Georgia Farm Bureau News Alert - March 23, 2016

March 23, 2016

www.gfb.org

Vol. 34 No. 12

GFB MEMBERS TEE UP FOR AG LITERACY AT ED LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

Georgia Farm Bureau county volunteers and staff who attended the organization’s annual Educational Leadership Conference, held March 18 & 19 in Augusta, got a “Masters” course in ag literacy that sharpened their ag advocacy mechanics with workshops featuring hands-on activities they can use when visiting classrooms to teach students about agriculture. They also learned about grants available from the GFB Foundation for Agriculture to fund county ag literacy projects and GFB’s expanded scholarship program for students pursuing careers in agriculture.

“This conference will help our volunteers learn skills and acquire the tools they need to tee up to promote agricultural literacy in their hometowns,” said GFB Women’s Leadership Committee Chairman Melanie Sanders.

Dr. Wayne Parrott, UGA Crop & Soil Sciences professor, delivered the keynote speech in the opening session, which provided an overview of what genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are, how they came about and how their use is helping feed hungry people and benefits the environment.

“We have been modifying crops for years through plant breeding and crossing genes. In doing this we normally move hundreds and thousands of genes at once,” Parrott said. “GMO is a legal definition of moving just one gene at a time. GMOs have a perception of being something that’s new and different rather than a more precise way of doing something we’ve always done.”

Read the accompanying story in this issue “OMG – GMOs!” for a detailed account of Parrott’s speech.

GFB Women's Leadership Committee members Sue Powers and Ray Bloser led the workshop, "A Garden of Ideas from the National AITC Conference." Powers told attendees how to make a gardening ruler to teach students how plants grow from seeds. Bloser told attendees about the book, "Three Sisters Garden," by Sandy Baker and shared activities that help students further explore the book's story of how Native Americans planted beans, corn and squash together.

Dr. Ed McAssey, a UGA postdoctoral research associate who works in Dr. Parrott’s lab, -continued

GFB News Alert page 2 of 12 Continued from previous page taught a workshop geared for middle school students that explored genetic traits passed when clover with different colored leaf variations are crossed. He discussed the important role bees play in pollinating plants and crossing genes. McAssey also led workshop attendees in an activity that teaches students how to extract DNA from strawberries.

Lauren Goble, who won the 2015 GFB Georgia Ag in the Classroom Educator of the Year Award, shared how she educates her students about local agriculture with “Thank a Farmer Friday,” when students eat commodities from a nearby farm they learned about in class that week. Each week her class visits one of 32 farms across the state with which she is partnering via computer. The students learn about a crop or livestock the farm produces, prepare a recipe featuring the commodity and discuss how the farmer grows the crop or livestock. She explained how she gears her lessons to the four seasons by highlighting crops being grown in the current season and having the students make simple recipes that use the crop as an ingredient.

Katie Gazda, executive director of the GFB Foundation for Agriculture, told conference attendees about the numerous scholarships GFB is awarding to students pursuing ag careers.

Dennis Black, GFB Field Services associate director, encouraged county Farm Bureaus to apply for the grants the GFB Foundation for Agriculture is offering to fund ag literacy programs.

The foundation awarded $4,500 in grants to 13 counties this winter and is accepting applications until June 30 for the second round of grants. Visit www.gfbfoundation.org for more information about the scholarships and grant programs.

“The workshops and speakers at this conference were designed to help our county volunteers advocate for agriculture in their local communities,” GFB President Gerald Long said when speaking to conference attendees at lunch.

YF COMMITTEE TAKING CONTEST ENTRIES, CONFERENCE REGISTRATION 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 13-16 on Jekyll Island.

Contest entries and conference registration will be accepted through May 27 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. To be eligible to compete, the member must not turn 36 before Jan. 31, 2017.

All 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 GFB 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 winner of each contest will compete on the national level at the American Farm Bureau Convention in Phoenix, Arizona, in January 2017.

GFB News Alert page 3 of 12 “OMG-GMOS!”: UGA PROFESSOR DISCUSSES GMOS AT GFB CONFERENCE Dr. Wayne Parrott, UGA Crop & Soil Sciences professor, addressed the hot button topic of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) while delivering the keynote speech at the GFB Educational Leadership Conference March 19. Parrott explained what GMOs are, how they came about and how their use is helping feed hungry people and benefits the environment.

Parrott said vegetables we enjoy today, such as carrots, lettuce and corn, were developed by scientists crossing plants to achieve improved varieties. He explained that scientists have been breeding plants to improve crop yield, taste and plant performance since agriculture started.

By the early 1990s, biologists had developed a technique that allowed them to isolate one gene they want to select to improve a plant and transfer it from one plant to another, Parrott said. The ability to isolate one gene led to what we now call GMOs. Before, scientists moved a section of chromosomes with unknown genes Wayne Parrott through traditional plant breeding.

“We have been modifying crops for years through plant breeding and crossing genes. In doing this we normally move hundreds and thousands of genes at once,” Parrott said. “GMO is a legal definition of moving just one gene at a time. GMOs are perceived as being something that’s new and different rather than a more precise way of doing something we’ve always done.”

Since the first GMO crops were planted in 1994, 18 million farmers in 28 countries worldwide have planted enough GMO crops to cover a land area more than twice the size of the continental United States, Parrott said. The amount of GMO crops planted since 1994 has provided a lot of data about GMO crops that refute many of the misconceptions about GMOs, Parrott said.

“Unfortunately there are consumers now who would rather avoid GMOs. Food produced from genetically engineered organisms must be as safe as those produced by their conventional counterparts,” Parrott said. “This approval process takes 13 years and costs about $35 million on average.”

Before a GMO can be introduced on the market it must be approved by agencies that are the equivalent of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration in all 24 of the major import markets around the world, Parrott explained. Planting GMO seeds allows farmers to grow crops without having to plow their fields as often as when they plant non-GMO seeds. Plowing less reduces carbon emissions equal to parking 11 million family cars for a year.

Parrott said statistics show yield loss caused by weeds growing in crops is enough to feed about 1 billion people a year. Herbicides are used on both GMO and non-GMO crops to fight weeds and this sometimes causes problems with resistant weeds.

“The rest of the story that never gets told is the vast majority of herbicide resistant weeds are from conventional agriculture,” Parrott said. Growing conventional crop plants for companies that want non-GMO products sometimes leads to the use of herbicides that cause more problems with resistance than herbicides used with GMO crops, Parrott said.

Since 1982, the percentage of farmland in the U.S. has decreased three percent and labor requirements to grow food had dropped 30 percent, but the amount of food farmers produced in the U.S. has increased 50 percent thanks to numerous advances in agriculture, such as improved crop and livestock genetics, Parrott said.

Visit http://parrottlab.uga.edu/parrottlab/ to learn more about Dr. Parrott's GMO research.

GFB News Alert page 4 of 12 CHEROKEE, HOUSTON FARM BUREAUS WIN AFBF MINI-GRANTS Cherokee County Farm Bureau and Houston County Farm Bureau have each been awarded $500 mini-grants for spring projects through the White-Reinhardt Fund for Education, part of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.

The grants are allocated through county and state Farm Bureaus and are used to create new or expand existing agricultural literacy projects. The two Georgia counties were among 11 counties nationwide to receive the grants.

Parents, Cherokee County Farm Bureau volunteers and master gardeners will aid students at Cherokee Charter Academy (CCA) with hydroponic crop cultivation of vegetables. At the end of the growing season, vegetables will be donated to a food pantry.

“It’s wonderful to get the grant and be able to help one of the schools in Cherokee County,” CCFB Women’s Committee Chair Jeannie Ross said. “They already have raised beds outside so they can see the process of plants grown in soil and they know they have to add fertilizer and balance the Ph in the soil. This is done in water and they have to use math and science to figure out what nutrients and how much to put in the water, how much light the plants need. It just shows them another way to grow plants.”

The project in Houston County is an extension of a month-long poultry project at Morningside. With the use of a chicken coop, students will learn about embryology, caring for chickens, and egg and chicken production.

“The children had absolutely no idea where their food comes from. We had turned into such a urban community. These kids are three or four generations removed from the farm. They don’t know how to get outside and get dirty and plant things,” said HCFB Women’s Committee Chair Carol Baker.

HCFB volunteers worked with Morningside horticulture teacher Mandy Tannehill to develop the plan for the chicken coop, which will be located on the Perry High School FFA farm and have room for five or six chickens. Baker said all Morningside students would have a chance for ag experience through the project.

“We were tickled to death. We were excited and Mrs. Tannehill was super excited because this is just going to give her kids hands-on experience with the chickens,” Baker said Criteria for selecting winners included: the effectiveness of demonstrating a strong connection between agriculture and education; how successfully the project enhances learner engagement in today’s food, fiber and fuel systems; and the processes and timelines for accomplishing project goals.

“Through the mini-grant program, we strive to help young rural and urban students gain a better understanding of how agriculture plays a vital role in their everyday lives,” said Julie Tesch, executive director of the Foundation. Farm Bureau members share free educational resources with educators in their communities as part of the program.

The White-Reinhardt Fund for Education is a project of the Foundation in cooperation with the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. The fund honors two former committee chairwomen, Berta White and Linda Reinhardt.

The foundation is currently accepting applications for the next round of mini-grants. The deadline to apply is April 29 for projects to be implemented in the fall. The mini-grants are awarded on a competitive basis with priority given to those programs demonstrating a need for financial support.

For more information, visit www.agfoundation.org/projects/mini-grants-home or contact Donna Rocker at 478-474-0679, ext. 5365 or dhrocker@gfb.org.

GFB News Alert page 5 of 12 SENATE VOTES DOWN BIOTECH LABELING MEASURE On March 16, the U.S. Senate declined to continue debate on an amendment that would establish a voluntary national biotech labeling standard to preempt state standards.

The amendment, which both American Farm Bureau Federation and Georgia Farm Bureau support, was submitted by Senate Ag Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kansas). The measure would direct the USDA to develop the standards for labeling foods with biotech ingredients. The standard would become mandatory if participation has not reached 70 percent of food companies after three years.

Roberts’ amendment would allow manufacturers the option to use on-packaging labels or quick response (QR) codes to meet the nutrition labeling requirements.

In his floor statement prior to the vote, Roberts estimated that allowing the progression of state-by-state labeling standards would result in $82 billion in costs passed on to American consumers per year, an average of $1,050 per family. The first such state labeling standard, passed by Vermont, goes into effect on July 1, and food companies are already adjusting their labeling to comply with that state law.

The senate vote to defeat cloture – which would end the debate – was 49 not in favor, 48 in favor. Georgia Sens. Johnny Isakson and David Perdue voted in favor. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) voted against it as a procedural measure to preserve his opportunity to bring it up for consideration again, and Senate leaders are working on new language for the amendment, which may be brought up again after the Easter recess.

“To say we are angry with those senators who abandoned farmers and ranchers and turned their backs on rural America on this vote is an understatement,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. “Their votes opposing this measure ignored science, threw our nation’s food system into disarray and undermined the public’s understanding of the many benefits of biotechnology in feeding a growing and hungry population. We remain hopeful they will have a chance at redemption by correcting this situation that will otherwise lead to increased food costs for consumers and stifle agricultural innovation, which remains a strength of our nation. We must not let anyone forget that rural America and our farmers and ranchers do matter.”

Roberts’ measure was submitted as an amendment to S. 764, a bill passed in both chambers of Congress to defund Planned Parenthood.

NASS SUSPENDS JULY CATTLE REPORT The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is suspending the July Cattle report, which was slated for release on July 22, and the U.S. and Canadian Cattle report scheduled for August 23.

The cattle report issued in July contains inventory numbers of all cattle and calves in the United States. The U.S. and Canadian Cattle report is a joint effort of Statistics Canada and NASS to report the number of cattle and calves by class and calf crop for both countries within one publication.

NASS published the January Cattle report on Jan. 29 and published the U.S. and Canadian Cattle report, which uses data from the January Cattle report, on March 8.

GFB News Alert page 6 of 12 GLASCOCK, JEFFERSON COUNTIES RECEIVE DISASTER DECLARATION The USDA has designated Glascock and Jefferson counties as primary natural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive rain that occurred from Sept. 15, 2015, through Dec. 22, 2015.

Farmers and ranchers in the following counties in Georgia also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous: Burke, Emanuel, Hancock, Johnson, McDuffie, Richmond, Warren and Washington.

All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas on March 16, 2016, making all qualified farm operators in the designated areas eligible for low interest emergency (EM) loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses. FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the EM loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from adversity.

Other FSA programs that can provide assistance, but do not require a disaster declaration, include the Emergency Conservation Program, the Livestock Forage Disaster Program, Livestock Indemnity Program, Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and FarmRaised Fish Program and the Tree Assistance Program.

Interested farmers may contact their local USDA Service Centers for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.

USDA ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR RCPP On March 14 the USDA announced the availability of up to $260 million for partner proposals to improve the nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability. The funding is being made available through USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) innovative Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and applicants must be able to match the federal award with private or local funds.

Created by the 2014 farm bill, RCPP leverages local leadership to establish partnerships that can include private companies, local and tribal governments, universities, non-profits and other non-government partners to work with farmers, ranchers and forest landowners on landscapeand watershed-scale conservation solutions that work best for their region. This will be the third round of funding through RCPP, helping USDA build on record enrollment in all voluntary conservation programs, with more than 500,000 producers participating to protect land and water on over 400 million acres nationwide.

USDA is now accepting proposals for Fiscal Year 2017 RCPP funding. Pre-proposals are due May 10. For more information about applying, visit http://tinyurl.com/NRCSRCPP.

GFB News Alert page 7 of 12 U.S., CUBA REACH AGREEMENT FOR AG SECTORS Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on March 21 that the United States and Cuba reached an agreement that sets up an information exchange of agricultural, environmental and economic research between the U.S. and Cuban agriculture sectors. The two neighboring countries share common climate and agriculture related concerns, and the measures announced from Havana will mutually benefit the Cuban people and U.S. farmers and ranchers, according to a USDA press release.

As a part of the agreement, the USDA will allow the 22 industry-funded Research and Promotion Programs and 18 Marketing Order organizations to conduct authorized research and information exchange activities with Cuba. These groups, which are responsible for creating bonds with consumers and businesses around the world in support of U.S. agriculture, will be able to engage in cooperative research and information exchanges with Cuba about agricultural productivity, food security and sustainable natural resource management.

While most U.S. commercial activities are prohibited, the Trade Sanctions Reform Act (TSRA) of 2000 permits the export of U.S. agricultural commodities, though U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba are limited by U.S. restrictions on government export assistance, cash payments, and extending credit. U.S. agricultural exports have grown significantly since trade was authorized in 2000. In 2014, Cuba imported over $2 billion in agricultural products including $300 million from the United States. However, from 2014 to 2015, U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba fell 48 percent to $148.9 million, the lowest since 2002, giving the United States just a 10 percent market share as Cuba's fourth largest agricultural supplier, behind the European Union, Brazil, and Argentina.

According to a recent report by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), the Port of Brunswick was the top U.S. port in trade to Cuba in 2014, shipping poultry and soybean oil cakes. Georgia exported $8.6 million worth of poultry to Cuba in 2014 according to the GDEcD and was expected to surpass that amount in 2015. Through June 2015 Georgia exporters sent $7 million worth of goods to Cuba.

According to a Georgia Senate study committee, Georgia is uniquely positioned to benefit from improving trade relations with Cuba due to proximity and the anti-Castro sentiments in South Florida, sentiments that are not prevalent in Georgia. The study committee recommended that Georgia’s business leaders and government officials begin fostering relationships with potential Cuban trading partners.

CORRECTION In the March 16 issue, we incorrectly stated the home county of Georgia Sunbelt Expo Farmer of the Year John McCormick, who is from Screven County.

GFB News Alert page 8 of 12 2015 SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL SEMINAR March 26 Gwinnett Technical College, Building 100 Lawrenceville Led by various university, government and industry experts, land owners will learn about sustainable farming techniques, available federal and state funding programs, marketing strategies and more. The meeting is hosted by the Upper Ocmulgee River Resource Conservation & Development Council. Early registration is available online at http://conta.cc/1jxi9Tr or by calling 678-375-9518.

GEORGIA PECAN GROWERS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 29-30 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Conference Center Perry This annual event features a golf tournament on March 29 at Houston Lake Country Club and a welcome reception that evening. On March 30 educational sessions will be presented by vendors, researchers and financial advisors, as well as a grower’s panel world production overview.

Registration is $50 per person and spouses may attend for free. Online registration is available at www.georgiapecan.org. For more information contact Janice Dees at 229-382-2187 or janice@georgiapecan.org.

GEORGIA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION March 30 – April 2 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, Zoetis Cattlemen’s College seminars on a variety of topics, a discussion on feed directives led by Zoetis Livestock Production Specialist Jennie Schutte, the annual awards banquet; the GCA general membership meeting; Angus and Hereford sales; the annual Cattlemen’s Ball; and a junior awards luncheon. Visit www.georgiacattlemen.org for more information or to register.

GEORGIA FORAGES CONFERENCE March 30 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Perry This annual event, held in conjunction with the Georgia Cattlemen’s Beef Expo, features presentations on warm season annual forage options, raising replacements and stockers on pasture, bermudagrass stem maggot and pest update and the Georgia Forages Producers Forum.

Registration for the Georgia Forages Conference is $40 per person. For more information or to register, visit http://tinyurl.com/gaforageconf or call 478-474-6560.

USDA VALUE ADDED GRANT WORKSHOP March 31 Georgia Farm Bureau 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Macon This free workshop will provide tips on using the grant program, suggestions on writing successful grant applications, the importance of feasibility studies and services provided by the Center for Innovation for Agribusiness. Please RSVP to: Al Burns with the USDA ( 229-3820273, ext. 109, or al.burns@ga.usda.gov); Kent Wolfe, UGA CAED Director (706-688-9858 or kwolfe@uga.edu) or Sara Cook of the Center of Innovation for Agribusiness (229-454-0612 or scook@georgia.org.)

GFB News Alert page 9 of 12 ‘GEE HAW WHOA BACK’ RODEO April 1-2 Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Arena Tifton Spectators will be entertained with riveting competition during this Professional Cowboy Association-sanctioned rodeo, which begins at 7:30 p.m. each evening. Gates open at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for general admission, $5 for children 6 – 12 years old and free to ABAC students and children five years old and under. Rodeo tickets will be sold in advance and at the gate on the two days of the event. The rodeo will also feature some audience participation events and family-friendly activities. The rodeo is a part of a week-long series of events on March 29April 2 designed for students, alumni and the general public. For more information on rodeo tickets or the Homecoming Week, interested persons can contact the ABAC Office of College Advancement at 229-391-4900 or go to www.abac.edu/homecoming.

MONSANTO SCHOOL DISTRICT GRANTS April 1 deadline for nominations Farmers in 34 Georgia counties have until April 1 to nominate a public school district for grants of $10,000 or $25,000 from Monsanto’s America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Fund.

Nominated school districts have until April 15 to submit applications. The grants are intended to help school districts fund math and science projects to enhance STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) curriculum and prepare students for technology-driven careers.

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, Randolph, Screven, Seminole, Sumter, Tattnall, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Turner, Wilcox and Worth. Visit www.growruraleducation.com or call 1-877-267-3332 to submit a nomination.

25TH YOUNG HARRIS/UGA BEEKEEPING INSTITUTE May 19-21 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. Sessions provide training and certification, including individual and colony biology, hive equipment, offseason management and much more. Registration fees for ages 18 and older are $150 for May 19, $130 for May 20, $100 for May 21 and $300 for all three days. For ages 17 and under, fees are $100 for May 19, $65 for May 20, $50 for May 21 and $150 for all three days. Space is limited and classes generally fill up quickly. For more information, visit www.ent.uga.edu/Bees/young-harris/index.html.

GA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FEED MY SCHOOL FOR A WEEK April 3 deadline to apply The Department of Agriculture is now accepting new applications for school districts interested in participating in this year’s “Feed My School for a Week” program in Georgia. Feed My School first launched in 2011 with a goal to help bridge the gap in the nutritional value and quality of food served in Georgia schools, while providing more farm to cafeteria opportunities.

Applications can be found at www.feedmyschool.com and will be due by April 3. If you are interested in nominating your school for the program, please have your nutritional director apply online or contact Misty Friedman at Misty.Friedman@agr.georgia.gov.

GFB News Alert page 10 of 12 PECAN PRODUCTION WORKSHOP April 11 UGA Campus Conference Center 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Tifton This free workshop is open to the public and will cover the growth of different varieties of pecans, best irrigation and fertility practices and information about the planning and equipment needed to grow pecans. Snacks and a meal will be provided. Please RSVP by April 4 by contacting Debbie Rutland at 229-386-3424.

FORT VALLEY STATE HAM & EGG BREAKFAST & GA AG SHOWCASE April 5 Fort Valley State University Pettigrew Center 8 a.m.

Fort Valley The public is invited to attend this annual event, during which legislators will interact with guests, describe their initiatives and explain their positions on current issues. Elected officials at the local, state and national levels have been invited to attend. Cost is $10. For more information, contact E. Jean Willis at 478-825-6268 or willise@fvsu.edu.

FIBERMAX ONE TON CLUB April 6 deadline to qualify Cotton growers who plant FiberMax cotton seed are eligible to join the One Ton Club if they harvested 2,000 pounds per acre on at least 20 acres in 2015. The qualification deadline is April 6, 2016. Growers who qualify for membership receive FiberMax One Ton Club apparel and gifts, an invitation to the annual banquet on April 7 and the chance to win a two-year lease on a Ford F-350 Super Duty King Ranch truck in the FiberMax One Ton Club Sweepstakes.

Complete rules and the qualification form are available from your local Bayer sales representative or at www.FiberMax.com/OneTonClub.

GFB FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE GALA April 16 Crowne Plaza Ravinia, 4355 Ashford Dunwoody Road Atlanta The 2nd Annual GFB Foundation for Agriculture Gala will be hosted by Dr. Roger C. “Bo” Ryles and will feature entertainment from Georgia 4-H’s performing arts group, Clovers and Company. All proceeds from the gala will benefit the GFB Foundation for Agriculture and its initiatives. Reception begins at 5:15 p.m. and dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $100 per person and $1,000 per table and can be purchased by contacting Marilyn Akers at 478474-0679, ext. 5231 or by mailing a check to: GFB Foundation for Agriculture, PO Box 7068, Macon, GA 31209. Tickets will be sent upon receipt of check. Space is limited, so reserve your seat today!

GFB News Alert page 11 of 12 SHIELDS-ETHRIDGE HERITAGE FARM CULTIVATORS’ MARKET April 16, May 21, June 18, July 16, Aug. 20, Sept. 17, Oct. 15 and Nov. 19 Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

2355 Ethridge Rd. Jefferson Jackson County Farm Bureau (JCFB) is sponsoring this monthly open-air market that will allow local farmers and entrepreneurs to sell products they make or grow in a festival atmosphere. The opening day on April 16 will feature an heirloom seed and plant swap. Market will be held rain or shine. Please leave pets at home. The Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm is an outdoor ag museum that functions as an educational and interpretative facility. The farm is unique for its collection of intact historic buildings that exist in their original location and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Proceeds from the market will be used for restoration projects at the farm. Vendors will be selected based on quality and originality of product according to the theme of homesteading practices. If you are interested in having a booth at the market, contact JCFB Office Manager Denise Temple at dftemple@gfb.org or call 706-367-8877 or visit www.shieldsethridgefarminc.com to complete an application online.

PAULDING COUNTY FARM BUREAU FARMERS’ MARKET April 21 – Oct. 28 Thursdays 3 p.m.-7 p.m.

Paulding County High School Paulding County Farm Bureau is accepting vendors for its weekly farmers market that will be held each Thursday from April 16 to Nov. 20. There is no fee to participate but vendors must be Farm Bureau members so that the market qualifies as a Georgia Farm Bureau Certified Farm Market. If you would like to participate in the PCFB Farmer’s Market, please contact Tracy Grice at Paulding County Farm Bureau at 770-445-6681 or email her at tcgrice@gfb.org.

Vendors may sell locally grown produce or other ag commodities or homemade crafts. PCFB is teaming up with the Paulding County High School this year to host the market in the north parking lot of the school located at 1297 Villa Rica Hwy., Dallas, Ga. 30132.

2016 GRASSFED EXCHANGE CONFERENCE April 27-29 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter Perry This event features more than a dozen speakers who will cover numerous topics pertaining to pasture-based farming such as building soil health and regenerating unhealthy soils. The event will include tours of three Georgia grassfed livestock operations and the UGA Center for Sustainable Grazing Systems in Watkinsville. The Taste of the South will allow attendees to sample grassfed meats, dairy and local foods. Entertainment will be provided by Teddy Gentry and the Rockit City Band. For more information visit www.grassfedexchange.com, email info@grassfedexchange.com or call 256-996-3142.

GEORGIA FARM & EROSION CONTROL EXPO April 29 Jim Miller Park, 2245 Callaway Rd. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Marietta This expo, sponsored in part by Cobb County Farm Bureau, provides a hands-on look at the latest in erosion and sedimentation control products. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall is scheduled to speak about the national ag outlook. Former Gov. Roy Barnes will speak on the importance of agriculture and soil conservation to local and state economies. The event includes live demonstrations and exhibits detailing innovations in erosion control. For more information visitwww.cobbswcd.org or call 404-307-2925 or 770-235-5662.

GFB News Alert page 12 of 12 GEORGIA COTTON SCHOLARSHIPS May 1 deadline to apply The John M. and Connie H. Mobley Memorial Scholarship is presented to the child or grandchild of an active Georgia cotton producer. The $1,500 scholarship will be payable onethird each quarter or one-half each semester. The Georgia Cotton Women Scholarship is presented annually to the child or grandchild of a Georgia cotton producer or a cotton industry employee and who is the child or grandchild of a GCW member. This $1,500 scholarship is also payable one-third each quarter or one-half each semester. In the event there is no child or grandchild of a GCW member eligible for the GCW scholarship, the scholarship committee has the discretion to present the award to another qualified candidate. This scholarship is funded through the sales of the organization’s two cookbooks, Georgia Cotton Heritage Cookbook and the newly released Cooking in High Cotton. Applications are available at www.georgiacottonwomen.org. For more information, email Nancy Coleman at georgiacottonwomen@gmail.com or call 229-941-2930.

GEORGIA CENTENNIAL FARM AWARD May 1 deadline for recognition in 2016 The Georgia Centennial Farm Program recognizes centennial farm owners through one of three distinguished awards. The Centennial Heritage Farm Award honors farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more that are also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Centennial Family Farm Award recognizes farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more that are not listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Centennial Farm Award does not require continual family ownership, but farms must be at least 100 years old and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Applications for the 2016 awards must be postmarked by May 1. If you are interested in nominating a farm for recognition in 2016, visit www.georgiacentennialfarms.org to download an application or contact Lynn Speno at 770-389-7842 or lynn.speno@dnr.ga.gov.

ABAC NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION WORKSHOP June 12-16 Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Tifton More than $18,000 in college scholarships, back-to-nature field trips, and a true taste of college life will be on the line for students who attend this workshop, which targets students with a desire to learn more about Georgia’s natural resources and the opportunities and responsibilities these resources provide. Experts from universities and local, state, and federal natural resource agencies will provide students with lectures and hands-on activities to enhance their understanding of Georgia’s vital natural resources, including soil, water, air, plants, minerals, and animals. Tuition is $150 per student before May 2 and $175 afterward. The final deadline for all applications is June 1. Tuition is often provided to the students by local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD), local businesses, and individuals. The workshop application and information is now available online at www.abac.edu/nrcw.