Georgia Farm Bureau News Alert - October 24, 2018

Oct. 24, 2018

www.gfb.org

Vol. 36 No. 21

PENCE ENCOURAGES FARMERS IN SUNBELT EXPO SPEECH Vice President Mike Pence praised farmers for their perseverance in the wake of Hurricane Michael and said the federal government would provide assistance as farmers move to recover from the devastating storm that swept through the region on Oct. 10 and 11.

Pence’s speech highlighted the Willie B. Withers Luncheon on opening day of the 2018 Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition, which drew a three-day attendance of 62,000. The Expo featured 1,217 exhibitors and celebrated Spotlight State Kentucky.

“I want to assure all of you, our administration will continue unrelenting effort to deploy manpower and resources of the Mike Pence GFB RESPONDING TO federal government to this HURRICANE MICHAEL region and these communities until we come all the way The Georgia Farm Bureau back,” Pence said. “The spirit of the people of this region, the Claims Department is working strength of the people of Georgia is inspiring America. It truly to meet the needs of our is.” members for losses resulting Moultrie’s Spence Field, home of the Sunbelt Expo, was in from Hurricane Michael. the path of the storm, but sustained minimal damage, If you have a claim please allowing the annual show to go on. report it as soon as possible “I know the character of American agriculture, so I cannot to (855)432-2567 or by starting say that I’m surprised that you are all here and that you’re a claim through our website with one another, because I know the strength and character https://www.gfbinsurance.com and resilience people have in agriculture,” Pence said. “I also /GFBApp/ or mobile app. Due know what it means to be together, and what a blessing it to the volume of calls/claims this storm generated, GFB asks for must be for some of you from the hardest-hit areas to be here your patience as we move to help among friends and to be able to be encouraged and supported, our members through the recovery and to know beyond that you’re being grateful. In the farmer process. we see characteristics and qualities that really have always made America great. You see faith, you see hard work, you see character, you see resilience. You see everything that I’m seeing today.”

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GFB News Alert page 2 of 10 Continued from previous page Georgia Farm Bureau held a voting pledge drive to encourage farmers to vote in the Nov. 6 elections. In the Georgia Agriculture Building, GFB had visitors sign the I farm. I vote. pledge banner and handed out information cards and stickers.

The Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company had a representative available at Sunbelt to take hurricane-related damage claims and answer questions about the claims process.

GFB staff handed out peanuts and hand towels, which came in handy with the unseasonably hot weather.

South Carolina cattleman Kevin Yon was named the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year during the luncheon. Yon, from Ridge Spring, South Carolina, raises purebred Angus beef cattle.

James Vaughn of Monroe County was recognized as the Georgia Sunbelt Farmer of the Year during the ceremony.

“There’s no doubt the storm had an impact on the show as around 20 vendors were unable to attend, many large school groups and other travel groups cancelled their trips, and farmers and families were unable to travel due to the storm,” said Sunbelt spokeswoman Becca Turner. “However, we’ve had great feedback from vendors that were here – many have said that even though attendance numbers were down, the quality of visitors was much greater. In addition, we were able to put on a great show in honor of the resilient American farmer.”

Spotlight State Kentucky placed an emphasis on education with its exhibit. This included the display of one of three Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) mobile science classrooms, in which visitors could participate in ag-based science lessons. KDA also staged a farm safety demonstration with demonstrations on tractor rollover safety and grain bin accident prevention and extraction.

Using a dummy mounted on a cab-less tractor, the demonstration showed how using a seatbelt and a roll bar can minimize the risk of crush injuries in tractor rollover accidents.

In the grain bin demonstration, KDA’s Dale Dobson emphasized that individuals entering grain bins should always use a rope and harness. Using a miniature grain bin and a doll, he showed how quickly a person can become entrapped in the bin, and then demonstrated the use of a barrier tube to surround the person allowing rescuers to dig them out.

The Sunbelt field demonstrations included a precision sprayer implement by Blue River Technology, a subsidiary of John Deere. The 12-row implement uses cameras and 240 ink-jet style sprayers to target individual plants for application of chemicals. According to Blue River Rep Eric Ehn, the sprayer, originally developed for use in California’s lettuce fields, can reduce chemical use and spray drift by 90 percent.

For photos from Sunbelt, visit https://gfb.ag/18sunbeltpics.

GFB News Alert page 3 of 10 HURRICANE MICHAEL RAVAGES GEORGIA FARMS Hurricane Michael leveled a catastrophic blow to Georgia agriculture, destroying crops, killing livestock, mangling farm buildings and equipment, toppling many trees and snapping off many others mid-trunk. The swath of damage ranged across the state from the southwest corner of the state on a northeasterly track.

According to UGA Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics Jeff Dorfman, agricultural losses exceeded $2 billion as of Oct. 22. The severity and range of the damage drew national attention, with both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence visiting the affected areas.

“With Hurricane Michael making landfall last week, the damage Georgia has experienced will leave a lasting effect on our state. As we continue to assess damage, Georgia Farm Bureau is on the ground to help begin the recovery and rebuilding process for Georgians impacted by this tragedy,” GFB President Gerald Long said. “While debris can be cleared away and structures rebuilt, we must continue to pray for the farmers who have lost entire crops, poultry houses, farm equipment and livestock.”

In Brinson, Decatur County Farm Bureau Director Glenn Heard rated his cotton crop as a total loss and was left scrambling to arrange services at the Brinson Farm Supply peanut buying point, where the grading shed and multiple drying sheds were destroyed.

Before he could deal with all that, he first had to clear roads around the buying point and his farm office across the street.

“Every road in the county was impassable,” Heard said. “We couldn’t begin to do anything until we were able to get our employees here.”

Heard’s cotton was a tangled mess of stalks with the bolls of cotton fiber blown off, a scene repeated at numerous farms over 13 counties in the southeast corner and in varying degrees in areas farther along the path of the storm. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the storm’s path covered more than 99 percent of the state’s cotton production and more than 99 percent of the state’s peanut production.

Much of the cotton crop loss – estimated between $550 million and $600 million – happened in the fields. Peanuts fared better, with losses estimated between $10 million and $20 million. Much of the state’s peanut crop had been dug, and the storm blew the plants out of windrows in some cases. The peanut crop loss is compounded by the damage done to peanut industry facilities, from buying points to warehouses, where several had metal roofing stripped off, exposing mounds of peanuts inside.

The state’s pecan crop, much of which is concentrated in Southwest Georgia, sustained an estimated $560 million in losses, including $100 million to this year’s crop, $260 million worth of trees loss and $200 million in lost income over the next decade while replacement trees grow to productive maturity.

Georgia vegetable growers lost $480 million worth of crops.

The Georgia Forestry Commission indicated timber producers lost trees on two million acres resulting in a $374 million total loss.

Almost 100 poultry houses were destroyed, leaving more than two million dead chickens. In addition to the production loss and structural damage, poultry producers faced disposing of the birds.

For more photos visit https://gfb.ag/HurricaneMichaeldamage.

GFB News Alert page 4 of 10 FSA HOSTS MEETING FOR PRODUCERS HARMED BY HURRICANE In response to widespread and devastating damage HURRICANE DAMAGE to crops and agricultural assets, the Farm Service RESOURCES Agency’s (FSA) Georgia office hosted a meeting with farmers on Oct. 22 at the UGA Tifton Campus Individuals in Southwest Georgia who are Conference Center. Approximately 550 people experiencing storm-related emotional attended. distress or know someone who is can Rep. Austin Scott (R-Georgia 8th District) spoke contact Jennifer Dunn with the Georgia and listened to growers’ concerns, staying Department of Behavioral Health and approximately an hour after the program was finished. Developmental Disabilities at 229-977or visit “I want you to know that I know you’re hurting,” 4885 https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/region-4-fieldScott said. “We have been in conversations with our office. senators, our other elected officials. The one thing that I can tell you that I have a very real sense of urgency For a review of all of the USDA’s disaster on is liquidity, and how we get the money, especially assistance programs for farmers, visit to our row crop producers, as fast as possible.” https://gfb.ag/USDAdisasterasst.

Scott noted that the federal government has a disaster fund with a balance remaining, and he expects The USDA has an interactive disaster Congress will take the last disaster bill it passed, in assistance tool to help farmers identify the 2017, and work to make similar legislation for 2018. type of assistance they need and where to Scott said that because of delays of some disaster find it. The disaster assistance tool may be at payments from the 2017 bill, he is conveying to found https://gfb.ag/USDAdisasterassttool. national leadership a sense of urgency for getting payments to farmers in the wake of the hurricane.

Georgia Forestry Commission “Our losses were not as great in 2017 as they are http://www.gatrees.org/forestnow,” Scott said. “Our losses are so big now, that if management/storm-damage/index.cfm. our farmers don’t get a payment until October of 2019, they won’t be farming in October of 2019.”

NRCS The meeting featured speakers from USDA https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nr agencies, who detailed the resources available to cs/detail/ga/programs/?cid=NRCSEPRD farmers needing help to recover from Hurricane 1423683 Michael. These included programs and farm loans from the FSA, the Natural Resources Conservation Risk Management Agency Service (NRCS), Rural Development, the Risk https://www.rma.usda.gov/en/RMALocal /Georgia Management Agency (RMA) and the National Agricultural Statistic Service (NASS), as well as the To view the Georgia Peanut Georgia Forestry Commission, Southwest Georgia Commission’s video of the meeting visit Farm credit and the Georgia Department of http://www.gapeanuts.com/hurricanemic Behavioral Health. haelinfo.php.

The federal agencies reviewed available programs, their eligibility requirements and applicable payment limits. The agency representatives emphasized the importance of documentation for farmers seeking to file claims under the various farm bill programs available. This included date/time-stamped photographs and the most thorough -continued on next page

GFB News Alert page 5 of 10 Continued from previous page farm records they have available.

Given the scale and timing of the losses – the most-affected crops were either already being harvested or were about to be harvested – many farmers may be faced with restructuring their farm loans, whether it means refinancing, participating in a set-aside program similar to a payment deferment.

FSA Farm Loan Specialist Dean Lewis detailed the Emergency Loan program, which can be used to recover from physical or production losses from the storm and in some cases to refinance existing debts.

Lewis noted that the FSA emergency loans must be collateralized. Producers may borrow 100 percent of physical or production losses up to $500,000.

The NRCS’ Katura Wright detailed the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Emergency Watershed Program (EWP). EQIP funds, Wright said, are available to assist livestock owners in cases of animal mortality. This applies to a variety of species, but Wright specifically mentioned poultry because the storm destroyed numerous poultry houses in Southwest Georgia. EWP funds are available to cities and counties to use primarily for debris removal. Wright said the municipalities can apply on behalf of producers.

GFB FOUNDATION COLLECTING DONATIONS TO AID HURRICANE VICTIMS The Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Foundation for Agriculture is accepting tax-deductible monetary donations to help Hurricane Michael victims recover from the storm. All donations made to the GFB Foundation’s Hurricane Michael Relief Fund will be given to Georgians, farmers and ranchers who suffered losses to the storm.

Hurricane Michael hit farmers across South and Central Georgia hard, damaging row crops, pecan orchards, vegetable crops, poultry houses, farm equipment and barns. Storm damage wasn’t limited to agriculture as Michael also left homes and automobiles damaged or destroyed and people homeless.

“We know that the Georgia agricultural community is a generous group of people, and we know that many of them are hurting after this devastating storm. We always take care of our own,” said GFB President Gerald Long.

Donations can be made online via credit card by visiting www.gfb.ag/stormrelief. Donations made by check should be made out to the Georgia Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture and specified for the Hurricane Michael Relief Fund in the memo line. Checks should be mailed to: Georgia Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, Hurricane Michael Relief Fund, Attn: David Jolley, P.O. Box 7068, Macon, GA 31209 Donors who contribute $250 or more must receive an acknowledgement from the GFB Foundation in order to deduct the gift as a charitable donation on their federal income tax return.

Donors should provide the GFB Foundation with a return address at the time donations are made to receive an acknowledgement. Please contact stormrelief@gfb.org with monetary donation questions or call 478-474-8411 ext. 5142.

GFB News Alert page 6 of 10 TRUMP APPROVES GEORGIA EMERGENCY DISASTER DECLARATION On Oct. 10, President Donald Trump declared that an emergency exists in the State of Georgia and ordered federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Michael beginning on Oct. 9 and continuing, according to a White House press release.

The president’s action authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding in the counties of Baker, Bleckley, Burke, Calhoun, Colquitt, Crisp, Decatur, Dodge, Dooly, Dougherty, Early, Emanuel, Grady, Houston, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Laurens, Lee, Macon, Miller, Mitchell, Pulaski, Seminole, Sumter, Terrell, Thomas, Treutlen, Turner, Wilcox, and Worth.

Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance will be provided at 75 percent funding in the counties of Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Baldwin, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bibb, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Butts, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Chattahoochee, Clarke, Clay, Clinch, Coffee, Columbia, Cook, Crawford, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Evans, Glascock, Glynn, Greene, Hancock, Irwin, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lanier, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, Marion, McDuffie, McIntosh, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Muscogee, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Peach, Pierce, Putnam, Quitman, Randolph, Richmond, Schley, Screven, Stewart, Talbot, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Taylor, Telfair, Tift, Toombs, Twiggs, Upson, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wheeler, Wilkes, and Wilkinson.

For more information visit FEMA’s Hurricane Michael web page at www.fema.gov/hurricanemichael.

GOV. DEAL CALLS SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION FOR STORM RESPONSE On Oct. 23, Gov. Nathan Deal notified House Speaker David Ralston and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle that he plans to call for a special legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly. The special session is set to convene on Tuesday, Nov. 13, according to a release from the governor’s office.

“Georgia was severely impacted by Hurricane Michael and many communities across our state sustained heavy financial losses,” said Deal. “In response, I will ask the General Assembly to take immediate action and lead the way in spurring rapid economic recovery for southwest Georgia communities. Our state budget also needs to be amended to ensure that we adequately cover our obligations. I hope to work quickly with the General Assembly in the coming days to provide support to the Georgia communities that need it most.”

The regular session of the 2018 General Assembly adjourned sine die on March 29, 2018.

Article V, Section II, Paragraph VII of the Constitution of the State of Georgia grants the governor the power to convene a special session of the General Assembly.

GFB News Alert page 7 of 10 GEORGIA FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS AMENDMENT 3 The benefits of viable forest lands are well documented. They convert sunlight into oxygen, sequester atmospheric carbon and provide wildlife habitat and a wide variety of opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Georgia’s forests also make significant contributions to the state’s economy. According to the Georgia Forestry Association (GFA), Georgia has the most commercially available timberland (22 million acres) of any state, is the topranking state in timber harvest volume, is the No. 1 state in exports of pulp, paper and paperboard mill products and the No. 1 exporter of wood-based fuel.

Forestry and related businesses contribute 144,000 jobs and more than $35 billion in economic impact, according to a 2016 Georgia Forestry Commission report. In addition, a 2011 UGA study found that Georgians receive $37 billion annually in ecological benefits – things like water filtration, carbon storage, wildlife habitat and aesthetics.

“Our state’s forests benefit virtually every citizen of the state in one form or another,” said Georgia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long. “We believe farmers are the first and best stewards of the land in our state, and forestland and its owners are key components of that.”

Despite all that bounty, the way the state’s privately-owned forestland is taxed puts those landowners at a competitive disadvantage with neighboring states. Forests cover two thirds of Georgia’s land area, and 90 percent of that forestland is owned by private, non-industrial landowners.

Georgia’s property tax per acre of timberland is three times the average of Southeastern states, according to the GFA, because tax assessments on timberland vary significantly from county to county. Property taxes are due annually, while forests can take from 25 to 40 years to reach marketability, so if the taxes on forestland are too high, it serves to discourage individuals from conserving forestland as a part of the timber industry.

To counter the tax disadvantage, Georgia Farm Bureau supports Amendment 3, which would amend the state constitution to create a new class of land to be assessed at fair market value as determined by the Georgia Department of Revenue, setting one statewide assessment standard rather than 159 separate county assessments.

In addition, not all forestland owners qualify for the Conservation Use Value Assessment (CUVA) or the benefits of the Forest Land Protection Act. Amendment 3 would allow another avenue to ease forest landowners’ tax burden.

“We’ve been very successful in expanding the state’s forests, and GFB believes passing Amendment 3 would help continue that success,” Long said.

For more information about Amendment 3, visit www.fairforesttax.org.

GFB News Alert page 8 of 10 DESPITE HURRICANE CLOSURE, GA NATIONAL FAIR DRAWS ALMOST 500K The Georgia National Fair, held October 4-14 in Perry, drew a total attendance of 496,524 over the 10 days the fair was open, an increase over the 2017 fair by 29,940 attendees, with three recordbreaking days. The 2018 fair marked the first time in 29 years that the fair was closed for an entire day, with a delayed reopen on Oct. 11.

One highlight of the 2018 Georgia National Fair was the addition of the new Georgia Grown Baby Barn exhibit. For the first time, families witnessed dairy cattle giving birth to baby calves in a state-of-the-art birthing facility. The team of UGA Vets and Department of Agriculture staff delivered 20 calves during the 11-day event, each receiving a name by an audience member.

Livestock competitions, the Georgia Living Program, Georgia Grown exhibit and Baby Barn, school groups and rallies; with the traditional components such as the Midway rides and fair food vendors made for 10 days of pure enjoyment while offering those in attendance the unique experience known as the Georgia National Fair.

The 30th Annual Georgia National Fair is scheduled for Oct. 3-13, 2019, in Perry. For more information visit www.georgianationalfair.com MEETING FOR FOREST LANDOWNERS WITH HURRICANE DAMAGE The Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) will host a meeting on Oct. 25 for forest landowners who sustained damage to their land from Hurricane Michael. GFC will discuss how landowners can proceed with salvage and recovery. The Farm Service Agency will also be on hand to discuss the Emergency Forest Restoration Program.

The purpose of the meeting is to provide guidance to forest landowners about salvaging what they can from their land and working to restore it, and to provide information about resources available to assist them with the restoration process.

The meeting begins at 2 p.m. at the Decatur County Administrative Office, 203 W. Broughton Street in Bainbridge. For more information call 229-248-3030.

GFB News Alert page 9 of 10 THE DAIRY ALLIANCE COMMUNITY & COWS EVENT Oct. 25 Farmview Market 6:30 p.m.

Madison The Dairy Alliance invites all local farmers and their families to a meal and discussion forum designed to address concerns and get farmers’ feedback. Prizes will be given away and Dairy Alliance staff will be introduced. Contact Mekenzie Panhans at mpanhans@thedairyalliance.com or 404-210-4504. Please RSVP at https://gfb.ag/commUNITYnCows.

2018 GFB HAY CONTEST Oct. 31 deadline to enter Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) members who grow Bermudagrass hay are encouraged to enter the GFB 2018 Quality Hay Contest. Hay entered in the contest will be tested at the University of Georgia Testing Lab using the Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) Test, which predicts fiber digestibility and likely animal intake of hay. Producers may enter more than one sample in the contest. There is a $20 entry fee for each sample entered in the contest to cover lab costs.

Applications and instructions for submitting samples are available at county Farm Bureau offices or may be downloaded at the GFB website https://www.gfb.org/membership/hay-contest.cms.

Checks to cover the entry fee should be made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau. Entry forms and samples should be sent to the GFB Public Policy Department, Agricultural Programs, 1620 Bass Road Macon, Ga., 31210. The deadline to enter is Oct. 31.

PEANUT LEADERSHIP ACADEMY CLASS XI Oct. 31 application deadline The application deadline has been extended for Class XI of the Peanut Leadership Academy. To be eligible for participation, candidates must derive their primary livelihood from farming and currently produce peanuts, make a commitment to the program and agree to attend all sessions except in times of illness or a family emergency, be between the ages of 22 and 45 and provide a completed application. Five sessions take place throughout the 18-month class and require approximately 20 days of travel. Each class also has one leadership session in Washington, D.C., where participants have an opportunity to visit with members of Congress on issues affecting the peanut industry. To download a copy of the upcoming class application, visit www.southernpeanutfarmers.org. Applications must be postmarked by Oct. 31 for consideration.

The first session will begin in December.

VET LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM APPLICATION DEADLINE IS NOV. 9 Veterinarians willing to treat livestock in under-served areas of Georgia are encouraged to apply for the Georgia Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program (GVELRP). The program, administered by the State Veterinary Education Board (SVEB), is offering payments of $20,000 towards the outstanding student loan debt of 11 veterinarians. The Georgia Department of Agriculture is coordinating the application process and will accept applications until 5 p.m. Nov. 9. To apply and to view a map of counties applicants may serve visit http://agr.georgia.gov/georgia-veterinary-education-loan-repayment-program.aspx. For more information, contact Bo Warren at bo.warren@agr.georgia.gov .

GFB News Alert page 10 of 10 GEORGIA PESTICIDE WASTE CLEAN DAY Nov. 14 Sunbelt Expo site 9 a.m . – 3 p.m.

Moultrie Georgia Clean Day is a program that gives everyone an opportunity to discard old, unusable, or cancelled pesticides to a hazardous waste contractor for disposal. For more information about the event please contact your local Extension agent, http://agr.georgia.gov/georgia-clean-day.aspx or contact event coordinator Rick Hayes at ricky.hayes@agr.georgia.gov, 404-656-4958 or 404535-1614.Pre-registration is mandatory for program participation and must be completed by 4 p.m. Nov. 9. All pesticides brought to the collection site must be listed on the pre-registration form. Items not registered will be refused at the collection site. Empty containers or rinsates will not be accepted. To access the pre-registration form, visit https://gfb.ag/18pesticidecleanday.

SCORE MOULTRIE/USDA AG MENTOR WORKSHOP Nov. 13 Colquitt County Ag Center 6 p.m. RSVP by Nov. 9 Moultrie SCORE Moultrie and USDA are teaming up to host this workshop for people interested in starting a farm or agribusiness. The workshop will feature Sam Watson of Chill C Farms and David Hopkins of Hopkins Farms in Cairo, who will discuss rules and regulations vegetable growers face, especially for small farm-to-table producers.

2018 AGRICULTURAL LABOR RELATIONS FORUM Nov. 13-14 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center Tifton Growers, shippers, processors and other agricultural professionals will get the latest updates on labor relations matters, with advice from industry experts on how to comply with new labor laws.

Registration is $175. Online registration is available until Nov. 12 at https://gfb.ag/18aglaborforumreg. For more information contact Abby DeGennaro at adegennaro@asginfo.net or 706-845-8200.

2018 GEORGIA FARM BUREAU CONVENTION Dec. 2-4 Jekyll Island Convention Center Jekyll Island GFB President Gerald Long will give his annual address during the Dec. 3 general session. Other events at the GFB Convention will include commodity and educational sessions; a lunch for young farmers and ranchers and the newly formed group for farmers ages 36-50; announcements of the 2018 state award winners; and the annual trade show. Voting delegates will adopt the organization’s policy for 2019 and elect the 2019 GFB Board. For more information contact your county Farm Bureau office.

GFB TAKING LISTINGS FOR HAY DIRECTORY Farm Bureau members with hay for sale or offering custom harvesting or custom sprigging services are invited to list in the GFB Quality Hay Directory published on the GFB website.

Because this directory is now offered online, hay can be listed or removed from the site as your inventory dictates. To participate, please complete a submission form available at your county Farm Bureau office or online at www.gfb.ag/hay. Please include a $10 check made payable to Georgia Farm Bureau for each listing of hay, custom harvesting or custom sprigging. Multiple listings are allowed.