Georgia Farm Bureau News Alert - April 19, 2017

April 19 , 2017

www.gfb.org

Vol. 35 No. 8

GFB AG FOUNDATION AWARDS 30 SCHOLARSHIPS TOTALING $58,500 Thanks to the Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Foundation for Agriculture, 30 students across the state will receive a total of $58,500 for the 2017-2018 academic year to pursue degrees related to agriculture, forestry and natural resources or family and consumer sciences. The scholarships recognize outstanding students who have excelled academically and exhibited a committed interest to pursuing a career in agriculture, forestry and natural resources, family and consumer sciences or a closely related field.

The scholarships will be awarded to graduating high school seniors headed to college or a technical college, rising college juniors and seniors The next issue of and students enrolled in the University of Georgia College of Veterinary GFB News Alert Medicine who plan to care for livestock and other farm animals. comes out “One of the purposes of the Georgia Farm Bureau Foundation for May 3.

Agriculture is to support students who want to pursue a career in agriculture,” said GFB President Gerald Long. “We are excited to offer these scholarships to the selected students because they are the future leaders of Georgia’s agricultural community.”

Five students preparing to enter college as freshmen at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (CAES) or Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) were selected for the Scholarship for Agriculture at $3,000 each: Kylie Bruce, Franklin County; Savannah Fritz, Jasper County; Dalton Green, Walker County; Ben Murray, Berrien County; Daniel Williams, Telfair County. These students plan to pursue degrees in ag education, pre-veterinary medicine and ag communications.

An additional nine students were selected for the Scholarship for Agriculture at $1,500 each: Courtney Barber, Ware County; Josh Brown, Habersham County; Abby Green, Laurens County; Garrett Harrell, Colquitt County; Julianna Johnson, Hancock County; Taylor Kilgore, Early County; Samantha Mallard, Burke County; Rick Vanderveen, Wayne County; and Jamie Lynn Worsley, Calhoun County. These students plan to attend UGA CAES or ABAC to pursue degrees in ag education, animal science, biological sciences and natural resource management.

Daniel Dobbs, Franklin County; Travis Taylor, Bacon County; and Ethan Thaxton, Oglethorpe County were selected to receive the Technical College Scholarship for Agriculture at $1,000 each.

Dobbs plans to attend Athens Technical College to pursue a poultry science degree. Taylor plans to attend Coastal Pine Technical College to study welding and joining technology. Thaxton plans - Continued

GFB News Alert page 2 of 11 Continued from previous page to enroll at Athens Technical College to pursue a degree in animal science.

The foundation awarded 11 scholarships of $2,000 to the following rising college juniors and seniors: Ian Bennett, Cook County; Faith Gilman, Jackson County; Ben Hancock, Irwin County; Luke Lineberger, Houston County; Madison Lynn, Toombs County; Daniel McMillan, Berrien County; Olivia Minish, Madison County; Jordan Rowe, Cook County; Bryan Tucker, Irwin County; Jarrett Williams, Appling County; and Claire Woodard, Morgan County.

Bennett, Gilman, Hancock, Lineberger, Lynn, McMillan, Minish, Rowe, Tucker, Williams and Woodard are students at ABAC or the UGA CAES studying agribusiness, ag economics, ag education, agriscience and environmental systems, and crop and soil science.

Megan Cook of Bulloch County and Scout Josey of Franklin County were chosen to receive scholarships of $2,500 each as they study to become food animal veterinarians at the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine.

All students will receive their scholarships pending verification they are enrolled in a qualifying school and major.

The GFB Foundation for Agriculture funds activities and programs designed to increase the agricultural literacy of Georgia residents. Visit www.gfbfoudnation.org to learn more about the foundation or to make a tax-exempt donation. Instructions for applying for the 2018 scholarships will be announced on the foundation website in the fall.

DUPREE, IVEY NAMED GFB FIELD REPRESENTATIVES Brittany Ivey and Nathan Dupree have been named district field representatives for Georgia Farm Bureau.

“We are excited to have Brittany and Nathan join our Field Services Department,” said GFB President Gerald Long. We’re confident they’ll both do a fine job attending to the needs of farmers in our two North Georgia districts.”

Dupree becomes the District 1 field rep, covering Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Dade, Dawson, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Gilmer, Gordon, Murray, Pickens, Walker and Whitfield counties in Northwest Georgia.

A native of Chatsworth, Dupree has a bachelor’s degree in diversified agriculture from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. He came to GFB Nathan Dupree in December 2015, working in the former Commodities/Marketing Department. Dupree managed the GFB Grain Desk, selling grain for GFB members and working with GFB’s programs related to feed grains.

Ivey, who has worked as assistant director for the Stephens County Development Authority and as a UGA Cooperative Extension agent, has a degree in history from UGA. She becomes the District 2 field rep, covering Banks, Elbert, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union and White counties in Northeast Georgia.

Ivey served as chairwoman of the Stephens County Farm Bureau Young Farmer Committee. In 2014 she won the GFB Young Farmer Discussion Brittany Ivey Meet then finished in the top 16 nationally in the American Farm Bureau Federation Discussion Meet. She and her husband, Chad, live in Toccoa with their three children, Alli Kay, Colsen and Gus.

GFB News Alert page 3 of 11 GFB LAUNCHES FACEBOOK PAGE FOR MAGAZINES Georgia Farm Bureau has created a new Facebook page for its in-house print publications – Georgia Farm Bureau News, Georgia Neighbors, and GFB News Alert.

The page will complement the printed versions of our publications and will include the ongoing Around Georgia photos documenting activities by county Farm Bureaus across the state. It will also feature news and photos produced by the GFB publications staff from on-farm visits and coverage of agriculture evens all over Georgia. We’ll include GFB’s efforts to represent Georgia farmers in interactions with legislators and public policymakers, as well as recipes featuring Georgia commodities.

The new page is located at https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaFarmBureauNewsNeighbors/.

Please like us, visit often and share with your friends!

FIRE IN OKEFENOKEE NWR BURNS NEARLY 22,000 ACRES A fire started by lightning in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge had burned 21,790 acres of forestland and was 3 percent contained as of April 19, according to information issued by state and federal agencies working to contain the fire.

According to a multi-agency press release, 330 personnel are assigned to this incident, designated as the West Mims fire. Equipment resources include 6 helicopters, 28 wildland fire engines, 5 bulldozers, 36 tractor plows and four fire and support crews.

The West Mims Fire was reported on April 6. It straddles the Georgia-Florida state line southeast of Fargo, Ga., approximately 2.5 miles northeast of Eddy Tower. The fire is currently located within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida’s John M. Bethea State Forest, and Osceola National Forest. A Georgia Forestry Commission Incident Management Team is assisting in managing the fire with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Forest Service, and U.S. Forest Service.

Georgia Highway 94 and Florida Highway 2 from the agricultural check station at the GA/FL line to U.S. 441 in Fargo is open during the day with nightly closure from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. The road may be closed during the day due to smoke impacts and fire operations.

The overnight stops on the Wilderness Canoe Trail within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge are closed. Day-use canoeists and guided boat tours will still be able to access the trails. A burn ban is in place within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, including Stephen C. Foster State Park. The ban includes fires at designated campsites and charcoal grills.

Updates are available on the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/okefenokeewildliferefuge/?ref=bookmarks GA TOBACCO GROWERS VOTE TO CONTINUE ASSESSMENT Georgia tobacco producers overwhelmingly voted to extend the assessment of 50 cents per hundredweight of tobacco they pay at the time of sale for an additional three years—90.6 percent of the eligible ballots returned were marked yes. The balloting period for the market order was March 1-30.

The Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Tobacco utilizes funds received for tobacco research, education and promotion projects. The commission was established in 1962 by the Georgia Legislature and has continued to support important projects for Georgia tobacco growers. The majority of the funds are committed to research projects on control of suckers, nematodes and disease, variety trials and fertility projects, as well as tobacco Extension programs.

GFB News Alert page 4 of 11 FVSU EVENT SERVES UP HAM & EGGS, RESEARCH AND GOVERNMENT Visitors at the annual Fort Valley State University Ham & Egg Legislative Breakfast heard encouraging news about the just-approved state budget. The news from the federal level wasn’t as rosy.

The event, first held in 1916, drew approximately 200 people and featured remarks from FVSU leaders, state elected officials and Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-2nd District). Rep. Austin Scott (R-8th District) served as the event’s master of ceremonies.

Georgia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long spoke about the organization’s mission to represent farmers in the legislative and public policy arenas while encouraging attendees to become GFB members.

“Representing agriculture in the legislative arena has now expanded to the regulatory area,” Long said. “It has become so critical for us. The impact that government regulations have is not just in agriculture but in every rural community in Georgia. That’s something that we are really monitoring.”

Long also said GFB is in discussion with Mercer University about the possibility of providing Mercer’s Dr. Paul Jones Atlanta campus with ag-related educational resources.

Long encouraged FVSU to consider something similar.

FVSU President Dr. Paul Jones gave a brief history of the event, previously called the Ham & Egg Show and shared his thoughts on its enduring appeal.

“Everybody wants a chance to demonstrate excellence. The Ham & Egg Show at its core was an opportunity for people who rarely got a chance to shine, to show their expertise to the world,” Jones said. “That is why I’m so proud to be the president of this great institution, because of its tradition of finding unique and innovative ways to help everyday people find their genius and demonstrate greatness.”

Jones took the chance to point out the outreach efforts of the FVSU Cooperative Extension Service, the university’s research and academic programs.

FVSU School of Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences and Technology Dean Dr. Govind Kannan provided information about enrollment increases, a new bachelor’s degree program in food science recently approved by the Georgia Board of Regents and FVSU student research into scutellaria, a medicinal plant withcompounds that can reduce the size of brain tumors. Kannan also discussed institutional research on parasite control for small ruminant animals, such as goats and sheep.

“The main problem in small ruminant production is control of internal parasites, because the parasites can become resistant to chemical drugs we use,” Kannan said. “So we found that a forage called sericea lespedeza, which is high in condensed tannin, can control internal parasites.”

FVSU Extension Administrator Dr. Mark Latimore Jr. talked about the school’s achievements.

These included a public health initiative in which 74 percent of participants showed improved nutrition with better planning of meals, making healthier food choices and reducing salt intake.

“We’re really excited about our ability to reach the masses throughout the state of Georgia,” -continued

GFB News Alert page 5 of 11 Continued from previous page Latimore said.

Georgia Rep. Patty Bentley (D-District 139) gave a brief review of key pieces of legislation affecting rural Georgia. Bentley highlighted the Rural Hospital Organization Act of 2017 (SB 14), which will allow rural hospitals to seek state grants to offset some of their financial challenges.

Bishop painted a grim picture with respect to the federal budget, noting that the proposed budget from the Trump administration would cut the USDA budget by 21 percent.

“There’s no way we can do everything we need to do in this country without the necessary funding,” Bishop said, noting that the Trump budget would increase defense spending by $54 million, money that would have to be offset by cuts in non-defense spending. “That is going to cause a lot of pain.”

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black talked about his department’s budget as approved by the General Assembly, including a bond package that will allow the department to double the size of the Georgia Grown Building at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter, with the extra space to include a birthing center to demonstrate live births of farm animals during the Georgia National Fair beginning in 2018.

“There will be live births every day of the fair so the public can understand the circle of life and what that’s all about,” Black said. “We can teach this next generation where their food is coming from when it comes to food animals.”

CHINA AGREES TO LIFT BAN ON U.S. BEEF IMPORTS China’s ban on imports of U.S. beef dating back to 2003 could be lifted after discussions between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month, according to published reports.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) expressed gratitude to Trump for making beef a priority issue in talks with China. NCBA Director for International Trade Kent Bacus said the two nations will be working to reduce technical barriers to trade over the next 100 days.

“In recent years China has actually become a major importer of beef, second only to the U.S., and most of that demand is being met from Australia, New Zealand and Brazil,” Bacus said. “We want to be a part of that, obviously. We think that China will probably be another strong market for ribs, for rounds, for offals, and for high-end beef in some of the global centers like Beijing and Shanghai. We produce a very safe, high-quality product, and we think that we’ll have a very bright future in China as soon as we can get our foot in the door.”

China instituted the ban after the first case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was found in the U.S., denying American beef producers access to the world’s largest market for ag products. According to Bloomberg News, Chinese consumption of beef increased by 33 percent between 2012 and 2016 as the country’s middle class continues to grow.

China agreed to lift the trade barrier, which could mean billions of dollars’ worth of trade for U.S. cattlemen. Prior to the Trump-Xi meeting, a group of 39 senators wrote to the U.S. president asking that he prioritize opening the Chinese market for beef.

GFB News Alert page 6 of 11 UGA EXTENSION UPDATES PESTICIDE TRAINING RULES & FEES The way that the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension offers training, exams and continuing education classes for pesticide applicators’ license renewals will change May 1. These changes will ensure that UGA Extension can continue to provide pesticide safety education throughout the state, while staying in line with changes mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“Our commitment to the safety of those who work on farms, those who eat the produce grown in our state, and the general public has always been a big part of what we do here,” said Mark McCann, assistant dean for Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension at UGA. “We will continue to make sure that those who use restricted-use pesticides as part of their livelihoods – landscapers and farmers – will have 24/7 access to the training they need to use those pesticides safely.”

UGA Extension has developed a state-specific curriculum and exam series for private pesticide applicators.

To comply with EPA rule changes and to offer Georgia’s farmers and pesticide operators more focused, local instruction, the UGA Pesticide Education Program created a new curriculum and set in place an online training system which is available 24/7.

While these changes will be more convenient for farmers and other private pesticide applicators, they will require a $25 fee for the online training program. The current program was free of charge.

Along with the EPA rule change that allows for more local control over training, federal funds that previously supported training have been rolled back, so UGA Extension will have to charge fees to offset that loss of funding.

Major changes in Georgia’s program based on the EPA rule change are as follows: • Recertification credits: Pesticide applicators were required to attain three hours of continuing education credit every five years. In the future, they will need to attain five hours every five years.

This rule will take effect after the Georgia Department of Agriculture updates its rules.

• New emphasis on safety: Future workshops and field days offering continuing credits for pesticide licensure will include a section on pesticide safety. This section must take up 10 to 15 minutes of the workshop or field day.

• Online course fees: In order to cover the costs of instruction, new materials and trainings, online courses will cost $25, which will partially support the UGA Extension Pesticide Education Program. The course is currently free.

• Online training: In the past, most training has taken place in county Extension offices. The new training will be taken online. Testing is done at the end of each section. A passing score is required to proceed to the next section.

• Testing: Trainees now take about two hours to complete the course and certification test.

Under the new program, it will take four to five hours to complete. However, individuals can take a break and return to the online course as needed.

• Temporary licensure: As with the current program, farmers can get a temporary license upon completing the exam and the license application with their agent.

GFB News Alert page 7 of 11 SENATE SCHEDULES DEBATE ON SONNY PERDUE NOMINATION The U.S. Senate has scheduled debate and a subsequent vote on confirmation of former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture on April 24.

Perdue was nominated by President Donald Trump on Jan. 19 and the Senate Agriculture Committee held its confirmation hearing on March 23. The committee voted to forward the confirmation to the full senate with a 19-1 vote on March 30.

Georgia Farm Bureau voiced support for Perdue in a February letter to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), noting Perdue’s work in state government, his background in farming and as a veterinarian and his international trade acumen.

2017 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE COUNTDOWN BEGINS America’s farmers and ranchers will soon have the opportunity to take part in the 2017 Census of Agriculture. Conducted every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the census, to be mailed at the end of this year, is a complete count of all U.S. farms, ranches, and those who operate them.

The Census of Agriculture highlights land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures, and other topics. The 2012 Census of Agriculture revealed that over three million farmers operated more than two million farms, spanning over 914 million acres.

This was a four percent decrease in the number of U.S. farms from the previous census in 2007.

However, agriculture sales, income, and expenses increased between 2007 and 2012. This information and thousands of other agriculture statistics are a direct result of responses to the Census of Agriculture.

Producers who are new to farming or did not receive a Census of Agriculture in 2012 still have time to sign up to receive the 2017 Census of Agriculture form by visiting www.agcensus.usda.gov and clicking on the ‘Make Sure You Are Counted’ button through June. NASS defines a farm as any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the census year (2017).

For more information about the 2017 Census of Agriculture and to see how census data are used, visit www.agcensus.usda.gov or call 800-727-9540.

GFB News Alert page 8 of 11 CORRECTION – In an item about GFB members testifying before a U.S. Agriculture Subcommittee in our last issue, National Cotton Council Chairman Ronnie Lee was incorrectly identified as being from Baker County. He is from Terrell County.

GEORGIA FARM AND EROSION CONTROL EXPO April 21-22 Jim Miller Park 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. Ranger Nick will speak on April 21 and Walter Reeves will speak on April 22. Visitors can explore the latest in agricultural equipment technology, learn to garden and how to prepare fresh foods, get tips on raised-bed gardening, take home locally grown plants and foods and have questions answered on-site by master gardeners. For more information visit http://www.gaurbanexpo.com/.

BACKYARD PECAN WORKSHOP April 26 Carroll County Ag Center 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Carrollton This program featuring UGA Pecan Specialist Lenny Wells will cover managing pecan nutrition and fertilization, understanding diseases and pest challenges and improving pecan production in small orchards. Cost is $5, which covers refreshments and reference material. To attend, please register by April 21 by sending an email to Richard Littleton at rlittle@uga.edu or by calling the Carroll County Extension at 770-836-8546.

EXPORTING 101 SEMINAR April 27 Savannah Trade and Convention Center 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Savannah Join the Southern United States Trade Association, the Georgia Department of Economic Development, and the World Trade Center Savannah for a free seminar on the steps and challenges in becoming a successful exporter of food and agriculture-based products. A panel discussion will give attendees valuable insight into what it takes to start exporting their products to international markets. Topics to be covered include: How to start exporting your product, the Georgia Grown program, and SUSTA's 50 percent cost share program. Hear from international bankers, freight forwarders, and other industry professionals who've experienced success in exporting. SUSTA representatives will be available before and after the seminar to meet one-on-one with companies interested in learning more about SUSTA's programming. To schedule a meeting following the speakers, please email Mike Swanson at mike@susta.org. Visit http://bit.ly/SUSTAExport101 to register.

CROP INSURANCE DEADLINE NEARS FOR NURSERY GROWERS Georgia nursery growers have until May 1 to purchase crop insurance according to a Risk Management Agency (RMA) press release. Crop insurance provides protection against crop production losses due to natural perils like wind, hurricanes and freezing temperatures. More information on nursery crop insurance is available at http://www.rma.usda.gov/policies/nursery/index.html. All applications are subject to a 30-day waiting period before coverage begins. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA agent locator website, http://www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agent.html. For more information about crop insurance visit www.rma.usda.gov.

GFB News Alert page 9 of 11 USDA RENEWAL FOR EXPIRING CSP CONTRACTS The USDA announced on March 30 that a contract renewal sign-up is underway for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), USDA’s largest working lands conservation program with more than 80 million acres enrolled. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) made several updates to the program in 2016. Participants with existing CSP contracts that will expire on Dec. 31 can access the benefits of the recent program changes through an option to renew their contracts for an additional five years if they agree to adopt additional activities to achieve higher levels of conservation on their lands. Applications to renew expiring contracts are due by May 5. Producers interested in contract renewals or applying for CSP for the first time should visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/csp or contact their local USDA service center to learn more.

MONROE COUNTY HERD SALE May 6 Sleepy Creek Farm 12:30 p.m.

Forsyth Approximately 65 bred heifers will be available at this sale. Data on the heifers includes AI breeding and Sire EPDs, pelvic area, frame scores, disposition scores, weight per day of age and average daily gain. For more information or to receive a catalog, contact the Monroe County Extension office at 478-994-7014 or uge2207@uga.edu (type HERD in the subject line).

Information is also available online at www.ugaextension.org/monroe/.

YOUNG HARRIS/UGA BEEKEEPING INSTITUTE May 10-13 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, off-season management and much more. Advanced beekeeper and honey judge program lectures & testing (open to registered participants only) to be held on May 10. Registration fees for ages 18 and older are $130 for May 11, $130 for May 12, $100 for May 13 and $300 for all three days. For ages 17 and under, fees are $100 for May 11, $65 for May 12, $50 for May 13 and $150 for all three days.

Space is limited and classes generally fill up quickly. For more information, visit http://caes2.caes.uga.edu/bees/young-harris/index.html.

2017 PICTURE AGRICULTURE IN GEORGIA PHOTO CONTEST May 12 deadline for entries The Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer Committee is asking GFB members to share their photos of farm life and rural Georgia in its 8th Annual Picture Agriculture in Georgia Contest. This contest is open to all GFB members, including county and state staff, who receive no income from photography. The winner will be featured on the front of the 2018 GFB Young Farmer Calendar and the 11 honorable mentions will grace the inside. Even if your photo doesn’t make the calendar, it might be featured on a cover of a GFB magazine or brochure. The first-place prize is $150 and the 11 honorable mentions receive $75 each. Visit your county Farm Bureau office for contest rules, entry instructions and the Model Release Form or visit the GFB website at www.gfb.org/photo.

GFB News Alert page 10 of 11 RMA PECAN TREE INSURANCE PROGRAM May 15 sales closing date A Pecan Tree Insurance Program has been officially approved and implemented by the USDA Risk Management Agency and will be available to growers starting with the 2018 crop year, which begins on July 1. Growers have been able to insure their pecan crop for several years and now they can also insure their trees to protect them from losses due to storms. To learn more about the program visit http://bit.ly/pecantreeins to learn more about the program. Interested growers will need to visit with their crop insurance agents before the May 15 sales closing date if they wish to participate in the program for the upcoming crop year. Orchards must be inspected before they can be insured.

GEORGIA COTTON WOMEN SCHOLARSHIPS May 15 deadline to apply College students who will be entering freshmen or rising sophomores at a Georgia college for the 2017-2018 academic year and are the child or grandchild of a Georgia cotton producer or a cotton industry employee have until May 15 to apply for two scholarships coordinated by the Georgia Cotton Women Inc. (GCW). The John M. and Connie H. Mobley Memorial Scholarship is presented to the child or grandchild of an active Georgia cotton producer. The GCW Scholarship is presented annually to the child or grandchild of a Georgia cotton producer or a cotton industry employee who is also the child or grandchild of a GCW member. Each $1,500 scholarship is payable one-third each quarter or one-half each semester. For more information, email Nancy Coleman at georgiacottonwomen@gmail.com or call 229-941-2930.

2017 LONGLEAF PINE FIELD DAY May 16 West Lower Meigs Rd. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Meigs This free field day, coordinated by the Colquitt County Extension office, will cover planting, spacing, thinning of longleaf stands, ordering seedlings and other topics. Participation is limited to the first 45 who register. Lunch will be provided. For more information or to register, contact the Colquitt County Extension Office at 478-982-4408.

GFB TAKING YF CONTEST ENTRIES, CONFERENCE REGISTRATION May 26 registration/entry deadline The GFB Young Farmer Committee is 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 19-22 on Jekyll Island. GFB members between the ages of 18-35 may apply for these awards or attend the conference.

Applications for the contests and conference will be accepted through May 26 at 4:30 p.m. and are available at county Farm Bureau offices. The state winners of each of the competitive events will be named at the GFB Young Farmer Leadership Conference in July. All rounds of the discussion meet and Excellence in Ag interviews for the top three applicants will be held at the leadership conference. The top three applicants for the achievement award will have on-farm interviews in late June. For more information on any of these awards or the conference, please visit www.gfb.org/yf or stop by your county Farm Bureau.

GFB News Alert page 11 of 11 GEORGIA CENTENNIAL FARM PROGRAM June 1 Deadline to apply The Georgia Centennial Farm Program honors farms in three categories. The Centennial Heritage Farm Award honors farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Centennial Farm Award doesn’t require continuous family ownership, but farms must be at least 100 years old and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Centennial Family Farm Award honors farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more that aren’t listed in the National Register of Historic Places. More than 500 farms have been recognized through the Centennial Farm Program since it began in 1993. Farm owners interested in applying for the award in 2017 should visit www.georgiacentennialfarms.org to download an application or contact Allison Asbrock at 770389-7868 or allison.asbrock@dnr.ga.gov. Applications must be postmarked by June 1.

2017 AGAWARE WORKSHOP Aug. 25 Burke County Office Park Waynesboro AgSouth Farm Credit and AgGeorgia Farm Credit are hosting this informative workshop to give farmers a better understanding of how to approach their finances. Topics covered in the program include: balance sheets; income statements; family finance & family budgeting; risk management; accrual income; applying for financing and preparing a business plan. Bonus videos on recordkeeping, marketing and technology will be available for continued education. To register visit http://bit.ly/agawaresignup.