Guest Column: Ensuring Georgia farmers receive high quality peanut seed

Originally published in the May 14, 2014, issue

 

In 2013 the state of Georgia produced 430,000 acres of peanuts. This is impressive when you consider that only 1,067,000 acres were planted in the US. That number includes production in Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Louisiana, Arizona, Arkansas, California, New Mexico and Tennessee. At least 95 percent of the peanut seed planted in Georgia is produced within the Georgia Crop Improvement Association’s Certified Seed program.

 

Peanut producers expect and demand high quality, genetically pure seed. Obtaining a uniform stand is one of the keys to high peanut yields. Producing high quality seed is both expensive and specialized. The Georgia Crop Improvement Association is a nonprofit organization of producers and seed conditioners dedicated to providing the highest quality seed available to producers. 

 

Through its certification service, GCIA enables the farmer to secure the best seed possible for his or her farm. Certification encourages farmers to produce seed of approved varieties and also protects the buyers of crop seed in that only seeds of high quality and superior performance are approved for certification.

 

In 2013, GCIA staff inspected and certified 106,770 acres of cropland for seed production, including 92,218 acres of peanuts. In conducting peanut field inspections, GCIA staff traveled almost 50,000 miles across Georgia in 2013.

 

The association manages a four-step quality assurance program:

• All certified seed originates from the seed developed by the breeder of the variety. University of Georgia developed varieties are licensed by the UGA Research Foundation, and propagated and distributed to licensees by the Georgia Seed Development Commission. Special care and inspection are utilized to ensure varietal purity and identity through the initial seed increase.
• Fields are inspected by GCIA personnel to verify and document varietal purity and identity. Fields that do not meet minimum isolation requirements or those containing other varieties are not harvested for seed.
• All certified peanut seed must be conditioned in approved seed conditioning facilities. These facilities are trained to maintain varietal purity and identity and must be knowledgeable of all applicable seed certification rules, state and federal seed laws. They also have the specialized equipment to shell, treat and store fragile peanut seed. In 2013, GCIA certified 45 approved seed conditioning facilities, with several plants conditioning more than one kind of certified seed, including 24 facilities approved to process seed peanuts.
• All seed must be tested in an approved laboratory. Approved laboratories have trained staffs that analyze seed for purity and test seed for germination. Peanut seed must have at least a 75 percent germination, no more than 5 percent broken seed, stones, stems, etc., and contain no noxious weed seed. Peanut seeds meeting these strict criteria are identified by a “Blue Certified Seed” tag or label, assuring the farmer of receiving a high quality seed of a known variety.

Terry Hollifield is the executive director of Georgia Crop Improvement Association and has served GCIA for more than 40 years. He is president-elect of the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies and also serves on the Georgia Agribusiness Council Board of Directors and the Barrow County Farm Bureau Board of Directors. For more information on GCIA’s Seed Certification program, visit www.certifiedseed.org. The website also includes information on GCIA’s other programs including Certified Turfgrass, Organic Certification, and Food Safety.



Guest Column: Georgia's Equine Liability Law

Originally published in the March 19, 2014, issue

 

Chapman

Georgia has an Equine Liability statute that offers liability protection relating to equines and equine-related activity, but it is not an absolute shield to liability involving equines.

 

Most horse owners are aware of the requirement to post a sign with the warning that, “under Georgia law, an equine activity sponsor or equine professional is not liable for an injury to or a death of a participant in equine activities resulting from the inherent risk of equine activities, pursuant to Chapter 12, Title 4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.” However, most are not aware of the limited protection of the statute. The statute was designed to encourage equine activities and education and would protect most organized activities. In order to understand the statute, one must examine the specific elements of the statute. The elements include:

• Equine activity sponsor or equine professional
• Injury or death to a participant
• In equine activities

The horse owner may not be protected from injury or death resulting from an equine-related accident under any other circumstances. In fact, a horse owner that is not an “equine professional” is not protected, unless they are a “sponsor” of an equine activity. In addition, the person who suffers the injury must be a participant in the activity.

 

Below is a partial list of examples where the liability statute may not offer protection. The list is not intended to provide anything more than examples of possible scenarios: 

• A horse escapes from a pasture through a defective or open, fence, gate, trailer, etc.  The horse then runs out into traffic and is struck by a vehicle. The injured motorist was not participating in an equine event and the owner would not be protected by the statute.
• A family member of an equine event participant is bitten, kicked, stepped on while observing the event. The injured person was not participating in an equine event and the owner would not be protected by the statute.
• A family member of a student taking riding lessons is injured by equipment, a fall or other instrument, while a guest on the property or in the barn. The injured person was not participating in an equine event and the owner would not be protected by the statute.
• You own horses and you let someone ride one of your horses. The horse bites, kicks, throws or otherwise injures the person. Unless you are an equine professional, you would not be protected by the statute. 

It is imperative to know and understand the limits of the liability protection offered under Georgia law. A horse owner should have liability insurance that covers their horses and injuries resulting from their horses’ actions. In addition, if you have a barn, premises liability insurance is a must, and you need to know and understand exactly what is covered by the policy. Finally, it is very important to keep fences, gates and other structures and equipment in good repair.

 

Wondering how to protect yourself? The Georgia Horse Council’s $1,000,000 excess liability insurance policy covers many scenarios the equine liability law does not. 

 

Christopher Chapman, attorney at law, is president of Georgia Horse Council. For more information on GHC’s liability insurance policy, visit www.georgiahorsecouncil.com. If you have specific questions or concerns, contact an attorney with knowledge of and experience with equines and equine law. The information contained in this column is for general information only and should not be utilized for any other purpose than to consider possible risks and to address the issue before it becomes a legal problem.



Guest Column: Taking Home Canning to the Next Level

Originally published in the March 19, 2014, issue

 

Badour

After the article “Pickling solves problems of preserving fresh produce” from the Market Bulletin’s Feb. 19 issue, we received some questions about requirements for taking your home canning or pickling recipe to the next level. In an effort to help answer those questions, we thought we’d share the guidelines with all Market Bulletin readers.

 

Anyone in Georgia who wishes to make pickled or canned products to sell – either through a farmers market, grocery store or other retail or wholesale outlet – must meet specific regulations and become a licensed and registered food processor in the state.

 

Why all the regulations? Acidified and low-acid canned foods are considered “potentially hazardous,” and therefore have stringent rules associated with their production. Examples include salsas or pickled vegetables. The primary pathogen most commonly associated with these foods is Clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism, a rare and potentially fatal illness. Foodborne botulism is classified as a “public health emergency” because many people can be poisoned by eating a contaminated food.

 

What are the regulations? The regulations are under the US Food and Drug Administration’s Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21 specifically addresses acidified and low-acid canned foods in “LACF and Acidified Regulations,” 21 CFR 108, 113 and 114.

 

When a processor plans to manufacture these foods, he must register with the FDA. Registration includes information such as the name of the establishment, primary business location, locations where processing takes place, processing methods and a list of all foods processed in each establishment.

 

How are products classified and approved? FDA requires that certain forms be filled out covering each individual acidified or low-acid canned food. The forms cover the style of product, container type and size. In addition, any time a change is made – or if the business relocates – additional Scheduled Process forms must be filled out. All of these forms are available on the FDA website.

 

Once FDA regulations are met, the product then must be classified and process-approved. The University of Georgia offers this through its Food Science Extension Processing Authority, the contact information of which can be found below. Depending on the product, you might need to attend the Better Processing Control School as well – check out the Grocery Manufacturers Association website for course offerings.

 

Are there other options for producing these products? Yes. Georgians who want to take their home canning to the next level – but lack some of the necessary resources – may want to look into the option of a licensed co-packer. Co-packing allows you to contract with a company that will manufacture and pack your products. With established production systems in place, going through them can mean reduced start-up time and costs. UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences offers a list of Georgia co-packing facilities online.

 

Is this similar to the cottage food Industry? No. Georgia does have cottage food regulations in place, which make it feasible for entrepreneurs to produce a variety of products that are considered “low risk,” or “non-potentially hazardous” from a food safety standpoint. Stay tuned for a story on Georgia’s cottage foods industry in a future issue of the Market Bulletin.

 

Jessica Badour is the recall outreach specialist for the Department’s Food Safety Division. Consumers purchasing acidified or low-acid canned foods from farmers markets are encouraged to ask the seller to show his license indicating he is an approved source. If a seller in Georgia does not have a license, please contact the Food Safety Division at 404-656-3627 to let us know about it. Consumers interested in reaching the UGA processing authority can call 706-542-2574.

 

For additional information about starting a new food business or making new products, visit www.agr.georgia.gov/food-safety-division or follow the Food Safety Division on Twitter and Facebook.

Guest Column: Rockdale County -- Rural Livestyles in the Metro Area

Originally published in the Jan. 22, 2014, issue

 

Sanders

Imagine looking out your windows every morning to see your horses lazily grazing in your own pastures. Imagine your own hobby farm nestled in a community of like-minded farmers. Imagine picking your own blueberries and fruit for breakfast or gathering fresh eggs from your own small flock of poultry. Think how good your own homegrown vegetables will taste. Now, imagine any or all of this readily available a short 30- to 40-minute drive from downtown Atlanta or Stone Mountain. Close enough to commute to work.

 

Seem impossible? There’s more. Land. Prices are still affordable. Taxes don’t cripple. There are numerous move-in ready farmettes from three acres up, or purchase raw tracts of land and carve out your dream.

 

A 19-square mile Watershed Protection area in the northern part of the county guarantees excellent water quality. Ordinances mandate a home in the Watershed Protection must have at least three acres. No subdivisions with homes so close you can touch your neighbor’s house from your own window.

 

Rockdale County provides all of this and more. Zoning in the Watershed Protection area is designed to encourage rural life. In fact, the county is actively seeking well-managed farm and livestock operations. New Watershed Protection zoning allows two adult hooved animals per three acres. It also requires fencing to keep livestock 150 feet from all state waterways to keep the water quality high. Apart from the Watershed Protection, much of the county is still designated as agricultural. 

 

But there’s more. For horse owners, Rockdale County is an easy drive to at least 10 of Georgia’s most popular horse trails. And remember the Georgia International Horse Park, site of the 1996 Centennial Olympic horse events?  This world-class facility is still home to many of the region’s largest horse shows of all disciplines. It also provides 15 miles of possible trail riding on the park’s well maintained horse and mountain bike trails. Should you desire to board your horse, opportunities abound at some of the county’s 16 licensed stables, training barns and horse camps. 

 

In and near Rockdale County are numerous sources for high quality hay. Feed stores dot the county and surrounding areas, providing lots of choice and variety. Highly qualified large and small animal veterinarians call Rockdale County home. Too, the University of Georgia’s large animal clinic is an easy one-hour drive away.

 

For those with spouses or family that would rather golf or fish, the county offers golf courses and a stocked 700-acre reservoir. There are also numerous for-profit private lakes and many tracts of land for sale with existing lakes or lake sites. 

 

This small county, just a straight shot out I-20 east of Atlanta, sees much less traffic and congestion than its metro neighbors and is only a 45-minute drive to the Atlanta airport.

 

Qualified realtors familiar with the county can readily assist you in finding just the spot to make your imaginations a reality. You can be slicing your own delicious home-grown tomatoes by early June. Come check us out.

 

Gerald Sanders is chief of staff of the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners.

Guest Column: Poultry Science Degrees 'Best Kept Secret' in Agriculture

Originally published in the Nov. 13, 2013 Market Bulletin

 

Purvis

Most of us have all driven by the water tower that says “Gainesville – Poultry Capital of the World,” but what exactly does that mean? And why is it so important that it gets written on the water tower? Georgia is the top producer of chicken in the US, and Gainesville is often referred to as the Poultry Capital of the World due to its large and robust poultry farming industry, as well as the pounds of poultry it produces yearly out of the city. In fact, if Georgia were its own country we would be third worldwide in production! I’d say it’s pretty important to our state!

Let me introduce myself. My name is Linda Purvis, a biology and poultry science professor at the University of North Georgia-Gainesville campus, previously known as Gainesville State College, of which I am an alumna with an Associates degree in poultry science, and I hold two degrees from the University of Georgia: a Bachelors of Science in Agriculture in poultry science and a Masters of Science in infectious diseases. I started teaching at UNG in 2008 and have been working to rebuild our poultry science program since 2010. 
In the last two years the college was awarded almost $5,200 for a grant focused on recruitment and student involvement.

“Why?” you may ask. “I’ve never heard of a poultry science degree.”

Well. There is your answer! We often say it’s the best-kept secret in the agriculture world. Most people are not aware of the vast number of job opportunities available to them in this industry. Yes, we know it takes farmers and people to work in the plant, but what about the scientists, researchers, lab technicians and pharmaceuticals? Those are all needed in the poultry industry as well.

This grant money will help build awareness and support for the recruitment of students in our area to take agriculture courses at our campus. There are two courses currently offered on our campus that set up students to easily transfer into UGA’s Poultry Science Department. There are Introduction to Poultry Science and Internship in Poultry Science. We have had about 45 students go through these courses in the last three years and we are hoping to continue to increase this number by awareness of our program. Through the introductory course taught every spring, students learn of the variety of jobs available to them and the different degrees that these companies are looking for. By having this program at our school, we are helping prepare the next generation of industry managers, scientists and workers for the poultry industry.
Our internship program gives students hands-on experience in the local poultry industry, and over the last several years, some students who participated have gone on to find jobs with those companies that they interned with, either through part-time or fulltime work.

Having this program and these classes available is crucial to not only the local poultry industry work force, but the future of the industry as well. And I believe the funds available from this grant are only going to enable us to do more with our local industry and deepen the connection between the industry and the university.

Linda Purvis is a biology and poultry science professor at the University of North Georgia-Gainesville campus. For more information on the poultry science program at UNG, visit www.ung.edu or email Linda at linda.purvis@ung.edu.



Guest Column: Georgia Homemakers Council, Inc., Revives Craft Traditions

Originally published in the Oct. 30, 2013, issue

 

Sara Morris, right, with the yo-yo quilt she made for the 2013
Georgia National Fair

In 1936, the National Home Demonstration Council was formed. The name was later changed to the Homemakers Council, Inc.

 

Georgia Homemakers Council, Inc., is what we’re all about.

 

We held our 88^th annual conference in April in Athens, Ga. We have a membership of people on committees such as education, health and family, environmental, cultural arts and special community projects. This dedicated membership willingly serves its community in various capacities and sponsors activities that are consistent with its commitment to education and service.

 

The officers are president from Chatham County; president elect from Hall County; vice president from Fayette County; treasurer from Rabun County; secretary from Fayette County; district directors from Fannin, Pike and Chatham counties; and other appointed chairpersons. Georgia Homemakers Council, Inc., executive board meets January and August in Macon, Ga.

 

Our goals and projects support the Southeastern Burn Center in Augusta, Ga., cancer society and many more. We give two scholarships annually to senior high school 4-H members and make quilts of valor for the military.

 

Each Homemaker Club meets each month in their local areas and supports council projects and the conference. In addition, some projects are locally done, such as sponsoring a child to go to 4-H camp, supporting the military, collecting can tabs for 4-H and the Ronald McDonald House, local hospices, hospitals and nursing homes; recycling; and supporting local police and fire departments.

 

Georgia Homemakers Council, Inc., Week is observed Oct. 6 through 12 each year, statewide.

 

At our annual conference in April, we have speakers, entertainment, workshops, plant sales and more. We recognize 50-year members, those who have died in the past year with memorial services and present the Homemaker of the Year to a member selected for the award from entries across the state.

 

We have a fashion revue with all participants wearing handmade or wisely-purchased apparel. Contests include Cotton Creations, which requires all items to be made from cotton; crafts and hobbies are anything not made from cotton; and photography, quilting and recycling projects, all for sharing ideas and working together. Several of Georgia’s commissions have sponsored these events so we can present winning ribbons and awards in each category.

 

One of the most enjoyable and rewarding events of Georgia Homemakers Council, Inc., is to be invited to take part in the Georgia National Fair in October. We started about eight years ago doing one day, then two, then three, now four. We have items to show and sell and teach crafts such as quilting, crocheting, knitting, yo-yos and other projects. The next time you go to the fair, be sure to tour the Miller Murphy Howard Building and visit us. This is a building you walk into and are in another world.

 

Club members teach children, seniors and anyone wanting to learn sewing, cooking, handcrafts or gardening. You name it, we will find someone to do it!

 

We need to renew lost traditions that Grandma did! So, join us and be involved in local and state levels, and we’ll see you at the 89^th conference in 2014!

 

Sara Morris is a past president of Georgia Homemakers Council, Inc. She encourages all who are interested in learning more about the organization to write her at 225 Plantation Road, Zebulon, GA 30298.



Guest Column: State Beef Referendum Coming in 2014

Originally published in the Dec. 11, 2013, issue

 

CALLAWAY

Now is the time for all cattle producers in Georgia to make your voice heard! You have until Dec. 31 to request a ballot to vote in the beef referendum that will be held in early 2014. In case you are unaware of what is happening with regards to the referendum, I would like to give you a brief summary of how this all came about.

The Georgia Farm Bureau Beef Commodity Committee was meeting in August 2011. During the meeting the need for more dollars for valuable research and product promotion was discussed.  After much conversation it was suggested that a study committee of stakeholders be formed to look at a producer investment program. The idea was put into official policy and passed by the general membership at the annual meeting at Jekyll Island.

Fast forward about four months and a similar policy was passed by Georgia Cattlemen’sAssociation at their annual meeting at the Beef Expo in Perry during April 2012. It was just a matter of time before the Georgia Milk Producers and the Georgia Livestock Marketing Association came on board also. Three people from each organization were appointed to a 12-member study committee. 

The study committee met through the summer and fall at various locations throughout the state. In the end it was unanimous among the committee that a referendum be held and let the producers decide if they wanted a state beef checkoff.

This checkoff should not be confused with the National Beef Checkoff that has been law since 1986. The national Checkoff of $1 per head can be spent only for promotion, research or education. Fifty cents of every dollar collected is administered by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board at the national level. The other 50 cents of every dollar is returned to the state where it is collected and here in Georgia is administered by the Georgia Beef Board. Both the state and national boards are comprised of beef farmers, ranchers, dairymen and livestock market operators.

Meetings were held with the commissioner of agriculture and other key members of the Department of Agriculture. They were supportive and offered their help in any way. After much work by all involved, Senate Bill 97 was introduced in the 2013 legislative session of the General Assembly. The bill, passed and signed into law by the governor, called for a referendum to be held with all Georgia cattle producers eligible to vote their wishes as to whether or not to fund the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Beef. Anyone in Georgia who owned cattle in the last 12 months is eligible to vote. Ballots will be mailed sometime after the first of the year.

If passed, the Agriculture Commodity Commission for Beef would be run by cattlemen. This five-member producer board would determine how the funds would be spent. The commission must also be reaffirmed every three years by a vote of all cattle producers in the state.

The original legislation that created the foundation for commodity commissions in Georgia was passed in 1961. There are 12 other such commodity commissions in our state, all of which are administered by the Department for a nominal fee of less than 5 percent of the dollars collected. 

If the state beef checkoff assessment of up to $1 per head passes, it could in essence triple the amount of money that could be spent in our state to support the beef industry with funds for promotion or advertising, vital research or education of our consumers and health professionals about the value of beef in a healthy diet. 

With a 10 million-plus population, we only generate three cents per Georgian through the national Checkoff. According to a study at the University of Florida, researchers found that for every $1 invested in the national Checkoff, cattlemen receive a $5.50 return. I don’t know of anything else that even comes close to that.

Cattleman John Callaway is the chairman of the Georgia Cattle Industry Investment Study Group and Georgia Farm Bureau’s Beef Commodity Board. To register for the Agricultural Commodity Commission for Beef referendum ballot, visit www.agr.georgia.gov or write to the Department at: Georgia Department of Agriculture, Marketing Division, Room 324, 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southwest, Atlanta, GA 30334. Written requests for ballots should include your name, phone number and the phrase “I request a ballot for the ACC Beef referendum.”

Guest Column: 2013 Georgia Clean Day

Originally published in the Oct. 16, 2013, issue

 

By Joshua Wiley

 

Wiley

Pesticides in leaking containers or improperly disposed of can cause irreparable damage to the environment by contaminating water supplies or harming humans and wildlife. Some of the pesticides used in the past are no longer legal to use and are now in need of proper disposal.

To combat this problem, the Georgia Department of Agriculture created a waste pesticide disposal program called Georgia Clean Day. Georgia Clean Day gives Georgia farms, consumers and anyone else an opportunity to discard old, unusable or cancelled pesticides in an environmentally safe manner at no charge.

The 2013 Georgia Clean Day program was an incredible success. Using funds provided by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Georgia Department of Agriculture was able to host five events throughout the state with the help of local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agents.

The 2013 Georgia Clean Day program kicked off on Jan. 31 at a local agricultural center in Washington, Ga. The event was designed for individuals within and surrounding Wilkes County, but interest for the event was so great that the news spread to 38 north Georgia counties. Nearly 100 people pre-registered for the event and combined they brought 27,000 pounds of waste pesticide for disposal. Individuals involved with the event included farmers, pest control operators, landscapers, nursery and greenhouse operations, UGA research scientists and even the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.  

Next, Georgia Clean Day traveled to Pierce County to an event at Griffin’s Warehouse feed and seed store in Blackshear, Ga. We only had 30 participants pre-register for this event, but they stunned us when they filled two 18-wheelers with more than 34,000 pounds of waste pesticide for disposal. Participants ranged from homeowners that wanted to get rid of an old bag of seven dust to a farmer that brought us more than 30 drums of furadan.

Over the course of the next seven months the Georgia Clean Day program hosted events in Colquitt County, Gwinnett County and finally ended in Peach County. The program had an extraordinary effect on the amount of waste pesticide sitting idle in basements and barns throughout the state and was appreciated by all who attended. In total this year’s Georgia Clean Day Program had 260 participants from 113 Georgia counties and collected more than 168,000 pounds of waste pesticide.

Since beginning the program in 1995, the Georgia Department of Agriculture and its partners have disposed of over 2 million pounds of waste pesticides that otherwise might end up in the wrong hands or contaminating the environment. Unfortunately, funding for this program was steadily cut starting in 2003. Funding for the program was continuously cut year after year despite its success, until it was completely defunded in 2007.

This year is the first time the department was able to secure grant money for the program since 2007.  

If you would like more information about Georgia Clean Day or would like to have a collection event hosted in your area, please contact your local Extension agent or the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s pesticide program.

Joshua Wiley is a regulatory program manager for the Georgia Department of Agriculture pesticide section.

Column: There's Magic in the Fair

Originally published in the Sept. 18, 2013, issue

 

By Randy Moore

 

Moore

Welcome to the 24th annual state-sponsored Georgia National Fair, Oct. 3 through 13: “There’s Magic in the Fair!”

 

The fair highlights some of Georgia’s greatest assets: our youth and agriculture. During the 11-day event, you will experience every facet of the fair; horse and livestock shows, youth competitions, Georgia Living exhibits and contests, food, rides, circus, vendors, family entertainment, concerts and nightly fireworks.

 

The new Georgia Grown building highlights Georgia’s diverse agricultural industry by showcasing its products, services and education. Fairgoers will learn why agriculture is the state’s No. 1 industry. The Georgia Grown Pavilion sells unique Georgia-made products such as jams and jellies, nuts, baked goods, sauces and relishes.

 

The third annual Legislative Livestock Showdown, Oct. 5, pairs Georgia House and Senate legislators with an experienced 4-H or FFA livestock show participant as their "teacher."  Dressed in their special showmanship shirts, the legislators go through the process of preparing an animal for the show ring. In the showmanship class, the judging process focuses on how they handle the heifer. The first-place winner receives 10 points; the 10th place winner, one point. Scores are tallied and the winning team will be presented with the Showdown Trophy. The House has won the trophy the past two years.

 

Reaves Arena concerts include Hunter Hayes with Love and Theft, Oct. 5; Justin Moore and Thompson Square, Oct. 12. All seats are reserved and on sale at www.georgianationalfair.com.

 

The Georgia National Fair is special and unique. It’s the perfect time and place for families and friends to gather and have fun. We encourage you to visit the many educational aspects of the fair. We also encourage you to participate in the fair. It’s a sense of great pride to win a blue ribbon at the Georgia National Fair.

 

The Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority and staff hope you enjoy everything the fair has to offer. From Georgia’s outstanding youth and top livestock to the lights and sounds of the entertainment and rides, the Georgia National Fair is magical!

 

The Georgia National Fair has won many awards and honors, but nothing gives us more pleasure than knowing you and your family and friends are having a great time. The staff is here to assist you in any manner. We look forward to seeing you in Perry!

 

Randy Moore is the executive director of the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter and the Georgia National Fair in Perry, Ga.



Column: "Whose Woods These are I Think I Know"

Originally published in the July 24, 2013, issue

By Steve McWilliams

McWilliams

The article’s title is found in one of my favorite poems entitled “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by American poet Robert Frost. As I drive across our forest-rich state, I often wonder how most people would respond to the question – “Whose woods are these, anyway?”

My guess is that, unless you are yourself a landowner, or in some way connected to forestry or agriculture, the answer might be that the trees that line our roads and highways really belong to no one. Or, perhaps that they belong to everyone – surely the government must own and care for these forests.

Most people appreciate Georgia’s forested landscape with little thought as to who owns all those trees. Sadly, some may be glad the trees are here to hold the land together until something better comes along.

The fact is, 92 percent of Georgia’s 24 million acres of forests are owned by tens of thousands of individual private landowners. Often, the forestland has been in the family for multiple generations. Some may own a few acres, others a few hundred, but all are heavily invested in their timber, emotionally and financially.

Private forest land is normally managed for multiple objectives – family legacy, hunting and other outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat or simply for the beauty and enjoyment that woodlands provide. Among the objectives, nearly all forest landowners derive income from their timber, either through periodic timber harvests, hunting leases or pine straw production, or more likely from a combination of these. Income from the forests is often necessary to support a forest management regime to keep the forests healthy. For some, timber-related income covers the annual property tax bill so that tree farmers can continue ownership of their property. Timber production – through harvests that may occur only once or twice in one’s lifetime – will fund college educations and weddings, recovery from family emergencies or perhaps years of retirement.

Recognizing that Georgia’s private forests play a vital economic role in the life of Georgia’s timberland owners and tree farmers, the Georgia Forestry Association initiated legislation this year that created a House Study Committee on Timber Security. Theft and trespass which results in unauthorized harvesting on private property, while not epidemic in our state, nevertheless does happen and can result in significant economic harm to the victims.

With the support of House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, and House Judiciary Committee Chair Wendell Willard, R-Sandy Springs, House Resolution 644 established a study committee comprised of House members and representatives from forestry and law enforcement to examine existing laws that address timber theft and timber trespass and to generally gain an understanding of the frequency and impact of timber transactions that are not legal and whose impact is felt throughout the timber procurement process.

HR 644 recognizes that “it is in the best interest of landowners, manufacturers, local governments and the state that timber harvest operations be conducted legally and with the full knowledge and consent of the timber owner” and that many of the statutes that provide recourse for timber theft and trespass victims have not been examined in many years. The study committee will evaluate the conditions surrounding timber security in Georgia and recommend any actions or legislation that it deems necessary to address the subject during the 2014 legislative session.

The study committee, set to begin its work later this summer, will include Rep. Chad Nimmer, R-Blackshear; Rep. Chuck Williams, R-Watkinsville; Rep. Ellis Black, R-Valdosta; and Gordon County Sheriff Mitch Ralston. Sandy Sparks, president of Sparks Lumber Company in Ellijay, rounds out the study committee which will be chaired by Rep. Willard.

Forest landowners wishing to strengthen state laws that address timber security would be wise to let their elected representatives know of their support for this study committee.

Steve McWilliams is president of Georgia Forestry Association.