Georgia Farm Bureau News - March / April 2010 Issue

Vol. 72 No. 2

GEORGIA

March/April 2010

FARM BUREAU NEWS

The Voice of Georgia Farmers

Life

Insurance

“I can’t

Give these kids the future.”

— but I can help them prepare for it. Their world is changing. Fast.

And keeping up is difficult. Today’s students are faced with challenges and opportunities throughout all of their young lives. Their future is uncertain.

Everyone’s looking for answers, and I’m no exception. I count on my local Farm Bureau Insurance agent to help me prepare for the times ahead with a solid financial program of Life and Disability Insurance, as well as retirement planning, including IRAs and annuities.

And that makes my future more secure.

For ALL the everyday

heroes...

Just like you.

Auto • Home • Life www.sfbli.com

GA2LF179 Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. • Georgia Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Co. • Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co.

table of

contents march/april 2010

departments we, the farmers PAGE 4

legislative update PAGE 5

commodities update PAGE 12

young farmer update PAGE 17

around georgia

PAGE 20

public relations staff

Paul Beliveau Director Jennifer Whittaker Editor

Lillian Davis Publications/Advertising Manager

Jay Stone Print/Web Specialist

Denny Moore TV Producer/Anchor

Rick Treptow Senior Radio-TV Specialist

Michael Edmondson Web/Video Manager

Mark Wildman Radio-TV Specialist

Dean Wood Radio-TV Specialist

Ryan Naquin Radio-TV Specialist

Vickie Amos Office Coordinator

Farm Bureau Day at the Capitol

Members of Georgia’s General Assembly were reminded of the importance of Georgia agriculture when almost 500 Georgia Farm Bureau members from 91 counties showed up for Farm Bureau Day at the Capitol, Feb. 17.

PAGE 6

Peanut Butter for Haiti helps earthquake victims

Georgia Farm Bureau and its county offices donated $16,000 to the Peanut Butter for Haiti initiative. As of March 15, Peanut Butter for Haiti had shipped seven truckloads or about 246,000 pounds of peanut butter and peanut products to the Caribbean nation.

PAGE 8

Farmers must fight for agriculture

Farm Bureau leaders attending GFB’s annual Presidents’ Conference picked up some tips for combating the attacks anti-agricultural groups are making against farmers. The conference also highlighted ways Farm Bureau can engage volunteers of different ages.

PAGE 10

County Farm Bureaus celebrate Food Check-Out Week

County Farm Bureaus across Georgia celebrated Food Check-Out Week, Feb. 21-27, with numerous activities. Lanier County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee members Betty Watson (L) and Melody Register talked to customers at Harvey’s Supermarket about the affordability of food while they bagged groceries.

PAGE 14

Farmers pass winter attending commodity meetings

This winter, Georgia’s farmers stayed busy attending numerous commodity conferences and farm shows.

PAGE 18

Georgia gets a snow day!

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

We wanted to share a few of the many photos Farm Bureau members and county staff shared from the snowstorm that moved through Georgia Feb. 12. Even counties in south Georgia that rarely see snow got in on the fun!

PAGE 20

For questions regarding editorial content call 478-474-0679, ext. 5334 or e-mail jawhittaker@gfb.org

on the cover

For questions regarding advertising contact Hurst and Associates, Inc., 1-800-397-8908 Visit the GFB Web site today! www.gfb.org Join us on Facebook

(Photo by Rick Treptow) Spring is here and it’s time to start planting, but wet field conditions have delayed the planting of corn and other fieldwork. Rick captured this shot of corn being planted on Moye Farms in Baker County on March 13, 2008. This year, wet fields prevented the Moyes from planting corn until March 20, T.E. Moye said.

Georgia Farm Bureau News March-April 2010 / 3

we, the

farmers Zippy Duvall, GFB President

Springtime in Georgia What do you think about when you thing of spring? Is it the excitement of what the future holds for our children and agriculture? My granddaughter Ava recently visited me on the farm and it made me think about what we need to do as an industry to lead our youth and our industry into the exciting future we anticipate. I’ve come to the conclusion that the best way to lead is by serving as good role models and by making memories with our children that will pass our love of agriculture onto them.

Abraham Lincoln said, “There is but one way to train up a child in the way he should go, and that is to travel it yourself.”

What we do in front of our young people and in front of the world has more impact than any lecture or speech.

Since most people are several generations removed from the farm, those of us still farming have the responsibility to serve as ambassadors for agriculture. Georgia Farm Bureau is working to show the public that farmers are responsible caretakers of our animals and the natural resources on our farms. We also want them to know we’re committed to giving back to our communities. It’s important that we do this because our children, the next generation of farmers, and our consumers are watching us. Our actions will show them the wonderful things about our organization, our industry and the people in it.

As farmers we’re proud of the fact that on average we each feed 155 people.

But this statistic loses its impact with the public when so many people are struggling to put food on their table and folks are devastated by natural disasters like the earthquake in Haiti.

That’s why I’m so proud of the donations our county Farm Bureaus recently collected in February during Food Check-Out Week to benefit food banks 4 / March-April 2010

in their local communities and the Ronald McDonald House in Augusta. We’re still tallying the pounds of food and cash donations you gave to your local food banks, but we know every dollar and food item you gave will make a difference in the recipients’ lives. I want to commend you for the $3,543.69 you sent for the Ronald McDonald House in Augusta.

We’re rounding the donation up to $4,000 to buy food and supplies for the families with sick children staying at the facility.

I was also overwhelmed by the response we received from our county Farm Bureaus when we asked you to join GFB in giving to the Peanut Butter for Haiti initiative. You generously gave $11,000 to which GFB added $5,000 for a total donation of $16,000. This money is going to buy 17,777 pounds of peanut butter, which equals 248,888 servings.

Supporting our local food banks and sending peanut butter to Haiti shows the public that farmers are committed to feeding the world. It also teaches our children that we have a responsibility to share our blessings.

Showing livestock is the perfect way to make memories with our next generation of farmers and is an important part of teaching our young people leadership skills. GFB has long been a proud supporter of the Georgia National Junior Livestock Show held in Perry each February during which Georgia’s 4-H and FFA students compete for state awards. Your GFB board of directors feels it is important for your organization to be involved with this program. This activity not only allows a child to make wonderful memories and friendships, but it also teaches them responsibility, ethics, hard work, victory and defeat – valuable lessons they will use all their lives. Your organization See WE, THE FARMERS page 23

GEORGIA

FARM BUREAU NEWS

The Voice of Georgia Farmers

SUBSCRIPTION RATES Farm Bureau Members: Included in dues — $1 per year Non-Members — $15 per year To subscribe call 1-800-898-1911, ext. 5238.

OFFICERS President ZIPPY DUVALL 1st Vice President/South Georgia Vice President GERALD LONG North Georgia Vice President BERNARD SIMS Middle Georgia Vice President ROBERT FOUNTAIN Treasurer/Corporate Secretary Wayne Daniel General Counsel DUKE Groover

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

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

Georgia Farm Bureau News was established in 1937.

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

PRINTED WITH SOY INK

Georgia Farm Bureau News

legislative update Jon Huffmaster, Legislative Director

Priority Issues Update In December, the GFB Board of Directors approved a list of priority issues for the 2010 session of the Georgia General Assembly based on the policy our members passed at our convention. The four issues chosen as priorities included water, the state budget and taxes, defense of animal agriculture and issues related to biotechnology.

Below is an update on each issue. As long as the General Assembly remains in session, everything in this report is subject to change. In this year of water negotiations and budget shortfalls, legislators are being forced to look in new directions to find solutions which makes Farm Bureau’s advocacy for agriculture more important than ever.

WATER Historic droughts, population growth and legal battles have created a volatile mixture for legislators. None of that is a surprise, but amicable discussion is a major part of this year’s water story.

In March, the Georgia House and Senate passed identical versions of the Georgia Water Stewardship Act, and the governor is expected to sign the bill. There were only five dissenting votes in the entire General Assembly. Such bicameral cooperation and agreement is unusual.

The Georgia Water Stewardship Act is an initiative of Gov. Sonny Perdue, and its purpose is to encourage more water conservation. To his credit, Perdue reached out to many different groups as this legislation was being developed.

Georgia Farm Bureau was closely involved with developing language in the bill about agricultural withdrawals and permits. GFB President Zippy Duvall met with Perdue to discuss the agriculture section of the proposal on Feb. 1. In that meeting, the governor asked Duvall to assist with language that would be reasonable for farmers.

Through a series of meetings and discussions, the GFB Water & Legislative Committees approved a conceptual document that would protect Georgia’s agriculture withdrawal permit holders. Much of the agriculture language in the bill was based on that document.

Under the bill’s provisions, unused agricultural water permits can be changed to inactive status at the permit holder’s request. Inactive permits will not expire and can be held until the owner chooses to reactivate the permit by notifying EPD of intent to do so. Active permits will not be changed. After two years, unused permits that have not been reclassified as active or inactive will be revoked.

BUDGET & TAXES With state revenues continuing to drop, the fiscal situation has cast a pall over everything in the legislature. In the last couple of years, the state’s budget has dropped from $22 billion to $17 billion. The Georgia Constitution requires a balanced budget, so legislators are faced with tough choices.

On March 1, a firestorm was created when University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll Davis, in response to a request by the House & Senate Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittees, offered a proposal to cut an additional $300 million in University System of Georgia spending.

The cut was on top of $265 million already proposed in the governor’s FY 2011 budget.

The proposal included total elimination of Georgia’s 4-H program, closing half of the Cooperative Extension offices and closing a long list of ag research facilities. Nobody liked the proposal, not even Davis.

“A reduction of this size,” wrote Davis, “is not in the best interest of Georgia and its future economic development.”

Georgia Farm Bureau strongly supports the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (CAES), the Cooperative Extension Service, the Agricultural Experiment Stations and 4-H. GFB President Zippy Duvall wrote letters to Chancellor Davis and the entire Board of Regents expressing that support.

In the letter, Duvall pointed out that of the $59 million cut from the UGA budget, nearly 25 percent was from the CAES budget.

“We find that to be a troubling development,” wrote Duvall. “We believe any cuts

should be administered in a more equitable manner across the University.”

There has been talk of reviewing various types of tax exemptions, and farmers are especially concerned about the sales tax exemptions for farm inputs such as seed, feed, fertilizer and equipment. Their loss could very well mean the demise of many Georgia farms. For example, an average family dairy in Georgia could easily go through a million dollars in feed costs in a year. Whether that same dairy could survive a $70,000 hit in sales tax is doubtful.

DEFENSE OF ANIMAL AGRICULTURE Livestock and poultry production is important in Georgia, and Farm Bureau continues to monitor legislation that would govern the way animals are handled.

The goal is to prevent anti-agriculture legislation being passed under the guise of combating animal cruelty.

BIOTECHNONOGY ISSUES Almost all cotton planted in Georgia is genetically modified, and technology fees are significant. Georgia cotton farmers pay higher tech fees than farmers in other states.

Some seed companies contend our farmers should pay more for the technology because they get more benefit from it.

Farm Bureau rejects that premise. We believe it is wrong to charge a fee based on severity of need, no matter what the product.

For example, higher incidence of diabetes in the South does not justify a higher regional fee structure for insulin.

Georgia cotton farmers should not pay more in biotech fees simply because we have greater insect or weed pressure. Farm Bureau calls for uniformity in biotech fees from state to state.

President Duvall and GFB Cotton Advisory Committee Chairman Michael Williams made that case during a meeting with Gov. Perdue on Feb. 23. Farm Bureau will continue to consider various options on this subject.

Jon Huffmaster is director of the GFB Legislative Department.

Georgia Farm Bureau News March-April 2010 / 5

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Bulloch welcomed the GFB delegation to the Capitol on Feb. 17. Pictured are: (front row, L-R) Sen. Jeff Mullis, GFB 1st Vice President Gerald Long, Bonnie Duvall and GFB President Zippy Duvall (back row, L-R) GFB North Georgia Vice President Bernard Sims, GFB Middle Georgia Vice President Robert Fountain, Lt. Gov. Cagle and Sen. Bulloch.

Farm Bureau Day at the Capitol By Jennifer Whittaker ____________________________________________________________________________

M

embers of Georgia’s General Assembly were reminded of the importance of Georgia agriculture when almost 500 Georgia Farm Bureau members from 91 counties showed up for Farm Bureau Day at the Capitol, Feb. 17. Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall encouraged the members to talk to their legislators about the organization’s priority issues - water, budget and tax issues pertaining to agriculture, defense of animal agriculture and greater

6 / November-December 2008

fairness in biotech fees.

“I applaud you for coming to Atlanta today to meet with your legislators because when you attend this event our legislators see the strength of our organization, which lies within our counties and you, our grassroots members,” Duvall said.

As members visited their legislators at the Capitol, the Duvalls, GFB Vice Presidents Gerald Long, Robert Fountain and Bernard Sims visited the House and Senate chambers.

Rep. Tom McCall, House Agriculture Com-

mittee chairman, presented a resolution honoring the organization in the House. Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle welcomed the GFB leaders to the Senate as Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Bulloch presented a resolution proclaiming it Farm Bureau Day at the Capitol. Duvall spoke in both chambers.

During the luncheon GFB hosted at the Georgia Freight Depot, Duvall presented Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin with a resolution recognizing Irvin for his 41 years of service to Georgia’s farmers and his long friendship with Georgia Farm Bureau. GFB voting delegates approved the resolution at the organization’s convention in December.

In his acceptance speech, Irvin stressed the importance of electing legislators who appreciate agriculture, saying, “We need to make sure we have people serving you under the Gold Dome that understand how important agriculture is.”

Irvin said he hopes to become more active in his local Farm Bureau in Habersham County when he retires at the end of this year.

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue delivered the keynote address at the luncheon, discussing the state’s budget woes and water issues. “The big drought these days is revenue,” Perdue said. “When you just can’t afford it any longer you just can’t afford it. So, we’re going to preserve the core services Georgians depend on the most the way you do on the farm.”

Perdue thanked GFB for providing input on the state water plan and the tri-state water negotiations. He also thanked Georgia’s farmers who are participating in the voluntary irrigation-metering program that the Georgia Soil & Water Conservation Commission coordinates. “Your participation in this program has enabled Georgia to have data to show other states that previous estimates of the water farmers were using were inflated threefold.”

Duvall presented Perdue with a resolution of appreciation for his service to Georgia agriculture.

“The governor promised Georgia’s farmers they would never have to come in the back door of the capitol and he’s been true to his word,” Duvall said. “The governor has been a tremendous friend to Georgia agriculture and Georgia Farm Bureau.”

Georgia Farm Bureau News

Ga. FSA committee appointed

Pictured from right, Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston gave GFB President Zippy Duvall the chance to address the House during GFB day at the Capitol.

Ronald C. Lee, Fred Harrison Jr., Jerome Tucker and Horace B. “Pete” Waller have been appointed by the Obama Administration to the Georgia Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Committee, effective Feb. 4. They will oversee FSA activities, including carrying out the state agricultural conservation programs, resolving appeals from the agriculture community and keeping producers informed about FSA programs.

Lee, who has been named committee chairman, is from Terrell County where he owns and operates RCL Farms. He has served on the boards of Cotton Inc., the Georgia Feed and Grain Association and the Terrell County School System. He was named Terrell County Soil Conservationist of the Year in 2004.

Harrison, from Winterville, is dean emer-

itus of the Fort Valley State University College of Agriculture, Home Economics and Allied Programs. He has served on the Georgia Rural Development Council.

Tucker is a native of Lowndes County, where his family grew tobacco, cotton and raised hogs. He has farmed, worked as a plant manager for A&P and served as chairman of the board of directors for the Southern Region American Red Cross.

Waller owns and manages a 700-acre farm in Chatham County. He has served on the Coastal Georgia Regional Water Council, the Coastal Georgia Resource Conservation and Development Council and the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service. He is a Chatham County Farm Bureau director.

Usda gives 156 ga. counties disaster designation

Gov. Sonny Perdue thanks GFB President Zippy Duvall for the GFB resolution that recognizes his dedication to Georgia agriculture during his two terms as governor.

Pictured from left, GFB President Duvall presents Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin with a GFB resolution honoring Irvin for his 41 years of service.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

The USDA has designated 98 counties in Georgia as primary natural disaster areas and an additional 58 Georgia counties as contiguous disaster areas due to excessive rainfall that occurred from September 2009 to March 2.

Catoosa, Columbia and Whitfield counties are the only three counties that did not receive a disaster designation.

To qualify for the USDA disaster designation, a county must have at least one crop that sustained a 30 percent production loss as a result of a natural disaster. Georgia crops that sustained damage included: beans, collard and turnip greens, corn, cotton, cowpeas, for-

ages, millet, nursery crops, pasture, peanuts, pecans, peppers, pumpkins, sorghum, soybeans, squash, strawberries and tomatoes.

The disaster designations allow farmers with damage in primary disaster or contiguous counties to apply for low-interest loans if they meet eligibility requirements determined by the USDA. The USDA Farm Service Agency supervises the loans and will consider each farm’s losses, available loan security and repayment ability. Applicants have until Nov. 2 to apply for the loans.

Visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov or contact your local FSA office for more information.

Department of Labor releases new H-2A rules On Feb. 11, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released its final H-2A rule, which farmers must follow to certify their temporary agricultural laborers. Under the rule, which went into effect March 15, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) cannot approve an H-2A visa petition until DOL has certified that there are not sufficient U.S. workers qualified and available to do the work. The DOL must also certify that employment of the foreign worker will not reduce the wages of similarly employed U.S. workers.

The final rule reinstates the use of the USDA Farm Labor Survey as the basis for determining the Adverse Effect Wage Rate.

The new H-2A rule requires employers to provide DOL with documentation that they have complied with requirements for bringing H-2A workers into the country, including the

recruitment of qualified U.S. workers. It reinstates the role of the state workforce agencies in the hiring process and creates a national electronic job registry for all H-2A job orders.

The Bush administration made a set of late-term changes to the H-2A program in 2008, and farmers found greater access to foreign workers as a result. Less than a year after those changes went into effect, however, DOL moved to reinstate the previous rules.

Farm Bureau has maintained that the rules established in 2008 made it easier for growers to find the labor they need to plant and harvest their crops, and that the new rule will make the H-2A program too difficult and costly to use as a viable tool to access the workers they need. Visit www.dol.gov/opa/ media/press/eta/eta20100198-fs.htm for more information about the H-2A final rule.

November-December 2008 / 7

Farm Bureau donates $16,000

Peanut Butter for Haiti helps earthquake victims

G

eorgians have long known peanut butter is the perfect comfort food. Now, thanks to the Peanut Butter for Haiti initiative and the generosity of its many supporters, peanut butter is bringing solace to Haitians affected by the January earthquake.

As of March 15, Peanut Butter for Haiti had shipped seven truckloads or about 246,000 pounds of peanut butter and peanut products to the Caribbean nation. Relief organizations including Operation Blessing, Food for the Poor, Feed the Children and Catholic Relief Services are distributing the peanut butter in Haiti.

Georgia Farm Bureau and its county offices donated $16,000 to the Peanut Butter for Haiti initiative in February. The donation will purchase 17,777 pounds of peanut butter, which equals 248,888 servings.

“We’re really excited to be part of this effort to help the people

AFBF ends cap-and-trade campaign

“Don’t CAP Our Future,” the American Farm Bureau Federation’s six-month campaign to oppose cap-and-trade climate change regulations, ended March 10 when AFBF President Bob Stallman, members of the AFBF Board and other state Farm Bureau leaders presented some of the 100,000 grassroots letters opposing the issue to key lawmakers.

Pictured from left, Stallman and GFB President Zippy Duvall thank U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, for his opposition to the proposed legislation. Sens. Chambliss and Johnny Isakson voiced their opposition to the cap and trade legislation early on.

GFB members attending the AFBF Convention in Seattle had the opportunity to sign the petition banner hanging in the backdrop.

8 / March-April 2010

Photo courtesy of Operation Blessing

By Jennifer Whittaker ______________________________________________________

Georgia Farm Bureau’s donation to the Peanut Butter for Haiti initiative is helping children like these at Our Lady of Miraculous Meadows Orphanage in the city of Cap-Haitien. Operation Blessing delivered peanut butter provided by the PBH initiative to the orphanage, which houses 90 children.

of Haiti recover from the January earthquake,” Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall said. “Peanut butter is an ideal food to send to Haiti because it is a delicious, nutritious food that doesn’t require refrigeration or cooking and travels well.”

Georgia Farm Bureau contributed $5,000 of the total donation and asked its 158 county offices to join it in supporting the cause.

The county Farm Bureau offices responded by donating $11,000.

“We appreciate all of the donations that our county Farm Bureaus contributed. Each donated dollar buys about one pound of peanut butter which equals 14 servings,” Duvall said. “Their generosity shows that farmers are truly committed to feeding the world.”

Early County 2055, a non-profit organization based in Blakely, Ga., initiated Peanut Butter for Haiti. The project expanded as numerous peanut organizations including the Georgia Peanut Commission, the National Peanut Buying Points Association, Birdsong Peanuts and Golden Peanut Company offered their support. The J.M. Smucker Company and John B. Sanfilippo & Sons have donated peanut butter to the project, and cash donations were used to buy peanut butter at cost from Tara Foods and ConAgra.

The initiative shipped the peanut butter to Haiti from Norfolk, Va., Jacksonville, Fla. and Miami via Navy cargo vessels and a Carnival cruise ship, according to Sally Wells, logistics and administration manager with Birdsong Peanuts in Blakely. Wells has coordinated the procurement and shipment of peanut butter and peanut products shipped to Haiti for the initiative.

“Since its arrival, your product has been distributed in multiple directions throughout Haiti and provided nutrition to people living in tent camps, temporary shelters, hospitals and orphanages,” Operation Blessing Procurement Manager Amy Hammond said.

Hammond said the nonprofit organization has invested in a large warehouse to help distribute food and relief supplies on a long-term basis for several non-profit and governmental agencies.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

April 24 • Sale begins @ noon Horses may be viewed beginning at 9 a.m.

UGA Livestock Arena 2600 South Milledge Ave. Athens 30605 Proceeds benefit the GA 4-H Horse Program & UGA Equine Research.

Call Dr. Gary Heusner at 706-5429092 or Dr. Kari Turner at 706-542-8588 for a complete list of available horses and more information.

2010 Goat-A-Rama

April 10 Washington County Farm Bureau Ag Center Tennille, GA Event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Admission is free. Event will include educational seminars, a goat sale and goat supply sale. Food will be sold at event.

Visit http://www.goat-a-rama.com for more information or call Patsy Dorn at 478-232-0384.

Youth equine champions honored Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and House Speaker David Ralston welcomed the Georgia Equine Commission and about 200 state winners of various equine competitions to the Georgia Capitol on Feb. 10.

As part of Championship Youth Day for Equine at the Georgia Capitol, a group of 50 were selected to sit in the gallery of the Georgia House, where a proclamation was read in their honor and Speaker Ralston welcomed leaders from the Equine Commission at his podium.

All of the youth equine winners were presented with certificates at an awards luncheon at the Georgia Freight Depot. Many of the state winners qualified for national and international competitions.

“This day is about the kids and promoting young people,” said commission member Ann Jones. “This was a long time coming. It’s nice to be recognized.”

Monroe County H.E.R.D. Sale SELLING 80+ BRED HEIFERS ON MAY 6, 2010 12:30 p.m.

Sleepy Creek Farm near Forsyth, GA

Data Available: A.I. Breeding & Sire EPD’s Pelvic Area Frame Score Disposition Score Weight per Day of Age Average Daily Gain All heifers will sell confirmed safe in calf to calving ease Angus Bulls.

All heifers were bred A. I. at least once to Sinclair Net Present Value (BW-1.8, WW +47, YW +86, Milk +32) For more information or to receive a catalogue, call the Monroe County Extension at (478) 994-7014.

Web info at http://www.ugaextension.com/monroe/ • Email at uge2207@uga.edu type HERD in the subject line.

Georgia Farm Bureau News March-April 2010 / 9

Photo by Jay Stone

GA 4-H Horse Auction & UGA Production Sale

Pictured from left, Michele Payn-Knoper, the keynote speaker at the annual Georgia Farm Bureau Presidents’ Conference, taught Farm Bureau leaders how to defend agriculture against negative attacks.

Farmers must fight for agriculture By Jennifer Whittaker __________________________________________________________________________ Agriculture needs to use some different fighting moves to counteract the negative attacks it is experiencing, a speaker addressing county Farm Bureau leaders at the annual Georgia Farm Bureau Presidents’ Conference said. These moves might include hosting an open house on your farm for your local community or initiating a conversation with someone at church or the grocery store about agriculture.

“If every person took an hour a week to share their passion for agriculture, our industry would be in phenomenal shape,” Michele Payn-Knoper of Cause Matters Corporation said.

Payn-Knoper, who grew up on a dairy farm in Michigan, said it’s crucial farmers start speaking up to tell their side of the story because it takes $10 to fight every dollar anti-agricultural groups spend defaming agriculture.

She challenged Farm Bureau members to spend at least one hour a week talking to someone outside of agriculture about farming and encouraged farmers to use social media forums such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to share their story with consumers.

“People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has 310,000 fans on their Facebook page,” she said. “The conversation about agriculture is being had whether 10 / March-April 2010

you’re there or not.”

County Farm Bureau presidents and county leaders from across the state met at the Georgia Agricenter in Perry, Feb. 5 for the one-day conference.

Another conference speaker gave tips for bridging the gap between generations to successfully engage volunteers of different ages in the organization.

To effectively utilize volunteers from different generations, it’s important to understand what motivates each age group, Michael Stanton, American Farm Bureau’s director of membership development said. Traditionalists, those born before 1946, are driven by duty to country while Baby Boomers, those born between 1946-1964, want to save the world. Members of Generation X (1965-1980) may question why an organization does something but once you prove something to them, they’re loyal for life, Stanton said.

The best way to engage members of Generation Y (1981-2000) is to give them bursts of information and encourage them to do things in groups.

GFB President Zippy Duvall encouraged county Farm Bureau leaders to invite farmers in their communities who aren’t members to join the organization.

“Every farmer in your county should be a Farm Bureau member if for no other reason than they benefit from the legislative work our three legislative staffers do on the state level and the 15 AFBF staff members do in D.C.,” Duvall said.

He also announced that GFB has signed a three-year contract with the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter (GNFA) to run an advertisement for the organization on the facility’s digital sign located beside I-75. The ad features a hay field with the GFB logo and motto, “The Voice of Georgia Farmers.”

“When people drive by on the interstate they’re going to be reminded that we’re the voice of Georgia farmers,” Duvall said.

GNFA staffers estimate 55,000 cars pass the sign daily traveling I-75.

In sympathy Georgia Farm Bureau extends its heartfelt sympathy to GFB North Georgia Vice President Bernard Sims and his wife, Janet, in the loss of their son, Jeff, 43, who died following a heart attack March 5. Jeff is survived by his wife, Bonnie; daughter, Madison; sons, Luke and Noah; brother, Kevin; sister, Cindy Parris and grandmother, Bessie F. Houston. Condolences may be sent to the Sims at 1608 Burning Bush Rd., Ringgold, Ga. 30736.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

Antique tractor enthusiasts are invited to come out May 1 for the 2nd Annual St. Jude Benefit Antique Tractor Ride in Macon County. The 20-mile roundtrip ride is a fundraiser for the St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

“We had a great response to this event last year, so we decided to do it again,” said GFB 6th District Director James Emory Tate, who is helping with the event. “We’ve got a lot of antique tractor lovers out there, and people are willing to donate to a charitable organization.”

Riders will pay an entry fee of $25 per tractor to be collected the day of the ride. At 10:30 a.m., the parade will leave the farm of Charles Hughes located at 3344 South St., Marshallville, Ga., 31057.

“We really appreciate Charles letting us use his farm as our meeting place,” said Bibb County Farm Bureau President Neil Skipper, who organized the event. “We’d like to encourage folks to come out and watch us as we drive through the country roads of Macon County on our way to and from lunch at Yoder’s Deitsch Haus.”

The parade will leave Hughes’ farm by turning right onto South Street and driving two miles. It will then turn right on Will Miller Road, cross state Highway 224, continue straight on Mennonite Church Road 3.8 miles, turn left on Whitehouse Road for 1.5 miles and then turn left onto state Highway 26 to Yoder’s.

On the return trip, the parade will turn right from the restaurant onto Highway 26 and travel 1.3 miles to turn left onto Mennonite School Road for 2.1 miles, then turn right onto Whitehouse Road

GFB mourns loss of Jack Elkins

Henry County Farm Bureau President Jack Elkins, 75, died Feb. 1 of a heart attack.

“Jack’s work on behalf of agriculture, especially his efforts to represent agriculture with the Metro Water District, has proven extremely valuable, and he will be sorely missed,” said GFB President Zippy Duvall. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Elkins family.”

Elkins served on the HCFB Board of Directors since 1990 and as the county president since 1997. From 1991 to 2006, he served as chair of HCFB’s Legislative Committee and served numerous stints on the Georgia Farm Bureau Policy Development Committee, as well as six years on the GFB Hay Committee.

Last year, he became the first farm representative on the board of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District.

Elkins is survived by his wife Dianne, brother John Robert Elkins, daughters Lea Turner, Lynn Pittard and Shannon Mallard, and sons Michael Yates and James W. Vickery. Elkins had 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Condolences may be sent to the family at P.O. Box 815, Lovejoy, Ga. 30250.

Photo by Don Giles

Tractor ride to benefit St. Jude

Bibb County Farm Bureau President Neil Skipper is encouraging all antique tractor enthusiasts to participate in the St. Jude Antique Tractor Ride, May 1.

and travel back to the Hughes farm via the route it came.

The ride will stop for lunch around noon and return back to the Hughes farm by 3 p.m. The public is invited to join the riders for lunch at Yoder’s restaurant, on state Highway 26 east of Montezuma, to visit and take a closer look at the tractors.

“For a small donation the public can vote for their favorite tractor while we’re at the restaurant,” Skipper said. “We really want the public to get involved, even if they don’t have a tractor.”

Anyone who would like to make a donation may mail checks made payable to St. Jude Children’s Hospital to Neil Skipper at 107 Gregg Dr., Macon, Ga. 31216. For more information contact Skipper at 478-747-2832 or call Tate at 912 375-8367.

JOIN OTHER FARMERS DEPARTING JULY 10 or AUGUST 28, 2010

National Parks Tour

Visit 6 Western National Parks + More!

Yosemite, Sequoia, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, and Canyonlands National Parks

Starting at

$1148*

Start in Salt Lake City and visit Morman Square, Beehive House, Includes taxes.

Great Salt Lake and the enormous Kennecott Copper Mine. airfare extra.

Cross the Silver Zone Pass into Nevada and visit: Carson City, Lake Tahoe, Virginia City, Reno, Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, Yosemite National Park, King’s Canyon, and Sequoia National Park. Travel to Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, for two nights!

Then back to the wilderness to Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Enjoy the beauty of Utah on scenic drives to St. George and Moab, Utah. Lastly, see the famous arches of Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. *Prices, including hotel, taxes, baggage handling, and daily escorted sightseeing, start at only $1148 (per person, double occupancy). Airfare is extra, call for details.

Providing affordable fun-filled travel since 1967!

Georgia Farm Bureau News March-April 2010 / 11

commodities/marketing update Don McGough, Commodites/Marketing Director

GFB names Commodity Advisory Committees Georgia Farm Bureau has named the members of its Commodity Advisory Committees for 2010.

Each committee meets several times during the year to address issues pertinent to their commodity and assist with Farm Bureau’s policy development process.

Each committee chairman serves on the GFB Policy Development Committee. The GFB Commodity Committee chairmen make an important contribution to Farm Bureau by providing knowledge of their commodity and leadership for their committee.

The committees are meeting throughout the spring to discuss issues regarding their commodities. They will meet again in August during the GFB Commodity Conference. Members of the 2010 GFB Commodity Committees are listed below along with their membership county.

AQUACULTURE Chairman Harold Fallin, Upson; Vice Chairman Terry Bramlett, Fannin; Ricky Boyd, Berrien; Bernese Cagle, Cherokee; Travis Henry, Douglas; Doug Langer, Monroe; Jimmy Lee, Brantley; Tommy Norris, Johnson; Marijane Scarborough, Seminole; Harvey Weldon, Harris BEEF CATTLE Chairman Charles Crumbley, Greene; Vice Chairman Dr. James Strickland, Tattnall; Parrish Akins, Berrien; John Callaway, Troup; Michael Cawood, Catoosa; Kurt Childers, Brooks; Donald Clark, Wilcox; Roger Greuel, Fayette; Jimmy Kowalsky, Habersham; Marion Meeks, Washington COTTON Chairman Michael Williams, Bleckley; Vice Chairman Eddie Green, Dooly; Don Burke, Jenkins; John Dunn, Tift; Clayton Floyd, Twiggs; Chris Hopkins, Toombs; Wayne Hurley, Chattooga; Ashley Lane, Berrien; Larry Stubbs, Wilcox; Rick Wansley, Elbert DAIRY Chairman Judd Chambers, Jones; Vice Chairman Mark Stovall, Madison; Bud Butcher, Coweta; Chad Carlton, Polk; Jimmy Franks, Burke; Cory Johnson, Bacon; Matt 12 / March-April 2010

Johnson, Decatur; S.J. Saffold Jr., Morgan; Tom Sumners, Lee; Frank Wright, Gilmer ENVIRONMENTAL HORTICULTURE Chairman Donald McCorkle Sr., McDuffie; Vice Chairman Charles Berry III, Newton; Matt Bottoms, Pike; Kellie Bowen, Hall; Karen Crawford, Wilcox; Pat Daniels, Jones; Thomas Johnston, Upson; Paul Long, Cherokee; Mark Porter, Fayette; David Ridgeway, Butts EQUINE Chairman Danny Hogan, Laurens; Vice Chairman Tom Kerlin, Fayette; Brian Akins, Berrien; Jimmy Johnson, Hancock; Darryl Landreth, Troup; Sammy Reese, Banks; Gary Walker, Tift; Herbert Warnell, Bryan; Gerry Weaver, Gordon; James Wood Jr., Wilcox FEEDGRAIN Chairman Thomas Coleman, Colquitt; Vice Chairman Brian Ogletree, Spalding; James Gaston, Sumter; Grady Hodges, Newton; Earnest McQueen, Lanier; T.E. Moye Jr., Baker; Sonny Scoggins, Walker; Jerrell Sullens, Lumpkin; Jimmy Thompson, Randolph; Hugh Veal Jr., Johnson FORESTRY Chairman John Davis, Whitfield; Vice Chairman Jimmy Kennedy, Hancock; Scotty Dumas, Jasper; Larry Ethridge, Baker; Walter Evans, Screven; James Gaskins, Berrien; Benjamin Hudson, Polk; John Mixon, Pike; William Tanner, Johnson; Willie Tyson, Houston FRUIT Chairman Bob McLeod, Wilcox; Vice Chairman William Mercier, Fannin; Leon Allen, Bacon; Jake Carter, Henry; Jimmy Echols, Hall; Carla Payne Kelsoe, Gordon; Irvin Lawson, Brooks; Tim McMillan, Berrien; Larry Moore, Lanier; Richard Prescott, Jefferson GOATS & SHEEP Chairman Mike Bunn, Walker; Vice Chairman Charles Batten, Washington; Raymond Bailey, Henry; Jennif Chandler, Emanuel; Greg Gilman, Jackson; Gabriel Haman, Glynn; Patricia Parson, Elbert; Greg Phillips, Whitfield; Wes Smith,

Upson; Billy Waldrep, Monroe HAY Chairman Larry Haley, Hart; Vice Chairman Farrell Roberts, Tift; James Cannon, Wilcox; Stanley Cauthen, Coweta; Tony Lewis, Evans; Keith Mitcham, Newton; Sam Nash, Oglethorpe; Harry Pugliese, Bartow; Jamie Tate, Jeff Davis; Cory Tyre, Bacon HONEYBEES Chairman Bobby Rowell, Brantley; Vice Chairman Jesse McCurdy, Houston; Paul Cooper, Carroll; Keith Fielder, Putnam; J.B. Lemons, Walker; Raymond Lopes, Spalding; John Pluta, Baldwin; Gary Rentz, Brooks; Sonny Swords, Colquitt; Troy Worthey, Hart PEANUTS Chairman Wes Shannon, Tift; Vice Chairman Mike Lucas, Bleckley; Andy Bell, Decatur; Will Boyd, Screven; Randy Branch, Appling; LaDon Calhoun, Miller; Gerald Fowler, Turner; Charles Smith Jr., Jefferson; George T. Warbington, Dooly; Joey Williams, Cook PECANS Chairman James Exum, Brooks; Vice Chairman Jim Lumpkin, Turner; Danny Brooks, Habersham; Mark Cook, Washington; Elliott Ellis, Dooly; Vinson Griffin, Berrien; Mike Lamb, Tattnall; Christopher McBryant, Wilcox; David Muse, Houston; Lanair Worsham, Mitchell POULTRY Chairman Phil Sanders, Oglethorpe; Vice Chairman Larry Cooley, Crawford; Bobby Barber Jr., Decatur; Carroll Castleberry, Forsyth; Scott Dougherty, Macon; Josh Giddens, Charlton; A.W. Leverett Jr., Baldwin; Kennon Tatum, Tattnall; Michael Thomason, Franklin; Lawrence Shadix, Carroll SOYBEANS Chairman Olin Boyd, Screven; Vice Chairman Jimmy Phillips, Whitfield; Cal Chester, Johnson; Bobby Eavenson, Elbert; Larry Lodge, Brooks; Cody Lord, Laurens; Daniel Page, Bryan; Alan Scoggins, Walker; Steve Shivers, Clay; Glenn Waller, Washington See COMMITTEES next page Georgia Farm Bureau News

COMMITTEES from previous page SWINE Chairman Andrew Thompson, Brooks; Vice Chairman Steve Wilhoit, Whitfield; Danny Gunter, Wilkes; Clint Oliver, Tattnall; Gil Pollitt, Habersham; Barry Powell, Johnson; Pat Thrift, Charlton; Charles Usry Jr., Lee; Bill Waldrep Jr., Monroe; Don Williford, Crisp TOBACCO Chairman Lamar Vickers, Berrien; Vice Chairman Jerry Wooten, Jeff Davis; Ed Barber, Bacon; Billy Burch, Wayne; Tim Crosby, Brooks; Paul Folsom, Lanier; Daryl Metts, Coffee; Ricky Tucker, Berrien; Scotty Turner, Appling VEGETABLES Chairman Greg Murray, Decatur; Vice Chairman Sam Payne, Gordon; Walter Driggers, Tattnall; Drew Echols, Hall; Eric Gibbs, Wilcox; John Hudson, Irwin; Augustine Leo, Carroll; Thomas Mercer, Wheeler; Howard Morris, Montgomery; Brian Robinson, Brooks WATER Chairman John Bridges Sr., Decatur; Vice Chairman Larry Eley, Greene; Sam Chapman, Hall; Steve Dixon, Berrien; William Grizzle, Cherokee; C.F. Harris, Crawford; Rocky Nobles, Twiggs; Billy Sanders, Dooly; Doug Souar, Paulding; Lee Webster Jr., Burke

GFB offers futures prices via text message Georgia Farm Bureau is now providing morning, midday and closing prices for the futures market via automated text message through its Futures at a Glance program.

Futures at a Glance, provided at no cost to GFB members, gives daily futures prices for the spot and harvest months on cotton, corn, wheat, soybeans and relevant pricing months for feeder cattle. Each update is sent by text message to the member’s cell phone with information on the latest commodity prices. Comparable services normally cost $100 or more annually.

“With the rapidly changing conditions in the market, it’s more important than ever for agricultural producers to have current information to use in making business decisions for their farms,” said GFB President Zippy Duvall. “This is a service that will help make Georgia farmers more knowledgeable and aware of the marketplace.”

The information provided through Futures at a Glance will be shown using symbols and numbers. The symbol for cotton is CT, corn is CN, wheat is WT, soybeans is SB and feeder cattle is FC. These symbols will be followed by a two-letter month designation (for example, December will be shown as “DC”), a positive or negative number indi-

cating market movement and the current trading price. For grains, an additional 2, 4 or 6 at the end of the trading price indicates fractions of cents; 2 refers to 1/4 cent, 4 is 1/2 cent and 6 is 3/4 cent. For example, a message reading CNSP+104@4012, would translate to corn for the month of September is up 10 1/2 cents to $4.01 1/4.

The service is available to all GFB members. Those who sign up for it assume the normal text-messaging costs charged by their cell phone providers. To enroll in the program, contact your county Farm Bureau office, fill out the required form and have the county office staff return it to the home office.

The GFB Commodities/ Marketing Department provides marketing opportunities for grains, soybeans and corn as well as other feed ingredients for GFB members and also administers the GFB Certified Farm Market program.

For more information about Futures at a Glance, visit the GFB Website at http://www.gfb.org or call the GFB Commodities/Marketing Department at 1-800-342-1196.

UGA Hay Production School

April 8-9 • Sunbelt Ag Expo Site Moultrie

This event will provide A to Z coverage of growing and selling quality hay in the Southeast. School begins at 8:30 a.m. on April 8 and ends with lunch on April 9. Registration is $75 per person and $35 for each extra person from the same farm. Anyone who produces cattle in Georgia or is a member of the Perennial Peanut Growers’ Association will receive $50 off the registration fee if they register by March 31. The registration fee includes the Hay Production School book, a weed indentification book, many other reference materials and lunch on both days. For more information and to register, visit www. georgiaforges.com or call your local Extension office at 1-800-ASK-UGA1.

P.O. Box 99  Carencro, LA  70520 (o) 337 896-8462  (f) 337 896-8465 www.coastalpipeofla.com Visit our website at www.coastalpipeofla.com Contact Jake or Terri for structural sales

Used Pipe for Construction ¾” Sucker Rods (25’)…………………….$9.50/jt.

2-3/8” Structural (31’) ………………....$32.00/jt.

2-7/8” Structural (31’)……………….…$36.00/jt.

More sizes available  Trucking available Prices & Quantities are Subject to Change 4831 NW Evangeline Thrwy – Exit 7 Carencro, LA 337 896-8462

Georgia Farm Bureau News March-April 2010 / 13

County Farm Bureaus across Georgia celebrated Food CheckOut Week, Feb. 21-27, with numerous activities to educate their communities about purchasing nutritious food on a limited budget and the role agriculture plays in providing safe, affordable food.

The GFB Women’s Committee encouraged counties to collect money or food supplies for their local food banks and for the Ronald McDonald House (RMH). County Farm Bureaus collected $3,543.69 for the RMH donation and the GFB Women’s Committee increased the donation to $4,000. Since beginning the RMH donation in 2002, GFB has made donations to all of the RMHs in Georgia - Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Macon and Savannah- and is rotating through the locations again. This year the donation is going to the RMH in Augusta.

Space limitations prevent us from naming all of the wonderful activities counties did, but we wanted to share a few. Visit the GFB Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaFarmBureau to see all of the photos county Farm Bureaus submitted.

EMANUEL COUNTY Emanuel County Women’s Committee Chairman Judy Garrett (left) and committee member Dana Nasworthy (second from right) passed out information about Food Check-Out Week and recipe cards at the local Harvey’s Supermarket for two hours. They also surprised a customer (center) purchasing fresh produce by buying it for her. The committee worked with the FFA chapters at the local high schools to collect cash donations for the local food pantry and the Ronald McDonald House.

FLOYD COUNTY The Floyd County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, composed of Chairman Lyndall Burk, Frances Herron and Ivy Lowrey collected food for the local food pantry and money for the Rome Exchange Club Child Abuse Prevention Program. The committee placed boxes at the county office with a sign on the front door and information on the bulletin board. When someone gave either money or food their name was placed on donation cards and hung on the bulletin board.

Pictured left to right, FCFB members John and Margaret Bagwell, Women’s Committee Chairman Lyndall Burk, Ivy Lowrey and Frances Herron sort food the county collected for the Bagwell 14 / March-April 2010

FOOD C

K EE

County Farm Bureaus celebrate Food Check-Out Week

O CK- UT W E H

Food Pantry at South Broad United Methodist Church. The food pantry is named in honor of Margaret’s 25 years of service to the pantry.

NEWTON COUNTY To increase public awareness of Food Check-Out week and collect food for a local food bank, the Newton County Farm Bureau asked second graders at Middle Ridge Elementary School to color paper grocery bags with vegetables, the commodity GFB is promoting this year through Ag in the Classroom Activities.

NCFB members then added Food Check-Out Week stickers to the decorated bags that asked shoppers to donate staple food items for Rainbow Ministries, a local food bank. The grocery bags were placed in Blackwell’s, a locally owned grocery store. Blackwell’s employees Barbra Pitman (left) and Veronica Johnson (right) are pictured with one of the decorated bags. The county also displayed a Food Check-Out Week exhibit in its office.

TURNER COUNTY Pictured from left, Kiwanis Club Treasurer Connie Albritton welcomes Turner County Farm Bureau Office Manager Karen McCurdy and TCFB Women’s Committee Chairman Melanie Raines to the Kiwanis Club Meeting on February 23. McCurdy and Raines talked to the club about the purpose of Food Check-Out Week and the abundance and safety of America’s food supply. They asked the Kiwanis members to partner with TCFB in supporting the Ronald McDonald House and gave each club member a reusable shopping bag filled with information regarding Food Check-Out Week, recipe cards, pens and note pads, and other miscellaneous gifts. They encouraged the Kiwanis members to fill their reusable shopping bags with staple food items and drop them by the TCFB office.

Members buy gift basket tickets to support FCW One of the most popular activities that counties did to raise money for their local food pantry and the Ronald McDonald House was to sell raffle tickets for gift baskets. Many counties made vegetable-themed gift baskets as a way to promote GFB’s commodity of the year.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

GFB accepting recipes for cookbook

S

ome of the best cooks in the world live here in Georgia, and Georgia Farm Bureau is preparing to publish a cookbook to honor them and promote Georgia agriculture. The cookbook will make its debut at the GFB Convention in December.

Send us your favorite recipe whether it’s an original you’ve created yourself, a traditional dish passed down for generations or your own unique spin on a classic. Whatever it is, we want it!

Recipe categories include: appetizers, beverages, breads, soups, salads, dressings, poultry and eggs, beef, pork, lamb and game, shellfish and fish, vegetables and side dishes, slow cooker recipes and desserts.

Cooking and eating are about sharing, community and friendship. If there is a special memory associated with your recipe, please share that, too, so we can include it with your recipe.

Recipes will be accepted until May 14. You must be a Farm Bureau member to submit a recipe. There is a limit of two recipes per person. To submit a recipe visit http//:www.gfb.org and click on the Recipes Needed icon near the top of the web page. If you don’t have access to a computer, take your recipe to your county Farm Bureau office for assistance in submitting your recipe.

When writing your recipe please follow these guidelines. List the ingredients in the order they are used in the

recipe. Give sizes of cans or packages in ounces. Use standard measurements. Do not abbreviate. Spell out all words in ingredients and instructions. Avoid using brand names for ingredients. List all steps and procedures necessary to prepare your recipe. Include pan sizes, pan preparation, cooking or baking temperatures, times and number of people the recipe serves. Food memories should be limited to three lines.

Ga. Centennial Farm Program accepting applications

The Georgia Centennial Farm Program is accepting applications until April 30. Eligible farms must have a minimum of 10 acres actively involved in agricultural production and generate at least $1,000 in annual income. To qualify, farms must have been continuously farmed for at least 100 years and owned by members of the same family for at least 100 years or be listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The program has recognized 359 farms around the state since it began in 1993. Qualifying Centennial Farms are honored each October at a special awards ceremony during the Georgia National Fair in Perry.

The Georgia Farm Bureau Federation sponsors the program in cooperation with the Georgia Historic Preservation Division,

Includes all Material, Erection, Freight, and Tax...

24’x36’x10’ $5,895

Agri-Steel Structures, Inc.

Roof Only Storage Building

42’x48’x12’ $10,995

Call Today or go to www.agristeel.com

800-359-8613

the Georgia Department of Agriculture, the Georgia Forestry Commission and the Georgia National Fair & Agricenter.

Applications are available at http:// hpd.dnr.state.ga.us/content/displaycontent.asp?txtDocument=119.

For more information contact Gretchen Brock at 404-651-6782.

200 varieties of fruit, nut and berry plants

Grow Half-Dollar Size Muscadines and Blackberries FREE Color Catalog Buy Direct from the Grower

Since 1934

Ison’s Nursery

P.O. Box 190 • Brooks, GA 30205

1-800-733-0324 www.isons.com

Georgia Farm Bureau News March-April 2010 / 15

young farmer update Andy Lucas, Young Farmer Coordinator

Young farmers attend AFBF Leadership Conference Members of the Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer Committee attended the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmer and Rancher Leadership Conference in Tulsa, Okla., Feb. 20-22. The theme for the conference, attended by about 750 young farmers from across the country, was “Stand Up, Speak Out.” First year committee members attending the conference were: Michael and Angie Smith of Bulloch County; Wesley and Dawn Hall of Forsyth County; Cory and Janie Tyre of Bacon County, Charlie Sanders of Greene County and Committee Chairs Matt and Melissa Bottoms of Pike County.

Crawford County Farm Bureau members Leighton and Brenda Cooley, who are serving their second year on the AFBF YF&R Committee provided leadership to the conference. Leighton led the devotion service on Sunday morning and delivered an inspirational message.

The young farmers participated in leadership development activities and heard from several motivational speakers.

Businessman, entrepreneur and farmer Matt Roloff, known for his top-rated TV series “Little People, Big World,” was one of the energizing conference speakers. Roloff said the future of farming has never been a more important topic and shared how he uses public outreach and innovative marketing efforts to improve his bottom line.

Mike Henning discussed passing the farm to the next generation and

Don’t forget to return your census form!

Households that don’t return the form will be visited by a census worker, costing taxpayers an estimated $30 per visit.

Communities lose up to $1,700 in federal funding for each household that is not counted.

16 / March-April 2010

GFB Young Farmer Committee members attending the AFBF Leadership Conference had the chance to meet Matt Roloff (back row, center) from The Learning Channel show, “Little People, Big World.” Committee members pictured are: (kneeling) Dawn and Wesley Hall of Forsyth County; (middle row, L-R) Charlie Sanders of Greene County, Michael and Angie Smith of Bulloch County, Melissa and Matt Bottoms of Pike County and Janie and Cory Tyre of Bacon County.

the challenges of a company moving from a sibling partnership to a cousin syndicate.

Former AFBF YF&R Committee Chairman Chris Chin shared how she uses social media to promote agriculture and tell agriculture’s powerful story.

The group also had the chance to tour local farms and agribusinesses in the Tulsa area including Green Leaf Nursery, the largest wholesale nursery in North America, Three Forks Ranch, a commercial registered Angus ranch and Lavender Hills Farm and Winery.

YF Discussion Meet deadline June 4

The preliminary rounds of the 2010 GFB Young Farmer Discussion Meet will be held July 23-24 during the GFB Young Farmer Leadership Conference at the Lake Blackshear Resort in Cordele. The four finalists will compete for the state title at the GFB Convention on Jekyll Island, Dec. 5-7.

The deadline for entering the competition is June 4. Contact your county Farm Bureau office to enter or for more information about the Leadership Conference.

The state winner will receive an Arctic Cat 500 4x4 ATV and an expense-paid trip to the 2011 AFBF convention in Atlanta, Jan. 9-12, 2011, to compete for national honors. The national winner will receive a 2011 Dodge Ram Truck. The three runners-up in the national contest will receive a $6,000 U.S. savings bond.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

GFB Young Farmers visit Washington

A group of 29 Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmers from 16 counties traveled to D.C., March 9-12 for the annual Young Farmers Trip to Washington. The group included row crop, poultry, cattle, horticulture and vegetable producers and two members of the Farm Bureau Collegiate Chapter at UGA. Prior to their visits on Capitol Hill, the group met with American Farm Bureau staff members who briefed them on key issues.

The young farmers visited with Sens.

Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson.

Each young farmer also visited with his/ her U.S. representative. As they met with their congressmen, the young farmers discussed the Clean Water Act, federal estate taxes, immigration and climate change.

“This year’s trip was a great success,” said GFB Young Farmer Chairman Matt

YF Achievement Contest deadline May 7 If you’re a young farmer between the ages of 18 and 35, you should consider applying for the 2010 Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer Achievement Contest. Eligible contestants must be 35 as of Jan. 31, 2011. Applications for the award are available at your county Farm Bureau office. May 7 is the deadline for entering the contest.

All qualified applicants will be judged in district competition. Ten district winners and three state finalists will be announced in July at the GFB Young Farmer Leadership Conference. The three finalists will be judged on their written application and financial statement only. This year the

competition will not include an on-farm visit from the judges.

The three finalists will be recognized at the GFB Convention on Jekyll Island, Dec. 5-7, where the state winner will be announced. The state winner will receive a $500 cash award from Dodge Truck, the free use of a Kubota L or M series tractor for one year and an expense-paid trip to the AFBF convention in Atlanta, Jan. 9-12, 2011, to compete for national honors.

The national winner will receive a 2011 Dodge Ram Truck. The four runners-up in the national contest receive their choice of a compact Case IH tractor or 250 hours use of a full-size Case IH tractor.

Georgia’s cotton growers recently reapproved the Georgia Cotton Commission for another three years with a 92 percent affirmative vote during the referendum held Feb. 4-March 5. The commission promotes Georgia’s cotton crop through research, education and promotional activities.

Five grower members - Chairman Louie Perry of Colquitt County, Vice Chairman Marvin Ruark of Morgan County, Mike Lucas of Bleckley County, Wavell Robinson of Brooks County and Jimmy Webb of Calhoun County – and ex officio members Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin and Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall

oversee commission activities.

“We appreciate the strong vote of confidence by our fellow producers and pledge to continue to focus on the challenges facing our industry,” Perry said.

The commission also works as a liaison between Georgia cotton growers and the National Cotton Council and the Southern Cotton Growers Association, which represent the interests of Georgia producers in Washington.

For more information about the commission contact Richey Seaton, executive director of the Georgia Cotton Commission via e-mail at gactn@windstream.net or by calling 478-988-4235.

Bottoms. “Our group’s voice was heard by our elected officials, and our message was well received.”

GFB President Zippy Duvall addressed the group during a breakfast meeting, telling the young farmers about the numerous ways they can become involved with their county Farm Bureau. He told them he participated in the D.C. trip about 25 years ago and developed the leadership skills he uses as GFB president while in the young farmer program.

“Do not underestimate yourself. You have the potential to grow and become the leaders who will lead our organization in the future,” Duvall said.

HERCULES STEEL BUILDINGS

15 Wall Colors to Choose From!

• All-Steel Buildings

Georgia cotton referendum passes

CALL FOR SPECIAL PRICING

• Personnel, Roll-Up Doors & Erection Are Available • Engineered Plan Included

HERCULES STEEL BUILDINGS 904-378-8610

1-800-933-1564 FAX: 904-783-9006

Georgia Farm Bureau News March-April 2010 / 17

T

his winter, Georgia’s farmers stayed busy attending numerous commodity conferences and farm shows that offered tips to improve production, chances to look at new equipment and insights on where their industry might be headed in the near future. We’ve provided the highlights of each one.

Ga. farmers pass winter Articles & photos by Jay Stone __________________________________________________________________________

depending on you to be successful.”

The series was organized by the CAES and sponsored by Georgia Farm Bureau.

Ag Forecast Breakfasts: food Corn Short Course tackles safety & feeding the world water, aflatoxin issues Microbial foodborne illnesses are largely preventable, Mike Doyle, director of the University of Georgia’s Center for Food Safety, said while speaking at the series of Ag Forecast Breakfasts held across Georgia the end of January. He noted that proper handling and cooking can prevent the vast majority of the 76 million cases of foodborne illnesses documented in the U.S. each year.

“Consumers have the control there,” Doyle said.

Doyle said 15 percent of the U.S. food supply is imported, which presents the biggest food safety challenge because many of these foods are grown in countries that have lower production standards than the U.S. UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean Dr. Scott Angle predicted Georgia will become the “bread basket of the world” because of geographic, environmental and political hurdles found in other parts of the world including persistent political unrest in Africa, legal hurdles in Europe and South America and climate issues in Asia and other parts of North America.

Angle said the Southeast and Georgia in particular are left as the likely areas where food production would become crucial.

“You are the solution to global hunger,” Angle said. “The rest of the world is

Correction

In the article, “Farming for Soldiers” in the January/February issue, a reference to Greg Smith’s father, Roy, being taken as prisoner of war during World War II was incorrect. Roy Smith was actually rescued by Chinese guerillas. GFB News regrets the error.

18 / March-April 2010

With row crop farmers constantly facing moisture questions in their fields – when to irrigate, how much and by what method – UGA researchers are working toward answers that could make watering a more scientific practice.

Rad Yager of the Stripling Irrigation Research Park in Camilla reviewed various soil measurement devices Jan. 20 during the Corn Short Course at the UGA Tifton Conference Center, and Dr. Scott Tubbs shared some of his findings on row spacing and subsurface drip irrigation.

According to Yager’s studies, capacitance probes, which create electrical fields at various levels below the surface of the soil and measure moisture responses to those fields, can take the guesswork out of making irrigation decisions.

Tubbs detailed how subsurface irrigation takes water directly to the area where plants need it most – their roots – and prevents runoff that sometimes comes with pivot irrigation.

Dr. Brian Scully of the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Tifton reviewed research into aspergillus flavus, the fungus that produces aflatoxin. He said there is a correlation between the maize weevil and aflatoxin and that most contamination seems to occur at field edges. He also noted that aflatoxin contamination becomes more severe in drought conditions.

International Poultry Expo: pay attention to regulatory compliance Investing in a preventive approach is increasingly important when wrangling with the growing burden of regulatory compliance, according to compliance attorney Jim Banks.

Rad Yager of the Stripling Irrigation Park reviews water measuring devices.

Banks, a partner in the firm of Hogan and Hartson, LLP, which defends corporations in compliance cases, gave a presentation at the International Poultry Expo in Atlanta Jan. 26 in which he detailed a plan to minimize liability.

While Banks’ speech was tailored for agricultural integrators, the primary concept of prevention could and should be applied at the producer level.

“The EPA is really coming after this industry,” Banks said. “Many of the opportunities for non-compliance come at the grower level and the growers are in many cases small operations, so the EPA has said they want to get integrators into liability along with the growers.” Banks recommended building compliance measures into everyday processes. He said organizations should reward compliance successes while punishing failures.

Tom Hebert of Ogilvy Governmental Relations detailed issues likely to come under increased government scrutiny in the near future. If the EPA endangerment finding on greenhouse gases is allowed to stand, Hebert said National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits could be required for “anything ag that comes out of a nozzle in a field.”

Georgia Farm Bureau News

attending commodity meetings Small Grain Expo: corn for ethanol, soy ploys

During the Small Grain Expo at the UGA Tifton Conference Center on Jan. 28, University of Florida Professor of Agronomy Dr. Tom Sinclair told producers that meeting the biofuel requirements for cellulosic ethanol established by the U.S. Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) would require the largest and most rapid land conversion in U.S. history.

“I don’t think anybody has looked at how much land will be needed to grow these crops,” Sinclair said.

To produce the 144 million liters of ethanol required in the EISA, 160 million acres of corn will be needed. That’s about 50 percent more than were planted nationwide in 2007.

While soybeans seem unlikely to be used as a large-scale fuel source because of their value in other economic sectors, their ever-expanding list of uses is showing up virtually everywhere else.

Mike Erker, who is exploring the development of biobased products for the United Soybean Board (USB), gave an overview of new uses being developed for soybeans. The checkoff-funded USB is targeting six market areas. Plastics applications are currently drawing the most interest. Erker pointed out that the United States uses 3.5 billion pounds of plastics each year, and worldwide plastics use is 9 billion pounds.

UGA Extension Agronomist Dr. Jared Whitaker said planting soybeans in twin rows and increasing the spaces between the rows can increase yields under the right conditions, and the twin-row scheme reduces in-row competition and erosion. Experiments at UGA’s Midville test farm and at Glen Waller’s farm in Washington County produced inconsistent results, but Whitaker noted that it did not hurt the yields in either location. Whitaker indicated that seed varieties and types of irrigation used could be factors in the differing results on the two farms.

Miller County Farm Bureau Vice President Vic Fleet (left), Perry Hudson from Baker County (center) and Early County Farm Bureau Director Hank Haddock look over the equipment at the Georgia Peanut Farm Show.

Ga. Peanut Farm Show The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) handed out awards and UGA specialists offered seminars on a variety of production topics at the annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show, which featured 68 exhibitors and drew 1,100 visitors to the James H. Gray Civic Center in Albany on Jan. 21.

UGA researchers offered the latest information on disease insect management, peanut agronomic research, economics of peanut production and seed varieties.

“It’s a good chance to look at new equipment,” said Miller County Farm Bureau Vice President Vic Fleet, “and visit with the seed and fertility reps, pick their brains.”

During the show, Pierce County Farm Bureau Vice President Jim Waters was named the Outstanding Young Georgia Peanut Farmer. Tift County Farm Bureau Director Wes Shannon was recognized with a service award for previously representing Georgia on the National Peanut Board.

Gov. Sonny Perdue was honored with the GPC’s Distinguished Service Award.

Dr. Timothy Brenneman of UGA was given the Peanut Research Award.

U.S. 2nd District Rep. Sanford Bishop was given the Georgia Peanut Workhorse

Award. Media awards were given to the Early County News and Kathy Lohr of National Public Radio for their work in covering the salmonella outbreak tied to the Peanut Corporation of America plant in Blakely.

Bishop, in accepting his award, said he would vote against the final climate change bill if it does not undergo changes in the Senate to make it more friendly to agriculture and assured the attendees that Congress is working to maintain and expand opportunities for them to sell their crops overseas.

Atlanta Motor Speedway was given the Peanut Special Award for its collaborative effort with the GPC in using portions of its national TV platform at the Kobalt Tools 500 in March to help promote Georgia peanuts.

The GPC announced that it was making a $5,000 donation to the Peanut Butter for Haiti initiative to aid earthquake victims.

The GPC also announced that commission members elected Armond Morris of Irwin County for his ninth term as chairman during the organization’s January board meeting. Morris has served as chairman since 2005 and previously in 1996, 1997 and 2003.

Georgia Farm Bureau News March-April 2010 / 19

The snow storm that moved through Georgia on Feb. 12 was unusual in that it brought snow statewide. Even counties as far south as Grady, on the Florida line and Bacon in Southeast Georgia, received enough to make snowmen! We wanted to share a few of the photos members and county staff shared with us. Space limitations prevent us from sharing all of the great photos. Visit the GFB Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaFarmBureau to see all of the photos county Farm Bureaus submitted.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 2nd District, Franklin County. Photo

by Lou Cabe. 2 6th District, Sunshine United Methodist Church in Jones County.

Photo by Pat Steed. 3 9th District, Grady County, 9th District Women’s Chair Donna Powell, husband Richard, daughter Andrea Webb and grandsons Ayden and Spencer.

Photo by Keith Webb. 4 10th District, Appling County. Photo by Jamey Jacobs.

5 4th District, Oglethorpe County, Matt Daniels feeds his cows. Photo by Jenny Daniels. 6 1st District, Chattooga County. Photo by Jo Durham. 7 3rd District, Henry County. Photo by Dianne Elkins.

AROUND GEORGIA News from County Farm Bureaus CATOOSA COUNTY Pictured from right, Catoosa County Farm Bureau President Bernard Sims congratulates Rachel Williams for winning the CCFB Middle School Essay Contest and thanks her teacher Billie Carlock for encouraging students to participate.

Sims presented Williams, a 7th grade student at Heritage Middle School, with a $25 prize and certificate. The CCFB Board of Directors judged the essays, which discussed “How Many Hats Does A Farmer Wear?”

GREENE COUNTY Nancie Sanders, co-chairman of the Greene County Farm Bureau Young Farmer Committee, was a guest speaker during Career Day, Jan. 26, at Greene County High School. Sanders presented information on agriculture careers to two classes of high school students and answered many questions. This is part of the Young Farmer Committee’s efforts to educate students about the many opportunities available in agriculture.

EVANS COUNTY Evans County Farm Bureau used their float in the annual Rattlesnake Round-Up parade to promote agriculture. The float promoted GFB’s commodity of the year, vegetables, with baskets of produce grown in the county including sweet potatoes, carrots and Vidalia onions. It also included a banner-size replica of the Without Farmers, Georgia Can’t Grow billboards currently displayed on the interstates across Georgia. ECFB President Gary Bell drove the tractor that pulled the float Women’s Committee Chair Nancy Clark and her grandchildren rode.

HENRY COUNTY Henry County Farm Bureau recently held its annual legislative dinner to recognize the county’s state legislators and allow its members to discuss agriculture issues during a Q&A session.

Reps. Glenn Baker, Steve Davis, John Lunsford and Rep. John Yates and Sen. Gail Buckner attended the event along with GFB Legislative Director Jon Huffmaster. Rep. Davis presented a resolution to Dianne Elkins that was passed by the Georgia House of Representatives honoring the life of her late husband, Jack Elkins, for the civic work he did on behalf of the county through Farm Bureau and the Henry County Chamber of Commerce.

During the dinner, HCFB also recognized the recipient of its county scholarship and winners of its county essay and art contests.

Pictured from left are Sen. Buckner, essay contest winner Ashli Davis, Rep. Yates, 3rd place art contest winner Ashley Swint, Rep. Davis, 2nd place art contest winner Brittney Groover, scholarship winner Grace DeArah Whipple and HCFB Women’s Committee Chair Eleanor Toppins. Not pictured is art contest winner Kelli Davis.

GLYNN COUNTY Glynn County Farm Bureau continues to teach kindergarten students at Glyndale Elementary School about agriculture through its AG-ART program. GCFB representatives have been visiting a different kindergarten class at the school each month and talking to the students about agriculture. The class then draws agriculture pictures that are displayed in the GCFB office.

GCFB Office Manager Debra Orr (back row, far left) is pictured meeting with parapro Michelle Parnell (back row, center), teacher Vickie Miller (back row, right) and their students.

JEFF DAVIS COUNTY Baylee Crumpler, daughter of Donald and Roblyn Crumpler, was the recipient of the 2009 Jeff Davis County Farm Bureau Scholarship. Crumpler is using the $500 scholarship to attending South Georgia College and plans to become a veterinarian.

Georgia Farm Bureau News March-April 2010 / 21

Cotton growers get industry updates

By Jennifer Whittaker __________________________________________________________________________

C

otton growers attending the 3rd Annual Georgia Cotton Conference received industry updates from growers’ organizations, heard a panel discuss seed options for replacing DP 555 and learned new production tips. A record 300 cotton producers attended the meeting in Tifton Jan. 27, which Georgia Cotton Commission Executive Director Richey Seaton attributed to an expected increase in cotton acreage this year and growers wanting to learn more about the new cotton varieties that will replace DP 555 after this season.

“We wanted to give our growers the opportunity to hear directly from the Georgia Cotton Commission, National Cotton Council and Southern Cotton Growers regarding the activities we are conducting on their behalf to promote the industry,” Seaton said. “The Cotton Commission works closely with these two organizations to represent growers’ interests in Washington.”

The Cotton Commission has secured $2.287 million in federal research funds in the past three years that are being used to finance research to improve cotton quality, weed management and irrigation efficiency in Georgia, Seaton said.

NCC Vice Chairman Eddie Smith said his organization continues to work with the United States Trade Office to appeal the World Trade Organization’s ruling against the U.S. cotton program in the case filed by Brazil.

“We appreciate the stand the United States Trade Office and Ron Kirk have taken for cotton,” Smith said. “Ambassador Kirk stands firm that there must be greater ambition in securing markets for cotton.”

Both Smith and Allen McLaurin with the Southern Cotton Growers said their organizations are working to secure disaster assistance for growers who suffered losses due to natural disasters such as excessive rains last fall.

Dr. Steve Nichols with Bayer Crop Science, Dr. Steve M. Brown with Dow AgroSciences and Dr. David Albers with Monsanto gave overviews of varieties growers 22 / March-April 2010

might use instead of DP 555. Nichols said Fiber Max 1740B2F and Stoneville 5288B2F are the top two varieties his company recommends but warned against planting 5288 if growers have problems with whiteflies.

Brown said PhytoGen 370 WR and 375 WRF are high yielding varieties growers might consider. Albers said DeltaPine 1048 has tested well under irrigation while DP 1050 has performed well on dryland.

Winners of the 2009 Georgia Quality Cotton Award were announced during the conference. Winners in the category of less than 500 acres were: Dan King of Turner County, nominated by Worth Gin for Region 1; Lamar Black of Tilmanstone Farms in Jenkins County, nominated by Midville Warehouse for Region 2; Kevin Shaw of River Bottom Farms in Lanier County, nominated

by BCT Gin for Region 3 and Walter Powell of Colquitt County, nominated by The Cotton Gin for Region 4.

In the category of 500 to 1,000 acres,

Georgia Cotton Commission Chairman Louie Perry welcomes growers to the 3rd Annual Georgia Cotton Conference.

winners were: Steven Metcalf of Turner County, nominated by Sconyers Gin for Region 1; Ron Burch of Wayne County, nominated by Southeastern Gin for Region 2; David Price of Brooks County, nominated

by BCT Gin for Region 3 and Tom Windhausen of Mitchell County, nominated by Sowega Cotton for Region 4.

Winners in the over 1,000 acres category were: Phil Coley of Turner County, nominated by Worth Gin for Region 1; Danny Turner of Appling County, nominated by Southeastern Gin for Region 2; Tim Crosby of TLC Farms in Brooks County, nominated by BCT Gin-Berlin for Region 3 and Glenn Heard with Heard Family Farms in Decatur County, nominated by Cloverleaf Gin for Region 4.

Former USDA official refutes CBS story on antibiotics Citing statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO), former USDA Deputy Undersecretary for Food Safety Dr. Scott Hurd issued a response to the information presented in a CBS Evening News report on the use of antibiotics in livestock that aired Feb. 9 and 10.

In a point-by-point rebuttal, Hurd, an associate professor at Iowa State University, said the assertion by CBS that antibiotic resistance is an emerging health crisis among humans was contrary to what historical fact shows.

“Since antibiotics have been used in humans for more than 60 years and in livestock for about 50 years, if there was going to be an epidemic of resistance related to antibiotic use in agriculture, it would have occurred by now,” Hurd said. “The fact that it has not means that antibiotic use in animals is not a major risk to human health.”

The CBS report included multiple references to Denmark’s limits on antibiotic use in swine and suggested that the Danish pork industry has grown significantly since it was enacted. Hurd pointed out that the number of swine producers in Denmark had decreased from 25,000 when the experiment started in 1995 to fewer than 10,000 in 2005. He said WHO studies show it was more effective to use antibiotics to help pigs grow healthy than to use them only to treat pigs after they show signs of being sick.

Further, Hurd said no studies have shown a link between animals consuming antibiotic feed and people developing antibiotic-resistant infections from handling or eating meat from those animals.

To read Hurd’s entire response, visit http://vetmed.iastate.edu/news/isuassociate-professor-and-former-usdadeputy-undersecretary-food-safetyresponds-cbs-news-seg.

Georgia Farm Bureau News

WE, THE FARMERS from page 4 also sponsored the grand champion steer and gilt awards and the Friday night 4-H and FFA banquet. We’re proud of our children and want to support them.

Speaking of the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter, because so many agriculture events take place at the facility, it seemed like a good fit to utilize the digital sign that stands at the west gate by I-75 to remind folks that Georgia Farm Bureau is “The Voice of Georgia Farmers.” GFB recently entered a threeyear partnership with the GNFA to run our ad. GNFA staffers estimate 55,000 cars pass the sign daily, plus we’ll reach all of the folks who attend the Georgia National Fair and the many other events held at the fairgrounds throughout the year. We think this will be a very effective way to remind the public that the original purpose of our organization was and remains to be advocates for agriculture.

Another group of GFB Young Farmers recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with their elected officials. This trip serves as a way to teach the younger members of Farm Bureau that their voice does make a difference and to encourage them to get involved with our organization.

I enjoyed visiting with this group of young folks who will be the future leaders of our organization. You can read more about the trip on page 17.

We can’t discuss serving as role models and making memories with our children without addressing the state budget and the proposed cuts to the 4-H program, the Cooperative Extension Service and the state’s ag research facilities. It is unthinkable that the people leading our university system would even propose such an idea.

The College of Agriculture and the 4-H, Cooperative Extension and research stations that it oversees are the foundation of the University of Georgia’s status as a land grant university and are a cornerstone of the entire university system. The state of Georgia depends on this foundation to lead Georgia’s largest industry, agriculture, and the young people around it into the future.

Would we really cut out the state’s future? As Gov. Perdue said, “Not on our watch.”

I recently sent letters to the chancellor of the University System and the Board of

Regents voicing Farm Bureau’s opposition to the suggested cuts. I explained the role these programs play in ensuring the strength of Georgia agriculture and the $65 billion contribution agriculture makes to the state’s economy.

We continue to be very heavily involved legislatively on all of our priority issues.

So active, in fact, that it will take another article to tell you all that has happened this session. Please read the Legislative Update on page five for a full report.

As President Lincoln said, a good example is worth a thousand sermons. As agriculture leaders, it’s important that we set the bar high for the next generation of agriculturalists. We must also continue providing a way for our young leaders to make memories that will bring them back to their roots.

Proverbs 22:6 tells us, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

God Bless.

Grow your agricultural operation

Finance or refinance your new or used farm equipment with Farm Bureau Bank.

Farm Bureau Bank makes it easy to purchase or refinance all types of agricultural equipment with our quick and easy online application. Our loans feature competitive rates, up to 90% financing for new and 85% for used equipment, terms up to 7 years for new and 5 years for used equipment, and monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual payment plans.

Farm Bureau Bank Equipment Loans LOW RATES • FLEXIBLE TERMS • EASY FINANCING

Contact your Agent to apply today.

Some restrictions apply based on the make and model of equipment offered as collateral. Loans are subject to credit approval. Rates and financing are limited to models 1999 and newer and are subject to change without notice. Finance charges accrue from origination date of the loan. Financing provided by Farm Bureau Bank FSB. Banking services provided by Farm Bureau Bank, FSB. Farm Bureau Bank, FSB is a service to member institution that provides banking services to Farm Bureau members. Services are not available in AL, IL, MI, MO, MS, OH or WY and may not be available in some counties or parishes. Farm Bureau, FB and the FB National Logo are registered service marks owned by the American Farm Bureau Federation and are used under license by FB BanCorp and its subsidiaries, including Farm Bureau Bank FSB. FB BanCorp is an independent entity and the AFBF does not own, is not owned by, and is not under common ownership with FB BanCorp or its affiliated entities.

Georgia Farm Bureau News March-April 2010 / 23

Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance Companies

Claims Resource Center Hours of Operation: M-F 7:00 am – 6:00 pm

1-800-633-5432 Press Option for Claims

Please notify us as soon as possible when a loss occurs.

For auto glass claims anytime or to report a claim after hours, please contact Alliance Claims Solutions at 1-866-842-3276

Keeping the Promise.

Farm Bureau Insurance is your one-stop source for quality protection. We have broad coverage for your Auto, Home or Life Insurance needs, and we back it up with prompt, professional attention, and fast, fair claims service.

Georgia Farm Bureau proudly offers the following products:

AUTO Personal, Business, Fleets P&C PERSONAL Homeowner, Mobile/Manufactured Home, Personal Fire Package, Inland Marine FARM Farm Package, Farm Pollution, Club Calf/4-H/FFA Livestock Insurance, Crop Hail P&C COMMERCIAL Church, Business Owner, Commercial Package BROKERAGE & UMBRELLA

Auto • Life • Home Georgia Farm Bureau • P.O. Box 7068 • 1620 Bass Road • Macon, Georgia 31209-7068 • www.gfb.org Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company

Southern Farm Bureau Annuity Insurance Company

Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company

Georgia Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company