January 3, 2013
www.gfb.org
Vol. 31 No. 1
ESTATE TAX, FARM BILL ADDRESSED WITH PASSAGE OF LATE TAX BILL In New Year’s Day votes in both chambers, Congress passed The American Tax Relief Act of 2012 to avert the so-called “fiscal cliff ”. The bill included an extension of the 2008 farm bill. The bill, H.R. 8, was opposed in the House by nine of Georgia’s 13 delegates. The House passed the bill by a 257-167 margin. In the 898 Senate vote, both Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson voted for it. The 2008 farm bill is extended through Sept. 30, 2013, with some notable exceptions. This included authorization for most commodity programs, including direct payments, but did not include payments under the Supplemental Revenue Assurance Program (SURE). Peanuts grown in the 2013 crop year will be subject to the same commodity provisions as in the 2012 crop year. The dairy product price support program is extended until Dec. 31. While the commodity programs are authorized under the bill, it is important to note that they are not funded under the bill; funding for the programs will have to be issued through the Appropriations Committees. In a prepared statement, American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman called the farm bill extension “little more than a stop-gap measure. We are glad that a measure is in place for most of this year, but we are disappointed that Congress was unable or unwilling to roll a comprehensive five-year farm bill proposal into the fiscal cliff package. Now, it will be up to the new 113th Congress to put a new farm bill in place, and we will continue to insist on the kind of reforms that were included in the proposals approved by the Senate and the House Agriculture Committee during the 112th Congress.” The federal estate tax was also permanently extended, avoiding a reversion to a $1 million exemption with a 55 percent top tax rate that was scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1. Instead, the exemption remained at $5 million per person and will be indexed for inflation, while the top rate was increased from 35 percent to 40 percent. President Barack Obama had indicated he would sign the bill into law but he had not done so at press time. The bill increases income taxes for individuals making more than $400,000 per year ($450,000 for couples), but avoided tax increases for those beneath the $400,000 threshold. The 2 percent payroll “tax holiday” enjoyed by most Americans since 2010 was allowed to expire. The bill increases the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) exemption for 2012 to $50,600 for individuals and $78,750 for married couples filing joint returns. The AMT exemption is also indexed for inflation.
Leadership Alert page 2 of 5 NOMINATIONS MADE FOR GA PEANUT COMMISSION At the request of the Georgia Peanut Commission, Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) held nomination meetings Dec. 18 and 19 to fill three positions on the GPC Board of Directors that begin in May. The term for each position is three years. On Dec. 18 peanut growers in the GPC District 2 renominated incumbent Armond Morris of Irwin County, who currently chairs the GPC, and Wes Shannon of Tift County, who chaired the 2012 GFB Peanut Committee and has served on the National Peanut Board. Both are Farm Bureau members. Since more than one person was nominated for the District 2 seat, a mail ballot will be conducted at a future date to be determined by the GPC. GPC’s District 2 includes Atkinson, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Thomas, Tift, Turner and Worth counties. During the District 4 nomination meeting held Dec. 19, Rodney Dawson of Pulaski County was renominated without opposition for the District 4 position which represents the counties of Bleckley, Crisp, Dodge, Dooly, Houston, Laurens, Pulaski, Telfair, Twiggs, Wheeler, Wilcox and Wilkinson. Donald Chase of Macon County was renominated without opposition for the District 5 seat during a nomination meeting held Dec. 19. The GPC District 5 includes Chattahoochee, Clay, Lee, Macon, Marion, Peach, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Terrell and Webster counties. The Georgia peanut production area is divided into five districts based on acreage distribution and geographical location with one board member representing each district for a three-year term. The GPC conducts numerous activities that promote Georgia’s peanut industry, support industry research and educate producers about industry issues. LONG-TIME STATE SENATOR HUGH GILLIS SR. DIES Hugh M. Gillis Sr., who served for 56 years in the Georgia General Assembly and on the board of directors of Treutlen County Farm Bureau for nearly 70 years, died on Jan. 1. He was 94. A charter member of the TCFB board, Gillis was the 2010 recipient of the Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Award in recognition of his contributions to Georgia agriculture in general and the state’s forestry industry in particular. Gillis’ time in the Senate included six years as Senate president pro tempore. He also chaired numerous Senate committees, including the Natural Resources Committee. In accepting the GFB Commodity Award, Gillis said he was especially proud of the passage of House Resolution 836 in 1990, a move that allowed a Gillis statewide referendum to approve the conservation use value assessment (CUVA), which taxes eligible farm and timber land based on its use, rather than its fair market value. CUVA has allowed farmers to continue to farm and grow timber in areas facing strong development pressure. In 2001 and 2002, Gillis co-chaired the Joint Comprehensive Water Plan Study Committee, which drafted recommendations for state water policy. Memorial contributions may be made to the Mercer University School of Medicine, Office of University Advancement, 1400 Coleman Ave., Macon, Ga., 30127, the Shepherd Center Foundation, 2020 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta, Ga., 30309, or the Soperton First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 25, Soperton, Ga., 30457.
Leadership Alert page 3 of 5 EPA RULE MAINTAINS FARM DUST STANDARD; JACKSON STEPS DOWN The U.S. EPA finalized its updated national air quality standards on Dec. 14, and while it lowered the standard for fine particulate matter, the rules relating to coarse particulate matter, which includes dust from farms, went unchanged. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA is required to review ambient air quality standards every five years, but missed that deadline. The agency was subject to a court order requiring a final rule by Dec. 14. The standard remained at 35 micrograms per cubic meter of air for coarse particles (also referred to as PM10), those that are between 2.5 and 10 micrometers in diameter. Coarse particles include dust commonly generated by typical farming practices and driving on unpaved rural roads. The standard for fine particulate matter -- PM2.5, or particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers -was lowered from the current 15 micrograms per cubic meter of air to 12. According to an EPA press release, PM2.5 can penetrate deep into the lungs and has been linked to a variety of health conditions. The release also indicated that fewer than 10 counties nationwide will need to take local action to reduce PM2.5 to meet the new standard by 2020 as required by the Clean Air Act. All of those counties are in California. The new standards were proposed in June and the EPA received more than 230,000 comments on the issue. At that time the American Farm Bureau Federation was encouraged at the agency’s decision not to change the PM10 standard but expressed support for the Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act, which would exempt agriculture from EPA regulation. The bill was passed by the U.S. House in December 2011 but has not been brought to a vote in the Senate. In another EPA development, Administrator Lisa Jackson announced on Dec. 27 her intention to resign her position effective after the State of the Union Address in late January. AUSTIN SCOTT TO CHAIR SUBCOMMITTEE Rep. Austin Scott (R-8th District) was chosen by House Ag Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) to chair the Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Agriculture for the 113th Congress. The subcommittee generally has jurisdiction in matters pertaining to fruits and vegetables, honey and bees, marketing and promotion orders, plant pesticides, quarantine, adulteration of seeds and insect pests, and organic agriculture, research, education and extension, biotechnology and foreign agriculture assistance and the trade promotion program. Scott served on the House Ag Committee during his first term in Congress. HARRELL NAMED NATIONAL PEANUT BOARD VICE CHAIRMAN Grady County Farm Bureau Director John Harrell has been chosen to serve as vice chairman of the National Peanut Board, a farmer-funded national research, promotion and education check-off program consisting of one board member and one alternate from each of the 10 peanutproducting states. Harrell’s term as vice chairman is one year and began on Jan. 1. Vic Jordan of Louisiana was chosen as chairman for the NPB. The NPB provided more than $4.6 million in domestic and export promotions funding and more than $1 million in research funding in FY2012. Harrell
Leadership Alert page 4 of 5 GEORGIA 4-Her NAMED TO NATIONAL COUNCIL Congratulations to Tess Hammock of Monroe County, who has been elected a trustee of the National 4-H Council. SOUTHEAST REGIONAL FRUIT & VEGETABLE CONFERENCE Jan. 10-13 International Trade and Convention Center Savannah This annual conference features 12 different crop-specific workshops plus workshops on business operations and food safety. Attendees will also have the chance to receive legislative updates from Washington and Atlanta. For more information or to register, visit http://www.seregionalconference.com. GEORGIA GROWN EXECUTIVE CHEF PROGRAM SEEKS APPLICANTS Georgia Grown and the Georgia Restaurant Association are seeking applicants for the Georgia Grown Executive Chef Program, which promotes the Department’s Georgia Grown campaign statewide. The program offers participating chefs a mark of honor and distinction, while increasing awareness for both restaurateurs and consumers about which local Georgia products are available for the cooking season. The application process runs through Jan. 11. Visit http://www.garestaurants.org/GeorgiaGrown to apply. The selected chefs will be announced at the Taste of Georgia Legislative Reception on Feb. 19. 2013 GEORGIA DAIRY CONFERENCE Jan. 14-16 Savannah Riverfront Marriott Savannah This annual conference is designed to provide dairy producers with significant and practical take-home information on topics ranging from economic factors affecting feed prices, lowering somatic cell counts, promotion and agritourism and much more. The conference also features board of directors meetings for the Agricultural Commodity Commission for Milk, Georgia Milk Producers Inc., and the Georgia Dairy Youth Foundation. Registration is free for Georgia dairymen. Fees for out-of-state dairymen are $100 per farm for all three days or $50 per farm for two days or less. more information, contact Farrah Newberry at 706-310-0020 or gamilkproducers@gmail.com. BEEKEEPING SHORT COURSE Jan. 19 Atlanta Botanical Garden Day Hall 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Atlanta This one-day course will provide everything beginning beekeepers need to know to get started in urban beekeeping. Topics including the life cycle of the honeybee, bee biology, varroa mites, honey harvest and more. The $95 registration fee includes admission to the Atlanta Botanical Garden, a light breakfast, lunch, parking, supplies and presentations. For more information, visit http://www.metroatlantabeekeepers.org/shortcourse.htm. 2013 SOYBEAN/SMALL GRAIN EXPO Jan. 24 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter Perry The Expo will provide soybean and small grain producers with up-to-date marketing projections and the newest production techniques. The event will also feature presentations from UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences professors on kudzu bug control, soybean breeding and the world outlook for southern commodities and others. Pesticide credits are available. For more information, contact the Georgia/Florida Soybean Association at 706-5423793.
Leadership Alert page 4 of 6 2013 AG FORECAST MEETINGS Jan. 25 Ga. Center for Continuing Education Athens Jan. 28 ECO Center Rome Jan. 29 Georgia Farm Bureau Macon Jan. 30 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center Tifton Jan. 31 Decatur Co. Livestock Complex Bainbridge Feb. 1 Toombs Co. Agri-Center Lyons UGA economists will give the 2013 ag economic outlook and guest speakers will discuss international trade and how the global economy impacts local businesses. Check-in for all sessions, except Tifton, begins at 9:30 a.m. Seminars run from 10 a.m. to noon followed by lunch. The Tifton event is a breakfast that runs from 7:30 a.m to 10 a.m. Cost is $30 per person or $200 for a table sponsorship, which includes eight seats. Advance registration is required by January 23. For more information or to register, visit http://www.georgiaagforecast.com call 706-583-0347 or email carlam@uga.edu. These meetings are a UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences program endowed by Georgia Farm Bureau and supported by the Georgia Dept. of Agriculture and Georgia Agribusiness Council. FLAVOR OF GEORGIA FOOD PRODUCT CONTEST The UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development sponsors this annual contest, designed to help Georgia-based food entrepreneurs showcase their products. Contestants may submit as many products as they like. The categories are: barbecue and hot sauces; jams, jellies and sauces; confections; meat products; dairy products and snack foods. Registration is open and runs through Feb. 8. Finalists will be invited to take part in a final judging on March 11, 2013 and a public tasting on March 12 at Ag Awareness Day in Georgia event, when the winners will also be announced. For more information about the contest, including registration information, visit http://www.flavorofgeorgia.caes.uga.ed or call 706-583-0347. GA PORK PRODUCERS MEETING & PORK ACT DELEGATE ELECTION Feb. 12 Georgia Farm Bureau Home Office Macon Georgia pork producers will elect delegate candidates as outlined in the Pork Act for the 2014 National Pork Forum at 1:30 p.m. along with a meeting of the Georgia Pork Producers Association Board of Directors. Producers should bring a sales receipt proving that hogs were sold in their name and the checkoff was paid to be eligible as delegates or candidates or participate in the election. This meeting will follow the 2013 Georgia Pork Congress that begins with the meeting at 8:30 a.m. For information, contact the Georgia Pork Producers Association at 229-246-8297. RECIPES FROM THE FARM RECIPE CONTEST The National Peanut Board is now accepting entries for its Recipes from the Farm contest. The search is on for the best farm family recipes with peanuts and peanut butter. Grand prizes will be awarded to one winner in both sweet and savory categories. Each winner will receive a peanut prize pack and a gift card along with a chance of having their recipes featured on NPB’s blog and new website. Each entry must include a recipe and a high-resolution photo. All entries should be e-mailed to recipecontest@nationalpeanutboard.org by Feb. 12. For additional rules and details visit http://tinyurl.com/awp3e8n.