March 8, 2017
www.gfb.org
Vol. 35 No. 5
EXECUTIVE ORDER DIRECTS EPA, CORPS TO REVIEW WOTUS RULE In an executive order issued Feb. 28, President Donald Trump directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil works to review and rescind or revise the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) finalized in 2015. The EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pushed the WOTUS rule through the rulemaking process and by doing so expanded the federal government’s regulatory reach. Agricultural groups including Farm Bureau opposed it, contending that the rule went beyond Congress’ intent under the Clean Water Act. “We thought from the start that the Waters of the U.S. rule was too broad and granted the federal government too much authority over what happens on private property,” said Georgia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long. Trump also directed the EPA and Corps of Engineers to review actions to implement the rule and rescind or revise those actions. The two agencies were also directed to notify U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions of their review to allow his office to take measures relating to pending litigation related to the rule. Georgia and more than two dozen other states sued to stop the rule and the courts have halted The next issue of GFB News Alert its implementation pending the outcome of those cases. comes out The executive order recommended that the agencies consider defining the March 22. term “navigable waters” in a manner consistent with the opinion written by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in the 2006 case Rapanos v. United States. In that opinion, Scalia said the phrase “waters of the United States” includes “only those relatively permanent, standing or continuously flowing bodies of water ‘forming geographic features’ that are described in ordinary parlance as “streams[,] … oceans, rivers, [and] lakes.” The phrase does not include channels through which water flows intermittently or ephemerally, or channels that periodically provide drainage for rainfall.” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall praised the president for the executive order. “Farmers and ranchers have been calling for a common-sense approach to regulatory reform, and today the Trump administration responded to that call,” Duvall said. “EPA has too long been characterized by regulatory overreach that disregards the positive conservation efforts of farmers and threatens their very way of life. [This] action is as much a beginning as an end, and there is much work to do to ensure that any revised rule is transparent and fair for America’s farmers and ranchers.”
GFB News Alert page 2 of 16 HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA H7 STRAIN FOUND IN TENN. FLOCK The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H7N9 avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial chicken breeder flock in Lincoln County, Tennessee. It is the first confirmed case of HPAI in commercial poultry in the United States this year. There have been no reports of HPAI in Georgia, according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture, which is continuing to stress the importance of commercial and backyard poultry growers following biosecurity measures. “In light of the first confirmed case of HPAI in commercial poultry this year, we challenge all of our poultry producers to redouble their biosecurity efforts,” said Georgia State Veterinarian Dr. Robert Cobb. “We urge our backyard growers to practice extreme caution during this period of heightened alert and consider moving poultry with outside access into biosecure housing immediately.” According to published reports, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and Taiwan have banned imports of poultry from Tennessee as of March 7. While HPAI is known to be deadly for domesticated poultry – chickens, turkeys, guineas, quail, and peafowl -- it does not pose a risk to the food supply. None of the infected birds entered the food supply. The risk of human infection with avian influenza during poultry outbreaks is very low, and proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit kills bacteria and viruses. “We are certainly concerned for our neighbors in Tennessee and will keep them in our thoughts and prayers as they deal with this economic hit,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black. “Poultry is Georgia’s number one industry and we must take this threat seriously. Wild waterfowl can harbor the Avian Influenza virus without getting sick. We cannot keep the waterfowl from coming to Georgia, but we can keep them and this virus from getting into our domestic poultry by practicing strong biosecurity.” The infected flock in Tennessee, which included 73,500 birds, is located within the Mississippi Flyway, one of four migratory paths taken by wild birds. The birds typically follow the same flyway in both directions during their migrations. Georgia is located within the Atlantic Flyway. The Lincoln County, Tennessee, flock has been euthanized, and approximately 50 other poultry houses within a 6.2-mile radius of the site have been tested and quarantined. According to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, surveillance is being done out to a 10-mile radius of the site and as of March 7 no other flocks have tested positive or experienced clinical signs of HPAI. The affected flock is in south central Tennessee approximately 30 miles north of Huntsville, Alabama. According to the USDA, the H7N9 strain detected in this flock is not the same strain that infected commercial poultry flocks primarily in the upper Midwest in 2015, nor is it the same as the H7N9 virus in China that has impacted poultry and humans in Asia. The USDA says the virus detected in Tennessee is genetically distinct from the China H7N9 virus. Owners of commercial and backyard poultry flocks are encouraged to closely observe their birds and report a sudden increase in the number of sick birds or bird deaths to the state veterinarian’s office at 855-491-1432. For more updates and information regarding biosecurity tips visit www.ga-ai.org or www.allinallgone.com.
GFB News Alert page 3 of 16 BULLOCH COUNTY FARM BUREAU PRESIDENT LANNIE LEE DIES Lannie Lee, who served as Bulloch County Farm Bureau President since 2007, died on March 1. He was 96. Lee, a Farm Bureau member since 1947, was recognized during the Leadership Luncheon at the American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in January. He served as a mechanic in the U.S. Army Air Force from 1943 to 1946, working on planes in England and Germany during World War II. Lee joined Farm Bureau in 1947 and began farming with his brothers after returning from Europe, growing field crops and raising cattle. He served as president of the Brooklet Farm Bureau Chapter in the 1950s. He became a Bulloch County Farm Bureau director in 1973 and served as vice president for 34 years before succeeding the late M.L. Miller in 2007. Lannie Lee Lee was preceded in death by his wife, Marcia, to whom he was married for 42 years before her death in 1992. They had two daughters, Patricia Morton and Cathy Marchette, a son, Mark, five grandchildren and one greatgrandchild. Condolences may be sent to: Lee famiy, 1619 Stanford Dr., Statesboro, GA 30461. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Lannie Lee Scholarship. Donations may be sent to Bulloch County Farm Bureau, P.O. Box 366, Statesboro, GA 30459, to the attention of Amy Anderson. GFB PARTNERS WITH CATERPILLAR TO OFFER NEW MEMBER BENEFIT Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) has partnered with Caterpillar to offer GFB members discounts of up to $2,500 on construction machinery and equipment. Caterpillar was recently named one of Fortune Magazine’s 50 most admired worldwide companies. Fortune also ranked Caterpillar as the number one most admired company in the construction and farm machinery category. The nation’s oldest Caterpillar dealer, Yancey Brothers, is located in Georgia with locations in Albany, Augusta, Austell, Brunswick, Calhoun, Columbus, Dacula, Macon, McDonough, Savannah, Statesboro, Valdosta, Washington and Waycross. GFB encourages its members to reach out to local CAT dealers to take advantage of this moneysaving benefit. Details of the program can be found at www.gfb.org/benefits/caterpillar.html.
GFB News Alert page 4 of 16 GFB MEMBERS & STAFF LEARN TO NAVIGATE CURRENT OF AG LITERACY Farm Bureau volunteers and county staff who attended the annual Georgia Farm Bureau Educational Leadership Conference March 4 in Columbus heard practical tips for taking agriculture into the classroom and talking to consumers about how farmers grow their food. “If we don’t share what we know, then we’re going to pay for it in the future. Activists who don’t understand agriculture have an agenda, and if we don’t tell our story they will reshape our story and tell it for us,” GFB Women’s Leadership Committee Chairman Rhonda Williams told attendees in the opening session. Dr. David Mouser, school superintendent of Tri-Valley CUSD #3 in Downs, Illinois, encouraged conference attendees to remember as they interact with others, especially students they meet in the course of their Farm Bureau volunteer work, that the smallest things we do for the kids and each other can make a lasting impact on others’ lives. Mouser began his career as an ag teacher before advancing to serve as a high school principal and then superintendent. He praised ag education for its inclusive nature that benefits students of varying developmental levels and skill sets. Mouser offered four suggestions for Farm Bureau volunteers to implement as they tell the story of agriculture to school children or adults in their communities: 1) share not only your successes but also your failures; 2) focus on the child in front of you when volunteering in a school and consider the emotional issues the child may have brought to school with him from home; 3) look at kids in the eyes, shake their hands, or pat them on the back and tell them you’re glad they’re here and; 4) have faith in other people. “You can’t just share things that work. We should also share things that didn’t work so we can get better together,” Mouser said while sharing that the first time he tried to teach welding he shocked himself in front of his class and had to confess to his students that he didn’t know how to weld. Mouser said his confession to his students and his pledge they would learn together resulted in his students becoming engaged in the class and recruiting other students to the FFA program. Lindsay Calvert, director of leadership development for the American Farm Bureau, shared tips on how to talk to consumers about agriculture with EASE. Calvert suggested farmers Engage with consumers by listening to them to find common interests they share such as football, cooking or children. She encouraged farmers to Acknowledge consumers’ right to have concerns about how their food is grown, Share things they are doing on their farms to care for animals or protect the environment and Earn the trust of consumers by talking in terms and language they can -continued
GFB News Alert page 5 of 16 Continued from previous page understand. “We have to get over the attitude we as farmers have of ‘How dare they question what I do on my farm?’,” Calvert said. “We can’t go into defense mode because as soon as we get defensive we turn people off.” Calvert recommended that farmers avoid ag jargon and acronyms consumers aren’t familiar with such, as broilers when talking about meat chickens. She said the ag community should use the word farmers instead of producers and farms instead of operations, to avoid the perception of factory agriculture. In 2015, a national priority was set to increase the number of U.S. students and teachers who are proficient in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) using hands-on activities that teach students critical thinking skills. Michele Reedy, director of North Carolina Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program, led a workshop exploring how the trend of schools adopting a STEM curriculum can pave the way for getting Ag in the Classroom activities and volunteers into schools. Demonstrating Reedy’s point, Marla Garnto and Adrienne Bickel, teaching partners at Northside Elementary School in Houston County, led a workshop with Carol Baker Dunn, GFB 8th District Women’s Leadership Committee Chairman, who shared how they work as a team using Ag in the Classroom lessons to meet STEM requirements. “We need to adopt ag curriculum from kindergarten on because it’s so adaptable,” said Garnto, who received the 2016 GFB Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year Award. Garnto began using Ag in the Classroom lessons after attending a GFB Ag Educator Workshop Houston County Farm Bureau (HCFB) hosted. With the help of HCFB, Garnto and Bickel grow a class garden, study bees with a visit from a local beekeeper, discuss how manure fertilizes the soil and worms aerate the soil. They also worked with Dunn and Perdue Farms to increase the efficiency with which workers at Perdue Farms hang chickens on the processing line. Students used graphing, math and language skills to evaluate the efficiency problem, come up with possible solutions and then presented their findings in a board room presentation to Perdue managers. “Once teachers see how excited kids get about Ag in the Classroom activities they’ll buy into it,” Bickel said. Williams and GFB 5th Dist. Women’s Chairman Melissa Bottoms conducted a workshop featuring the book, “First Peas to the Table,” by Susan Grigsby. Williams and Bottoms showed conference attendees how they can use the book to teach students parts of the flower by making a flower craft or plant pea seeds and keep a garden journal as the book’s main character does. Conference attendees also bid on 58 donated items offered in a silent auction that raised $2,294 for the GFB Foundation for Agriculture. On Friday before the conference began, members of the GFB Women’s Leadership Committee visited Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy in Columbus, where they read the book, “First Peas to the Table,” to 45 kindergarten students and planted pea seeds with the students.
GFB News Alert page 6 of 16 RAULERSON JOINS GFB LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT Blake Raulerson has joined Georgia Farm Bureau as the newest member of the Legislative Department, where he will serve as legislative specialist. A native of Blackshear, Raulerson will serve as an advocate for GFB's policy positions with state elected officials and agencies. Before joining GFB, Raulerson worked as a legislative aide for Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and later as a regional representative for U.S. Senator David Perdue. “Blake’s background in public policy at the state and national levels will be critical as he serves as a spokesman for our farmers,” said GFB President Gerald Long. "We are very excited to welcome Blake to the Farm Bureau family.” Raulerson graduated from UGA in 2014 with a degree in political science. Raulerson will work with state legislators to develop public policy favorable to agriculture, while facilitating contact between farmers and state officials.
Blake Raulerson
GARNTO WINS NATIONAL AG IN THE CLASSROOM AWARD Houston County teacher Marla Garnto is one of eight teachers to receive the National Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture Award for 2017. Garnto was recognized for incorporating information about agriculture into her Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum to teach her students how agriculture impacts their daily lives. Garnto, who teaches kindergarten through 5th grade at Northside Elementary School in Warner Robins, has her students work with local poultry processor Perdue Farms on a ‘STEM Challenge’ in which students devise ways to improve efficiencies at the poultry plant. The National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization (NAITCO), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Farm Credit announced the national winners on March 1. Marla Garnto "We're proud of these award-winning teachers who demonstrate so well how effective agriculture can be when used as a teaching tool,” said Dr. Victoria LeBeaux, the National Agriculture in the Classroom Program Leader for USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), which provides federal leadership and annual funding for NAITC. These kindergarten-through-12th grade teachers won the award for the innovative ways they use agricultural concepts to teach core subject areas of reading, writing, math, science, social studies, STEM and more. "These teachers exemplify how easily connections to agriculture can be made in classroom instruction," said Chris Fleming, president of NAITCO. "We honor them for the strides they make in agricultural literacy in their classrooms every day." The winning teachers will be honored by at the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference “Show Me Agriculture,” to be held June 20-23 in Kansas City, MO. NAITCO is a non-profit organization representing most of the 50 state Agriculture in the Classroom programs around the country. Its mission is to educate K-12 teachers and students about the importance of agriculture by providing them with web-based materials, workshops and awards programs that demonstrate how agriculture can be used to effectively teach core subject areas.
GFB News Alert page 7 of 16 GFB GIVES GRAND CHAMPION PRIZES AT GA JR. NATIONAL LIVESTOCK SHOW After months of training their cows, hogs, goats and sheep for the show ring, 1,644 4-H and FFA students from across the state traveled to the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry to compete in the 2017 Georgia Junior National Livestock Show Feb. 22-26. The exhibitors showed 2,521 head of livestock during the event. The Georgia Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture sponsored the seven grand champion prizes for all species shown. “Georgia Farm Bureau continues to sponsor this show because the students who participate in this event are going to be Georgia’s future ag leaders,” GFB President Gerald Long said. “Showing livestock teaches young people to be responsible and how to get back up when things don’t go the way they wanted them to in the show ring.” Oglethorpe County FFA member Andrew Chastain captured the Grand Champion Breeding Heifer prize of $2,500 with his crossbred commercial heifer. Chastain, a senior at Oglethorpe County High School, is the son of Tennille Chastain and Allen Chastain. Taylor Barber, a 4-Her from Decatur County, won the Grand Champion Market Barrow award of $1,500 with her crossbred hog. Barber, a sophomore at Bainbridge High School, is the daughter of Jeff and Leslie Barber. Barber previously won the award in 2013. Coweta County 4-Her Elizabeth Mansour walked out of the ring with the Grand Champion Commercial Dairy Heifer prize of $1,500 with the red Holstein she showed from Wendy Hill Farms. Mansour, the daughter of Jeff and Karen Mansour, is a junior at The Heritage School. Blaze Beasley, a Mitchell County FFA member, went home with the Grand Champion Market Steer $5,000 prize for her crossbred steer. Beasley, the daughter of Richard and Laura Beasley is a junior at Pelham High School. Worth County FFA member Chase Roberts claimed the Grand Champion Commercial Doe award of $1,000 with his crossbred goat. Roberts, a senior at Worth County High School, is the son of Michael and Anita Roberts. Jackson County FFA member Savannah Page won the Grand Champion Market Gilt prize of $1,500 for her crossbred hog. Page, a 7th grader at West Jackson Middle School, is the daughter of Phil and Christy Page. Banks County 4-Her Jordan Pritchett received the Grand Champion Breeding Ewe award of $1,000. Pritchett, the son of Lamar and Melanie Pritchett, is an 8th grader at Commerce Middle School. Georgia Farm Bureau will honor the grand champions during the GFB Foundation for Agriculture Gala on March 11.
GFB News Alert page 8 of 16 THREE GA COUNTY FARM BUREAUS RECEIVE WHITE-REINHARDT GRANTS The American Farm Bureau (AFBF) Foundation for Agriculture has awarded $500 mini-grants to Butts County Farm Bureau, Cherokee County Farm Bureau and McDuffie County Farm Bureau. The three counties were among 12 nationwide to receive the grants, which are awarded through the Foundation’s White-Reinhardt Fund for Education program. Cherokee County Farm Bureau sought the grant to support the learning garden it is building at Hasty Elementary School in Canton, where 123 5th-grade students were invited to make use of two customized raised beds on wheels. The Learning Garden will create a space for gardening in the courtyard outside the school library, expanding the environment for reading, science and art. The students will get hands-on experience planting vegetables, watching them grow, harvesting and tasting. The students will learn valuable skills and enjoy the fruit of their labor while learning about healthy eating. It will also show them that in a small space they can grow vegetables at home, let them know where their food comes from and expose them to potential careers in agriculture. McDuffie County Farm Bureau (MCFB) will be partnering with McDuffie County schools to increase agricultural literacy among pre-K through 12th-grade students by building and stocking an agricultural library in each of the seven schools in the district. MCFB is working with local FFA chapters to build bookcases as a service project for each of the schools, as well as purchasing reading materials that are age-appropriate for the students. The books can be connected to standards that are taught at each grade level and the agricultural library serves as a resource for teachers as they incorporate agriculture into their curriculum. The total project will take about two years to complete. There are more than 4,000 students in the McDuffie County Schools and the project will provide students direct exposure to a wide variety of topics related to agriculture. MCFB is using the Pillars Matrix to identify books recommended by AFBF to stock the ag libraries. Butts County Farm Bureau requested the grant to support a program at Pleasant Grove Christian School in Jackson, where middle- and high-school horticulture students work in greenhouses planting, watering, organizing, lighting and rotating flowers and vegetables, which are transplanted in a community garden, also cared for by the students. The AFBF grants are allocated to county or state Farm Bureaus and are used to create new agricultural literacy projects or expand existing agricultural literacy efforts. Criteria for selecting winners included: the effectiveness of demonstrating a strong connection between agriculture and education; how successfully the project enhances learner engagement in today’s food, fiber and fuel systems; and the processes and timelines for accomplishing project goals. “Through the mini-grant program, we’re able to help younger generations learn about agriculture and the role it plays in our everyday lives,” said Julia Recko, education outreach director of the AFBF Foundation. Farm Bureau members share free educational resources with educators in their communities through the program. The White-Reinhardt Fund for Education is a project of the Foundation in cooperation with the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. The fund honors two former committee chairwomen, Berta White and Linda Reinhardt, who were trailblazers in early national efforts to expand the outreach of agricultural education and improve agricultural literacy.
GFB News Alert page 9 of 16 FARM BILL KEY TOPIC AT SOYBEAN/ SMALL GRAIN EXPO Farmers attending the annual Georgia/Florida Soybean/Small Grain Expo held Feb. 21 in Perry received a preview of the upcoming farm bill, learned about irrigation technology to help them conserve water while growing their crops and heard how the Georgia Soybean Commission, Georgia/Florida Soybean Association and American Soybean Association are working to promote soybeans. Tas Smith, assistant director of the Georgia Farm Bureau Legislative Department, gave an update on legislative issues in Washington, D.C., and their impact on agriculture. Smith said the agriculture community is hopeful the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee will hold a confirmation hearing in March for Sonny Perdue, President Trump’s nominee for U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Smith outlined what farmers may expect as the 2018 farm bill is written in coming months. While various ag commodities may seek additional support in the next farm bill due to low commodity prices, Smith pointed out that if Congress increases spending in one area it is required to decrease it in another. “I expect we’ll be operating in a similar budget environment as the last farm bill, which means it will be very difficult to get new programs approved,” Smith said. “I think there’s a good chance we’ll see an extension of the current farm bill because midterm elections are two months after the farm bill expires in September 2018. Typically, politicians don’t like to spend money in an election year.” Bill Liakos, a post-doctorate research associate at UGA who is working with Dr. George Vellidis on ways to increase irrigation efficiency, gave an overview of work Vellidis’ research group is doing to develop a smartphone app specifically for soybean growers that will allow them to control their irrigation systems remotely using their smartphones. The app is also designed to help growers schedule irrigation based on real-time and forecast weather data. The team began working on the soybean app last year and expects to release it in 2018. The app is being programed to use weather data (temperature, wind speed, relative humidity & solar radiation) provided by the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network (GAEMN), Florida Automated Weather Network and National Weather Service. Billy Skaggs, executive secretary of the Georgia Soybean Commodity Commission, provided an update on commission activities. Skaggs said 75 percent of the assessment Georgia growers pay to fund the commission has gone into research to improve crop production including developing high yielding soybean varieties, irrigation research and research addressing insect and disease issues in soybeans. The commission has also distributed educational materials about soybeans to more than 8,000 Georgia students since 2014. Jack Spruill, director of the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s marketing division, discussed the laws and regulations pertaining to the state warehouse program. Spruill urged grain growers to be certain they are selling their crop to grain dealers or warehouses that are licensed and bonded with the state of Georgia. Georgia law requires grain dealers to pay for crops purchased (or at least put the payment in the mail) within 48 hours of receiving the crop, unless there is a written agreement to store the grain for sale at a later date, Spruill said. Grain warehouses that store commodities for farmers will issue a warehouse receipt for the crop they are holding. Spruill stressed that a producer only has six months (180 days) to file a complaint with the Georgia Department of Agriculture to seek payment for his crop if he isn’t paid on time. “Be careful and make sure you are dealing with someone who is reputable and not trying to take your money,” Spruill said. “It’s a requirement in state law that we must audit grain warehouses -continued
GFB News Alert page 10 of 16 Continued from previous page in the state warehouse program at least six times a year.” Sam Butler, a soybean grower from Alabama who serves on the American Soybean Association (ASA) Governing Committee, gave an overview of the work the ASA is doing on the national level on behalf of U.S. soybean growers. Butler said the ASA is working to educate the Trump Administration about the importance of international trade agreements for soybean growers since more than 60 percent of the U.S. soybean crop is exported. Ardent Mills employees Glen Weaver, Sam Doering and Jacinda Dunn, stressed the importance of keeping any traces of peanuts out of the wheat supply used for food to protect consumers with peanut allergies. This issue surfaced last year after another company had to recall products made with wheat flour supplied by a Georgia mill that tested positive for traces of peanuts. Ardent Mills has a plant in Macon, Ga., that uses Georgia-grown wheat for making flour. Weaver said in the past 60 percent of the wheat milled at Ardent Mills’ Macon plant has come from Georgia. “We want to increase awareness of the issue so we don’t have to eliminate buying Georgia wheat,” Doering said. “We want this mill to grind Georgia wheat. That’s what it is set up to do.” The company representatives stressed the importance of making certain that trailers hauling wheat are cleaned thoroughly if they have ever been used to haul peanuts or peanut-derived products and is working to establish a protocol farmers and truck drivers can follow before this year’s wheat crop is harvested. Weaver suggested that growers ask crop transporters what assurances they can offer that peanut residue cannot be found in trucks used to haul wheat to a mill. GEORGIA DNR HOLDING COYOTE CHALLENGE In order to encourage hunting coyotes from March to August, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division announced the Georgia Coyote Challenge. Each coyote killed, up to five (5) a month per hunter/trapper, will earn an entry into a monthly drawing for a lifetime license (or equal credit for purchase of hunting/fishing licenses). According to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), coyotes can cause damage to a variety of farm assets, particularly to livestock and poultry. According to estimates provided by the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, the statewide population could range between 20,000 and 25,000, with greater population density in the coastal plain region of the state. The coyote is a non-native predator that can be found in every county in Georgia and has the unique ability to live in a variety of habitats. Trapping and/or hunting are legal and recommended methods for managing coyotes. There is no closed season for their harvest. Participants may bring a coyote carcass to any of the following Wildlife Resources Division offices (locations and addresses are available online at http://bit.ly/coyotechallenge), Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays: Game Management Region offices; Riverbend WMA office; Waycross Fisheries Management office; Demeries Creek Fisheries Management office; Richmond Hill Hatchery office. Participants can submit up to five coyotes for five entries in the contest in a single month and must be present when the coyote is submitted. Coyotes must have been killed between the first and last days of the submission month. Road-kills, spoiled carcasses and live coyotes are not eligible.
GFB News Alert page 11 of 16 PORK PRODUCERS HEAR ABOUT UGA ANIMAL SCIENCE, VFD Pork producers from around the state heard presentations from UGA experts and the Georgia Department of Agriculture on key research and regulatory issues affecting swine production during the 2017 Georgia Pork Congress on Feb. 21. UGA Animal and Dairy Science Department Head Dr. Keith Bertrand reviewed trends in department enrollment and research faculty. Bertrand noted that undergraduate enrollment has grown from about 160 in 1996 to more than 300 currently, while the graduate programs have grown from 40 students in 1996 to 51 in 2017, including 27 PhD students. The department has been able to restore some faculty positions that were trimmed as cost-cutting measures between 2009 and 2012. Bertrand, who said he is retiring, also reviewed some of the department's accomplishments in his nine years as department head. The ADS department budget is $11.4 million, he said, about half of which comes from state funds and more than 30 percent of which comes from other sources, chiefly grants obtained by research faculty. In 2015, he said, grant funding averaged $390,000 per faculty member. Undergraduate research projects have grown from 37 in 2002 to 228 in 2015, and Bertrand said hundreds of papers from the students' work has been published in refereed journal articles. Dr. David Reeves, professor emeritus with the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, reviewed changes in rules for antimicrobial use under the FDA's Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD), which went into effect on Jan. 1. “Things have really changed, and changed a lot, since Jan. 1,” Reeves said. The VFD, under guidance documents 209 and 213, removed all growth promotion and nutritional efficiency labels from medically important antimicrobial drugs, and all veterinary feed manufacturers agreed to comply. In addition, veterinarians cannot write prescriptions that deviate from uses listed on the labels. Reeves said producers need to strictly follow medication labels. “The label stands. You cannot deviate from it,” Reeves said. He encouraged hog farmers to keep detailed records of any deliveries of medicated feed they receive, including date of delivery and which bin it was placed in on their farm. Reeves said farmers can access information about feed uses and requirements from the label, from the Feed Additive Compendium (www.feedadditivecompendium.com) and from the FDA’s Approved Animal Drug Products Green Book, available online at http://bit.ly/FDAgreenbook. UGA Animal Waste Management Specialist Melony Wilson presented information about composting carcasses of deceased livestock to create rich organic material for soil amendments. Wilson said that high temperatures in the compost piles destroy most pathogens and reduce animal carcasses to bone fragments. Wilson emphasized compost sites have to be located in areas that do not pose threats of ground water contamination. In addition, she said 18 to 24 inches of carbon material like wood chips or sawdust are needed above, below and on all sides of the carcass to prevent ground water contamination and help control odor. Outdoor sites must be approved by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. To view state rules on carcass disposal visit http://bit.ly/carcasscompost. UGA's Dr. Mike Azain from the Animal and Dairy Science Department, discussed research projects centered on swine nutrition, genetics and meat science. Other presentations included lagoon maintenance by UGA Poultry Science Professor Dr. John Worley and Compliance and Inspections by Courtney Wilson of the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
GFB News Alert page 12 of 16 APRIL 12 SET AS VIDALIA ONION PACK DATE Consumers will be able to get the sweet taste of Vidalia onions a little earlier this year as a result of Georgia’s mild winter, according to a Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) press release. GDA has set April 12 as the official pack date for Vidalia onions, which will be available in local grocery stores and farmers markets after that date. The early April date was recommended to Commissioner Gary W. Black during a grower meeting this week in the 20-county Vidalia onion growing region. Vidalia onions cannot be packed or sold prior to April 12 as established by the rules of the GDA. The Georgia Legislature in 1986 entrusted the GDA with the ownership of the Vidalia onion certification mark, requiring the commissioner to protect the integrity of the mark and ensure consumers receive only the highest quality sweet Vidalia onions. Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black said the goal each year is 100 percent consumer satisfaction. “The pack date of April 12 will ensure the highest quality onions are delivered to retail stores for consumers across the country, said Brett McLain of McLain Farms and chairman of the Vidalia Onion Advisory Panel. “The 2017 Vidalia onion crop is ahead of schedule because of the mild temperatures this winter, and we have reacted to that with an earlier pack date. We put out the best quality crop to date last year as an industry and we are looking forward to doing that again.” Vidalia onions are unique to Georgia and may only be grown in parts of a 20-county area in the southeastern part of the state. The onions are prized for their sweetness and mild flavor and can be used raw or cooked. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Georgia farmers harvested 268 million pounds of Vidalia onions from 11,200 acres in 2015. Value of production for last year’s crop exceeded 120 million.
GFB News Alert page 13 of 16 GEORGIA CORN AND TOBACCO COMMISSION REFERENDUMS Voting is open through March 30 Georgia corn and tobacco farmers will vote in referendums on renewing their respective grower assessments, which fund the Georgia Corn Commission and the Georgia Tobacco Commission. The current assessment for corn is one cent per bushel. The current assessment for tobacco is set at 50 cents per hundredweight. The commissions are charged by law with providing programs of research, promotion and education on behalf of Georgia corn and tobacco producers. Growers should receive a ballot in the mail and must sign the back of the envelope for the ballot to be valid. Any unsigned ballot envelopes will not be counted. Corn growers who do not receive a ballot should contact the Georgia Corn Commission or the Georgia Department of Agriculture in Atlanta at 404-586-1405. Tobacco growers who do not receive a ballot should contact the Georgia Tobacco Commission in Tifton at 229-386-3468, or the Georgia Department of Agriculture in Atlanta at 404-586-1405. CHEROKEE COUNTY FARM BUREAU AG EXPO March 10 River Church, 2335 Sixes Road 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Canton Georgia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long will deliver the keynote address at this annual event, which features booths and food samples from local farmers as well as arts and crafts. The Expo is free and open to the public. For more information call 770-479-1481. AUXIN HERBICIDE CLASSROOM TRAINING March 14 Elbert County Extension 1:30 p.m. Elberton RSVP to 706-283-2037 Cotton and soybean varieties with tolerance to auxin herbicides (2,4-D or dicamba) are being commercialized. Prior to making applications of dicamba to dicamba-tolerant cotton/soybean or 2,4-D to 2,4-D-tolerant cotton/soybeans in Georgia, growers will be required to attend the training “Using Pesticides Wisely”. The training will focus on helping applicators/growers make wise decisions when applying not only 2,4-D and dicamba but all pesticides. Growers are strongly encouraged to bring their applicators with them. Attendance is suggested for all on-farm applicators to confirm that they provide the best management practices when applying all pesticides. For more information contact your local county extension office. 2017 AGAWARE WORKSHOPS March 17 Greene County Farm Bureau Greensboro Aug. 25 Burke County Office Park Waynesboro AgSouth Farm Credit and AgGeorgia Farm Credit are hosting a series of informative workshops to give farmers a better understanding of how to approach their finances. Topics covered in the program include: balance sheets; income statements; family finance & family budgeting; risk management; accrual income; applying for financing and preparing a business plan. Bonus videos on recordkeeping, marketing and technology will be available for continued education. To register visit http://bit.ly/agawaresignup.
GFB News Alert page 14 of 16 AG WEEK IN GEORGIA March 20-24 Various locations statewide This year’s Ag Week features a new theme each day, as well as a weeklong Pennies for Produce fundraiser for the state’s food banks. The themes: March 20 – Ag Awareness Week kickoff, featuring the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s “Seasons and Faces of Georgia Agriculture” photo exhibit displayed at the Sloppy Floyd Building in Atlanta; March 21 – Flavor of Georgia. Final round of judging will take place at the Georgia Freight Depot in Atlanta (attendance by invitation only); March 22 – Ag Hero Day statewide. Communities are encouraged to recognize local farmers for their contributions by sending them notes or inviting them to come speak to school groups; March 23 – Ag Literacy Day statewide. Local and state agricultural organizations are encouraged to read a designated agriculture literacy book to a local school classroom. March 24 – Make My Plate Georgia Grown Day statewide. The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Farm to School Program and the Georgia Department of Education’s School Nutrition Program have partnered together to create a Georgia Grown menu to feature local products in school cafeterias across the state. For more information visit http://feedmyschool.org/FMS/AG_Awareness_Week. 2017 PEANUT PROUD FESTIVAL March 25 Downtown area Blakely This annual event features free concerts all day, the Peanut Proud Parade, arts & crafts, a 5K road race, kids’ peanut obstacle course, a street dance and much more. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/PeanutProudFestival/?hc_ref=SEARCH. Festivities begin at 9 a.m. JOURNEYMAN FARMER CERTIFICATE PROGRAM Small Farm Business Planning March 31-April 1 Gwinnett County Government Annex Lawrenceville UGA Extension is launching this program to provide comprehensive training for beginning farmers. Training is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. both days. This session covers small farm business planning and is the first part of a three-part program to receive the certificate. Deadline to register is March 24. Cost is $50 per person and checks should be made payable to Gwinnett Extension/4H. Note: There will be no onsite registration. For more information, contact Tim Daly at 678-3774011 or tdaly@uga.edu. Small Fruit and Vegetable Production June 15-17 Gwinnett County Government Annex Lawrenceville The second session, Small Fruit and Vegetable Production, will be June 15-17 beginning at 8 a.m. each day. Lunch will be served on Thursday and Friday only. The cost for this session is $75 per person and the registration deadline is June 7. Georgia Organics and the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association will coordinate hands-on training. For more information, contact Tenisio Seanima at tenisio@georgiaorganics.org.
GFB News Alert page 15 of 16 ‘GEE HAW WHOA BACK’ RODEO April 7-8 Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Arena Tifton Spectators will be entertained with riveting competition during this Professional Cowboy Association-sanctioned rodeo, which begins at 7:30 p.m. each evening. Gates open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $5 for children 6 – 12 years old and free to ABAC students and children five years old and under. Rodeo tickets will be sold in advance and at the gate on the two days of the event. The rodeo is a part of a week-long series of events on April 3 - 9 designed for students, alumni and the general public. For more information on rodeo tickets or the Homecoming Week, interested persons can contact the ABAC Office of College Advancement at 229-391-4900 or go to www.abac.edu/homecoming. USDA VALUE ADDED GRANT WORKSHOP April 10 Georgia Farm Bureau 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Macon This free workshop is presented by USDA Rural Development, The University of Georgia’s Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, and The Center of Innovation for Agribusiness with support from Georgia Farm Bureau. The VAPG program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and/or marketing of biobased, value-added products. Generating new products, creating and expanding marketing opportunities, and increasing producer income are the goals of this program. Independent producers, farmer or rancher cooperatives, agricultural producer groups, and producer-owned business ventures, including non-profit organizations are eligible to apply. The workshop will cover tips from successful grant writers, feasibility studies and services provided by the Center of Innovation for Agribusiness. While there is no cost to attend, pre-registration by April 5 is required to guarantee lunch. To register visit http://tinyurl.com/2017VAPG. GEORGIA FARM AND EROSION CONTROL EXPO April 21-22 Jim Miller Park Marietta This expo, sponsored in part by Cobb County Farm Bureau, provides a hands-on look at the latest in erosion and sedimentation control products. Ranger Nick will speak on April 21 and Walter Reeves will speak on April 22. Visitors can explore the latest in agricultural equipment technology, learn to garden and how to prepare fresh foods, get tips on raised-bed gardening, take home locally grown plants and foods and have questions answered on-site by master gardeners. For more information visit http://www.gaurbanexpo.com/. GEORGIA CENTENNIAL FARM PROGRAM May 1 Deadline to apply The Georgia Centennial Farm Program honors farms in three categories. The Centennial Heritage Farm Award honors farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Centennial Farm Award doesn’t require continuous family ownership, but farms must be at least 100 years old and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Centennial Family Farm Award honors farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more that aren’t listed in the National Register of Historic Places. More than 500 farms have been recognized through the Centennial Farm Program since it began in 1993. Farm owners interested in applying for the award in 2017 should visit www.georgiacentennialfarms.org to download an application or contact Allison Asbrock at 770389-7868 or allison.asbrock@dnr.ga.gov. Applications must be postmarked by May 1.
GFB News Alert page 16 of 16 MONROE COUNTY HERD SALE May 6 Sleepy Creek Farm 12:30 p.m. Forsyth Approximately 65 bred heifers will be available at this sale. Data on the heifers includes AI breeding and Sire EPDs, pelvic area, frame scores, disposition scores, weight per day of age and average daily gain. For more information or to receive a catalog, contact the Monroe County Extension office at 478-994-7014 or uge2207@uga.edu (type HERD in the subject line). Information is also available online at www.ugaextension.org/monroe/. RMA PECAN TREE INSURANCE PROGRAM May 15 sales closing date A Pecan Tree Insurance Program has been officially approved and implemented by the USDA Risk Management Agency and will be available to growers starting with the 2018 crop year, which begins on July 1. Growers have been able to insure their pecan crop for several years and now they can also insure their trees to protect them from losses due to storms. To learn more about the program visit http://bit.ly/pecantreeins to learn more about the program. Interested growers will need to visit with their crop insurance agents before the May 15 sales closing date if they wish to participate in the program for the upcoming crop year.