South Georgia Ag Scene January 2019 the Moultrie Observer • the Tifton Gazette • the Valdosta Daily Times • Thomasville Times-Enterprise

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South Georgia Ag Scene January 2019 The Moultrie Observer • The Tifton Gazette • The Valdosta Daily Times • Thomasville Times-Enterprise

Research vital to solving ag issues...Page 5 194235-1 Page 2 Ag Scene January 2019 January 2019 Ag Scene Page 3

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M Series L Series M Series L Series Page 4 Ag Scene January 2019 January 2019 Ag Scene Page 5 UGA-bred blueberry plants now grow across the globe Multistate research projects vital to solving broad agricultural issues By ClinT ThoMPSon UGA College of Agricultural By ShAron DowDy and Environmental Sciences UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences In agricultural research, scientists across disciplines often find themselves A tried and true Georgia “boy,” Univer- working to address the same issues as sity of Georgia blueberry breeder Scott Ne- colleagues at other institutions. To help ad- Smith takes pride in creating new blueberry vance and streamline this important work, varieties for farmers in Georgia and across funding from the U.S. Department of Agri- the Southeast. Now he can boast that blue- culture (USDA) allows land-grant university berry varieties he’s bred through the UGA scientists to work collectively to answer College of Agricultural and Environmental questions with a broad scope. Sciences have gone global. “It allows us to bring together a critical Two southern highbush blueberry va- mass of people to investigate a problem rieties bred by NeSmith in research plots with broad impact or implications,” said on the UGA Griffin campus are grown in Joe West, assistant dean on the UGA Tifton territories in Europe and several countries campus. “Rarely does one institution have in Africa, including Namibia and Zimbabwe, the resources or scientists to address a he said. broad issue from multiple different angles. These UGA-bred blueberry plants grow The projects generally have multiple objec- well in the Southeastern United States and tives and scientists from participating insti- will now be grown by African farmers “pri- tutions contribute to the issues they can ad- marily for export to Europe and some parts dress, so each project has a varying degree of Asia,” said NeSmith, who was named of participation from member institutions. UGA Inventor of the Year in 2013. Thus, you are able to muster the resources Partnerships like this one benefit con- from all over the country.” sumers by extending the amount of time Approximately 2.7 percent of all research fresh blueberries are available on supermar- money generated by UGA CAES in 2018 ket shelves. MAp CoUrtESy thE UnIVErSIty oF GEorGIA was dedicated to multi-state projects. Last “Berries grown in Africa won’t be com- UGA-bred blueberries feed the Georgia market during the blueberry growing season here and when they are licensed to be grown in other year it was 3.2 percent and in 2016, it was 2.5 peting directly with Georgia berries as they countries they provide berries to Georgians and others in November, December and January. percent. are producing berries from September until West serves as administrative adviser for February and we harvest our berries April “The beauty is that when we license blue- a project titled “Genetic Improvement of through June,” he said. berries in China or Japan or even in south Adaptation and Reproduction to Enhance Marketing the UGA plant material to Africa and Europe, we aren’t competing Sustainability of Cow-Calf Production in farmers outside the United States also with Georgia growers,” he said. “We are the Southern United States,” which has brings valuable revenue back into NeSmith’s feeding the global demand for blueberries brought together scientists from Arkansas, research program. This is done through the with berries that don’t compete with the ber- Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Kansas, Mis- UnIVErSIty oF GEorGIA UGA Research Foundation, which assists ries grown by Georgia farmers. South Amer- sissippi, South Carolina, Texas and the U.S. Assistant Dean Joe West serves as administrative adviser for a multi-state research project called ‘Genetic Improvement of Adaptation and the transition of UGA inventions into the ican (growers in) Chile, Peru, Argentina and Virgin Islands to research genetic aspects of Reproduction to Enhance Sustainability of Cow-Calf Production in the Southern United States.’ marketplace. Colombia ship berries into the U.S. when we beef production. The UGA Office of Research created its can’t get berries from our Georgia growers.” The project investigates beef produc- faculty members who are involved in multi- tion tillage, different fertilizer technologies es of onion, specifically center rot, which Innovation Gateway to streamline the licens- Since becoming head of the UGA blue- tion issues such as hair coat, thickness of state projects that received APLU regional or modified fertilizer applications to help is prevalent in different onion-growing re- ing and startup of UGA inventions. berry-breeding program in 1998, NeSmith the hair coat, how the animal sheds in the recognition. plants uptake nutrients better to prevent gions of the country. The bacterial species Thus far, more than 675 products have has released and patented 16 new commer- spring and how that contributes to heat Gary Hawkins, a CAES scientist who excess nutrients in drainage water. that causes center rot in Georgia, however, been introduced into the marketplace cial blueberry varieties and five ornamental stress. specializes in water resource management, “Involving multiple states allows the re- is different from that found in western or and more than 160 companies have been blueberry varieties. “A variety of breeds of cattle are used is part of a project titled “Drainage Design searchers to communicate what we are do- northern areas of the country. launched based on UGA research through These include several southern highbush because of effects of coloration. White-faced and Management Practices to Improve Wa- ing in a more formal manner, present ideas “For example, the bacteria that affects Innovation Gateway. varieties such as Georgia Dawn, Rebel and breeds are especially susceptible to pink eye ter Quality,” which focuses on improving to each other and learn from each other … Georgia onions is Pantoea ananatis, where- “Regardless of where they are growing, Suziblue, as well as Alapaha and Ochlock- because they reflect more intense sunlight drainage management on agricultural lands ways the same issue may be addressed in as the bacteria in Washington or in Michi- UGA-bred blueberries feed the Georgia mar- onee, rabbiteye blueberry varieties named into the eye. These qualities are related and was recognized for National Excellence different regions of the country,” Hawkins gan is Pantoea agglomerans. The symptoms ket during our season and, when they are after south Georgia rivers. to the animal’s adaptation to the environ- in the North Central Region. said. are similar, but they are caused by different licensed to be grown on in South America, NeSmith says his work fulfills UGA’s ment,” West said. “Diseases interact with Hawkins is one of 22 land-grant re- UGA Cooperative Extension vegetable organisms and they survive in different eco- we can have blueberries to eat in November, mission while strengthening and expanding the environment, and scientists are working searchers who are developing new technol- disease specialist Bhabesh Dutta is part of systems,” Dutta said. “Being able to collabo- December and January,” said Brent Mar- global demand for blueberries. to identify genes that turn on and turn off ogies and strategies to improve agricultural a team of scientists working on a project rate with other scientists allows us to work able, associate director of plant licensing in “The university mission is to reach the an animal’s response to the environment. drainage systems. titled “Biology and Management of Iris Yel- together to find a holistic solution.” UGA’s Innovation Gateway. “Consumers ben- world, so we are definitely fulfilling the mis- Since environments vary greatly across the In Georgia, he is monitoring drainage low Spot Virus, Other Diseases and Thrips USDA support for multistate projects is efit and the royalties from those blueberries sion,” he said. “I like to think that if some- country, we include scientists from multiple water and trying to determine, if nutri- in Onions” that was recognized by APLU authorized for five-year terms. Upon com- go back in to the university to fund more re- one buys a Georgia-bred blueberry variety states.” ent levels in the drainage water are high, for National Excellence in the North Cen- pletion of a five-year project, researchers search into breeding the next blueberries.” in December, they might search for it again The project was recognized for regional whether scientists can implement the same tral Region. The research focuses on disease submit progress reports. In addition to Europe and Africa, Mar- when it’s ripe in May.” excellence (Southern Region) at a recent bioreactors in southern fields as they do and pest management of onions, production If they seek to continue the project, they able said UGA-bred blueberries have been For more about UGA blueberry research, UnIVErSIty oF GEorGIA Association of Public and Land-Grant Uni- on northern farms or should they modify issues in different parts of the country, and submit a rewrite of the project to establish grown in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and go to http://extension.uga.edu/topic-areas/ University of Georgia blueberry researcher Scott NeSmith places netting over small plots of versities (APLU) meeting. them to better utilize regional materials to marketing issues. new objectives and procedures to ensure South America for more than a decade and fruit-vegetable-ornamentals-production/ blueberry plants to keep the birds away from the berries. Finding ways to keep the birds away West is one of three UGA College of remove nutrients. He is also looking at how Dutta contributes expertise in disease that projects evolve to address new and on- will soon be grown in China. blueberries. from the berries on plants in the open fields is a much harder task. Agricultural and Environmental Sciences scientists use practices such as conserva- management of bacterial and fungal diseas- going issues. Page 6 Ag Scene January 2019 January 2019 Ag Scene Page 7

CArrot: Tours such as this provide students the opportunity to discover careers that interest them.

Ag students visit Wild Carrot Farm junior Blayne Paschall said of Muir. “She the potential to light a fire that they didn’t dug trenches and hammered in poles for even realize was there,” Muir said. “I hope THOMASVILLE – A select group of her set up alone. She worked hard to get her that students were able to ascertain from Thomas County Central High School agricul- business going and is dedicated to being the tour that I do what I do because I have ture students recently had their eyes opened successful. It is neat to see how big her op- a passion for it. It’s wonderful that you to a world of colorful vegetable possibilities. eration is on limited resources.” (TCCHS) are taking them on business field Six students from Chloe Jackson’s hor- Tours like this one provide students the trips so that they have the opportunity to ticulture class visited Wild Carrot Farm, opportunity to discover careers that inter- find their passion.” LLC in Thomasville. Wild Carrot Farm is an est them so they can align their goals to Chaperone Brandi Miranda said every- Artful Artisan Farm specializing in heirloom achieve a job in their chosen field. one had a great time and learned much. She varieties of vegetables grown hydroponically “Students may not even think that they called the tour a great experience and said with organic materials. have a desire for a certain career on paper, those involved would like to do another on Accompanied by TCCHS Work-Based and then when they visit a business it has in the near future. Learning Coordinator Brandi Miranda and agriculture teacher Donald Dalton, students met with the farm’s owner/operator Denise Muir and toured the site. “The tour was cool and fun,” participant Aubrey Stafford said. “It was also very taste- ful. We got to try various vegetables Mrs. Muir had planted. We learned about many different plants and vegetables and that there were many different colors of all the vegetables we eat. She mentioned that people eat with their eyes so they want pretty vegetables. We also learned that she grows all her produce using heirloom seeds from all over the world. These are seeds that have not been modified.” Muir willingly opened her farm’s gates to students because she enjoys working with youth and hopes to inspire them to become passionate about food. “I was thrilled to see the looks on the fac- es of the students when they saw their first purple cauliflower and a radish that on the inside looks like a watermelon,” she said. “I have serious concerns about the health issues that a steady diet of processed food has on people today. If I was able to get one student to eat more fresh produce, then I would feel that I have accomplished something.” Stafford particularly remembers the radish that looked like a watermelon and tomatoes that looked like candy canes. “I didn’t know that produce could look so fun,” he said. Muir hopes touring her farm gets students excited about hydroponic farming as a viable form of farming for the future and encourag- es them to try new things. “My intention was to open their eyes to new concepts of both farming and seeing food as an exciting frontier with more possibilities than they had before visiting the farm,” she said. TCCHS student visitors to Wild Carrot Farm were impressed by Muir’s vision and determination. “What surprised me the most was that she set up her entire business by herself,” Denise Muir, owner, explains her space-saving tower gardening (strawberries are shown) to TCCHS students Timothy Yager and Blayne Paschall. See Carrot on 7 TCCHS student Austin Spires examines hydroponically grown peppers at Wild Carrot Farm. TCCHS horticulture students Aubrey Stafford, Austin Spires, Kimberley Cain and Timothy Yager sample some pesticide free produce grown at Wild Carrot Farm. Page 8 Ag Scene January 2019 January 2019 Ag Scene Page 9 T&S Electric Motors, Inc. South Georgia Pecan Commercial & Industrial Wiring UGA conference addresses rural stress, farm suicides “SERVING GEORGIA AGRI BUSINESS SINCE 1964!” By ShAron DowDy UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences • New and rebuilt vertical hollowshaft and opens new store A farmer driving a tractor over rolling fields of crops ready to harvest is often the centrifugal pump motors up to 250 hp idyllic image associated with farm life. By JASon A. SMiTh erate as a retail store near downtown. In reality, the life of a farmer is often [email protected] “Our current location is kind of off by wrought with worry and financial stress itself and not in a shopping area,” she said. • Rotary phase converters due to a variety of factors from crop dis- “So it is a little more convenient for shop- ease and destructive insects to violent VALDOSTA — South Georgia Pecan pers in that area.” storms, drought, and damaging floods. Company opened its second retail store in Along with wanting to serve customers, • Crop dryer and tobacco barn motors All of these factors and more contribute 2018. the new location fits how South Georgia to the sobering fact that the suicide rate The new storefront, located at 3338 Coun- Pecan Company is developing its brand, among farmers is the third highest of any try Club Road, Suite C, Unit 1, acts as a re- Russell said. • We custom build rotary phase converters up vocational group, according to the Centers tail front for the company on the northside “(The new location) fit the size that we for Disease Control and Prevention. of town, said Hannah Russell, director of were looking for and it was a shopping ar- “Since 1999, the suicide rate in America sales and marketing. ea,” she said. “It was the sort of look and to 75 hp has gone up 30 percent. If that had been The store features one of South Georgia feel of the neighborhood that we were look- an increase in cardiovascular disease, we Pecan’s new product lines: Purely Pecans. ing for.” would have launched a nationwide cam- Produced in Valdosta, Purely Pecans is The second retail location is due to CALL FOR INFORMATION ON HOW WE CAN TAILOR TO YOUR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS!” paign to find solutions,” said Sam Pardue, similar to peanut butter and is an all natu- growth in the company, Russell said. dean and director of the University of ral, clean label product, she said. With the new business comes new jobs. th Georgia College of Agricultural and Envi- The company doesn’t use any artificial Russell said opening the new location cre- 117 East 9 ronmental Sciences (CAES). sweeteners, ingredients or preservatives in ated three to five new jobs for residents in St. • Tifton, GA Addressing 135 attendees at UGA’s first Purely Pecans. Valdosta. Rural Stress Summit held Dec. 10-11 in (229) 382-6717 Atlanta, Pardue said, “I grew up in a rural The current gift shop, 5819, 401 E. Hill The store’s regular hours will be 10 a.m.- 193797-1 Ave., has been in business for about 27 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.-4 community and I think there are so many years, according to a company statement. p.m. Saturday. good things about it that I’m looking to Russell said there are no plans to close the For more information, the store can be this group to help save it.” current location, and it will continue to op- reached at (229) 245-6068. Sponsored by the CAES and UGA’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences and School of Social Work, the event drew How is your business navigating participants from 20 states and the District today’s Digital of Colombia and was organized to educate and motivate representatives of state- and UnIVErSIty oF GEorGIA Marketing Landscape? federal-funded groups that serve rural Some 135 people attended UGA’s first Rural Stress Summit held Dec. 10-11 at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Airport in Atlanta. Sponsored by UGA’s Americans. College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Family and Consumer Sciences and School of Social Work, the event drew participants from 20 states and the District of Colombia and was organized to educate and motivate representatives of state and federal-funded MOBILE “Everyone knows what it’s like to have Let us help you stress, anxiety and to be burned out. Peo- groups that serve rural Americans. PAY PER CLICK (SEM) target the ple in rural areas suffer just like those in metro areas. They just may not know when it comes to stress, women and men and CEO of the nonprofit organization “We know there are barriers, but they TARGETED DISPLAY customers you where to seek help for a behavioral health cope differently; women more often want Delta Health Alliance in the Mississippi don’t have to be insurmountable,” said ADVERTISING need! issue,” Pardue said. to talk and men tend to pull away. More Delta, also addressed summit participants. Kevan Lamm, an assistant professor of ag- SEO WEB DESIGN Among the summit’s speakers was Ted women attempt suicide than men, but “Midlife deaths of despair in U.S. are on ricultural leadership, education and com- Matthews, director of Minnesota Rural more men die from suicide, he said. the rise. It’s a crisis in rural America and munication at CAES, who facilitated the REPUTATION Mental Health, who has counseled rural “I want to talk about how we can get it’s not just happening in one place,” Mat- discussions. “We don’t start with a solu- MANAGEMENT Americans for the past two decades, in- people to talk so that that suicide doesn’t thews said, defining a death of despair as tion. We begin by sharing our insights and cluding through two devastating natural happen,” Matthews said. “Why is only one one caused by alcohol or drug abuse. thoughts and then we search for solutions. SOCIAL MEDIA disasters in the 1990s. part of the question. We can’t get fascinat- Anna Scheyett, dean of the UGA School As ruralists and agrarians, that’s what we MANAGEMENT While everyone should strive to be men- ed with the whys and not move on to what of Social Work, said health and relation- do. We are passion and purpose driven.” tally healthy, it is common for individuals we need to do. Working with people and ship issues can be major reasons for sui- In Georgia, the next step in will be to SEARCH OPTIMIZED to downplay the severity of their mental helping them change direction is better cide. debrief and talk about specific plans, par- BUSINESS LISTINGS health issues. than doing nothing.” “Financial problems cause relation- ticularly how UGA can partner with mul- NATIVE ADVERTISING “For farmers, farming is their way In Minnesota, Matthews partners with ship stress. It’s not linear; it’s a big web,” tiple stakeholders to support farmers and of life. Farming is what they do. They sheriff ’s departments, social services, Scheyett said. “Poor health causes people rural communities in Georgia, Scheyett SEO BLOG will keep doing it way past when they county Extension agents, the department to not be able to work and then they feel as said. PUBLISHING shouldn’t, but that is their way of think- of agriculture and others to reach those if they are a burden.” “There are some incredible challenges ing,” Matthews said. “We need to under- struggling with mental health issues. The summit concluded with roundtable and it will not get better on its own. We stand them in order to help them and we “We have to work together. If we do discussions on how to best reach rural will have a brighter future if we work to- have to be a part of their belief system.” nothing, we are part of the problem,” he Americans in need of support from the gether,” Pardue said. The Valdosta According to Matthews, for every com- said. various state, federal and non-profit orga- Videos of summit presentations will Daily Times pleted suicide, there are 25 attempts. And, Karen Matthews (no relation), president nizations represented. soon be available at ruralstress.uga.edu. 43476-1 195026-1 Page 10 Ag Scene January 2019 January 2019 Ag Scene Page 11 UGA-Tifton set to host annual Peanut Farm Show Flint Construction and Forestry opens

By BryCE EThriDGE University of Georgia By JASon A. SMiTh “People use our equipment to make a for approximately 60 years. added a washing facility, added cranes and [email protected] living and we are closer to them by having The Flint power systems division pro- expanded the parts warehouse. TIFTON, Ga. — The University of Georgia Tifton this facility here. Obviously, we will be able vides engines to original equipment man- “We bought it, cleaned it up and remod- campus and Georgia Peanut Commission are set to to service better and make them more pro- ufacturing sweepers, pumping units and eled it,” he said. host the 43rd annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show and VALDOSTA — Flint Construction and ductive.” other machines. The division has been in Cannon decided to locate his business Conference on Jan. 17, 2019 at the UGA Tifton Cam- Forestry observed the opening of its newest The facility houses parts and technician operation for approximately 45 years. off of Inner Permitter Road because of the pus Conference Center. facility with a late 2018 ribbon cutting. departments. Cannon said that parts and “We retrofit our engines to fit their prod- access it grants his customers and his busi- The show focuses on peanut production in Geor- Flint Construction and Forestry is a sub- the ability to fix and work on the equipment uct,” Cannon said. ness when bringing in new equipment. gia and allows the state’s producers to hear about the division of Flint Equipment Company. is an integral part of the business. The Valdosta location is a part of the “We like this location because of the latest trends from industry leaders while learning Chris Cannon, president of Flint Equip- “Selling equipment is one thing, but you construction and forestry division, but the inner loop,” he said. “It makes it very acces- about the newest research findings from members of ment Company, and his family purchased know, what really sells equipment is sup- power systems and agriculture divisions sible to our customers. When they bring big the UGA-Tifton Peanut Team. Flint Equipment Company 18 years ago. port,” he said. “And that’s the purpose for are still serviced in South Georgia by other equipment in, it makes it easy to get in and Scott Monfort, UGA Cooperative Extension pea- Since, the company has quadrupled in size, being here is to have a facility to where we facilities. out of.” nut agronomist, said UGA Tifton’s peanut produc- Cannon said. The Valdosta location is Flint can bring equipment here and not buy parts When opening the new facility in Valdo- Ultimately, the decision to open a new fa- tion seminar — which will be held from 9 to 10:30 Equipment Company’s 29th facility. elsewhere.” sta, Cannon said he made some new hires, cility in Valdosta is a response to growth in a.m. — serves as an educational resource for the “We’re proud of that growth,” Cannon The company’s technician is a field but he was able to source current employees the Southeast during the last few years. growers. said. “It’s a sign we are taking care of our service technician, Cannon said. He has who already live in Lowndes County to run “We’ve done business down this way for “We are here solely to help growers solve issues customers.” equipment to leave the facility and service the store. a long time,” he said. “It’s nice to be right and have higher production,” he said. “We want to Flint Construction and Forestry provides equipment on site. “Most of them were already working for here where we can really take care of our ensure that they have everything they need (infor- and services equipment for road builders, “He has a very nice service truck, … and us and serving our customers down here,” customers. This is a growing part of the mation-wise) to go back to their farms and produce miners, foresters and more. This division he can go out and actually do work in the Cannon said about his employees. “We’ve Southeast and we certainly recognize that, quality and high peanut yields for the upcoming has been in operation for approximately 55 field,” Cannon said. hired some additional people and we will and that’s where we like to go is where the year.” years. The Flint agriculture and turf division continue to hire people.” growth is at.” Weather played a significant role in lower yields “Forestry is big in the Southeast, so we works with agricultural equipment and The building that Flint Construction and Flint Construction and Forestry, 5763 growers experienced this season. A wet spring de- are the leaders in forestry equipment,” Can- implements, including pecan harvesters, Forestry is housed in is not a new construc- Hunt Road, is open 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday layed planting of approximately 45 percent of Geor- non said. “We provide sales, parts, service commercial scraper tractors and irrigation tion. through Friday. For more information, call gia’s peanut crop until after May 25. Because of the and rentals out of this facility. systems. The division has been in operation The company gutted the building and (229) 474-6680. late planting dates, more than 200,000 acres of the state’s crop were vulnerable to damage from Hurri- cane Michael, which hit Georgia on Oct. 10. A rainy November added to harvest problems for producers. The Preserve at Cobblestone Georgia producers are usually done harvesting their crop by early November but were pushed back into December because of the delays. “MOULTRIE’S PREMIER GATED COMMUNITY” “Once we got the crop in the ground, we had good weather this year, but this fall we have just been • 186 Home Sites with Security Access Gates really wet,” Monfort said. “A lot of the growers can’t finish and harvest the last few acres. It’s been frus- • Beautiful Clubhouse, Pool, and Fitness Center trating.” along with Bike & Walking Trails The peanut farm show is expected to attract more than 1,400 farmers, who will see more than 100 exhib- • Safe – Secure – Secluded! its during the show, which runs from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. CLInt thoMpSon/UnIVErSIty oF GEorGIA For more information, visit http://www.gapea- A previous Georgia Peanut Farm Show was held at the University of Georgia Tifton campus. 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By JASon A. SMiTh team of trainers work with students on the science, hard work, confidence, all while family member ride at the facility. Survey finds deficiencies in farm labor force [email protected] hunter/jumper and dressage traditions. developing a bond with an animal that has The building has seating and windows so Spanish Moss has several riding areas been the best friend to many. Plus, you are family and friends can see the covered are- including a covered, lighted arena and an outdoors, which is good for almost anyone,” na while still staying cool. VALDOSTA — Spanish Moss Stables outdoor arena. he said. When building the stables, the Hunts By Jill nolin five years, according to the survey. and lead and service agriculture in this grant” for the state’s turnaround schools. brings an equestrian tradition from across Kellie Hunt and her staff are a part of a “Horse riding connects us with some- looked to their family heritage when nam- CnhI State reporter But about 61 percent of those looking state will not change,” he said. That grant has established programs in the pond to South Georgia. team that travels the Southeastern United thing from our past. We are outside and ing the fields. to hire said they struggle to find suitable The solution, Bridges said, lies in retool- schools in five south Georgia counties: Clay, Specializing in the English tradition of States competing in shows to win medals, rustic, enjoying the most useful trainable Kellie Hunt is from Pennsylvania and MACON – About half of Georgia’s ag- applicants. ing the state’s educational infrastructure so Dooly, Dougherty, Randolph and Terrell. the hunter/jumper horseback riding, Kellie she said. The Spanish Moss show team is animal on the planet.” named three of the riding fields after the ricultural producers said they planned to The most frequently cited reasons for that the supports are in place from pre-K to Rep. Terry England, R-Auburn, who and Joel Hunt opened the stables after their open to students as well, and is always look- Along with the relationship between Pennsylvania state lines; Joel Hunt, a Geor- hire a handful of new employees this year. the hiring challenge include a shallow ap- post-graduate to ensure the state’s system is chairs the House Appropriations Commit- daughters started riding horses. ing for new members. horse and rider, Joel Hunt looks at this as gia native, named the other three fields in a But many of them also reported trouble plicant pool and candidates who lack tech- meeting the needs of the agriculture indus- tee, said the programs are meant to teach Originally, the Hunts had their daughters While the Hunts originally had their one more way for Valdosta to continue to similar manner. finding the right people for the work. nical skills or relevant experience, as well try. Bridges said the report’s emphasis is on young students soft skills, such as work eth- practicing horseback riding at other horse children working with a different stable, earn its name as TitleTown USA, he said. Traveling to the parking area, Spanish That was one of the revelations from a as drug and alcohol histories that limit a how to do that through increased oversight. ic and relationship building. stables, but decided to go all in and open Kellie Hunt is no stranger to working with By introducing a new competitive sport for Moss Stables lives up to its name. There are recent survey of Georgia farmers done by person’s driving privileges. The report is destined for eyes under Only 7 percent of employers said they their facility. horses. She said her goal is to compete in residents to participate and succeed, Joel trees covered in Spanish moss throughout North Carolina-based Ag Careers as part But there was also this: Many of the em- the Gold Dome, including those of the next believed young professionals were well The hunter/jumper riding tradition is the Olympics. Hunt said he hopes to add one more notch the property. of a report on the workforce needs of the ployers found that these would-be workers governor, Brian Kemp, who made reviving equipped with these skills, according to the based on the English fox hunt, Kellie Hunt In the last competition season, she placed on the area’s belt for sports. Joel Hunt said that he and Kellie chose state’s largest industry. lack so-called soft skills. rural Georgia the central plank of his cam- survey. said. It is the European version of the within the top 40 riders in the nation and Along with lessons, Spanish Moss Sta- the name because of the live oak trees and That yet-to-be-published report, com- “I believe restoring rural communities paign. “The soft skill training has to start American rodeo. was eligible to compete in the national tour- bles offers horse boarding. the moss in the area. They wanted to keep missioned by the newly formed Center for and elevating prosperity in rural commu- But Bridges said the report will not hit earlier and it has to start with the kids at She said at the competitive level, the En- nament to determine the number one rider Joel Hunt is an engineer and said he de- the natural coverage of the trees and moss, Rural Prosperity and Innovation and fund- nities through agriculture hinges upon our Kemp’s desk until sometime after next home and in K-12 education as well,” he glish tradition emphasizes dress of the rid- in the U.S. signed the stables himself. He designed each and to keep a more natural feel to their sta- ed by the Jim Andrews Family Foundation ensuring that we produce the next gener- year’s session, which starts in January. said. “But I truly believe that has to start at er, the skill of the rider, how effectively the Kellie Hunt elected not to compete in the stall to allow proper airflow while still pro- bles. in Chickamauga, is due out later this year. ation of workers and leaders for agricul- That means the report’s findings would not home. If a kid doesn’t see a parent taking rider communicates with his or her horse, national tournament last year but plans to tecting the horse from the elements. Along Horses aren’t the only animals that can The center provided a glimpse of its notes ture,” said David Bridges, who is the cen- lead to any potential legislative action until it seriously that they’re supposed to be at how effectively the horse interprets the rid- continue chasing her dreams. with a place to keep the horses, boarders be found at Spanish Moss Stables. Joel Hunt during a summit held in November in Ma- ter’s interim director and who is president 2020. work at 8 o’clock, then that becomes in- er’s signals, etc. For Joel Hunt, the relationship between will have access to a temperature-controlled said there is a myriad of animals includ- con. of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College The report would build on work that is grained and accepted in their head too.” In the English tradition, the communica- a horse and its rider is something special, space for feed and tack. ing goats, chickens, turtles and more to be About 51 percent of survey participants in Tifton. already underway to address the workforce tion a rider has with his or her horse should he said. Near the covered arena, there is a tem- found throughout the property. said they planned to hire one to five em- “It is true that the farms get bigger and woes in rural Georgia. State lawmakers Jill Nolin covers the Georgia Statehouse be very technical and use fine movements, When a rider and his or her horse inter- perature-controlled building designed for Spanish Moss Stables, 3615 Sermons ployees this year, and 65 percent said they the demands for technology requirements added more than $228,000 to the budget this for CNHI’s newspapers and websites. Reach Kellie Hunt said. A judge should not be able act, it is building a relationship that tran- the family of riders, Joel Hunt said. The Lane, is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through planned to expand their staff in the next greater, but the demand for people to work year to fund a “rural character education her at jnolin@cnhi.com. to discern which signals the rider is using scends human relations. building was created as a waiting area for Friday and by appointment only Saturday. to communicate with the horse. It is a relationship that “offers the oppor- family and small children so they do not For more information, call (443) 768-5430 or At Spanish Moss, Kellie Hunt and her tunity to learn responsibility, biology and have to be outside the entire time a child or find Spanish Moss Stables on Facebook. GUNS & Georgia - Florida Seamless Gutters Sutton System Sales, Inc. GEAR Family Owned & Operated Since 1999. We Install All Gutters 184 South Baker Street We Serve Moultrie/Thomasville & Surrounding Counties Ellenton, GA 31747

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By EVE CoPElAnD features a full Wolf and Sub-Zero classroom [email protected] style demonstration kitchen. Conger LP Gas is already working to schedule cooking class- TIFTON — Conger LP is in its new home. es for the public with some of the top chefs in Conger LP Gas celebrated the grand open- the Southeast. ing of its new location at 146 South Ridge “For 29 years Conger has been in the Ave. on Dec. 6. community, but we were in a much smaller “We are very excited about this new loca- location on Highway 83,” McAlpin said. “It’s tion,” said Conger LP Gas President and CEO been a vision of our President and CEO Dan Dan Richardson. “It’s going to be something Richardson for years to grow. That’s what totally different and something we think the every business wants to do, is grow and ex- community is really going to enjoy.” pand, and we’ve been able to do so. We went The new Tifton office is 8,000 square feet from around 1,500 square feet total to now with many unique features and interactive 8,000 square feet.” customer displays. She said that they were proud of the new The 1,200 square foot showroom features location and happy that the community complete fireplaces with working gas logs, turned out to support the business. Kohler generators, Holland grills, and an “The big thing is that we’re able to show interactive Rinnai Tankless Water Heater what propane can do, which is a lot,” she display, which can use Alexa to start the hot said. water. Conger is also expanding their product Follow Eve Copeland on Twitter @EveCo- lines and now offers gas appliances, such as pelandTTG. cooktops, free-standing ranges, and dryers, EVE CopELAnD/thE tIFton GAZEttE EVE CopELAnD/thE tIFton GAZEttE according to Conger LP Gas Communication See more photos on 15 Director Kirsten McAlpin. The new store Conger LP is located at 146 S. Ridge Ave. President and CEO Dan Richardson recognizes the people who made the grand opening possible. EVE CopELAnD/thE tIFton GAZEttE Anyone who attended the event was able to tour the showroom. Staff were available to answer questions.

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Holland was on site to grill food for the grand opening and ribbon cutting. Contact: John Mark Mobley or Matt Mobley 194985-1 195967-1 Page 16 Ag Scene January 2019 January 2019 Ag Scene Page 17 Commission announces board, honors members

FroM ThE GEorGiA CoTTon CoMMiSSion named Georgia Star Farmer. delegate to the National Cotton Council of director of Staplcotn. Davis has also been named Farmer of America, state co-chairman for the Ameri- Webb has three adult children and two the Year at the Annual Peanut Festival in can Cotton Producers of the National Cot- grandchildren. In his comments at the Com- In early December, the Commodity Com- Sylvester. ton Council of America, a board member of mission meeting, Webb highlighted how mission Ex Oficio Committee met to make In addition to serving as the Georgia Cot- the Southern Cotton Growers, and an alter- honored he was to have served the industry appointments to the Georgia Cotton Com- ton Commission’s Chairman, Davis serves nate delegate to Cotton Incorporated. in many capacities over the years, and is mission Board of Directors. GCC Chairman as chairman of the Boll Weevil Eradication He is also a graduate of Leadership Bak- looking forward to the future of the cotton Bart Davis, a cotton, peanut, corn, and cat- Foundation of Georgia, a Delegate to the er. He has three sons who attend Southwest industry in Georgia and the United States. tle farmer from Doerun, Ga., was reappoint- National Cotton Council, a Director for Georgia Academy in Damascus. The Georgia Cotton Commission is a pro- ed to another term on the board. Southern Cotton Growers, and as an Alter- When asked about his appointment, he ducer-funded organization located in Perry, Chad Mathis, a cotton, peanut, and corn nate Director for Cotton Incorporated. said, “I am glad to be a part of the Cotton Georgia. farmer from Arlington, Ga., Mathis suc- Chad Mathis is a partner in Mathis Commission and excited to help best serve The Commission began in 1965. Geor- ceeds Jimmy Webb of Calhoun County. Farms General Partners along with his fa- my fellow cotton producers across the gia cotton producers pay an assessment At the Commission’s December meeting ther and brother. state.” enabling the Commission to invest in of the Board of Directors, Webb was hon- He graduated from Valdosta State Uni- Jimmy Webb is a cotton, peanut, and programs of research, promotion, and edu- ored for his fifteen years of service to Geor- versity with a BBA in Marketing and re- corn producer from Leary, Ga. cation on behalf of all cotton producers of gia’s cotton producers. turned to the farm in 1998. Webb had served from 2000-2011 and 2015- Georgia. Bart Davis operates Davis Farms with Mathis previously served the Georgia 2018 on the Georgia Cotton Commission For more information about the Georgia his wife, daughter, and two sons. Cotton Commission as a board advisor. Board of Directors. Cotton Commission please call 478-988-4235 Davis is a longtime supporter of FFA and In addition to service with the Com- He will continue to serve the industry or on the web at www.georgiacottoncommis- holds a State FFA Degree as well as being mission, Mathis serves the industry as a as Treasurer of The Cotton Board and as a sion.org.

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FArM DAY up working in some agricultural or agricul- Farm Day a little bit better,” Schwing said. Want an office ture-related or dependent field and Farm “This year we have added a rodeo event. Day is a way to prepare them for that early. We’ve had our mobile dairy classroom for Children’s Farm Day ropes kids into learning “We want to prepare them now for their several years now, and we’ve changed our future,” she said. rotations so we had the open spot to add a One new addition to the farm day this new event. We purchased a rodeo arena and with a view? By EVE CoPElAnD [email protected] year was a rodeo demonstration, which we have some of our very own students that allowed students to watch highly-trained are going to demonstrate some of the events horses and riders show their skills in calf at a rodeo. It’s another way to show students TIFTON — The 15th Annual Children’s roping and barrel racing. all the different facets of agriculture, how Farm Day was held Dec. 7 at the school “Every year we try to make Children’s it’s not just the plants and animals.” farm. Farm day is an event driven and taught by students. Students from both the mid- dle and high schools come up with the fundraisers for the event, put the exhibits together, staff the stations and teach third graders about the different stations. Most of the stations were staffed by students from Tift County High School, who worked tirelessly to learn the material so they would know it well enough to teach it. Brittaney Schwing, an agriculture education teacher and Future Farmers of America teacher at Tift County High School, said that the high school students prepare for months to teach. “They range from livestock to plants to environmental resources,” she said. “We try to teach them a little bit about farm safety so they can be prepared to be able to take this information out into the real world.” Some booths had live animals, such EVE CopELAnD/thE tIFton GAZEttE as rabbits, pigs, goats, sheep, horses and Students pet a mule on loan from the Georgia Museum of Agriculture. turkeys. Other booths demonstrated the impor- EVE CopELAnD/thE tIFton GAZEttE tance of technology in agriculture and in Some students pet sheep at the sheep station. daily life, such as the station demonstrat- ing solar power and how grass prevents START HERE soil erosion. One station held a demonstration of a trained hunting dog, and children were able to participate by throwing a lure and then giving the command to fetch and bring it back. She said that one of the reasons they Land, Forest, Wildlife Management host the Farm Day is because agriculture is very important for students of all ages. “Even though these students live in @ SRTC is offered at both the a rural area, they may not know what is growing in the field, why we’re growing Thomasville & Tifton Locations. it, how it’s harvested and what happens when we take it from the field,” Schwing said. “We want our students to know that chocolate milk doesn’t come from brown cows. We want them to know that when Don’t Wait, Enroll Today! they go to the grocery store that the items there were produced by a farmer, but that agriculture isn’t just about farming. One in seven people in Georgia works in an agriculture industry. We want them to know that it’s more than farming. Everything that deal with their food, clothing and shel- ter comes from agriculture.” She said that many students will end See Farm Day on 19 EVE CopELAnD/thE tIFton GAZEttE www.southernregional.edu • 229-225-4096 Third graders listened carefully as high school students teach them about different agricultural topics. EVE CopELAnD/thE tIFton GAZEttE A Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia/Equal Opportunity Institution Two third graders pose at the picture station. 197074-1 Page 20 Ag Scene January 2019 January 2019 Ag Scene Page 21 Gobbo first University of Padova-Italy student to earn dual master’s at UGA

TIFTON — When University of Georgia adjusting to these dramatic changes in their compare yourself with a different envi- UGA scientists hope to graduate Stefano Gobbo received his mas- lives and habits, students are required to ronment and different people. The United ter’s degree last week, he made history, both meet the graduation requirement of both States is a really competitive environment, for UGA and for the University of Padova universities and do at least 50 percent more so it’s a really good thing from a profession- in Italy. work than students pursuing traditional al point of view to learn new things from Gobbo is the first UNIPD-based gradu- master’s of science degrees,” said George different people,” Gobbo said. ate of the dual master’s degree program in Vellidis, the CAES professor who helped On the same day that Gobbo graduated breed better tomatoes sustainable agriculture jointly offered by start the dual degree program at UGA. “The in the U.S., UGA Tifton campus alum Aaron the Crop and Soil Sciences Department in fact that our dual-degree students manage Bruce graduated from UNIPD in Italy. The UGA’s College of Agricultural and Envi- to complete all of this in a period of 24 to 30 second student from UGA to go to Italy as ronmental Sciences and the Department of months is extremely impressive.” part of the dual degree program, Bruce Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Ani- “Along with Logan Moore, Stefano was a completed his research at UNIPD in less mals and Environment at UNIPD. He com- pioneer of the dual-degree program. By be- than a year. Bruce will receive his UGA de- one bite at a time pleted his course work at UNIPD and con- ing first, Logan and Stefano smoothed out gree in May 2019. ducted his thesis research at CAES, earning most of the bumps in the road for the stu- There are currently five other dual de- master’s degrees from both universities. dents who will follow them,” Vellidis added. gree students who originated from UNIPD A few months ago, Logan Moore, a Tifton, “There were many difficulties encountered conducting their research at UGA. Sam- By SAGE BArnArD appearance, not for flavor, and that’s why Georgia native, was the first UGA-based by these first two students as they tried to uele Lamon is working with CAES plant Stefano Gobbo UGA College of Agricultural and tomato flavor is degrading,” he said. “Fla- student to complete the program. Moore navigate the academic requirements of two geneticist Peggy Ozias-Akins and Dario Di 2019. Environmental Sciences vor is hard to quantify, which is why it has conducted his research at UNIPD. different highly ranked universities with Genova is studying with CAES plant pathol- There are currently two UGA-based been ignored in breeding programs.” The dual master’s degree program be- different rules, regulations and traditions.” ogist Jonathan Oliver. Both are working on students conducting their thesis research Tomatoes have been bred to create a tween the two universities is the first of its While conducting his research at the the UGA Tifton campus and are scheduled at UNIPD – Carson Dann and Brendan wide array of colors, shapes and sizes, but The science of flavor kind for CAES and for UGA. UGA and the UGA Tifton campus, Gobbo studied preci- to graduate in May 2019. Samuele Ceolin Fatzinger, both of whom are researching not much commercial work has been done CAES have long supported international sion agriculture with CAES crop physiolo- is studying with CAES soil physicist Da- agricultural sustainability. Two more stu- on breeding tomatoes that taste good. Even if grocers and farmers were clam- study, but didn’t have a dual master’s degree gist John Snider. He used thermal images vid Radcliffe in Athens and Bright Ofori dents from UGA will join them at UNIPD in That may be because — despite the oring for better-tasting tomatoes, the sci- until this program was established in 2016. collected with a prototype thermal camera is working with CAES soil microbiologist the spring. public’s love of tomatoes — there’s been ence of altering the taste of tomatoes may “One of the goals of the dual-degree to help define water stress in cotton and Mussie Habteselassie on the UGA Griffin For more information about the pro- no commercial demand for a better-tast- make it more difficult for researchers to program is to immerse students in the applied that data to schedule irrigation ap- campus, while Arianna Toffanin is studying gram, visit cropsoil.uga.edu/graduate/ ing fruit and because breeding for taste is focus on flavor. research of the host university and the plications. with Vellidis in Tifton. All three students masters-degree-programs/dual-ms-crop- harder than it seems, said Manoj Sapkota, A tomato gets its flavor, aroma and color UnIVErSIty oF GEorGIA culture of the host country. In addition to “It’s a great opportunity because you are scheduled to graduate in December soil-sciences.html. a doctoral candidate at the University of from six classes of volatile compounds. Researchers across the U.S., including those at UGA, are working to breed better-tasting Georgia College of Agricultural and En- There are a number of genes that control tomatoes. vironmental Sciences Institute for Plant the volatile compounds, and they are very Breeding, Genetics and Genomics who re- tedious and time-consuming to isolate, Don’t just meet your hot water needs. cently presented a seminar on the genetics Sapkota said. of tomato taste. University of Florida scientists Denise EXCEED THEM. B.C.T. GIN CO., INC. 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Tomatoes that are rated most desirable by both human taste testers demand for tomatoes and chemical analysis become targets for Ironically, the public’s hunger for toma- selective breeding. toes has partially contributed to the degra- Now researchers at the University of

dation of their flavor. Tomatoes are in high Florida and the University of Georgia, PROPANE demand all over the world, and the number including van der Knaap, Sapkota, post- of tomatoes farmers produce each year is doctoral researcher Lara Pereira and post- increasing. In 2016, more than 117 trillion doctoral researcher Lei Zhang, are using tons of tomatoes were produced globally. that new knowledge about tomato flavor to That’s equivalent to three times the weight more quickly breed these flavor genes into www.plantationgas.com of the Great Wall of China. already successful tomato lines. PEANUTS COTTON GRAIN Commercial tomato farmers seek to pro- CAES scientists are using a similar duce large yields of uniform fruit so that approach to improve the flavor of peaches 1006 N Main Street the crop can be more easily packed and and blueberries. Moultrie, GA . “Supporting Our Farmers and the Future Agricultural Leaders of America.” processed on a mass scale, said Sapkota. This research is funded by National To meet those physical demands, breeders Science Foundation grant IOS 1564366. For 229-985-1170 have traditionally regarded flavor as a sec- more information about plant breeding QUITMAN 229-263-8936 • BERLIN 229-324-2350 ondary priority. programs at CAES, visit plantbreeding. “These companies select for yield and caes.uga.edu. 403 Smith Ave. PAVO 229-859-2616 • ADEL 229-896-7386 Thomasville, GA . 193503-1 ADEL 229-896-7607 With Rinnai’s comprehensive line of Tankless and Hybrid Tank-Tankless 193911-1 Water Heaters, you’ll satisfy all your hot water needs. 229-228-4427 Page 22 Ag Scene January 2019 January 2019 Ag Scene Page 23 Thomas County Central High School graduate Odom wins national FFA award THOMASVILLE – A Thomas County or improving the environment and natural interview process and each of us gave a Central High School Class of 2018 graduate resources. two-minute introduction speech in the is already building upon the agricultural Odom began his supervised agricultural room,” Odom said of the competition. “My knowledge foundation he gained from his experience (SAE) in the ninth grade while amazing competitors were from Oklahoma, time as a Career Technical Agricultural Ed- participating in his third agriscience proj- Michigan and Missouri. They had fantastic ucation student. ect. This led him to conservation, and the proficiencies as well, and every single one of Brentley Odom, 18, won a 2018 National next year he completed research testing on them did an excellent job in it.” Agricultural Proficiency Award from Na- till and no-till farming practices. According to the release, each national tional FFA Oct. 26 during the sixth general According to the release, Placement/ finalist receives a $500 cash award and a session at the 91st National FFA Convention Internship programs insert students in plaque. As a winner, Odom also receives an & Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana. Awards food, agriculture or natural resources-re- additional $500 award and a plaque. were presented in 47 categories. Odom’s pro- lated businesses “to provide a ‘learning by Odom thanks his family for their sup- ficiency award is in the category of Environ- doing’ environment.” Through the TCCHS port, especially his father for his help mental Science and Natural Resources Man- Work-Based Learning program, Odom vol- throughout the years in FFA. agement – Entrepreneurship/Placement. unteered with the USDA Natural Resources “He got to walk across the national stage Odom says the win feels amazing and be- Conservation Service. He learned to survey, with me in Indianapolis and that meant lieves his passion for his project helped him read water meters and pipe designs, and to more than winning that contest 100 times mount the podium. use a laser system to map land slope and over,” Odom said. “After all these years of time and effort, it equilibrium. He also thanks his TCCHS National FFA was an awesome way to go out with a bang,” To prepare for national competition, Organization chapter advisors Nikki Smith, he said. “It was extraordinary to experience Odom practiced answering interview Donald Dalton and Glen Gosier, the latter of this once in a lifetime opportunity, and with questions and writing his two-minute intro- whom accompanied Odom to national com- it being the last contest I compete with FFA, duction speech, studied questions and, ac- petition and was his onstage advisor. it made it that much more worthwhile.” companied by his father, attended the state Advisor Nikki Smith says Odom is a posi- Odom advanced to national competition proficiency practice trial. tive role model for current FFA members. after placing first in this category at the To make it to nationals, Odom faced “He’s very, very dedicated,” Smith said. 90th Georgia FFA Convention last April. Ac- challengers from the 50 states and two U.S. “He put in a lot of time and effort. He 100 TCCHS graduate Brentley Odom, center, cording to a press release from the National territories. Only four individuals in each percent deserved to win at nationals.” celebrates his National Agricultural FFA Organization, students in Odom’s category advance to the national level and Odom is currently a student at Abraham Proficiency Award win onstage accompanied category receive hands-on knowledge in the compete at the National FFA Convention. Baldwin Agricultural College. He is study- by National FFA Central Region Vice President principles and practices of managing and/ “We went through a 15 minute rigorous ing animal science. Piper Merritt and advisor Glen Gosier and father Randy Odom. Give us a call or stop by to discuss your 2017 cotton crop needs. Tom Sumner General Manager

Ray Battle Gin Superintendent 193480-1 194974-1 Page 24 Ag Scene January 2019 197072-1