Georgia Farm Bureau News Alert - August 15, 2018

August 15, 2018

www.gfb.org

Vol. 36 No. 16

GFB STARTS POLICY PROCESS WITH COMMODITY CONFERENCE Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Commodity Advisory Committee members received information on a variety of topics related to agriculture during the 2018 GFB Commodity Conference, held Aug. 9 at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center.

More than 250 GFB members, staff, and agricultural stakeholders attended the event, which is the official start of GFB’s policy development process. It’s one event designed for all of the organization’s 20 commodity advisory committees to meet in the same place at the same time. Through policy development, GFB determines its position on issues affecting agriculture.

“In order to accomplish our goals in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., GFB President we must understand what’s going on back on the farm,” said GFB Gerald Long President Gerald Long. “That is the purpose of the Commodity Conference. If there are things that need to be put into our policy, today is the day to start that.”

GFB’s Bradford reviews 2018 Georgia Legislature session GFB Public Policy Department staffers Alex Bradford and Tripp Cofield gave reviews of legislative and regulatory activity at the state and federal levels.

Bradford noted the department’s work for regulatory change, particularly on the subject of deer depredation permits, which the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will now grant or issue prior to deer causing crop damage. DNR is lowering the allowed age for farm employees allowed to kill nuisance deer (referred to as assistants) to 16. People charged with game violations were previously prohibited from participating as assistants; now they won’t be prohibited unless they have been convicted of game violations.

Bradford provided highlights of the state’s budget relating to agriculture, including nearly $1.5 million for marketing by the Georgia Department of Agriculture and a new rural economic development program under the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. Bradford also noted that the legislature strengthened farmers’ protections against local restrictions or penalties in the Conservation Use Value Assessment tax exemption program.

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GFB News Alert page 2 of 17 Continued from previous page GFB’s Cofield talks trade Cofield discussed trade and tariffs, saying that while the United States and China continue to issue sparring tariffs, progress is being made with the U.S.’ other trading partners.

“I think there is reason to be optimistic,” Cofield said, noting that the U.S. is close to an agreement with Mexico, which could lead to Canada joining in. Negotiations with the European Union, India and Turkey are moving toward resolution, Cofield said. The tariffs the U.S. imposed on those countries were under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which calls for the secretary of commerce to review imports to assess national security implications.

U.S. tariffs against China are under the Trade Act of 1974 Section 301, which authorizes the U.S. to impose trade sanctions on countries that violate trade agreements or engage in unfair trade practices.

If the U.S. can work out deals with the Section 232 countries, China would be under pressure to come to the negotiating table, Cofield said.

“Some of our commodities guys are telling me that China may have to come to the table anyway to get their soybeans and other items,” Cofield said.

Transportation officials review highway rules for ag transportation Clinton Seymour and Clay Greene of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Georgia Division and Lt. Brent Moore of the Georgia Department of Public Safety’s Motor Carrier Compliance Division (MCCD) reviewed how highway rules apply to agricultural transportation.

The three officials demonstrated their agencies’ websites (www.dps.georgia.gov and www.fmcsa.dot.gov) and encouraged farmers to use the sites as resources of information on requirements for ag transport. The phone number for the Georgia section of the FMCSA is 678284-5130. The phone number for the Georgia MCCD is 404-624-7211.

AFBF’s Walmsley gives farm bill update American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Director of Congressional Relations Andrew Walmsley provided analysis of progress on the next farm bill and noted some of AFBF’s successful efforts during remarks at lunch.

Walmsley reviewed key differences between the House and Senate farm bills. A conference committee has been appointed to reconcile the two bills. In the commodity programs, the House bill focuses on improvements to Price Loss Coverage (PLC), while the Senate bill makes small changes to Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and includes language relating to adjusted gross income payment limits and the definition of “actively engaged,” both of which AFBF opposes.

The differences between the bills are minor with respect to commodity programs. Walmsley predicted that the biggest challenge would be overcoming differences in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP, commonly known as food stamps) program. The House bill included work requirements for SNAP recipients, while the Senate bill made no significant changes in the SNAP program.

Walmsley emphasized that with a struggling farm economy it remains crucial that Farm Bureau members maintain relationship with congressmen and their staff.

“With Mother Nature as your business partner, with markets where they are and uncertainty around trade, the one thing Washington can do is provide some certainty,” Walmsley said. “It’s going to be up to us to make sure they hear that. It’s a poor frog that won’t croak for its own pond.

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GFB News Alert page 3 of 17 Continued from previous page It’s on us as Farm Bureau and folks like y’all in this room to continue to communicate and respond to action requests when you get them from GFB. Make sure we’re pushing that needle in the right direction.”

For a side-by-side comparison between the House and Senate farm bills, visit https://gfb.ag/AFBFfarmbillsidebyside.

ABAC welcomes Center for Rural Prosperity & Innovation Dr. David Bridges, president of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC), introduced conference attendees to the new Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation which opened in July at ABAC. The center, created when the Georgia General Assembly passed House Bill 951 during the 2018 session, will serve as a central information and research hub for rural leadership training. It will also partner with public and private community stakeholders to identify and support projects that will foster entrepreneurship, job creation, community engagement and cultural enhancement in rural Georgia.

Bridges applauded Georgia House Speaker David Ralston and the House Rural Development Council for acknowledging that while David Bridges Georgia is doing well overall economically some rural areas of the state are struggling.

“The non-metro areas of Georgia didn’t recover as fast as urban areas from the Great Recession,” Bridges said. “It’s not good for anyone that rural Georgia is lagging behind Atlanta.”

Bridges is serving as interim director of the center until a director is named. Scott Blount has been named associate director of the center. Bridgett Mobley is the center’s logistics and operations manager.

“Our mission is to foster innovation and economic development,” Bridges said. Progress is what we’re looking for. We’re not necessarily looking to bring 1,200 new jobs to a community but to help existing businesses expand and add jobs. If you’re a business with six employees and you want to go to twelve, we want to help you connect with the resources you need to make it happen.”

Bridges said another goal the center has is to keep talented youth from leaving their rural communities after they graduate high school.

“We have to put educated, energetic and enlightened young people in rural communities.

GFB’s Policy Development Committee will meet in October and November to review submissions from county Farm Bureaus. Voting delegates will approve the 2019 policy during the GFB Convention in December.

GFB News Alert page 4 of 17 SAXBY CHAMBLISS RECEIVES GFB COMMODITY AWARD Former U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss received the 2018 Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Commodity Award during the GFB Commodity Conference, held Aug. 9 at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus. The GFB Commodity Award, one of the organization’s highest honors, is given to individuals who have supported and promoted Georgia agriculture.

“Senator Chambliss was a strong advocate for Georgians and Georgia agriculture during his 20 years in Congress. His work on four farm bills was not only critical for Georgia’s farmers, but for every American citizen. He played a major role in forming agriculture policy that’s still crucial to farmers today,” GFB President Gerald Long said. “His passion and work ethic are an inspiration to us all, and we will forever be appreciative for his countless contributions to our state.”

Chambliss, who was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Georgia’s 8th District in 1994, Former Sen. Saxby Chambliss, served on the House Agriculture Committee from 1995-2002. center, with his wife Julianne, He played an integral role in developing the section of the 1996 receives the GFB Commodity farm bill that deals with the crops and livestock farmers Award from GFB President produce. He chaired the House Agriculture Committee’s Gerald Long.

Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities & Risk Management while the 2002 farm bill was developed. In this role, Chambliss worked closely with then House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest and Ranking Member Charlie Stenholm to reform the federal crop insurance program to make it more affordable and an effective risk management tool for farmers. When work began on the 2002 farm bill, Chambliss conducted hearings across the U.S. to receive input from farmers as to which farm bill programs did and did not work.

“I am humbled and honored to be recognized by Georgia Farm Bureau,” Chambliss said. “Farm Bureau is the premier agriculture organization in the country and certainly in our state. Agriculture has been such a huge part of my life. This means an awful lot to me for any number of reasons.”

Before Chambliss ran for Congress in 1994, he saw how agriculture drove the economy in Southwest Georgia as he practiced law in Moultrie and raised a family.

“I went to D.C. from the heart of farm country. While I was in Congress it was important for me to show the ag flag. My home county, Colquitt County, has always prided itself on being a strong agriculture county that produces a wide variety of commodities. My daughter married a farmer. My son-in-law is a farmer and my grandson is planning on going back to the farm to make his living.”

After serving eight years in the House, Chambliss was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002. From 2005 to 2007, Chambliss chaired the Senate Agriculture Committee and served as the ranking member of the committee from 2007-2011. During development of the Food, Conservation & Energy Act of 2008, Chambliss advocated for the priorities of agriculture and rural areas during lengthy Senate debates and was a key negotiator of the final farm bill as a member of the House-continued on next page

GFB News Alert page 5 of 17 Continued from previous page Senate Conference Committee. Chambliss was a leader in drafting much of the 2014 farm bill pertaining to agricultural commodities and again served as a leader on the House-Senate Conference Committee.

“Farm Bureau has always been such a strong advocate for agriculture. Whether I picked up the phone to call the American Farm Bureau office in D.C. or the Georgia Farm Bureau office in Macon, Farm Bureau has always been there relative to any agricultural issue I’ve called them about. Many Farm Bureau members also let me know how legislation was impacting them. ” With Georgia having multiple military bases, Chambliss served on both the House and Senate Intelligence Committees dealing with national security issues and intelligence gathering. He chaired the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security, which oversaw investigations of the intelligence community after the September 11 attacks in 2001. He helped write numerous defense authorization bills and helped secure funding for the dredging of the Port of Savannah so it can handle larger ships coming through the expanded Panama Canal.

After retiring from the Senate in 2014, Chambliss became a partner with the law firm DLA Piper in Atlanta where he works with clients on cybersecurity issues. He also teaches a class each fall at the UGA School of Law on political leadership and is a visiting lecturer at the UGA School of Public Policy & International Affairs.

Chambliss and his wife, Julianne, have two adult children, Bo and Lia, and six grandchildren.

They are members of St. Mark’s Anglican Church in Moultrie.

GFB AWARDS HARVEST 20 RESEARCH GRANTS Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) has awarded almost $42,000 in research grants to five Georgia scientists and their research teams who are addressing production issues impacting Georgia farmers. GFB President Gerald Long announced the recipients of the organization’s Harvest 20 Research Grants Aug. 9 during the 2018 GFB Commodity Conference held at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center.

“Last December at our annual convention, I announced my Harvest 20 Vision for Georgia Farm Bureau. One part of that vision is supporting agricultural research in Georgia,” Long said. “Georgia Farm Bureau provides leadership to Georgia’s agriculture community. Supporting agricultural research is one way we can continue to support Georgia agriculture and our farmers.”

A review committee selected these five research projects from 21 proposals to receive GFB grants: Identification & Documentation of Invasive Whitefly Species on Georgia Farms, principal investigator Dr. Michael Toews; Understanding the Interaction of Forage Quality & Quantity and the Best Supplementation Strategies to Maximize Beef Cattle Efficiency, principal investigator Dr. Lawton Stewart; Evaluating Snap Bean Cultivar and Germplasms for Resistance/Tolerance to the Cucurbit Leaf Crumple Virus, principal investigator Dr. Bhabesh Dutta; Effect of Cover Crops on Stubby Root Nematodes, principal investigator Dr. Abolfazl Hajihassani; and Evaluating the Effects of a Supplemental Feed Area on Early Bird Performance & Health in a Commercial Broiler House, principal investigator Dr. Brian Fairchild.

The grant recipients have been invited to present their research results in a poster session at the 2018 GFB Annual Convention in December.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the research findings presented at our annual convention in December,” Long said.

GFB News Alert page 6 of 17 METER DATA SHOWS FARMERS USING WATER RESPONSIBLY Data the state of Georgia has collected on farmers’ water use since 2004 shows farmers are responsibly using water to irrigate their crops, Mark Masters, director of the Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center (GWPPC) at Albany State University told GFB Commodity Conference attendees.

“Georgia farmers do a good job of responsibly using Georgia’s water resources, Masters said.

“The vast majority of acreage we’ve mapped in the field is metered and irrigated using efficient, low pressure irrigation systems.”

Masters said the good story about Georgia’s ag water use is backed up by the numbers the meters and mapping efforts provide. Data collected by the Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center through field verification of thousands of irrigation systems across the state demonstrates a highlevel of water efficiency in irrigation equipment and management practice.

Under the ag water metering program established by the Georgia General Assembly in 2003, ag water withdrawal permits issued before Dec. 31, 2002, are eligible for state-funded meters.

Farmers with water permits issued after 2002 are required to buy and install a meter at their own expense.

Gov. Nathan Deal established the Agriculture Permitting Compliance Task Force in Oct. 2016 and transferred responsibility of the ag metering program from the Georgia Soil & Water Conservation Commission to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Agriculture representatives on the compliance task force include Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) President Gerald Long, GFB 9th Dist. Director Lucius Adkins, UGA Stripling Irrigation Research Park Superintendent Calvin Perry and Dr. Gary Hawkins, UGA Water Resource Management & Policy Specialist.

In 2016, the task force recommended the Georgia EPD finish installing water meters on any remaining permitted water withdrawal points eligible for a state-funded meter. The GWPPC has been subcontracted to conduct site assessments and collect other relevant data to inform purchase and installation of meters at active withdrawal sites.

Masters thanked the ag community for its support of metering and encouraged them to remain engaged. He noted that, while the state is responsible for installing, maintaining and capturing annual data from water meters, farmers and landowners play a key role in the overall success of the program.

“The farmers we meet in the field day in and day out have been extraordinarily helpful. They know the importance of water to their operations, and understand the value of getting the data right.”

The EPD will notify landowners with water pemits via mail if a meter(s) need to be installed on their property. Private companies the state has contracted to install the meters will also notify affected permit holders before the anticipated installation date. The EPD anticipates contracting the Georgia Forestry Commission to perform annual water meter readings across the state beginning this fall.

Georgia House Bill 579 prevents the ag water use information of an individual permit holder from being released, however, the EPD can release basin-wide water use information presented in summary form. This data will help statewide water planning efforts by providing improved water demand estimates and resource assessments.

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GFB News Alert page 7 of 17 Continued from previous page “We took a large step forward in our knowledge of ag water use from the first round of water planning in 2009 through 2011 to the plans updated early last year,” Masters said. “We’re continuing to refine and improve, and that’s ultimately a good thing for the state and those that rely on its water resources.”

A topic of discussion among attendees at the commodity conference was the ongoing water lawsuit with Florida. The U.S. Supreme Court sent the case back to a special master for further consideration in the 5-4 opinion it issued in June. In writing the dissenting opinion for the four judges who disagreed with the majority opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas referenced experts Dr. Robert Stavins and Phillip Bedient who have shown Georgia’s total water use amounts to just four percent of basin flows in an average year and eight percent in a dry year. This allows 92 to 96 percent of the basin water to flow into Florida. “According to Georgia’s experts, the primary factor that dictates flows in the Apalachicola River is precipitation, not consumption,” Thomas wrote citing Charles A. Menzie.

BLACK SHARES UPDATED GATE CARD DETAILS Farmers who have Georgia Agricultural Tax Exemption (GATE) cards will notice some changes in how the program is implemented, according to Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black. Speaking at the Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Conference on Aug. 9, Black outlined the updated program mandated by House Bill 886 passed by the Georgia legislature during its 2018 session. Gov. Nathan Deal signed it into law on May 3.

“The GATE program continues to be questioned,” Black said. “We think we’ve answered those questions.”

HB886 set the threshold at $5,000 in total farm sales to qualify for GATE, rather than the previous threshold of $2,500 in sales per commodity. It also raised the registration fees. Previously, GATE applicants paid $20 a year for online registration and $25 annually for mail-in registration.

Beginning in 2019, the GATE card fee will be $150 for three-year cards. He emphasized that all cards will be processed electronically, and indicated that mailed applications would be sent back to the applicants with instructions to register online.

Implementation of the three-year GATE card program will take three years. Black said the state’s 38,000 GATE card holders will be divided into thirds. One third will receive one-year GATE cards for a $50 fee. One third will initially receive two-year cards for a $100 fee and the final third will receive the three-year card for a $150 fee. GDA staff explained that the staggered implementation of three-year cards will be done alphabetically so the state receives balanced yearly revenue to fund the administrative costs of the GATE program. Renewals beginning in 2020 will be three-year cards for a $150 fee. The cards will be color-coded to indicate the registration/renewal year.

The cards will be associated with the cardholder’s social security number, tax ID number or business sales tax number to correlate with tax records. Black noted that this requirement is imposed by Georgia Department of Revenue regulations, though none of these numbers will appear on the GATE card.

Black said each cardholder would receive a wallet-sized card and a smaller card that will fit on a keyring.

GFB News Alert page 8 of 17 GEORGIA DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE, GFB TO HOST PRODUCE SAFETY TRAINING On Sept. 6, the Georgia Department of Agriculture and Georgia Farm Bureau will host a free, one-day workshop designed for farmers and growers in Georgia.

The training will cover the standardized curriculum designed by the Produce Safety Alliance, which meets the regulatory requirements of the Produce Safety Rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The course will provide a foundation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and co-management information, FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements, and details on how to develop a farm food safety plan. Individuals who participate in this course are expected to gain a basic understanding of FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements, microorganisms relevant to produce safety and where they may be found on the farm, how to identify and reduce microbial risks, and how to begin writing a food safety plan.

Lunch will be provided courtesy of Georgia Farm Bureau. Space is limited. To register visit http://bit.ly/psamacon..

For more information, contact Maggie Brown, Produce Farm Safety Training & Outreach Coordinator at 404-971-1188 or maggie.brown@agr.georgia.gov or Elizabeth Stalvey, Produce Farm Safety Training and Outreach Associate at 229.472.2635 or elizabeth.stalvey@agr.georgia.gov.

SCOTUS APPOINTS NEW SPECIAL MASTER IN WATER CASE In an Aug. 9 order, the U.S. Supreme Court discharged Maine attorney Ralph Lancaster as special master in the water suit filed by Florida against Georgia in 2013.

The court appointed Paul Kelly Jr., a judge with the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Mexico, as the new special master in the case.

In its June 27 ruling, the Supreme Court sent the case back to the special master noting that Lancaster applied too strict a standard in concluding that Florida failed to demonstrate that the Supreme Court could reach a fair ruling.

Lancaster recommended in 2017 that the court dismiss the case, reasoning that Florida failed to show that imposing a cap on Georgia’s water use from the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers would provide the relief Florida was seeking. Florida claimed that overuse of water by Georgia resulted in diminished fresh water downstream in the Apalachicola River and ultimately the Apalachicola Bay, causing harm to the oyster industry centered there. Georgia countered with arguments that overfishing resulted in the oyster losses.

Lancaster also noted that he could not provide sufficient relief to Florida because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which controls flows on the Flint and Chattahoochee, was not a party to the lawsuit.

GFB News Alert page 9 of 17 MOROCCO OPENED FOR U.S. POULTRY; U.S. PORK RETURNS TO ARGENTINA The United States reached an agreement with Morocco that would allow U.S. poultry to be exported to the north African country and an agreement with Argentina to accept U.S. pork into the South American nation.

On Aug. 7, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the government of Morocco has agreed to allow commercial imports of U.S. poultry meat and products into Morocco for the first time.

The United States is the world’s second largest poultry exporter and Georgia is the U.S.’ topproducing poultry state. According to the USDA, initial estimates indicate that Morocco would be a $10 million market, with additional growth over time. Morocco had prohibited imports of U.S. poultry. More details on requirements for exporting to Morocco are available from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Export Library at: http://bit.ly/Moroccopoultry.

On July 30 Perdue celebrated the reintroduction of American pork products to the Argentine market after more than 20 years by slicing a 10-pound honey-baked ham.

The return of U.S. pork products to Argentina was sealed during Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to Buenos Aires. Technical staff from the USDA and the office of the U.S. Trade Representative have been working with Argentina on the terms of the agreement that are practical, science-based and consistent with relevant international animal health standards.

BIG GAINS FORECAST FOR GEORGIA PEACH, COTTON CROPS Georgia’s peach and cotton crops are expected to make big production gains in 2018, according to the August Crop Production Report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

The state’s peach production is forecast for a rebound from 2017, when a late freeze decimated peach production, which was limited to 10,000 tons. With more favorable weather in 2018, Georgia’s commercial peach growers are forecast to produce 25,000 tons, an increase of 150 percent.

Georgia cotton growers increased acreage from 1.28 million in 2017 to 1.45 million in 2018.

Combined with an expected yield increase, Georgia cotton production is forecast at 2.9 million bales in 2018, which would represent an increase of 675,000 bales (30 percent) over 2017 production.

The state’s peanut growers trimmed planted acreage in 2018 by 135,000 acres. Even with a slight yield increase anticipated, NASS predicted Georgia’s peanut production would decline by more than 508 million pounds, from 3.6 billion pounds in 2017 to 3.1 billion pounds in 2018, a decline of 14 percent.

The state’s corn, hay and soybean growers are all expected to increase production in 2018.

Georgia corn growers are expected to produce 52.8 million bushels in 2018, up 9.6 million bushels from 2017, an increase of 22 percent.

Hay production in Georgia is forecast at 1.86 million pounds in 2018, up 3.2 percent from 2017.

Soybean production in Georgia is forecast at 7.2 million bushels in 2018, up 14.6 percent form 2017.

NASS forecast Georgia tobacco production at 26.25 million pounds in 2018, which would equal 2017 production.

GFB News Alert page 10 of 17 NEW DAIRY REVENUE PROTECTION INSURANCE PLAN AVAILABLE On Aug. 8, the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced a new insurance plan for dairy producers that insures against unexpected declines in quarterly milk sales. Sign-up for the new product begins Oct. 9 with the first available coverage starting the first quarter of 2019.

The new plan, called Dairy Revenue Protection, provides insurance for the difference between the final revenue guarantee and actual milk revenue if prices fall. It also provides more choice of prices, from those that focus on cheese to fresh milk, protein or butterfat. Coverage levels are available from 70 to 95 percent of revenue. Dairy Revenue Protection is available in all counties in all 50 states.

Those interested in purchasing Dairy Revenue Protection must do so through an agent selling on behalf of an approved insurance provider. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator, located at www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agent.html.

Dairy Revenue Protection was developed and approved through the Federal Crop Insurance Act’s 508(h) process, which allows private parties to develop insurance products that are in the best interests of producers, follow sound insurance principles and are actuarially appropriate.

Additional information regarding Dairy Revenue Protection is available on the RMA website’s Livestock page, located at www.rma.usda.gov/livestock/. For more information about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net, visit www.rma.usda.gov.

FORMER SCREVEN CO. FARM BUREAU PRESIDENT EVANS DIES Walter Evans, who served as Screven County Farm Bureau president from 1976 to 1992, died on Aug. 2. He was 88.

Evans was born in the Farmdale Community to the late Elizabeth McGee and Joe G. Evans, Sr. in 1930. He graduated from Screven County High School in 1948 and obtained an associate’s degree in forestry in 1950 from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. He retired as owner and operator of Evans Lumber Company.

He was a member of the Screven County Farm Bureau for 53 years and the 2001 recipient of the Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Award. Evans served as chairman for both the Georgia Farm Bureau and American Farm Bureau Federation Foresty Commodity Advisory Committees. He testified before a Senate committee led by former Sen. Wyche Fowler on the advantages of the Conservation Reserve Program that led to the planting of more than 300,000 acres of pine trees in Georgia.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his late wife, Lutrica Powell Evans, and brother, Joe G. Evans, Jr. He is survived by his wife of ten years, Carol Evans; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Walter Gregory Evans and Bowie Craig and Tommie Evans, all of Sylvania; stepson, William Nielsen Norman of Appling; sister, Ann Estes of Milledgeville; nine grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Middle Ground Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, care of Greg Lee, 5377 Savannah Hwy. Sylvania, GA 30467.

Friends may sign the online register book at www.joineranderson.com.

GFB News Alert page 11 of 17 ENROLLMENT OPEN FOR SEED COTTON PROGRAMS UNTIL DEC. 7 On July 30 the USDA announced that seed cotton producers who want to participate in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2018 crop year, could submit applications. The signup period ends on Dec. 7.

Farm owners with generic base acres and recent planting history of covered commodities have a one-time opportunity to allocate all of the generic base acres on their farm. Farms with generic base acres that were planted or approved as a prevented planted commodity during the 2009 through 2016 crop years are eligible to allocate generic base acres. This includes upland cotton.

Producers have two options to allocate generic base: Option 1: Allocate generic base acres on a farm to seed cotton base acres equal to the higher of the following: 80 percent of the generic base acres on the farm (the other 20 percent goes to unassigned base acres for which there will be no payments) or the average of planted and prevented from planted upland cotton acres on the farm in crop years 2009 through 2012, not to exceed the total generic base acres on the farm.

Option 2: Allocate generic base acres in proportion to the four-year average acreage planted on the farm and prevented from being planted for each covered commodity, including upland cotton, in crop years 2009 through 2012, to the total acreage planted and considered planted for all covered commodities on the farm.

An increase in total base acres on the farm is not allowed. For farms without planted or considered planted history of covered commodities, including upland cotton, during the 2009 through 2016 crop years, generic base acres shall be converted to unassigned generic base acres for which no benefits may be available. If a farm owner is unable to allocate generic base acres during the allocation period, generic base acres will be deemed seed cotton base under Option 1.

Current farm owners have a one-time opportunity to update the farm’s payment yield for seed cotton with either retaining the Counter-Cyclical (CC) payment yield for upland cotton, as listed on the farm record as of Sept. 3, 2013, multiplied by 2.4, or update the upland cotton yield to 90 percent of a simple average of the upland cotton yield per planted acre on the farm for years 2008 through 2012. The retained or updated yield becomes the PLC yield for the farm, effective for the 2018 crop year, and will only be used in calculating payment rates for the PLC program. If a request to update yields is not filed within the yield update period, the former CC yield on the farm multiplied by 2.4 will be carried forward as the farm’s PLC yield for the 2018 crop year. If the generic base acre allocation results in crop base acres for a covered commodity base where a PLC yield does not exist on the farm, then an owner may update the yield(s) for the new crop(s).

Following generic base acre allocation and yield update, producers on the farm will have a onetime opportunity to unanimously elect either ARC or PLC for the seed cotton base acres resulting from the generic base acre allocation. Farms with an ARC-IC election will continue in ARC-IC, including seed cotton base acres allocated to the farm. Farms that fail to make a unanimous election will be deemed to have elected PLC for acres allocated on the farm to seed cotton.

The final step in the process is enrolling the farm in ARC/PLC for 2018. Producers on farms must still enroll the farm for that farm to be eligible for ARC or PLC for 2018. Enrollment of ARC and PLC farms, consistent with the program election for the farm and covered commodities made in the election period, for the 2018 crop year, began Nov. 1, 2017, and will end on Dec. 7, 2018.

Visit www.fsa.usda.gov or the local FSA office for information about FSA and the 2014 Farm Bill programs and programs impacted by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018.

GFB News Alert page 12 of 17 9TH CIRCUIT COURT BANS CHLORPYRIFOS REGISTRATION AND USE All registrations of the pesticide chlorpyrifos are to be canceled within 60 days under an Aug. 9 order by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

A 2017 order by then EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt allowed continued use of the pesticide, which is widely used in agriculture and other settings to control a wide variety of insects. The order placed the chemical under a normal EPA registration and review cycle; it was not scheduled to be evaluated for environmental safety and human health until 2022.

In its ruling, the court held that the EPA had no justification for the 2017 order and that the agency cannot refuse to act based on the possibility of future contradictory evidence. The dissenting opinion was that the court had no jurisdiction in the case.

GA COUNTIES RECEIVE DISASTER DECLARATIONS FOR SPRING FREEZES On July 31, the USDA issued primary disaster declarations for 24 Georgia counties to help farmers mitigate their losses caused by freeze events in March and April.

Georgia agricultural producers who suffered losses and damages due to recent natural disasters may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans emergency loans, which are made available under the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue for losses caused by two separate disaster events. For more information on the emergency loans visit http://bit.ly/USDAemergencyloans.

For the freeze occurring from March 8-23, the USDA designated Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Brantley, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Glynn, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Lanier, Long, Lowndes, Montgomery, Pierce, Treutlen, Ware and Wayne counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers in the contiguous counties of Berrien, Brooks, Camden, Cook, Emanuel, Johnson, Laurens, Liberty, McIntosh, Tattnall, Telfair, Tift, Toombs, Turner, Wheeler and Wilcox counties are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

For the freeze occurring on April 17, 2018, the USDA designated Fannin, Gilmer, Towns and Union counties in Georgia, primary natural disaster areas. Producers in the contiguous counties of Dawson, Gordon, Habersham, Lumpkin, Murray, Pickens, Rabun and White are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

Producers in all designated primary and contiguous counties will have until March 4, 2019, to apply for emergency loans to help cover part of their actual losses.

FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the emergency loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from the impacts of this disaster.

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

GFB News Alert page 13 of 17 NOMINATIONS FOR GFB COMMODITY COMMITTEES Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) is taking nominations for spots on its 20 commodity advisory committees. These committees serve in an advisory capacity to the GFB president, board of directors and staff to implement Farm Bureau policy. They also make recommendations to the GFB Policy Development Committee relative to their commodities. Every GFB Commodity Committee has a representative from each of GFB's 10 districts. Committee members must produce the commodity their committee represents. The commodities for which GFB has committees are: aquaculture; beef cattle; cotton; dairy; direct marketing/agritourism; environmental horticulture; equine; feedgrain/soybean; forestry; fruit; goats and sheep; hay; honeybee; peanut; pecan; poultry; swine; tobacco; vegetables and water. Committee chairpersons will be appointed for a one-year term, and will also serve on the GFB Policy Development Committee. Nomination forms should be submitted by county Farm Bureaus and received no later than Aug. 17. For more information contact Joe McManus in the GFB Public Policy Department at jcmcmanus@gfb.org or 478-474-0679, ext. 5259.

WEBINARS: BECOMING CERTIFIED TO SELL TO USDA FOODS PROGRAM Aug. 16 & Aug. 23 The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Commodity Procurement Program will host two live, one-hour interactive webinars at 2 p.m. on Aug. 16 and 2 p.m. Aug. 23 outlining how farmers can become approved to sell to the USDA Foods Program. The webinars are free but registration is required and space is limited. Visitwww.gfb.ag/ams816webinar to register for the Aug. 16 webinar. Visit www.gfb.ag/ams823webinar to register for the Aug. 23 webinar.For more information about the webinars or AMS contact Jeffrey Davis at 202-306-2673 or Jeffrey.davis4@ams.usda.gov.

JOINT AGRICULTURE CHARMEN’S AG ISSUES SUMMIT Aug. 23 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Perry Topics on the agenda for this annual event include modifications to the Georgia Ag Tax Exemption (GATE) program, the impact of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on water use, information on the new Georgia Center for Rural Prosperity & Innovation, and legislation on expanding ag education programs. The Ag Issues Summit is sponsored by Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia Agribusiness Council, Georgia Poultry Federation, Georgia Urban Agriculture Council and the Georgia Forestry Association. Lunch is provided no charge. Attendance is free, but meeting space is limited, so an RSVP is required. Please respond no later than Aug. 17. To register, contact Leigh Goff at 404-656-5099 or leigh.goff@house.ga.gov, or Taylor Hartshorn at 404-463-5257 – taylor.hartshorn@senate.ga.gov.

GFB News Alert page 14 of 17 GEORGIA FARM BUREAU DISTRICT ANNUAL MEETINGS Sept. 4 8th District South Georgia Tech. College 7 p.m.

Americus th Sept. 6 9 District Mitchell County Ag Center 7 p.m.

Camilla Sept. 10 7th District First Baptist Church 7 p.m.

Statesboro Sept. 11 5th District Thomaston Civic Center 7 p.m.

Thomaston th Sept. 13 10 District Waycross Auditorium 7 p.m.

Waycross Sept. 17 1st District First Baptist Church 7 p.m.

Calhoun rd Sept. 18 3 District Centre at Arbor Connection 7 p.m.

Douglasville Sept. 20 2nd District First Baptist Church 7 p.m.

Toccoa th Sept. 24 4 District Oconee County Civic Center 7 p.m.

Watkinsville Sept. 25 6th District Poplar Springs North Bapt. Ch. 7 p.m.

Dublin Contact your county Farm Bureau office for more information. Note: These meetings are for Farm Bureau members only and are not open to the general public.

AGROFORESTRY & WILDLIFE FIELD DAY Sept. 20 UGA Westbrook Research Farm 9:15 a.m.-4:15 p.m.

Griffin Geared toward small landowners, this event will feature 30 presentations/demos covering a variety of forestry management topics including tree thinning, prescribed burning, pinestraw production, deer management, feral hog control, quail habitat restoration and much more. Registration before Sept. 6 is $25 and guarantees attendees receive a baseball cap with the event logo. Registration after Sept. 6 is $30. Registration fee covers lunch and a booklet with in-depth topic and speaker information. Continuing Education Credits are available for pesticide applicators, loggers, registered foresters, arborists and wildlife managers. Visit www.caes.uga.edu/events/awfd for complete details about the event. To register visit www.ugagriffincontinuinged.com/awfd or call 770-229-3477.

GEORGIA BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION FALL MEETING Sept. 27-29 Forsyth Conference Center at Lanier Technical College Cumming Featured speakers are Maryann Frazier from the Penn State Center for Pollinator Research and Florida Department of Agriculture Apiary Inspection Assistant Chief Jerry Hayes. The meeting includes GBA Fall Honey Show. Registration is $75 for members and $90 for nonmembers until Sept. 10, after which registration will be $95 for everyone. One-day registration fee is $45 until Sept. 10 and $60 afterward. For more information or to register visit http://www.gabeekeeping.com/.

GFB News Alert page 15 of 17 NATIONAL EGG PRODUCTS SCHOOL Sept. 10-13 UGA Food Science Building, 100 Cedar St. Athens Participants will receive a thorough introduction to eggs and egg products, from their initial formation through the packaging of liquid and dried egg products for industrial use. This “farm to fork” review includes side excursions into molecular structure, safety, microbiology and the latest research on egg nutrition. Alongside the presentations, the program incorporates hands-on sessions for participants to use a variety of egg ingredients to create products such as angel food cake, ice cream, mayonnaise and custard. Participants will learn about the effects of impurities or bad processing techniques. Registration is $595 until Aug. 15 and $695 afterward. To register online visit https://bit.ly/2uEXwQ6 and click on “National Egg Products School.” For more information contact Jeniece Vinson at jgvinson@uga.edu or 706-542-1371.

NRCS POULTRY FARM ENERGY INITIATIVE SIGN UP Aug. 17 deadline to apply This north Georgia-specific project is one of 88 projects across the country selected for funding two years ago through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP, http://bit.ly/19RCPP). The 18-county project area covers Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Towns, Union, Walker and Whitfield counties. Poultry producers looking to improve on-farm energy efficiency as well as water and soil quality through nutrient management, should visit their local USDA Service Center (http://bit.ly/19NRCSsvcctrs) and submit their Conservation Program Application (NRCS-CPA-1200).

AG SAFETY GRANTS OFFERED BY NATIONAL CHILDREN’S CENTER Proposals are now being accepted by the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety for grants up to $20,000 to support small projects and pilot studies that address prevention of childhood agricultural disease and injury. Application deadline is August 20. Highest priority will be given to projects that: utilize the www.AgInjuryNews.org website; incorporate the Agricultural Youth Work Guidelines (www.CultivateSafety.org/family-farms), and/or focus on special populations (e.g., workers’ children, Anabaptists, African Americans, Native Americans). For more information, visit www.marshfieldresearch.org/nccrahs/mini-grants or contact Marsha Salzwedel at salzwedel.marsha@marshfieldresearch.org; 715-389-5226 or 1800-662-6900 option 8.

FADEOSH 3RD ANNUAL BRED HEIFER SALE Aug. 25 8636 Boston Monticello Hwy. 1 p.m.

Boston For more information contact Josh Herring at 229-244-2517 or Deidre Parramore at 229-460-6843 or dhp31602@yahoo.com.

GFB News Alert page 16 of 17 AFBF ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR COUNTY ACTIVITIES OF EXCELLENCE AFBF is now accepting applications for the 2019 County Activities of Excellence (CAE) program. County Farm Bureaus wishing to enter can access award information, applications and the CAE archives from http://bit.ly/19AFBFCAE. The deadline for counties to have their applications submitted online for state CAE coordinator approval is Sept. 1 at 12 a.m. EDT. AFBF will accept applications that are approved online by the state CAE coordinator by Sept. 14.

Georgia’s state CAE coordinator is Field Services Director Dennis Black (478-474-0679, ext.

5224. Winners will be announced no later than Oct. 19. Individual county and multi-county CAE winning entries will each receive a $2,250 cash award to be used toward travel and display costs to attend the 2019 AFBF Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show. In addition, individual and multi-county CAE winning entries will each receive a total of four free registrations for the AFBF Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show.

23rd ANNUAL LUMBER CITY FARM DAY FESTIVAL Sept. 8 & 9 Lumber City Saturday’s events include a Fun Run & 5K race, arts/crafts, food vendors, a parade and street dance. A community church service will be held Sept. 9. For more information or to register for the race visit www.lumbercityfarmday.org or call Jeanette Ban at 912-363-4643 or email jeaban2007@mac.com.

32ND ANNUAL GEORGIA PEANUT TOUR Sept. 18-20 Savannah and surrounding area The Georgia Peanut Tour brings the latest information on peanuts while giving a firsthand view of industry infrastructure from production and handling to processing and utilization. Tour stops will be made in several peanut-producing counties, including Bulloch, Burke, Candler and Screven.

Tour stops include on-farm harvest demonstrations and clinics, research at the University of Georgia Southeast Georgia Research and Education Center and the Georgia Ports Authority. Hotel accommodations can be made at the Hilton Garden Inn-Savannah Airport by calling 912-964-5550 Rooms are available at the rate of $129.00 plus tax for a standard room.

Be sure to ask for the Georgia Peanut Tour room block.

RURAL BROADBAND SUMMIT Sept. 20 Carey Martin Conf. Center, 233 N. Houston Rd. 10 a.m. Warner Robins The Georgia Municipal Association will host this one-day event to share information with local officials about rural broadband planning in Georgia. Participants will learn from experts and peers about cultivating a broadband planning approach that engages stakeholders and mitigates risks, and accessing federal agency resources for technical assistance and infrastructure. Participants will obtain a roadmap for planning a broadband infrastructure project. The meeting is ideal for municipal and county elected and appointed officials including mayors, county commissioners, city and county managers, city and county clerks, public works staff, and city and county attorneys.

For additional details and information, please contact Becky Taylor of the GMA staff at btaylor@gmanet.com or 678-686-6276 or Pam Helton of the GMA staff at phelton@gmanet.com or 678-686-6275.

GFB News Alert page 17 of 17 COBB COUNTY FARM BUREAU FARMERS MARKET Tuesdays through September 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Lost Mountain Park, Powder Springs The public is invited to check out a variety of vendors with locally grown produce, baked goods, strawberries, peaches, jams, jellies and much more. Lost Mountain Park is located at 4845 Dallas Highway in Powder Springs.

For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/cobbcofarmbureau/ or call 770-943-3531.

MONROE FARMERS MARKET Saturdays until October 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Court Street, Downtown Monroe This market, sponsored in part by Walton County Farm Bureau, will feature fresh produce and goods from local farmers, work from local artisans and family friendly activities. For more information visit www.monroedowntownfarmersmarket.com.

GFB TAKING LISTINGS FOR HAY DIRECTORY Farm Bureau members with hay for sale or offering custom harvesting or custom sprigging services are invited to list in the GFB Quality Hay Directory published on the GFB website. Hay can be listed or removed from the site as your inventory dictates. To participate, please complete a submission form available at your county Farm Bureau office or online at www.gfb.ag/hay.

Please include a $10 check made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau for each listing of hay, custom harvesting or custom sprigging. Multiple listings are allowed.