Georgia Farm Bureau News Alert - August 29, 2018

August 29, 2018

www.gfb.org

Vol. 36 No. 17

USDA DETAILS AID FOR FARMERS AFFECTED BY TARIFF RETALIATION On Aug. 27, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced details of actions the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will take to assist farmers in response to trade damage from tariff retaliation by foreign nations. The USDA will authorize up to $12 billion in programs, consistent with U.S.’ World Trade Organization agreement.

The Market Facilitation Program (MFP), Food Purchase and Distribution program and the Agricultural Trade Promotion (ATP) program will assist agricultural producers to meet the costs of disrupted markets.

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will administer the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) to provide payments to producers of corn ($0.01/bushel), cotton ($0.06/pound), dairy (milk, $0.12/cwt), pork ($8/head), sorghum ($0.86/bushel), soybeans ($1.65/bushel), and wheat ($0.14/bushel) producers starting Sept. 4. An announcement about further payments will be made in the coming months, if warranted. The MFP is budgeted for $4.7 billion in payments, $3.6 billion of which will go to soybean producers.

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will administer a Food Purchase and Distribution Program to purchase up to $1.2 billion in commodities targeted by retaliation.

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) will distribute these commodities through nutrition assistance programs such as The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and child nutrition programs. The commodities to be purchased are apples, apricots, beef, blueberries, cranberries, dairy, figs, grapefruit, grapes, hazelnuts, kidney beans, lemons/limes, lentils, macadamia, navy beans, fresh oranges, orange juice, peanut butter, pears, peas, pecans, pistachios, plums/prunes, pork, potatoes, rice, strawberries, sweet corn and walnuts. MFP applications will be available Sept. 4 online at www.farmers.gov/mfp. For more information, contact your local FSA office, which can be found at www.farmers.gov.

Eligible applicants must have an ownership interest in the commodity, be actively engaged in farming, and have an average adjusted gross income (AGI) for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016 of less than $900,000. Applicants must also comply with the provisions of the “Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation” regulations. On Sept. 4, the first MFP payment periods will begin. The second payment period, if warranted, will be determined by the USDA. MFP payments are capped per person or legal entity at a combined $125,000 for dairy -continued on next page

GFB News Alert page 2 of 16 Continued from previous page production or hogs. Payment for dairy production is based off the historical production reported for the Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy). For existing dairy operations, the production history is established using the highest annual milk production marketed during the full calendar years of 2011, 2012, and 2013. Dairy operations are also required to have been in operation on June 1 to be eligible for payments. Payment for hog operations will be based off the total number of head of live hogs owned on Aug. 1.

MFP payments are also capped per person or legal entity at a combined $125,000 for corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans and wheat.

The amounts of commodities to be purchased through the Food Purchase and Distribution Program are based on an economic analysis of the damage caused by unjustified tariffs imposed on the affected crops. Their damage assessments will be adjusted based on several factors and spread over several months in response to orders placed by states participating in the USDA nutrition assistance programs.

Products purchased will be distributed by USDA to participating states, for use in The Emergency Food Assistance Program and other USDA nutrition assistance programs.

AMS will buy affected products in four phases. The materials purchased can be adjusted between phases to accommodate changes due to: growing conditions; product availability; market conditions; trade negotiation status; and program capacity.

AMS will purchase known commodities first. By purchasing in phases, procurements for commodities that have been sourced in the past can be purchased more quickly and included in the first phase.

For more information on all three programs, visit https://gfb.ag/18tradefarmaid.

COURT ORDERS WOTUS RULE BACK IN EFFECT IN 26 STATES In February, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a rule that delayed implementation of the Obama-era Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) regulation until 2020. The delay was meant to give the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers time to develop a new WOTUS rule in accordance with an executive order from President Donald Trump.

On Aug. 16, a federal judge in South Carolina issued a nationwide injunction on the Trump administration’s February delay—effectively greenlighting the WOTUS rule in 26 states. The rule cannot proceed in the remaining 24 states, including Georgia, on account of a separate federal court order that temporarily blocks WOTUS implementation until a number of pending lawsuits challenging its validity can be resolved.

Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) have been leading voices opposing the WOTUS rule since it was first proposed in 2013, maintaining that the rule goes beyond what Congress intended when it passed the Clean Water Act. GFB supports the complete repeal of the WOTUS rule.

“While Georgia isn’t immediately affected by the ruling in South Carolina, we’re disappointed with the court’s decision,” said Georgia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long. “The provisions of the WOTUS rule place real and excessive burdens on farmers and ranchers, giving the federal government jurisdiction over the vast majority of farmland nationwide.”

On Aug. 20, AFBF asked the U.S. District Court of South Carolina to issue a stay on its order.

GFB News Alert page 3 of 16 U.S., MEXICO REACH TRADE AGREEMENT The United States and Mexico have reached an agreement that the Trump administration said will benefit American farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses. The office of the United States Trade Representative maintains the deal makes important improvements in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that will enable food and agriculture to trade more fairly between the two countries.

Canada, which participates in NAFTA, was not part of the agreement.

Under a modernized agreement, tariffs on agricultural products traded between the United States and Mexico will remain at zero.

For the first time, the agreement specifically addresses agricultural biotechnology to support 21st century innovations in agriculture, including new technologies such as gene editing.

Specifically, the United States and Mexico have agreed to provisions to enhance information exchange and cooperation on agricultural biotechnology trade-related matters.

The United States and Mexico agreed to work together on agriculture matters, improve transparency and consultations on matters affecting trade between the two countries and provide for non-discriminatory treatment in grading of agricultural products.

The United States and Mexico agreed to several provisions to reduce the use of trade-distorting policies, including: • To not use export subsidies or World Trade Organization (WTO) special agricultural safeguards for products exported to each other’s market.

• Improved commitments to increase transparency and consultation regarding the use of export restrictions for food security purposes.

• If supporting producers, to consider using domestic support measures that have minimal or no trade-distorting or production effects and ensure transparency of domestic support and supply management programs.

The agreement included language to ensure non-discriminatory grading standards and enhanced rules for food sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures for food safety. Under WTO rules, SPS measures cannot be used to disguise trade restrictions. The U.S.-Mexico agreement strengthens science-based SPS measures while increasing transparency.

For more about the U.S.-Mexico agreement, visit https://gfb.ag/USMextradeagmt.

GFB News Alert page 4 of 16 AG SUMMIT COVERS WATER, RURAL ECONOMY, AG ED & GATE CARDS The Florida water lawsuit, efforts to boost rural Georgia communities, the 28 elementary schools picked for the ag education pilot program, and GATE card changes were discussed at the Ag Issues Summit held Aug. 23 by Georgia House & Senate Agriculture Committee Chairmen Rep. Tom McCall & Sen. John Wilkinson. Georgia Farm Bureau partnered with other ag organizations to sponsor a Chick-fil-A box lunch.

Water lawsuit verdict could be several years away It could be two to three years before a final verdict is issued for the lawsuit Florida filed against Georgia in 2013, attorney Jud Turner told summit attendees.

Turner, who served as director of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division from Jan. 2012 to June 1, 2016, and now specializes in environmental issues with the Gilbert & Harrell Law Firm, said the time frame for a verdict will depend on whether Paul Kelly Jr., the new Rep. Tom McCall, left, special master the U.S. Supreme Court appointed Aug. 9 to review the and Sen. John suit, reopens the case to hear more evidence or decides only to review Wilkinson the existing evidence.

“Kelly, a retired judge with the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals is well-suited to pick up the case,” Turner said. “I think you’re looking at two to three years before we’re back where we were in June. Two years if Judge Kelly doesn’t open the case back up and just reviews the existing documents. Three if new evidence is submitted and more trial days are held.”

Kelly, who was nominated to the 10th Circuit Court by President George H. Bush in 1991 served as an active judge from his confirmation in April 1992 until December 2007 when he took senior judge status, which is a classification for federal judges who are semi-retired.

Turner said there are signs the Supreme Court wrestled with its June decision to remand Florida’s lawsuit back to a special master.

“The case was argued in January and decided last, which indicates the justices were wrestling with their decision,” Turner said. “The majority decision was saying Florida gets another bite of the apple due to a procedural technicality.”

Efforts underway to boost Georgia’s rural economies Deputy Commissioner for Rural Georgia Amy Carter with the Georgia Department of Economic Development discussed work the GDED is doing to strengthen the economies of rural communities.

“We are going county to county talking to stakeholders about their communities’ strengths and challenges. Agribusiness and agritourism have repeatedly been listed as strengths,” said Carter, who was appointed to her position by Gov. Deal in March. “It’s our purpose to connect these communities with federal grants and programs that can help them.”

As evidence of how agriculture drives local economies, Carter pointed out that Georgia ag exports exceeded $4.2 billion last year, and agriculture products accounted for 11percent of Georgia’s total exports in 2017. Georgia’s ag exports have grown 60 percent in the past decade.

Dr. David Bridges, president of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC), -continued on next page

GFB News Alert page 5 of 16 Continued from previous page discussed the new Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation that opened in July at ABAC. 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.

Bridges said the center’s mission is to foster innovation and economic development by bringing new businesses to rural communities and helping existing ones expand. He said the center will also focus on keeping bright, talented young people in the communities they grew up in.

Elementary schools in 25 counties picked for ag education pilot program Ben Lastly, executive secretary of the Georgia FFA Association, shared the exciting news that 28 elementary schools in 25 counties and one city school system have been approved to participate in a pilot program to offer ag education in their elementary schools. The three-year pilot program will begin with the 2019-2020 school year.

“We’re really excited about the opportunity for these young people to start learning about agriculture at such a young age,” Lastly said.

Elementary schools in the following counties were approved to participate in the pilot program: Appling, Banks, Berrien, Bibb, Brooks, Carroll, Chattooga, Colquitt (three schools: Hamilton, J.M. Odom & Norman Park), Crawford, Decatur, Fulton, Grady, Gordon, Harris, Heard, Irwin, Jasper, Lowndes, Montgomery, Morgan, Pickens, Pike, Putnam, Valdosta City System (Lowndes), Walker and Ware.

Local school systems will determine the grades involved with the pilot program, Lastly said, but he anticipates it will be mostly third to fifth graders.

GATE card eligibility incomes rises; program moving to three-year renewal Georgia Department of Agriculture Legislative Director Bo Warren outlined administrative changes farmers can expect this year when they apply for their Georgia Agricultural Tax Exemption (GATE) cards. The changes were mandated by House Bill 886 passed by the Georgia legislature this year to prevent abuse of the program.

The income threshold to determine an applicant’s eligibility is now $5,000 per year instead of the previous $2,500. Warren said applicants can meet the $5,000 eligibility threshold with: the sale of multiple ag products; by providing eligible farm services like custom harvesting; the production of long-term commodities, such as livestock, timber or pecans; or with a combination of these.

All cardholders will be required to provide a valid state taxpayer ID number recognized by the Georgia Department of Revenue (GDOR), such as a Georgia Sales/Use Tax Number, Georgia Corporate Income Tax number (Federal Employee Identification Number), or Social Security number. The tax ID number will not appear on the issued GATE card. Starting this year, all applications must be made online. Mailed applications will not be accepted.

Another change is the GATE card is moving to a three-year renewal system with a $150 registration fee. Warren said the GDA is using a staggered, alphabetical process to phase in the three-year cards so the state receives balanced annual income to cover costs of the program.

This year, one-third of applicants will receive one-year cards for $50. One-third will receive two-year cards for a $100 fee and one-third will receive a three-year card for a $150 fee.

GATE card holders will receive a plastic wallet-size card and smaller cards that can be attached to a key ring. Warren said all cardholders must retain records of their tax-exempt purchases to be produced to the GDA or Georgia Department of Revenue upon request.

GFB News Alert page 6 of 16 UGA TIFTON KICKS OFF CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION The UGA Tifton Centennial Celebration Kickoff on Aug. 21 was an acknowledgement of the school’s accomplishments, with the requisite local proclamations, welcome messages and thankyous to the descendants of Capt. H.H. Tift. And steam whistles.

UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Assistant Dean Joe West shared details of the formation of the Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station, which later became UGA Tifton.

The facility’s authorization process was a study in persistence by the Georgia Landowners Association (GLA) and local businessman Henry Harding Tift. The GLA asked the state legislature to authorize the development of the experiment station in South Georgia, contending that the information generated by the state’s first experiment station in Griffin was not applicable to farms in the Coastal Plain.

Catherine Tift Porter “They recognized that the growing conditions were far, far different blows the steam whistle to in southern Georgia than the growing conditions in the northern part of start the celebration. the state,” West said.

The ceremony featured proclamations from Tifton Mayor Julie Smith and Tift County Commission Chairman Grady Thompson. Smith pointed out that the campus has an $83 million economic impact on the local economy, along with a $5 million economic impact from the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center. USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Supervisory Research Geneticist Corley Holbrook talked about the agency’s collaboration with UGA. The GLA asked for the experiment station and legislation was submitted and turned town multiple times before being approved in August 1918. Tift was named chairman of the new facility’s board of trustees, whose first task was to select a location, choosing between bids from Baxley, Savannah, Sylvester, Tifton and Waycross.

The ARS assisted in the efforts to get the station authorized and built, and the first ARS scientist, J.C. Hart, arrived in Tifton in 1922 to collaborate with UGA scientists to improve agricultural practices and develop plants adapted to the local environment.

As part of the winning bid, Tift himself donated 206 acres of land. Tifton and Tift County pitched in $25,000 and the promise of free water and electricity for five years. The selection on May 3, 1919, was heralded locally with a long blast from the town’s fire whistle. West said the steam whistle was chosen as the symbol of the centennial celebration, which will feature multiple events in the coming months. Each event, including the Aug. 21 ceremony, is to be started with a blast from a steam whistle.

Catherine Porter Tift, one of H.H. Tift’s grandchildren, pulled the cord to sound the whistle as 13 other family members and more than 100 attendees looked on.

“I’m proud of what Henry Harding Tift did for Tifton,” Catherine Tift Porter said. “He loved Tifton and promoted it everywhere he could. Thank you for helping us keep his name alive.”

Along with ARS scientists, UGA researchers developed improved varieties of forage grasses and created new varieties of peanuts that improved yields from 700 pounds per acre in 1918 to an average of more than 4,000 pounds per acre today.

“Those men and women who have served at this location may not have been able to see the fruition of their work, but we enjoy it today,” CAES Dean Sam Pardue said. “Like so many of us, we truly stand on the shoulders of giants, and it is those efforts that have made such a difference.”

GFB News Alert page 7 of 17 COLQUITT COUNTY FARMERS READY TO MENTOR NEW ONES A four-member team of experienced ag professionals in Colquitt County are trained and eager to mentor people thinking about starting a farm or agribusiness. Thomas Coleman, P.L. Jowers, Stan Savage and Harry Thompson answered the call when Service Core of Retired Executives (SCORE) Moultrie Co-Chair Bob Montgomery and the USDA kicked off an effort last fall to establish a team of ag professionals to advise wouldbe-farmers and agribusiness owners the way SCORE volunteers have helped small business owners since 1964.

Coleman, a full-time farmer; Jowers, who is retired SCORE Moultrie Ag Mentors, from from the ag finance industry; Savage, a retired Extension left, P.L. Jowers, Thomas Coleman, poultry specialist who raises cattle; and Thompson, a Stan Savage and Harry Thompson. retired ag teacher who raises timber and cattle, are ready to share their expertise.

The effort underway in Colquitt County is one of eight pilot programs in Connecticut, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, New York and Washington where the USDA is partnering with established SCORE chapters to match farmers and ag professionals with people who want to farm.

“Our market is veterans coming out of service, young people looking to get into niche farming with small pieces of land looking to grow blueberries or microgreens, or retirees who have some land and want to grow something on it as a second career,” Montgomery said.

On Sept. 18 Moultrie SCORE will kick off a series of fall workshops for people interested in farming with a noon lunch at the Colquitt County Ag Center. Georgia Department of Agriculture Marketing Division Director Jack Spruill will share how a farm/agribusiness can participate in the Georgia Grown program and review opportunities for specialty crops and small animal farms, such as sheep and goats, to participate in the program. Andy Harrison, manager of the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commissions, will highlight new and emerging specialty crops, such as citrus and microgreens. The event is free but those interested in attending should notify SCORE Moultrie by Sept. 12 by emailing scoremoultrie@gmail.com or calling the Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce at 229-985-2131 and asking for SCORE. A second workshop will be held Oct. 2 at 6 p.m. at the Moultrie Ag Center featuring Kim Jones, owner/operator of Florida-Georgia Citrus, who will share the opportunities and realities of operating a citrus farm, and Mike Evans, with the Georgia Department of Agriculture, who will discuss rules and regulations for citrus growers and nurseries.

The third workshop on Nov. 13, also set for 6 p.m. at the Moultrie Ag Center, will feature Sam Watson of Chill C Farms and David Hopkins of Hopkins Farms in Cairo, who will both discuss rules and regulations vegetable growers face, especially for small farm-to-table producers.

“I was fortunate enough to have a father and grandfather teach me how to farm,” Coleman said.

“You take someone today who may want to farm but they don’t know anything about it. I want to -continued on next page

GFB News Alert page 8 of 17 Continued from previous page pass a little bit of knowledge on to someone else because I want other people to be able to help feed and clothe my grandchildren. I want the ag section of the economy to continue to prosper because without food and fiber we’re nothing.”

Anyone interested in being paired with one of the SCORE Moultrie ag mentors can participate in the program. It isn’t just for Colquitt County residents. Montgomery and Coleman said the majority of the 22 clients who have reached out for help have been from other counties, several from other states.

“We’re trying to get the word out that we can help and are offering these mentoring services,” Savage said. “There’s a lot of possibilities for small farmers who want to do niche farming as a second income like grass-fed beef or Christmas trees. The type of person we can help is someone who has 20 to 30 hours a week to devote to raising produce or livestock on a small scale.”

For more information about the Ag Mentor program SCORE Moultrie is offering, call 229-9852131 or email scoremoultrie@gmail.com.

GFB DISTRIBUTING NEW CERTIFIED FARM MARKET SIGNS Georgia Farm Bureau Certified Farm Markets (CFM) are getting new signs.

The signs, which assure consumers that the farm they are visiting meets all CFM program requirements and is a current participant. To be eligible, a market owner has to be a GFB member, the farm stand has to be located on the farm, the farm has to grow the majority of what is sold and the stand must abide by fair and honest business practices.

The signs, designed by the GFB marketing team, are coated to withstand weather conditions.

For more information about the CFM program visit https://gfb.ag/CFM or contact Kelly Thompson at kathompson@gfb.org.

NASS: GEORGIA FARM LAND VALUES DOWN Georgia’s average farm real estate value dropped slightly from 2017 to 2018 but remained above the national average, according to the Land Values and Cash Rents report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Georgia’s farm real estate value, a measurement of the value of all land and buildings on farms, averaged $3,500 per acre in 2018, down from $3,550 per acre in 2017, a one percent drop.

Nationwide, farm real estate average value was $3,140.

Georgia cropland overall retained the same value, $3,420 per acre, in 2018 as in 2017. The value of Georgia’s irrigated land averaged $4,550 per acre in 2018, up 11 percent from 2017, when the state’s average irrigated land value was $4,070 per acre. Non-irrigated cropland value fell five percent, from $3,180 per acre in 2017 to $3,010 per acre in 2018.

Georgia’s pasture average value in 2018 is $3,650 per acre, with no change from the 2017 average value.

Rent for irrigated cropland in Georgia averaged $190 per acre in 2018, down from $200 per acre in 2017. Non-irrigated land rent averaged $65 per acre in 2018, the same as in 2017. Georgia pasture rent averaged $27 per acre in 2018, down from $29 per acre in 2017.

GFB News Alert page 9 of 16 GEORGIA COTTON COMMISSION URGES TIMELY PASSAGE OF FARM BILL The Georgia Cotton Commission along with 66 other organizations, including Georgia Farm Bureau, sent a letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate and House Agriculture committees along with the farm bill conferees thanking the respective leaders for their work so far through this process, particularly for seed cotton provisions that were introduced in February. The letter also outlined cotton industry goals that have yet to be negotiated during the conference process.

GFB will be sending a letter to the conference committee leaders this week outlining a number of farm policy priorities that should be included in the final 2018 farm bill.

Among the cotton industry goals are: •Completing the farm bill by the end of 2018, so producers can go to lending institutions to show market stability for the next five years; •Increased funding for the Economic Adjustment Assistance Program (EAAP) that is included in the House version of the farm bill. EAAP helps support domestic consumption of cotton and increases the competitiveness of American textile manufacturing, while supporting direct and indirect jobs in rural communities, many of which are in Georgia and the southeast; • Removing “actively engaged” provisions added at the last minute by the Senate. Adoption of these changes downplays the importance of the contributions made by family members on farms and makes passing multigenerational farms to relatives other than children harder; • Ratifying the no cost adjustments to cotton marketing loan programs included in the House Farm Bill; • Maintaining adjusted gross income means test at current levels to more appropriately support family farms, especially in times of depressed markets; • To give the United States Department of Agriculture the tools to monitor the flow of cotton throughout the manufacturing process and the oversight to make regulatory changes to make that process more efficient and transparent.

Georgia Reps. Austin Scott (R-8th District), David Scott (D-13th District), and Rick Allen (R12th District) are members of the Farm Bill Conference Committee, which is scheduled to have its first public hearing on Sept. 5. Conferees will negotiate differences in the House and Senate versions of the legislation, which also provides nutritional assistance for Americans of all backgrounds and supports the underpinnings of struggling rural communities. Producers and other interested people are encouraged to contact their senators and representatives in Washington, D.C., to share their opinion on these issues.

AFBF FOUNDATION TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR MINI-GRANTS The American Farm Bureau Federation Foundation for Agriculture is now accepting applications for the Spring 2019 cycle of the White-Reinhardt Mini-Grant program.

The White-Reinhardt program funds projects that will increase agricultural literacy. County and state Farm Bureaus may apply for $1,000 grants for education programs for grades K-12 in order to initiate new ag literacy programs or expand existing programs. Grants are available on a competitive basis.

The deadline to submit applications is Oct. 15. For more information visit https://gfb.ag/19AFBFminigrants.

GFB News Alert page 10 of 16 BILLY HUGHES NAMED NEW GEORGIA AG ED PROGRAM MANAGER The Georgia Department of Education has named Billy Hughes program manager for agricultural education, which oversees the state’s FFA program.

Hughes, who has served as the principal at Effingham County High School since 2016, succeeds Chip Bridges, who stepped down in June after nine years on the job. Hughes starts on Oct. 15, according to an Aug. 24 memo to the state’s agriculture teachers from Georgia Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) Director Barbara Wall.

A native of Bryan County, Hughes started his teaching career in 1990 at Effingham County High School, where he taught agriculture until 2001, when he became the Central Region Area forestry instructor. He returned to ECHS as agriculture teacher, which he continued until 2006.

From 2006 to 2011, he worked as CTAE supervisor for Effingham County Schools. He was principal for Effingham County Middle School from 2011 to 2016.

Hughes, who lives in Rincon, has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture education from the University of Georgia, a master’s degree in ag education from Clemson University and a specialist degree in educational administration and supervision from Lincoln Memorial University.

URBAN AG COUNCIL RESPONDS TO VERDICT IN ROUNDUP CASE On Aug. 10, a San Francisco jury awarded $289 million in damages to a plaintiff who claimed his terminal cancer was caused by exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer.

On Aug. 20, The Georgia Urban Ag Council (UAC), an association of green industry stakeholders, received inquiries about the case, glyphosate safety and guidance on the use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup.

“As with all herbicides, pesticides and other products, use glyphosate in accordance with its labeling, wearing recommended personal protective equipment (PPE),” UAC Executive Director Mary Kay Woodworth wrote in a note to UAC members and industry friends.

The UAC collaborated with UGA Extension Turfgrass Specialist Dr. Clint Waltz to compile information about glyphosate use and the court verdict. The UAC also shared a glyphosate fact sheet from the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Waltz/UAC information, which can be viewed at https://gfb.ag/UACglyphosateinfo, notes that the jury based its verdict on the opinion of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which said glyphosate is carcinogenic despite numerous findings to the contrary in numerous countries, including the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Investigative reports by major news outlets found that the IARC report on glyphosate omitted conclusions from key studies, and the IARC did no independent study.

Waltz/UAC also pointed out a 2017 study by the National Cancer Institute which found that there was “no apparent association between glyphosate and any solid tumors or lymphoid malignancies overall.”

The EPA fact sheet, which can be viewed at https://gfb.ag/EPAglyphosatefacts, noted that glyphosate has a 40-year history of safe use and that more than 800 studies around the world have concluded that the chemical does not cause cancer.

The EPA is conducting a routine 15-year review of glyphosate and indicates the final review report will be released in 2019.

Monsanto is now a part of Bayer, which said it would appeal the San Francisco verdict.

GFB News Alert page 11 of 16 USDA MAKES AID TO AVAILABLE TO PECAN GROWERS The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making additional assistance available for pecan growers to replant and replace trees through the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) as they recover from the damage caused by 2017 weather events.

Funding will be provided through TAP, a program administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Up to $15 million is available to eligible pecan orchardists or pecan nursery tree growers for certain mortality losses incurred during 2017.

To qualify for a TAP payment for pecan tree losses, growers and nursery tree growers must have: 1.) planted, or be considered to have planted (by purchase before the loss of existing stock planted for commercial purposes) pecan trees for commercial purposes, or have a production history, for commercial purposes, of planted or existing trees; 2.) suffered a qualifying pecan tree loss in excess of 7.5 percent mortality (after adjustment for normal mortality) from Jan. 1, 2017, through Dec. 31, 2017; and 3.) continuously owned the stand from the time of the disaster until the time that the TAP application is submitted.

For more information about this or other FSA programs, contact your local FSA county office or USDA Service Center.

AFBF TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR AG INNOVATION CHALLENGE The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, is accepting online applications for its 2019 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. Entrepreneurs will compete for $145,000 in startup funds.

The competition provides an opportunity for individuals to showcase ideas and business innovations in agriculture. This is the fifth year of the challenge, which is the first national business competition focused exclusively on rural entrepreneurs launching food and agriculture businesses.

Competitors are invited to submit for-profit business ideas related to food and agriculture online at http://fb.org/aginnovationchallenge by Sept. 24.

Ten semifinalist teams will be announced on Nov. 9 and awarded $10,000. The final four teams (selected from the 10 semifinalist teams) will be announced on Dec. 5 and will receive an additional $5,000 and have all expenses paid to compete in a live pitch competition at AFBF’s 100th Annual Convention in New Orleans on Jan. 13. The final four teams will compete to win: Farm Bureau Entrepreneur of the Year award and $15,000 (chosen by judges), for a total of $30,000, and the People’s Choice award and $10,000 (chosen by public vote), for a total of $25,000 Rural entrepreneurs with businesses in the following categories are encouraged to apply: ag technologies; agritourism; Community Supported Agriculture farms, farmers’ markets, food stands and food hubs; farms, ranches, greenhouses, managed forests, aquaponics, cut flowers, herbs, honey and landscape plants; Farm-to-table businesses; support services including scouting, equipment repair and fertilizer sales; value-added processing including yogurts, cheese and processed meats; and wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries.

Entrepreneurs must be Farm Bureau members to compete. Applicants who are not Farm Bureau members have until Nov. 5 to join. Visit fb.org/join to learn about becoming a member. Detailed eligibility guidelines, the competition timeline and profiles of past Challenge winners are available at http://fb.org/aginnovationchallenge .

Startup funds for the 2019 Ag Innovation Challenge are provided by sponsors Farm Credit, John Deere and Farm Bureau Bank.

GFB News Alert page 12 of 16 UGA COTTON & PEANUT RESEARCH FIELD DAY Sept. 5 UGA Tifton Conference Center 8 a.m.

Tifton The Georgia Cotton Commission, Georgia Peanut Commission and the University of Georgia Extension Cotton and Peanut Teams, will co-sponsor this joint research field day, which will start at the University of Georgia Conference Center (15 RDC Rd., Tifton, Georgia) before relocating to the RDC Pivot and Ponder Farm to view research trials. The purpose of the tour is to showcase current research, which is funded by the respective commissions, in plot-side presentations by the researchers, giving farmers the opportunity to interact with the leadership of each commission, other farmers and industry representatives. It is an excellent place for farmers to observe, firsthand, the research programs funded by their checkoff investments. To view an agenda, visit www.georgiacottoncommission.org or www.gapeanuts.com. RSVP by Aug. 31 to Jeannie Evans at jevans12@uga.edu or 229-386-3006.

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 CAE coordinator is GFB 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.

GFB ACCEPTING PROPOSED POLICY CHANGES Sept. 7 deadline for policy submissions Georgia Farm Bureau is taking policy suggestions from county Farm Bureaus until Sept. 7 to be considered for inclusion in the organization’s 2019 policy. GFB reviews suggested policy changes through its annual Policy Development process. For access to an electronic version of the 2018 GFB Policy Book or to file a policy submission, contact your county Farm Bureau office manager.

All policy submissions must be approved by a county Farm Bureau president. If you have questions regarding the Policy Development process, please contact Katie Duvall at kgduvall@gfb.org or 478-474-0679, ext. 5217.

GFB News Alert page 13 of 16 GEORGIA FARM BUREAU DISTRICT ANNUAL MEETINGS Sept. 4 8th District South Georgia Tech. College 7 p.m.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Toccoa Sept. 24 4th 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. These meetings are for Farm Bureau members only and are not open to the general public.

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.

FARM SERVICE AGENCY PROGRAM MEETINGS Sept. 10 Cloud Livestock Facility 1300 E. River Rd. 9 a.m.– 10:30 a.m.

Bainbridge Sept. 10 Houston Co. Extension 801 Main St. 2:45 p.m.– 4:15 p.m.

Perry Sept. 11 Bulloch Co. Ag Ctr. 151 Langston Chapel Rd. 9 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Statesboro Sept. 11 UGA Tifton Conf. Center 15 RDC Rd. 3 p.m.– 4:30 p.m.

Tifton Sept. 12 Stiles Auditorium 320 West Cherokee Ave. 9 a.m.– 10:30 a.m. Cartersville Sept. 12 J. Phil Campbell Building, 1420 Exp. Stn. Rd. 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Watkinsville The Farm Service Agency, along with UGA Cooperative Extension, is planning to conduct 6 meetings across the state in September with growers discussing WHIP (Ag Disaster Program), Seed Cotton, Market Facilitation Program, and changes to Tree Assistance Program.

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 $695. 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.

GFB News Alert page 14 of 16 BROOKLET PEANUT FESTIVAL Sept. 15 Brooklet Located 45 minutes from Savannah in Bulloch County, the 28th Annual Peanut Festival includes a peanut run (7 a.m.), parade (10 a.m.), arts and crafts, exhibits and street dance (7 p.m.) Visit www.brookletpeanutfestival.com. Parade airs live on WTOC in Savannah.

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 plus tax for a standard room.

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

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.

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 15 of 16 22ND ANNUAL PLAINS PEANUT FESTIVAL Sept. 22 Various locations Plains Festival is hosted by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalyn. The event features a one-mile fun run and 5-K race at 8 a.m. President Carter and Tyron Spearman emcee parade at 11 a.m. Visit the Peanut Pavilion to see national sponsors including hot, grilled PB&J’s. To participate in the Plains Peanut Festival Parade call 229-824-7477. For more details, visit http://plainsgeorgia2.com/events/#festival.

TRI-STATE PEANUT DISEASE TOUR Sept. 25-27 locations TBD The tour, with stops in Alabama, Florida and Georgia, starts at noon on Sept. 25 and lasts until noon on Sept. 27. For more information, contact Albert Culbreath, UGA, Plant Pathology at spotwilt@uga.edu.

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/.

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.

PEANUT LEADERSHIP ACADEMY CLASS XI Oct. 15 application deadline Applications are now being accepted for Class XI of the Peanut Leadership Academy. To be eligible for participation, candidates must derive their primary livelihood from farming and currently produce peanuts, make a commitment to the program and agree to attend all sessions except in times of illness or a family emergency, be between the ages of 22 and 45 and provide a completed application. Five sessions take place throughout the 18-month class and require approximately 20 days of travel. Each class also has one leadership session in Washington, D.C. where participants have an opportunity to visit with members of Congress on issues affecting the peanut industry. To download a copy of the upcoming class application, visit www.southernpeanutfarmers.org. Applications must be postmarked by Oct. 15 for consideration.

The first session will begin in December 2018.

GFB News Alert page 16 of 16 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.