GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE • GARY W. BLACK, COMMISSIONER • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016 • VOL. 99, NO. 10 • © COPYRIGHT 2016 Backlogs in H-2A program drive agriculture leaders to Washington for redress of farm labor woes Commissioner of Agriculture Gary W. Black joined ag- Bill Brim of Lewis Taylor Farms in Tifton said that he ricultural leaders from around the state and nation in Wash- has used the cumbersome and arduous H-2A program since ington, D.C., April 21 for a press conference to discuss labor 1997 to hire workers to pick produce on 6,000 acres. He’s issues affecting Georgia farmers. been conferring with Congress on the need for reform since “It was 19 years ago when I accompanied a group of Vi- joining the program, he said. dalia onion farmers to Washington because they were facing “We understand that USDA, U.S. Department of Labor labor issues at that time,” said Commissioner Black. “The and Homeland Security have their problems they deal with same problem we identified 19 years ago still exists today.” on a daily basis, but they have a little bit of control over what Commissioner Black and Michigan Director of Agricul- they do. We do not with our produce,” said Brim. “It gets ture Jamie Clover Adams joined American Farm Bureau ready whether we want it to get ready or not, so we have to President Zippy Duvall and producers from several states pick our crops. Right now in Georgia you have blueberries to highlight the need for enhanced coordination to eliminate coming in, you have squash and cucumbers coming in, and processing delays within the federal H-2A program. The we don’t have the labor to pick it.” H-2A program is critically important to America’s farmers When multiple crops are ready for harvest but labor is and ranchers who need timely, legal and dependable workers short, farmers have to sacrifice their “cheaper” crops, Brim to harvest valuable seasonal crops. said. Sometimes, the expectation of delays in hiring workers Duvall said that the U.S. Department of Labor is required through the H-2A program prompts farmers to forego sow- to approve H-2A applications 30 days before farmers need ing certain crops altogether. workers in the field, but that deadline is routinely missed. Farm Bureau President Duvall said farmers, farm com- “The backlog is about 30 days in the processing of H-2A munities and agribusinesses are suffering in the short-term, applications,” Duvall said. “Crops are not going to wait for but the American consumer will be the one to pay long-term. the labor to get there. Crops will continue to mature and “Farmers aren’t planting because they’re scared they rot in the field if we do not get something done and done won’t have any labor. Crops are going to be shorter and pric- quickly.” es are going to be higher,” he said. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Thomasville Rose Parade ® Vidalia Onion Quesadillas ........6 Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black talks with Mr. and Georgia Burn ban .....................7 May 15-21 is International Heritage Mrs. Homer A. Lanier of Pavo during the 2016 Thomasville Rose Breeds Week, celebrating the diversity Spring Pick-Your-Own Crops ....11 Parade. Mr. Lanier was in the very first Rose Parade in 1948, riding of farm species like this Buff Orpington with his horse atop a float. Daughter Debbie Guy says he’s 90 years Heritage Breeds in Georgia .... 12 old and hasn’t missed many parades since then. The Lanier Family rooster named Golden Boy, who has operated a farm in Southwest Georgia for more than 100 years. resides at Broad River Pastures near It spans Colquitt, Thomas and Brooks counties. Mr. Lanier is semi- Elberton. Story on Page 12. retired from the family business. His son, Al Lanier, and nephew, Notice Trey Lanier, are the fifth and sixth generations respectively to work Ads for the June 8 issue – the land. including Farm Services and Handicrafts – are due by noon, May 25. GROWING BRAND RECOGNITION: Georgia Grown takes the SUBWAY® to fame The next time you visit wholesome, local prod- rant. When that window sign goes up on our a SUBWAY® sandwich ucts produced right here in Subway locations, 570,000 people in one week shop, you’ll probably see a Georgia.” will see that message. The campaign’s going familiar sign: the Georgia Bob Gietl, a spokes- to run for four or five weeks, so you’re talking Grown logo. GEORGIA man for Subway in At- millions of exposures, so it’s a great way to get Subway and Georgia lanta, said the sandwich the Georgia Grown message out there.” Grown have entered into GROWN. chain already buys more The brand awareness that grows from those a historic partnership to than eight million pounds point-of-sale displays plus billboards, TV and promote Georgia-grown IT DOESN’T GET a year of Georgia-grown radio advertisements in each market will pay produce used as sandwich ANY FRESHER. tomatoes, cucumbers huge dividends for the Georgia Grown pro- toppings in Subway stores and green peppers, and gram. serving several Georgia has been buying in those “This is an unprecedented partnership for markets: Albany; Atlanta; quantities for several Georgia Grown and Subway to help promote Columbus; Dothan, Ala.; years. The advertising Georgia’s agricultural products,” said Mat- Macon; and Northeast Geor- campaign is a way to thew Kulinski, deputy director of the Georgia gia. let consumers know that Grown marketing program for the Georgia De- “This partnership ex- the company is support- partment of Agriculture. emplifies what the Georgia ing local economies and “This not only increases sales of Georgia Grown program is and can also meeting consum- Grown produce but also increases the brand be,” said Georgia Agricul- FRESH IS WHAT WE DOTM ers’ demands for fresh recognition and consumer awareness of Geor- ture Commissioner Gary W. local produce. gia’s agricultural bounty. We are very excited Black. “The Georgia Grown SUBWAY® is a Registered Trademark of Subway IP Inc. ©2016 Subway IP Inc. submul 26564 “In the Atlanta mar- to work with Subway over the summer on this brand has the power to bridge ket alone we have 570 Subway locations,” campaign, and look forward to working on that gap of what the consumers are wanting Gietl said. “We have an average of 1,000 peo- similar campaigns with other restaurant chains Mail to: Agriculture Published by the Ga. Department of Black, Commissioner W. Gary and what the farmers are already offering – ple per week going into each Subway restau- in the future.” PAGE 2 FARMERS AND CONSUMERS MARKET BULLETIN – 404-656-3722 – agr.georgia.gov WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016 Market Bulletin Advertising Guidelines Market Bulletin Subscriber Guidelines Please note there are two different mailing addresses for Only subscribers with a current subscrip- specified deadline date in order to appear in Online-only subscriptions are $5 per year. Print subscriptions, which include online ac- the Market Bulletin: a PO Box tion number are allowed to advertise in the the next applicable edition of the Market Bul- cess, are $10 per year. Market Bulletin. Advertisers are limited to one letin. Ads that are not received by deadline To subscribe by mail: Send a check or money order payable to the Georgia Department for subscriptions and a street ad per issue per subscriber number. Out-of- will appear in the following applicable edition. of Agriculture along with your name, complete mailing address, email address and phone address for ads and all other state subscribers are only allowed to publish number to: ads in the Out-of-State Wanted category. Ads can be scheduled to run in two consec- Georgia Department of Agriculture communications. All advertisements published in the Market utive issues, if the category allows. A new ad Attn: Market Bulletin Bulletin must relate to farming, agriculture or must be submitted if the advertiser wants the PO Box 742510 17’ New Holland 163 manual fold pull- be a part of these industries. All items submit- ad to run more than two consecutive issues. Atlanta, GA 30374 behind hay tedder in good condition and ted for sale through the Market Bulletin must To subscribe or renew online, visit agr.georgia.gov to pay by electronic check, Visa or field ready; $2300. Steve Griffitt Trion meet at least one of the following criteria: Regular-run category ads are limited to MasterCard. 706-676-7581 1. Must be produced by advertisers on 20 words, including name and either phone To subscribe by phone, call 404.586.1190 or 800.282.5852 to pay by electronic check, 18HP Kubota L1501 diesel tractor their farming operation number and city or full physical address. Visa or MasterCard. w/2WD, PTO, 3PT hitch, 4’ bush hog 2. Must be made by the advertisers from The following ad categories are published w/625 hours and more; $5000. Rolland materials on their farming operations periodically and allow up to 30 words: Farm Please note that we no longer accept cash payment for subscriptions. Multi-year sub- Stokes Acworth 770-377-1011 3. Must be owned and used by advertis- Services, Farm Services Wanted, Farmland scriptions may be purchased by sending a check or money order to the address above. 1942 Farmall M has good metal and ers on their farming operations for at least 90 Rent/Lease, Farmland Rent/Lease Wanted, The expiration date of your subscription is printed on your mailing label. If you purchased days prior to offering for sale. Farmland for Sale, Equine at Stud, Equine runs well, fair tires, new carb.