GFB COUNTY PRESIDENTS MEET WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN D.C.

A group of 110 Georgia Farm Bureau members and staff heard updates from Georgia’s Congressional delegation on the farm bill, labor and immigration issues, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) and animal agriculture regulation during the annual county presidents’ trip to Washington April 16-19. The group presented congressmen with the organization’s stances on these issues.

The group presented the Friend of Farm Bureau Award to Reps. Austin Scott (R-8th Dist.) and Jack Kingston (R-1st Dist.) and Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson. The award is given based on voting records by members of Congress on priority issues set by the American Farm Bureau Federation, as well as the number of bills each member introduced or co-sponsored, leadership on AFBF’s priority issues and how accessible and responsive that member is to Farm Bureau members.

During a breakfast on April 17, the GFB group received issues briefings from American Farm Bureau staff, including Senior Director of Congressional Relations Mary Kay Thatcher, who discussed progress on the farm bill. On April 18 Chambliss and Isakson provided updates on farm issues in the Senate.

The WRDA (introduced as S. 601) would establish policies and priorities for the Army Corps of Engineers to authorize federal water projects, but Section 2015 of the bill would place limits on withdrawals from Corps of Engineers reservoirs, including Lake Lanier, to less than half of current levels. Exceeding the limits would require Congressional approval. The GFB group urged the Georgia delegation to resist passage of the WRDA if it included Section 2015.

AFBF Executive Director of Public Policy Dale Moore talked about the HSUS/United Egg Producers agreement and efforts in Congress to renew the Animal Drug User Fee Act (ADUFA). Georgia Farm Bureau members carried messages to their representatives on both issues. They conveyed the organization’s opposition to the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2012, which would allow the federal government to regulate the size of layer hen enclosures.

Similar legislation is expected in the 113th Congress. Farm Bureau members believe passage would lead to greater regulation of other livestock and poultry practices, and the GFB group expressed that decisions on animal care should be based on scientific evidence and expertise provided by veterinarians rather than ballot initiatives and animal rights activists.

The GFB group requested that ADUFA be reauthorized without amendments that might restrict farmer access to antibiotics and other critical animal health tools.

April 24, 2013 www.gfb.org Vol. 31 No. 17

Leadership Alert page 2 of 8 FARM MONITOR TO AIR FIRST “MEALS FROM THE FIELD” SEGMENT

Georgia Farm Bureau’s “Georgia Farm Monitor” television show will begin a monthly cooking segment titled “Meals from the Field” with the show airing April 27 – May 1 on stations

across Georgia and RFD-TV. The segment will usually air during the last show of each month. “Meals from the Field” is a collaboration between the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) and Georgia Farm Bureau’s Certified Farm Market program.

Each segment will feature easy-to-make recipes prepared at the GDA’s Georgia Grown kitchen using Georgia commodities from a GFB Certified Farm Market.

“This is an exciting new partnership with the Commissioner of Agriculture and his Georgia Grown

program,” said GFB President Zippy Duvall. “We think these monthly segments will be a great way to promote a commodity that is in season or associated with a particular time of year while also promoting our Certified Farm Market members.”

In the first installment of “Meals from the Field,” Marcia Crowley, a GDA nutritional specialist, and Georgia Farm Monitor Anchor Ray D’Alessio show viewers how to prepare strawberry dishes beyond the traditional strawberry shortcake. Crowley shares her recipes for strawberry vinaigrette salad dressing and strawberry salsa using strawberries from Southern Belle Farm in McDonough and Elliott Farms in Lizella. You can’t completely abandon desserts, so they end the segment with a strawberry cobbler recipe.

There are you-pick strawberry farms across the state for families to get fresh strawberries. Visit http://www.gfb.org/commodities/cfm to learn more about GFB’s Certified Farm Markets and to access a list of farms growing strawberries.

The recipes from each month’s segment of “Meals from the Field” will be available on the GFB recipe web page at http://www.gfb.org/recipes/. You can also view the cooking segments on the Farm Monitor YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/Georgiafarmmonitor. Visit http://www.farm-monitor.com/stations.htm for a schedule of stations and times the Monitor airs.

SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION EXPECTED IN 2013 VIDALIA ONION CROP

The Vidalia region has seen an unexpectedly slow start to harvest which resulted from above average rainfall and unseasonably cold weather as late as Easter weekend. Now, growers have uncovered another issue with their 2013 crop. Seed stems, also referred to as “bolters,” “flower stalks,” or “seeders,” are showing up throughout the Vidalia onion production district in disturbing numbers, according to a release from the Vidalia Onion Committee.

The committee has received reports of widespread high percentages of seed stems that were noticed late last week and through the weekend across the production area.

During the growing season, multiple stress factors can affect the health of an onion and lead to seed stems. The condition causes the core of an onion to become hollow, which results in rapid deterioration of the entire onion. Onions that do have seed stems are easily recognizable during the grading process and can be removed, so consumers should not notice a drop in quality at retail.

Vidalia onions began shipping on April 15, with fresh supplies normally available through early June. With available storage capacity, shippers are generally able to ship storage supplies through August.

Leadership Alert page 3 of 8 MOVEMENT ON FARM BILL EXPECTED IN COMING WEEKS

Markup proceedings on the House and Senate farm bill proposals are expected to take place in May.

During a breakfast in Washington on April 17, American Farm Bureau Federation Senior Director of Congressional Relations Mary Kay Thatcher said the Senate Agriculture Committee appears ready to mark up that chamber’s farm bill in early May, shortly after Congress returns from recess. According to published reports, the House Ag Committee has scheduled markup for May 15. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, a member of the Senate Ag Committee, also said the committee was moving toward an early May markup, the process in which legislation is revised before presentation to the full chamber.

At the April 17 breakfast, part of the Georgia Farm Bureau County Presidents’ Trip to Washington, Thatcher warned that the longer Congress delays passing a farm bill, the less money is going to be available for farm programs.

“If you can send only one message about the farm bill, it should be that we’ve got to get it done,” Thatcher said. “I think we can get it done this year.”

Chambliss said he expected the farm safety net portion of the bill to be weakened, though he is cautiously optimistic a farm bill will get done.

“One of the accomplishments I want to see come to pass is a writing of a new farm bill that continues to provide the right kind of safety net for farmers and ranchers all across America,” Chambliss said.

The 2008 farm bill expired in 2012 and Congress extended it to Sept. 30, 2013. The Senate passed a long-term farm bill in 2012, as did the House Ag Committee, but the measure was not introduced for debate or a vote in the full House.

IMMIGRATION BILL INTRODUCED IN SENATE

A group of senators introduced a bill to address immigration issues, including those related to agricultural labor, in the early morning hours of April 17. The bill, S. 744, is called the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act. American Farm Bureau participated in the negotiations that generated the agricultural portions of the bill, and the Agricultural Workforce Coalition (AWC), of which AFBF is a part, supports the legislation, which was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 22.

S.744 includes the creation of a “blue card” program for experienced farm workers, allowing them to obtain legal status by satisfying criteria like passing background checks, paying fines and proving they’ve paid taxes. Those workers would be required to continue working in agriculture before having the chance to get a green card.

The bill also would establish an agricultural worker program for future guest workers. It would eventually replace the current H-2A program and would allow ag employers to hire guest workers either under contract or at-will. Visa holders would be able to work in the country under 3-year visas and work for any designated agricultural employer. The program would be administered by the USDA.

During the Georgia Farm Bureau County Presidents’ trip to Washington, American Farm Bureau Federation Director of Congressional Relations Kristi Boswell told the GFB group about the bill, saying it calls for a streamlined application process and includes a provision that allows the agriculture industry to be the last industry required to implement e-Verify.

Leadership Alert page 4 of 8 2013 GEORGIA FFA CONVENTION April 25-27 Macon Centreplex Macon The 85th Georgia FFA Convention features a keynote address from motivational speaker Rick Rigsby, a concert by The Farm and addresses by National FFA Secretary Kalie Hall and Small Town Big Deal host Rodney Miller. Through a partnership between Alltech and RFD-TV, video feeds of the general sessions will be available online. to laptops, desktops, mobile phones and tablet computers. It will be available live or on-demand at www.ihigh.com/gaffa or at www.MYRURALTV.com. For more information about the Convention or the live broadcast, contact the Georgia FFA Association at gaffa@uga.edu or visit georgiaffa.org. GFB ACCEPTING ENTRIES FOR 2013 PHOTO CONTEST The Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer Committee is accepting entries for its 4th Annual Picture Agriculture in Georgia Contest through April 26. The contest is open to any Georgia Farm Bureau member who receives no income from photography. The contest is intended to show off the beauty and/or humor of Georgia’s rural life. Cash awards will be presented in two categories: Farm Bureau Members and Farm Bureau Employees. Prizes for the member category are: 1st Place - $150 and 11 Honorable Mentions - $75 each.The winner of the member category will be featured on the front of the 2014 GFB Young Farmer Calendar. Prizes for the employee category are: 1st Place - $100, 2nd Place - $75, 3rd Place - $50. Only digital photos that are a minimum of 1 megabyte (MB) in file size may be submitted with a limit of two entries per person. All photos must have been shot in Georgia in 2012 or 2013. Photos altered in any way will not be judged. All photos become the property of GFB. Digital photos must be sent as a JPEG file attachment via email to yf@gfb.org by 4:30 p.m. on April 26. If children or people are included in photos, you must complete a model release entry form that must be received by GFB by 4:30 p.m. April 26 via fax or U.S. mail. Visit your county Farm Bureau office for complete contest rules, entry instructions and the model release form or visit the GFB website at http://www.gfb.org/programs/yf/photo.html. Contest winners will be posted on the GFB website in early August and featured in the fall issue of GFB’s Georgia Neighbors magazine. 14TH ANNUAL PANHANDLE MULE DAY April 27 Panhandle Mule Farm 9 a.m. Reynolds The heritage of breaking land comes alive at this annual event that provides fun for the whole family. Mule Day features antique engines, tractors and implements on display, mule-drawn plowing and live entertainment. For more information call Steve Montgomery at 478-837-1044. GATE INFORMATIONAL MEETING April 30 Putnam County Extension Office 7 p.m. Eatonton Representatives from the Georgia Department of Agriculture will clarify details of the Georgia Agricultural Tax Exemption (GATE) and help agricultural producers understand how to effectively take advantage of the tax savings that GATE offers. Individuals will also have the opportunity to register for GATE online during the meeting. Please call 706-485-4151 or email the Putnam Extension Office at uge3237@uga.edu by noon, onApril 30 to register.

Leadership Alert page 5 of 8 2013 YOUNG HARRIS/UGA BEEKEEPING INSTITUTE May 9-11 Young Harris College 8 a.m. each day Young Harris This event, one of the most comprehensive beekeeping educational events in the Southeast, offers classes for beekeepers at all levels of experience and the annual honey show. May 9 is dedicated training and certification exams for journeymen and master beekeeper qualifications, as well as the Welsh honey judge training, the first licensing program for honey judges in North America. May 10 and 11 provide training and certification, including individual and colony biology, low-tech beekeeping, occupational safety and much more. Registration fees for 18 and older is $110 for one day and $175 for two days. For ages 11-18, fees are $50 for one day and $80 for two days. Participants are urged to preregister by April 30. On-site registration is allowed on a space-available basis, but classes generally fill up quickly. For more information, visit http://www.ent.uga.edu/bees/young-harris/index.html or contact Tabitha Davidson at tabithakristine@gmail.com or 770-329-9449. HOUSTON COUNTY EXTENSION OPEN HOUSE May 1 Houston Extension Office, courthouse top floor 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Perry The Houston County Extension Office will host an Open House for the public to come and meet the three new Extension Agents who will be in the Perry office. The Open House will be held in the Multipurpose Room of the Houston Extension Office, which is located on the top floor of the old courthouse in downtown Perry, 801 Main Street. The community is invited to come and greet Charlotte Mote, the Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent and County Extension Coordinator, April Baggs, the 4-H agent, and Rebecca Creasy, the Family and Consumer Science Agent and Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program Coordinator. All three ladies will be present and anxious to meet those whom will be served by their presence in Houston County. There will be short remarks at 5 p.m. by Laura Perry Johnson, the Southwest District Director for Extension. All who plan to attend are urged RSVP by calling Sharon Horne at 478-987-2028 or emailing her at shorne@uga.edu. GEORGIA CENTENNIAL FARM NOMINATION DEADLINE IS MAY 1 The Georgia Centennial Farm Program, which recognizes to historic farms and encourages their preservation is accepting nominations for farms to be honored during the Georgia National Fair in October. Each nominee farm must be a working farm with a minimum of 10 acres of the original purchase actively involved in agricultural production and must generate at least $1,000 in annual farm-generated income. In addition, farms must have been continuously farmed by members of the same family for at least 100 years. For more information, contact Steven Moffson, Chair of the Georgia Centennial Farm Committee, at 404-651-5906 or at steven.moffson@dnr.state.ga.us. The postmark deadline for applications is May 1 of each year. Applications are available online at www.georgiacentennialfarms.org. FILING FOR WOMEN, HISPANIC FARMERS EXTENDED TO MAY 1 The filing period has been extended to May 1 for women or Hispanic farmers alleging discrimination by the USDA in loan application or loan servicing processes between 1981 and 2000. The voluntary claims process, which is offered as an alternative to litigation, will make available at least $1.33 billion for cash awards and tax relief payments, plus up to $160 million in farm debt relief to eligible claimants. There are no filing fees to participate. For more information call 1-888-508-4429 or visit https://www.farmerclaims.gov.

Leadership Alert page 6 of 8 SMALL RUMINANT PARASITE CONTROL CONFERENCE May 20-22 Pettigrew Center, Fort Valley State University Fort Valley This “train the trainer” symposium for parasite management will educate stakeholders in the small ruminant industry on the most up-to-date methods and recommendations for parasite control. Training and certification will also be provided in integrated parasite management in small ruminants, including sheep, goats, alpacas, llamas and others. Full registration is $250 per person until May 1 and $300 after May 1. Registration for one day of the conference is $125 until May 1 and $150 after May 1. For more information or to register, visit http://www.fvsu.edu/acsrpc_registration. MONROE COUNTY HERD SALE May 4 Sleepy Creek Farm 12:30 p.m. Forsyth This sale will feature 75 bred heifers. Data available on the heifers includes A.I. breeding and sire EPD’s, pelvic area, frame score, disposition score, weight per day of age and average daily gain. All heifers will sell confirmed safe in calf to calving ease Angus bulls. For more information contact the Monroe County Extension office by phone at 478-994-7014 or by email at uge2207@uga.edu. Information about the sale may also be found online at http://www.caes.uga.edu/extension/monroe/HERDProgram/herd.html. MAY 10 IS DEADLINE FOR GFB YOUNG FARMER AWARDS GFB is accepting applications for the Young Farmer Achievement Award and the new Young Farmer Excellence in Agriculture Award through May 10. GFB members between the ages of 18-35 may apply for these awards. The Achievement Award will recognize an outstanding young farmer or couple whose primary income is derived from farming. The Achievement Award winner will receive $500 and an Arctic Cat 4x4 ATV. Two finalists will each receive $500. The Excellence in Agriculture Award will recognize an outstanding individual whose primary income is not derived from farming. Extension agents, FFA advisors and ag lenders are examples of individuals who may apply for this award. The Excellence in Agriculture Award winner will receive $2,500 and two finalists will each receive $500. Applications are available at county Farm Bureau offices. Three finalists will be named for each contest at the GFB Young Farmer Leadership Conference on Jekyll Island July 12-14. The state winner of each award will be announced during the GFB convention in December. Both state winners will receive an expense-paid trip to San Antonio, Texas, to compete at the AFBF Convention next January for the chance to win a 2014 Chevrolet or GMC pickup truck. ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION SCHOOL May 20-22 Calhoun Stockyards Calhoun This comprehensive three-day course includes 14 hours of classroom instruction and 10 hours of lab work with cattle, offering students the opportunity to learn artificial insemination techniques and herd management under skilled supervision. Sessions run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Curriculum includes anatomy and reproduction, fertility, heat detection, nutrition, genetics and sire selection and more. Registration is $350 for adults and $300 for college and high school students, which covers the cost of supplies and practice cows. Discounts are available for multiple members of the same family. The program is limited to 15 students. Registration and fees are due by May 10. For more information contact Allen Southard at 678-617-2945 or Chris Franklin at 706-263-2008 or chris@feonow.com.

Leadership Alert page 7 of 8 GEORGIA OLIVE PRODUCERS ANNUAL MEETING AND CONFERENCE May 10 The Threatte Center 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Lakeland This meeting will provide a wide range of informations to growers, potential new growers, researchers, developers support industries and government agencies working in the expansion of the olive oil industry in Georgia and the Southeastern U.S. Kimberly Holding of the American Olive Oil Producers Associaion will give the keynote address, and legislative updates will be provided by Paul Miller of the Australian Olive Association and Jason Shaw of Georgia Olive farms. Registration is $50 for members and $100 for non-members. For more information contact Vicki Hughes at 229-300-9931 or georgiaolivegrowers@gmail.com. To register, visit http://georgiaolivegrowers.com/?page_id=428. GEORGIA MILK PRODUCERS HOLDING REFERENDUM UNTIL MAY 14 Georgia dairy producers have until May 14 to cast their ballots in the reaffirmation referendum currently underway for the Georgia Milk Producers (GMP), Inc. Ballots were mailed to producers on April 15. Every three years, GMP must hold a producer referendum as required by the Georgia Commodities Promotion Act. In order for GMP to continue, at least two-thirds majority (67%) of the Georgia dairymen voting must vote in favor of continuing the organization. GMP is funded through a one-cent per hundredweight assessment on all milk produced in Georgia. The assessment funds programs of education, promotion and communication. GMP activities include educational seminars for producers, promotional exhibits at public events and the Mobile Dairy Classroom. Producers who have not received a ballot by April 25 should contact the GMP office at 706-310-0020. NOTE: This vote is different from the referendum producers voted on in February that funds the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Milk and national milk promotion. WARBINGTON FARMS STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL Through May 18 Warbington Farms Cumming This series of fun-filled farm weekends features live music, inflatables, hayrides, a petting zoo and of course, those wonderful strawberries! Saturday hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday hours are 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Weekend admission is $8 for children and $5 for adults. For more information, visit http://www.warbingtonfarms.com or call 770-380-2920. USDA TO ACCEPT CRP APPLICATIONS MAY 20 – JUNE 14 The USDA will conduct a four-week general sign-up for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), beginning May 20 and ending on June 14. CRP is a voluntary program available to agricultural producers to help them safeguard environmentally sensitive land. Producers enrolled in CRP plant long-term, resource-conserving covers to improve the quality of water, control soil erosion and enhance wildlife habitat. Contracts on 3.3 million acres of CRP are set to expire on Sept. 30. Producers with expiring contracts or producers with environmentally sensitive land are encouraged to evaluate their options under CRP. Producers that are accepted in the sign-up can receive cost-share assistance to plant long-term, resource-conserving covers and receive an annual rental payment for the length of the contract (10-15 years). Producers also are encouraged to look into CRP's other enrollment opportunities offered on a continuous, non-competitive, sign-up basis and that often provide additional financial assistance. Continuous sign-up dates will be announced at a later date. For more information on CRP and other FSA programs, visit a local FSA service center or http://www.fsa.usda.gov.

Leadership Alert page 8 of 8 CALHOUN BEEF CATTLE REPRODUCTIVE MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP May 28 UGA NW GA Research & Education Center Calhoun Workshop begins at 6 p.m. in the livestock pavilion of the Northwest Georgia Research and Education Center. For more information contact Phil Worley at 706-624-1398 or by emailing pworley@uga.edu. GA HEIFER EVALUATION & REPRODUCTIVE DEVELOPMENT (HERD) SALE May 29 UGA NW GA Research & Education Center Calhoun Sale begins at 12:30 p.m. in the livestock pavilion of the Northwest Georgia Research and Education Center. For more information contact Phil Worley at 706-624-1398 or by emailing pworley@uga.edu. PROPERTY TAX & TAX APPEAL WORKSHOPS May 30 Gainesville First Baptist Church 8:15 a.m. - 1:45 a.m. Gainesville June 4 UGA Campus Conference Center 8:15 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. Tifton These workshops will provide Georgia’s forestry community with knowledge about the property tax process and tax appeal process. These seminars will address a summary of issues associated with property taxation of timberland in Georgia, potential solutions, and real life case studies on how to approach appeals. Workshop presenters will teach landowners what to expect when challenging tax appraisals and how to deal with the assessors when they feel they have been wronged. Cost for attendance is $65 per attendee and $35 for the second person in the same family. A $10 late fee will be assessed on all registrations received after May 15. Each workshop is limited to the first 150 registrants. For more information on the workshop location, speakers and agenda, call the Georgia Forestry Association at 478-992-8110, email info@gfagrow.org or visit www.gfagrow.org/ taxworkshops MAY 31 IS DEADLINE TO ENTER YF DISCUSSION MEET May 31 is the deadline to enter the 2013 GFB Young Farmer Discussion Meet. The state discussion meet winner will receive an Arctic Cat 500 ATV, $500 and an expense-paid trip to the 2014 AFBF Convention in San Antonio, Texas, to compete for national honors. The three finalists will each receive $350. The AFBF winner will receive a 2014 Chevrolet or GMC pickup truck. Visit your local Farm Bureau office for more details about the contest. The preliminary rounds of the 2013 GFB YF Discussion Meet will be held during the GFB Young Farmer Leadership Conference on Jekyll Island July 12-14. The four finalists will compete for the state title at the GFB Convention Dec. 8.  2013 GFB YOUNG FARMER LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE July 11-14 Jekyll Island Convention Center Jekyll Island This family-friendly event will provide educational, networking and social opportunities for young farmers. The preliminary rounds of the 2013 Young Farmer Discussion Meet, in which contestants compete for a variety of great prizes, will be held during the conference, which also features breakout sessions on a variety of topics. Registration deadline is May 31. For more information, contact GFB Young Farmer Coordinator Jed Evans at 478-474-0679, ext. 5230 or jcevans@gfb.org.