Georgia Farm Bureau News Alert - March 9, 2016

March 9, 2016

www.gfb.org

Vol. 34 No. 10

GFB WATER COMMITTEE GETS UPDATE AT SIRP The Georgia Farm Bureau Water Committee held its spring meeting at the C.M. Stripling Irrigation Research Park (SIRP) in Mitchell County on March 3. The committee heard from SIRP staff about the history and projects at the park, one of the foremost facilities of its kind, and discussed issues related to water usage.

GFB President Gerald Long attended the meeting, during which the committee mulled potential policy recommendations. Long has also attended the spring meetings of other committees as his schedule has allowed.

“It’s to inform me on their committees and what they do, what’s the importance of that particular commodity committee,” Long said.

“This lets me know what they’re thinking on the county level, on their personal level. We can take that and use it in our legislative department and our marketing department and make informed decisions.”

SIRP Senior Agricultural Specialist Ivey Griner presented information about the facility's history and shared connections between key projects in the past and current irrigation practices, including subsurface drip irrigation. Georgia’s irrigated acreage has grown from 144,000 acres in 1970 to more than 1.2 million acres today.

"The stuff we were doing 15 years ago, you're seeing in mainstream ag today," Griner said.

“As time goes on this gets more important."

Griner noted things like irrigation metering, the use of deep wells and center pivot irrigation systems that are commonplace today resulted from the research to develop them at SIRP, which is operated by UGA’s College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. While the facility does produce crops, its focus is on developing improved methods of water use to help them grow.

“We’re the only place in Georgia that has the capability of doing that and seeing what works,” Griner said.

SIRP has 17 different scientists overseeing a variety of projects on more than 150 plots at the 130-acre acre park situated between Camilla and Newton in Mitchell County.

“This center really contributes a lot toward proving what agriculture is doing with water -continued

GFB News Alert page 2 of 13 -continued from previous page conservation,” Long said.

Flint River Soil & Water Conservation District Executive Director Casey Cox gave an update on the district's initiatives, including the drilling of a 700-foot test well to the Claiborne Aquifer, which sits below the Floridan Aquifer accessed by wells in Southwest Georgia.

The test well is being used in part to gauge whether withdrawals from the Claiborne Aquifer had effects on the Floridan Aquifer, and Cox said the initial results showed no interaction between the two aquifers.

Cox discussed the improved efficiency of irrigation pivots using dropped nozzles suspended below the main pipe of the irrigation span. The dropped nozzles, because they are closer to the plant canopy and operate at a lower water pressure, reduce drift and deliver more water directly to the plant. Cox also talked about variable rate irrigation (VRI) developed at SIRP. VRI allows specific nozzles on the pivot to be disengaged at intervals as it tracks across the field, enabling farmers to avoid irrigating areas where water is not needed. The GFB Water Committee members saw VRI in action during an afternoon demonstration.

GAZDA NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GFB FOUNDATION Katie Gazda has been named executive director of the Georgia Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.

“The GFB Foundation for Agriculture is one of our newer programs and we set it up to fund our agricultural education initiatives,” said GFB President Gerald Long. “We think Katie fits in well with our organization and we look forward to seeing her work with the foundation.”

Gazda, who grew up on her family’s farm, Gazda Cattle Company, is a 2012 graduate of the University of Georgia, where she received a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communication. A 4-Her, she showed Angus cattle at the state, regional and national levels. She was crowned Miss American Angus in 2009.

Her previous work includes stints as an event planner for UGA’s Katie Gazda College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, signature events and donor relations coordinator for CAES and most recently as donor and alumni relations coordinator for North Carolina State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

“Georgia agriculture has served as the backbone of my family for generations, and I’m grateful to be able to give back through my work with the GFB Foundation for Agriculture,” Gazda said. “I’m excited to join the Farm Bureau family and look forward to growing the foundation and supporting its four pillars so agriculture can remain a viable industry in the state for generations to come.”

Gazda succeeds Jed Evans, who left GFB in December.

GFB News Alert page 3 of 13 PECAN FMO REFERENDUM UNDERWAY The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is conducting a referendum among pecan growers to determine if they support a proposed federal marketing order for pecans grown in 15 states.

The referendum will be held through March 30. AMS, which oversees marketing orders, will mail ballot materials to all known eligible pecan growers in the proposed 15-state production area which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas. The proposed marketing order would become effective if approved by either two-thirds of the growers voting in the referendum or by those representing at least two-thirds of the volume of pecans grown by those voting in the referendum.

The proposed marketing order is based on the recorded evidence presented at public hearings held by USDA in Las Cruces, N.M; Dallas, Texas; and Tifton, Ga., in July 2015. It would authorize data collection, research and promotion activities, and grade, size, quality, pack, and container regulation. The program would be financed by assessments on pecan handlers. A council of 17 growers and shellers (handlers) nominated by the industry and appointed by USDA would administer the marketing order with AMS oversight.

On March 8, AMS was scheduled to mail ballots and voting instructions to all growers of record who meet the eligibility requirements. To be eligible to vote, a grower must have produced a minimum average annual amount of 50,000 pounds of in-shell pecans between Aug. 1, 2011, and July 31, 2015, or must own a minimum of 30 pecan acres. Growers who produce less than 50,000 pounds of in-shell pecans, or who own less than 30 pecan acres, are not subject to requirements under the marketing order. Eligible growers who do not receive ballots by March 15 may request them from Jen Varela, Senior Marketing Specialist; or Chris Nissen, Regional Director, Southeast Marketing Field Office; 1124 First Street South, Winter Haven, Florida 33880; telephone: 863-324-3375; or Fax: 863-291-8614.

Learn more about marketing orders at www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/moa/fv.

USDA FINALIZES RULE TO REPEAL COOL FOR BEEF AND PORK On March 2 the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published a final rule that amends the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) regulations by removing the requirements for muscle cuts of beef and pork, and ground beef and pork, according to an AMS press release.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 repealed these COOL requirements and immediately after the legislation was passed, USDA stopped enforcing the COOL requirements for beef and pork effective Dec. 18, 2015.

COOL is a labeling law that for marketing purposes requires retailers to provide their customers with information regarding the country of origin of regulated commodities. AMS is responsible for the administration and enforcement of COOL regulations.

Under this final rule, beef and pork muscle cuts and ground beef and pork are removed from the list of covered commodities subject to the COOL regulation. Retailers are no longer required to provide this information for beef and pork at the point of sale. COOL regulatory requirements for chicken, lamb, goat, farm-raised and wild caught fish and shellfish, perishable agricultural commodities, peanuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, and ginseng are still in effect.

All imported and domestic meat products continue to be subject to rigorous inspections by USDA to ensure food safety.

For additional information, contact AMS by phone at 202-720-4486 or send an email to: cool@ams.usda.gov.

GFB News Alert page 4 of 13 SUPREME COURT DECLINES TO HEAR AFBF CHESAPEAKE CASE On Feb. 29, the Supreme Court announced it will not examine the lawfulness of the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay “Blueprint.” American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall expressed Farm Bureau’s disappointment in the decision in a written statement.

“EPA has asserted the power to sit as a federal zoning board, dictating which land can be farmed and where homes, roads and schools can be built,” Duvall said. “We remain firm in opposing this unlawful expansion of EPA's power.”

Duvall said Farm Bureau will continue to monitor the agency’s actions in connection with the Chesapeake Bay, as well as efforts to impose similar mandates in other areas.

AFBF asked in November for the Supreme Court to review a lower court ruling that allows the EPA to micromanage local land use and development decisions under the guise of implementing the federal Clean Water Act (CWA). The lower court’s ruling, according to the AFBF petition, “opens the door for a dramatic expansion of federal power” and must be overturned.

The lawsuit arose in the context of EPA’s so-called “blueprint” for restoring the Chesapeake Bay, but Farm Bureau points out that the issue at stake is national in scope. AFBF argued that the CWA gives sole authorization to states to establish standards for total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) of pollutants. In its plan for the Chesapeake Bay, the EPA usurped this authority from the states.

U.S. URGING CHINA AND SOUTH KOREA TO LIFT POULTRY BANS U.S. government officials and poultry industry leaders are pressuring China and Korea to lift bans on U.S. poultry the two Asian countries instituted after outbreaks of avian influenza in the United States 2014 and 2015, according to published reports.

A story on TheHill.com indicated that the Obama administration is trying to persuade the two countries to relax trade restrictions to apply only to poultry originating from states affected by the avian flu outbreaks.

South Korea lifted its ban in November 2015. After avian influenza was discovered in Indiana flocks in January 2016, though, South Korea reinstated the ban.

In an email to The Hill, Sens. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) said South Korea is manipulating trade rules.

‘While South Korea’s actions are part of a routine quarantine that occurs when any instance of avian influenza is found in U.S. poultry, these standard procedures effectively block poultry imports from anywhere in the United States, even though Delaware, Georgia and the East Coast have not been impacted,” the senators wrote.

National Chicken Council President Mike Brown told the website that the NCC is encouraging South Korea to adopt a regionalized quarantine plan that would limit import bans to states affected by an outbreak.

GFB News Alert page 5 of 13 GACDS MEETING PROVIDES UPDATES ON WATER, LEGISLATURE The Georgia Association of Conservation District Supervisors (GACDS) learned about water regulations, invasive species and estate planning and received updates on the current session of the Georgia legislature during the organization’s annual meeting, held Feb. 25-27 on Jekyll Island.

The GACDS, a nonprofit organization that works to promote good conservation practices, has 40 districts around the state and includes approximately 370 district supervisors according to GACDS President Dan Bennett of Walton County.

“This is our one time a year that we can get together, we can interact with the Georgia Soil and Water Commission, we can interact with each other, learn from each other and meet up with our partners, not only Georgia Soil and Water but the Natural Resource Conservation Service and several others that are here supporting us,” Bennett said.

Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) Forest Health Coordinator Chip Bates presented information about invasive species and how to control them.

“Cogongrass is one of the biggest things we always hit on. It’s the one success story we have in terms of invasive plants. We’re eradicating more than is being introduced in the state every year,” Bates said.

While kudzu gets a lot of attention because it is easily seen along the state’s highways, Bates noted that other invasive plants are much more prevalent, among them non-native privet, which in 2013 covered 637,211 acres statewide.

“The two things I always try to emphasize are that invasive plant problems are something we’ve done to ourselves and that the county foresters are the landowners’ first line of defense,” Bates said.

GFC Water Quality Coordinator Scott Thackston discussed the “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule put in place by the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“It’s going to extend the reach of federal control beyond what we historically thought,” Thackston said. “It’s going to reach into areas that before haven’t been under EPA jurisdiction.”

Georgia House Majority Leader Jon Burns gave an update on the current legislative session.

Soil and Water Conservation Districts throughout the state play a vital role in promoting and educating the public on ways to improve lives through good conservation methods.

“We are working with cattle producers across the State and row crop producers on water quality issues,” said Georgia Soil & Water Conservation Commission (GSWCC) Executive Director Brent Dykes. “We have an agricultural water-metering program that helps us conserve agricultural water use and measure that use for farmers. We are also working on flood control dams across the state to make sure that those dams stay productive and protect folks down stream from down flooding.”

Georgia Farm Bureau has supported keeping funding and maintenance of the metering program under GSWCC, though language in the Georgia House budget bill for FY 2017 would move it to the Georgia Forestry Commission. The Senate version of the budget bill did not include the proposed move.

GFB News Alert page 6 of 13 AFBF ANALYSIS SHOWS ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF TPP IN GEORGIA The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will tear down trade barriers and help level the playing field for U.S. agricultural exports to 11 nations across the Pacific Rim. Ratifying TPP will boost annual net farm income in the United States by $4.4 billion, compared to not approving the pact, according to an economic analysis conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Georgia farmers would see an increase in cash receipts of more than $198 million, according to the AFBF analysis, and exports of Georgia ag products would increase by $101 million. It is estimated that the increased marketing opportunities available under the TPP would add more than 760 jobs to the Georgia economy.

The state’s poultry industry stands to increase cash receipts by more than $70 million a year, in large part because tariffs imposed on U.S. poultry in Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam and New Zealand would all be eliminated. Tariffs imposed by those countries on cotton, processed food and fish would also be eliminated.

AFBF projects a cash receipt increase for vegetables of $11.5 million per year, fruits and nuts of $9.8 million per year and beef of $6 million per year.

The state’s corn growers would see a decline in net exports but an overall increase in cash receipts because of increased domestic feed use resulting from increased demand for beef, poultry and pork.

HARDEN TAKES VP POST AT DuPONT DuPont announced March 2 that Krysta Harden has joined the company as vice president of Public Policy & Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), succeeding Linda Fisher, who elected to retire last month.

Harden, 57, most recently served as deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). She will be responsible for leading the company’s public policy and government affairs strategies, as well as its sustainability, philanthropy, product stewardship and global regulatory activities. She will be based in Washington, D.C. As deputy secretary of the USDA, Harden shaped food and agriculture policy, including leading the implementation of the 2014 farm bill. At USDA and throughout her career, Harden has focused on expanding opportunity for women, young people, immigrants, socially disadvantaged producers, returning veterans and retirees. Prior to her service as deputy secretary, Harden held USDA leadership positions as chief of staff to the secretary of agriculture, Tom Vilsack, and assistant secretary for Krysta Harden Congressional Relations. Preceding her service at USDA, Harden spent five years as CEO of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), providing national leadership for natural resource conservation and representing thousands of conservation districts across the nation.

In addition to serving as CEO of the National Association of Conservation Districts, she also has worked with the American Soybean Association as senior vice president of Gordley Associates, where she concentrated on conservation and renewable energy issues. Harden also served 12 years on Capitol Hill, as staff director for the House subcommittee on peanuts and tobacco and as chief of staff and press secretary for former Congressman Charles Hatcher.

Harden received her B.A. in journalism from the University of Georgia.

GFB News Alert page 7 of 13 EPA PLANS TO CANCEL REGISTRATION FOR FLUBENDIAMIDE The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a notice of intent to cancel registration for all Bayer CropScience, LP and Nichino America, Inc., flubendiamide products, which the agency says pose a risk to aquatic invertebrates.

The notice comes after the EPA asked Bayer CropScience and Nichino to submit requests for voluntary cancellation and they declined, arguing that the EPA’s request unlawfully denied them due process while shielding the agency from required reviews.

In a Feb. 5 letter to EPA Director of Pesticide Programs Jack Housenger, the companies noted that the steps the EPA has taken to cancel registration of flubendiamide products does not follow the process established under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

The companies also disputed the EPA’s conclusion that the chemical poses unreasonable adverse effects on the environment.

According to an EPA press release, the agency had issued a time-limited registration to the companies with certain conditions, including a provision that if unreasonable adverse effects on the environment were found by EPA, the companies would submit a request for voluntary cancellation of all flubendiamide registrations within one week of EPA notification.

After the companies rejected EPA’s request to submit a voluntary cancellation, EPA initiated cancellation of all currently registered flubendiamide products for the manufacturers’ failure to comply with the terms of the registration.

Flubendiamide is registered for use on over 200 crops, including soybeans, almonds, tobacco, peanuts, cotton, lettuce, alfalfa, tomatoes, watermelon, and bell peppers, with some crops having as many as 6 applications per year.

The EPA indicated that crops that have been properly treated with flubendiamide or that may be treated with existing stocks can still be sold legally. Provisions on handling existing stocks of the pesticide will be finalized once the products have been cancelled.

To view a copy of the Notice of Intent to Cancel and all supporting documents: http://tinyurl.com/flubencancel.

GFB News Alert page 8 of 13 FARM LABOR FORUM FOR AGRICULTURAL BUSINESSES March 10 Central Square Complex, 200 Madison Ave. S 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Douglas This forum, presented by the Coffee County Extension, will feature speakers from the Wage & Hour Division, the Georgia Department of Labor, OSHA, the Coffee County Extension, Telamon Corporation and the Georgia Migrant Educational Program. Lunch will be provided.

For more information contact the Coffee County Extension office at 912-384-1402.

CHEROKEE COUNTY AG EXPO March 11 River Church, 2335 Sixes Road 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Canton Cherokee County Farm Bureau, along with the Cherokee County Cooperative Extension Office, the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce and the City of Woodstock, celebrates National Agriculture Month with this free annual event, which features 30 local ag exhibitors, many of which are affiliated with schools or student friendly. Food and drinks made from locally produced commodities will be available. For more information, visit www.cherokeeagexpo.info.

AG AWARENESS DAY IN GEORGIA March 15 Georgia Depot Atlanta Gov. Nathan Deal and Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black will host this event. Exhibits, food and entertainment will begin at 11 a.m. The program starts at 12:30 p.m. and includes the announcements of the Sunbelt Expo Georgia Farmer of the Year and winners in the Flavor of Georgia Food Contest. For more information contact Steven Meeks by phone at 912-207-0813 or by email at steven@fmrburchfarms.com or meekss@me.com.

AFBF SURVEY ON USDA PROGRAMS The American Farm Bureau Federation is conducting an online survey to collect feedback from farmers and ranchers on USDA programs. The survey is open to all U.S. farmers, ranchers, producers and growers. Farm Bureau membership is not requred to participate. All responses will be anonymous. The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete. The survey closes March 15. To take the survey visit http://usdaprograms.questionpro.com.

GEORGIA AG HALL OF FAME NOMINATIONS March 15 nominations due The UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Alumni Association invites you to make nominations for induction to the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame. The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to recognize individuals making unusual and extraordinary contributions to agriculture and agribusiness industries in Georgia. Hall of Fame nominations must be postmarked by March 15. For more information or to download the nomination form, visit http://tinyurl.com/gaaghof.

GFB News Alert page 9 of 13 2016 FVSU FARM, HOME AND MINISTERS CONFERENCE March 15 C.W. Pettigrew Center 9 a.m.

Fort Valley This annual conference features free workshops about farming, health, wellness and technology.

Breakout session topics include: Health; solar panel technology; drone technology; raised planting beds; dental health and managing credit. Representatives from the USDA, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Farm Credit and a professor from Mercer University will teach the breakout sessions. The conference includes presentations from the FFA and FVSU ag students, announcement of the 2015 Farm Family of the Year and Humanitarian Awards, and industry updates. For more information about the 2016 FHM conference, contact Terralon Chaney at 478945-3391 or chaneyt01@fvsu.edu.

USDA PLANTING INTENTIONS SURVEY Through March 15 The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey the state’s farmers on the types of crops they intend to plant in 2016, how many acres they intend to plant and the amounts of grain and oilseed they store on their farms. Producers may respond online or by mail.

Those producers selected for the survey will receive a letter with the web address and their access code. This ensures that the responses are confidential and that only those producers selected for the survey have access. Information collected through the survey will be included in NASS’ annual Prospective Plantings Report and its quarterly Grain Stocks Report, both of which will be released on March 31. Information provided by respondents is confidential as required by federal law.

PB&J DAY AT THE CAPITOL March 16 Georgia State Capitol Atlanta The Georgia Peanut Commission hosts this annual event, which celebrates National Peanut Month in March. Throughout the day, visitors can sample roasted peanuts, grilled PB&Js, Hardy Farms' Boiled Peanuts and more.

WEST GEORGIA BEEF MANAGEMENT TOUR March 23 UGA, multiple stops Athens/Watkinsville This tour, sponsored by the Carroll County Extension office, features stops at the J. Phil Campbell Sr. Research and Education Center, the UGA Meat Science Technology Center and the UGA Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital. The bus leaves the Carroll County Ag Center at 700 Newnan Road in Carrollton at 6:45 a.m. Registration is $40 per person. Registration and payment are due by March 18, and there is a 53-person limit. For more information contact Richard Littleton or Paula Burke at 770-836-8546.

PEANUT PROUD FESTIVAL March 19 Town Square Blakely This all- day event kicks off with a 5k and Fun Run and ends with a street dance. In-between is a parade, more than 100 vendors, a kids' zone and an obstacle course, and free entertainment. For more information or schedule of events, please visit www.peanutproudfestival.com or the Peanut Proud Festival Facebook page. Contact Marcie Justice Williams at marciejustice@yahoo.com or Mike Newberry at Hillside1007@yahoo.com or 229-254-1007.

GFB News Alert page 10 of 13 2015 SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL SEMINAR March 26 Gwinnett Technical College, Building 100 Lawrenceville Led by various university, government and industry experts, land owners will learn about sustainable farming techniques, available federal and state funding programs, marketing strategies and more. The meeting is hosted by the Upper Ocmulgee River Resource Conservation & Development Council. Early registration is available online at http://conta.cc/1jxi9Tr or by calling 678-375-9518.

GEORGIA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION March 30 – April 2 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter Perry This jam-packed four-day event covers all things beef, including a forage conference led by UGA’s Dr. Dennis Hancock, Zoetis Cattlemen’s College seminars on a variety of topics, a discussion on feed directives led by Zoetis Livestock Production Specialist Jennie Schutte, the annual awards banquet; the GCA general membership meeting; Angus and Hereford sales; the annual Cattlemen’s Ball; and a junior awards luncheon. Visit www.georgiacattlemen.org for more information or to register.

GEORGIA FORAGES CONFERENCE March 30 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Perry This annual event, held in conjunction with the Georgia Cattlemen’s Beef Expo, features presentations on warm season annual forage options, raising replacements and stockers on pasture, bermudagrass stem maggot and pest update and the Georgia Forages Producers Forum.

Registration for the Georgia Forages Confernce is $40 per person. For more information or to register, visit http://tinyurl.com/gaforageconf or call 478-474-6560.

‘GEE HAW WHOA BACK’ RODEO April 1-2 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. Separate tickets must be purchased for each night. Events include bull riding, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, team roping, calf roping, and steer wrestling. Cowgirls will compete in break-away roping and barrel racing. The rodeo will also feature some audience participation events and family-friendly activities. The rodeo is a part of a week-long series of events on March 29-April 2 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.

GFB News Alert page 11 of 13 MONSANTO SCHOOL DISTRICT GRANTS April 1 deadline for nominations Farmers in 34 Georgia counties have until April 1 to nominate a public school district for grants of $10,000 or $25,000 from Monsanto’s America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Fund.

Nominated school districts have until April 15 to submit applications. The grants are intended to help school districts fund math and science projects to enhance STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) curriculum and prepare students for technology-driven careers.

Eligible counties are Appling, Baker, Berrien, Bleckley, Brooks, Bulloch, Burke, Calhoun, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Crisp, Decatur, Dooly, Early, Grady, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Lee, Macon, Miller, Mitchell, Randolph, Screven, Seminole, Sumter, Tattnall, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Turner, Wilcox and Worth. Visit www.growruraleducation.com or call 1-877-267-3332 to submit a nomination.

GA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FEED MY SCHOOL FOR A WEEK April 3 deadline to apply The Department of Agriculture is now accepting new applications for school districts interested in participating in this year’s “Feed My School for a Week” program in Georgia. Feed My School first launched in 2011 with a goal to help bridge the gap in the nutritional value and quality of food served in Georgia schools, while providing more farm to cafeteria opportunities.

Applications can be found at www.feedmyschool.com and will be due by April 3. If you are interested in nominating your school for the program, please have your nutritional director apply online or contact Misty Friedman at Misty.Friedman@agr.georgia.gov.

PECAN PRODUCTION WORKSHOP April 11 UGA Campus Conference Center 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Tifton This free workshop is open to the public and will cover the growth of different varieties of pecans, best irrigation and fertility practices and information about the planning and equipment needed to grow pecans. Snacks and a meal will be provided. Please RSVP by April 4 by contacting Debbie Rutland at 229-386-3424.

FORT VALLEY STATE HAM & EGG BREAKFAST & GA AG SHOWCASE April 5 Fort Valley State University Pettigrew Center 8 a.m.

Fort Valley The public is invited to attend this annual event, during which legislators will interact with guests, describe their initiatives and explain their positions on current issues. Elected officials at the local, state and national levels have been invited to attend. Cost is $10. For more information, contact E. Jean Willis at 478-825-6268 or willise@fvsu.edu.

FIBERMAX ONE TON CLUB April 6 deadline to qualify Cotton growers who plant FiberMax cotton seed are eligible to join the One Ton Club if they harvested 2,000 pounds per acre on at least 20 acres in 2015. The qualification deadline is April 6, 2016. Growers who qualify for membership receive FiberMax One Ton Club apparel and gifts, an invitation to the annual banquet on April 7 and the chance to win a two-year lease on a Ford F-350 Super Duty King Ranch truck in the FiberMax One Ton Club Sweepstakes.

Complete rules and the qualification form are available from your local Bayer sales representative or at www.FiberMax.com/OneTonClub.

GFB News Alert page 12 of 13 GFB FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE GALA April 16 Crowne Plaza Ravinia, 4355 Ashford Dunwoody Road Atlanta The 2nd Annual GFB Foundation for Agriculture Gala will be hosted by Dr. Roger C. “Bo” Ryles and will feature entertainment from Georgia 4-H’s performing arts group, Clovers and Company. All proceeds from the gala will benefit the GFB Foundation for Agriculture and its initiatives. Reception begins at 5:15 p.m. and dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $100 per person and $1,000 per table and can be purchased by contacting Marilyn Akers at 478474-0679, ext. 5231 or by mailing a check to: GFB Foundation for Agriculture, PO Box 7068, Macon, GA 31209. Tickets will be sent upon receipt of check. Space is limited, so reserve your seat today!

SHIELDS-ETHRIDGE HERITAGE FARM CULTIVATORS’ MARKET April 16, May 21, June 18, July 16, Aug. 20, Sept. 17, Oct. 15 and Nov. 19 Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

2355 Ethridge Rd. Jefferson Jackson County Farm Bureau (JCFB) is sponsoring this monthly open-air market that will allow local farmers and entrepreneurs to sell products they make or grow in a festival atmosphere. The opening day on April 16 will feature an heirloom seed and plant swap. Market will be held rain or shine. Please leave pets at home. The Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm is an outdoor ag museum that functions as an educational and interpretative facility. The farm is unique for its collection of intact historic buildings that exist in their original location and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Proceeds from the market will be used for restoration projects at the farm. Vendors will be selected based on quality and originality of product according to the theme of homesteading practices. If you are interested in having a booth at the market, contact JCFB Office Manager Denise Temple at dftemple@gfb.org or call 706-367-8877 or visit www.shieldsethridgefarminc.com to complete an application online.

PAULDING COUNTY FARM BUREAU FARMERS’ MARKET April 21 – Oct. 28 Thursdays 3 p.m.-7 p.m.

Paulding County High School Paulding County Farm Bureau is accepting vendors for its weekly farmers market that will be held each Thursday from April 16 to Nov. 20. There is no fee to participate but vendors must be Farm Bureau members so that the market qualifies as a Georgia Farm Bureau Certified Farm Market. If you would like to participate in the PCFB Farmer’s Market, please contact Tracy Grice at Paulding County Farm Bureau at 770-445-6681 or email her at tcgrice@gfb.org.

Vendors may sell locally grown produce or other ag commodities or homemade crafts. PCFB is teaming up with the Paulding County High School this year to host the market in the north parking lot of the school located at 1297 Villa Rica Hwy., Dallas, Ga. 30132.

2016 GRASSFED EXCHANGE CONFERENCE April 27-29 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter Perry This event features more than a dozen speakers who will cover numerous topics pertaining to pasture-based farming such as building soil health and regenerating unhealthy soils. The event will include tours of three Georgia grassfed livestock operations and the UGA Center for Sustainable Grazing Systems in Watkinsville. The Taste of the South will allow attendees to sample grassfed meats, dairy and local foods. Entertainment will be provided by Teddy Gentry and the Rockit City Band. For more information visit www.grassfedexchange.com, email info@grassfedexchange.com or call 256-996-3142.

GFB News Alert page 13 of 13 GEORGIA FARM & EROSION CONTROL EXPO April 29 Jim Miller Park, 2245 Callaway Rd. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

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. Former Gov. Roy Barnes will speak on the importance of agriculture and soil conservation to local and state economies. The event includes live demonstrations and exhibits detailing innovations in erosion control. For more information visitwww.cobbswcd.org or call 404-307-2925 or 770-235-5662.

GEORGIA CENTENNIAL FARM AWARD May 1 deadline for recognition in 2016 The Georgia Centennial Farm Program recognizes centennial farm owners through one of three distinguished awards. The Centennial Heritage Farm Award honors farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more that are also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Centennial Family Farm Award recognizes farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more that are not listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Centennial Farm Award does not require continual family ownership, but farms must be at least 100 years old and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Applications for the 2016 awards must be postmarked by May 1. If you are interested in nominating a farm for recognition in 2016, visit www.georgiacentennialfarms.org to download an application or contact Lynn Speno at 770-389-7842 or lynn.speno@dnr.ga.gov.

ABAC NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION WORKSHOP June 12-16 Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Tifton More than $18,000 in college scholarships, back-to-nature field trips, and a true taste of college life will be on the line for students who attend this workshop, which targets students with a desire to learn more about Georgia’s natural resources and the opportunities and responsibilities these resources provide. !Experts from universities and local, state, and federal natural resource agencies will provide students with lectures and hands-on activities! to enhance their understanding of Georgia’s vital natural resources, including soil, water, air, plants, minerals, and animals. Tuition is $150 per student before May 2 and $175 afterward. The final deadline for all applications is June 1. Tuition is often provided to the students by local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD), local businesses, and individuals. The workshop application and information is now available online at www.abac.edu/nrcw.

25TH YOUNG HARRIS/UGA BEEKEEPING INSTITUTE May 19-21 Young Harris College 8 a.m. each day Young Harris This event, one of the most comprehensive beekeeping educational events in the Southeast, offers classes for beekeepers at all levels of experience and the annual honey show. Sessions provide training and certification, including individual and colony biology, hive equipment, offseason management and much more. Registration fees for ages 18 and older are $150 for May 19, $130 for May 20, $100 for May 21 and $300 for all three days. For ages 17 and under, fees are $100 for May 19, $65 for May 20, $50 for May 21 and $150 for all three days. Space is limited and classes generally fill up quickly. For more information, visit www.ent.uga.edu/Bees/young-harris/index.html.