LIVESTOCK SHOW CHAMPIONS HONORED AT GFB EVENT

Georgia Farm Bureau hosted the Evening of Grand Chmpions on March 29, honoring grand champions from the Georgia Junior National Livestock shows. GFB provided the prize money for the awards, and each champion was presented with a commemorative belt buckle by GFB President Zippy Duvall.

Nine species champions were honored as GFB distributed more than $16,000 in prize money.

“There’s a lot of things you get out of it, but when you win like this, to be able to be recognized is important. They work real hard and they show these animals and they win, and then it’s kind of over. We wanted it to have a little life after,” Duvall said. “We’re just extremely proud of each and every one of them.”

Three winners were recognized from the 4-H/FFA Market Goat & Lamb Show held last fall at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter. Brooke Helton of White County won the Grand Champion Market Goat Doe Award. Chase Roberts of Worth County won the Grand Champion Market Goat Wether Award. Hannah Dixon of Colquitt County won the Grand Champion Market Lamb Award.

Six winners were honored from the 2013 Georgia Junior National Livestock Show, held in February at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter.

GFB Young Farmer Chairman Garrett Ganas welcomed the group of winners along with their families and Extension agents or FFA adviser who assisted in their projects. They also heard congratulations from Georgia Department of Education Agricultural Education Program Manager Chip Bridges and state 4-H Leader Arch Smith, as well as a video message from Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black.

“I’m real thankful for Georgia Farm Bureau’s recognition of the champions, support of these champions” said Bridges, who noted that approximately 2,500 students from around the state competed in these shows. “Georgia Farm Bureau understands that the two greatest investments that can be made in the state of Georgia is our agriculture and our youth. So that investment is extremely important and we’re so thankful that they’re willing to do it.”

Duvall gave the keynote address, sharing his own experiences competing in livestock shows and urging the youth to be fearless and make a difference while encouraging them to be aware of their status as leaders.

Smith and Bridges presented GFB with a framed set of photos of the grand champions, which Duvall said would be displayed in the organization’s administrative offices.

April 3, 2013 www.gfb.org Vol. 31 No. 14

Leadership Alert page 2 of 7 GEORGIA EGG COMMISSION HOLDING REAFFIRMATION VOTE

The Georgia Egg Commission is holding a reaffirmation referendum through April 30 as mandated by state law. All state agricultural commodity commissions are required to hold

referendums every three years. In order for the referendum to pass, 66

2/3 percent of egg producers voting must be in favor of continuing the commission, which was established in 1961. Funding is through a mandatory assessment of 4.5 cents per 30-dozen case of eggs, which generates some $350,000 in annual revenue. The assessment proceeds fund promotion, education and research

activities. The referendum vote does not address the assessment level. The commission staff also manages the industry’s trade group, the Georgia Egg Association.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture has mailed ballots to egg producers who own birds and are paying into the program. Producers who have not received a ballot should contact the GDA at 1-800-282-5852 or the Georgia Egg Commission at 770-932-4622.

The commission has also announced the election of Dennis Hughes of Pierce County as chairman of its board of directors for the 2013 calendar year, succeeding Jerry Straughan, who was named as the board’s vice chairman.

Both Hughes and Straughan also serve on the board of the Georgia Egg Association, the state’s egg industry trade organization. Straughan was president from 1999 – 2001. Hughes currently serves as second vice president. Other egg producer board members are: Larry Thomason (Thomason’s Fresh Eggs, Calhoun); Gijs Schimmel (Centurion Poultry, Lexington); and Ky Hendrix (Rose Acre Farms, Madison). Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black and Georgia Farm Bureau president Zippy Duvall are ex-officio members. Advisors from the University of Georgia’s Poultry Science Department are Dr. Mike Lacy and Dr. Bruce Webster.

FEWER PEANUT ACRES ALLOWS EXPANSION OF OTHER GEORGIA CROPS

Georgia farmers are expected to plant 260,000 fewer acres of peanuts in 2013, clearing the way for increased plantings of several other crops according to a report by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Acreage is expected to increase for corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, tobacco and wheat.

Georgia growers intend to plant 475,000 acres of peanuts in 2013, down from 735,000 in 2012, a decrease of 35 percent. Plantings of corn are expected to increase from 345,000 acres in 2012 to 495,000 acres in 2013. The 43 percent expected increase in corn acreage is the largest among the state’s major field crops.

Georgia farmers planted 400,000 acres of winter wheat for the 2013 crop, up from 290,000 acres in 2012, a 38 percent increase. Cotton acreage in Georgia is expected to show a slight increase, from 1.29 million acres in 2012 to 1.3 million acres in 2013.

Georgia farmers are expected to plant 280,000 acres of soybeans in 2013, up from 220,000 acres in 2012. Plantings of oats are forecast at 60,000 acres in 2013, the same as in 2012, while sorghum acreage is projected to increase from 55,000 in 2012 to 65,000 in 2013 and tobacco acreage is forecast at 11,000 acres in 2013, up from 10,000 in 2012.

The state’s hay acreage is expected to decline by 3 percent, from 580,000 acres in 2012 to 560,000 acres in 2013.

Leadership Alert page 3 of 7 AFBF FOUNDATION RECOGNIZES GA TEACHERS, COUNTY FARM BUREAUS

Crawford County Farm Bureau (CCFB) members Dennis Peavy and Andrea Seagraves were among 10 teachers nationwide recently recognized by the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture for efforts to encourage agricultural literacy. Peavy is a fourth grade math, science and social studies teacher at Lake Joy Elementary School in Perry, Ga. Seagraves is a kindergarten teacher at the Crawford County Eagle’s Nest and won the 2012 Georgia Farm Bureau Excellence in Teaching Agriculture Award.

Both will receive $1,500 scholarships to attend the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Minneapolis, Minn., in June. Scholarship recipients were judged on past use of innovative programs to educate students about agriculture, future plans to implement information gained at the AITC conference in their classes and plans to share the information with other teachers. CCFB nominated the teachers for the award.

In related news, the AFBF Foundation for Agriculture also recently announced that the Crawford, Turner and Wilcox County Farm Bureaus will each receive a $500 mini-grant to fund new or expand existing ag literacy projects.

Crawford County Farm Bureau will use its grant to buy books about agriculture for Seagraves’ classroom and for county volunteers to use when they visit other classes.

Turner County Farm Bureau is going to give copies of the book “How Did That Get Into My Lunchbox?” and the accompanying educator’s guide to 18 kindergarten, first and second grade classes at the Turner County Elementary School and two copies for the school’s media center or library.

Wilcox County Farm Bureau plans to buy a compost tumbler for the Wilcox County Elementary School that will be used by science teachers planting a school garden for third, fourth and fifth grade students.

AFBF is accepting applications for the next round of the White-Reinhardt Ag Literacy Mini-Grants. County Farm Bureaus interested in applying for a grant will find instructions on the Georgia Farm Bureau Sharepoint website under Field Services/Ag Literacy/White Reinhardt Cycle 2 - 2013.

There are other tools on Sharepoint to help complete the application. If you would like GFB Ag in the Classroom Coordinator Donna Rocker to review your application before you submit it to AFBF, you must send a draft of the application to her by April 12. For help in completing the application contact Rocker at dhrocker@gfb.org. Once she has provided you with feedback, you will then need to submit the application online by May 1.

KOCH FOODS TO EXPAND POULTRY PROCESSING FACILITY IN HARRIS CO.

Koch Foods will expand its poultry processing facility in Harris County, creating 750 new jobs and investing $49 million, according to a press release from the office of Gov. Nathan Deal.

Koch Foods, one of five vertically integrated food processors in the nation, purchased an existing Cagle’s facility in 2012, retaining 350 jobs, the release said. During a two-phase expansion, the company added 350 jobs last year.

This second phase, incorporating two new processing lines, will create an additional 750 new jobs, bringing the facility’s total workforce to 1,400 jobs. Between 2010 and June 2012, the facility’s workforce had been reduced by 50 percent.

Leadership Alert page 4 of 7 GEORGIA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION 52nd ANNUAL CONVENTION April 3-6 Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter Perry This jam-packed four-day event covers all things beef, including a forage conference led by UGA’s Dr. Dennis Hancock, Pfizer Cattlemen’s College seminars on the topics of political/regulatory issues, risk management, nutrition and road safety; a livestock marketing seminar conducted by UGA’s Dr. Curt Lacy; the annual awards banquet; a the GCA general membership meeting; angus, hereford, commercial heifer and club calf sales; the annual Cattlemen’s Ball; and a new products and junior awards luncheon. Visit http://www.gabeef.org/gca/conventionregistration.htm for more information or to register. PLANTAPALOOZA April 6 Multiple locations 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Athens This plant sale at three University of Georgia locations, will be held at the State Botanical Garden, the Trial Gardens and the UGA Horticulture Club. Each sale offers a different experience and the opportunity to gather plants and information for a garden. All locations have free parking. Trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables and more will fill the Visitor Center and Conservatory and its front and back plazas at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 2450 S. Milledge Ave. Garden curators, horticulturists and master gardeners will be available to help visitors pick out plants. UGA horticulture professors will share their knowledge at the UGA Horticulture Club sale, located at the intersection of College Station and Riverbend roads. Allan Armitage, director of the Trial Gardens at UGA, will be offering tours and book signings at the trial gardens, located at 220 W. Green St., behind Snelling Dining Hall and next to the Pharmacy Building. Plantapalooza participants will receive a 5 percent discount stamp at each plant sale that can be used at the following local nurseries. All three stamps will add up to a 15 percent discount on full price plants during normal business hours that weekend. Additional information, including a list of participating retailers, is available at 706/542-6014 or http://plantapalooza.uga.edu. 2013 GEORGIA WATER RESOURCES CONFERENCE April 10-11 The Georgia Center for Continuing Education Athens The two-day conference features technical presentations, panel discussions and a poster session. Students can attend for free if they assist with conference activities. Discount registration is $110 for both days or $65 for one day before April 9. To register for the conference, wisit. http://tinyurl.com/amk6e2h. Hotel rooms also may be reserved through this website. The conference, held biennially since 1989, was spurred by a 1984 statewide water forum led by Georgia State University with funding provided by the Georgia Water Research Institute. For more information about the conference, visit http://www.gawrc.org/ or contact Jenny Yearwood at 706-542-0947 or Yearwood@uga.edu. BROAD RIVER BEEF CATTLE & FORAGE FIELD DAY April 17 Moore Cattle Company 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Washington This free event, sponsored by 2 Rivers Resource Conservation & Development, the NRCS, FSA, UGA Cooperative Extension, Wilkes County chapter of Georgia Young Farmers and the Central Savannah River RC&D, will begin with registration at 9 a.m. Topics to be covered are utilizing winter annuals, soil health benefits of managed grazing, fly control for beef cattle and low stress handling of cattle. Lunch will be provided. To register, contact Wilkes County Cooperative Extension at 706-678-2332.

Leadership Alert page 5 of 7 MOUNTAIN BEEF CATTLE FIELD DAY April 18 Georgia Mountain Research and Education Center Blairsville Georgia cattle farmers will gain useful research-based information at this free event, which is sponsored by AgGeorgia Farm Credit, Pasture Management Systems and Resaca Sun Feeds. The field day runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes lunch and refreshments, Topics include pasture ecology, soil and fertilizer management, beef cattle efficiency, weed control in pastures and hay field and fly control. For more information, call 706-745-2655. NRCS ACCEPTING AWEP APPLICATIONS THROUGH APRIL 19 Approximately $1.2 million in financial assistance has been approved for the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) in the Lower Flint River Basin project. Local NRCS offices will be taking applications through April 19. This project will improve water efficiency by deploying advanced irrigation management practices across 27 counties in Southwest Georgia. Funded practices include low pressure drop nozzle irrigation retrofits with end gun shut-offs, remote soil moisture monitoring, sod based rotation and variable rate irrigation. Everyone receiving assistance through AWEP must meet Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) eligibility requirements. For more information about specific AWEP projects visit: http://www.ga.nrcs.usda.gov, or visit the nearest USDA Service Center. WARBINGTON FARMS STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL April 20 – 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. NOMINATE A FARM MOM TO WIN $10,000 Nominations are being accepted for the 2013 America’s Farmers Mom of the Year Contest until 11:59 p.m. on April 23. To nominate a farm mom for the award, visit http://www.americasfarmers.com/farmmom/nominate. Complete rules and nomination instructions are available at http://www.americasfarmers.com/farmmom/rules.aspx. Nominations may also be submitted by mail to Osborn & Barr, Attn: America’s Farm Mom of the Year, 914 Spruce Street, St. Louis, MO 63102. Five regional winners will be selected and by a panel of judges from American Agri-Women and Monsanto. Online voting will determine the national winner, which will be announced on Mother’s Day, May 12. Each regional winner will win a $5,000 prize, and the national winner will get another $5,000. GEORGIA HERD SALE April 23 Tifton Bull Evaluation Center 12:30 p.m. Irwinville For more information contact Dr. Lawton Stewart at 706-542-1852 or lawtons@uga.edu or Patsie T. Cannon at 229-386-3683 or ptcannon@uga.edu 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.

Leadership Alert page 6 of 7 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. 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. The Georgia Centennial Farm Program is administered by the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources; Georgia Farm Bureau Federation; Georgia Department of Agriculture; Georgia Forestry Commission; and the Georgia National Fair and Agricenter. 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. 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. 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 7 of 7 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. each day. 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. 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. 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.