Georgia Farm Bureau's News - August / September 2009

Vol. 71 No. 4

GEORGIA

August-September 2009

FARM BUREAU NEWS

The Voice of Georgia Farmers

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contents

table of august-september 2009

departments we, the farmers PAGE 4

legislative update PAGE 5

commodities update PAGE 12

young farmer update PAGE 13

around georgia

PAGE 20

Appointments & Awards GFB extends congratulations to Hobby Stripling, newly appointed Georgia Farm Service Agency executive director, Donnie Smith, newly named executive director of the Georgia Center of Innovation for Agribusiness and Hall Harden, the new GFB senior director of sales. The Georgia Forestry Association also recently honored GFB with its Evergreen Award.

PAGES 6-7

GFB Commodity Conference kicks off PD, addresses ag issues The 31st Annual Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Conference kicked off the organization’s annual policy development process. Guest speakers addressed food safety, responding to the media during crisis situations and the attacks animal activists are making against livestock production.

PAGE 8

GFB supports Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement The National Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (NLGMA) Proponent Group, which includes Georgia Farm Bureau and the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), has sent a letter to the USDA asking the agency to begin the process of establishing a national marketing agreement for leafy greens to establish a set of guidelines for the industry to ensure food safety.

PAGE 11

GFB accepting entries for ’09 hay contest

public relations staff

Paul Beliveau Director Jennifer Whittaker Editor

Lillian Davis Publications/Advertising Manager

Denny Moore TV Producer/Anchor Rick Treptow Senior Radio-TV Specialist

Michael Edmondson Web/Video Manager

Mark Wildman Radio-TV Specialist

Dean Wood Radio-TV Specialist

Ryan Naquin Radio-TV Specialist

Vickie Amos Office Coordinator For questions about your membership or member benefits, call 1-800-633-5432.

For questions regarding editorial content call 478-474-0679, ext. 5334 or email jawhittaker@gfb.org For questions regarding advertising contact Hurst and Associates, Inc., 1-800-397-8908 Visit the GFB Web site today! www.gfb.org

If you produce Bermudagrass hay and are a Georgia Farm Bureau member, you’re invited to enter the 2009 GFB Quality Hay Contest. All Georgia producers who have hay or poultry litter for sale are also encouraged to list their operations in the 2010 GFB Hay & Poultry Litter Directory.

PAGE 15

Brim named GA Sunbelt Farmer of the Year Tift County vegetable producer Bill Brim will represent Georgia in the 2009 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Contest.

PAGE 17

GA water update In August, Gov. Sonny Perdue made stops in Columbus and Albany to discuss how the recent court ruling that Atlanta has no right to withdraw drinking water from Lake Lanier will impact the Chattahoochee and Flint River Basins. Also, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) will present a 40-year agricultural water use forecast to the regional water councils during their September meetings.

PAGES 18 -19

on the cover

(Photo by Jennifer Whittaker) This scenic shot was taken in White County at the farm of Elizabeth Etheridge in Sautee Nacoochee. Etheridge estimates the barn built by her grandfather, Robert Alexander Williams, is 115 years old.

Georgia Farm Bureau News August-September 2009 / 3

we, the

farmers Zippy Duvall, GFB President

Seeking Wisdom Congress has been busier than a hive of bees this year tackling climate change, water legislation, food safety and healthcare. Much of the buzz coming out of Washington has been disheartening, especially when you consider the enormous budget deficit some of the legislation will create for our grandchildren and probably even our greatgrandchildren. Rest assured that both Georgia and American Farm Bureau are engaged in all of these debates. We realize the threat some of this legislation poses to agriculture, and we have been voicing how the legislation Congress is considering will impact your farms.

August marks the beginning of Georgia Farm Bureau’s policy development process, which we kicked off at the commodity conference August 6, in Perry.

The legislative positions we take on issues such as climate change and food safety are based on the policy you recommend through policy development and approve at our annual convention in December. During the commodity conference, members of our 20 commodity committees reviewed the GFB policy pertaining to each of their respective commodities and recommended changes or additions they think need to be made.

Your county Farm Bureau will soon review our policy and submit suggestions for changes or additions. It is vital that you, our grassroots members, engage yourselves in this process. As your presi-

dent, I am asking you to get involved with the policy development process on your county level. We need your wisdom and insight to guide our organization into 2010. Please submit any adjustment or clarification you believe needs to be made to our policy to your county office.

Participating in policy development allows you to voice the position you think Farm Bureau should take on an issue.

When policy you submit to your county Farm Bureau is approved by your county board, our state policy development committee and finally by the GFB voting delegates at convention, you go from being one voice in the crowd to having the collective voice of Georgia Farm Bureau advocating your position. This is why we say that Georgia Farm Bureau is the voice of Georgia agriculture. Our policy development process is how we go from being one to becoming we, the farmers.

If you’ve ever questioned the importance of policy development, consider that we are currently using the 2009 policy GFB voting delegates approved last year to weigh in on the climate change, clean water and health care reform bills Congress is currently debating.

Farm Bureau opposes the climate change legislation (H.R. 2454) that the U.S. House passed June 26 because our policy calls for development of energy from all sources. A centerpiece of H.R. 2454 is the “cap and trade” system, which penalizes users of energy based on greenhouse gas emissions, not the marketplace.

The bill will increase costs for farmers.

Farm Bureau opposes the Clean Water Restoration Act (S. 787) because it See WE, THE FARMERS page 14

Pictured from left, GFB 1st Vice President Gerald Long and GFB President Zippy Duvall welcomed GFB members to the organization’s annual commodity conference held August 6 in Perry.

4 / August-September 2009

GEORGIA

FARM BUREAU NEWS

The Voice of Georgia Farmers

SUBSCRIPTION RATES Farm Bureau Members: Included in dues — $1 per year Non-Members — $15 per year OFFICERS President ZIPPY DUVALL 1st Vice President/South Georgia Vice President GERALD LONG North Georgia Vice President BERNARD SIMS Middle Georgia Vice President BRENT GALLOWAY Treasurer/Corporate Secretary Wayne Daniel General Counsel DUKE Groover

DIRECTORS FIRST DISTRICT: J. Louis Hunt, LaFayette; Henry J. West, Rydal SECOND DISTRICT: Bobby Gunter, Dahlonega; Randy Ruff, Elberton THIRD DISTRICT: George Chambers, Carrollton; Nora Goodman, Temple FOURTH DISTRICT: Marvin Ruark, Bishop; William Hutchins, Winder FIFTH DISTRICT: Jim Ham, Smarr; Ralph Adamson, Jr., Barnesville SIXTH DISTRICT: James Emory Tate, Denton; Jimmy Perry Jr., Cochran SEVENTH DISTRICT: Ben Boyd, Sylvania; Gennis Folsom, Glenville EIGHTH DISTRICT: Phil Redding, Bluffton; Don Wood, Rochelle NINTH DISTRICT: Paul Shirah, Camilla; Lucius Adkins, Elmodel TENTH DISTRICT: David Lee, Alma; Daniel Johnson, Alma YOUNG FARMER CHAIRMAN: Lanair Worsham, Camilla WOMEN’S COMMITTEE CHAIR: Kim Brown, Montezuma ADVERTISING POLICY All advertising accepted subject to publisher’s approval. Advertisers must assume liability for content of their advertising. Publisher maintains right to cancel advertising for non-payment or reader complaint about advertiser service or products. Publisher does not accept per-order, political or alcoholic beverage ads, nor does publisher prescreen or guarantee advertiser service or products. Publisher assumes no liability for products or services advertised in the Georgia Farm Bureau News.

For advertising rates and information, contact Hurst and Associates, Inc., P.O. Box 6011, Vernon Hills, IL 60061, 1-800-397-8908.

Georgia Farm Bureau News was established in 1937.

Copyright 2009 by the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation. Printed by Panaprint, Macon, Georgia.

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Georgia Farm Bureau News

legislative update Jon Huffmaster, Legislative Director

Farm Bureau opposes climate change bill When the late U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas (D-MA) ran for president in 1992 he proposed increasing the federal gas tax from just under a nickel to 50 cents per gallon. He theorized an increase in gas prices would encourage Americans to use less fuel and the additional revenue would benefit the U.S. Treasury.

We all know that most Americans did not embrace Tsongas’ theory in 1992 because Bill Clinton won the Democratic nomination and went on to unseat President George H.W. Bush. However, on June 26, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives, by a vote of 219-212, passed a climate change bill that harkens back to Tsongas’ 1992 plan. The bill will artificially raise the cost of energy, forcing Americans to use less of it.

The American Clean Energy Security Act, (H.R. 2454) introduced by U.S. Reps. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Edward Markey (D-MA), goes by many names: ACES, Waxman-Markey, the climate change bill or the cap and trade bill, to name a few.

H.R. 2454 is sweeping legislation, and a major provision is the cap and trade system it would implement. Basically, greenhouse gas emission limits, or caps, will be placed on industries to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere. If companies cannot meet those limits, they may purchase, or trade, for credits to allow them to exceed the limits.

The net effect of the legislation will be to increase the cost of energy based on a particular energy source’s level of greenhouse gas emissions. The longterm goal of H.R. 2454 is to make high emission energy sources too expensive to use, thereby reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in an effort to reduce global warming.

The first problem with H.R. 2454 is the expense that accompanies an intentional increase in the price of energy.

There is no dispute that H.R. 2454 will increase energy costs. The bill actually includes provisions to compensate low income taxpayers “for reductions in their purchasing power resulting from regulation of greenhouse gases.”

H.R. 2454 will significantly impact agriculture. Today’s farmers use large amounts of electricity and fuel, and energy is the major component in many fertilizers. Increases in fuel, fertilizer and electricity costs resulting from H.R. 2454 will affect the relationship of American farmers with the rest of the world.

In 2007, the U.S. exported more than $100 billion worth of agricultural products. Increased input costs will put American farmers at a competitive disadvantage with farmers in other countries that do not have similar greenhouse gas restrictions.

Another concern with H.R. 2454 is that while it seeks to wean Americans off fossil fuels, there is little in the bill to actually fill the energy void. While testifying before the Senate Agriculture Committee on July 22, AFBF President Bob Stallman said: “If you want coal and oil to play less and less a role in our energy mix, then figure out what will take their place before you put our nation on a diet that is bound to result in lower economic activity.”

Farm Bureau contends action by the United States will have little effect on the climate because greenhouse gas emissions require a global response. A ton of emissions in Georgia is the same as a ton in China. Regulating the Georgia emissions without regulating those in China will have a minimal impact on the environment. Most experts admit that if H.R. 2454 works exactly as planned, it would lower temperatures by no more than a few tenths of a degree by the year 2050.

H.R. 2454 is bound to create immense federal bureaucracy to oversee this plan.

It sets new energy conservation standards for industrial equipment, electric motors, lighting & appliances, and commercial & residential building codes.

The bill creates several new government entities and places additional responsibilities on the Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Health & Human Services and Secretary of State. Agencies named in the bill include the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.

Not everything in H.R. 2454 is bad.

The House Agriculture Committee did a good job in broadening the definition of renewable biomass to include more farm and forestry products. The Agriculture Committee also added helpful provisions to establish an agricultural and forestry offsets program within USDA. However, these improvements are not sufficient to make H.R. 2454 palatable. In a June 24 letter to the Georgia congressional delegation, GFB President Zippy Duvall wrote, “We believe the bill will cost more than it is worth due to the potential for a dramatic increase in input costs and the negative impact it will have on the bottom line of our state’s farmers.”

The bottom line is that the very idea of intentionally raising the price of an essential input with no expectation for return is ludicrous to most farmers. As Stallman put it, passage of this bill “will be embarking on a fool’s errand.”

The issue is now under consideration in the Senate. Both Sens. Chambliss and Isakson have expressed opposition to the bill. GFB urges members to contact the senators and encourage them in their opposition to climate change legislation.

The House passed the bill June 26.

See CLIMATE page 6

Georgia Farm Bureau News August-September 2009 / 5

Stripling picked to lead GA FSA Charles H. “Hobby” Stripling, of Vienna, is now serving as executive director of the Georgia Farm Service Agency, located in Athens, effective August 10. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced Stripling’s appointment by the Obama Administration July 30.

Prior to being named the Georgia FSA director, Stripling served as district director for U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall (D-Dist.8) since 2002 and previously served as district director for U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Dist.

2) from 1999-2002. He has also served as the mayor of Vienna and a municipal court judge in Vienna. Stripling attended Georgia Southwestern University and the University of Georgia Leadership Institute.

“Georgia Farm Bureau has enjoyed working with Hobby in his previous positions with Reps. Bishop and Marshall, and

our organization looks forward to working with him in his new role to help Georgia’s farmers,” GFB President Zippy Duvall said.

FSA administers and manages farm commodity, credit, conser vation, disaster and loan programs passed by Congress through a network of federal, state and county offices. The state and county offices administer FSA programs designed to insure a steady price range for agricultural commodities for both farmers and consumers. There are currently 72 county FSA offices in Georgia.

Smith to lead GA Agribusiness Center Donnie Smith, of Willacoochee, is the executive director of the Georgia Center of Innovation for Agribusiness headquartered in Tifton, effective July 27, the Georgia Department of Economic Development announced July 28.

Smith has served as Gov. Sonny Perdue’s liason for agriculture and managed the Governor’s Agricultural Advisory Committee since 2003. He will retain several of these duties as special advisor to Gov. Perdue on agriculture affairs and will continue to lead the Agricultural Advisory Committee. He is a fifth-generation farmer and owner of Smith Farms in Coffee and Atkinson counties. He is a past recipient of the Georgia Sunbelt Expo Farmer of the Year Award and the Georgia Flue-Cured Tobacco Farmer of the Year Award. He

serves on the Georgia Rural Development Council and many other local, state and national agriculture organizations including being a director of the Coffee County Farm Bureau.

The Center of Innovation for Agribusiness is housed on the Tifton Campus of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. The center provides statewide strategic industry expertise while accelerating growth among Georgia’s agribusiness industry.

CLIMATE from page 5 Farm Bureau urged a NO vote. Members of the Georgia House delegation voted as follows: Voting NO Representative Jack Kingston (R-1) Representative Lynn Westmoreland (R-3) Representative Tom Price (R-6) Representative John Linder (R-7) Representative Jim Marshall (D-8) Representative Nathan Deal (R-9)

Representative Paul Broun (R-10) Representative Phil Gingrey (R-11) Representative John Barrow (D-12) Voting YES Representative Sanford Bishop (D-2) Representative Hank Johnson (D-4) Representative John Lewis (D-5) Representative David Scott (D-13) Jon Huffmaster is director of the GFB Legislative Department.

6 / August-September 2009

Mullis receives Strickland Memorial Scholarship

Christopher Mullis, of Alma, has been named the 2009 recipient of the B. Frank Strickland Memorial Scholarship.

The son of Steve and Julie Mullis, Christopher recently g r a du at e d from Bacon County High School and is attending Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

The $500 scholarship is annually awarded to an entering freshman or rising sophomore at ABAC who is from a county where tobacco production occurs. Lanier County farmer B. Frank Strickland was a lifelong advocate of Georgia’s tobacco industry and an active Georgia Farm Bureau member, who served on the GFB Board of Directors for 27 years including serving as GFB 1st vice president from 1984 to 1992. He also served on the Flue-Cured Tobacco Cooperative Stabilization Corporation’s Board from 1978 until his death in 1998 representing all the flue-cured tobacco producing counties in Georgia and Alabama.

The ABAC Foundation administers the scholarship. A selection committee comprised of representatives from Georgia Farm Bureau, the Georgia Tobacco Commission and the Lanier County Farm Bureau select the recipient. Applications for the 2010 scholarship may be obtained from high school counselors in tobacco producing counties or visit www. abac.edu/Scholarships/Application/ stricklandapp.htm to download a form. Completed applications should be returned to the Georgia Farm Bureau Commodities/Marketing Department, P.O. Box 7068, Macon, Georgia 31209 by April 15, 2010.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

GFB names Harden senior director of sales Hall Harden is the new senior director of sales for the Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance Companies, effective August 17. Harden began his career with Georgia Farm Bureau in 1992 as an insurance agent in Worth County before moving to North Fulton County Farm Bureau in 1995.

He was promoted to GFB estate planning specialist in 1997 and then to his most recent position as a district sales manager in 2000. Immediately prior to his promotion,

GHSRA honors GFB

The Georgia High School Rodeo Association (GHSRA) recently presented Georgia Farm Bureau with a plaque of appreciation for the organization’s 2008-2009 sponsorship of the GHSRA’s scholarship program. Jeb Brown (right), the GHSRA vice president and 2009 recipient of the GHSRA Georgia Farm Bureau Scholarship, presented the plaque to GFB President Zippy Duvall during a visit to the GFB home office in Macon, June 30. Each year, GHSRA awards around $20,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors.

Brown, a 2009 graduate of Harris County High School, received the $1,500 GFB Academic Scholarship during the GHSRA State Finals Competition held in Perry at the Georgia Agricenter and National Fairgrounds, May 29-31.

The son of Kin and Beth Brown, of Hamilton, Jeb is attending Columbus State University and later plans to transfer to the University of Georgia to pursue an agricultural degree. In July, Brown competed in the National High School Rodeo Association Championship in Farmington, New Mexico, where he made it to the championship round placing 13th overall out of 119 contestants.

Harden was managing insurance sales in the GFB 10th District and part of District 8, overseeing a territory of 22 county offices, 70 agents, 60,000 members and $63 million in property and casualty premiums. Prior to joining GFB he worked for State Farm Insurance and Jefferson Pilot.

“Hall has been a valuable member of the Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance team for seventeen years and understands how our company operates from the various positions he has held during his Farm Bureau career,” GFB President Zippy Duvall said. “I am confident he will continue to serve us well in his new position.”

A native of Sylvester, Harden has an associate degree from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia in agricultural economics. He and his wife, Melinda, who is a pharmacist, have three children – Haley, 8, MacKenzie, 7, and Ren,

3. The Hardens are active members of the First Baptist Church of Tifton. He is the son of Rep. Buddy and Linda Harden of Cordele.

“I look forward to working with Hall in his new role,” GFB Insurance General Manager Mike Cook said. “We conducted a thorough search to find the right candidate for this position. A number of internal candidates were considered by our management team and assessed by an outside consulting firm.

We were very impressed with the talents exhibited by all the candidates who applied from within Georgia Farm Bureau and I personally want to thank all of our candidates for their interest and cooperation during the selection process.”

GA Forestry Assoc. presents Evergreen Award to GFB

The Georgia Forestry Association (GFA) presented Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) with its Evergreen Award during the forestry group’s annual convention in Savannah on July 20. GFB President Zippy Duvall (center) accepted the award from GFA Executive Vice President Steve McWilliams (left) and GFA President Glen Warnock (right).

GFB is the first recipient of the GFA’s Evergreen Award, which will be presented annually to an organization that has demonstrated superior advocacy on behalf of Georgia’s forests. McWilliams said GFA awarded Farm Bureau with the award in recognition of the efforts the farmer organization made last year to encourage Georgia voters to pass Amendment 1, which created the Forest Land Protection Act (FLPA). The FLPA allows contiguous tracts of timber of 200 or more acres to be taxed according to its use as a forest instead of at the higher fair market value.

“Georgia Farm Bureau’s role in the effort to amend Georgia’s Constitution to safeguard the future of Georgia’s forests cannot be overstated,” said McWilliams.

“There is no stronger or better advocate for Georgia agriculture and the well-being of the families and businesses that contribute so much to this state, especially its rural communities.”

Georgia Farm Bureau News August-September 2009 / 7

Gfb commodity conference kicks off pd, addresses ag issues

T

he 31st Annual Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Conference served as the kickoff for the organization’s annual policy development process, which the organization uses to determine its position on a variety of issues. Guest speakers provided attendees with a fresh perspective on farmers’ responsibility in ensuring food safety, how to respond to the media during crisis situations and steps Farm Bureau is taking to address the attacks on livestock production by animal activists.

Members of GFB’s 20 Commodity Advisory Committees met August 6, in Perry, at the Georgia Agricenter.

“The issues you discuss during your committee meetings this afternoon will continue to be discussed throughout policy development discussions this fall,” GFB President Zippy Duvall said.

Conference speakers included Dr. Darlene Cowart, president of J.L. Leek and Associates, Gary Caloroso, vice president of Sahlman-Williams Public Relations & Marketing and Jim Sartwelle, an American Farm Bureau livestock economist.

FOOD SAFETY Cowart encouraged peanut growers to think of their peanuts as a food ingredient rather than a commodity.

“Peanuts are food ingredients, consequently food quality is established at the 8 / August-September 2009

farm. Growers are the first link in the chain of food safety and quality,” Cowart said.

She said peanut growers should evaluate their farms for any potential food safety risks. Recognizing that peanuts are grown in dirt, Cowart said food safety precautions must follow a common sense approach. Cowart recommends growCowart ers avoid planting peanuts in fields prone to excessive flooding from streams or runoff from livestock waste. She also suggested growers take steps to keep wildlife out of fields as much as possible. For example, growers plagued by feral hogs could allow hunters access to their property.

“You can’t keep wildlife out completely, but you’ve got to be aware of the risks and decrease them any way possible.”

She also recommended growers sanitize and maintain their equipment and protect their groundwater and irrigation sources from chemicals. Most importantly, Cowart stressed the importance of documenting all of the routine things that go into producing a peanut crop.

“These are things many of you are already doing. You’re just not doing them in the context for food safety,” Cowart said.

MEDIA & CRISIS MANAGEMENT Calorosa told the GFB members to remain calm, courteous and respectful if a reporter contacts them seeking a response to a food safety crisis. He advised farmers to take notes of what the reporter says and asks, but not to respond on the spot.

Instead, he recommended telling the reporter you need to learn more about the situation and arrange a time to further discuss the situation. Attendees received cards with instructions on handling media calls.

“The key thing is to have a thought-out message and to stay focused on your message and what you want to say,” Calorosa said. “Talk about the positive things you’ve done on your farm and steps you’re taking to prevent a food safety crisis from happening on your farm.”

Farmers should realize that reporters have different interview styles, Calorosa said. “Stay composed regardless of how the reporter interviews you and stay on your message.”

In the event you did do something wrong, Calorosa advises accepting responsibility for the action, expressing regret, voicing your plan to prevent the event from happening again and offering restitution.

“If you do these four steps the crisis will often end right there,” Calorosa said. “If you don’t, the crisis will escalate. If the event was an isolated incident state that as well.”

ANIMAL WELFARE Sartwelle outlined steps the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is taking to dictate how livestock is raised by getting voters to pass state referendums mandating living conditions.

The HSUS has succeeded in getting Florida voters to outlaw the use of sow gestation crates, Arizona voters to outlaw the use of sow and veal crates Sartwelle and California and Colorado voters to outlaw sow, veal and layer hen crates. HSUS is currently working to get Ohio voters to pass similar legislation.

“I think this is the entire ballgame for U.S animal agriculture,” Sartwelle said. “Where we’ve failed miserably is not being united as farmers. I can guarantee you that if they get Continued next page Georgia Farm Bureau News

From previous page one segment of agriculture they’re going to come after your industry next.”

Sartwelle said the goal of groups such as the HSUS, PETA and Farm Sanctuary is to end meat consumption in the U.S. Instead, Sartwelle said these groups are just telling the public that they want to end egregious production practices.

Sartwelle said agriculture has to reach out to the public to shape their perception of livestock production instead of letting animal welfare groups take control.

“We have to get our message out to the public that we take care of our animals because we’re moral, and we love what we do and take our responsibility and privilege to feed the world seriously,” he said.

Sartwelle advised farmers to run their operations every day as if the local third grade class is coming to visit. He praised GFB for securing passage of Georgia H.B. 529, which prevents local governments from passing ordinances to regulate livestock production.

New commodities eligible for farm storage loans Fruit and vegetable cold storage facilities and storage facilities for hay and renewable biomass facilities are now eligible for USDA Farm Storage Facility Loans (FSFL) as provided by the 2008 farm bill, the USDA announced Aug. 17. The FSFL program provides lowinterest financing for producers to build or upgrade farm storage and handling facilities. Other commodities eligible for FSFLs are corn, grain sorghum, soybeans, oats, peanuts, wheat, barley, or minor oilseeds harvested as whole grain, all of the aforementioned crops harvested as other-than whole grain and lentils, small chickpeas and dry peas.

Applications for FSFLs must be submitted to the local Farm Service Agency office that maintains a farm’s records. The maximum principal amount of a FSFL is $500,000. Participants are required to provide a down payment of 15 percent, with the USDA Commodity Credit Cor-

poration (CCC) providing a loan for the remaining 85 percent of the net cost.

Loan terms of 7, 10 or 12 years are available depending on the amount of the loan. Interest rates are based on the rate at which CCC borrows from the U.S. Treasury Department. An FSFL must be approved before any site preparation or construction begins. FSA must evaluate the potential impacts a proposed storage facility could have on the environment before approving any FSFL application.

Signup for the loans is underway.

Lanier receives GFB Commodity Award

GFB honored Bill Lanier, who is the Candler County Farm Bureau president, for a lifetime spent in service to agriculture. Lanier served as GFB president from 1964-1970.

“Bill Lanier has spent his entire life as an advocate for Georgia farmers, first during his 12 years of service in the Georgia General Assembly, then during the six years he served as president of Georgia Farm Bureau, followed by holding numerous director positions at USDA on the national level, ” Duvall said.

“It is an honor to present this award to someone who is so dedicated to Georgia agriculture and Georgia Farm Bureau.”

A native of Candler County, Lanier began farming row crops, raising livestock and growing timber at age 20. He is a veteran of World War II and served as a Seabee in the Navy, stationed in the Philippines. He earned degrees from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and the University of Georgia. He has served as the Candler County Farm Bureau president for 21 years.

Lanier served six terms in the Geor-

gia House of Representatives, during which he chaired the House Agriculture Committee from 1954-1958. While a member of the Georgia General Assembly, Lanier introduced and passed numerous farm and consumer protection bills. In one session, Lanier wrote and passed 33 farm-related bills inspiring an Atlanta paper to refer to it as the “Farm Session.” He introduced a bill that eliminated the disease Vesicular Exanthema in Georgia’s swine herds, which was later adopted by every state in the United States, resulting in the disease being downgraded in the U.S. to an exotic disease in 1959. He also authored an amendment to the Georgia Constitution to compensate any person, firm or corporation that developed a practical, economic way to eradicate the boll weevil in cotton. This marked the beginning of the Boll Weevil Eradication Program.

Following his service in the Georgia General Assembly, Lanier served as GFB president. He then went to Washington, D.C., to work for the United States Department of Agriculture. At the USDA he held numerous positions including director of

Pictured from left, GFB President Zippy Duvall presents the 2009 Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Award to William “Bill” Lanier, with his wife Jean, during the organization’s annual commodity conference.

the USDA Tobacco Division, director of the USDA Peanut/Tobacco Division, director of USDA Policy Analysis and assistant administrator of the Agriculture Stabilization Conservation Service, the predecessor to the current Farm Service Agency.

In 2004, Lanier was inducted into the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Georgia Agriculture Hall of Fame.

Georgia Farm Bureau News August-September 2009 / 9

timber update

Jim Griffith, Timber and Real Estate Manager

Delaying your timber harvest for higher prices can cost you It has been 10 years since we experienced what I call a “perfect storm” of timber prices. In 1999, there were a number of circumstances that occurred simultaneously leading to a brief period of all-time-high timber prices. We saw pine and hardwood species bring record high stumpage prices.

These all-time-high prices were also found in pulp and solid wood products.

As timber prices tumbled following that record high market, many people chose not to sell and decided to wait for the high prices to return. We had a middle Georgia landowner who chose to delay thinning his 200 plus acres of planted pine when prices dropped to $12 per ton. Two years later, Southern Pine Beetles attacked his over-crowded, and thereby stressed, pines, that resulted in him losing more than 10 acres of trees before he called us to salvage the remaining timber.

To make things worse, prices continued to decline to a low of $7 per ton resulting in a $5 per ton loss in price drops alone, not to mention the loss the owner experienced due to dead and dying beetle-killed trees. This low price of $7 per ton has remained steady since that time. There have been temporary fluctuations in price but we have seen nowhere near the so-called “low prices” of $12 per ton that kept our landowner from selling his timber 10 years ago.

This scenario is not unique to pulp prices or pine. This story has been true for pine sawtimber and hardwood prices as well. This long-term down swing in prices has remained and prices have been relatively stable throughout a period where the economic environment has been allowed to make adjustments according to the price and demand curve. Who knows how or when our economy will recover with the financial market we are experiencing today where every aspect of the economy seems to be on the downturn and the government is making adjustments like this country has never seen before. We could be like the seller who chose not to sell a decade ago for $12 per ton and end up waiting

USDA grants disaster designation to 60 GA counties The USDA has declared 60 Georgia counties as disaster areas due to crop damage sustained from excessive rainfall, flash flooding, severe wind, tornadoes and lightning from March 2009 to mid-July, Gov. Sonny Perdue announced July 24. An additional 28 counties have been named as contiguous disaster areas.

The disaster designation was made in response to requests Perdue submitted in April and July.

The 60 counties declared as primary disaster areas are: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Baker, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bibb,

Timber Prices for August 2009 The following is a range of prices for pine pulpwood, chip-n-saw and sawtimber in general regions of Georgia. It is important to note that this is a range. Price will vary by specific location, logability of the tract, quality of wood, amount of volume and access.

Time and need of specific buyers could greatly affect any price.

Areas Pine Sawtimber Pine Pulpwood Chip-n-Saw North 19.50 - 30.00/Ton 3.00 - 7.00/Ton 9.00 - 16.00/Ton Middle 21.00 - 32.00/Ton 4.00 - 8.00/Ton 9.00 - 16.00/Ton South 22.00 - 32.00/Ton 4.00 - 11.50/Ton 10.00 - 17.00/Ton The prices quoted in this report come from timber sales managed by the Forestry Division of the Georgia Farm Bureau Real Estate Company or sales of which our foresters have direct knowledge.

10 / August-September 2009

another 10 years for prices to improve.

The economic experts I hear are suggesting we not even look for the beginning of recovery from this recession until the end of next year, some 18 months away.

But if our country continues with more stimulus bailouts and to print money without restraint, who knows what will happen or when?

I don’t claim to be smart enough to predict timber prices under the best of economic conditions, so I certainly won’t attempt to predict prices in these economic times. If you are considering the sale of timber or land, give me a call to help evaluate what and how you need to proceed in marketing your trees. You can reach me at (478) 747-0812.

Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Calhoun, Candler, Chatham, Clay, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Crawford, Crisp, Decatur, Dooly, Dougherty, Early, Echols, Effingham, Houston, Jeff Davis, Lamar, Lanier, Long, Lowndes, Macon, Marion, Miller, Mitchell, Monroe, Montgomery, Peach, Pierce, Pike, Quitman, Randolph, Seminole, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Taylor, Terrell, Tift, Thomas, Toombs, Treutlen, Turner, Upson, Ware, Wayne, Webster, Wilcox and Worth.

The 28 counties designated as contiguous disaster areas are: Bleckley, Bulloch, Butts, Camden, Chattahoochee, Charlton, Dodge, Emanuel, Evans, Glynn, Grady, Irwin, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Laurens, Lee, Liberty, McIntosh, Meriwether, Pulaski, Screven, Spalding, Talbot, Tattnall, Telfair, Twiggs and Wheeler.

Farmers with damage in primary disaster or contiguous counties may apply for low-interest loans if they meet eligibility requirements determined by the USDA. The USDA Farm Service Agency supervises the loans and will consider each farm’s losses, available loan security and repayment ability. Contact your local FSA office for more information.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

GFB supports Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement The National Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (NLGMA) Proponent Group, which includes Georgia Farm Bureau and the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), has sent a letter to the USDA asking the agency to begin the process of establishing a national marketing agreement for leafy greens. The NLGMA would establish a standard set of auditable guidelines for the production, handling, processing and distribution of leafy greens to ensure food safety. These standards will be based on the FDA and USDA Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits & Vegetables. Leafy greens include arugula, cabbage (red, green and savoy) chard, cilantro, endive, escarole, kale, lettuce, parsley, raddichio, spinach, spring mix or any other leafy green vegetable recommended by the marketing agreement committee and approved by the USDA. “As growers and shippers we must establish standards that continue to give consumers confidence our produce is safe,” said GFVGA Executive Director Charles Hall. “We’re trying to establish commodity and region specific standards so growers can say they are following good agricultural practices. I would rather us have guidelines in place before the federal government tells us what we’ve got to do. If we’ve got things in place we’ll be in a much better position to make sure we have grower input as these guidelines are developed than if we depend on the FDA to make those for us” The proposed NLGMA would be a voluntary program but the proponent group says parties that don’t participate will not enjoy the benefits of the program such as market preference. Leafy green handlers – anyone who receives, acquires, sells, pro-

cesses, ships, distributes or imports greens in their natural form – raw, fresh cut or packaged, will be the agreement participants. In signing the agreement, handlers agree to buy produce from growers with third party certification that their farms meet NLGMA standards. Hall said most Georgia growers are also handlers. A handler does not include a retailer, foodservice distributor or fresh produce broker.

The agreement would be funded by an assessment paid by handlers who choose to participate. The rate will be recommended by the marketing committee and may not exceed five cents per a 24-pound container.

Assessments will cover third party audits to ensure participants are meeting the NLGMA’s standards.

The USDA is expected to hold a public hearing on the NLGMA in September or October in Georgia or Florida. Handlers are expected to vote on the agreement in

Agroforestry and Wildlife Field Day

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UGA Westbrook Research Farm, Griffin Field Day topics will include forest road construction, selling timber and pine straw, prescribed burning, wildlife management, wetland and pond management, stream crossings and stream stabilization. Pesticide and continuing education credits will be awarded for attending. Registration is $30. For more information visit www.caes.uga. edu/events/awfd09 or call (770) 229-3477.

January. Dates for the hearing and vote had not been set as we went to press. Visit the NLGMA Web site at www.nlgma.org for updated information.

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Georgia Farm Bureau News August-September 2009 / 11

commodities/marketing update Brandon Ashley, Commodites/Marketing Specialist

The pros and cons of using produce brokers If you grow fruits or vegetables, chances are at some point you may have considered hiring a broker to find a market for your produce. Brokers find a market with the best price for their clients’ product.

Unlike wheat or corn that can be placed in storage, there is a small window of opportunity for fresh produce to be harvested, packed, shipped and bought by the consumer.

Georgia is fortunate to be in a good geographical location. We are within an 18-hour drive of large population centers such as New York, Baltimore and Miami.

This advantage allows farmers to pick more mature produce and deliver a fresher product on time.

One advantage of using a large brokering firm is it may have extensive connections, not only in the United States, but in foreign markets such as Europe or Asia. Someone who works with the broker could be on the ground at the destination to ensure any problems at delivery are resolved. When dealing with buyers who are hundreds of miles away or on a different continent, a broker can help make sure the farmer is paid in a timely manner. The quicker the broker gets his money, the quicker the farmer gets paid.

Sometimes a broker will provide some of the materials needed for production.

Seed, plastic, boxes, pallets and trucking are items that a broker may cover. There are costs associated with the broker providing these items. The more the broker pays upfront, the more he will charge for these services. The costs associated with supplies do not take into account other deductions such as labor and packing that will affect the profit margins.

However, brokers do not always work for your interests. For example, a broker has a bigger investment in a 500 acre watermelon crop, for which he has provided production materials, than a 50 acre watermelon crop.

If the window to get a good market is closing, the broker may be more willing to help a farm with the most acres to increase 12 / August-September 2009

his profit. The broker is most likely to send the produce from the 500 acre farm to the market with the best price because more of his investment is tied up in this farm. In this situation, the smaller farm is likely to get the lower price.

How to Choose the Best Broker Perhaps you’re skeptical of using a broker after hearing some of the worst-case horror stories other farmers have experienced. There have been reports of brokers hauling produce off the farm under the guise of shipping it to a buyer, only to never pay the farmer for his crop or be heard from again. Unfortunately, the actions of a few have cast a negative image of fruit and vegetable brokers as a whole.

The best way to find out if a broker is reputable is to ask other farmers in your area or within a specific commodity group for recommendations. If a broker has a history of not doing what he is supposed to, then his reputation will usually precede him.

Another way to judge which brokers would be good to do business with is to ask the amount for which they are bonded. If a broker has a surety bond, there is coverage to provide limited financial protection to the farmer. The amount a broker is bonded for is the amount he is liable to pay the farmer if something goes wrong.

Most brokers in Georgia are bonded for $100,000 or less.

This number can be deceiving, because there is a limit on how much a farmer can get from a claim. However, most brokers aren’t bonded for enough to cover what they owe the farmer. If there are multiple farmers who are owed money, the little compensation they receive would be less.

For example, let’s say two farmers file a no-pay claim against a broker. One farmer is owed $10,000 while the other is owed $5,000. The broker is bonded for $1,000.

The farmer with $10,000 has 66% of the total debt, so he would get $667 while the farmer with $1,000 (33% of the total debt) would get approximately $333.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture handles the bonding of brokers. For more specific details on surety bonds for buyers of agricultural products, contact Phil Floyd, at (404) 656-3725 or by e-mail at pfloyd@agr.state.ga.us.

Veteran farmers have described the use of brokers in the fresh produce industry as a “necessary evil.” If someone is going to take advantage of you, chances are they have done it to someone else. As with any other business venture, the best way to avoid getting put in a bad situation is to do your homework and check out anyone with whom you are considering doing business.

Brandon Ashley is a commodity specialist in the GFB Commodities/Marketing Department.

Workers at the farm of Wilcox County farmer Bob McLeod prepare cantaloupes for shipping to out-of-state markets arranged by McLeod’s produce broker.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

young farmer update Andy Lucas, Young Farmer Coordinator

GFB sponsors Young Farmer Futures Seminar

Participants in the GFB Young Farmer Futures Seminar were: (seated L-R) Lee & Sarah Nunn of Morgan County; Laura Johnson of Decatur County; Kristi Worsham of Mitchell County; Christy Marsh of Bulloch County; Kelsey Bolton of Terrell County; Jennifer McMillan of Berrien County; Jesse McMillan of Berrien County and Clint M. Weatherby of Cherokee County. (Standing, L-R) Jesse Bolton of Terrell County; Joey Williams of Cook County; Ladon Calhoun of Miller County; Matthew Johnson of Decatur County; Lanair Worsham of Mitchell County; Brandon A. King of Madison County; Elliott Marsh of Bulloch County; Cliff Moncrief of Crawford County, Judson Hornsby of Decatur County, Jason West of Candler County, Lanis Adams of Greene County; Bradford Marks of Newton County; Will Godowns of Pike County; Jeff Collins of Mitchell County and Levi Cagle of Cherokee County.

Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmers traveled to Chicago, July 6-8, to learn how to integrate futures and hedging contracts into their farm financial plans. Twentyfour young farmers from 15 county Farm Bureaus participated in the event sponsored by the GFB Young Farmer Committee.

“This was a wonderful opportunity to learn about the futures markets and be able to see the real action with the commodity markets,” GFB Young Farmer Committee Chairman Lanair Worsham said. “We hope the young farmer participants will take the information and adapt it to meet their individual economic needs on their farms.”

The seminar, held at the CME Group Inc., included the following sessions: Price Risk Management, Fundamentals of Commodities and Futures Markets, What Is An Option and Futures, Options and Calls.

The seminar ended with the group dividing into teams of five to simulate soybean market transactions.

During the seminar, the young farmers toured the CME Group building and saw trading activities upclose as they were escorted through the trade floor. Senior See SEMINAR page 17 Georgia Farm Bureau News August-September 2009 / 13

GFB members encouraged to participate in Harvest for All food drive

D

ue to the recession, many Georgia communities are experiencing higher levels of unemployment and poverty causing a greater demand at food banks at a time when donations are down. To help, Georgia Farm Bureau is teaming up with its county offices to collect staple food items for the hungry during its 5th Annual Harvest for All Campaign.

The goal is for each county Farm Bureau to collect at least four grocery bags of nonperishable staple food items and donate $50 per county Farm Bureau.

Contact your county Farm Bureau office to learn its deadline for donating food items or making a monetary donation. Collection deadlines will vary by county Farm Bureau as each county will deliver the food items they collect to their GFB district annual fall meeting.

“As farmers, we are in the business of feeding people, and we don’t want to see anyone go hungry because they have fallen on hard times and can’t afford to buy food,” Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall said. “Our organization has many generous members who want to help those in need, and I am certain we can meet

WE, THE FARMER from page 4 expands the jurisdiction of the federal government to all waters of the United States.

GFB policy affirms our belief in limits to federal regulation and that the federal government must respect state laws and agencies.

Regarding the healthcare debate, GFB policy states that it is important for Congress to address the disparities that exist between rural and non-rural communities.

Based on our policy, we oppose any healthcare legislation that includes a mandate for employers to provide insurance or other payments for their workers because farmers simply cannot afford that additional cost.

Many rural communities are underserved by health care professionals, so GFB supports incentives to correct that problem.

Food safety is another important issue being discussed in Washington. We all need our food to be safe, and farmers, just like everyone else, buy most of our food at the grocery store. However, when a food scare occurs, it’s not just our health at risk, but our economic well-being. When markets for 14 / August-September 2009

Pictured from left, Early County Farm Bureau Agency Manager Jamie Davis and ECFB Vice President Steven Moore deliver food items to a staff member with the Food Bank of Southwest Georgia during GFB’s last Harvest for All Campaign.

and exceed our donation goal, as we have in past campaigns. By supporting the food bank network of Georgia during harvest season, we will remind the public where food really comes from.”

The food and money donations will be distributed to a network of eight regional food banks across the state that distribute the food to more than 800 nonprofit agencies throughout Georgia. The top 10 staple

food items requested by the food banks are peanut butter, cereal, canned meat, rice, dried beans or peas, macaroni & cheese, boxed pizza, Hamburger Helper®, soup, and canned vegetables. The monetary donations will also be divided among the food banks to help them cover their operational costs and purchase food in bulk.

The GFB Young Farmer and Women’s Committees are coordinating the food drive.

our crops disappear due to consumer fear, crops spoil in the field or sit in warehouses, and farmers lose their income.

Congress is considering farm inspection of more crops, and our policy is not clear on this issue. Some products, like milk and eggs, have been subject to on-farm inspection for years, which GFB policy supports, but what about inspections for additional crops? None of us wants more bureaucratic paperwork, but we cannot afford to lose consumer confidence in our products.

Farm Bureau needs your input on these important issues.

While Farm Bureau is working hard to represent your interests in Washington, if you find yourself troubled by the direction Washington seems to be headed, remember that you have an even better advocate than Farm Bureau.

In 1 Kings 3:9, Solomon asked God for wisdom. The King James Version reads, “Give to your servant an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may

discern between good and evil.” The New Living translation of this verse reads, “Give me an understanding mind so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great nation of yours?” This must be our prayer for our country because President Obama nor Congress can save this country without God’s wisdom.

I pray every day for God to give me wisdom to lead this great organization.

During this upcoming policy development session I am sure He will bless me through the insight you, the farmers of Georgia, will provide.

Summer will soon be over and before you know it fall – a popular time for family reunions, church revivals, homecomings, and, yes, county and district Farm Bureau annual meetings – will be here. My wife, Bonnie, and I are looking forward to seeing you in the coming months.

God bless you.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

If you produce Bermudagrass hay and are a Georgia Farm Bureau member, you’re invited to enter the 2009 GFB Quality Hay Contest. Hay entered in the contest will be tested at the University of Georgia testing lab using the Relative Forage Quality Test, which predicts the fiber digestibility and animal intake of hay.

Entry forms outlining the procedure for competing in the contest will be available at county Farm Bureau offices in September. There is a $10 entry fee to cover the analysis of each sample entered. The deadline for entering the contest is October 30.

Winners will be determined by the results of the lab analysis and a visual inspection by a forage specialist. Final judging of the top five lab analysis samples will occur at the annual Georgia Farm Bureau Convention on Jekyll Island in December. Winners will be announced during the Hay Commodity Conference on Monday, Dec. 7.

Contest participants will receive a detailed printout from the University of Georgia of their hay analysis information.

Prizes will be presented to the top

Photo by Rick Treptow

GFB announces 2009 hay contest

Pictured from left, Georgia Farm Bureau 1st District Director J. Louis Hunt and Vermeer Senior Territory Manager Bryan Setzer presented Bartow County Farm Bureau member Dean Bagwell with a Vermeer hay-tethering machine for winning the 2008 GFB Quality Hay Contest. Bagwell will have the option to buy the machine after using it for a year.

Bagwell’s operation, Shady Grove Farm, is a third-generation family farm that produces about 150 acres of hay per year, most of which is marketed to horse owners.

five producers. The first place winner will receive the free use for one year of a Vermeer Rebel Trailed Hay Mower, compliments of Vermeer Manufacturing Company. The winner will have the option of buying the mower at a reduced price at the end of the year.

The annual contest is sponsored by

GFB accepting listings for hay and poultry litter directory The Georgia Farm Bureau Hay Advisory Committee is preparing to publish the 2010 edition of the Georgia Farm Bureau Quality Hay Directory. All Georgia producers who have hay or poultry litter for sale are encouraged to list their operations in the directory.

“Hay production is much better this year compared to the last several droughtstricken years, but the increase in hay means there will be more competition among sellers. Being listed in the GFB hay directory gives our members another avenue for advertising their hay to potential customers,” GFB Hay Committee Chairman Dene Channel said. “The directory also serves as a way to connect poultry producers with landowners wanting to fertilize their fields or pastures with chicken litter.”

Directory application forms will be available at all county Farm Bureau offices

in September. October 30 is the deadline for applying to be listed in the directory.

The directory is scheduled to be printed in late November. Producers should complete the form and send it to the Georgia Farm Bureau office in Macon with a check for $10 for each listing. Checks should be made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau.

Because this publication is used for an entire year, producers should list their normal or average production of round and square bales and accurately complete other information on the application form.

The 2010 GFB Quality Hay and Poultry Litter Directory will be distributed to county Farm Bureaus, county extension offices, the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association, cattle producers, dairy producers, horse owners, directory participants, and at Sunbelt Expo and the annual GFB Convention.

the GFB Hay Advisory Committee and is designed to encourage the production of better quality hay in Georgia.

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Georgia Farm Bureau News August-September 2009 / 15

FUEL doesn’t anticipate filing bankruptcy By Jennifer Whittaker ____________________________________ Contrary to recent media reports, officials with First United Ethanol, LLC (FUEL) in Camilla say the company does not anticipate filing bankruptcy and fully expects to pay its principal and interest payments to West LB on September 30 as scheduled.

The Atlanta Business Chronicle reported in late August that the Mitchell County ethanol plant could “slip into the arms of bankruptcy protection” based on the 10Q filing FUEL submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission June 30. FUEL is registered with the SEC as a limited liability company and is required to file a 10Q, a risk assessment document that provides full disclosure of a company’s financial status at the end of each quarter. The ethanol plant operates as Southwest Georgia Ethanol, LLC (SWGE), a wholly-owned subsidiary of First United Ethanol, LLC. “We did post a loss as of June 30

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because of the high price of corn and reduced demand for gas. But in the last two months, the markets have turned and we feel much more positive,” said Alicia Shirah, FUEL director of communications.

FUEL expects to be able to satisfy its cash requirements for the next 12 months using only its revolving line of credit, senior credit facility and earnings from operations, as reported in its 10Q dated June 30. According to a statement the company released on August 24, the ethanol plant has enjoyed positive crush margins for the last two months that continue to improve its cash flow and liquidity, and the company’s August crush margins have grown stronger due to the plant’s ability to purchase local corn. “We’re optimistic that favorable margins will continue as we complete our fourth fiscal quarter and move into the corn harvest season with local corn producers already beginning to deliver

their 2009 crop to our facility,” Shirah said.

FUEL has purchased more than $5 million or about 1.4 million bushels of corn from almost 400 farmers within a 100 mile radius of the plant since mid-July, Shirah said.

“Many of the references in the articles were based on risk factors that exist in the ethanol industry and events that could happen. Outlining these risk factors in a company’s 10Q filing does not imply that this situation will occur or is occurring,” said Jimmy Anderson, director of the Energy Group of West LB, lead bank for the syndicate which holds the senior credit agreement and line of credit for SWGE. “While the ethanol industry as a whole struggled earlier in the year, many ethanol plants including SWGE are currently realizing improved margins.”

SWGE initiated its first grind on Oct. 10, 2008. Construction on the $196 million plant began in May of 2007.

Pilgrim’s pride closing Athens processing plant By the middle of October, Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. will close one of its two chicken processing plants in Athens, Ga., the company announced in July. This is the second time this year that the company has reduced operations at its Oneta Street facility. The company eliminated almost 100 jobs in February when it eliminated the plant’s night shift. Production from the Oneta Street plant will be consolidated into the company’s neighboring Barber Street facility and several other facilities in north Georgia in an effort to bring those plants to full capacity, according to a statement the company released. The consolidation will affect about 330 employees. Most will be offered jobs at the Barber Street plant or at nearby Pilgrim’s Pride facilities. The company will also close a processing plant in Athens, Ala., by October.

Pilgrim’s Pride says it does not expect any significant reduction in the number of contract growers as a direct result of idling these plants and most growers will be transitioned to supplying other complexes.

In January, after shutting down the Oneta Street night shift, Pilgrim’s Pride eliminated three million square feet of grower space, which phased out growers ranked in the bot-

tom 11 percent of company performance.

The closure of the Pilgrim’s Pride processing plant in Douglas this spring impacted between 140-150 growers. The approximate 120 growers who supplied the company’s processing plant in Dalton, which closed earlier this summer, had their production transitioned to Pilgrim’s Pride plants in Chattanooga and elsewhere in north Georgia.

Pilgrim’s Pride filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Dec. 1, 2008.

On Dec. 30, the bankruptcy court gave the company approval for up to $450 million in financing to keep operating while it is under bankruptcy protection. The Pittsburg, Texasbased company is one of the largest chicken companies in the U.S. and Mexico. The company cited the high grain prices of last year and an oversupply of chicken coupled with smaller product demand for its bankruptcy filing. The company acquired Gold Kist, Inc., in 2007 for $1.1 billion, which some analysts say is the primary cause of its large debt load. In addition to the plant closings in Georgia, the company has also closed plants in Arkansas, Louisiana and Florida.

Plant consolidation is a key component of See PLANT next page Georgia Farm Bureau News

Brim named GA Sunbelt Farmer of the Year

PLANT from previous page an effort the company is making to restructure Pilgrim’s Pride as a market-driven company, Pilgrim’s Pride President Don Jackson said. “We are taking these actions now to protect the jobs of our 41,000 employees and 4,500 growers so that we can emerge from Chapter 11 as a stronger company.”

SEMINAR from page 13 market and economic executives explained the operation and scope of their respective companies. Steve Freed, vice president of research for ADM Investor Services, talked to the group about grain marketing and signs to watch for regarding market direction and developing strategies.

Photo by Mark Wildman

T

ift County vegetable producer Bill Brim will represent Georgia in the 2009 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Contest.

Brim will compete with nine other state winners from the Southeast for the Sunbelt Expo Farmer Award. The winner will be announced on Oct. 20 at the Sunbelt Expo show in Moultrie.

An active farmer for 25 years, Brim currently farms about 2,500 acres of owned land and 1,500 acres of rented land. His crops include peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, cantaloupes, watermelons, broccoli, peanuts, greens and cole crops.

He also raises vegetable transplants and pine tree seedlings in 42 greenhouses and maintains three facilities for packing and shipping the farm’s produce.

Brim and his business partner, Ed Walker, bought Lewis Taylor Farms in 1985. Brim started working on the farm in 1972 when it was owned by his fatherin-law and Walker’s father. Today, Walker manages the greenhouses and a hydrocooling facility, while Brim focuses on vegetable production.

When Brim first bought the farm it

2009 Georgia Sunbelt Farmer of the Year Bill Brim will be recognized at the 32nd Annual Sunbelt Agricultural Expo Oct. 20-22. Gates will open at 8:30 a.m. each day.

Admission is $10 per person with children 12 and under admitted free with a parent. Visit www.sunbeltexpo.com for more information.

was growing tomato transplants in fields along with traditional row crops. A new carousel vegetable planter was introduced in 1987 that eliminated the need for bareroot transplants.

“We built our first greenhouses to grow containerized transplants and take advantage of the new planting technology,” Brim said. “We’ve been in a growth mode since 1985, and it hasn’t stopped,” Brim said.

The farm’s next expansion will include the construction of 10 new greenhouses.

Brim markets his produce through chain stores, wholesale warehouses and direct sale contracts. Insuring food safety

is a priority for Brim and Walker. They have invested in technology that allows end users to trace their produce back to the individual fields where it was grown on the farms should a problem be detected.

They also manufacture their own chlorine dioxide solution to disinfect the water that cleans their crops.

Brim is a director of the Tift County Farm Bureau and helped organize the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association of which he is a past president.

He and his wife, Deborah, have two married daughters, Jennifer and Jessica, and three granddaughters.

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Georgia Farm Bureau News August-September 2009 / 17

Gov. Perdue meets with Chattahoochee, Flint River stakeholders By Jennifer Whittaker ____________________________________

I

n August, Gov. Sonny Perdue made stops in Columbus and Albany to discuss how stakeholders in the Chattahoochee and Flint River Basins will be impacted by U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson’s ruling that Metro Atlanta has no right to withdraw drinking water from Lake Lanier. Magnuson’s July ruling came in a case in which Florida and Alabama challenged a 2003 water-sharing agreement between Georgia and the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers that would have let Georgia increase its withdrawals from Lake Lanier by about nine percent in coming decades.

The ruling against Georgia says nearly all the state’s withdrawals from Lake Lanier are illegal because the federal reservoir wasn’t built for water supply. Magnuson acknowledged use of the lake can’t stop immediately because it is metro Atlanta’s main water supply but said the state needs permission from Congress. Magnuson ordered the lake’s water usage to be kept at current levels for the next three years. If congressional action has not been taken by then, he said, the lake’s operations would return to 1970s levels with only the cities of Gainesville and Buford allowed to take water from the lake.

Magnuson cited government documents and testimony before Congress to support his ruling that serving Atlanta’s water needs was only an incidental purpose for Lake Lanier. The judge also noted that Georgia officials argued this point in the 1950s to avoid having to help pay for building the lake.

“These farmers here in southwest Georgia that depend on water for their crops understand the Flint will be impacted because the Flint is part of the Chattahoochee water basin,” Perdue said. “They know agriculture has a huge target on its back. While the immediate crisis might be in the Metro area, that crisis is rapidly going to be statewide.”

Calling farmers “great conservationists,” Perdue said, “Agriculture will be a protected use from my perspective but so is human water consumption. I hope we never get to the point where we have to arbitrage those two.” He added, “I want it to be safe in Judge 18 / August-September 2009

Magnuson’s mind and in the mind of the public at large.”

While giving his presentation in Columbus, Perdue said Florida’s demands for high guaranteed flows, regardless of rainfall, would certainly target agriculture and insist on reduced use for irrigation.

“Very simple - certain guaranteed flows at the border means less irrigation since the Flint does not have dams.”

Perdue said Metro Atlanta’s average net water use from the Chattahoochee is roughly one percent of the river’s average annual flow at the Florida state line during non-drought years and less than

three percent during drought years. Perdue also pointed out that Georgia has a comprehensive drought response plan and a statewide water management plan while Alabama does not. Judge Magnuson’s ruling makes Georgia’s regional water councils even more vital to the state’s water planning efforts, Perdue stressed.

Perdue said Georgia will address Magnuson’s ruling with a four-pronged strategy consisting of appealing the ruling, contingency planning, negotiating with Alabama and Florida and pursuing Congressional authorization of Atlanta’s use of Lake Lanier as a water supply, per Magnuson’s ruling.

GA EPD releases ag water forecast By Jennifer Whittaker ____________________________________ The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) will present a 40-year agricultural water use forecast to the regional water councils during their September meetings according to Cliff Lewis, acting assistant branch chief of the EPD Watershed Protection Branch. The Statewide Comprehensive Water Management Plan passed by the Georgia General Assembly in 2008 requires the EPD to forecast future demand for the four major water use sectors - municipal, industrial, agricultural and energy. These forecasts

will be developed for 10, 20, 30 and 40 year periods. Population forecasts will provide the basis for estimates of future growth in municipal water and wastewater demand forecasts.

The EPD contracted with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences to prepare the agriculture forecast to help the councils understand the water needs of agriculture as they prepare the regional water plans for their respective water basins mandated by the state water plan. Water use projections are available by the water See FORECAST next page Georgia Farm Bureau News

FORECAST from previous page planning regions and counties, by water basins and sub-basins and by county.

Farmers attending overview meetings held by the EPD in Perry, August 17, and Athens, August 18, were told they could access the forecast at the Web site www. nespal.org/sirp/waterinfo/state/awd/ agwaterdemand.htm. Anyone with questions or comments regarding the forecast should contact Lewis at cliff_lewis@mail. dnr.state.ga.us or (229) 391-2400.

“In order to successfully meet the challenges of agriculture’s future water use the regional water councils needed an agricultural water use forecast, so EPD enlisted the help of the ag water use experts at UGA to prepare this forecast,” Lewis explained. “The feedback of farmers and agribusiness leaders is critical.”

Dr. Jim Hook led the team of UGA water experts who prepared the forecast.

“This forecast does not include individual farmer names or permits, but it does forecast future water needs by coun-

ty, water basins and sub basins. This study looks at the major commodities that make up 95 percent of the irrigated land in Georgia including row crops, orchard crops, vegetable and specialty crops, sod and ornamentals,” Hook said. “Urban agriculture such as athletic fields and golf courses were not included because they are part of the municipal projections.”

The forecast projects agricultural irrigation use for groundwater and for surface water sources for the years 2011, 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050. Each year’s projection includes a wet year, a normal year and a dry year to give water planners a sense of the range of weather conditions that might be encountered along with the responding water needs for each condition. Five major crops – corn, cotton, peanuts, soybeans and pecans – make up 85 percent of Georgia’s irrigated cropland, Hooks said. Vegetable and specialty crops like sod, ornamental nursery crops and blueberries make up much less of

Georgia’s water demand than the major crops, but the water needed by these crops is significant in many areas of Georgia, according to the study.

The study shows Georgia will have a 20 percent increase in irrigated acreage from 2011-2050, Lewis said. The study states that land for irrigation growth is expected to come primarily from nonirrigated cropland and pastures or harvested timberland.

The state water plan calls for the preparation of regional water plans designed to manage water resources in a sustainable manner through 2050. EPD is overseeing the regional water planning process and providing support to the regional water planning councils. The role of the regional water planning councils is to develop a water plan for the protection, conservation and use of the water resources in its region.

The councils are scheduled to submit their recommendations to the EPD for adoption between January and June 2011.

Farm Life: A Century of Change for Farm Families and their Neighbors

Sept. 3-Oct. 3 • 12-4 p.m. daily The Plaza Arts Center 305 N. Madison Ave. Eatonton, GA 31024

Agriculture Awareness Day

Sept. 12 • 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The Plaza Arts Center Event includes a tour of Stepback, a reproduction turn-of-the-century farm community, complete with schoolhouse, church, country store, and more.

This exhibition and Ag Day celebrates what it means for a family to live and work on the land. This national touring exhibit is made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mid America Arts Alliance and the Eatonton Old School History Museum. Admission is free. For more information about the exhibit, group tours or other activities call (706) 485-3156.

Forest Lakes Golf Course Tifton, GA • Oct. 5, 2009 Hosted by: ABAC Ag Alumni Council, the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the School of Human Sciences

Entry Fee: $125 per person $500 per 4-person team Includes lunch, cart and green fees, premium embroidered golf shirt with tournament logo, and other products.

Cash Prizes Awarded to both Morning and Afternoon Flights

1st Place: $600 per Team; 2nd Place: $400 per Team; 3rd Place: $200 per Team

For more information and an application, contact Nate Carney, Tournament Coordinator Phone: 229-391-4908 Fax: 229-391-4901 Email: ncarney@abac.edu

Georgia Farm Bureau News August-September 2009 / 19

AROUND GEORGIA News from County Farm Bureaus BACON COUNTY Georgia Sen. Gregg Goggans (standing at podium), Rep. Tommy Smith and Georgia Farm Bureau Legislative Director Jon Huffmaster spoke at the Bacon County Farm Bureau Legislative Breakfast held in May. BCFB President David Lee emceed the event.

Goggans discussed the problems the Georgia General Assembly is facing trying to balance the state budget with fewer tax dollars. Rep. Smith discussed educational issues and sales tax exemptions. Huffmaster gave an overview of the bills Georgia legislators passed this year of benefit to agriculture.

BROOKS COUNTY In celebration of Arbor Day, Brooks County Farm Bureau donated an Italian Cypress to the Quitman Elementary School. An educational program was held for the Pre-K class of Mrs. Johnnie Brown and Mrs. Williams. Smokey Bear spoke to the children about fire safety and the importance of trees.

Brooks County Extension Agent Garvie Nichols helped the class plant the cypress tree donated by BCFB, which is a Community Partners in Education with all of the Brooks County Schools.

BULLOCH COUNTY Bulloch County Farm Bureau recently sponsored a mock discussion meet at Ogeechee Technical College (OTC) in Statesboro and provided a $100 prize for the winner, Brandon Brannen (pictured fourth from left, front row). OTC is the only technical college in the state currently offering ag related courses. OTC Agribusiness Instructor Elliott Marsh (pictured third from left, front row) used the project as part of the student’s final grade.

Ten students participated in the two rounds of the discussion meet. GFB 7th District Young Farmer Chairman Mace 20 / August-September 2009

Henry (far right) moderated the event. Former 7th District YF Chairman Chris Hopkins (pictured far left), and GFB Young Farmer Coordinator Andy Lucas (not pictured) served as judges.

CHATTOOGA COUNTY Chattooga County Farm Bureau (CCFB) held its annual Down Home Farm Day June 6. Event activities included a three-legged race, a jump rope relay, a sack race and a cow pie throw. CCFB Women’s Committee members awarded prizes to the children who competed in the games. “Nanny Goose” read books about honeybees to the children every half hour. “Molly Moo Moo” from the Georgia Cattlewomen’s Association taught the children about cattle. Beekeeper Leonard Barrett talked to the kids about bees and how they make honey. Odom Apiaries provided honey straws for the kids to take home.

CCFB also supported the summer reading program at the local library. CCFB volunteers read a variety of honeybee stories to the children and arranged for a beekeeper to talk to the children.

COBB COUNTY Cobb County Farm Bureau awarded nine scholarships to local students this spring. Robert D. Wooditch (second from right) accepts the first place $5,000 scholarship from CCFB Director Stan Kirk (third from right), CCFB Director Michael Mason (far right) and Sarah Carnes Brown (second from left).

The directors presented the check on behalf of CCFB President Clarence McCollum.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

Robert is attending Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College where he is majoring in diversified agriculture. His goal is to come back to the family farm.

Also pictured are Robert’s parents Lynn (far left) and Mike (third from left).

A 2nd place $1,000 scholarship was awarded to Rebecca Beaver (not pictured), who is attending Young Harris College and majoring in agriculture. The other seven scholarships of $500 each were given to Stuart Barrow, Taylor Jordan, Diane Mallory, Tabitha Mason, Matthew O’Meara, Jerald Washington and Emily Webb.

GLYNN COUNTY On July 24, the Glynn County Farm Bureau hosted a picnic for the Glynn County 4-H to celebrate the winners of the 4-H Watermelon Growing Contest. Picnic events included a watermelon seed spitting contest, watermelon eating contest and a watermelon relay race. Chefs from Sea Island demonstrated their watermelon carving skills.

James Wooten (pictured second from left) won a $100 savings bond for his first place melon that weighed in at 46.87 pounds.

GREENE COUNTY This spring, the Greene County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee and Extension Service sponsored a honeybee exhibit at the Southland Jubilee in Greensboro. Keith Fielder, a member of the GFB Honeybee Advisory Committee and the Putnam County Extension Agent, displayed his honeybees and honey samples from the U.S. and Europe.

The Women’s Committee also recruited local veterinarian Dr. Bobby Durham (pictured) to teach a 5th grade class about honeybees. Dr. Durham demonstrated how the hives work and how he collects honey from the hives. Dr. Durham also gave them all samples of local honey to taste.

HENRY COUNTY The Henry County Young Farmer Committee, chaired

by Jake Carter, held a Farm Safety Program at Southern Belle Farms. Mason Tractor, of McDonough, provided tractors and farm equipment for the safety demonstrations. Representatives of Mason Tractor, the local Fire Department and the Electric Membership Corporation discussed safety issues. Farm Bureau members, Cattlemen Association members, 4-Hers and FFA members were among the more than 100 people who attended.

LAURENS COUNTY Laurens County Farm Bureau President James Malone (center) recently presented $1,000 scholarships to Shannon Page (left) and Hannah Helton (right) on behalf of the LCFB. Page, a graduate of East Laurens High School, is the daughter of James and Susan Page and is attending Middle Georgia College. Helton, a graduate of West Laurens High School, is the daughter of Frank and Toni Helton and is attending the University of Georgia. Both plan to major in agriculture.

MORGAN COUNTY Pictured from right, Morgan County Farm Bureau President S. J. Saffold and MCFB Secretary/Treasurer Pat Hardy, Sr., present a $1,000 scholarship to Grant Phelps, a recent graduate of Morgan County High School who is attending Yale University this fall.

Phelps also received another $1,000 scholarship made possible by a donation from the family of the late Jack Blackwell, a former MCFB director and president. The scholarships were presented July 2 at the board of directors’ family cookout.

See AROUND GEORGIA next page

Georgia Farm Bureau News August-September 2009 / 21

East Jackson Elementary wins Ag Awareness Award The East Jackson Elementary School (EJES) in Commerce won the 2009 Agricultural Awareness Week Observance Award presented by Gov. Sonny Perdue and his Agricultural Advisory Committee, May 8. Members of the Jackson County agricultural community, school officials and representatives of the various agriculture organizations that support the award are pictured celebrating the school’s achievement.

Each year during National Agriculture Week, fifth grade classes across Georgia are encouraged to study agriculture. EJES received the award for the Adopt-a-Chick Program the school used to give students a first-hand experience of being a farmer.

Twenty-seven students of teachers Renee Kiley and Kimberly Ashe each adopted two, day-old chicks from the EJES Aggies Club, a program started by Dawn Brock and Jackson County Farm Bureau (JCFB) Women’s Committee Co-Chair Charlotte Gilman to educate elementary students about agriculture.

During the six weeks the students raised the chicks, East Jackson High FFA students Amanda Murphy and Chad Clark met with the 5th graders weekly, after school, to give them tips on raising chicks. FFA provided each student with enough food to feed the birds for several days, and then the students were responsi-

ble for providing feed and housing for the birds. The students kept journals recording their experience as poultry farmers including the weight gains of their birds and money spent raising the chicks.

“Most of these kids were subdivision kids who had never been exposed to farming. Only two or three of these kids had a farm background, and these students were from beef farms. The students only lost two chicks during the project, which was a surprisingly low mortality rate, ” JCFB Office Manager Ali Merk said.

The project culminated during the annual Ag Day event hosted by JCFB. A

AROUND GEORGIA from previous page PAULDING COUNTY The Paulding County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee held a Farm Extrication Safety Class, May 6, at the farm of PCFB President Nora Goodman. PCFB Director Doug Sowar served as emcee of the event. Members of the Paulding County Fire Dept. and EMS attended the class to learn how to properly handle farm accidents.

Dr. Glen Rains (pictured center), with the UGA Cooperative Extension Service in Tifton, explained the various ways farmers could be injured while working with farm equipment. He also taught class attendees how to properly shut off farm equipment in the event of an accident.

22 / August-September 2009

local high school poultry judging team judged the chickens for highest weight gain and structural soundness. During their study of Georgia agriculture, the EJES students also learned about soil and water conservation and how crops are planted and harvested.

Other finalists for the award were Bacon County Elementary, Buchanan Elementary, Carrollton City Middle School, Early County Elementary, Free Home Elementary in Canton, Lamar County Elementary, Lyerly Elementary, Piedmont Academy in Monticello and Washington-Wilkes Elementary.

PIKE COUNTY More than 35 community leaders, farmers and policy makers gathered June 23 to discuss the state of Pike County’s agriculture economy and to make plans for the future of farming in the county. To underscore the value of locally grown food, the Pike County Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Legislative Committees fed the crowd a dinner of vegetables, fruit and chicken produced by local farmers.

Young Farmer Chair Matt Bottoms (left) and GFB 5th District Field Representative Cliff Bowden helped prepare the meal.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

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