Jesse Cronic is a member of the West Jackson Middle School FFA and is accomplished in showing animals. He recently shared with the Farm Monitor his love of caring for and showing animals, and the life lessons that come along with it.
DES MOINES, IA – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue administered the oath of office yesterday, March 6th, to Bill Northey at the Annual Iowa Ag Leaders Dinner. Northey will serves as the Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“After months of waiting, I’m thrilled to finally have Bill on board at USDA,” Secretary Perdue said. “The patience he displayed throughout this process is an indicator of what kind of steady leader he will be on our team, and we are eager for him to get to work. Bill comes to us at an important time, as farm incomes are down and expected to fall further. Additionally, with work on the 2018 Farm Bill already underway, Bill will play an integral role in the advice we offer to Congress.”
In addition to his long service as Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture, Northey has also held other positions of leadership in agricultural fields. He is a former president of the National Corn Growers Association and served in state and local roles for the Iowa Farm Bureau. A fourth-generation corn and soybean farmer, he and his wife Cindy have three daughters and five grandchildren.
ALBANY, GA – Healthy Living Farms in Albany, Georgia grows produce so the local community has access to healthy foods. They also offer educational field trips for school children and hope to make a significant impact on their local economy.Charlene Glover, CEO and Manager of Healthy Living Farms, tells the Farm Monitor she is a true believer in Divine Intervention. Charlene is also a minister and says the farm’s business model is based on strong religious principles.
TIFTON, GA – To promote and educate people about Georgia citrus… that’s part of the Georgia Citrus Association’s mission statement, and that’s what they did recently at their second annual meeting in Tifton. Around 300 people came to learn about this rapidly growing industry.
“It is exploding, we doubled last year in 2017, we doubled the number of trees in the state from 21000 to 42000,” says Lindy Savelle, President of the Georgia Citrus Association. “In 2018, people are starting to plant in March, we could potentially double again. It’s incredible.”
Those at the conference got the chance to meet with vendors, network with one another, and attend breakout sessions, each educating those there on various topics, something that Lindy Savelle says is most important.
“The experts in Florida will tell you to take it slow and easy, to learn about how to grow healthy citrus and to protect the golden egg opportunity that you have in Georgia. We’re sitting here, our state’s not rampant with disease, and so, what we’ve got to do is make sure that we protect the opportunity and not kill it before we get it off the ground,” says Savelle.
One of the big topics was on pests and diseases. The main one, of course, being HLB, or citrus greening, which is causing major problems in Florida and could be an issue here in Georgia.
Jamie Burrow, Extension Program Manager with the University of Florida says, “the challenges with citrus greening is that it only takes one psyllid to have a tree become infected by HLB, and with HLB, the bacteria can be in the tree before you see the symptoms.”
Of course, after hearing about pests and diseases, they also got the chance to hear about what’s being done to combat them. One big way they’re spread is through human assistance, and the Department of Ag is working to solve that problem.
Mike Evans, Program Manager for the Georgia Department of Agriculture says, “the number one way that plant pests, insects, diseases have been moved in the past is through human movement. We take a plant from one place, and then we take the plant to another place.”
One method the Georgia Department of Agriculture, as well as the USDA is using to stop spreading is regulations. It may sound daunting, but they are trying to protect the huge investments at risk.
“We don’t know how big citrus is going to get, but there’s a possibility, like you said, that these folks are going to be investing lot of money and this is something we want to work with the folks on,” says Evans.
Growers also got to learn about ways to sell their new crop. Matthew Kulinski from the Georgia Grown marketing team spoke in a breakout session on what the Georgia Grown program is doing to help market Georgia citrus.
“The goal of the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s marketing division is to help farmers sell their products. That’s our main challenge and our main goal and all of our plans are centered around that mission. We are working with citrus farmers right now to be able to identify the right market for them,” says Kulinski.
He aslo explained how there are some marketing challenges they are going to face with this being a new crop from Georgia.
“One of the first challenges we’re going to have is not many people are aware of Georgia citrus, and what Georgia has to offer,” says Kulinski. “So, a lot of education will come into play in being able to educate both the retailers as well as consumers about what to expect from Georgia citrus and what Georgia citrus is available.”
By: John Holcomb
MEMPHIS, TN – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced at the 66th Annual Mid-South Farm and Gin Show the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking action to assist cotton producers through a Cotton Ginning Cost Share (CGCS) program in order to expand and maintain the domestic marketing of cotton.
“America’s cotton producers have now faced four years of financial stress, just like the rest of our major commodities, but with a weaker safety net,” Perdue said. “In particular, cotton producers confront high input and infrastructure costs, which leaves them more financially leveraged than most of their colleagues. That economic burden has been felt by the entire cotton market, including the gins, cooperatives, marketers, cottonseed crushers, and the rural communities that depend upon their success.”
The sign-up period for the CGCS program runs from March 12, 2018, to May 11, 2018.
Under the program, which is administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), cotton producers may receive a cost share payment, which is based on a producer’s 2016 cotton acres reported to FSA multiplied by 20 percent of the average ginning cost for each production region.
Perdue added, “I hope this will be a needed help as the rural cotton-growing communities stretching from the Southeastern U.S. to the San Joaquin Valley of California prepare to plant. This infusion gives them one last opportunity for assistance until their Farm Bill safety net becomes effective.”
The CGCS payment rates for each region of the country are:
| Region | States | Costs of Ginning per Acre | CGCS Payment Rate |
| Southeast……………………………………….. | Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia.. | $116.05 | $23.21 |
| Mid-South………………………………………. | Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee…… | $151.97 | $30.39 |
| Southwest………………………………………. | Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas | $98.26 | $19.65 |
| West………………………………………………. | Arizona, California, New Mexico……………………….. | $240.10 | $48.02 |
CGCS payments are capped at $40,000 per producer. To qualify for the program, cotton producers must meet conservation compliance provisions, be actively engaged in farming and have adjusted gross incomes not exceeding $900,000. FSA will mail letters and pre-filled applications to all eligible cotton producers.
The program was established under the statutory authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act.
To learn more about the CGCS program, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/cgcs or contact a local FSA county office. To find your local FSA county office, visit the USDA’s new website: https://www.farmers.gov/.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27, 2018 – Farmers and ranchers still have time to be counted in the 2017 Census of Agriculture, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Although the first deadline has just passed, NASS will continue to accept Census information through the spring to get a complete and accurate picture of American agriculture that represents all farmers and ranchers.
“We thank everyone who has completed their Census to date. We currently have a return rate of just over 40 percent of the 3 million Census questionnaires mailed last fall,” said NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer. “A lot is at stake if producers are not represented in this data. Census data have and will continue to influence important decisions for American agriculture. The data will affect every operation and every farming community at some point, whether it be through farm policy, disaster relief, insurance or loan programs, infrastructure improvements, or agribusiness setup. There is accuracy and strength in numbers, which is why NASS is committed to giving producers every opportunity to respond.”
Federal law mandates that everyone who received the 2017 Census of Agriculture questionnaire complete it and return it even if not currently farming. NASS will continue to follow-up with producers through the spring with mailings, phone calls, and personal visits. To avoid these additional contacts, farmers and ranchers are encouraged to complete their Census either online at www.agcounts.usda.gov or by mail as soon as possible. Responding online saves time by skipping sections that do not apply and automatically calculating totals. The online questionnaire is accessible on desktops, laptops, and mobile devices.
For more information about the 2017 Census of Agriculture, visit www.agcensus.usda.gov. For questions or assistance filling out the Census, call toll-free (888) 424-7828.
LAGRANGE, GA – At 102 years old, Hills and Dales estate in LaGrange is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. But forget about the incredible architecture. What makes this property so unique and exquisite are the grounds that surround it.
OCILLA, GA – As the old saying goes, you get out what you put in. And that’s no for different for livestock producers as they make sure to feed their animals the highest quality products available to insure excellent returns. That’s why attending events like the annual forage conference is so important, as it gives them valuable information for the upcoming year.
“You’re making an investment. You’re making an investment in time and your money on the farms. So, make an investment to learn what you can from the research data so that the decisions you make, the effort, time, and money you put out on the farm is going to give you the best results you can have,” says Richard Barrett, Manager of the Jimmy Carter Plant Materials Center.
To get those results, it’s important to be aware of the biggest problems to be on the lookout for. And this year, that would be the Bermuda grass stem maggot, which feeds on the grass, causing damage and a lack of green color. It’s a situation that should be monitored very closely.
Dennis Hancock, UGA Forage Specialist says, “the primary thing is to be out looking for it in late June, July in particular. What we’re finding is that if you’re in far South Georgia or into Florida, it can start showing up a little earlier than that, but generally speaking, we don’t really start seeing it doing a lot of damage until June. It’s become such a major pest and our estimates are that it’s costing somewhere in the neighborhood of $40 million a year just in Georgia.”
Choosing the right cover crop is also essential, as it will increase the number of grazing days for the cattleman. And fortunately, there are a number of quality options to choose from.
“We really don’t have one plant that can do it all for us. So, we have to look at the warm season and the cool season separately. We have some really good, productive perennial forages. The idea is really taking these annually planted forages and being able to fill in the gaps left around the perennials that are the mainstay and foundation of our grazing program. It’s not as simple as there’s one, best plant for every situation. But we have a lot of choices. We have a lot of good choices. We just need to understand what it is we are trying to get back,” Richard explains.
And with spring right around the corner, it’s time for farmers to start thinking about how to prepare their pastures.
“Fertilizer prices are actually pretty decent right now for us, better than they’ve been in a while. And so, one of the things I think we really need to start looking at closely is potassium nutrition in particular,” advises Hancock.
And that could help later in the season, as farmers prepare for what is expected to be a dry year.
Hancock says, “one of the big things that we can do there is to look at ways to stimulate root development. And one of the primary ways we do that is with maintaining a good soil pH. So, that allows that root too fully develop through this profile. But then again, phosphorus and pot ash are extremely important for root development too.”
However, just like any other year, the biggest advice given is to cut your forage at the right time to maximize both quality and yield.
Hancock stresses, “the timing of cutting is the absolute number one most important thing. Of all the factors that affect forage quality, plant maturity is the number one factor. So, in the case of Bermuda grass, if we’re cutting reliably on a four to five week cutting interval, then we’re going to be optimizing the quality in general.”
By: Damon Jones
Statham, GA -The year was 1928, the National FFA organization was just getting started in the United States and it was about to begin in Georgia. The first to take on that challenge in the state was in Barrow County at Statham Consolidated High School. Here’s a picture of the first chapter’s members. Since then, Barrow County now has three chapters in their county, and hundreds of others have been started across the state.
“Now we have 333 chapters in our state, ninety years later we have nearly 42,000 members. We’re the third largest state FFA association in the nation,” says Ben Lastly, Executive Secretary for the Georgia FFA Organization.
All that’s left of the original FFA chapter is a plaque on the gym of the old school, but their legacy continues to live on. Proof of that was shown at a celebration event held at Statham Elementary, where the old high school used to be. Family members of the first chapter and members of today’s chapters were there, talking about the FFA of the past and present.
“To be on site for something like this and get to witness it personally is really cool for me and it’s great for Georgia FFA to recognize those people who created this program, and to see some of their family members and let them see what’s going on now,” says Lastly.
Delaney Parr, Vice President of the Winder-Barrow FFA says, “I know the kind of impact the FFA has had on my life and just knowing that this where that same impact that its had on my life has begun for so many other people, especially knowing how many FFA members are in Georgia and knowing that this where those people walked and went to school, it’s pretty amazing.”
One by one at the event, former and current FFA members got the chance to share stories of how the FFA has affected and shaped their lives. One of those that shared is the son of one of the founding members. He spoke about how his father loved the FFA and how he passed on that love to him growing up. He ended up joining the FFA in the 8th grade and talked with me about the impact it has had on his life.
“FFA taught me that, it’s like if a piece of land’s not productive, you don’t say, well I’ve got a non-productive piece of land, well you go to work, and you make it productive. I got that value of you take things and you work to make them how they’re supposed to be,” says former Barrow FFA member, Boyd McLoclin.
Looking through the pictures on display, you can tell that in its ninety years, the FFA in Barrow County has changed the lives of hundreds of students and continues to do so today. Changing the way they think about agriculture, and even so much as changing the course of their lives as they choose majors and careers.
“I’m hoping to start off at ABAC and get a two-year associates degree in agriculture education, and then I want to transfer into UGA Tifton, and get my full-on agriculture education degree from there and then I want to continue on and minor in international agriculture,” says Parr.
This celebration is just reassurance of how important the FFA organization is today as it was ninety years ago back in 1928.
“Ag education is still important. These young people are still learning about agriculture. Agriculture has changed, but they’re still learning about agriculture. Just like folks did 90 years ago,” says Lastly.
By: John Holcomb
Tripp Cofield, who grew up in Valdosta, worked on the staff of U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall. He analyzed bills in Congress and proposed federal regulations and recommended policy positions or strategic action. He also met with industry associations and advocacy groups to discuss legislative priorities, as well as interacting with constituents and stakeholders.
Cofield holds a bachelor’s degree in speech communication from Valdosta state. In his new role as Georgia Farm Bureau National Affairs Coordinator, he will serve as liaison for both the organization and the state’s farmers with members of Congress, helping to communicate GFB’s policy positions on legislative topics relevant to agriculture. He’ll also organize trips for GFB members to assist with their farm advocacy efforts and coordinate in-state events hosting congressmen and their staff.
