manufacturer: Kawasaki HUSQVARNA MZ 5225 • Power: 23 hp • Powerful two-cylinder Kawasaki engine • Engine manufacturer: Kohler • Engine name: Courage Pro V-Twin Price: $ 2,599.95 HUSQVARNA MZ 5225 Husqvarna YT42XLS • No turning radius by individual wheel-drive • Engine manufacturer: Kohler • Engine manufacturer: Kawasaki Price: $ 4,699.95 • Engine name: Courage Pro V-Twin • Power: 23 hp • No turning radius by individualtwo-cylinder wheel-drive Kawasaki engine • Powerful Price: $ 4,699.95 Price: $ 2,599.95

Husqvarna YT42XLS • Engine manufacturer: Kawasaki lanieroutdoorequipment.com • Power: 23 hp • Powerful two-cylinder Kawasaki engine www.husqvarna.com Price: $ 2,599.95 Copyright © 2013 Husqvarna AB (publ). All rights reserved.

LANIER OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT Husqvarna YT42XLS • Engine manufacturer: Kawasaki www.husqvarna.com • Power: 23 hp

Copyright © 2013 Husqvarna AB (publ). All rights reserved.

Husqvarna YT42XLS • Powerful two-cylinder Kawasaki engine • Engine manufacturer: Kawasaki 678-482-4405 LANIER OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT 4900 BRYANT ROAD

$ 2,599.95 • Power: 23Price: hp

BUFORD, GA 30518

678-482-4405 4900 BRYANT ROAD BUFORD, GA 30518 0% FINANCING AVAILABLE TRADE INS WELCOME FREE DELIVERY TO MOST AREAS

3

GEORGIA AG NEWS, September 2013

Georgia blueberries knock peaches off top of fruit pile The Associated Press

ATLANTA — What is the most valuable fruit crop produced in the Peach State?

This is not a trick question, but you may want to pause a second before answering.

Ready? It’s the blueberry.

Georgia is famous as a major producer of the peach, the fuzzy succulent orange fruit whose image appears on state license plates, “welcome to Georgia” billboards and on road signs. When driving in the capital city of Atlanta, you can pass the corner of Peachtree Street and Peachtree Center Avenue, just one block from West Peachtree Street.

There’s just one problem: Blueberries are Georgia’s most lucrative fruit crop, by far.

In a little-noticed development, the value of blueberry production in Georgia beat the peach crop in 2005 — and the gap has grown even bigger since then, according to USDA surveys.

Blueberries generated an estimated $94 million for Georgia growers in 2012, meaning the blueberry crop was more than three times as valuable as the nearly $30 million peach crop.

“It’s surprising around the country how many people don’t realize Georgia grows blueberries,” said Joe Cornelius, chairman of the Georgia Blueberry Commission and a farmer who grows about 170 acres of the crop. He refuses to gloat about surpassing his fellow peach farmers. “I don’t foresee Georgia changing to the blueberry state.”

Analysts and growers say a combination of supply-and-demand economics coupled with a good growing environment propelled blueberries from a tiny crop to a profitable niche that dwarfs the famed peach.

Blueberries used to make up a relatively small percentage of the state’s fruit crop. But major blueberry producers, particularly in Michigan, were searching for ways to get berries on the supermarket shelves earlier in the year. They signed deals with growers in Georgia since the state starts harvesting its berries in April, ahead of other

producers except Florida and California, said Scott NeSmith, a horticulturist at the University of Georgia who studies blueberries.

Other climate factors help, too.

While blueberry-killing frosts are possible in Georgia, they are not frequent.

Celebrated by physicians and nutritionists for their antioxidant qualities, blueberries have grown greatly in demand among healthconscious consumers. Farmers say it greatly expanded the public’s appetite for the berry.

Average prices have jumped from 48 cents a pound in 1993 to $1.34 in 2012, and the growth was among one of the main factors prompting farmers to plant larger and larger numbers of blueberry bushes.

It only takes three or four years for the bushes to reach full production. Since prices hit a peak in 2007, many of the new blueberry fields planted by farmers seeking lucrative prices are now entering full production. And as supply has increased, prices have decreased.

“We’re probably nearing the peak, I feel,” said Bradley Vickers, 28, a blueberry farmer from rural Nashville, Ga. “I hope it continues to be profitable for my sake and everyone else’s.”

Another reason blueberries have proliferated to such a degree is that Georgia farmers are searching for alternatives to traditional Southern crops such as tobacco and timber.

Tobacco production has trailed off as Americans smoke less, and the timber industry took a big hit when the Great Recession slowed home building.

Vickers is one of those farmers.

As of now, he still makes more money from tobacco, and sometimes cotton and peanuts. But he thinks blueberries probably have better long-term prospects than tobacco.

“If they begin to go down — and tobacco is probably one of those things — I have something to replace that, in case we need it,” he said.

Georgia is not the biggest U.S. peach producer, and is regularly

Photo by David B. Strickland

The blueberry state: Is Georgia now the “Blueberry State?” Recent USDA data shows that blueberries are the state’s most lucrative fruit crop.

beat by California and neighboring South Carolina. Its reputation for peaches was always one part reality and one part marketing.

The Civil War left the Southern economy in ruins and ended slavery, which meant it was no longer possible for white farmers to produce cotton and other labor-intensive cash crops with cheap slave labor.

One alternative was peaches.

Samuel Rumph, a 19th century grower in Georgia, was a major innovator, commercializing a tasty and robust variety called the Elberta, named for his wife. Perhaps more important, he developed a refrigerated rail car, making it possible to ship Georgia peaches to larger markets in Boston, Philadelphia and New York. As a result, Northern customers started associating Georgia with peaches.

“He had a great product. He didn’t have a way to get it to market,” said Will McGehee, a fifthgeneration peach grower and the marketing director for the Georgia Peach Council. “And the refrigerated rail car was the answer. And so finally you were able to connect demand and supply.”

PAINTED METAL ROOFING Custom Metal Roofing Inc DBA

B&M Metals

Resident ial Commer cial Agricultu ral

• 25-40 Year Warranty • Painted, Galvalume & Galvanized • Standing Seam 18 Colors In Stock • Sliding Door Accessories • Personnel Doors Many Styles • Secondary Metal Also In Stock • Buy Direct Quick Turnaround • Custom Trim Shop • Metal Shingles • Red Iron

706-864-6068 Hwy 52 East, Murrayville, GA 60564 Right on Major Abercrombie Circle 1/2 mile on Left Fax (706) 864-2147

800-340-2435 •Celebrating Over 40 yrs. of Service!

www.qualitymetalroofing.com

4

GEORGIA AG NEWS, September 2013

AG News

Viewpoint

Working toward the poultry plant of the future

By Dr. Douglas F. Britton Special to Georgia Ag News

ATLANTA — In a continued quest to drive transformational innovation in the poultry industry, the Agricultural Technology Research Program (ATRP) at Georgia Tech has joined the University of Georgia (UGA) and other labs and individuals in a strategic initiative, “The Poultry Plant of the Future.”

This initiative is focused on envisioning what poultry production and processing should look like in 20, 30, or even 50 years.

The concept stems from the fact that the practices of poultry production and processing have not Dr. Douglas F. Britton is manager of the Agricultural Technology Research Program, Food Processing Technology Division, of the Georgia Tech Research Institute in Atlanta, Ga.

changed fundamentally in the past 60 years.

The consensus among researchers was that the time is right to reconsider these proBritton cesses and to actively drive and evaluate new and different approaches to poultry processing.

Much of the technology used in today’s poultry processing is based on a system that has been in place since the 1950s.

Current methods are a mixture of historical practices and labor-saving mechanization retrofitted with modern technologies. These retrofits were done in an attempt to meet more and more stringent sanitation, worker safety and environmental

regulatory demands.

However, continuing to plug new technology into a 60-year-old system is not a viable long-term strategy for maintaining a thriving poultry processing system.

At the same time, U.S. poultry production faces international competition to produce products in larger quantities at lower costs.

There are also growing regulatory pressures to improve food safety and reduce overall environmental impact. Current methods will eventually reach a limit in their ability to address these growing demands/issues.

The goal of this strategic initiative is to develop innovative approaches for improving the overall performance and efficiency of poultry processing.

The underlying drivers are shifting with increased focus on animal welfare, water consumption, waste minimization, sanitation, food

Farmers’ markets are a ‘win-win-win’

By Robert Giblin

Special to Georgia Ag News

WASHINGTON — The USDA reports that there were 7,864 U.S. farmers’ markets in 2012, an increase of 28 percent in just two years and more than 4.5 times the number of markets in 1994. Of those, 1,864 are winter farmers’ markets, which increased 52 perRobert Giblin is an occasional contributor to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Focus on Agriculture series. He writes, speaks and consults about agricultural and food industry issues, policies and trends.

cent in just the last year.

They have grown so popular that in May, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service released a Farmers’ Market Application Programming Interface — geek-speak for a computer program designed to help developers easily create computer and phone apps to provide foodies and farmers with accurate, up-to-date information about local markets.

The meteoric growth in the number and popularity of farmers’ markets correlates to numerous consumer food, health and shopping trends. Perhaps unspoken is the feeling that farmers’ markets provide the solution to the frustrations that many consumers cite with

traditional grocery stores.

Consumers are encouraged to shop for “healthy foods” at the outer circle of supermarkets and to avoid the “center store.”

Fresh products — produce, meats, dairy, baked goods, plants and flowers — are featured in the outer circle. Processed foods, snacks, canned goods and carbonated beverages dominate the center store.

There is no center store at farmers’ markets; the entire market is the healthy outer circle. The perception of freshness, great taste and access to “local” foods are among the top

See Markets, Page 8

“

‘Continuing to plug new technology into a 60-yearold system is not a viable long-term strategy for maintaining a thriving poultry processing system.’

Dr. Doug Britton GTRI

safety, environmental impact and worker safety. Using integrated systems-based approaches, researchers are seeking to address many of the challenges by looking across the entire production and processing chain.

The first and most important aspect of establishing a strategic initiative of this scope is to build a network of collaborators from a variety of disciplines with complementary areas of expertise. ATRP

Corporate Headquarters

Poultry Times P.O. Box 1338 Gainesville, Georgia 30503 Telephone: 770-536-2476; 770-718-3444 (after 5:30 p.m.)

Fax: 770-532-4894

General Manager Cindy Wellborn 770-718-3443 cwellborn@poultrytimes.net

Editorial/Advertising Staff Editor David B. Strickland 770-718-3442 dstrickland@poultrytimes.net Associate Editor Barbara L. Olejnik 770-718-3440 bolejnik@poultrytimes.net

and UGA’s Department of Poultry Science researchers are building a network of potential collaborators with other universities and labs with targeted poultry-related research activities.

Several one-day workshops have been held to lay the foundation for what we hope will become a multiinstitutional center with research focused on the exploration of key

See Future, Page 8

Account Executive Stacy Louis 770-718-3445 slouis@poultrytimes.net Account Executive Dinah Winfree 770-718-3438 dwinfree@poultrytimes.net Companion Publications: Poultry Times; A Guide to Poultry Associations; Poultry Resource Guide.

The opinions expressed in this publication by authors other than Georgia Ag News staff are those of the respective author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Georgia Ag News.

Georgia Ag News assumes responsibliity for error in first run of an in-house designed ad only. Advertisers have ten (10) days from publication date to dispute such an advertisement. After ten (10) days, ad will be deemed correct and advertiser will be charged accordingly. Proofs approved by advertiser will always be regarded as correct.

5

GEORGIA AG NEWS, September 2013

Local farmers that are making the future of agriculture

By Steven Thomas

Special to Georgia Ag News

GAINESVILLE — Large farming operations across the United States produce more than enough food to feed our nation and export a good portion to the world.

In California’s Central Valley is a farm that grows about 80 percent of the carrots we see in the grocery store, and another that grows 40 percent of the tomatoes worldwide that go into products such as tomato sauce and ketchup.

Georgia is listed as the sixth largest agricultural state in the nation. If you put aside Idaho, which grows mostly potatoes, and Iowa, which Steven Thomas is market manager of the Historic Downtown Gainesville Market on the Square. He can be reached at 678-943-4442; by email at steve@hallfarmers.org; or the website www.hallfarmers.org.

grows mostly corn and soybeans, Georgia comes in at fourth place due to the diversity of crops grown.

Georgia is famous for growing Thomas peaches, pecans, peanuts and Vidalia onions.

Recently, we have started on a new type of agricultural entrepreneurial marketing that can have a beneficial effect on our status as an agricultural powerhouse — the rise of the small farms and food purveyors.

Right up the road from Gainesville, in the small town of Clermont, is Mountain Fresh Creamery. A family owned and operated small dairy that produces milk, cream, buttermilk and hand crafted ice cream. Just a few years old, they

supply products to smaller groceries and food stores, as well as running their own store on Cleveland Highway.

Fourth-generation dairy farmer Scott Glover, along with his wife Jennifer, started the Creamery in 2011 with a vision of providing minimally processed dairy products to the local community.

In Cleveland, Nick and Tova Ball have been raising pigs and cattle, as well as laying hens, for six years at Double B Farms. Their animals are pasture raised and it shows in the taste and quality of the meat.

Best of all, their products are sold in cuts that are usually only found in grocery stores, such as chops, sliced ham, shoulder, ground and a sausage that is made with a spice mixture all their own. This year, Double B Farms expanded from a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) enterprise to sales at local farmers markets, as well as local small retail stores.

Up in Clarksville, Mary Farmer is raising American bison at Drake Farms. The herd is pasture raised and hormone and antibiotic free.

Bison tastes similar to beef, though leaner with a mild, not gamey, flavor. It’s lower in fat and calories, too. The meat is available in similar cuts as beef, including ground, tenderloin and prime rib. This year, Drake Farms branched out and began selling at local farmers markets in Clermont and Downtown Gainesville’s Market On The Square.

Nestled in the woods, just off Cleveland Highway, is one the bestkept secrets in North Georgia — Cedar Hollow Farms, run by Glen and Caroline Cook and their kids.

A few years ago Glen decided to see just how productive one acre of land could be farmed using the best land management principals available. Less than four years on, Cedar Hollow Farms has grown a bit and produces some of the finest fruits

and vegetables available in North Georgia. Beginning as a CSA, the Cooks found that they had enough “leftovers” to join the Downtown Gainesville Market On The Square.

Their biggest problem is that people think the produce is too good looking to have been grown on a small farm.

Shook’s Family Farm is a smallscale farm located in the beautiful North Georgia mountains of Cleveland, Ga. This 10-year-old farm currently grows around 100 different varieties of heirloom fruits and vegetables, as well as awardwinning honey. Run by Michael and Thelma Shook, along with their daughter Angel Rushing, they sell at local farmers markets and have an online ordering system set up for folks who want to pre-order so as to avoid missing out at the market or pick up their order at the farm.

See Farmers, Page 8

6

GEORGIA AG NEWS, September 2013

U.S. wins WTO case on chicken exports to China

By Barbara Olejnik Georgia Ag News Staff bolejnik@poultrytimes.net

WASHINGTON — The United States won a major case at the World Trade Organization on Aug. 2 on behalf of U.S. chicken producers, proving that China’s imposition of higher duties on chicken “broiler products” is unjustified under international trade rules.

The WTO dispute settlement panel held that China’s basis for finding dumping — the so-called “average cost of production” theory — was inconsistent with WTO rules.

The panel also held that China’s determination that U.S. chicken imports were causing injury to the domestic industry is inconsistent with WTO rules and therefore are not subject to countervailing (anti-

subsidy) or anti-dumping duties.

Bill Lovette, National Chicken Council chairman and president and CEO of Pilgrim’s Pride, said in a statement: “This announcement is welcome news to U.S. Vilsack poultry producers and the U.S. poultry industry. Regaining meaningful access to this critical market presents an opportunity to compete in a valuable and viable export market.

“We look forward to sharing the high quality poultry products that American consumers enjoy every

We’re your destination for summer color for the patio & back yard cookout Visit our website to see photos of the huge selection of plants we carry. We’ve helped thousands of customers in North Georgia create their backyard oasis, and we can help you too!

“We’re not just growing plants, we’re growing a lifestyle.”

PHOTO

Come shop a true nursery. . .

Over 4 acres of plants displayed in a garden setting! Our plants are either grown right here at the nursery, or locally in the Southeast. That means they’ll thrive in our Georgia conditions.

Come Shop The Best Selection In Town

“One Who Plants a Garden, Plants Happiness” - Chinese Proverb Visit www.fullbloomnursery.com

for directions, pictures & gardening tips 770-842-2345

day with our partners and customers in China.”

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack noted that farm exports in fiscal year 2012 reached $135.8 billion and more than $23 billion worth of those agricultural products went to China alone.

“But China’s prohibitive duties on broiler products were followed by a steep decline in exports to China — and now we look forward to seeing China’s market for broiler products restored.

“This is an important victory today for the U.S. poultry industry and for American farmers and ranchers,” Vilsack said..

The U.S. appealed to the WTO after China said that the U.S. had engaged in dumping and had imposed tariffs on imports of “broiler products,” which include most chicken products with the exception of live chickens.

When the case was initiated the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council board and Executive Committee hired legal council to peruse options on behalf of the U.S. chicken industry.

“We immediately realized the long-term implications that this case could have had for our industry’s exports,” said USAPEEC President Jim Sumner. “We knew that we could not wait to act” The WTO ruling, Sumner said, validates the poultry industry’s long support for the WTO, which provides an important venue for resolving international trade disputes in a fair and equitable manner.

“Now that the WTO panel has rendered it decision, the U.S. industry hopes that this dispute can quickly be put to rest and that mutually beneficial trade in poultry products between China and the U.S. can be restored,” Sumner said.

“The U.S. poultry industry has enjoyed a long, positive and productive relationship with its industry counterparts in China,” Sumner

added. “This dispute has not diminished the importance we place on the Chinese market or on our friendship with the Chinese government, industry and people. We hope that conditions for vigorous Sumner trade can be restored and that the two countries will move forward expeditiously to create conditions for free and open trade, and to increase poultry consumption that will benefit the industries and consumers in both nations.”

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said the WTO ruling was a win for American farmers, businesses and workers and that he hopes it will “discourage further violations that hurt American exporters.”

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) launched antidumping and countervailing duty investigations in late 2009, alleging that these products were being “dumped” on the Chinese market and were also receiving the benefit of illegal subsidies.

In early 2010, MOFCOM imposed dumping duties on three U.S. chicken companies — Tyson Foods, Keystone Foods and Pilgrim’s Pride — ranging from 43.1 percent to 80.5 percent. MOFCOM also imposed a “weighted average” duty of 64.5 percent on imports from 32 additional U.S. companies that filed responses to China’s actions, and an “all-others” rate of 105.4 percent to all those companies that chose not to participate in the investigation. Also MOFCOM imposed additional countervailing duties ranging from 3.8 percent to 31.4 percent.

At the industry’s request, in 2012

the U.S. Trade Representative appealed to the WTO, which then assembled a dispute settlement panel to adjudicate the case.

In its report, the panel found in favor of the U.S. on nearly all U.S. claims. USDA listed the report findings as follows: Specifically, with regard to MOFCOM’s substantive errors, the panel found that China breached its WTO obligations by: yy Levying countervailing duties on U.S. producers in excess of the amount of subsidization; yy Relying on flawed price comparisons for its determination that China’s domestic industry had suffered injury; yy Unjustifiably declining to use the books and records of two major U.S. producers in calculating their costs of production; failing to consider any of the alternative allocation methodologies presented

by U.S. producers and instead using a weight-based methodology resulting in high dumping margins; improperly allocating distinct processing costs to other products inflating dumping margins; and allocating one producer’s costs in producing non-exported products to exported products creating an inflated dumping margin; and yy Improperly calculating the “all others” dumping margin and subsidy rates.

With respect to procedural failings in the MOFCOM investigations, the panel found that China breached its WTO obligations by: yy Denying a hearing request during the investigation; yy Failing to require the Chinese industry to provide non-confidential summaries of information it provided to MOFCOM; yy Failing to disclose essential facts to U.S. companies including how their dumping margins were calculated.

A copy of the WTO report can be found at www.wto.org/english/ news_e/news13_e/427r_e.htm.

7

GEORGIA AG NEWS, September 2013

Ga. squirrel hunting season began on Aug. 15 SOCIAL CIRCLE — Squirrel hunting provides the perfect opportunity to introduce someone to the sport of hunting, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division. Unlike some big game hunts, the pursuit of bushytails often involves more action for energetic youth, providing a greater level of interaction with the outdoors, the department noted.

Season began on Aug. 15, and runs through Feb. 28, 2014. Hunters can pursue both gray and fox squirrels. The maximum daily bag limit is 12 per hunter.

“Squirrel hunting in the fall has always been a significant cultural hunting tradition in Georgia,” said John Bowers, chief of the Game Management Section. “It also provides a great opportunity to take a young person or someone new to hunting with you on a fun, inexpensive and active outdoor adventure.”

Squirrel hunting, especially with squirrel dogs such as feists, terriers and curs, is a great way to introduce youth to hunting and the outdoors, the department added.

In terms of the number of hunters and harvest, squirrels are the second most pursued small game species in Georgia, behind doves.

Georgia’s wildlife management areas offer access to nearly 1 million acres of hunting opportunity for $19 a year, and squirrel hunting is allowed on WMAs at specified times during the statewide squirrel season, DNR said. Hunters are advised to check the current hunting regulations for specific WMA dates and info (www.gohuntgeorgia.com/hunting/regulations).

The two species Both the gray and fox squirrels can be found throughout Georgia.

The gray squirrel, abundant in

both rural and urban areas is the most common species. Though mostly associated with hardwood forests, grays also can be found in mixed pine/hardwood forests. Predominantly gray, with white under parts, gray squirrels appear more slender-bodied than fox squirrels, weighing anywhere from 12 ounces to 1.5 pounds.

Fox squirrels have several color phases, varying from silver-gray with a predominantly black head, to solid black, to a light buff or brown color tinged with reddishyellow. Generally larger than grays, fox squirrels range in weight from 1 pound to nearly 3, and are more closely associated with mature pine and mixed pine/hardwood habitats and especially in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions.

More information on the 20132014 squirrel hunting season, or other small game hunting seasons, can be obtained at www.georgiawildlife.com/hunting/regula-

Rebekah D. Wallace, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

Eastern gray squirrel: Georgia’s squirrel hunting season began on Aug. 15, and runs through Feb. 28, 2014.

tions.

To renew or purchase a hunting

license, visit www.georgiawildlife. com/licenses-permits-passes.

8

GEORGIA AG NEWS, September 2013

•Future (Continued from page 4)

technological and scientific challenges that face the poultry industry.

However, we continue to welcome input and ideas from anyone and everyone who has an interest in thinking about and developing the future direction of poultry production and processing.

In addition, kernels of “out-ofthe-box” research project ideas have begun to form through discussions among researchers from the various institutions. We strongly believe that it will be at the inter-

section between the traditional sciences and engineering where truly new and interesting approaches are developed.

In order for this to occur, we must encourage and enable crossdisciplinary teams that can focus on specific common challenges. In the end, it will be the ideas generated and the results of the research that will determine the success of the effort.

Another key component and somewhat more challenging aspect of this strategic initiative is identifying funding opportunities to sup-

For poultry industry news visit: www.poultrytimes.net WhIte County

Farmers exChange “Georgia’s largest Southern States independent dealer!”

Serving Northeast Georgia since 1928

Fall Winter Grazer Headquarters Rackmaster Wildlife Mixes, Wrens Abruzzi Rye, Marshall Rye Grass, Olympia Orchardgrass, Kentucky 31 Fescue, Max Q Fescue, Wheat and Oats

See uS for all your lawn, garden, farm, horSe & pet SupplieS!

951 South Main Street, Cleveland • 706-865-2831

www.wcfecoop.com

port the research, given the fiscal constraints at both the federal and state level.

ATRP has begun to seed research activities that are aligned with this strategic effort with the anticipation that larger funding opportunities will eventually come.

The need for transformational

research in animal agriculture systems (and poultry, in particular) has been discussed with key federal and state government stakeholders. The national trade organizations and affiliated industry members also have played a crucial role in helping to build the case for targeted research focused on the future of poultry pro-

duction and processing.

Rapid adoption of technology has made the U.S. poultry industry an American success story. For the poultry industry to continue to be a global leader in protein production, it is imperative that the research to enable technological change be promoted and funded.

as 10 percent of shoppers drive at least 20 miles to visit their nearest farmers’ market; some drive 50 or more miles for the opportunity to feel “greenish” and buy local.

Access to farmers’ markets is a corporate benefit or perk for some employees. Medium-sized markets set up for a couple of hours weekly in parking lots of large corporations and office buildings, bringing the experience to busy workers.

Another appeal of farmers’ markets is also, potentially, one of the greatest risks as they become more popular – access (or lack of access) to farmers.

Consumers have questions about where their food comes from, how it is grown, safety, quality and how to prepare it. With few exceptions, workers at grocery stores don’t have the answers. Consumers believe farmers do.

In his top 10 food predictions for 2012, “Supermarket guru” Phil Lempert said consumer interest in knowing where their food comes from and how it is produced would shift the emphasis from celebrity

chefs to a different kind of food celebrity — the farmer.

Between two-thirds and threefourths of markets require vendors to sell only what they grow, but farmers increasingly are hiring other workers to operate their stands. In his 2013 predictions, Lempert acknowledged the increasing popularity of farmers’ markets but noted that shoppers are growing frustrated as they discover that the people behind the tables may not always be farmers, or able to answer their questions.

It’s clear that farmers’ markets are a win for farmer with goods to sell. They’re also an experiential engagement opportunity that more farmers may want to consider taking advantage of, regardless of whether they have goods to sell.

More broadly, farmers’ markets represent a win-win-win for farmers, consumers and communities.

Staying on that winning path will require farmers to remain knowledgeable about what consumers want, including representing agriculture, farming and food . . . in person.

During the past 10 years many younger people, having become discouraged with the mainstream career paths of the past, have opted to return to the land or the kitchen to create a different life for themselves, doing something that gives them pleasure and purpose and sharing it with the rest of us. When you talk to them, you find the passion behind what they do and why

they do it. And it gives us all a better feeling for the future of agriculture.

To see for yourself what these folks are doing, visit the Downtown Gainesville Market On The Square (Fridays from 2:30-6:30 p.m.) and the Clermont Farmers Market (Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon). And make sure to stop by The Silo at Mountain Fresh Creamery for some ice cream.

•Markets (Continued from page 4)

reasons consumers like to shop at farmers’ markets. The most popular draws are fresh fruits and vegetables; herbs and flowers; honey, nuts and preserves; and baked goods. Most also have some meat and poultry selections, as well as artisanal cheeses and some crafts.

With few exceptions, most consumers say grocery shopping is an unpleasant life necessity, but a trip to the farmers’ market is a joyful experience and social event that may be shared with friends and family.

Larger markets can have more than a hundred vendors, complemented by live music, theatrical performances, games and events for kids.

Consumers will happily shop for hours at the farmers’ market, in a sensory treasure hunt that entices them to linger, look, smell, taste and talk.

Farmers’ markets are becoming tourist destinations, with tour writers consistently promoting a top 10 list of “must-see” markets in all parts of the country. As many

•Farmers (Continued from page 5)

These are just a few of the small farm operations that make the future of agriculture in Georgia so exciting. In this economic downturn, people are still coming up with innovative marketing options for products that are healthy, flavorful, and good for the community and the sustainability of our farmland

9

GEORGIA AG NEWS, September 2013

Tree-killing insect emerald ash borer found in Georgia

By J. Merritt Melancon Sandi Martin

&

Special to Georgia Ag News

ATHENS — For years, foresters and invasive insect experts — including those at the University of Georgia — have been on the lookout for the arrival of an unwelcome guest in Georgia.

Now that the emerald ash borer is here, they are hoping the public will help restrict the insect’s spread within the state.

The small, iridescent green beetle has killed millions of ash trees across a wide swath of the upper Midwest and Canada since it was first detected in 2002. The emerald ash borer, known scientifically as the Agrilus planipennis, has spread south and west from infested areas during the last decade.

Since 2005, invasive species experts have conducted an extensive trapping program in Georgia to screen for the insect. In July of this year, researchers found adult emerald ash borers in survey traps located in DeKalb and Fulton counties. A follow-up ground survey found larvae in nearby ash trees, confirming an established emerald ash borer infestation was present.

The borer’s larvae kill ash trees by burrowing serpentine tunnels in the inner layers of bark, preventing the tree from transporting water and nutrients to and from the tree canopy. Although the adult beetle is an active flyer, it is believed the

primary way this beetle spreads is by hitching a ride on infested ash firewood, logs and nursery stock.

“To prevent the spread of emerald ash borer, it is important not to move firewood in which the insect can hide,” said Kamal Gandhi, an assistant professor with the UGA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. “Buy local firewood whether camping or for your home.”

Georgia’s five species of native ash trees usually grow along stream banks. While they only make up about 1 percent of the state’s forests, they play an integral role in preventing stream bank erosion and keeping silt out of natural waterways.

Ash also is a popular landscape tree, with 2.9 million planted around Georgia homes, businesses, parks and on public right-of-ways.

The value of these city trees in Georgia is estimated to be around $725 million.

To help reduce the spread of emerald ash borer in Georgia, citizens with ash trees on their property should check or have a certified arborist check their trees for signs of borer infestations.

Suspected infestations should be reported immediately so that foresters or arborists can understand how the infestation is spreading and can develop effective methods to reduce its spread and impact.

“The faster scientists can track the spread of the insect, the faster they can work to stop it,” said Joe

LaForest, the integrated pest management and forest health coordinator in the UGA Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.

The Georgia Invasive Species Task force will launch a public outreach plan to try to curb the spread of this pest in the near future.

This task force consists of the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Georgia Forestry Commission, University of Georgia, Georgia Department of Natural Resources and USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

For more information about the emerald ash borer and how to protect ash trees, visit www.gainvasives. org/eab or watch the Outsmart Invasive Species Project video on emerald ash borers at www.youtube. com/watch?v=wXCynbvf4Lc. To report suspected infestations, contact SEEDN, the Southeastern Early Detection Network, at www. eddmaps.org/southeast; download the SEEDN smartphone app http:// apps.bugwood.org/seedn.html; contact the Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia Department of Agriculture, Department of Natural Resources, a local UGA Extension agent; or e-mail a report to Kamal Gandhi at kjgandhi@uga.edu or Keith Douce at kdouce@uga.edu.

J. Merritt Melancon and Sandi Martin are public relations coordinators with the University of Georgia.

GPF Night of Knights Photo by David B. Strickland

Joe Nichols: Country music performer Joe Nichols entertained the crowd at the Georgia Poultry Federation’s Night of Knights event Aug. 24, in Atlanta, Ga.

J. Merritt Melancon/UGA

Emerald ash borer: This collection of emerald ash borer specimens was found in Fulton County, Ga., in July.

10

GEORGIA AG NEWS, September 2013

USDA offers tips to keep food safe through severe weather WASHINGTON — The USDA’s Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing recommendations to help minimize the potential for foodborne illnesses as severe storms and tornadoes have left thousands without power this year.

Destruction and power outages caused by severe weather can compromise food storage, especially for frozen and refrigerated foods, and FSIS wants those affected to be aware of resources and measures that can keep food safe to eat longer, the department noted.

Anyone with questions about the safety of their food as a result of weather damage and power outages is encouraged to call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline (888-674-6854), available in English and Spanish from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (EDT) weekdays.

Ask Karen — www.foodsafety.

gov/experts/askkaren/index.html — FSIS’s virtual food safety expert, is available in English and Spanish 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with answers to nearly 1,500 food safety questions.

The Mobile Ask Karen app also can be downloaded for free for iOS and Android devices. Users can email, chat with a live representative, or call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline directly from the app.

To use these features from Mobile Ask Karen, simply choose “Contact Us” from the menu. The live chat option is available during the Meat and Poultry Hotline’s hours of operation.

The publication “Preparing for a Weather Emergency” can be downloaded and printed for reference during a power outage. FSIS’ YouTube video “Food Safety During Power Outages” also has instructions for keeping frozen and refrig-

The EcodrumTM system is a proven technology, successfully installed on poultry operations throughout North America. The EcodrumTM is perfect for large scale animal production.

Benefits: Clean and simple to operate Low cost operation Reduces odor and pathogens To learn more about how the ecodrumTM can benefit your operation contact us at:

701-446-6139 Atlanta, GA irwinbyron@gmail.com

Maintains composting activity in cold weather Eliminates ground and water contamination Produces a high quality compost used as a soil enhancer

www.ecodrumcomposter.com

erated food safe. FSIS will provide relevant food safety information as the storm progresses from its Twitter feed @USDAFoodSafety.

Steps to follow Steps to follow to prepare for a possible weather emergency: yy Keep an appliance thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer to help determine if food is safe during power outages. The refrigerator temperature should be 40 degrees F or lower and the freezer should be zero degrees F or lower. yy Store food on shelves that will be safely out of the way of contaminated water in case of flooding. yy Group food together in the freezer — this helps the food stay cold longer. yy Freeze refrigerated items such as leftovers, milk and fresh meat and poultry that you may not need immediately — this helps keep them at a safe temperature longer. yy Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerator food cold if the power will be out for more than four hours. yy Purchase or make ice and store in the freezer for use in the refrigerator or in a cooler. Freeze gel packs ahead of time for use in coolers. yy Plan ahead and know where dry ice and block ice can be purchased.

During power outages Steps to follow if the power goes out: yy Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. yy A refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours if you keep the door closed. yy A full freezer will keep its temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if half-full). yy If the power is out for an extended period of time, buy dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible. Fifty pounds of dry ice should keep a fully-stocked 18-cubic-feet freezer cold for two days.

Joseph O’Brien, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Storm damage: Severe weather has the potential to cause great damage to property. However, for food safety during and after extreme weather, USDA offers several tips on keeping food safe.

After emergencies Steps to follow after a weather emergency: yy Check the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer. If the thermometer reads 40 degrees F or below, the food is safe. yy If no thermometer was used in the freezer, check each package.

If food still contains ice crystals or is at 40 degrees F or below when checked with a food thermometer, it may be safely refrozen. yy Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers and deli items) that have been kept in a refrigerator or freezer above 40 degrees F for two hours or more. yy Discard any food that is not in a waterproof container if there is any chance that it has come into contact with flood water. Containers that are not waterproof include those with screw-caps, snap lids, pull tops, and crimped caps. Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers. yy Thoroughly wash all metal pans, ceramic dishes and utensils that came in contact with flood water with hot soapy water and sanitize by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 min-

utes in a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water. yy Undamaged, commercially prepared foods in all-metal cans and retort pouches (for example, flexible, shelf-stable juice or seafood pouches) can be saved. yy Use bottled water that has not been exposed to flood waters.

If bottled water is not available, tap water can be boiled for safety. yy Never taste food to determine its safety. yy When in doubt, throw it out!

An FSIS Public Service Announcement (PSA) illustrating practical food safety recommendations for handling and consuming foods stored in refrigerators and freezers during and after a power outage is available in 30- and 60-second versions at www.fsis. usda.gov/news/Food_Safety_PSA. Videos about food safety during power outages are available in English, Spanish and American Sign Language on FSIS’ YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/USDAFoodSafety.

Podcasts regarding food safety during severe weather, power outages, and flooding are available English and Spanish on FSIS’ website at www.fsis.usda.gov/ News_&_Events/Food_Safety_ at_Home_Podcasts.

11

GEORGIA AG NEWS, September 2013

Make it at Home recipe Roasted Chicken, Celery Root, Apples and Chestnuts with Apple Cider Pan Gravy National Chicken Council Servings: 6 Ingredients: Chicken: 1 whole chicken, about 5-6 pounds 1 sprig fresh marjoram 4 fresh sage leaves 6 sprigs thyme 1/2 apple, cored and cut into chunks 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper 2 cups chicken stock, divided 1/2 cup apple cider Roasted vegetables:

1 medium celery root 1 firm, sweet apple (Fuji or Cameo are good choices) 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme 1 tsp. chopped fresh sage 1 tsp. chopped fresh marjoram 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper 8 jarred chestnuts, halved Pan gravy: 1/2 cup chicken stock 1 cup apple cider 1 tbls. soft butter 1 tbls. flour Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place herbs and apple into cavity of chicken, tie legs together and place in roasting pan. Pour 1 cup stock and cider around chicken. Roast chicken for 18-20 minutes for each pound (about 2 hours for a 6-pound bird).

Peel celery root and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Cut apple into thirds

lengthwise, and then cut each third in half crosswise. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the second cup of stock to the roasting pan about one hour into roasting time.

Ten minutes later, scatter vegetables around chicken. Sprinkle herbs, salt and pepper onto chicken.

Add chestnut. With a large spoon, turn vegetables to coat in pan juices.

Baste chicken.

In a small bowl, place softened butter and add flour. With the back of a spoon, press butter against the side of the bowl to combine well.

All flour should be incorporated into butter to form a paste or a beurre manie (kneaded butter). Reserve.

Chicken is done roasting when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees F. Remove chicken from oven and place on a carving board. Cover with foil. Remove vegetables from pan and reserve.

Note: Vegetables should be tender.

Place back in oven if not soft when pierced with a fork.

Place roasting pan on stovetop, add 1/2 cup stock and 1 cup apple cider and bring to a boil.

Adding a little at a time, whisk butter/flour mixture into liquid.

Whisk or stir until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.

Carve chicken, serving vegetables alongside. Spoon pan gravy over chicken.

More recipes can be obtained from the National Chicken Council at www.eatchicken.com.

Come see our new complete line of Blue LS Tractors!

Piedmont Tractor & Equipment

Farm Supplies including feed and seed in stock!

1780 MLK Jr. Blvd SE Gainesville, Ga 30501

770.534.5000

www.piedmonttractor.com Piedmont Tractor & Equipment offers: * Complete line of construction equipment by New Holland & Yanmar * Agriculture Tractors in stock by LS Tractors and Yanmar * Zero Turn Mowers in stock by Gravely, Dixie Chopper and Husqvarna * Tillers, Generators, Pressure Washers, Chainsaws, Backpack Blowers and Weed Eaters * All service work performed on site and same day service available to get you up and running. * Fully stocked parts inventory catering to the farmers, home owners and construction industry * Zero Percent Financing on all equipment sold and trades welcomed!

I personally invite you to come and visit our dealership and see our new expansive showroom! We offer complete satisfaction after the sell and our prices can’t be beat!

Brian Hollis - General Manager

Stop in and see the latest in Tractors from LS Tractors.

12

GEORGIA AG NEWS, September 2013

On-the-go meals and snacks can be healthy and easy

By Erica P. Techo

Special to Georgia Ag News

ATHENS — With sports practice, after-school activities and errands, families often struggle to find time for home-cooked meals.

But being on the go doesn’t have to mean fast food is on the menu.

To plan healthy, well-balanced meals and snacks on a tight schedule, Connie Crawley, a University of Georgia Extension nutrition and health specialist, says use MyPlate, the nutrition guide published by the USDA, as a guide.

Meal planning and health tips can be found online at www.ChooseMyPlate.gov.

With a little forethought, food on a busy day can be a lot healthier than the fare offered at the local drive-thru.

“Most snacks can be stored in a cooler or bought away from home if carefully planned . . . If you plan to eat out, go online to find the better choices before you leave home,” Crawley said.

When parents make the choice to purchase fast food, it is important to look up options that are lower in fat and calories.

“Decide what will be ordered before you go in,” Crawley said. “It might be best if one parent orders for everyone so changes to less healthy foods will not happen.”

About 17 percent of fast food menu items can be considered “healthy choices,” according to fastfoodmarketing.org. On kid’s menus, approximately 12 of the 3,039 possible meal combinations meet nutritional criteria for pre-

schoolers, and 15 combinations meet the criteria for older children.

To combat occasional unhealthy eating, Crawley recommends balancing everything out with healthier at-home meals.

“Unfortunately low sodium foods are rare in fast food or any restaurant,” Crawley said. “That means preparing and eating lower sodium foods at home and at school to make the overall intake of sodium less.”

Snacks should be kept healthy too. When it’s time for baseball practice or dance lessons, children should have water before and after, and snacks should be kept light.

“Nothing too elaborate or heavy,” Crawley said.

These options can include fruit, nuts, whole grain cereal and other healthy foods.

“If the child or teen is really doing a heavy workout for over an hour with a lot of sweat, this is the one time a sports drink may be useful,” Crawley said.

If a child is not going to be this active, sports drinks should be avoided, and, as a general rule, en-

ergy drinks should be avoided all together.

To stay healthy on the go, it’s important to remain aware of the nutritional value of different foods. Otherwise, options may be misleading.

“You cannot always assume a chicken sandwich or a salad is the best choice. Fortunately, larger chains will soon be required to list their calorie and fat content on the overhead menus,” Crawley said.

“The info is not always too legible, but it will be there. Maybe that will help some families make better choices.”

To help on-the-go families, UGA Extension provides a few tips for healthy snacks and meals.

Simple snacks Simple snacks can include fruit (plain, dried or paired with sorbet or cottage cheese), yogurt, whole grain cereal, 100 percent frozen fruit bars, nuts for older children, trail mix — made with whole grain cereal, nuts and dried fruit — homemade fruit breads and muffins (such as banana bread or carrot muffins), low-fat cheese with whole grain

bread or hummus and whole grain pita.

Planned snacks A few snacks that can be made at home, then stored in a cooler or otherwise retained away from home include peanut butter sandwiches, salads with light dressing, milk in small boxes, hard-boiled eggs, single servings of cottage cheese, cutup vegetables with light dip made with plain yogurt and homemade soups in thermos bottles.

Before/after practice Cut-up fruit and/or vegetables, yogurt, milk, half a sandwich made with real turkey (not lunch meat) or low-fat cheese or whole-grain crackers and low-fat cheese make good snacks for active kids.

More information on health related topics can be obtained from UGA Extension at 800-275-8421.

Erica P. Techo, a communications intern with UGA Extension, is studying English and Political Science at the University of Georgia.

•Gourds (Continued from page 1)

whether you have dried your own gourds you have grown, or purchased them already dried; they are cured and ready when you can hear the seeds rattling around inside.

For preparing gourds for birdhouses or decoration, ones that have not already been prepared, the Clemson University Cooperative Extension notes that, “after the gourd surface is dry, it may be smoothed with fine sandpaper or steel wool as needed. Inner surfaces of large gourds may need to be soaked for 20 minutes before smoothing, and may need coarser

implements such as wire brushes or even chisels for initial smoothing.

All the gourds should be wiped with rubbing alcohol and gently dried.

They can then be cut or carved as desired, and shellacked, waxed, painted or stained.”

If making a birdhouse, remember to cut the entry hole carefully, but also remember to drill a couple of holes in the bottom for drainage, as well as two holes at the top to assist in threading hanging wire.

Gardening experts also recommend, depending on the type of bird you wish to attract, a gourd that is approximately 4 inches to 5 inches wide, with the entries approxi-

mately 1 1/2 inches to 1 3/8 inches placed anywhere from 5 inches to 7 inches from the bottom of the gourd. Again, if you are seeking to attract a specific type of bird with the birdhouse, research what specifications attract the type you seek.

But if you enjoy the natural beauty of a dried gourd for fall decoration and display, or if you wish to paint one to resemble a Jack-O-Lantern or Santa Claus and some elves; there is no limit to the creative possibilities.

And very soon markets, farms and fall festivals will be teeming with these fun, and often useful, sights of fall.

13

GEORGIA AG NEWS, September 2013

Parents projected to spend $241,080 to raise a child born in 2012 WASHINGTON — USDA has released its annual report, “Expenditures on Children by Families,” also known as the “Cost of Raising a Child.”

The report shows that a middleincome family with a child born in 2012 can expect to spend about $241,080 ($301,970 adjusted for projected inflation) for food, shelter and other necessities associated with child-rearing expenses during the next 17 years.

This represents a 2.6 percent increase from 2011.

Expenses for child care, education, health care and clothing saw the largest percentage increases related to child rearing from 2011.

However, there were smaller increases in housing, food, transportation and miscellaneous expenses during the same period. The 2.6 percent increase from 2011 to 2012 is also lower than the average annual increase of 4.4 percent since 1960.

“As the economy continues to recover, families are naturally cost conscious. This report gives families with children a greater awareness of the expenses they are likely to face,” said USDA Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Under-

secretary Kevin Concannon. “The report is also a valuable resource for courts and state governments in determining child support guidelines and foster care payments.”

The report, issued annually, is based on data from the federal government’s “Consumer Expenditure Survey,” the most comprehensive source of information available on household expenditures.

For the year 2012, annual childrearing expenses per child for a middle-income, two-parent family ranged from $12,600 to $14,700, depending on the age of the child.

The report, developed by the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP), notes that family income affects child-rearing costs.

A family earning less than $60,640 per year can expect to spend a total of $173,490 (in 2012 dollars) on a child from birth through high school.

Middle-income parents with an income between $60,640 and $105,000 can expect to spend $241,080; and a family earning more than $105,000 can expect to spend $399,780.

“One of the major expenses on children is food, and at USDA many of our programs are focused on making sure that children have access to healthy foods,” said CNPP Acting Executive Director Dr. Robert Post. “On our website we provide shopping strategies and meal planning advice to help families serve more nutritious meals affordably through the 10-Tips Nutrition Series and the Thrifty Food Plan. Our MyPlate symbol and the resources at ChooseMyPlate.gov provide quick, easy reference tools to facilitate healthy eating.”

For middle-income families, housing costs are the single largest expenditure on a child, averaging $71,820 or 30 percent of the total cost over 17 years.

Child care and education (for those incurring these expenses) and food were the next two largest expenses, accounting for 18 percent and 16 percent of the total cost over 17 years.

These estimates do not include costs associated with pregnancy or education beyond high school.

The report notes geographic vari-

ations in the cost of raising a child, with expenses the highest for families living in the urban Northeast, followed by the urban West and urban Midwest. Families living in the urban South and rural areas have the lowest child-rearing expenses.

“Lower housing costs contributed to the reduced expenditures for families in rural areas,” explained study author and economist Dr. Mark Lino. “Families in rural areas also saw lower child-care and education expenses.”

In 1960, the first year the report was issued, a middle-income family could have expected to spend $25,230 ($195,690 in 2012 dollars) to raise a child through age 17.

Housing was the largest expense on a child both then and now. Health care expenses for a child doubled as a percentage of total child-rearing

A VETERAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

All American Solar Services LLC

PURCHASING SOLAR IS THE RIGHT FAMILY DECISION. More Affordable...More Efficient...

•Festivals (Continued from page 1)

gia Official State Fiddler’s Convention. Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, Hiawasee. Ph: 706-896-4101; georgiamountainfairgrounds.com. yy Oct. 12: Cornelia Big Red Apple Festival — 10 a.m-4 p.m.

Arts, crafts, food and entertainment. Downtown Cornelia. Ph: 706-778-8585; www.corneliageorgia.org. yy Oct. 12-13 and 19-20: Georgia Apple Festival — Vendors will showcase handmade, hand-crafted items as well as on-site demonstrations, entertainment and food celebrating Georgia’s apple har-

costs.

In addition, some current-day costs, such as child care, were negligible in 1960.

Expenses per child decrease as a family has more children. Families with three or more children spend 22 percent less per child than families with two children.

As families have more children, the children can share bedrooms, clothing and toys can be handed down to younger children, food can be purchased in larger and more economical quantities and private schools or child care centers may offer sibling discounts.

The full report is available at www.cnpp.usda.gov. In addition, families can enter the number and ages of their children to obtain an estimate of costs through an interactive web version of the report.

More Reliable Than Ever! vest. Hours: Saturday 9 a.m-6 p.m., Sunday 0 a.m.-5 p.m. Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds, 1729 S. Main St., Ellijay. Ph: 706-636-4500; www.georgiaapplefestival.org. yy Oct. 12-13 and 19-20: 44th annual Sorghum Festival — Georgia’s official sorghum festival features syrup making, crafts, music, games, a car show and square dance. Meeks Park, Ga. Hwy. 515, Blairsville. Ph: 706-745-4745; http://sorghum.blairsville.com. yy Oct. 19-20: Dahlonega Gold Rush Days — The third weekend in October marks the celebration in Dahlonega of the 1828 discovery of gold. Arts and crafts vendors, food vendors and entertainment will

be featured around the downtown Dahlonega square. Ph: 800-2315543; www.dahlonega.org. yy Oct. 26-27: 46th annual Mountain Moonshine Festival — 8 a.m.-5 p.m.. This birthplace of NASCAR and the site of moonshine-making will feature food, crafts, a car show and swap meet and entertainment. Downtown Dawsonville. Ph: 706-265-6278; www.dawson.org.

These are just a few of the many festivals available in the state this fall.

Plan a day or a weekend to take in a Georgia fall festival and enjoy the fun, the atmosphere and the people.

cial r e m Com ltural u Agric ntial e Resid trial s Indu

Take control of your utility bill with the sun’s clean abundant energy.

Call or go online now for a FREE solar system quote!

Solar energy protects the land, air, and water.

Solar energy stabilizes energy costs and decreases pollution and greenhouse gases. Solar energy systems have low maintenance costs. Solar energies fuel is free.

Call now for info about grants, incentives and rebates.

770-287-3265 • Toll Free 866-216-3620 www.aaSolarServices.com

14

GEORGIA AG NEWS, September 2013

United Egg Producers outlines egg legislation efforts

By Barbara Olejnik Georgia Ag News Staff bolejnik@poultrytimes.net

ATLANTA — United Egg Producers members got an update at a recent area meeting on actions the organization had taken in its failed efforts to achieve federal legislation for the egg industry.

UEP had hoped to attach the legislation, the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendment, to the Farm Bill, but was not able to achieve this goal.

Although an amendment was proposed, it failed to be included in either the Senate or House legislation for the Farm Bill.

Reasons for failure to get the egg bill attached to the farm bill varied, but at lease two issues stood out — the massive opposition by other ag-

ricultural groups such as the American Farm Bureau Federation; and the fact that other groups were leery of the inclusion of the Humane Society of the United States.

HSUS had partnered with UEP in support of passage of the federal egg bill legislation.

Although both the Senate and House passed Farm Bill legislation, each separate bill must be reconciled in a conference committee in order for a single bill to be enacted into law. A new Farm Bill must be enacted by Sept. 30, when the present legislation expires. If no bill is enacted, the Congress may pass extensions to the present bill until a new one can be established.

Chad Gregory, UEP president, said the organization will continue to explore all options toward achieving an Egg Safety Bill.

One of those options would be to search for another piece of legislation in which to attach the egg bill.

However, he noted that House sponsors of the original egg bill are continuing their push for the egg bill legislation.

“Great legislation never passes on the first round,” Gregory quoted.

David Lathem, UEP chairman, said the organization is “going to go forward. The question is how we’re going to go forward.”

“Its a huge situation and we don’t need to hurry,” Gregory added.

One situation UEP will be monitoring is congressional action on the King Amendment on Interstate Commence, proposed by Rep. Steve King of Iowa.

Under this amendment, states that produce agricultural products, including eggs, would be allowed

to sell them in any other state and that one state would not be allowed to ban those sells.

This would effectively nullify California’s Proposition 2 rule, which established specific cage sizes for California layers and also stated that those stocking density requirements would apply to all chickens whose eggs are sold in California.

If the King amendment passes, eggs from any establishment would be allowed to be sold across state lines.

Gregory also pointed out that there has been “massive consolidation” in the egg industry in the last 30 years. Where there was once 10,000 producers, there are now less than 200, although that smaller group supplies most of the eggs produced in the U.S.

Other advancements in the egg industry over the past 50 years were noted by David Inall, UEP senior vice president.

Compared to 1960 hens, 2010 hens are: yy 26 percent lower in feed intake. yy 27 percent higher in hen-day egg production. yy 42 percent better in feed conversion. yy 57 percent lower in mortality. yy 32 percent lower in water use.

Using 1960 technology to produce eggs for 2010 would need: yy 27 percent (78 million) more hens. yy 72 percent (1.3 million) more acres of corn. yy 72 percent (1.8 million) more acres of soybean.

Saturday, September 28 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Downtown Cleveland Handmade crafts, kids activities, food vendors, pumpkin decorating, pottery, alpacas, baby goats, cattle, and music.

Pottery Comes to Town is sponsored by the White County Historical Society.

There will be demonstrations, collectible pottery and lots of new items by the region’s leading folk potters, including the Meaders family!

800-392-8279

www.whitecountychamber.org Sponsored by:

Check Us Out

15

GEORGIA AG NEWS, September 2013

Robots to revolutionize farming, ease labor woes The Associated Press

SALINAS, Calif. — On a windy morning in California’s Salinas Valley, a tractor pulled a wheeled, metal contraption over rows of budding iceberg lettuce plants. Engineers from Silicon Valley tinkered with the software on a laptop to ensure the machine was eliminating the right leafy buds.

The engineers were testing the Lettuce Bot, a machine that can “thin” a field of lettuce in the time it takes about 20 workers to do the job by hand.

The thinner is part of a new generation of machines that target the last frontier of agricultural mechanization — fruits and vegetables destined for the fresh market, not processing, which have thus far resisted mechanization because they’re sensitive to bruising.

Researchers are now designing robots for these most delicate crops by integrating advanced sensors, powerful computing, electronics, computer vision, robotic hardware and algorithms, as well as networking and high precision GPS localization technologies.

Most ag robots won’t be commercially available for at least a few years.

In this region known as America’s Salad Bowl, where for a century fruits and vegetables have been planted, thinned and harvested by an army of migrant workers, the machines could prove revolutionary.

Farmers say farm robots could provide relief from recent labor shortages, lessen the unknowns of immigration reform, even reduce costs, increase quality and yield a more consistent product.

“There aren’t enough workers to take the available jobs, so the robots can come and alleviate some of that problem,” said Ron Yokota, a farming operations manager at Tanimura & Antle, the Salinas-based fresh produce company that owns the field where the Lettuce Bot was being tested.

Many sectors in U.S. agriculture have relied on machines for decades and even the harvesting of fruits and vegetables meant for processing has slowly been mechanized. But nationwide, the vast majority of fresh-market fruit is still

Georgia Poultry Improvement Association

Photo by David B. Strickland

GPIA chairman award: Charlie Westbrook, left, Cobb-Vantress, was presented an award in recognition for his service as chairman of the Georgia Poultry Improvement Association for the past year during the group’s 77th annual meeting on Aug. 21, in Gainesville, Ga. Presenting Westbrook with the award is Joel Williams, Mar-Jac Poultry.

harvested by hand.

Research into fresh produce mechanization was dormant for years because of an over-abundance of workers and pressures from farmworker labor unions.

In recent years, as the labor supply has tightened and competition from abroad has increased, growers have sought out machines to reduce labor costs and supplement the nation’s unstable agricultural workforce. The federal government, venture capital companies and commodity boards have stepped up with funding.

“We need to increase our efficiency, but nobody wants to work in the fields,” said Stavros G. Vougioukas, professor of biological and agricultural engineering at the University of California, Davis.

But farmworker advocates say mechanization would lead to workers losing jobs, growers using more pesticides and the food supply becoming less safe.

“The fundamental question for consumers is who and, now, what do you want picking your food; a machine or a human, who with the proper training and support, can” ... take significant steps to ensure a safer, higher quality product, said Erik Nicholson, national vice president of the United Farm Workers of America.

On the Salinas Valley farm, entrepreneurs with Mountain Viewbased startup Blue River Technology are trying to show that the Lettuce Bot can not only replace two dozen workers, but also improve production.

“Using Lettuce Bot can produce more lettuce plants than doing it any other way,” said Jorge Heraud, the company’s co-founder and CEO. After a lettuce field is planted, growers typically hire a crew of farmworkers who use hoes to remove excess plants to give space for others to grow into full lettuce heads. The Lettuce Bot uses video cameras and visual-recognition software to identify which lettuce plants to eliminate with a squirt of concentrated fertilizer that kills the unwanted buds while enriching the

AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

Robotic farming: In this May 23, 2013, photo, field operations manager Matthew Rossow tests the Lettuce Bot in Salinas, Calif. In the Salinas Valley, the lettuce capital of the world, entrepreneurs with the Silicon Valley company Blue River Technology are testing the Lettuce Bot, a boxy robotic machine that can thin fields of lettuce, a job that now requires detailed hand work by 20 farm workers.

soil.

Blue River, which has raised more than $3 million in venture capital, also plans to develop machines to automate weeding — and eventually harvesting — using many of the same technologies.

Another company, San Diegobased Vision Robotics, is developing a similar lettuce thinner as well as a pruner for wine grapes.

The pruner uses robotic arms and cameras to photograph and create a computerized model of the vines, figure out the canes’ orientation and the location of buds — all to decide which canes to cut down.

Fresh fruit harvesting remains the biggest challenge.

Machines have proved not only clumsy, but inadequate in selecting ripe produce. In addition to blunders in deciphering color and feel, machines have a hard time distinguishing produce from leaves and branches. And most importantly, matching the dexterity and speed of farmworkers has proved elusive.

“The hand-eye coordination workers have is really amazing, and they can pick incredibly fast.

To replicate that in a machine, at the speed humans do and in an economical manner, we’re still pretty far away,” said Daniel L. Schmoldt

at the U.S. Agriculture Department’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

In southern California, engineers with the Spanish company Agrobot are taking on the challenge by working with local growers to test a strawberry harvester.

The machine is equipped with 24 arms whose movement is directed through an optical sensor; it allows the robot to make a choice based on fruit color, quality and size. The berries are plucked and placed on a conveyor belt, where the fruit is packed by a worker.

Still, the harvester collects only strawberries that are hanging on the sides of the bed, hence California’s strawberry fields would have to be reshaped to accommodate the machine, including farming in single rows, raising the beds and even growing varieties with fewer clusters.

Experts say it will take at least 10 years for harvesters to be available commercially for most freshmarket fruit — not a moment too soon for farmers worried about the availability of workers, said Lupe Sandoval, managing director of the California Farm Labor Contractor Association.

“If you can put a man on the moon,” Sandoval said, “you can figure out how to pick fruit with a machine.”

16

GEORGIA AG NEWS, September 2013

USDA forecasts record-high corn production in 2013 WASHINGTON — U.S. corn growers are expected to produce a record-high 13.8 billion bushels of corn in 2013, according to the Crop Production report issued Aug. 12 by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The forecast production is up 28 percent from drought-hit 2012.

The early planting season was not very favorable for corn growers this year, as they were hampered by abnormally wet and cold spring weather.

By April 28, only 5 percent of corn had been planted. In mid-May, however, the weather became more favorable, allowing producers to speed up their planting pace and tie the previous single-week planting record by getting 43 percent of the total crop in the ground during the week ending on May 19.

U.S. growers wrapped up planting corn by mid-June, with 97.4 million acres planted to the crop.

Also, with 64 percent of U.S. corn crop rated in good to excellent condition as of Aug. 4, corn crop condition remains significantly higher than at this time last year.

Based on these conditions, NASS forecasts this year’s corn yield at 154.4 bushels per acre, the third-highest yield on record.

U.S. soybean production is forecast at 3.26 billion bushels in 2013, up 8 percent from last year. NASS forecasts 76.4 million acres of soybeans for harvest this year.

If realized, this will be the second largest harvested acreage on record.

Similar to corn growers, soybean producers were hampered by the unfavorable weather during the planting season.

Planting of this year’s soybean crop wasn’t underway in all 18 major soybean-growing states until mid-May. Improved weather in June allowed soybean growers to speed up their planting, and by June

30, growers had 96 percent of the crop in the ground. Based on Aug. 1 conditions, soybean yields are expected to average 42.6 bushels per acre, up three bushels from 2012.

This report also included the first production forecast for U.S. cotton.

NASS forecasts all cotton production at 13.1 million 480-pound bales, down 25 percent from last year. Yield is expected to average 813 pound per harvested acre, down 74 pounds from last year.

Wheat production is forecast down from 2012. According to the report, all wheat production is expected to total 2.11 billion bushels this year, down 7 percent from 2012. Based on Aug. 1 conditions, NASS forecasts wheat yield at 46.2 bushels per acre, down slightly from last year.

NASS interviewed more than 24,000 producers across the country in preparation for this report.

The agency also conducted field and lab measurements on corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton in the

Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Record corn: USDA is estimating a record corn harvest of 13.8 billion bushels for 2013, compared to the drought-stricken crop last year.

major producing states, which usually account for about 75 percent of the U.S. production.

NASS is also gearing up to conduct its September Agricultural Survey, which will focus on wheat,

barley, oats and rye growers. That survey will take place during the first two weeks of September.

The Crop Production report is published monthly and is available online at www.nass.usda.gov.

RABBITTOWN SALVAGE 12,500 BTU 3in1 Portable Room A/C with Heat Pump & Dehumidifier $259

Starting at $10

• Tiki Torches $1 • Oscillating • Cutter Back Yard Sprinklers Bug Control $4 50% Off

Beat the Heat with our Air Conditioners & Floor Fans!

END OF SUMMER

John Deere Riding Mower

48” Cut $1699.00 Limited Quantities Available

CLEARANCE • All liquid lawn care products $4

770-531-5590

Patio Furniture Starting at $19.99

NAME BRAND BOOTS 60% OFF SHOES 80% OFF

All Sizes & Styles of Gardening Pots Starting at $2

Dresses, Tops, Swimsuits, Shorts & Cover-Ups Your Choice $4!

LOCATED AT 2516 OLD CORNELIA HIGHWAY

Less than a mile off Exit 24 off I-985 • Open Monday - Saturday 10am- 6pm