Georgia Farm Bureau News - September 2012

FARM BUREAUThe Voice of Georgia Farmers

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G E O R G I AVol. 74 No. 5 September 2012GE

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1937 2012The Voice o

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2012 Ford Focus

2012 Ford F-150 2012 Lincoln MKT

* Program #33834: $500 Bonus Cash offer exclusively for active Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee Farm Bureau members who are residents of the United States. Offer is valid from 1/04/2012 through 1/02/2013 for the purchase or lease of a eligible new 2011/2012/2013 model year Ford or Lincoln vehicle (not available on Shelby GT/GT500, Mustang Boss 302, Focus Electric, Edge SE AWD, F-150 Raptor and Taurus SE). This offer may not be used in conjunction with other Ford Motor Company private incentives or AXZD-Plans. Some customer and purchase eligibility restrictions apply. You must be an eligible Association member for at least 60 consecutive days and must show proof of membership. Limit one $500 Bonus Cash offer per vehicle purchase or lease. Limit of five new eligible vehicle purchases or leases per Farm Bureau member during program period. See your Ford or Lincoln Dealer for complete details and qualifications.

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2012 Ford Focus

2012 Ford F-150 2012 Lincoln MKT

* Program #33834: $500 Bonus Cash offer exclusively for active Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee Farm Bureau members who are residents of the United States. Offer is valid from 1/04/2012 through 1/02/2013 for the purchase or lease of a eligible new 2011/2012/2013 model year Ford or Lincoln vehicle (not available on Shelby GT/GT500, Mustang Boss 302, Focus Electric, Edge SE AWD, F-150 Raptor and Taurus SE). This offer may not be used in conjunction with other Ford Motor Company private incentives or AXZD-Plans. Some customer and purchase eligibility restrictions apply. You must be an eligible Association member for at least 60 consecutive days and must show proof of membership. Limit one $500 Bonus Cash offer per vehicle purchase or lease. Limit of five new eligible vehicle purchases or leases per Farm Bureau member during program period. See your Ford or Lincoln Dealer for complete details and qualifications.

Now Georgia Farm Bureau members can get $500 Bonus Cash* savings off vehicle MSRP toward the purchase or lease of any eligible 2011/2012/2013 Ford or Lincoln vehicle.

Enjoy valuable savings on your choice of vehicles from our hard-working, technologically advanced new lineup of cars and trucksincluding the 2012 Ford F-150 with available 4.2-inch productivity screen and 11,300 lbs. maximum towing capacity (when properly equipped).

Take advantage of this special offer today. Visit: www.fordspecialoffer.com/farmbureau/ga

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GeorGia Farm Bureau News septemBer 2012/ 3

table of contentsseptember 2012

departmentswe, the farmers

PAGE 4

legislative updatePAGE 5

commodities updatePAGE 10

young farmer updatePAGE 12

around georgiaPAGE 20

public relations staff Paul Beliveau Director Jennifer Whittaker Editor Lillian Davis Publications/Advertising Manager Jay Stone Print/Web Specialist Denny Moore TV Producer/Anchor Rick Treptow Senior Radio-TV Specialist Michael Edmondson Web/Video Manager Mark Wildman Radio-TV Specialist Dean Wood Radio-TV Specialist Damon Jones Radio-TV Specialist Vickie Amos Office Coordinator

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

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

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Visit the GFB Web site today! www.gfb.org

(Photo by Jennifer Whittaker) The Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition turns 35 this year. Make plans to attend the 2012 Expo Oct. 16-18. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 16 & 17 and from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 18. Admission is $10 per day per person or $20 for a multi-day pass. Children 12 and under are free with a parent. Visit http://www.sunbeltexpo.com for more information. Drop by the Georgia Agri-culture building at the main gate to visit GFBs exhibits.

GFB holds annual commodity conference Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Committee members began the organiza-tions annual policy development process by meeting Aug. 9 to review GFBs position on issues pertinent to their commodities. Conference attendees also heard updates on state legislation and the farm bill, the Georgia weather stations, regulations for hauling ag commodi-ties and ag advocacy efforts. PAGE 6

GFB Young Farmer Conference prepares future leadersYoung farmer families met on Jekyll Island (JI) in July for GFBs first event at the new JI Convention Center. Conference activities included the preliminary rounds of the GFB Young Farmer Discussion Meet, a tour of the JI Sea Turtle Center and informa-tive workshops designed to foster the next generation of Farm Bureau. PAGE 8

Sunbelt Field Day showcases innovative researchFarmers attending this preview of the 2012 Sunbelt Exposition heard about research un-derway at the Expo farm to develop new vari-eties of cotton and peanuts, and the possibil-ity of double cropping cotton with cucurbits. Attendees also saw innovative management techniques like this sub-surface irrigation sys-tem, right, designed to water crops more ef-ficiently. PAGE 14 Ag tax exemptions key topic at Ag Issues SummitGeorgia farmers and agribusiness leaders got a preview of how agricultural tax exemptions could work during the Joint Agriculture Chairmen Ag Issues Sum-mit held in Perry in July. Georgia Environmental Protection Division Director Jud Turner also spoke about the states water planning. PAGE 16

GPC opens new head-quarters on I-75The Georgia Peanut Commis-sion ended its 50th anniversa-ry celebration by holding an open house for its new head-quarters building located be-side I-75 in Tifton. PAGE 18

on the coverGeorgia Farm Bureau TV:www.youtube.com/georgiafarmmonitor

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4 / septemBer 2012 GeorGia Farm Bureau News

Relationships make things happen. Our organization is only successful because of the many relationships we have with our members, volunteers, public servants and other organizations. I cant help thinking about the relation-ships that began 75 years ago when the founders of Georgia Farm Bureau first met in Bartow County on June 17 and again in Atlanta on July 31 to formally organize. The power of working together was their vision then and it remains our vision today. Our passion is stirred up by the encourage-ment of others and it strengthens us more each day. Its hard to believe, but this year is more than half over! Before we know it, October will be here, and farmers will be traveling to Moultrie for the 35th Annual Sunbelt Agricultural Expo, Oct. 16-18. In July, I attended the Expo Field Day along with other Georgia farmers to get a look at the research being done on the Expo farm. Georgia Farm Bureau teamed up with the Georgia Department of Agriculture to host a biscuit breakfast for those attending the event. As most of you remember, Farm Bureau partnered with the Department of Agriculture last year to renovate an exist-ing building at Expo so Georgia agriculture would be front and center as you enter the main Expo gate. Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black and I thought it would be a good idea to use the building during the field day to serve breakfast to the farmers before they headed out to the research plots. We wanted to remind Georgias farmers that both of our organizations are in the business of serving them and advocating for agriculture. I enjoyed visiting with the farmers attending the event and learning about the research being done to ensure that agriculture remains the top industry in

our state. Hearing about yield expectations for the new row crop varieties and ways to improve crop production through better fertilization and irrigation techniques was exciting. Be sure to come by the Georgia Agri-culture Building when you come to Expo to learn more about how Georgia Farm Bureau is serving as the voice of Georgia farmers. I also had the privilege in July of attend-ing and speaking at GFBs annual Young Farmer Leadership Conference. This is the third year weve held this summer confer-ence to develop the future leaders of our organization and strengthen Georgias young farm families. The more than 250 young farmers who attended the event had the chance to learn about USDA conserva-tion programs, GFB legislative initiatives and ways to improve their farm finances while making family memories on Jekyll Island. We held the conference in Jekyll Islands new convention center. If you havent already made plans to attend GFBs annual convention in December, youll want to be sure to attend this year to see this wonderful facility. If you attend our convention, be sure to attend the final round of competition for the GFB Young Farmer Discussion Meet. The preliminary rounds of the contest were held at the young farmer conference, dur-ing which 23 contestants were narrowed down to four finalists in three rounds of competition. The three finalists for the GFB Young Farmer Achievement Award were also announced, with the state winner to be named at our convention in December. Read more about these contest finalists and the conference on pages eight and nine. In August, I enjoyed visiting with members of the GFB Commodity Advisory

we, the farmersZippy Duvall, GFB President

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ZIPPY DUVALL

1st Vice President/South Georgia Vice PresidentGERALD LONG

North Georgia Vice President BERNARD SIMS

Middle Georgia Vice President ROBERT FOUNTAIN JR.

Treasurer/Corporate SecretaryWAYNE DANIEL

General CounselDUKE GROOVER

DIRECTORSFIRST DISTRICT: Wesley Hall, Cumming; Henry J. West, Rydal SECOND DISTRICT: Bobby Gunter, Dahlonega; Randy Ruff, Elberton THIRD DISTRICT: George Chambers, Carroll-ton; Nora Goodman, Temple FOURTH DIS-TRICT: Marvin Ruark, Bishop FIFTH DISTRICT: Jim Ham, Smarr; Ralph Adamson Jr., Barnesville SIXTH DISTRICT: James Emory Tate, Den-ton; James Malone, Dexter SEVENTH DIS-TRICT: Ben Boyd, Sylvania; Gary Bell, Bellville EIGHTH DISTRICT: Kim Brown, Montezuma; Don Wood, Rochelle NINTH DISTRICT: Paul Shirah, Camilla; Lucius Adkins, Elmodel TENTH DISTRICT: David Lee, Alma; Daniel Johnson, Alma YOUNG FARMER CHAIRMAN: Jake Carter, McDonough WOMENS COMMITTEE CHAIR: Linda Crumley, Winder

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We, the farmers, working together

Pictured above, from left, Colquitt County Farm Bureau Director Lawton Matthews, GFB President Zippy Duvall, and Southwest District Extension Director Laura Perry Johnson visit during the Expo Field Day breakfast while ABAC President David Bridges visits with a farmer.

See WE, THE FARMERS page 11

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legislative updateJon Huffmaster, Legislative Director

Ag sales tax exemptions go into effect Jan. 1 In 1973, Georgia Farm Bureau policy called for the elimination of sales taxes on off-road fuel. This year, the Georgia Gen-eral Assembly passed tax reform legislation that eliminates state and local sales taxes on off-road fuel and virtually all farm produc-tion input costs. Gov. Nathan Deal signed the state tax reform bill into law on April 19. The provi-sions of the new law that waive sales taxes on agricultural inputs go into effect Janu-ary 1, 2013. Feed, seed, fertilizer, chemicals, equip-ment and some types of energy have been sales tax exempt for years, but other inputs were not. The variations were due to exemp-tions being granted on a piecemeal basis through the years, resulting in hodgepodge legislation that was sometimes illogical. For example, a tractor purchased for farm use was exempt from sales tax, but the same tractor would be taxable if used in an orchard. Electricity used in poultry houses was sales tax exempt, but electricity used in swine and dairy barns was not. The new law, House Bill 386, corrects much of this ineq-uity by declaring that inputs used to produce a product for resale should not be taxed. The genesis of this common sense leg-islation started back in 2009. At the time, the U.S. economy was in a nosedive, and Georgia tax revenues were falling dramati-cally. Georgias income dropped more than 20 percent in two years, and no one could reasonably predict the end to the down-turn. Because Georgia is constitutionally mandated to have a balanced budget, the state cut spending and frantically looked for ways to increase income. One idea to increase income was to suspend or revoke all sales tax exemp-tions. This would have devastated Georgia farmers. For example, a 350-cow family operated dairy might incur $1 million in annual feed costs. If the sales tax exemp-tion were suspended, the dairyman would pay $70,000 in sales taxes on feed alone! Few farmers could absorb such an annual cash expense.

In 2010, the Georgia General Assembly passed House Bill 1405. The measure cre-ated a special tax council to study Georgias revenue system and make recommenda-tions to the legislature for improvements. Throughout 2010, the tax council held a series of 12 public meetings and invited citizens to make comments about Geor-gias tax policy. At each meeting, Georgia Farm Bureau members submitted official testimony detailing how their farms would be affected if sales tax exemptions were suspended or repealed. The special council listened to our mem-bers. In the councils January 2011 report, it recommended that all agricultural sales tax exemptions be retained. Furthermore, the council urged that additional exemptions be instituted to cover all input costs. The purpose was not to give farmers a tax break. Rather, the recommendation was made to keep Georgia agriculture as competitive as possible by eliminating taxes on inputs des-tined to become products for resale. A special committee of the General As-sembly drew up legislation to incorporate the councils recommendations. The tax reform package was debated during the 2011 legislative session, but lawmakers chose not to press forward with the bill. Early in 2012, concerns about HB 386 were finally resolved, and the bipartisan bill was passed. The vote in the House was 155-9, and the Senate passed the bill 54-0.

When the agricultural provisions of the new law go into effect on January 1, 2013, most farm input costs will be exempt from state and local sales tax. The exemptions include those currently in effect for feed, seed, fertilizer, chemicals and equipment, but will now also cover additional inputs, such as any fuel or energy farmers use to produce a commodity. Only agricultural producers qualify for the sales tax exemptions. Qualification re-quires that a farmer must annually produce $2,500 or more in agricultural products. Qualified farmers will be able to get a wallet-sized card from the Georgia Department of Agriculture, which will entitle cardholders to receive the sales tax exemptions. Farm Bureau was primarily engaged with this legislation because of its agricul-tural provisions. The bill, however, is 56 pages, and most of it has nothing to do with agriculture. The rules and regulations are still being developed. As with any legislation of this size and complexity, there are bound to be hiccups and delays along the way. GFB will con-tinue to monitor the regulations that are written to implement the sales tax exemp-tions and work to make sure they work for Georgias farmers. Any way you look at it, this tax reform legislation is good for Geor-gia farmers. Jon Huffmaster is director of the GFB Legislative Department.

The USDAs J. Phil Campbell Sr. Natu-ral Resource Conservation Center is in the process of being transferred to the Univer-sity of Georgia, according to UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sci-ences (CAES) Dean Dr. Scott Angle. The USDAs operation of the Campbell farm was shut down as a result of federal budget cuts last year. Angle said that all the USDA employees

Campbell research farm transitions to UGAhave been transferred to other USDA labs, and that the facilities, land and animals of the Campbell farm are now under UGA oversight and will be managed by CAES. The farm, used in part to study water-shed management and restoration of erod-ed cotton land, was one of several USDA research facilities across the nation that were closed in the FY 2012 budget process. Congress approved an arrangement to have those farms transferred to the control

See RESEARCH FARM page 18

By Jay Stone___________________________________

6 /septemBer 2012 GeorGia Farm Bureau News

GFB holds annual commodity conference Articles by Jay Stone & Jennifer Whittaker_____________________________________

Georgia Farm Bureau members attend-ing the GFB 34th Annual Commodity Conference in Perry, Aug. 9 kicked off the organizations annual policy development process as they reviewed GFBs stance on issues pertaining to 19 of Georgias major commodities and water. The 250 attendees also heard updates on transportation regulations, the state weather stations, the ag advocacy work being conducted on their behalf and legislative updates. What youre doing today is the kickoff of our policy development process that will con-tinue this fall and conclude at our convention when we vote on our policy, which determines the action our grassroots organization will take in the coming year, GFB President Zippy Du-vall said. U.S. Rep. Austin Scott (R-Dist. 8), who serves on the House Agriculture Committee, spoke during the opening session of the conference. One of the big challenges we have for [the future of] agriculture is who is going to put the crop in the ground, Scott said, referencing the small percentage of Americans involved in farm-ing. If we want to keep agriculture growing in this country we need to get rid of this federal es-tate tax. I submit that the farmer that owns 350 acres is not the problem. Weve got to do some things to allow you to transfer the farm to the next generation.

Scott said he feared Congress wouldnt have time to pass a new five-year farm bill before re-cessing in October. One thing that frustrates me about Wash-ington is that people wait to the last minute to do anything, Scott said. I hope short-term well get the extension done, but Id prefer we pass a long-term bill. U.S. Rep. John Barrow (D-12th Dist.) also spoke during the opening session of the con-ference. He blamed Congress inability to pass a farm bill on its lack of compromisers and en-couraged GFB members to support members of Congress who are willing to work across party lines to reach compromises for the good of the country to get things done. Congress doesnt have enough compromis-ers left in it. Partisans of the past dealt with the folks in the middle, Barrow said. Todays parti-sans arent any more extreme than in the past but the problem is there arent any more compromis-ers left in the middle for the partisans to talk to.Update on Ga. tax & metal theft bills GFB Legislative Director Jon Huffmaster re-viewed the organizations successes in the 2012 Legislative Session, including HB 386, the tax reform bill that maintained existing sales tax ex-emptions for agriculture and expanded them. House Bill 386, the tax reform bill, was the biggest success we had in the General Assembly

this year, Huffmaster said. It expands the cur-rent sales tax exemptions to cover all ag inputs. When you consider where we were in 2009 when legislators were looking at abolishing all sales tax exemptions due to declining state revenues and where we wound up, this is a big deal. Huffmaster also discussed HB 872, the bill enacted to address the issue of metal theft, not-ing that the bill gives law enforcement new tools to use to combat metal theft along with stiffening the penalties for metal theft convictions, includ-ing mandatory jail time for a third offense. Were not going to wipe out metal theft. Were always going to have metal theft. As long as weve got metal, were going to have metal thieves, Huffmaster said, but there are some very significant changes in this bill that I think will be helpful to you. Status of Ga. weather stations University of Georgia Agricultural Clima-tologist Pam Knox gave conference attendees an update on the status of the UGA Automated Environmental Monitoring Network stations, which provide useful weather information for Georgias agriculture community. Knox said the 80 stations arent currently in danger of be-ing closed thanks to funding from the university, Georgia Department of Agriculture and assorted commodity organizations. If youre interested in helping sustain this network, the single most important thing you can do is tell your state legislators how important the network is to you, Knox said. When asked to predict the type of weather Georgia can expect in coming months, Knox said Georgia is currently in a neutral weather pattern after experiencing a La Nina pattern the past two winters. She predicts the state will prog-ress into an El Nino pattern this coming winter, which should bring wet, colder weather. I think were moving towards a winter sea-son, especially in South Georgia, where well be wetter than usual, which is good because we have a lot of areas that need to build up their wa-ter resources, Knox said.

Members of the GFB Commodity Advisory Committees visit before the opening session begins.

Pictured from left, U.S.Rep. Austin Scott (R-Dist. 8) and GFB President Zippy Duvall listen to U.S. Rep. John Barrow (D-12th Dist.) speak during the opening session of the conference.

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GeorGia Farm Bureau News septemBer 2012 / 7

USFRA working to engage consumers Ladonna Lee, chairman of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) Industry Engage-ment Task Force, gave an overview of the work USFRA has done since organizing one year ago to engage consumers and food industry influencers in a dialogue about how farmers produce food. We want consumers to know Americas farmers and ranchers share their values. Too many of our consumers have been fed this fac-tory farm stuff and think if youre not growing organic then youre a bad guy, Lee said. Were working to engage the people who are making decisions about our food such as food cooking stars. Were doing programs to educate these people about how we raise livestock and why. USFRA, which has 60 affiliate members rep-resenting all segments of the ag community, is currently in the process of developing a documen-tary to tell agricultures side of the food production story to rebut the message portrayed in the movie Food Inc. GFB joined the coalition in 2011. Safely hauling ag commodities Capt. Gregg Willis of the Georgia Depart-ment of Public Safetys Motor Carrier Compli-ance Division gave a presentation covering the rules for vehicles transporting agricultural com-modities, equipment and other items related to agricultural production. Willis discussed the difference between in-trastate (within state lines) and interstate (across state lines), as well as the corresponding differ-ences in commercial drivers license exemptions for these two types of transport. Intrastate com-merce is commerce that does not and is not in-tended to cross state lines, and is regulated by the Department of Public Safety. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) regulates Interstate commerce. Drivers moving agricultural products or inputs are exempt from commercial drivers li-cense requirements as long as the following con-ditions are met: Thevehicleisbeingoperatedbyafarmer,farm employee or family member; The vehicle is transporting agriculturalproducts, farm machinery or farm supplies; Thevehicleisoperatingwithin150milesof the farm; Thevehicleisnotbeingusedasacommoncarrier or contract carrier. Willis also reviewed the new covered farm vehicle rules and discussed weight limits for various road types. For an extensive collection of motor carrier fact sheets, which include information pertinent to transporting agricultural products, visit http://dps.georgia.gov/fact-sheets.

Dr. Carter Black received the 2012 Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Award during the GFB Commodity Conference. The award, one GFBs highest honors, is given annually to honor an individual who has championed Georgia agriculture. We are proud to honor Dr. Black with the GFB Commodity Award, GFB President Zippy Duvall said. I am confident that Dr. Blacks service will have long-lasting positive impacts for Georgias livestock industry. From an early age, Black had a passion for large animals, and during his stint as Georgias state veterinarian, he said he tried to show compassion for the states livestock producers. A native of Northwest Georgia who now lives in Summerville, Black was instrumental in the states efforts to eradicate several diseases afflicting livestock, including brucellosis in cattle and swine, bovine tuberculosis and pseudorabies. I appreciate this award, Black said of receiving the 2012 GFB Commodity Award. I often feel like Im not as deserving as a lot of folks think I am. Ive had a lot of success work-ing with the livestock industry on eradicating these diseases, but its because the department employees supported the efforts and the industry felt we were trying to help them. Black received his bachelors degree in agriculture from the University of Georgia in 1964. He graduated from the UGA School of Veterinary Medicine in 1968 and worked in private practice until becoming assistant state veterinarian with the Georgia Department of Agriculture in 1984. He was promoted to state veterinarian and assistant commissioner over the animal industry in 2007 and worked in that capacity until retiring in 2011. While working to eradicate cattle and swine brucellosis, Black said he resisted the USDAs push to depopulate livestock herds, which included animals that tested positive, because he recognized the negative economic impact the tactic would have on livestock owners. Since Georgia became brucellosis free, the states livestock producers have enjoyed easier access to markets in other states. We looked at the economics and how we could keep that producer in business and get rid of the disease. It wasnt an easy task, Black said. I felt like the way we handled the disease eradication and worked with those producers to benefit them is the reason they helped us and cooperated with the program. During the 1996 Olympic Games, Black also took a leadership role in supervising the movement, testing and quarantine of horses competing in the equestrian events. While in private practice, he donated his services to the Chattooga County 4-H and FFA, and the Georgia High School Rodeo Association. The Georgia Veterinary Medical Association honored him as its 2001 Veterinarian of the Year, and in 2009 the Georgia Cattlemens Association gave Black its Top Hand Award. Black and his wife Linda have one daughter, Candi, three grandchildren, Emily, Andrew and Jordan and one great-granddaughter. The Blacks are members of Summer-ville First United Methodist Church where he has served as chairman of the administra-tive board.

Pictured from right, GFB Presi-dent Zippy Du-vall presents the 2012 GFB Com-modity Award to Dr. Carter Black who was joined for the presenta-tion by his wife, Linda, grand-daughter Emily Allen and great-granddaughter Dakyota Allen.

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8 /septemBer 2012 GeorGia Farm Bureau News

t the 2012 Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer Leadership Conference,

one of the discussion meet topics dealt with succession planning. GFB leaders speaking at the conference also emphasized that young farmers are the organizations succession plan. I saw a study that said the average age of the American farmer now is 60 years old, said GFB Young Farmer Committee Chair-man Jake Carter. Anytime we can encourage young folks to get involved in farming and expand farming operations to have some-thing to pass on to our younger generation, it is a very important thing for Georgia. The conference, GFBs first at the new 128,000 square-foot Jekyll Island Conven-tion Center, drew more than 250 Georgia Farm Bureau members, staff and guests the weekend of July 12-15.

The event, coordinated by the GFB Field Services Department, featured breakout ses-sions on a variety of topics, the preliminary rounds of the 2012 GFB Young Farmer Dis-cussion Meet (see page 9) and the announce-ment of the GFB Young Farmer Achieve-

ment Award finalists. During the conference, James and Brooke Hitchcock of Washington County, Chris and Marilynn Hopkins of Toombs County and Charlie Sanders of Greene County were named finalists for the 2012 Young Farmer Achievement Award. The state Young Farmer Achievement Award winner will be revealed during the GFB convention in December. Our organization has done a great job over the years developing leaders, not only for our organization but for our communities,

GFB Young Farmer Conference prepares future leadersPhotos & Article By Jay Stone_____________________________________

The audience attending the general session on July 14 heard GFB President Zippy Duvall speak. Duvall urged them to pursue positions of leadership in their local communities and to stay involved in Farm Bureau.

A group from North Georgia enjoys the Friday night cookout. From left are Will Cabe, Dea-con Cabe and Heather Cabe from Franklin County, Josh Parker from Stephens County, Ben Hill from Hart County and Clay Black from Stephens County.

Glynn County Farm Bureau (GCFB) mem-bers served ice cream at the low country boil on Thursday made by the St. Simons Island Frederica Golf Club. The vanilla ice cream was sweetened with honey from the farm of GCFB President Betty Anne Lewis and her husband, David, who is a beekeeper. Pic-tured from left, GCFB Director Susan Ship-man, President Betty Anne Lewis, GCFB Beekeeper Committee Chair David Lewis and GCFB Directors Clarence Hilburn and Josh Kirkland serve ice cream to Libby Crum-bley of Greene County.

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A group from Laurens County enjoys the Friday night cookout. Clockwise from front left are Harden Knight, Bobby Knight, Scott Knight, Kelly Knight, Lora Lord, Maggie Shea Lord, Cody Lord and Mack Lord.

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GeorGia Farm Bureau News septemBer 2012 / 9

GFB President Zippy Duvall said. I want to see them on their county commission boards, their boards of education, the EMC boards, all those things that touch their lives. What were teaching them today is how they can take their talents that God has given them and go back and work in their communities. Breakout sessions with representatives from AgFirst Farm Credit Bank provided the farmers with information on farm business and finance. Speakers from the USDA Natu-ral Resource Conservation Service and the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Com-mission talked about conservation efforts in the state. GFB Field Services Director Mike Copeland and GFB 4th District Field Service Representative Rick Hubert discussed GFBs structure. Georgia Food Bank Association Executive Director Danah Craft talked about hunger relief efforts in the state and how farmers can be involved. GFB Legislative Director Jon Huffmaster outlined what GFB is doing to help the states farmers and encouraged young farmers to get involved. He said that many times all that is needed is for them to call the office of a state or U.S. representative and communicate their position on an issue before Congress or the state legislature. UGAs Dr. Chris Morgan spoke about the use of social media and Beyond the Farm Gate, a series of workshops funded under a USDA beginning farmer grant. While their parents attended conference events, attendees children took a tour of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center where they learned about rehabilitation efforts for injured or sick sea turtles. They also participated in hands-on activities like making bird feeders out of pine-cones, peanut butter and birdseed. Attendees were treated to a low country boil on July 12 and a beach cookout July 13 with entertainment from Newton County re-cording artist Jesse Couch. The conference wrapped with a vespers service led by First Bap-tist Church of Cochran Pastor Keith Rustin. I feel like people had a good time here, said Young Farmer Chairman Jake Carter. I think there were a lot of new relationships within Farm Bureau brought forth. At the end of the day, we learned a lot of stuff, but the re-lationships built between people is probably the number one thing well take away.

GFB Young Farmer Conference prepares future leaders

Matt Bottoms of Pike County, Kyle Dekle of Habersham County, B.J. Marks of Newton County and Clay Talton of Elbert County advanced to the GFB Discussion Meet finals, which will be held during the GFB convention on Jekyll Island in Decem-ber. The discussion meet drew 23 partici-pants from across the state. The winner of the state competition in December will receive a $500 cash award, an Arctic Cat 500 4x4 all-terrain vehicle and an expense-paid trip to the 2013 Amer-ican Farm Bureau Convention in Nashville, Tenn., Jan. 13-16, to compete for national honors. The three state runners-up will each receive $350 from SunTrust Bank. The national winner will receive their choice of a new Chevrolet Silverado or GMC Sierra pickup. The three runners-up in the national contest will receive a Far-mall Tractor from Case IH and a $2,500 cash prize and STIHL Farm Boss. Bottoms runs a small fruit production nursery and has been involved in GFB for 12 years, including a stint in 2010 as chair-man of the organizations Young Farmer Committee. He and his wife Melissa live in Molena with their daughters, Anna, age 5, and Madelyn, 8 months. Dekle holds a degree in agricultural edu-cation from the University of Georgia and teaches ag education at Habersham Central High School in Mt. Airy, where he serves as the Future Farmers of America advisor. He and his wife Kaylan live in Demorest. They are active in FFA Alumni and attend Chatta-hoochee Baptist Church in White County. Marks is a sixth-generation farmer and third-generation Farm Bureau member. He and his wife Kaci live in Covington with their sons, Tripp, age 7, and Joe, 3, and newborn daughter Allie. The Marks are in

the process of starting a dairy. Talton holds bachelors and masters degrees in animal science from the Uni-versity of Georgia and works as the Elbert County Extension coordinator. He and his wife Brittany live in Comer and have two children, Lola, age 5, and Cohen, 1. Other contestants in the preliminary rounds were Ryan Ayers of Carroll Coun-ty, Christy Bryan of Chattooga County, Heather Cabe of Franklin County, Molly Childs of Cherokee County, Libby Crum-bley of Greene County, Newt Gilman of Jackson County, Will Godowns of Pike County, Brittany Ivey of Stephens County, Trisha Lastly of Madison County, Matthew London of White County, Elliott Marsh of Bulloch County, Gray McKinnon of Cof-fee County, Wayne McInvale of Crawford County, Walt Moore of Lanier County, Nicholas Morrow of Floyd County, Mor-gan Rakestraw of Paulding County, Corey Tyre of Bacon County, Paul Warbington of Forsyth County and Troy Windham of Laurens County. The event is intended to simulate a committee meeting during which agricul-turalists discuss issues impacting agricul-ture. The contestants were divided into small groups of five or six to hold their dis-cussions. During the first round of competition the contestants discussed what a fair and balanced immigration policy should in-clude. In the second round of competition contestants discussed succession planning for farms and Farm Bureaus role in en-couraging the transfer of farm operations from one generation to the next. In the third round, they discussed how Farm Bu-reau might reach out to non-farm members to enhance the value of their memberships.

Pictured from right, GFB Young Farmer Committee Chairman Jake Carter congratulates the finalists of the 2012 GFB Young Farmer Discussion Meet: B.J. Marks of Newton County, Matt Bottoms of Pike County, Clay Talton of Elbert County and Kyle Dekle of Habersham County. Theyll compete for state honors at the GFB Annual Convention in December.

Young Farmer Discussion Meet finalists namedBy Jay Stone__________________________________________________________________________

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commodities/marketing updateJoe McManus

Oct. 31 is deadline to enter annual GFB Hay Contest Hay will once again be in tight supply this winter due to the drought conditions most of Georgia is experiencing. By Aug. 1, 148 of Georgias 159 counties qualified for a USDA drought declaration. Pasture condi-tions in July were 29 percent very poor or poor and only 45 percent fair according to USDA National Agricultural Statistics Ser-vice surveys. North Georgia is in much bet-ter shape than South Georgia. Spotty rains are making for a better hay crop than last year, but some areas are missing out on the rain. Many livestock producers will need additional hay supplies. Farmers who feed hay understand the importance of knowing the quality of their

office. There is a $15 fee for each entry to cover the cost of the lab tests. Producers may enter more than one sample. The deadline to enter is Oct. 31. Contest participants will receive a detailed copy of their hay analysis information and a free listing in the GFB Hay Directory, if they choose. Winners will be determined by the RFQ analysis. Nitrate levels above 4,500 parts per million will be disqualified. The top five winners will be announced at the GFB Hay Committee meeting Dec. 3 during the an-nual GFB Convention on Jekyll Island. Prizes will be awarded for the top five places. The first place winner will receive the free use of a Vermeer TM 850 mower for one year, compliments of the Vermeer Manufacturing Company. The winner will have the option to purchase the mower at a reduced price at the end of the year. Sec-ond place will receive a baler-mounted hay moisture tester. The GFB Hay Advisory Committee sponsors the annual GFB Bermuda Hay Contest. Joe McManus is assistant director of the GFB Commodities/Marketing Department.

roughage. Livestock owners have to man-age feed rations according to the inputs they have. Knowing the nutritional analysis of their hay is critical to this process. Georgia Farm Bureau members are encouraged to enter their Bermuda grass hay in the GFB 2012 Quality Hay Contest, which is designed to encourage the pro-duction of better quality hay in Georgia. One way to evaluate how you are man-aging your hay fields is to have your hay analyzed. When you enter your hay in the contest, the University of Georgia Testing Lab will evaluate it using the Relative For-age Quality Test (RFQ). RFQ predicts the fiber digestibility and predicted animal intake of the hay. By en-tering the GFB Hay Contest, not only will you have the RFQ values of your hay pro-duction, but you will be able to compare it to what other farmers are doing. Farmers who have their hay tested every year can see, thru multi-year analysis, the improvements they make in managing their hay fields. Entry forms outlining the rules and procedure for entering the contest may be picked up at your local county Farm Bureau

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Pictured from right, Chattooga County Farm Bureau member Randall Selman, accepts the Vermeer 6040 trail mower he received for winning the 2011 GFB Quality Hay Contest from Michael Smith of Smith Equipment in Calhoun, Bryan Setzer, Vermeer senior territo-ry manager and Joe McManus, assistant director of the GFB Commodities Department.

GFB to publish hay/litter directory

Georgia Farm Bureau members with hay or poultry litter for sale are invited to list their farms in the 2013 GFB Quality Hay & Litter Directory. The directory will be printed in late November. Producers should complete a form and send it to the GFB of-fice in Macon along with a check for $10 for each listing. Checks should be made out to Georgia Farm Bureau. Because this directory is used for the entire year, producers should include nor-mal and projected production of round and square bales they anticipate selling. Poultry litter can be listed on the same form. Directories are distributed to all coun-ty Farm Bureau offices, county Extension offices, the Georgia Cattlemens Asso-ciation, cattle producers, dairy producers, horse owners, directory participants and at Sunbelt Expo and the annual GFB con-vention. The directory is also listed on the GFB website. Forms for both the GFB Quality Hay Contest and the Quality Hay/Poultry Litter Directory are available at your local Farm Bureau office or on our website http://www.gfb.org. Contact Joe McManus at 1-800-342-1196 for more information on the hay contest or the hay/poultry litter directory.


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Committees during our annual commodity conference in Perry. Besides kicking off our annual policy development process, attendees also got the latest update on the farm bill and other legislative issues and met Dr. Pam Knox, the newly appointed agricultural climatologist at the UGA College of Agricultural & Envi-ronmental Sciences, who discussed the state weather stations and their value to Georgia farmers. I appreciate Capt. Gregg Willis with the Georgia Dept. of Public Safety discussing things we farmers need to do to safely haul our commodities on public roads and for explaining the licensing requirements we need to satisfy. Ladonna Lee with the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance did a great job of bring-ing us up to speed on how this coalition is promoting animal agriculture to consumers and combating attacks activists are making on our way of life. It was a pleasure to present Dr. Carter Black the 2012 GFB Commodity Award. During the 27 years Dr. Black worked at the Georgia Department of Agriculture he used his veterinary skills to help Georgia livestock producers. Thanks to Dr. Blacks efforts, Georgia is free of cattle and swine

brucellosis and pseudorabies. As a former dairy farmer, I can tell you I was relieved when Georgia was declared brucellosis-free and I no longer had to worry about testing cattle at the sale barn. I know beef cattle and swine producers were equally relieved to no longer have to test their herds before they could sell or transport their ani-mals out of state. Congress left Washington for their August recess without passing a new farm bill, but were hopeful theyll get something done before Sept. 30 when the current bill expires. Georgia Farm Bureau will continue to monitor the situation and fight for a bill that works for Georgias farmers. On a positive note, agriculture did score a victory this summer when Congress passed transportation bill H.R. 4348, which exempts farmers and certain farm vehicles from some federal regulations that made it difficult for farmers to transport their crops short dis-tances across state lines. Now, some farm vehicles and their driv-ers are exempted from federal requirements regarding commercial drivers licenses, medi-cal certificates, hours of service restrictions and

vehicle maintenance. These exemptions apply to properly marked farm vehicles weighing less than 26,001 pounds. Farm vehicles that weigh more than this are exempt if they are traveling within the state or within 150 air miles of their farm when crossing a state line. Last year I sent letters to members of Georgias congressional delegation pointing out that the regulations were burdensome for farmers living in counties on state borders when their best markets are just across the state line. Everything in life is accomplished through a relationship. A successful business depends on relationships with employees and out-side vendors. A good family life depends on strong, loving relationships between parents and their children. Even our salvation is only complete when we accept Jesus Christ into our hearts a personal relationship with the one that gave it all on the cross. Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us And let us con-sider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

WE, THE FARMERS from page 4


Young farmers attending the Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer Leadership Conference in July chose the grand prize winner of the organizations Picture Agri-culture in Georgia Photo Contest from 12 photos (pictured right) selected by a panel of professional photographers from all contest submissions. Haley Anderson of Screven County shot the winning photo of the contest with her picture titled Plowing Cotton at Sun-set (#2 in display photo). As the overall grand prize winner, Anderson won $150 and the distinction of having her photo featured on the cover of the 2013 Young Farmer Calendar. The Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer Committee was thrilled with the interest Farm Bureau members across the state showed in the photo contest, said GFB Young Farmer Committee Chairman Jake Carter. More than 250 photos were submitted by GFB members and employ-ees, resulting in a great collection of pic-tures that represent every aspect of Georgia agriculture. This is a very fun way to get a true snapshot of Georgias diverse agricul-ture while allowing our members to share

some special moments in their lives. In the members category, honorable mention prizes of $75 were awarded to Becky Durham of Greene County, Anna Wil-son of Hart County, Clay Talton of Elbert County, Dwight Wal-lace of Peach County, Eddie McGriff of Cof-fee County, Garrett Anderson of Screven County, Gerald Cal-houn of Turner Coun-ty, Helen Barrett of Habersham County, Janet Mazurek of El-bert County, Michael Provenzano of Oconee County and Charlie Harris of Crawford County. Donna Sumners of Lee County won the grand prize of $100 in the GFB Staff/Family Category for her picture After-noon Shower. Lisa Dean of Houston County won

$75 and second place in the GFB Staff/Family Category. Linda Whitehead of Oglethorpe County won third place and $50 in the category. The 2013 GFB Young Farmer Calen-dar will feature the grand prize and hon-orable mention winners from the GFB Members category. The calendar was marketed to county Farm Bureaus and in-surance agents for them to give members. More than 20,000 calendars were sold statewide with all proceeds going to the GFB Young Farmer program to fund GFB Young Farmer activities. The GFB Young Farmers are thank-ful to everyone who participated in the photo contest, as well as the county Farm Bureaus and GFB insurance agents who supported our program by purchasing our calendar this year, Carter said. The pro-ceeds from the sale of these calendars go a long way towards helping develop future leadership within our organization. This is a great way for everyone to be involved in the GFB Young Farmer program. Visit the GFB website http://www.gfb.org to view the winning photos. The pho-tos will also be featured in the fall issue of the Georgia Neighbors magazine.

young farmer updateJed Evans, Young Farmer Coordinator

GFB young farmers select photo contest winner

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Lee County Farm Bureau Secretary Donna Sumners won the grand prize in the GFB Staff/Family Category for her photo Afternoon Shower.

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Georgia Farm Bureau celebrated its 75th anniversary on July 31 with refresh-ments for its home office employees. The refreshments were served on a table beau-tifully decorated with a colorful display of fresh produce and toy tractors to symbol-ize GFBs mission of serving as the voice of Georgia farmers. Bartow County Farm Bureau also held a party on July 31 to observe the 75th an-niversary. Members met at the county office for cake and to share their memo-ries of Farm Bureau through the years. Ellis Richards, a former BCFB president and current board member and Annette Reeves, a former womens committee chair, cut the cake. GFB began when a group of farmers from seven counties in Northwest Georgia met at the Bartow County Courthouse on June 17, 1937. Bartow County farmer Rob-ert M. Stiles organized this meeting. On July 31, 1937, 50 farmers from 25 counties attended a second meeting held in Atlanta

at which the farmers formed the United Georgia Farmers. In 1939, The United Georgia Farmers affiliated with American

GFB turns 75

Bartow County celebrates GFBs 75th anniversary.

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Farm Bureau and in 1941 changed the or-ganizations name to the Georgia Farm Bu-reau Federation.

GFB home office employees celebrate the organizations 75th anniversary.

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More than 400 farmers attended the annual Sunbelt Expo Field Day July 12 to see research they could implement on their farms to improve their profitability. Farmers attending the event enjoyed a biscuit breakfast cohosted by Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) and the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) before boarding trams that drove them out to the research plots. Hosting this breakfast is our way of reminding Georgias farmers that Georgia Farm Bureau and the Georgia Department of Agriculture are in the business of serving you. Georgia Farm Bureau is working every day to make sure your voice is heard in Washington and Atlanta, GFB President Zippy Duvall said. The research that is being done here is very important to keeping agriculture the number one industry in the state. Bayer Crop Science U.S. Agronomic Manager Steve Nichols told Sunbelt Expo Field Day attendees about the research Bayer is doing to develop new cotton varieties that will allow growers to make over-the-top ap-plications of glyphosate or Ignite herbicide.

Bayer expects to offer the new varieties to growers in 2013 pending U.S. government approval. John Paulk, research coordinator for the UGA Extension Peanut Team, gave an over-view of the variety trials UGA is conducting at the Expo farm. Paulk said the team would use maturity tests on the peanuts to deter-mine optimal harvest dates. Will Young, sales representative for the B.B. Hobbs Company, told field day attendees about the subsurface drip irriga-tion (SDI) system his company installed eight inches below the soil surface under a plot of peanuts at the Expo Farm, to study the impact tape depth has on irrigation ef-fectiveness. Young said the tape is usually buried 12 to 14 inches deep on most farms so farmers can till their fields without dam-aging the tape.

Sunbelt Expo Farm Manager Michael Chafin, Tift County Extension Agent Brian Tankersley and Colquitt County Extension Agent Larry Varnadoe told attendees about the dual-cropping system they have been researching. The trio grew separate plots of cantaloupes and watermelons planted with cotton. This lets farmers get two crops from the land and water resources they are using rather than just one, Tankersley said. Tankersley has been working with growers in Tift County to study the dual-cropping system since 2010. Research like this that will help farmers increase their profitability is what the Sun-belt farm is all about, Chafin said. The 35th Annual Sunbelt Expo will be held Oct. 16-18. Attendees are encouraged to visit the Georgia Agriculture Building sponsored by GFB and the GDA.

Pictured from left, Tift County Extension Agent Brian Tankersley, Sunbelt Expo Farm Manager Michael Chafin and Colquitt County Extension Agent Larry Varnadoe told field day attendees about the dual-cropping system they have been researching with cucurbits and cotton.

Sunbelt Field Day showcases innovative researchBy Jennifer Whittaker___________________________________

Martin named Sunbelt Expo Ga. Farmer of the Year Pulaski County Farm Bureau member Barry Martin has been named the Geor-gia winner of the 2012 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year. Martin grows cotton, peanuts, corn, wheat, sorghum and timber on 800 acres. He will compete with nine other state winners for the Southeastern title. The overall winner will be announced Oct. 16 at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie. Pu-laski County Extension Agent Ronnie Bar-rentine nominated Martin for the award. Martin, who grew up on his fam-ilys farm, began farming in 1972 when he rented 150 acres to grow cotton and peanuts. Through the years, Martin has become a big proponent of conservation

tillage practices. He relies on rye cover crops to im-prove his fields. He designed and built a cover crop roller to manage the rye residue using a 16-inch diameter steel well casing attached to the frame of a six-row ripper-bedder. Metal bars welded to the casing drum crimp the rye stems. Rolling the rye helps prevent weed germination, Martin says, but he uses a burndown herbicide to control weeds that rolling doesnt kill. Last year, I sprayed first and then rolled. This year, I rolled first and then sprayed, Martin said. Martin plants and subsoils in one trip, dropping the seed into a two-to-three inch

wide slot, while maintain-ing his cover crops on the soil between crop rows. Martin uses the mar-ket information he re-ceives through Georgia Farm Bureaus Futures at A Glance text message service to contract his crops rath-er than using a market advisor. As the state winner, Martin will re-ceive $2,500 cash, a $500 gift certificate from Southern States Cooperative and the choice of either $1,000 in PhytoGen cotton-seed or a $500 donation to a char-ity of his choice. He and his wife, Alice, have three adult children: Marc, Monica and Mitzi.

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Three county Farm Bureaus get AFBFgrants County Farm Bureaus in Bacon, Chero-kee and Evans counties each received $500 grants earlier this year through the Ameri-can Farm Bureau Foundation for Agricul-ture. The grants are used to fund new proj-ects or extend existing projects to promote agricultural literacy in local communities. The grants were awarded based on how effectively the submitted projects demon-strated a connection between agriculture and education, encouraged students to learn more about agriculture and the methods for meeting project goals. For more information about the grant program please contact Donna Rocker at [email protected] or 478-474-0679, ext. 5365.

Bacon County Farm Bureau distributed its grant funds to Bacon County Primary School, which used the money to purchase 30 books on agriculture for the school library, along with Accelerated Reader Quizzes about each book. BCFB also donated a bookshelf to display the books. Pictured from right, BCFB Office Manager Jeanne Taylor presents the books to BCPS students Dawson Herrington, Tyronn Deen, Julee Moore, Ariel Rodriquez and BCPS Media Specialist Valerie McDonald.

By Jennifer Whittaker___________________________________

Cherokee County Farm Bureau (CCFB) is using its grant funds to help Free Home El-ementary School expand the schools gardens. Last school year CCFB worked with fifth-grade classes at the school to plant food in raised beds. In the coming school year, CCFB plans to add two more raised beds to grow a pizza garden and plans to help build a greenhouse next to the raised beds so the students can grow plants during the winter. CCFB Director Tim Stewart is shown teaching the students how to plant a garden.

Evans County Farm Bureau distributed its grant funds to Claxton Elementary School to help build two greenhouses. The greenhouses will be used to teach kindergarten through fifth-grade students how to grow different kinds of plants and vegetables. The green-houses may also be used as a butterfly house to show the students the process of plant pollination and plant reproduction. Pictured from left, Angela Todd, ECFB Womens Committee Chairman and GFB Womens Committee District 7 chairman, presents the grant to Claxton Elementary School science teachers Mary Hulsey and JoAnne Sharpe and CES Principal Marty Todd.

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Farmers and leaders of agribusiness and agricultural organizations from around the state got a preview of how agricultural tax exemptions could work during the Joint Agriculture Chair-men Ag Issues Summit, held July 18 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricen-ter. State water planning and labor were also discussed during the summit, hosted by Georgia House Agriculture Commit-tee Chair Tom McCall (R-District 30) and Georgia Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Bulloch (R-District 11). Geor-gia Farm Bureau, the Georgia Agribusiness Council, the Georgia Poultry Federation and the Georgia Urban Ag Council spon-sored the events. More than 100 people at-tended the meeting, which also covered the July 31 transportation referendums. When we get this many people to-gether pulling for the same thing and un-derstanding what we are trying to do to im-prove agriculture, it makes all of our jobs easier, McCall said. The discussion of the passage of the tax reform bill drew applause from those in at-tendance, as well as questions about what

would and would not qualify for the agri-cultural sales tax exemptions. Not only did we keep the exemptions we had, but we had them expanded, said Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Du-vall. There arent any sunset rules on this. Theyre here and theyre here to stay, and its just been a huge victory for agriculture. Sydne Smith of the Georgia Depart-ment of Agriculture (GDA) and Mitch-ell Robins of the Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) gave a review of the sales tax exemptions for agriculture that were part of the state tax reform bill passed in the 2012 session of the Georgia General Assembly. Smith said farmers would be able to ap-ply for the exemptions online or by mail. Smith said she anticipates the GDA will be-gin accepting the applications for exemp-tion cards by Oct. 1 in preparation for the exemptions going into effect Jan. 1, 2013. Georgia Farm Bureau has committed its assistance in facilitating the process. The DOR has to go through the rule-making process required by state law, which includes a 30-day comment period. Robins said the department is currently working on the regulations related to the

ag exemptions, but it was unclear at press time when the rules would be published or when the comment period would begin. Georgia Environmental Protection Di-vision (EPD) Director Jud Turner spoke about the states water planning. Turner discussed efforts to redesign the Flint River Drought Protection Act. Though flows were at record-low levels, the EPD didnt declare drought on the Flint earlier this year because state funding wasnt available to support the declaration in ways pre-scribed by the law and because the declara-tion wasnt likely to improve stream flows. Weve got to redesign the Flint River Drought Protection Act in a way that works and provides us some management tools because if we dont, somebody else is going to do it for us. Whenever youve got an endangered species on any stretch of the river, youve got to be thinking about that potential, Turner said. Former state senator Sam Zamarripa, who is now executive director of the Essen-tial Economy, talked about the organiza-tions studies into Georgias workforce to quantify workers who lack formal educa-tion or skilled-trade credentials. These workers, whom Zamarripas group have classified as the essential econ-omy, provide services like agricultural planting and harvesting, landscaping, hos-pitality industry housecleaning and more. A lot of times people talk about the workforce here as sort of the bottom rung of the American workforce, Zamarripa said. The fact is they are the least paid. Theyre the most uneducated. However, what they do is absolutely essential to all of us. We need to frame this around the con-tribution it makes. According to the study, the essential economy makes up approximately 20 per-cent of Georgias total workforce of 5 mil-lion people, and they contribute approxi-mately 12 percent of the states $500 billion gross domestic product. Georgia Transportation Alliance Ex-ecutive Director Doug Callaway presented information about the proposed transpor-tation plan, known as T-SPLOST, which was voted down in nine of the 12 regional referendums.

By Jay Stone___________________________________

Ag tax exemptions key topic at Ag Issues Summit

Georgia Rep. Tom McCall (R-Dist. 30) at podium and Sen. John Bulloch (R-Dist. 11) hosted the Joint Agriculture Chairmen Ag Issues Summit, which included discussions on the new sales tax exemptions, the T-SPLOST referendums, availability of labor and statewide water planning.

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Feral hog surveyresults revealed

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A survey conducted by UGA Wildlife Specialist Dr. Mike Mengak revealed $81 million in reported damage attributed to feral hogs in Southwest Georgia in 2011. Mengak presented the survey results to the Georgia Farm Bureau Board of Direc-tors on July 26, noting that the study pro-vides documentation to a problem most farmers have been aware of for years. We know theres damage. We know theres a lot of problems, Mengak said. Weve got some numbers to back it up now. The survey, which received funding from Georgia Farm Bureau, was con-ducted earlier this year and received 471 useable responses from a group of 1,200 randomly selected farmers who were sent the survey questionnaires. Of those who responded, 70 percent said that feral hogs were present on their land, and 96 percent said hogs had caused damage on their land, including damage to cash crops, fencing, equipment, pas-tures and landscaping. The total estimated crop damage in the 41-county survey area in 2011 was more than $57 million, and non-crop damage was estimated at $24 million. During a Q&A session, Mengak noted that the challenges in dealing with feral hogs are increased due to the animals reproductive capability. Sows are capable of reproducing at six months of age, and they can produce two litters of pigs every 13 months. The average litter is 8-10 pigs. Mengak said a variety of approaches to hog control are being studied. There are approaches to sterilizing sows with lethal doses of toxins that are effective. The chal-

By Jay Stone___________________________________

See FERAL HOGS page 18

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of a nearby land-grant university. In the long run we hope to have that farm deeded over to the Board of Regents and the university, Angle said. UGA re-cently received lease documents from the USDA to formalize the transfer. In related news, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved the sale of the 522-acre UGA Plant Sciences Farm in Oconee County for $11.4 million. Townley Family Partnership, which is buy-ing the farm, has agreed to let the CAES use parts of the farm rent free until 2016 as scientists finish their research. Angle said part of the proceeds will be used to purchase another farm, which the university is currently negotiating to buy for plant science research. Remaining funds from the sale of the Oconee County

Georgias peanut industry will be on the minds of motorists traveling through Tifton on Interstate 75 thanks to the new Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) head-quarters that opened July 31. Members of Georgias peanut and ag-riculture community gathered with elected officials for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the 6,400-square-foot building located off Exit 63B across the interstate from the Georgia Agriculture Museum, formerly known as the Agrirama. This event today is more than a build-ing dedication. It includes the conclusion of our 50th anniversary celebration, GPC Chairman Armond Morris said. Were excited about our new location. Consumers can come here and see all facets of peanut production from planting to processing. In addition to serving as the commis-sions office, the new building includes interactive exhibits designed to teach consumers how peanuts are grown and processed. Peanut plants are growing out-side the building, and peanut products are available for purchase in the lobby. A pond still under construction beside the building is being dug in the shape of a peanut. The GPC building, which looks like a welcoming farmhouse, was designed by Cadmus Design-Build and is the first net-zero energy building to be built for Georgias state government. The build-ing features alternative and renewable energy systems, including systems that utilize solar energy and rainwater and geothermal systems. Georgias peanut farmers now have a building that generates its own electric-ity. The best part is were absent a mort-gage payment. We built it for under $87 a square foot, including the parking lot, GPC Executive Director Don Koehler said. Almost everything that went into this building came from within a 500-mile radius. We used pine trees cut off this site to build cabinets throughout the building. Its been a team effort. Things happen not because theres a vision of I but a vision of we. U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Dist 8, who

serves on the House Agriculture Commit-tee, thanked the GPC for its efforts to pro-mote Georgia peanuts, saying, Agriculture is one of the pillars of our economy in this country, and the Georgia Peanut Commis-sion has done an excellent job making sure that peanuts are a staple of our diets. Commemorative bricks will be placed

in front of the GPC building and com-memorative benches are being placed on the wraparound porch. Brick prices are $250 for a 4x8, $500 for a 8x8 and $1,000 for a 12x12 brick. Benches are $5,000 each. To purchase a brick or bench contact Car-oline Coarsey at [email protected] or calling 229-386-3472.

lenge, he said, is targeting them in a way that overcomes the animals reproductive capacity while minimizing effects on other wildlife. The survey results present an opportu-nity to educate the public on topics related to pigs, Mengak said. For instance, many of the respondents were not aware that pigs are a non-native species or that they are a source of diseases. Some also seemed unclear on rules for hunting them. Men-gak indicated that there are no limitations or license requirements on hunting hogs on private land.

FERAL HOGS from page 17

GPC opens new headquarters on I-75

Pictured from left, front row, Georgia Peanut Commission Treasurer Rodney Dawson, GPC Director Donald Chase, Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall and Geor-gia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black join GPC Chairman Armond Morris, GPC Vice Chairman Joe Boddiford, GPC Advisory Board member Wes Shannon, Jimmy Blitch and GPC Director Tim Burch and other GPC Commission members and peanut leaders in cutting the ribbon for the new GPC building.

By Jennifer Whittaker___________________________________

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RESEARCH FARM from page 5farm will be used to pay for improve-ments, repairs and renovations at other UGA farms.


The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has stopped considering new applications for agricultural water withdrawal permits in a 24-county area of Southwest Geor-gia as of July 30. The suspension of new permits does not apply to applications EPD had already received before its July 30 announcement. The suspension affects both agricultural groundwater and surface water withdraw-als in the lower Flint and Chattahoochee River basins in a region known as Subarea 4, which includes all or part of Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Crisp, Decatur, Dooly, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Sumter, Terrell, Turner and Worth counties. In addition, agricultural surface water withdrawal applications will not be consid-ered for parts of Calhoun, Chattahoochee, Clay, Early, Marion, Randolph, Schley, Stew-art, Sumter, Terrell and Webster counties in areas outside of Subarea 4. The water resources affected by the sus-

pension are a significant source of water for irrigation, EPD Director Jud Turner said in a released statement. A continued increase in withdrawals from these resources may ul-timately lead to unacceptable impacts to ex-isting users or compromise the sustainable capacities of these resources. The suspension applies to new applica-tions for groundwater withdrawal from the Floridan aquifer, as well as applications for surface water pumping from streams and riv-ers in the Spring Creek, Ichawaynochaway Creek, Kinchafoonee-Muckalee Creek and Lower Flint River sub-basins in the Flint River Basin. The suspension also applies to applica-tions to modify existing permits. This suspension will give us time to up-date the mathematical models used to assess water resources in the area and to evaluate the impact of increased withdrawals, Turner said. The suspension will be re-evaluated an-nually beginning in November 2013.

The suspension does not apply to permit applications from other areas of the lower Flint and Chattahoochee River Basins. For more information contact the EPD Agricul-tural Permitting Office in Tifton at 229-391-2400 or visit http://www.gaepd.org/Docu-ments/news.html.

EPD suspends consideration of new ag water permits in parts of SW Ga.

Farmers in 33 Georgia counties have until Nov. 30 to register to win $2,500 for a char-ity of their choice in the 3rd Annual Amer-icas Farmers Grow Communities program sponsored by Monsanto. Suggested charities include local 4-H or FFA programs, fire de-partments, hospitals, libraries or schools. No purchase is necessary to win. Because of the negative impact the drought is having on the U.S. corn and soybean crops, winning farmers from counties that received drought disaster designations from the USDA will have a chance to direct an additional $2,500 donation to a local non-profit to ad-dress community needs due to the drought. All of Georgias eligible counties have received USDA drought disaster designations. Eligible counties are: Appling, Baker, Ber-rien, Bleckley, Brooks, Bulloch, Burke, Cal-houn, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Crisp, Decatur, Dooly, Early, Grady, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jeffer-son, Lee, Macon, Miller, Mitchell, Screven, Seminole, Sumter, Tattnall, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Turner, Wilcox and Worth. Each of these counties planted at least 30,000 acres of corn, soybeans, cotton and/or vegetables in 2011. The program is open to farmers age 21 and over in eligible counties, actively farming a mini-

Nov. 30 deadline to enter Monsanto charity program 33 counties qualify for $165,000 in donations

mum of 250 acres of corn, soybeans and/or cot-ton or 40 acres of open field vegetables or at least 10 acres of tomatoes, peppers and/or cucumbers grown in greenhouses or under plastic. One winner will be drawn from each county. Monsanto will announce winning farmers and their recipient charities in Janu-ary 2013. Visit http://www.growcommuni-ties.com or call 1-877-267-3332 to apply. Community non-profits that wish to encour-age farmers to support their cause may do so at the aforementioned website.

AmericusPreston

Shellman

Edison

Blakely

Buena Vista

Colquitt

Bainbridge

Albany

Cordele

IchawaynochawayCreek

Spring

MiddleFlint

LowerFlint

LowerChattahoochee

Kinchafoonee-Muckalee

Ichawaynochaway

Flint

Rive

r

Kinchafoonee Creek

SpringC

reek

Muckalee

Creek

SEMINOLE

DECATURGRADY THOMAS BROOKS

MILLER COLQUITT

COOK

MITCHELL

BAKEREARLY

TIFTCALHOUN DOUGHERTY

CLAY

WORTH

TURNER

LEERANDOLPH TERRELL

QUITMAN

CRISP

WILCOXSTEWART

WEBSTER

SUMTER

DOOLY

PULASKI

SCHLEY

CHATTAHOOCHEE MACONMARION

MUSCOGEEHOUSTON

TAYLOR

Cities SW Suspended GW and SW Suspended

Subarea4 Lake Seminole Counties


AROUND GEORGIANews from County Farm Bureaus

BUTTS COUNTY Butts County Farm Bureau held its 25th Annual Farm Day in May, attended by 300 kindergarten students from the countys three elementary schools. Educational exhibitors included: local veterinarian Alan Burdette, who brought his mare, Annie; Stephanie and Kevin Hardy, who brought Wilbur the pig and Isaac the donkey; Christina Rogers of Dauset Trails who allowed the students to touch Big Mama the snake; Kelly Dirito who brought a parrot, a kitten and a variety of plants from Colliers Greenhouse, including blueberries. Nicole Karstedt, coordinator of the Georgia Milk Producers, Inc., mobile dairy classroom, is shown demonstrating how dairy farmers milk cows The City of Jackson Police Department and the Butts County Sheriffs Office brought police vehicles and the Jackson Fire Department brought fire trucks to teach the children about the importance of safety. The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Bear and Pig also attended. Hamilton State Bank provided the pecan grove behind their building for the event, provided volunteers and a sack lunch of grilled hotdogs, chips, fruit gummies and a cold drink for the children, bus drivers and event volunteers. Farm Day is a great opportunity for students to gain an interest in farming and the farming process, said BCFB Farm Day Coordinator Mary Ruth Watson.

CARROLL COUNTY Residents of Carroll County have a better understanding of how to raise honeybees thanks to a class that Carroll County Farm Bureau sponsored June 30. Georgia Farm Bureau Honeybee Committee Chairman Bobby Rowell was the speaker. Rowell covered the basics of beekeeping and answered in-depth questions

from the 47 people who participated in the event.

CHEROKEE COUNTY Last year the Cherokee County Farm Bureau (CCFB) office sponsored two fourth- grade teachers from Free Home Elementary School to attend the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference. The teachers enjoyed the tour of a hydroponics farm so much they decided to teach their fourth-grade students how to grow plants in water. CCFB Director James Dault, who grows herbs and other produce hydroponically, installed a hydroponics system in the teachers classroom to give the students hands-on experience growing plants in water. CCFB Program & Education Chairman Nichelle Stewart, rear left and Free Home Elementary 4th Grade Teacher Carmen Power, rear right, are pictured with some of the students who participated in the hydroponic lesson.

COFFEE COUNTY Coffee County Farm Bureau hosted a dinner in May for the senior members of the Coffee County 4-H and FFA and their advisors. Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer Program Specialist Jed Evans was the guest speaker. Evans encouraged the seniors to continue their education and to always be a positive voice for agriculture. He also told the group about the many programs and activities Farm Bureau offers young farmers. CCFB presented each student with a small gift as a token of their admiration for their leadership, commitment and achievements in their respective clubs.

COLQUITT COUNTY Colquitt County Farm Bureau (CCFB) promoted June being Georgia Beef Month by distributing educational brochures at Harveys Supermarket in Moultrie. Pictured from left are CCFB member/Colquitt County Cattlemens Association member Stan


Savage and CCFB Womens Committee members Erline Cannon, Sandra Matthews and Charlotte Wingate.

ELBERT COUNTY The Elbert County Farm Bureau Womens Committee and Elbert County Cattlemens Association held a Cow Chow Tour for Elbert County 4-Hers in May to educate the 4-Hers about beef production. The tour first visited Southern Farm and Feeds, then stopped at RC Farms where Ron Ward discussed and demonstrated the different ways of feeding beef cattle. The tour group enjoyed a hamburger lunch at RC Farms before traveling on to the Eastanollee sale barn and the UGA meat lab in Athens. FORSYTH COUNTY Forsyth County Farm Bureau (FCFB) promoted agriculture and Farm Bureau membership, benefits and programs during the Warbington Farms Strawberry Festival in May. FCFB volunteers promoted agriculture by helping the kids plant sunflower seeds in terrariums made of plastic cups they could take home and watch the seeds grow. FCFB Womens Committee Chairman Dawn Hall, left, and FCFB County Secretary Tammy Bagley, far right, help kids make their sunflower seed terrariums. Volunteers also promoted Farm Bureau membership with displays promoting member benefits and program activities and by distributing membership applications.

HALL COUNTY Hall County Farm Bureau (HCFB) collaborated with the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce and the Hall County Extension Service to hold an Ag Day event in May at Wauka Mountain Multiple Intelligences Academy. The event, attended by about 500 first through fifth-grade students, was part of the

weeklong Feed My School Program held at the school May 7-11. HCFB volunteers manned numerous booths and activity stations at the event, which let the students pet farm animals, see farm equipment and learn how tomato plants are grown. The Georgia Milk Producers Mobile Dairy Classroom provided a milking demonstration. Hall County Farm Bureau Bob Williams is pictured teaching students how to lasso a steer made of hay.

HARRIS COUNTY Second and fourth-grade students got to experience farm life during the annual farm day Harris County Farm Bureau (HCFB) held in May. HCFB members Barbara and J.B. Short hosted the event at their Sunnyside Farm in Pine Mountain. Students enjoyed a hayride around the farm, which allowed them to observe cattle, donkeys, horses, and goats grazing in the fields and to see fields of vegetables and blueberries. Students took turns grinding corn to feed the chickens with old-fashioned corn grinders. The students also learned the different parts of a horse saddle and had the chance to lasso a steer made of hay. HCFB volunteer Betty Beagle taught a lesson on honeybees and provided a 100-year-old rope machine the students used to make jump ropes. The farm day ended with old-fashioned games and relay races and snow cones.

HENRY COUNTY Henry County Farm Bureau (HCFB) held its annual fish fry in June at the HCFB office. Candidates running for local and state offices were invited to speak along with other distinguished visitors and Farm Bureau members. Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall was the guest speaker. Fish fry attendees enjoyed a delicious fish dinner and were able to learn more about Farm Bureau membership benefits. HCFB President Ross McQueen and his wife Carol provided after-dinner entertainment as they played guitars and sang, accompanied by Gary Crenshaw on the banjo.

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MADISON COUNTY The Madison County Farm Bureau (MCFB) Womens Committee held a canning and food preservation class in late May. Members of the Womens Committee shared ways to save money while preparing nutritious foods. Class participants learned the basics of canning and watched demonstrations about freezing and storing produce. MCFB Womens Committee Chair Mandy Moon is pictured demonstrating how to make strawberry freezer jam.

OCONEE COUNTY Oconee County Farm Bureau held its 2nd Annual Dairy Day June 15. Two preschools attended the event at the OCFB office. The children were treated to samples of milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream. Nicole Karstedt, mobile dairy classroom coordinator for the Georgia Milk Producers, Inc., showed the kids how to milk a cow. The kids also enjoyed games, face painting and took home Whats up with Milk? coloring books, dairy pencils, dairy and beef wrist bands, and information on beef, GFBs commodity of the year.

TURNER COUNTY Turner County Farm Bureau (TCFB) hosted a class for the Turner County Alternative Services Center in May at the TCFB office. TCFB Office Manager Karen McCurdy gave the center clients an overview about beef and dairy cows and dairy products. As part of the class McCurdy showed the center clients how to make butter, which they sampled with crackers.

UPSON COUNTY Upson County Farm Bureau (UCFB) held a farm day May 2 for the Upson-

Georgia Farm Bureau News - September 2012

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Transcript of Georgia Farm Bureau News - September 2012