Author Archives: John Holcomb

Georgia Dairy Producers are Watching for Avian Influenza

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Athens, GA |

With nearly a hundred dairy operations around Georgia, responsible for two hundred and thirty-five million gallons of milk every year, it’s an important industry for the state’s economy. While rising input costs and low commodity prices are always a concern for producers, the recent detection of avian influenza within a few herds across nine different states has also caught their attention.

“This disease is obviously concerning. It’s relatively new to the dairy industry. We’re not entirely sure how it’s going to affect cattle moving forward. Overall, it will cause a little bit of loss in milk production for herds. We do see cattle that become clinically ill from this disease, but they tend to recover very quickly. So, the milk production will come back. We don’t see a significant amount of death loss, but it seems to be just an infection that comes in, affects a group of animals, and then tends to move out,” says Brad Heins, an Associate Professor with UGA Food Animal Medicine.

So, while it appears this disease provides no long term affect to the herd, it is something producers should have on their radar considering just how difficult it is to control.

“It is a disease that’s going to move. One of the ways that we’ve identified it as spreading it through wild foul. So, obviously those birds move from farm to farm. They’re chasing water supplies and feed ingredients. So, it is a disease that we’re going to continue to monitor and move, but we may not have a lot of control over it. Another way it’s moved is through cattle transportation. So, cattle that move from farm to farm have a risk of spreading this disease with them,” says Heins.

For thar reason, USDA has imposed more testing protocols, as each cow must now be tested by a certified and licensed Georgia veterinarian before being transported. It’s an additional, but necessary step to ensure both food safety and containment.

“Regulatory testing has added some additional guidelines for producers before they start to move cattle across state lines. So, it is some extra work they have to do. It is some homework on the part of the veterinarian as well as the farm, but a lot of dairy producers when they do move cattle, they have to do some regulatory testing anyways. So, it’s one more step they have to do, but it’s all designed to ensure a safe, healthy, and wholesome herd and food supply,” says Heins.

With that food safety being the top priority, FDA recently confirmed that pasteurization of milk consistent with the federal Grade “A” PMO kills any harmful pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms, including the highly pathogenic avian influenza. However, it could create a decrease in production, which is why there is one major symptom producers should be on the lookout for.

“The most common thing that we see with this new high path avian influenza in cattle is a loss in milk production. So, what we’re seeing is a thicker milk supply from that cow. She’s still producing some milk, but it almost has the consistency of colostrum or the early milk production she as after she has a calf,” says Heins.

By: Damon Jones

Will a New Farm Bill Bring Relief to Producers?

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Washington, D.C. |

Each and every day, farmers and producers continue to struggle as input prices, regulatory burdens, and overall costs of production continue to rise. Couple that with uncertain weather and markets, and it’s no doubt been a challenging time for producers across the country. That’s of course why a new Farm Bill passage is so imperative. The good news is that there has been movement on a bill, but the process of getting it to the President’s desk will most certainly be a challenge as the majority of the more than one trillion-dollar bill isn’t designated for production ag.

“One of the challenges with getting the farm bill adopted is that SNAP and other nutritional benefits now consume, no pun intended, over eighty percent of total farm bill spending, which means that less than ten percent of what we call the farm bill is going into ARC, PLC, and the other risk mitigation tools that our farmers depend on. So, as we write the bill, we have a total dollar figure that we can spend on the bill, and as the snap portion, the food portion of the bill has become larger and larger over time, that has driven down what is available for production agriculture,” says Representative Austin Scott, from Georgia’s 8th District.

However, for Scott, that’s why getting updated reference prices is a priority, as he says producers have a high risk due to the increased costs associated with production, which constitutes better protections.

“Without that increase in reference prices and loan values, our farmers simply would not have the risk mitigation tools that they need to cover their operations if you have a commodity price collapse. So that’s one of our big concerns for the bill and as we push it forward, making sure that with the increased cost of production, our farmers have those stop losses in place, that keep them growing the crops next year. So we’re focused very much on the production ag, the commercial production ag, the tons of food that we need in this country, so that we’re able to walk in the grocery store and buy the food that candidly, we’ve become a little bit spoiled with in this country,” says Scott.

Another major issue producers are facing are increases in farm labor, as hourly wages and fees associated with guest worker programs have risen year after year, something Scott says is a big burden as producers can’t prepare for such drastic, unexpected increases in costs and is something that needs addressing at the congressional level.

“People expect reasonable increases in the rates, but when they come back with twenty percent and then tag it with another twenty percent, those aren’t the exact percentages, but you understand what I’m getting at, you can’t make those adjustments in your business. So on one hand, the USDA and other government agencies complain that while the size of the farm is getting larger and larger and larger, and on the other hand, they continue to adopt policies that drive the small farmer out of business. So, I think you will see um, the wage rate addressed,” says Scott.

By: John Holcomb

Georgia Young Farmers and Ranchers Advocate for Agriculture in DC

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Washington D.C. |

It was a busy week in our Nation’s Capital for Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher members as they worked to advocate for the Georgia Ag industry with lawmakers in D.C. – something that’s vital to the organization and its members as they get to put a face with a name to those that ultimately make those policy decisions that affect them back home on the farm.

“We really want the representatives and the legislators to see these farmers, to see and understand the struggles that they’re facing, and also to see that they are engaged and willing to engage with their representatives. On the flip side, we really want these young farmers to also see and experience a day in the life of a legislator, to understand their schedule, to understand the issues that they’re thinking about and that they’re working on. So that ultimately, at the end of the day, they have an appreciation for what they do in their service to our country. And also, they understand how vitally important it is that they’re engaged in that policy development process and understand that they need to be in front of these representatives. They need to be engaged because there’s all kinds of issues that are coming up and coming at them and if they don’t have a seat at the table, you know they’re not going to be in the conversation,” says Breanna Berry, Leadership Programs Coordinator For Georgia Farm Bureau.

Those conversations of course are coming at a pivotal point, as farmers and ranchers continue to struggle with a multitude of issues and congress is beginning the process of working on key pieces of legislation, like a new farm bill.

“We’re faced in a time now or farming and to make a living is as hard as it’s ever been. If not more so. We’re dealing with a lot more increases in input prices, whether that be your actual material uses or what you’re paying in labor, or lack of labor for a lot of people. So, right now is a good time to kind of address all that. With it being a farm bill year and it being an election year, there’s more emphasis on getting a deal done and a deal that kind of represents the modernization that’s happening in ag, and how we need to have these programs more reflective of what exactly the climate in agriculture is today. So, whenever we can bring up people and it’s there’s an urgency to get some of some of these things done when it comes to programs,” says Ben Parker, National Affairs Coordinator for GFB..

The importance of this trip can’t be overstated as it puts the grassroots process to work and shows members that change is very much possible when you’re involved, intentional, and willing to have conversations.

“Farm Bureau is first and foremost a grassroots organization and without having the chance to come up here and share our thoughts, our opinions, and our needs, with our representatives, the grassroots doesn’t work. So having this opportunity to get in front of our representatives, our senators, and share that message with them is of utmost importance, because if we don’t share our story, it’s left up to other people and that story often gets diluted and misinterpreted and it’s no more powerful than when it comes from straight from the farmer or ranchers mouth. And that’s what we’re up here to do in DC and share that message,” says Cleve Jackson, GFB YF&R Chair.

By: John Holcomb

Georgia FFA Members Gather for Annual Convention

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Macon, GA |

There’s was no shortage of corduroy around Macon, as more than six thousand members of Georgia FFA were on hand for the ninety-sixth annual state convention. And with every corner of the state being represented, it was rare opportunity for those in attendance to make friends from all walks of life.

“We’re really fortunate. We have almost four hundred FFA chapters in our state from the very southern tip to the very northern tip and in between. We have little places, little chapters, big chapters. We’re in Fulton County, we’re in the smallest, most rural county. So, it’s cool for those students to come here and get to see what their peers are doing. Some of them know each other. It’s a reunion when they come here. Others get to know new people. They’ll come and, some of them have created their own game with their chapters and if they can find three new chapters that they haven’t heard of or meet ten new people, it’s cool to watch them interact in between the social time of convention,” says Ben Lastly with Georgia FFA.

While there were numerous award ceremonies and informational sessions to attend, hearing from national officers like Emily Gossett and her inspirational message of “Failing Forward” was equally as important.

“I hope that they understand that failure is not something that makes them less than or unqualified, but that it’s something that they can use to project themselves to do something better, to learn from their mistakes, to learn from their past and to be able to go forward and do something with that. I believe that we all have an opportunity to change the world. It’s just sometimes we take a few steps back,” says Emily Gossett.

All these activities are designed to build leaders for the future by giving them the tools to succeed despite some of the challenges they might face along the way.

“The future of agriculture is preparing to understand what the industry’s going to look like when they’re a part of it and they’re running it. So, FFA can really help to make that impact because they’re preparing these students to learn about agricultural issues right now, but to be prepared for agricultural issues in the future, and we’re instilling these skills in them to make sure that they’re prepared to take on that role,” says Gossett.

As always, the career expo served as one of the highlights, where attendees got a first-hand look at all the different possibilities agriculture provides.

“Growing them as leaders is vital, but them understanding that we are preparing them for something after high school, whatever that may be, the military, college, technical school, workforce, when they come here, they’re going to get a chance to not only be recognized for their success but engage with these people beyond high school. So, their judges, if they’re competing here are industry people. If they go to the career show, they’re meeting industry people. They’re going to leave here with contacts and people that they’ve come in conversation with,” says Lastly.

So, with everything this event offers, it serves as a microcosm for what the organization can offer to each and every member.

“I appreciate the learning culture that we have here. So, whether it’s learning about agriculture or learning about leadership or learning about yourself, there’s always a way that you can be better, and I fully believe that the national FFA organization leaves students better than it found them and that these students are equipped to go out into the world and equipped to change the world in whatever industry or career that they have,” says Gossett.

By: Damon Jones

Posted in FFA

Gov. Kemp Signs Bills that Will Impact Georgia Ag

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Valdosta, GA |

While the Farm Bill might be stuck in limbo in the nation’s capital, Georgia farmers recently received some good news in Valdosta, where Governor Brian Kemp signed into law a number of bills aimed at helping the agricultural industry. And the most talked about was a piece of legislation that prohibits certain foreign entities from buying up farmland.

“The Governor signed Senate Bill 420 today, something that’s been a priority of mine and our office as well as many members of the general assembly. We appreciate his work on that to protect farmland and protect agricultural land in the state of Georgia from those foreign adversaries that want to do harm to the United States. So, it’s a big day for agriculture. It’s a big day to protect our state’s number one industry,” says Tyler Harper, GA Commissioner of Agriculture.

“Well, I mean look, states all over the country are addressing that. It’s a national security and we were very thoughtful about how we did that, a lot of great legislative leadership on that and honored to sign it. It’s the right thing to do,” says Georgia Governor, Brian Kemp.

Twelve other states enacted similar policies last year in an effort to address the dwindling number of farm acres and strengthen national security.

“In agriculture, one of the key things you need to be successful is land. It’s a key component of being able to grow crops, livestock, or poultry. If you don’t have land, you can’t participate in agriculture. So, protecting agricultural land is key. It is vital, and there’s a lot of different way that we do that, but obviously protecting our ag interest in the state and protecting our ability to feed, clothe, and shelter ourself is vital. Agriculture is national security,” says Harper.

That was far from the only piece of legislation being signed as House Bill 827 increases the penalty for cattle theft, Senate Bill 436 expands the use of farm-use vehicles and Senate Bill 340 introduces tax reform policy to help alleviate some of the rising input costs.

“In agriculture right now, we’re seeing significant issues in input costs, weather, inflation and the issues that we’re dealing with on the farm directly. I know I see it in my own operation and the increased costs. The legislation the Governor signed today is specifically dealing with DEF fluid, is a perfect example of how we are working to address those issues on the farm where previously DEF fluid was not considered a tax-exempt input in agriculture. As you know, in agriculture, DEF fluid is a vital component and a required component to run equipment today,” says Harper.

The location of this signing was no coincidence, as Governor Kemp wanted to send a strong message to the rural community that legislators are looking out for them.

“It is so important for us to be in South Georgia to let people know what we’re doing to support our farm families, agribusiness, economic development, things that we’ve done in the budget. Myself and a lot of other people realize the strength that we have in rural Georgia. We want to continue for people to have opportunity all over the state no matter their zip code,” says Governor Kemp.

By: Damon Jones

2024 Vidalia Onions Harvest Underway

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Glenville, GA |

Down in Vidalia Onion country in Southeast Georgia, growers, packers, and shippers are hard at work harvesting this year’s crop of sweet, Vidalia onions and getting them sent to stores across the country. As always, it’s a time of year growers are excited to see, especially after a great year like this one.

“This growing season was, from back in the day, more normal. We actually had a pretty cold winter, over a couple of years ago. We seem to be having a lot more warmer Decembers and Januarys. We almost like it whenever it’s really cold in January and February, because when we transplant, we want them to stay dormant and not grow too much too early. That allows the quality of the onion to be a lot better. When you kind of plant it and let it cut root and just kind of do its thing and not really get too much foliage from the soil temperature being too warm. We had a lot of adequate rainfall. In a lot of ways, we didn’t irrigate very much this year. We’d almost be ready to, and it would come enough rain to keep us from doing it which was a blessing that we conserved a lot more water, but we’ve been blessed with good stands,” says Cliff Riner, Crop Production Director of G&R Farms.

Riner says that they’ve harvested a little more than half of their crop so far this season, and says that this year, the crop is turning out to be a great one, which is just what growers need after a rough couple of growing seasons.

“It is a big capital investment. We purchased this seed in June and July of the year before, and that’s a big investment. Then we have a lot of labor to plant close to the end of the year. Once we’ve shipped these onions and get sales, we don’t receive that money until the retailer pays us which is usually about thirty days. So there’s a big amount of time that we have a lot of expense and debt that we have to hold for several months. That’s stressful on us in a good economy, but when you add the bad economy to it, it makes the stress levels a lot harder on the farmers,” says Riner.

According to Riner, demand for Vidalia Onions has continued to grow year after year, as he says more and more people have begun to recognize the value in their product, which of course is nothing but great news for growers.

“Everybody that we talk to  is very interested in the Vidalia onion. Sweet onion sales in general have increased every year because of the more people eating at home since Covid so that’s reassured our interest in our product because we are a sweet onion leader. We have had a lot of interest from retailers as other production regions that they get onions from during other parts of the year, have struggled with crops. So, with our crop looking good, there’s been a lot of interest in Vidalia onions and we’re excited about that,” says Riner.

By: John Holcomb

Rockdale Students Learn About Agribusiness Opportunities

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Conyers, GA |

The days of agriculture being known as just sow, cows and plows is now a thing of the distant past. That was never more apparent than here at the Rockdale Career Academy, where hundreds of students got an up-close look at all of the exciting careers within the ag industry.

“What do we need to do to assist students throughout the state to ensure that they are aware of over three hundred agribusiness careers throughout the state? And so, this is the inaugural Agribusiness Career Day Expo here at Rockdale Career Academy in Conyers, Georgia. So, we have thirty-eight industry professionals here today from all areas of agribusiness, which is out largest business in the state of Georgia,” says George Kelecheck, Chairman of the Rockdale Soil & Water Conservation.

With so many different fields being represented, there are no shortage of options, no matter where your interests might lie.

“You can be a plumber. You can be a welder. You can be a technician and have a wonderful job at an independent repair facility or maybe John Deere or one of our large dealerships, maybe Honda, Ford, Nissan, General Motors, because in agribusiness, you need to have everything,” says Kelecheck.

It’s also a sector that is all inclusive, with people of all ages and nationalities working together in order to keep the state’s number one industry running strong.

“Sharing this information with all types of individuals, male, female, whatever culture you’re from, to get them to have the exposure and go, and hopefully we’re going to get some great wows out of this today. Again, this supports the K-12 agribusiness STEM program and all of those types of programs that the schools have throughout the state,” says Kelecheck.

This is just the beginning, as more event like this are being planned all across the state in order to reach a wide range of students looking to choose their career path.

“The plan is to introduce these types of informational expos around the state. We plan to have ten of them over time, which again, will increase the knowledge of our student base to say you might want to be a biologist or a chemist and be in the agribusiness field. In this day and time, all employers are looking for great employees. So, the more that we can educate them and to have a great future as they move onward, whether it be in the trades or whether going to a two-year technical college system, I think the exposure, getting everybody together at once and go ‘oh, wow,'” says Kelecheck.

By: Damon Jones

Resources Available for Those Struggling with Mental Illness, Stress

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Atlanta, GA |

Weather, input prices, commodity prices; these are just a handful of the things that are out of farmer’s control and are the reasons why so many struggle with stress and mental health issues. It’s a real problem across the country and is something Kevin Tanner, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities finds deeply troubling and is something he’s seen firsthand.

“For me, having been born in that lifestyle and raised on a farm and having a farm of my own, I know what it’s like to have that generational farm where you’re looking at seven generations of people before me have farmed in North Georgia. They’ve had land in this in this state, you don’t want to be the generation for that to end. And then the other thing about being a farmer; if you work for a company, you’re getting a paycheck every week, every two weeks, you know exactly what you’re getting paid and if it rains or if a storm comes through, you’re still getting a paycheck. But as a farmer, there’s so many things you can do the very best job you can, but there’s so many things out of our control,” says Tanner.

In recent years, the topic of mental health has found its way into the spotlight, as there’s less stigma surrounding the topic. In Georgia, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities has even formed a hotline for those in need to be able to call, which Tanner says is just the tip of the iceberg.

“988 is more than a phone number because you can call 988 as a law enforcement officer, as a family member, as someone who needs help themself, whatever the case might be and it may be something as simple as calling 988 to say, ‘I’ve been depressed lately. I’ve got a lot of things going on financially, and I need someone I can talk to, and I have a certain type of insurance,’- they can help connect you to a community-based service. It may be a family member calling to say, ‘my child is in mental health crisis and I need help.’ 988 can dispatch a mobile crisis team anywhere in the state of Georgia. So they will come and meet you where you are and I think that’s important for people to understand. So, it’s more than just talking to someone on the phone. If you need the resource, they’ll come to you,” says Tanner.

In the end, Tanner says regardless of zip code or occupation, 988 is a resource for all, but understands the complexities of mental health challenges within the ag community and wants to reassure that help is just a phone call away.

“I just think that it’s important for the farming community to know how much they’re appreciated because so many people don’t understand where their food comes from, and they just take those things for granted, but I just want our farming community to know that I appreciate the sacrifices they make each and every day. There’s a lot of us that feel that way and that we are here, ready to stand up and provide the resources they need to be successful, because they are the backbone of our state, the number one industry in our state, and they’re the backbone of our country,” says Tanner.

By: John Holcomb

One Family Growing Sweet Berries and Family Memories

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Rome, GA |

Rows of ripe strawberries, beautiful skies, and family time – things you can find on U-pick operations across the state, just like this one, LCCL Strawberry Farm in Rome. A strawberry operation that was started by the McDonald family more than two-decades ago in an effort to create a place for families to make memories.

“You can see here we got three and a half acres on this side of the road. On the other side of the road, we have five acres. We started with a half acre those 22 years ago. It was the idea from some family friends back home that grow strawberries at Copeland Strawberry Farm. So, we did that. First year, we started with a half acre, and we’ve just been fortunate enough to grow over the years and been blessed. And some people say, my wife might say it’s a curse sometimes because we both have jobs and it gets a little hectic out here during strawberry season, but we’ve been blessed and it’s been a good venture for us,” says Lance McDonald, Owner of LCCL Strawberry Farm.

This year is their twenty second crop, and as you can see, they’re already off to a great start as they’ve got tons of ripe berries that are just waiting to be picked.

“We usually start going around April the 10th, usually once middle of April hits, we’re pretty wide open and we go pretty strong through the end of May. Toward the end of May and into the 1st of June, we will still have berries, but it starts to slow down, and we may have to close some days and let them ripen back up to have enough for people to come in and pick, but that’s usually the normal season for us; is second week of April into the first week of June,” says McDonald.

Over the years, they’ve managed to build quite the name for themselves, as he says they have people that come from all over to pick berries at their farm.

“We’ve been blessed and fortunate to have the support of the community. We have people out of Atlanta and the Chattanooga area that come down here to our farm and pick. It’s just great and it’s rewarding for us. When you get those good compliments and people say thank you for allowing us to come to your farm, you can’t get a better compliment than that,” says McDonald.

However, as you would imagine, it takes a lot of hard work to manage an operation like this one, but McDonald says it most certainly is a labor of love as they enjoy meeting those that come out to the farm to make memories with their families.

“We have a lot of good people that help us out here, and we’ve been blessed in that situation to have these people to come out and help us. We’ve had people that’s been with us for many years. The other; there is spending time with family and getting to meet new people. We meet somebody new and different every day. It’s just been a great experience and we’ve had a lot of fun with it. It’s just a great experience for children to come out, some children that come from the city, they may not know what it takes to grow a strawberry or even know where a strawberry comes from, but for them to come out here and be together as a family and enjoy our farm, it just means a lot to us,” says McDonald.

By: John Holcomb

Low Beef Inventories Creating Opportunities

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Columbus, GA |

Despite popular belief, the steady increase of beef prices over the past couple of decades hasn’t necessarily mean more money in the pockets of producers. Between record high input costs and the portion that goes towards packers, profit margins remained slim. However, that is starting to turn, which provides new opportunities for cattlemen here in Georgia.

“The industry still remains strong for cow, calf producers like those here in Georgia where we’re excited about the higher prices that we’re starting to see. This is finally an opportunity for our industry to be able to help pay down the interest, keep the bankers happy, but also look at ways in which we can reinvest into our operations,” says Dale Sandlin, Executive VP of the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association.

The biggest reason for this shift in the market is a historically low inventory, which now makes beef a premium product.

“The biggest thing that we’re seeing now versus later is obviously a change in the herd size. We’ve got the lowest number since 1951 as far as the amount of cattle that are on feed right now. And so, having that as well as weather changes and concerns out west that’s caused a need for more calves to be coming up and that’s the one thing that Georgia does a really great job on is raising those calves and starting that up,” says Sandlin.

While cattlemen are optimistic about the future, they are still encouraged to look into price support programs from USDA like livestock risk protection in order to hedge against possible market volatility or supply chain disruption.

“When everything is rosy and the numbers look like they can’t possibly go any higher, you have folks make decisions and invest in things. And you want to make sure there’s some coverage that the kind of prices they thought they were going to get for those products. We’re not poultry. We’re not a supply chain that can produce something very quickly. Cattle take a while to raise to maturity and send it on through the supply chain. We want to make sure those producers that are making those investments have some tools at their disposal to say, ‘man, I really like the price now that I would get for those cattle. I’m going to lock in some of that,'” says Ethan Lane, VP of Government Affairs for NCBA.

And this could be a decision producers will have to face in the future as well, with the herd size expected to remain low in the foreseeable future.

“As far as people jumping into the cattle industry now, because of the higher prices, we’re not seeing quite the same gusto that we saw in 2014-2015 where the herd rebuilt back much faster and we saw those prices come down sharper. We’re expecting a more drawn-out approach this time. That’s something that will provide some long-term stability for our industry,” says Sandlin.

Another way producers can ensure long-term stability is joining organizations like the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association no matter the size of their operation.

“USDA says cattle producers in the state of Georgia, a lot of those producers cattle are not their only agricultural pursuit. They may be a row crop farmer. They may may have other livestock, but at the same time, cattle producers need to stand together. This is one of the things that we have seen and the ability for us to have members, those numbers matter,” says Sandlin.

By: Damon Jones