GFB OFFERING NEW FUTURES MONITORING SERVICE AS A MEMBER BENEFIT

Georgia Farm Bureau is now providing up-to-date futures market information viaautomated text message in its Futures at a Glance program.

Futures at a Glance, provided at no cost to GFB members, gives daily futures pricesfor the spot and harvest months on cotton, corn, wheat, soybeans and relevant pricingmonths for feeder cattle. Each update is sent by text message to the member’s cell phonewith information on the latest commodity prices. Comparable services normally cost$100 or more annually.

“With the rapidly changing conditions in the market, it’s more important than ever foragricultural producers to have current information to use in making business decisions fortheir farms,” said GFB President Zippy Duvall. “This is a service that will help makeGeorgia farmers more knowledgeable and aware of the marketplace.”

The GFB Commodities/Marketing Department provides marketing opportunities forgrains, soybeans and corn as well as other feed ingredients for GFB members, and alsoadministers the GFB Certified Farm Market program.

The information provided through the Futures at a Glance program will be shownusing symbols and numbers. The symbol for cotton is CT, corn is CN, wheat is WT,soybeans are SB and feeder cattle is FC. Those symbols will be followed by a two-lettermonth designation (for example, December will be shown as “DC”), a positive ornegative number indicating market movement and the current trading price. For grains,an additional 2, 4 or 6 at the end of the trading price indicates fractions of cents; 2 refersto 1/4 cent, 4 is 1/2 cent and 6 is 3/4 cent. For example, a message readingCNSP+104@4012, would translate to corn for the month of September is up 10 1/2 centsto $4.01 1/4.

Futures at a Glance will provide the morning, midday and closing prices for themarkets.

The service is available to all Georgia Farm Bureau members. Those who sign up forit assume the normal text-messaging costs charged by their cell phone providers. Toenroll in the program, contact your county Farm Bureau office, fill out the required formand have the county office staff return it to the home office.

For more information about Futures at a Glance, please visit the GFB Website athttp://www.gfb.org/commodities/futures_glance.html?fuseaction=events.foodweek orcall the GFB Commodities/Marketing Department at 1-800-342-1196.

March 10, 2010 www.gfb.org Vol. 28 No. 10

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HOUSE AG COMMITTEE REJECTS PROPOSED CUTS TO CROP PAYMENTSThe U.S. House Committee on Agriculture last week voiced opposition to President Barack

Obama’s proposed cuts in crop payments to higher-income farmers and federal support for cropinsurance under the Food, Conservation and Energy Act (FCEA) of 2008, also known as the2008 farm bill.

In a budget views and estimates letter to House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt (D-S.C.), Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Ranking Minority Member FrankD. Lucas (R-Okla.) noted that while net farm income may increase in 2010 over the previousyear, it’s still likely to be substantially lower than in 2008. This is compounded by the declines infarm asset value that have corresponded with the current economic crisis.

“We believe that it would be unwise to reopen the FCEA to reduce program benefits,”Peterson and Lucas wrote, “especially through proposals similar to those that, during the FCEAdebate, were considered and rejected.”

The farm bill allows crop payment eligibility for producers with adjusted gross income of upto $750,000 from on-farm sources and $500,000 for off-farm sources. Obama proposed phasedreductions to the income limits, trimming the on-farm limit to $500,000 over the next three yearsand the off-farm limit to $250,000. Obama also suggested reducing the cap on annual direct-payment subsidies to $30,000, a $10,000 drop from the $40,000 allowed in the farm bill.

The farm bill received widespread support from more than 1,000 organizations and passedboth the House and Senate by overwhelming majorities, in part because its sponsors took steps toensure that spending increases were offset by reductions in other areas, the letter said.

USDA ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION PLAN MEETS RESISTANCEThe USDA’s revamped plan leaving administration of a national animal identification system

to state departments of agriculture is meeting resistance from the House AgricultureAppropriations Committee.

Saying she did not think the system would work, committee chair Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.)said she wouldn’t agree to fund the $14 million plan for 2011. The USDA announced the planlast month at a mid-year meeting of the National Association of State Departments ofAgriculture.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the system would provide flexibility because itwould be carried out by states and tribal nations. The plan would only apply to animals moved ininterstate commerce and would encourage the use of low-cost technology.

The USDA initially worked to implement the National Animal Identification System (NAIS),which called for livestock producers to register their animals in a way that allowed them to betraced back to the farm within 48 hours in the event of a food-borne disease outbreak. After a 15-city listening tour, during which he determined there was insufficient support nationwide forNAIS, Vilsack opted to scrap it in favor of the plan relying on state-level administration.

IN SYMPATHYGeorgia Farm Bureau extends its heartfelt sympathy to GFB North Georgia Vice PresidentBernard Sims and his wife, Janet, in the loss of their son, Jeff, 43, who died following a heartattack March 5. Jeff is survived by his wife, Bonnie; daughter, Madison; sons, Luke and Noah;brother, Kevin; sister, Cindy Parris and grandmother, Bessie F. Houston. Condolences may besent to the Sims at 1608 Burning Bush Rd., Ringgold, Ga. 30736.

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BRAZIL ANNOUNCES RETALIATORY TARIFFS ON U.S. GOODSIn the ongoing trade dispute over the U.S. cotton program, Brazil released on March 8 a

list of U.S. goods that would be subject to increased import tariffs as retaliation, underauthorized by a World Trade Organization (WTO) compliance panel.

The new tariffs will amount to $590 million annually and go into effect in April. Thecotton components subject to tariffs account for $147 million of the total tariff amount. U.S.cotton exports to Brazil will carry the most severe increase in tariffs, rising from 6 percent to100 percent.

According to the Georgia Cotton Commission, Georgia is the second-largest cotton-producing state behind Texas with more than 900,000 acres of cotton planted in more than100 counties in 2008, and cotton-related industries provide more than 30,000 jobs in thestate. Statistics on the UGA College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences websiteindicate that about 40 percent of Georgia-grown cotton is exported, meaning the Brazil tariffscould have a profound impact on the state’s already struggling economy.

An additional retaliation of $238 million on services and intellectual property is alsoauthorized, but specific tariff lines have yet to be announced. Some observers believe thosetariffs, known as “cross retaliation,” are being planned in hopes that other sectors of theU.S. economy will push for changes in the cotton subsidy programs.

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), the chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture,Nutrition and Forestry, and Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) contend that the U.S.has eliminated the objectionable provisions in its cotton and export credit programs throughlanguage in the 2008 Farm Bill. Lincoln and Chambliss expressed hope that a settlementbetween the two countries could be reached. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said duringher visit to Brazil last week that she hoped for a negotiated settlement.

Brazil, the world’s second-largest cotton exporter, received authorization in August 2009from the WTO to levy the tariffs in retaliation for the U.S. government subsidizing its cottonproducers, a practice which Brazil brought into dispute in 2002, saying that it was causingeconomic harm to cotton producers in developing countries.

GEORGIA EPD WILL NOT ISSUE DROUGHT DECLARATION The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has assessed rainfall amounts and

stream flows and has determined that for the eighth straight year a drought declaration is notnecessary for the lower Flint River Basin, in accordance with the Flint River DroughtProtection Act.

EPD Director Allen Barnes noted that stream flows and groundwater levels are abovenormal and a higher-than-normal amount of rainfall is forecast over the next three months.

The Flint River Drought Protection Act was established to protect stream flow in thelower Flint River and its tributaries during a severe drought. According to the federalgovernment’s U.S. Drought Monitor, Georgia’s conditions are currently normal.

CORRECTIONAn item in last week’s Leadership Alert regarding southern pine beetle prevention funds

included an incorrect web address for more information. The correct address ishttp://www.gatrees.org/forestmanagement/spb.cfm.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

GA PEACH COMMISSION REFERENDUMThrough March 16 StatewideGeorgia peach producers are encouraged to vote in the referendum for the Georgia PeachCommission that runs from Feb. 15 to March 16. If you are a peach producer and did not receive aballot, contact the Georgia Department of Agriculture Commodities Promotion Division at 1-800-282-5852. The commission oversees peach production research and promotion of the Georgia peachcrop.

GEORGIA AGRICULTURE AWARENESS DAYMarch 16 Georgia Depot (beside Underground Atlanta) Atlanta Gov. Sonny Perdue and his Agricultural Advisory Council will host a celebration of Georgiaagriculture. Exhibits, food and entertainment will begin at 11 a.m. At 12:30 p.m., Gov. Perdue willname the state winner of the Environmental Stewardship Award for Agriculture and the grand prizewinner of the Flavor of Georgia Food Contest. Call 229-391-6882 for more information.

PUBLIC MEETING ON FDA PRODUCE SAFETY STANDARDSMarch 25 UGA Tifton Conference Center 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. TiftonFruit and vegetable growers are encouraged to attend this meeting to give their input on thenationwide safety standards the Food and Drug Administration is establishing for growing,harvesting and packing fresh fruits and vegetables. Topics will include worker health and hygiene,composting, wildlife/environmental concerns and water quality. Meals will be provided. For moreinformation contact the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association at 1-877-99GFVGA or sendan email to producesafety@georgetown.edu or call 202-687-2976. To register, visitwww.producesafetyproject.org.

GEORGIA TOBACCO COMMISSION REFERENDUM Ballots must be returned by March 25 StatewideGeorgia tobacco producers are urged to vote in the referendum for the Georgia Tobacco Commissionas required every three years by state law. If you are a tobacco producer and did not receive a ballot,contact the Georgia Department of Agriculture Commodities Promotion Division at 1-800-282-5852.The commission’s main research objective continues to be researching production practices andtreatments that will reduce symptoms of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus.

PEANUT PROUD FESTIVALMarch 27 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Downtown Square BlakelyJoin the fun with a 5K Run, peanut parade, food vendors, recipe contest, educational exhibits, antiquefarm equipment display, arts and crafts and speeches by Georgia’s 2010 gubernatorial candidates.For information, call 229-723-2802 or visit www.peanutproud.com.

GFB PREMISE LIABILITY WORKSHOPMarch 30 GFB Home Office 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. MaconThis free workshop will provide a general outline of premise law, how to recognize and limit liabilityproblems, different types of insurance coverage and what to do in the event of an accident. PleaseRSVP by March 26 by calling 800-342-1196 or emailing btashley@gfb.org.