CONGRESS DELAYS FARM BILL VOTE UNTIL AFTER ELECTION

The U.S. House of Representatives canceled its October workdays and delayed scheduled votes - including consideration of a House Agriculture Committee-passed farm bill - until after

the November elections, meaning the 2008 farm bill will expire Sept. 30 without replacement legislation or an extension and leaving farmers nationwide with uncertainty as they plan for the 2013 crop year.

Perhaps the most significant immediate impact will be on the dairy industry. The Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program expires on Sept. 30, leaving dairy farmers with no federal safety net. Some members of the House and Senate sent a letter to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) urging them “to find the necessary offsets to maintain the MILC program at its previous coverage levels for the duration of any extension of current policy.”

American Farm Bureau has urged Congress to pass a long-term farm bill to allow farmers to make more informed long-term decisions for their farms. According to American Farm Bureau Senior Director of Congressional Relations Mary Kay Thatcher, the most severe impacts likely won’t be felt until next spring, as the food stamp program, crop insurance and most conservation programs are all extended. About 40 programs under the 2008 farm bill will not continue beyond the fiscal year, including the wetlands and grassland reserve programs, some nutrition assistance, energy and rural development programs.

Boehner indicated in published reports that the farm bill would be dealt with in the lame duck session after the elections. Without an extension or a replacement, U.S. farm policy will revert back to the Agriculture Act of 1949, a permanent law which supported agriculture through a provision called “parity prices,” calling for the federal government to purchase certain commodities if their market prices fell to certain levels. The parity prices would likely far exceed current market prices, but one key Georgia crop - peanuts -- isn’t included in the parity pricing table.

The expiration of the farm bill isn’t without precedent, according to a July report from the Congressional Research Service, which indicated that farm bills in 1981, 1985 and 1990 were enacted by Dec. 31. The last three farm bills were enacted in the spring following the expiration of the previous farm bill. According to the report, no farm bill has started in one Congress and needed to be reintroduced in a subsequent Congress. To read the entire report, visit http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/R42442.pdf (link will open a pdf document).

On July 11 the House Ag Committee passed its version of the farm bill. The Senate passed its 2012 farm bill, S. 3240, on June 21.

September 26, 2012 www.gfb.org Vol. 30 No. 39

Leadership Alert page 2 of 6 AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TEAM HEADED TO AFGHANISTAN

The Georgia National Guard Agribusiness Development Team (ADT) received agricultural training at the UGA Tifton Campus in preparation for a mission to Afghanistan.

On Sept. 24, Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall visited the group of approximately 25 troops who are scheduled to head to Afghanistan in the spring. Once there, they will help local citizens with crop and market development.

“We want to get it to the point where the Afghan government can take the lead,” said Col. Barry Beach. “About 80 percent of Afghans are involved in farming. They’ve been farming for a long time. We’re working on some of the other things they need help on.”

Beach’s outfit will be the third ADT sent to Afghanistan by the Georgia Army National Guard. ADT I went there in early 2011 and returned this spring after being relieved by ADT II, which is currently about halfway through its yearlong deployment. Eight members of ADT III were part of the ADT I mission.

Duvall delivered gift bags with a variety of ag and Farm Bureau-related items, and in a short speech thanked them for their service and gave an overview of Farm Bureau's activities.

“We just wanted to show our support for our men and women in uniform for their service to our country,” Duvall said. “These people are making a huge sacrifice.” GEORGIA PRODUCTION UP IN COTTON, CORN, PEANUTS, SOYBEANS

Georgia growers are expected to increase production of cotton, peanuts, corn and soybeans, according to the September crop report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Cotton production in Georgia is expected to increase by 1 percent from 2.47 million bales to 2.5 million bales despite an expected 14 percent decrease in harvested acres. Georgia’s cotton growers increased their yields from 791 pounds per acre to 934 pounds per acre.

Primarily because of an expected 56 percent increase in acreage, Georgia peanut growers are expected to increase production by 73 percent, from 1.637 billion pounds in 2011 to 2.828 billion pounds in 2012.

Peanut yields are expected to increase from 3,520 pounds per acre in 2011 to 3,900 pounds per acre in 2012. Georgia’s expected production of peanuts accounts for nearly 48 percent of the total expected U.S. production.

Georgia’s soybean growers are expected to produce 88 percent more soybeans in 2012 than in 2011. The state’s soybean producers are expected to turn out 5.6 million bushels of soybeans, up from 2.97 million bushels in 2011.

The state’s corn production is also expected to show a significant increase, from 42.7 million bushels in 2011 to 52.7 million bushels in 2012, an increase of 24 percent. The increase in Georgia corn production is in contrast with national production. U.S. corn production for grain is expected to drop to 10.727 billion bushels in 2012 from 12.358 billion bushels in 2011, a decline of 13 percent.

Georgia tobacco production is expected to decrease by 12 percent, from 26.8 million pounds in 2011 to 25.2 million pounds in 2012.

Leadership Alert page 3 of 6 GEORGIA AGRICULTURAL HALL OF FAME INDUCTS LEGER, BUCHANAN

Watermelon and pecan grower Buddy Leger and longtime UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (CAES) Dean Gale Buchanan were inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame in a Sept. 14 ceremony in Athens.

Leger has grown watermelons and pecans in Crisp county since the 1960s. He founded the National Watermelon Promotion Board and was among the leaders in efforts to create the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Pecans.

He has served as president of the National Watermelon Research and Promotion Board and the National Pecan Marketing Council. Leger also served on Gov. Sonny Perdue’s Agricultural Advisory Committee, chairing a subcommittee on education.

Leger currently holds positions on the executive council of the National Watermelon Association, the Georgia Community Rural Development Council, the UGA CAES Advisory Council and the Upper Flint Regional Water Planning Council.

Buchanan served as CAES dean from 1995 to 2005 and made multiple contributions to agricultural research, both as a peanut researcher and as an administrator. A native of Madison County, Fla., Buchanan focused his early research efforts on reducing weed pressure on peanuts. His work in the development of twin-row planting in peanuts helped increase yields and reduce the need for herbicide use.

Before becoming CAES dean, he was director of the UGA Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton.

The Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame was established in 1972 to recognize individuals making unusual and extraordinary contributions to agriculture and agribusiness industries in Georgia. TWO RENEWABLE FUELS PLANTS TO OPEN IN GEORGIA

Fram Renewable Fuels and General Biofuels each announced it will open a wood pellet plant in Georgia.

Richmond Hill-based Fram Renewable Fuels announced plans to open a wood pellet production plant in Jeff Davis County, the company’s second Georgia plant. Fram has a wood-pellet plant in Appling County. The Jeff Davis facility will employ approximately 80 people and is expected to produce 500,000 metric tons of wood pellets per year for export to Europe, where they will be used to generate energy utilities. The plant will use timber and sawmill residuals as feedstock.

According to a press release from the office of Gov. Nathan Deal, Fram’s expansion is expected to create indirect job opportunities in South Georgia’s forestry industry to support the new pellet plant as increased amounts of wood are harvested to supply the plant.

General Biofuels, a California-based company that has renewable energy projects in Canada and the Dominican Republic, will build a wood pellet manufacturing plant in Washington County. The plant is expected to begin production in early 2014 and will employ 35 people. Plans call for the plant to produce 440,000 metric tons of industrial-grade wood pellets for sale to a European utility company.

Both locations were chosen for their proximity to Georgia’s major timber-producing areas, taking advantage of the state's vast areas of forestland and access to the state's ports in Savannah and Brunswick.

Leadership Alert page 4 of 6 4-H PAPER CLOVER CAMPAIGN RUNS THROUGH SEPT. 30 The fall 2012 4-H Paper Clover Campaign runs through Sept. 30 at Tractor Supply and Del’s Feed and Food Supply stores, providing customers in more than 1,000 communities nationwide the opportunity to support 4-H. The paper clovers are available for $10 or more at checkout and all funds raised will be donated to 4-H, supporting 4-H youth development programs. Visit http://www.tractorsupply.com/content/storeevents/4h or a local Tractor Supply Company store for more information. ELECTRIC FENCE TRAINING Oct. 3 Chandler Farm, 416 Chandler Farm Rd. 12:30 p.m. Hull This free training seminar begins at 12:30 p.m. following the Broad River Soil & Water Conservation District meeting. A representative from Gallagher USA will discuss various products and technical aspects of electric fencing, with particular emphasis on grounding and lightning protection systems. Those interested in attending should RSVP to NRCS Grassland Conservationist Philip Brown at 706-678-2630. LUKE BRYAN FARM TOUR Oct. 3 Longneedle Farm Claxton Oct. 4 Campus Beach Seneca, S.C. Oct. 5 Adams Farm Auburn, Ala. Oct. 6 Valdosta Wake Compound Valdosta Oct. 10 V-Plex Villa Rica Oct. 11 Tucker Plantation Colbert Oct. 12 Tallahassee Automobile Museum Tallahassee, Fla. Oct. 13 Midway at Central Park Macon Country music artist and Lee County Farm Bureau member Luke Bryan embarks on his 2012 Farm Tour, sponsored by Country Financial, Harveys Supermarkets, Case IH, BMI, Great American Country. The series of concerts features Rhett Atkins and Dallas Davidson of the Peach Pickers, Chancie Neal, and Cole Swindell Each venue is near a university, and Bryan’s organization is sponsoring a college scholarship at each of them for a student from a farm family. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will fund the scholarships. General admission is $30 in advance and $35 the day of the show. To order tickets, visit http://www.lukebryan.com/farmtour. GEORGIA FARM BUREAU DISTRICT ANNUAL MEETINGS Oct. 9 9th District Mitchell County Ag Center 7 p.m. Camilla Oct. 11 7th District First Baptist Church 7 p.m. Statesboro Oct. 30 8th District South Ga. Technical College 7 p.m. Americus Contact your county Farm Bureau office for more information. These meetings are for Farm Bureau members only and are not open to the general public. EPA ACCEPTING COMMENTS ON RFS WAIVER REQUESTS In response to requests to waive Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume requirements from governors of several states, including Georgia’s Nathan Deal, the EPA is seeking public comments. The EPA has the authority to waive the RFS standard if its implementation would cause severe economic or environmental harm. Those requesting a waiver contend that short supplies of grain used in ethanol production have resulted in severe price increases for livestock feed. Interested parties have until Oct. 11 to submit written comments. The original deadline was Sept. 26, but the EPA granted a 15-day extension. To submit a comment, visit http://tinyurl.com/9asme8u.

Leadership Alert page 5 of 6 NOMINATIONS NEEDED FOR PEANUT STANDARDS BOARD The USDA is seeking nominations for the Peanut Standards Board. The board is composed of 18 members that equally represent peanut growers and the industry. Selected nominees will replace six members whose terms expired June 30, 2012, including two from the Southeast region (Alabama, Georgia and Florida). Nominations must be submitted by Oct. 12, 2012. The Secretary of Agriculture will select a grower and an industry representative from each region’s pool of nominees. The new members will serve terms that end June 30, 2015. The USDA encourages women, minorities and small business owners in the peanut industry to seek board nomination. For more information or to download a nomination form, visit http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/PeanutStandardsBoard., or contact the Marketing Order and Agreement Division by phone at 863-324-3375, fax 863-325-8793, or e-mail: Jennie.Varela@ams.usda.gov or Christian.Nissen@ams.usda.gov. NRCS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION GRANTS The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications until Oct. 15 for grants intended to help farmers fund projects that will make their farms more drought tolerant. The NRCS is offering up to $5 million in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) to evaluate and demonstrate farming practices that help producers adapt to drought. Funds will be awarded through a competitive grants process for projects lasting one to three years. NRCS is especially interested in projects that demonstrate: cropping or grazing systems that increase drought resiliency through improved soil health; increases available soil water holding capacity by enhancing organic matter with reduced tillage, cover crops and organic amendments; uses drought resistant plants in coordination with the NRCS Plant Material Centers; or improves water efficiency. To apply, visit http://www.grants.gov or contact the NRCS National CIG office at 703-235-8065. CRP PLAN: START TO FINISH WORKSHOP Oct. 23 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center 9 a.m. Tifton This one-day classroom and field workshop, sponsored by the Conservation Reserve Program Readiness Initiative (CRPRI) and the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Services, will focus on developing a Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) plan. Students will be walked through the CRP conservation planning process step by step. Students in this course will learn how to develop NRCS-required maps, use online tools to evaluate soils and choose the best conservation practices, assess installation and maintenance specifications and develop a timeline so landowners can meet all CRP program requirements. Online courses are also available covering Online Core Training, the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS), the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE2) and online web tools. Oct. 16 is the deadline to register. For more information, contact David Ferrell, CRP Readiness Initiative Southern Media Contact, at 912-337-5548 or ferrell2302@gmail.com. To register for the Georgia workshop or online courses, or to learn more, visit http://facesofcrp.info/training/. Directions to the Tifton Conference Center are available at http://www.ugatiftonconference.org. HORSE PASTURE FIELD DAY Oct. 25 3340 Ga. Highway 16 West 3 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Monticello This free event will cover a variety of topics related to equine forage, including equine nutrition, forage systems, weed control and demonstrations. There will be a sponsored dinner, during which the Conservationist of the Year Award will be given. For more information or to make a reservation, contact the Jasper County Extension Office at 706-468-6479 by noon on Oct. 24.

Leadership Alert page 6 of 6 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. The head-to-head Old vs. New Faceoff 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. Entrants in the Boiled Peanut Championship must use peanuts provided by Hardy Farms, must cook the peanuts on site and must present a sample for judging at the specified judging time. Entry fee for the Boiled Peanut Championship is $25. The GBA contest is open to GBA registered competitors. Fees $85 in each of three categories: Ribs, pulled pork and pork loin. There are also four ancillary contests at the event. The others are: Chicken, Brunswick stew, barbecue sauce and people’s choice. The fees for those contests are also $25 each. A limited number of spaces are available and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit http://www.hawkinsvilleharvestfest.com for more information. AG, ENGINEERING AND NATURAL RESOURCES CAREER FAIR AT UGA Nov. 7 UGA Tate Student Center Noon – 4 p.m. Athens The University of Georgia is looking for companies needing a few good hires or summer interns. Visit http://georgiafaces.caes.uga.edu/?public=viewStory&pk_id=4516 for more information. Companies that want to register for the fair should visit career.uga.edu/hireuga or email LeAnn Golob at leann@uga.edu. INSECT UPDATES Check the Cotton Insect Hotline (1-800-851-2847) for updates on current insect conditions. The Cotton Pest Management Newsletter and additional cotton production information is also posted on the UGA Cotton Homepage at: http://www.ugacotton.com