GEORGIA FARM BUREAU HOLDS ANNUAL CONVENTION

More than 1,400 Georgia farmers and agribusiness leaders from across the state met on Jekyll Island Dec. 4-6 for the 2011 Georgia Farm Bureau annual convention. The three-day convention included a trade show and commodity conferences where farmers heard updates on policy and production issues impacting Georgia’s major commodities.

During the general session on Dec. 4 convention attendees heard Gov. Nathan Deal, Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black and Georgia Insurance Commissioner

Ralph Hudgens along with the annual address from GFB President Zippy Duvall. Deal discussed trade, water, labor and budget issues, saying that the state is working to deepen

the Savannah harbor in preparation for 2014, when the Panama Canal will allow passage of larger ships. He also spoke of the drought conditions that returned to Georgia this year, and reiterated his commitment to dedicate $300 million over the four-year period of his term to build regional reservoirs to lessen the state's dependence on federally controlled reservoirs. Deal closed by voicing his commitment to being fiscally responsible and rebuilding the state’s financial reserves.

While delivering his annual address to Georgia Farm Bureau members, GFB President Zippy Duvall discussed how Farm Bureau has worked at the state and national levels to represent farmers on environmental issues and the upcoming farm bill, saying Farm Bureau would support a mirror image of the 2008 farm bill if it were possible because it has succeeded in providing Americans with a safe and abundant food supply, while helping farmers, but recognized the current budget crisis would likely require a much different farm bill.

Duvall also described the efforts Farm Bureau has made to fight metal theft, as increasing numbers of farmers in recent years have had copper wiring stripped from irrigation pivots and farm buildings by thieves.

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black reviewed changes at the Georgia Department of Agriculture, including the expansion of the Farmers & Consumers Market Bulletin subscription base and steps the department is taking to market Georgia grown products. He encouraged all Farm Bureau members to get involved in the legislative process and address issues such as taxes, the environment and metal theft while guarding against apathy, and he challenged Farm Bureau members to think of ways they could promote agriculture in their local communities, prepare young farmers to assume leadership roles in the organization and recruit new members.

Duvall ended the general session by announcing that Georgia Farm Bureau will celebrate it's 75th anniversary throughout 2012 and culminate the yearlong celebration at the 2012 annual convention. Convention attendees received 75th anniversary lapel pins to kickoff the celebration.

December 7, 2011 www.gfb.org Vol. 29 No. 49

Leadership Alert page 2 of 5 GFB PRESENTS STATE AWARDS

Newton, Greene and Crawford counties each were honored with the prestigious 2011 McKemie Award - the highest award given to a county for its outstanding member programs - during the GFB Convention.

Newton County, whose president is Brent Galloway, won for the over 2,601-member division. Greene County, whose president is Charles Crumbley, won for the 1,501 to 2,600 member division, and Crawford County, whose president is Edd Harris, won in the 0 to 1,500 member division. Finalist counties in the McKemie competition for the 0 to 1,500 member division were Bacon, Heard, Jasper, Meriwether, Upson and Wilcox counties. Finalists in the 1,501 to 2,600 member division were Berrien, Bibb, Floyd, Franklin, Harris, Pike, Polk, Spalding and Washington counties. Finalists in the 2,601-plus member division were: Barrow, Chattooga, Cherokee, Emanuel, Habersham, Henry, McDuffie, Madison and Stephens counties.

Chad and Julie Carlton of Polk County won the GFB Young Farmer Achievement Award. The Carltons maintain a flock of free-range laying hens and sell their eggs direct to the public. Sara Ervin of Jackson County won the Young Farmer Discussion Meet. Kyle Dekle of Habersham County, Skye Gess of Oconee County and Troy Windham of Laurens County were the other Discussion Meet finalists. Other state awards presented were Cherokee County (Outstanding Women’s Committee and Promotion & Education Award), Madison County (Outstanding Young Farmer Committee), Newton County (Outstanding Legislative Program) and Clayton County (Outstanding Member Services Award). Berrien County Farm Bureau Office Manager Phyllis Boyd won the Outstanding Secretary Award.

Jack Elkins, the late Henry County Farm Bureau president, was honored with the Georgia Farm Bureau Distinguished Service Award. This award, which was accepted by his wife Dianne is the highest honor GFB gives to one of its volunteer leaders and is designed to recognize volunteer Farm Bureau leaders who have made an outstanding contribution to the organization and agriculture over a long period of time. EPD OFFICIAL DISCUSSES REGIONAL WATER PLANS

The priorities for Georgia’s water use plans are not likely to change under new leadership at the Georgia Environmental Protection Division according to Cliff Lewis, assistant chief of the EPD’s Watershed Protection Branch. Gov. Nathan Deal recently announced that Allen Barnes was leaving EPD and that Jud Turner has been nominated by Deal as the new EPD Director.

Lewis spoke during the water commodity conference at the 2011 Georgia Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, reviewing the formation of regional and state water management plans and stressed that the EPD’s water priorities would continue to be the deepening of the Port of Savannah, exploring the potential for reservoirs in the Atlanta region and accounting for agricultural water use in the ongoing tri-state water negotiations between Georgia, Alabama and Florida. Lewis said the EPD is looking for ways to measure how much agricultural water use is consumptive.

“We don’t believe it’s 100 percent consumptive, but unfortunately we don’t have anything to back up another number,” Lewis said. “One thing we have heard loud and clear through the first round of regional water planning is that’s something that needs to stay on the radar.”

Troy Windham, Sarah Ervin

Leadership Alert page 3 of 5

GEORGIA FARM BUREAU ELECTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Georgia Farm Bureau voting delegates selected their state board of directors and officers for 2012 during the organization’s 2011 annual convention. GFB President Zippy Duvall of Greene County begins the second year of his third two-year term.

Bernard Sims of Catoosa County, who ran unopposed, was re-elected as GFB North Georgia vice president. Gerald Long of Decatur County enters the second year of his second three-year term as South Georgia vice president and was re-designated as the organization’s 1st vice president. Robert Fountain Jr. of Emanuel County begins the third year of his three-year term as GFB Middle Georgia vice president.

In other elections, Wesley Hall of Forsyth County was elected as GFB 1st District Director, filling the seat left open with the death of Louis Hunt. Gary Bell of Evans County was elected as GFB 7th District director, filling the seat previously occupied by Gennis Folsom, who chose not to seek re-election after 19 years on the board.

Kim Brown of Macon County was elected unopposed as GFB 8th District Director after Phil Redding announced on Nov. 7 that he would not seek re-election after 26 years on the board.

Jake Carter of Henry County was named chairman of the GFB Young Farmer Committee. Linda Crumbley of Barrow County was named chairman of the GFB Women’s Committee. Each will serve a one-year term as committee chairman and will sit on the Georgia Farm Bureau Board of Directors.

E-VERIFY, GDA LABOR STUDY DISCUSSED

Paul Schlegel, American Farm Bureau Federation director of public policy, told farmers attending the labor meeting held during the 2011 Georgia Farm Bureau convention that E-Verify is going to be a part of any federal immigration bill Congress passes, and agriculture will have to fight for a solution that works for the industry. Schlegel gave an overview of the various labor bills being considered by Congress including the Legal Workforce Act (HR 2164) U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) introduced in June. Smith’s bill would repeal the current I-9 system and replace it with a mandatory electronic work eligibility check.

“I don’t think E-Verify will go to the House floor before there’s a fix for agriculture,” Schlegel said, referencing the need for a guest worker program that gives agriculture a viable avenue to obtain a legal workforce. “If there’s a silver lining with mandatory E-Verify it’s that it makes people focus on the fact that we need a functional ag worker program. If E-Verify goes in without a provision to address ag

workers that’s a killer for us and American Farm Bureau will rattle everyone’s cage.” Schlegel added that he doesn’t think the issue will be seriously addressed until after the 2012

elections. Sydne Smith, Georgia Department of Agriculture policy director, gave an update on the status

of the labor report the GDA is preparing to submit to Gov. Deal, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and House Speaker David Ralston by Jan. 1. As prescribed in H.B. 87, the report will discuss the impact of the legislation on the agriculture industry and include recommendations for H-2A reform. Smith said the GDA conducted a scientific survey this fall that questioned randomly selected members of the agricultural industry about labor issues.

Schlegel

Leadership Alert page 4 of 5 CALHOUN PERFORMANCE TESTED BULL SALE Dec. 9 NW GA Research & Education Center Livestock Pavilion Calhoun Sale begins at 12:30 p.m. For more information contact Ted Dyer at 706-624-1403 or tgdyer@uga.edu or Phil Worley at 706-624-1398 or pworley@uga.edu. GEORGIA PEANUT COMMISSION NOMINATION MEETINGS Dec. 12 District 3 11:30 a.m. Emanuel Co. Farm Bureau Swainsboro Dec. 13 District 1 10 a.m. Miller County Extension Colquitt Any peanut producer living in the Georgia Peanut Commission Districts 1 or 3 may make nominations or be nominated to fill terms for these district seats that expire in May 2012. Incumbents are eligible for renomination. Tim Burch of Baker County currently represents District 1, which includes Baker, Calhoun, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Miller, Mitchell and Seminole counties. Joe Boddiford of Screven County currently represents the Commission’s District 3, which includes the following counties: Appling, Bacon, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Candler, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Glascock, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Montgomery, Pierce, Richmond, Screven, Tattnall, Toombs, Treutlen, Washington and Wayne. The Georgia Farm Bureau Federation will conduct the nomination meetings. For more information contact Don McGough at 1-800-342-1196. ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARD APPLICANTS SOUGHT Nominations are being accepted until Dec. 16 for the 7th Annual Governor’s Agricultural Environmental Stewardship Award, which recognizes farmers who are exceptional caretakers of the environment. Applications are available online at http://agribusiness.georgiainnovation.org. For information, contact Steven Meeks at 912-207-0813 or Sarah Cook at 229-391-6882 or smcook@uga.edu. SOUTHEAST REGIONAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONFERENCE Jan. 5-8, 2012 International Trade and Convention Center Savannah Conference workshops will focus on improving crop production and the latest in produce trends as well as the latest legislative updates From Washington and Atlanta. During the three-day program, more than 85 hours of commodity specific production training, pest management information and marketing updates will be offered to attendees. Commodities include peach, vegetable, Vidalia onion, watermelon, muscadine, blueberry, strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, olive and pecan. In addition to the commodity production sessions, workshops covering good agricultural (GAP) food safety practices, organic production and roadside markets will be held. Continuing education credits are available. On Sunday, an Industry Roundtable is planned for both growers and suppliers to discuss issues of mutual concern. For information or to register, visit http://www.seregionalconference.com. 36th ANNUAL GEORGIA PEANUT FARM SHOW Jan. 19, 2012 Albany Civic Center Albany This event offers farmers the chance to view the products and services of more than 75 exhibitors and attend marketing and production workshops with UGA peanut specialists. The show provides exhibitors with an opportunity to highlight their products or services to nearly 1,500 farmers from across the Southeast.

Leadership Alert page 5 of 5 2012 AG FORECAST MEETINGS Jan. 23 Georgia Farm Bureau Building Macon Jan. 24 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center Tifton Jan. 25 Nesmith Lane Conference Center, GSU Campus Statesboro Jan. 26 Georgia Mountains Center Gainesville Jan. 27 Carroll County Ag Center Carrollton These meetings are a UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences program made possible through an endowment from Georgia Farm Bureau and support from the Georgia Department of Agriculture and Georgia Agribusiness Council. Registration begins at 9 a.m. The seminar will be held from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. followed by a luncheon. UGA ag economists will give the 2012 economic outlook for agriculture. The keynote speaker will give an update on current farm labor issues. Registration is $30 per person or $200 for a table of eight. Call 706- 583-0347 or visit http://www.georgiaagforecast.com for more information or to register. UGA 20TH ANNUAL FOCUS ON EPD'S BULL SALE Feb. 2, 2012 UGA Livestock Instructional Arena Athens Begins at noon. For information contact Dr. Ronnie Silcox at rsilcox@uga.edu or by phone 706-542-9102. OLD SOUTH FARM MUSEUM HOG KILLING DEMONSTRATION Feb. 4, 2012 Old South Farm Museum 8:30 a.m. Woodland This event will demonstrate how hogs were once harvested and the products made from them. Program includes a meat-cutting class and demonstrations on making various pork products. The fee to observe and receive free sausage is $12 per person. To participate in the workshop, gain hands-on experience and receive pork products, the fee is $35. Registration is required. For more information or to register, contact Paul Bulloch at 706-975-9136 or visit http://www.oldsouthfarm.com. TIFTON BEEF CATTLE SHORT COURSE March 6, 2012 Tifton Bull Evaluation Center Irwinville Registration starts at 9 a.m. 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. TIFTON PERFORMANCE TESTED BULL SALE March 7, 2012 Tifton Bull Evaluation Center Irwinville Begins at 12:30 p.m. For more information contact Dr. Ronnie Silcox by phone at 706-542-9102 or rsilcox@uga.edu or Patsie T. Cannon at 229-386-3683 or ptcannon@uga.edu