AG ISSUES SUMMIT COVERS TAXES, TRANSPORTATION, LABOR AND WATER

The joint Agriculture Chairmen Ag Issues Summit provided updates on sales tax exemptions, the upcoming transportation referendums, the importance of a viable workforce and state water planning. The summit, held July 18 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter, was hosted by Georgia House Agriculture Committee Chair Tom McCall (R-District 30) and Georgia Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Bulloch (R-District 11), and it was sponsored by Georgia Farm Bureau, the Georgia Agribusiness Council, the Georgia Poultry Federation and the Georgia Urban Ag Council. The meeting was attended by more than 100 farmers and leaders from agribusiness and agricultural organizations.

Sydne Smith of the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) and Mitchell 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 apply for the exemptions online or by mail. Smith anticipated the GDA would begin accepting the applications for exemption 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 rulemaking 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. Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) Director Jud Turner spoke about the state’s water planning. Turner discussed efforts to redesign the Flint River Drought Protection Act. Though flows were at record-low levels, the EPD didn’t declare drought on the Flint earlier this year because state funding wasn’t available to support the declaration in ways prescribed by the law and because the declaration wasn’t likely to improve stream flows.

“We’ve got to redesign the Flint River Drought Protection Act in a way that works and provides us some management tools because if we don’t, somebody else is going to do it for us. Whenever you’ve got an endangered species on any stretch of the river, you’ve got to be thinking about that potential,” Turner said.

Georgia Transportation Alliance Executive Director Doug Callaway presented information about the proposed transportation plan, known as T-SPLOST, on which Georgians will cast ballots in July 31 referendums.

Former state senator Sam Zamarripa, who is now executive director of the Essential Economy, talked about the organization’s studies into Georgia’s workforce to quantify workers who lack formal education or skilled-trade credentials.

July 25, 2012 www.gfb.org Vol. 30 No. 30

McCall

Leadership Alert page 2 of 6 GFB URGES SUPPORT OF BILL TO ALLOW METHYL BROMIDE USE

In a letter to U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee members Phil Gingrey (R-11th District) and John Barrow (D-12th District), Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall requested support for the U.S. Agriculture Sector Relief Act of 2012, which would allow critical use exemptions for agricultural use of methyl bromide.

Duvall noted that methyl bromide has been an important pest control tool used as a soil fumigant in vegetable production. Its non-critical use was phased out under the Clean Water Act to allow the U.S. to become compliant with the Montreal Protocol. Critical uses are available for approval, but the EPA has declined to approve critical use applications with increasing frequency. SUNBELT FIELD DAY SHOWCASES INNOVATIVE RESEARCH

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 Georgia's 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 applications 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 overview of the variety trials UGA is conducting at the Expo farm. Paulk said the team will start conducting maturity tests on the peanuts to determine optimal harvesting dates.

Will Young, sales representative for the BB Hobbs Company, told field day attendees about the subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system his company installed at eight inches below the soil surface under a plot of peanuts at the Expo Farm, in part to study the impact tape depth has on irrigation effectiveness.

Young said the tape is usually buried 12-14 inches deep on most farms so farmers can till their fields without damaging 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.

During the field day lunch, Reinke Southeast Territory Manager Mike Mills announced the donation of a new high-tech center pivot irrigation system to the Sunbelt research farm.

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.

Leadership Alert page 3 of 6 CAMPBELL RESEARCH FARM TRANSITIONS TO UGA CONTROL

The USDA’s J. Phil Campbell Sr. Natural Resource Conservation Center is in the process of being transferred to the University of Georgia, according to UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean Dr. Scott Angle.

The USDA’s operation of the Campbell farm was shut down as a result of federal budget cuts. Angle said that all the USDA employees have been transferred to other USDA labs, and that the facilities, land and animals of the Campbell farm are now under UGA control. It will be managed by CAES.

The farm, used in part to study watershed management and restoration of eroded cotton land, was one of several across the nation that were closed to USDA research in the FY 2012 budget move, and Congress approved an arrangement to have those farms transferred to the control of a nearby land grant university. Angle said UGA is waiting for lease documents from the USDA to formalize the transfer.

“In the long run we hope to have that farm deeded over to the Board of Regents and the university,” Angle said. “That requires an act of Congress ... so until that time there will be a lease.”

Angle said the Campbell farm’s proximity to the UGA campus in Athens will allow easy access for students. BISHOP URGES COMMERCE DEPT. TO WITHDRAW FROM MEXICO PACT

Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.), wrote to Acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank on July 18, calling for the withdrawal of a 1996 antidumping petition and the termination of the 2008 Suspension Agreement governing the importation of tomatoes from Mexico, according to a release from his office.

“I believe that the 2008 Agreement has not lived up to expectations and has had a detrimental impact on our domestic tomato industry,” Bishop wrote. “The agreement was intended to discourage, if not prevent, our Mexican trading partners from undercutting tomato prices in the United States. Unfortunately, however, that has not been the effect. Both the Mexican government as well as Mexican tomato producers have ignored the agreement in total.”

In 1996, an antidumping petition requesting relief from unfairly traded imports of fresh tomatoes from Mexico was filed by tomato producers from across the nation. After examining the facts, the United States government determined that there was reason to believe the tomatoes were being sold in this country at less than fair value at margins as high as 188 percent. Mexican tomato imports were worth about $1.8 billion last year.

U.S. tomato farmers are still reeling from the 2008 tomato salmonella recall as consumers quit buying tomatoes on the recommendation of the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Georgia alone, tomato growers lost over $14 million from tomatoes grown but not sold; growers nationwide lost more than $125 million.

By terminating the existing agreement, fair market competition will be restored, predatory actions on the part of tomato producers in Mexico will be stopped, and Georgia growers of all size will be unburdened by the flood of unfairly priced tomatoes on the market.

Leadership Alert page 4 of 6 GEORGIA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION SUMMER CONFERENCE July 26-29 Jekyll Island Kick off your boots and join us for another exciting summer event! Highlights include a golf tournament, keynote speeches by the Port Authority, U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance and the Georgia Department of Agriculture and plenty of social and business fun for the whole family. Visit http://www.gabeef.org/gca/summerconference.htm to register. Cost is $25 per family. Friday and Saturday meals are $15 each for adults and $10 each for children. GEORGIA GROWN FARMER SHOWCASE July 28 Atlanta State Farmers Market 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Forest Park The second Georgia Grown Farmer Showcase will feature dozens of vendors selling, fruits, vegetables, meats, multicolored eggs, beef and pork jerky, apple juice and apple products, alpaca yarn and products, cheeses, plants and flowers, jams, jellies, honey, bread, Georgia Grown T-shirts (in an assortment of fruit and vegetable colors) and more. For information contact Paul Thompson at 404-675-1782. The Atlanta State Farmers Market is located at 16 Forest Parkway, Forest Park. GEORGIA PEANUT COMMISSION RIBBON CUTTING & OPEN HOUSE July 31 New GPC headquarters building Tifton Join the Georgia Peanut Commission as it celebrates its 50th anniversary with the opening its new state-of-the art building on Fulwood Blvd., just off exit 63B on I-75. Ceremony begins at 10 a.m. For more information, call 229-386-3470. UPCOMING DEADLINES FOR FSA PROGRAMS Below are upcoming enrollment deadlines for programs administered by the Farm Service Agency: Aug. 1 Farm Reconstitutions (changes) for 2012 crop year Sept. 30 Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) Dates vary Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), check with FSA service center for dates) and Crop Insurance (Contact a crop insurance agent or the regional Risk Management Agency (RMA) office.) For more information about FSA programs visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov. FSA TAKING NOMINATIONS FOR COUNTY COMMITTEES The Farm Service Agency is accepting nominations for county committees through Aug. 1 To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area in which the person is a candidate. Farmers and ranchers may nominate themselves or others, and organizations representing minorities and women also may nominate candidates. For more information visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. FSA will mail ballots beginning Nov. 5. The ballots are due back to the local FSA office by Dec. 3. Newly elected committee members and alternates take office on Jan. 1, 2013.

Leadership Alert page 5 of 6 UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA TURFGRASS FIELD DAY Aug 1 UGA Griffin Campus 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Griffin The UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UGA Cooperative Extension, the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Georgia Urban Ag Council and the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture have partnered to conduct this field day, during which UGA researchers and Extension specialists will present the latest information on how to care for residential lawns and commercial golf courses. Field day topics will include controlling turf insects like mole crickets and white grubs and controlling turf weeds like crabgrass and dollar spot. For Spanish-speaking attendees, the field day will also be offered in Spanish. The field day is certified for Georgia Pesticide License credit hours: two hours for a private license and four hours in categories 21, 24 and 27. A barbecue and chicken lunch will be followed by displays and demonstrations of the latest turfgrass industry equipment. Registration for the field day is $65 and covers the day's program and lunch. Groups of four or more will receive a 10 percent discount. Students can attend for $20. For more information visit http://georgiafaces.caes.uga.edu/?public=viewStory&pk_id=4472. To register, call 770-229-3477 or visit http://www.georgiaturf.com. FALL VEGETABLE GARDENING CLASS Aug. 23 Houston County Extension Office 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Perry The Houston County Extension Office is offering a Fall Vegetable Gardening class to area homeowners who want to know how to double their growing season and enjoy fresh vegetables year round. The class will be taught in the Extension Office Multipurpose Room located on the top floor of the old courthouse in Perry. Cost for the class is $10 per person. Jeff Cook, UGA Extension agent, will be discussing cool weather crops, planting times, and pests. For a registration form, email mg@uga.edu or download one from the Extension website at http://www.caes.uga.edu/extension/houston/news.html. GARLICFEST 2012 Aug. 25 LoganBerry Heritage Farm 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Cleveland This annual celebration of the Garlic harvest is a free and fun family event. It includes lots of garlic, chefs, creative food, cooking demos, tastings, live music, artisans and animals. For more information, contact LoganBerry Heritage Farm at 706-348-6068 or visit http://www.loganberryheritagefarm.com. 2012 GARDEN ACADEMY Sept. 6-Oct. 23 Houston County Extension Office Perry This multi-week program is designed to help participants get the most from their plants through planning, preparation, and work. The course includes the most recent research-based information available to guide you in tending your landscape. Classes are schedueled for Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Extension Office Multipurpose Room in the Government Building (old renovated courthouse) in downtown Perry. The class fee of $120 includes all sessions, the Georgia Yardstick Workbook, and a collection of valuable Extension publications. This year’s theme is The Central Georgia Landscape. Learn more about landscape planning and plant selection, planting and maintenance. This will be an extended course planned and taught by UGA Specialists, Master Gardeners, Extension Agents, local professionals, and other gardeners. The class size is limited so register early! Contact the

Houston County Extension Office at 478-987-2028 or email mg@uga.edu for a registration form. Leadership Alert page 6 of 6 2012 AGROFORESTRY AND WILDLIFE FIELD DAY Sept. 20 University of Georgia Griffin Campus 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Griffin Registration is now being accepted for this unique educational event, sponsored by UGA, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Fort Valley State University, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the NRCS. The field day will provide information on ways land value can be enhanced. More than 25 topics will be showcased, including wildlife opening management; pond management; management for wild turkeys, doves and quail; selling and marketing timber; prescribed burning, cost-sharing assistance programs, GPS/GIS use in managing land and invasive insects, disease and plants. Registration is $25 before Sept. 3 and $35 after. Fee includes lunch, and those who register in advance will receive an Agroforestry & Wildlife Field Day baseball cap. For more information, visit http://www.caes.uga.edu/events/awfd/index.html. HAWKINSVILLE HARVEST FEST/PIGS & PRODUCE BARBECUE CONTEST Oct. 26 & 27 Courthouse Square Hawkinsville Better Hometown of Hawkinsville will host the annual Harvest Fest featuring the Pigs and Produce barbecue competition, an official contest sanctioned by the Georgia Barbecue Association. Along with some great professional barbecue teams and some very interesting ancillary categories, Hawkinsville will host two very unique events at this festival: The first ever Georgia State Boiled Peanut Championship sponsored by Hardy Farms Peanuts and the Old vs. New Faceoff. This head-to-head contest will be held on the courthouse square in downtown Hawkinsville between barbecue legend Myron Mixon of Jack’s Old South and his son, Michael Mixon of Jack’s New South. For more information, please visit http://www.hawkinsvilleharvestfest.com.