March 19, 2014
www.gfb.org
Vol. 32 No. 11
GEORGIA CELEBRATES AG WEEK KICKOFF Philip Grimes of Tift County was introduced as the 2014 Georgia Sunbelt Farmer of the Year and Nature’s Harmony Farm of Elbert County won the grand prize in the 2014 Flavor of Georgia Contest during the Agriculture Day in Georgia kickoff festivities at the Georgia Depot on March 18. National Ag Week is March 23-29, and National Ag Day is designated for March 25. Gov. Nathan Deal and Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black hosted the 11th annual event, which featured exhibits from dozens of agricultural organizations and celebrated agriculture’s contributions to the state’s economy and culture. U.S. House Agriculture Committee Member Rep. David Scott (D-13th District) was among the visitors, who had a chance to sample products from commodities produced in all areas of the state. Black urged the agriculture community to bridge what he said is a communications gap with the consuming public. Grimes “Many times we say the same things, but there’s a great opportunity for us to use programs like this to communicate better with each other, to look at economic opportunity in the food and agriculture business, but also to help develop that better understanding,” Black said. Grimes runs Docia Farms in Tift County. He will compete for title of Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year with the winners of nine other Southern states. The winner will be announced during the Sunbelt Expo in October. Nature’s Harmony, represented by Tim Young at the event, won the grand prize with its Georgia Gold Clothbound Cheddar Cheese, which also won the Dairy Products category. The other Flavor of Georgia category winners were: Adult Beverages - Richland Rum (Owner Erik Vonk, Stewart County); Barbecue Sauces - Causey’s Sweet’N Smoky BBQ Sauce (Wynn Causey Bakke, Cobb County); Beverages - Byne Blueberry Farms Organic Blueberry Juice (Richard Byne, Burke County); Confections - Peachy Keen Pecan Praline (Lindsey Beckworth, Washington County); Jams and Jellies - Weeks Cinnamon Honey Spread (Ray Crosby, Tift County); Marinades and Sauces - Q Sauce GA Mustard Marinade (Jennifer Adams, Gwinnett County); Meats and Seafoods - Ogeechee Meat Market Vidalia Onion Sausage (Matthew McClune, Chatham County); Miscellaneous Products - Hardy Farms Peanuts Southern Sriracha Boiled Peanut Rub (Brad Hardy and Robert Fisher, Pulaski County); Salsas, Chutneys and Condiments - Preserving Place Sweet Onion Confit (Martha McMillin, Fulton County); Snack Foods - M Chocolat Georgia Blues Blueberry and Pecan Bar (Maritza Pichon, Fulton County); People’s Choice - Leoci’s Raspberry Jalapeno Jam (Roberto Leoci, Chatham County).
Leadership Alert page 2 of 8 GEORGIA HOUSE PASSES FLINT RIVER AMENDMENTS The Georgia House passed SB 213, the Flint River Drought Protection Act (FRDPA) Amendments, by a vote of 164-3 on March 12. The bill, which clarifies the original intent of the FRDPA, now awaits Gov. Nathan Deal’s signature. The bill, which Georgia Farm Bureau supported, gives the director of Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division flexibility in carrying out FRDPA requirements. Previously the FRDPA mandated that farmers be compensated for removing farm acreage from irrigation during years in which the EPD made a drought declaration. Under SB 213 the EPD director has the option to conduct irrigation reduction auctions, but they would no longer be required. The bill also updates the FRDPA with provisions to augment steam flows to protect aquatic life during times of drought, and it prohibits water withdrawals from augmented streams. SB 213 was introduced by Sen. Ross Tolleson (R-Perry). It passed the Senate last year by a 52-1 vote. GA. TEACHERS GET SCHOLARSHIPS TO NATIONAL AITC CONFERENCE Georgia teachers Jeremy Bowman and Karrie Perrin will be among nine teachers and two volunteer educators recognized by the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture at the 2014 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference for encouraging agricultural literacy. The conference will be held in Hershey, Pa., June 23-27. Bowman and Perrin will each receive $1,500 scholarships through the foundation’s White-Reinhardt Fund to attend the conference. Bowman teaches at Naomi Elementary School in Walker County, and Perrin teaches at Toccoa Elementary School in Stephens County. Perrin, the 2011 recipient of Georgia Farm Bureau’s Georgia Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture Educator Award, will also present a workshop at the conference. Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) provides educators and GFB volunteers a wealth of resources for integrating agriculture, nutrition and natural resource education into the K-12 curriculum. AITC programs improve student achievement by utilizing innovative, hands-on relatable lessons that intrigue students while teaching core curriculum concepts in science, social studies, language arts, math and nutrition. The national AITC conference showcases the best ideas and latest resources from across the country - ready to take into the classroom. Early registration by April 14 is $380. After April 14 the registration fee is $425. Check out the excellent workshops and other events that are part of the conference at http://www.agclassroom.org/conference2014/index.htm. In related AITC news, Newton County Farm Bureau (NCFB) received one of 14 grants the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture awarded this winter to fund new ag literacy projects or expand existing ones. NCFB is using its $500 grant to install a hoop greenhouse at Middle Ridge Elementary School to teach students how vegetables are grown in conjunction with the USDA My Plate dietary guidelines. AFBF is accepting applications for the 2014 fall White-Reinhardt Ag Literacy Mini-Grants. Applications are available online at http://www.agfoundation.org under What We Support-MiniGrants. Applications are due May 1. Contact Donna Rocker at dhrocker@gfb.org for more information about the conference or Georgia’s AITC program.
Leadership Alert page 3 of 8 GFB TAKING YOUNG FARMER CONTEST ENTRIES, CONFERENCE SIGNUP The GFB Young Farmer Committee is now accepting applications for the Young Farmer Achievement Award, Excellence in Agriculture Award and Discussion Meet. Registration is also open for the GFB Young Farmer Leadership Conference, which will be held July 10-13 on Jekyll Island. Applications will be accepted through May 30 at 4:30 p.m. Applications are available at county Farm Bureau offices. Finalists for each of the competitive events will be named at the Young Farmer Leadership Conference. GFB members between the ages of 18-35 may apply for these awards. The preliminary rounds of the discussion meet will be held at the leadership conference. For more information on any of these awards or the conference, please visit http://www.gfb.org/yf or stop by your county Farm Bureau. The Young Farmer Achievement Award will recognize an outstanding young farmer or couple whose primary income is derived from farming. The GFB Excellence in Agriculture Award will recognize an outstanding individual or couple whose primary income is not derived from farming. Extension agents, FFA advisors and ag lenders are examples of individuals who may apply for this award. The GFB Discussion Meet is a competitive event designed to simulate a committee meeting where young farmers discuss topics relevant to agriculture today and explore solutions to issues facing them as agriculturalists. The state winner of each award will be announced during the GFB convention on Jekyll Island in December. The winner of each contest will compete on the national level at the American Farm Bureau Convention in San Diego, Calif., Jan. 11-13, 2015. Details on state and national prizes will be available at a later date. EWING LEADS NASS SOUTHERN REGIONAL OFFICE Jim Ewing is the new regional director for he USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s (NASS) Southern Regional Office. Ewing replaces Doug Kleweno, who retired Dec. 28, 2013, after nearly 42 years with NASS. Kleweno worked in Washington, D.C., for 28 years and also worked in Arkansas and Oregon in various capacities. He completed his career with a stint of almost eight years in Georgia. Ewing, who has worked with NASS for about 27 years, is responsible for directing the activities of federal and state employees who provide official USDA estimates for Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. He is based in the Georgia NASS Field Office in Athens, which conducts survey activities for planting intentions, harvest progress, production reports and other topics each year for commodities grown in Georgia. Before coming to Georgia, Ewing spent the last seven years as the deputy director and state statistician for the Florida NASS Field Office. Prior to working in the Florida office, Ewing worked in the Colorado and Arkansas NASS Field Offices and Ewing worked in Washington, D.C., on the Census of Agriculture. Ewing is a graduate of the University of Missouri where he earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics. He and his wife Becky have been married 27 years and have three children.
Leadership Alert page 4 of 8 NATIONAL COTTON COUNCIL FARM BILL INFO MEETINGS March 20 Baxley Church of God 9 a.m. Baxley March 20 UGA Tifton Campus Conf. Center 3 p.m. Tifton March 21 Lions Club 9 a.m. Donalsonville March 21 Main Street Theater 2 p.m. Dawson The National Cotton Council has scheduled these meetings to provide producers, cotton industry firms and agribusinesses with information on the provisions of the new farm bill. For more information contact the Georgia Cotton Commission at 478-988-4235. FORESTRY & LAND MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP March 26 Sumter County Agricultural Center 9 a.m. Americus This workshop, presented by the Lower Chattahoochee River Soil & Water Conservation District, features presentations on forestry best management practices, wildlife habitat, a farm bill update, forage and grazing, water issues and available NRCS programs. Please register by March 21 by calling 229-995-6001 or sending an email to lwyant@gaswcc.org. CHEROKEE COUNTY AGRICULTURE EXPO March 28 4-7 p.m. Woodstock Recreation Center To celebrate National & Georgia Agriculture Awareness Month, numerous Cherokee County organizations, including Cherokee County Farm Bureau, are hosting this free event open to the public. More than 20 exhibitors will display locally grown food, plants, animals and hand-crafted products. Refreshments will be served, and there will be a petting zoo for children. Reservations for booth space will be accepted until March 21. Farmers, gardeners, garden clubs, beekeepers, horticulture nurseries and other businesses related to agriculture are welcome to exhibit. Contact Shirley Pahl at 770-479-1481, ext. 0 or sfpahl@gfb.org to reserve an exhibit space or for more information about the event. Anyone planning to attend the event is asked to contact Pahl so enough food is prepared for attendees. 6th ANNUAL PEANUT PROUD FESTIVAL March 22 Downtown Square Blakely Come “Celebrate Everything Peanut” during the daylong festival that begins at 8 a.m. with a 5K & Fun Run, followed by a parade at 10 a.m. More than 100 vendors will sell merchandise, and samples of fried peanuts and grilled PB&J sandwiches will be available. Free entertainment will perform during the day including Nashville recording artist Mark Wills. For more information please call Marcie Justice at 229-724-7322 or visit http://www.peanutproudfestival.com or the Peanut Proud Facebook page. SOUTHWEST GEORGIA BEEKEEPERS BEE SCHOOL March 29 Parks at Chehaw 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Albany This workshop, sponsored by the Southwest Georgia Beekeepers Club and the Dougherty County Extension office, will cover the art of beekeeping, hive equipment, honey production and how to manage a hive for pollination. Participants will work with live bees (if they desire) and receive a “My Hive Tool” DVD. The $30 registration fee includes the course, take home materials, lunch and a club membership. Register online at http://www.sowegabeekeepers.org . For more information about the club or the bee school, call 229-336-5952 or send an email info@sowegabeekeepers.org.
Leadership Alert page 5 of 8 AMERICA’S FARMERS MOM OF YEAR CONTEST ACCEPTING ENTRIES Nominations are being accepted for the 2014 America’s Farmers Mom of the Year Contest until 11:59 p.m. March 31. To nominate someone for the award, visit http://www.americasfarmers.com and select the Farm Mom icon. Submit a short essay of 300 words or less that explains how the nominated farm mom contributes to her family, farm, community and agriculture. Complete rules and nomination instructions are available at the aforementioned website. Nominations using the form printed from the website may be submitted by mail to, Paradowski, Attn: Sue Dillon, America’s Farmers Mom of the Year, 349 Marshall Ave. Ste. 200, St. Louis, MO 63119. Mailed entries must be postmarked by March 31 and received by April 2. A panel of judges from American Agri-Women and Monsanto will select five regional winners around April 11. Online votes cast for the regional winners from April 25 to May 6 will determine the national winner, who will be announced around May 8. Each regional winner receives $5,000, and the national winner gets another $5,000. 2014 GEORGIA AGRITOURISM ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 31 - April 1 The Classic Center Athens Hosted by the Georgia Agritourism Association in Partnership with Chick-fil-A, the conference opens with a tour of Northeast Georgia farms on March 31. April 1 sessions include agritourism operators sharing their experiences with Conservation Use Value Assessment (CUVA), food service and food products on and from the farm and marketing strategies. For more details or to register visit http://tinyurl.com/me5wdhl or call the Georgia Agritourism Association at 706-845-9085. GEORGIA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION 53rd ANNUAL CONVENTION April 2-5 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter Perry This jam-packed four-day event covers all things beef, including a forage conference led by UGA’s Dr. Dennis Hancock, Cattlemen’s College seminars on a variety, a livestock marketing seminar conducted by UGA’s Dr. Curt Lacy; the annual awards banquet; the GCA general membership meeting; angus, hereford, commercial heifer and club calf sales; the annual Cattlemen’s Ball; and a new products and junior awards luncheon. Visit http://www.gabeef.org/gca/annual_convention_and_beef_expo.html for more information or to register. USB’S A SOYBEAN’S JOURNEY: SEE FOR YOURSELF PROGRAM The United Soybean Board (USB) invites soybean farmers to participate in this program, which provides farmers with the chance to learn about and evaluate specific investment areas of the soy checkoff, such as international marketing, animal agriculture, industrial uses and soybean farmers’ freedom to operate. All U.S. soybean farmers over the age of 18 can apply now for the seventh annual See for Yourself program. To apply, visit the USB website, http://www.UnitedSoybean.org/SeeforYourself, through April 4. A group of 10 U.S. soybean farmers will first travel to St. Louis to witness firsthand the operations of the checkoff and visit local sites related to domestic uses for soybeans. Then, since about half of the soy produced in the United States is exported, participants will travel internationally to experience how international customers use soy. The program is scheduled to take place Aug. 15-22 and USB will cover all related rooming, meal and travel expenses.
Leadership Alert page 6 of 8 AMERICA’S FARMERS GROW RURAL EDUCATION FUND April 6 Nomination deadline April 21 School application deadline Monsanto is accepting nominations from farmers in 33 Georgia counties for grants of up to $25,000 from Monsanto’s America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Fund. Eligible counties are Appling, Baker, Berrien, Bleckley, Brooks, Bulloch, Burke, Calhoun, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Crisp, Decatur, Dooly, Early, Grady, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Lee, Macon, Miller, Mitchell, Screven, Seminole, Sumter, Tattnall, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Turner, Wilcox and Worth. Visit http://www.growruraleducation.com and click the “Farmers Nominate Now” button or call 1877-267-3332 to submit a nomination. Complete rules and eligibility requirements are posted on the website. Once nominated, school districts will be notified and sent an invitation code to apply for their choice of a $10,000 or $25,000 grant. Charter schools are eligible if their National Center for Education Statistics is located in an eligible county. Nominations are limited to one per farmer. Grants promoting math and science will be awarded based on merit, need and community support, which is based on the number of farmer nominations a school district receives. SPECIALTY CROP BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM April 18 Deadline to apply The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) is pleased to announce the competitive solicitation process to award the 2014 Specialty Crop Block Grant. The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funds projects that “enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops.” Specialty crops are defined as: fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, Christmas trees, turfgrass/sod, nursery and greenhouse crops, including floriculture. For a listing of all eligible crops visit www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/scbgp . The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will make grant funding available, with Georgia’s share being approximately $1.2 million. Please refer to the links available on the GDA grants webpage located at www.agr.georgia.gov/grants.aspx for the grant application, guidelines, and additional information. For additional questions please contact Jeanne Maxwell at Jeanne.Maxwell@agr.georgia.gov or 404-657-1584. IFYE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR EXCHANGE PROGRAM Young adults age 19 and over are encouraged to apply for the 2014 International Farm Youth Exchange (IFYE) Program. Individuals who have developed leadership skills in programs such as Young Farmers & Ranchers, 4-H, FFA or similar organizations, as well as those with a background in various agriculture-related fields and consumer sciences are particularly well suited for a primarily rural living experience. Successful applicants will participate in various young adult programs abroad such as Young Farmers, Rural Youth, etc. Participating countries in 2014 may include Austria, Botswana, Costa Rica, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Jamaica, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Scotland, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Vietnam, and Wales. Additional countries may be added. For further information, please contact Alan Lambert, National IFYE Program Director, at 605-366-6107 or by email at alanelambert@gmail.com. Completed applications are due by April 15. Visit the IFYE website at www.ifyeusa.org/ to learn more about the program and obtain an application.
Leadership Alert page 7 of 8 MULTICULTURAL SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE CONFERENCE April 17 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Perry The Upper Ocmulgee River RC&D Council, Inc., in partnership with the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, will host a conference for multicultural farmers and producers. Registration fee is $20 per person, which covers the cost of lunch and conference materials. Topics include muscadine wine production, building a diverse urban farm enterprise, growing farm profits, pecan and peanut production and many more. For updates on speakers, classes, agenda and to register, visit http://tinyurl.com/mecjba8. For more information contact the Upper Ocmulgee River RC&D Council, Inc. at 678-376-9518 or USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Lawrenceville Service Office at 770-963-9288. GA. HEIFER EVALUATION AND REPRODUCTIVE DEVELOPMENT (HERD) SALE April 22 Tifton Bull Evaluation Center Irwinville Sale begins at 12:30 p.m. For information contact Dr. Jacob Segers at 229-386-3214 or jacobs@uga.edu or Patsie T. Cannon at 229-386-3683 or ptcannon@uga.edu. GEORGIA CATTLEWOMEN’S ASSOCIATION REGION II MEETING April 25-27 Forrest Hills Mountain Resort & Conference Center Dahlonega The Georgia Cattlewomen's Association invites you to three days of fun, fellowship and educational opportunities! There will be social media training, leadership development, ANCW business and updates, as well as lots of fun like a Winery/Farm Tour and trail walking. The registration form can be found at http://www.gabeef.org/gcwa/index.html. For more information contact Melissa Miller at millerm@uga.edu or 813-928-2437. NEWTON COUNTY AG DAY ON THE SQUARE April 26 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Covington This event, sponsored by the Newton County Farm Bureau Young Farmers, features a modern and antique tractor show. Peddle tractors for the kids, arts and crafts, live music, food, face painting and a cow train. A drawing will be held for a Yeti cooler, and those who register tractors for the tractor show receive a free raffle ticket. For more information contact Crystal Powell at 770-786-7201. GEORGIA FORESTRY FOUNDATION ARTWORK AND SLOGAN CONTESTS April 30 Deadline for entries Georgia students in grades 5 through 12 are invited to participate in a contest to express the value of Georgia’s sustainable working forests through submission of a creative artwork and slogan. There are two levels of competition: fifth through eighth and ninth through 12th grades, with one winner from each level. Each winning entry will be awarded a prize valued up to $35,000, which includes a $15,000 cash award to the school, $2,500 cash award and forestry camp scholarship to the student, Project Learning Tree environmental professional development for up to 20 teachers and an invitation to attend the Georgia Teacher Conservation Workshop for two teachers from the winning schools, a field trip for students in the grade level of each winning student, and materials featuring the winning artwork and slogan. For more information on the contest including submission guidelines, entry form, terms and conditions and other resources for schools visit http://www.forestry4Rfuture.org or call 478-992-8110.
Leadership Alert page 8 of 8 GEORGIA CENTENNIAL FARM NOMINATION DEADLINE IS MAY 1 The Georgia Centennial Farm Program, which recognizes historic farms and encourages their preservation, is accepting nominations. To qualify, farms must: be a working farm with a minimum of 10 acres actively involved in ag production, generate at least $1,000 in annual farm income and include 10 acres of the original farm purchase. Farms must have been continuously farmed for at least 100 years. The Centennial Farm Program has recognized 451 Georgia farms since 1993. Visit http://www.georgiacentennialfarms.org to download an application or contact Charlie Miller, Centennial Farm Awards Committee chairman at 404-651-5287 or by email at Charlie.miller@dnr.state.ga.us. Applications must be postmarked by May 1. Selected farms will be honored during the Georgia National Fair in October. 2013 YOUNG HARRIS/UGA BEEKEEPING INSTITUTE May 15-17 Young Harris College 8 a.m. each day Young Harris This event, one of the most comprehensive beekeeping educational events in the Southeast, offers classes for beekeepers at all levels of experience and the annual honey show. May 15 is dedicated training and certification exams for journeymen and master beekeeper qualifications, as well as the Welsh honey judge training, the first licensing program for honey judges in North America. May 16 and 17 provide training and certification, including individual and colony biology, low-tech beekeeping, safety and much more. Registration fees for 18 and older is $120 for May 16, $100 for May 17 and $199 for both days. For ages 11-17, fees are $59 for May 16, $49 for May 17 and $99 for both days. Two-day registration and additional fees apply for advanced courses and exams on May 15. Participation is capped at 175 people, and classes generally fill up quickly. For more information, visit http://www.ent.uga.edu/bees/young-harris/. NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION WORKSHOP DEADLINE Rising 10th, 11th and 12th grade students have until May 24 to apply to attend a one-week residential camp the Georgia Soil & Water Conservation Commission is offering June 8-12 at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton. Natural resource experts will give lectures, guide field trips and lead hands-on activities to enhance students’ understanding of Georgia’s natural resources during the Natural Resources Conservation Workshop (NRCW). More than $18,000 in college scholarships will be awarded during the event. Tuition is $150 per student but scholarships are available for students who have not previously attended the event. Visit http://abac.edu/nrcw to download the camp application and more information. Contact Luke Crosson at lcrosson@gaswcc.org or 229-995-6001 for more information.