Feb. 12, 2019

www.AlfaFarmers.org • News from the Alabama Farmers Federation Leaders Appoint Ag Committee Members eaders have been appointed to L oversee the and House agriculture committees during the 2019-22 quadrennium. Sen. Tom Whatley, R-Auburn, chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, leads the House Agriculture and Forestry Committee. “We look forward to working with Tom and Danny on policy discussions that affect agriculture, forestry and rural Alabama,” said Alabama Farmers Federation State Affairs Director David Cole. Over 600 farmers met in Montgomery Feb. 5-7 for the Alabama Farmers Federation’s Sen. , R-Grand Commodity Organization Meeting. During the annual conference, commodity divisions met to Bay, is Senate Ag Committee vice discuss technological advancements, check up on respective checkoffs and elect leaders. chair. Other members are Sens. , D-Clayton; Chris Elliott, R-Fairhope; , Meeting Highlights Commodities R-Cullman; Andrew Jones, R-Centre; iscovering new ideas, visiting & Honey; Beef; Cotton; Dairy; Equine; , R-Scottsboro; Tim Dlongtime friends and hearing the Forestry; Hay & Forage; Greenhouse, Melson, R-Florence; , latest in agricultural industry updates Nursery & Sod; Meat Goat & Sheep; Pork; R-Opelika; , R-Red Hill; were features of the Alabama Farmers Poultry; Soybean; Wheat & Feed Grain; , D-Greensboro; Federation’s Commodity Organization and Wildlife. , R-Sheffield; and Jack Meeting in Montgomery Feb. 5-7. Additionally, the Horticulture Division Williams, R-Wilmer. Over 600 farmers learned about held its final meeting Feb. 6. During Rep. , R-Munford, industry advancements and research the Federation’s annual meeting in is House Agriculture Committee during breakout sessions. December, delegates voted to merge the vice chair, while Rep. Thomas “Farming practices are constantly Horticulture Division with the Alabama Jackson, D-Thomasville, is the evolving and advancing, and our farmers Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, a ranking minority member. Other need up-to-date information to help partner organization of the Federation. committee members include Reps. increase their bottom line,” said Brian The Alabama Peanut Producers , R-Prattville; Joe Hardin, the Federation’s Governmental Association met Feb. 7 in Dothan, while Faust, R-Fairhope; , and Agricultural Programs Department the Alabama TREASURE Forest Association R-Woodland; , director. “At this meeting, farmers can talk board met Feb. 5 in Montgomery. The D-Newville; , R-Bryant; and glean information to take home to Alabama Catfish Producers met in Ralph Howard, D-Greensboro; the farm.” December for its organizational session. , R-Montgomery; A.J. Commodity committee members Agriculture & Industries McCampbell, D-Demopolis; Ed and leaders were also elected, and Commissioner Rick Pate joined farmers Oliver, R-Dadeville; Ginny Shaver, outgoing committee members who for lunch all three days, outlining goals R-Leesburg; , R-Hartford; served three full terms were honored. for the next four years and thanking the and Rodney Sullivan, R-Northport. Divisions represented included Bee Federation for its support. Sign Up For Trade Aid Nursery Group Honors Shelby County’s Byrd Program By Feb. 14 he Market Facilitation Program T(MFP) sign-up deadline is Feb. 14 as part of the trade mitigation program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Farmers have until May 1 to certify their 2018 crop production. Assistance to soybean growers is $1.65 per bushel; corn, 1 cent per bushel; pork, $8 per head; wheat, 14 cents per bushel; sorghum, 86 cents per bushel; and dairy (milk), 12 cents per hundredweight. MFP payments are limited to a combined $125,000 per person or legal entity for corn, cotton, sorghum, Robert Byrd of Green Valley Farms in Shelby County received the Alabama Nursery and Landscape Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award Jan. 31 during the Gulf States soybeans and wheat. Horticultural Expo in Mobile. From left are Alabama Farmers Federation Greenhouse, Nursery MFP payments are also limited to a & Sod Division Director Hunter McBrayer; Byrd, who serves on the Shelby County Farmers combined $125,000 for dairy and hog Federation board; and Federation District 6 Director Phillip Hunter of Shelby County. producers. Commodity Corner Events & Deadlines Alabama Fruit & Vegetable Dairy • March 1-3 - Alabama Farmers Growers Association At Dairy Goat U, youth and adults Federation Young Farmers AFVGA’s board met Jan. 23 at the will get hands-on educational experience Conference in Montgomery Chilton County Research and Extension with dairy goats and milk production. • March 5 - Legislative session Center. The board discussed AFVGA The event is March 30 from 9 a.m. to 3 begins membership updates, evaluated last p.m. at the Auburn University College of • March 5-8 - Federation year’s conference and brainstormed Veterinary Medicine. To learn more, visit Washington Legislative topics for the 2019 conference and trade facebook.com/groups/dairygoatu/. Conference show. Sessions and grower tracks, along -Guy Hall, division director • March 6-8 - National Pork Forum with hands-on demonstrations, will be in Orlando, Florida featured at the conference. Wildlife • March 13 - Taste of Alabama -Hunter McBrayer, executive director The Alabama Department of Legislative Reception in Conservation & Natural Resources Montgomery Beef deployed self-service chronic wasting • March 14 - National Ag Day American Farm Bureau Federation disease (CWD) sampling stations in north • March 14-16 - Junior Beef Expo in economists shared a market outlook Alabama as part of its increased CWD Montgomery during the annual convention in January. surveillance. Sample station freezers • JrBeefExpo.com They said many of the largest foreign are in Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Marshall, • March 14-16 - SLE Rodeo in markets for U.S. beef, like Japan, are not Franklin, Lauderdale and Colbert counties Montgomery problematic. Beef exports to Canada and can receive samples 24/7. For more • SLERodeo.com slipped in 2018, but the South Korea free information and specific locations, visit • March 29 - Registration opens trade agreement provided additional outdooralabama.com. for Federation Beef Tour to opportunities. U.S. beef exports for 2018 -William Green, division director Mississippi June 4-7 were a record 3.1 billion pounds. • AlfaFarmers.org -Brian Hardin, Governmental & Ag Peanuts • April 3-5 - Federation Women’s Programs Department director Alabama peanut production Leadership Conference in meetings begin this month. Farmers Birmingham Cotton will be updated on the latest research • Register by March 1 at The 2019 Wiregrass Cotton Expo is for diseases, weeds, insects and peanut AlfaFarmers.org Feb. 14 at the National Peanut Festival varieties, along with a market update to • April 4 - Alabama Farm-City Fairgrounds in Dothan. Registration help plan for the 2019 peanut season. Awards Luncheon in Birmingham begins at 7:30 a.m. Topics include cotton Visit alpeanuts.com to learn more. • Order tickets by March 22 at markets, production and disaster aid. -Brian Hardin, Governmental & Ag AlabamaFarmCity.org -Carla Hornady, division director Programs Department director 2019 Commodity Organization Meeting

armers were elected or re-elected to three-year terms on their respective state commodity committees during the Alabama FFarmers Federation Commodity Organization Meeting Feb. 5-7 in Montgomery. Outgoing committee members who served the maximum three full terms also were honored during the three-day meeting. New & Re-elected Committee Members With Counties Outgoing Members Bee & Honey Meat Goat & Sheep Bee & Honey Jeff Monroe, Chambers Sam Abney, Autauga Jimmy Carmack, Jefferson Ray Latham, Jackson Eugene Blair, Chambers Norman McClure, Jefferson Clay Shane Mims, Chilton Cotton Lionel Evans, Limestone Claire Flowers, Pike Donald Hodge, Madison Terry Martin, Tallapoosa Pork Dairy Beef Johnny Miller, Cherokee Will Gilmer, Lamar Phil Slay, Chambers Daniel Tubbs, Walker Richie Traylor, Randolph Jim Yance, Henry David Lee, Lowndes Poultry Equine Mike Carnes, Marshall Kenneth Northey, Covington Wendell Harmon, Chambers Charles Jernigan, Geneva Jo Ann B. Laney, Russell Cotton Chase Bradley, Monroe Lance Miller, Blount Ben Johnson, Randolph Forestry Thomas Kirkland, Dale John Dorrill, Pike Lance Whitehead, Fayette Soybean Andy Thornburg, Mobile Eric Street, Baldwin Greenhouse, Nursery & Sod Daniel Trantham, Calhoun Phillip Hunter, Shelby Dairy Colt Clemmons, Lauderdale Will Gilmer, Lamar Charles Butler, Madison Horticulture Richie Traylor, Randolph Allie Corcoran, Barbour Wheat & Feed Grain Equine Ben Looney, Limestone Pork Kelly Pritchett Mullins, Bullock Scott Saucer, Monroe Tim Gates, Pickens Amy Hegeman, Calhoun Stanley Walters, Perry Jenny Foster, Crenshaw Richard Parrish, Randolph Poultry Chase Chapman, Elmore Tom Duncan, Butler Larry Laney, Russell Wildlife Jeremy Brown, Montgomery Monty Gordon, Montgomery Forestry John Fetner, Randolph Soybean Ricky Jones, Covington Gary Bryant, Russell Mike Neal, Jackson Charles Whatley, Lee Mark Finley, Winston Elliott Poole, Sumter Wheat & Feed Grain Wayne Ford, Tuscaloosa Dan Rhyne, Lowndes Shep Morris, Macon Greenhouse, Nursery & Sod Jon Hegeman, Calhoun Wildlife Hank Richardson, Cherokee Lamar Dewberry, Clay Bill Cook, Montgomery Dell Hill, Talladega Lance Byrd, Shelby

Hay & Forage Phyllis Jones, Cherokee Joe Williams, Dale Chet Matthews, Elmore Steve Stroud, Pike Neal Kelly, Tallapoosa

Industrial Hemp Q&As Ag In Action Available Online On The Move In Ag • The 4th Southeastern • David Cole was named the Livestock Exposition Youth labama farmers can find answers to Alabama Farmers Federation’s and Collegiate Livestock Acommon questions about industrial State Affairs Director. Cole, who Judging Contest is March 7 hemp online by visiting aaes.auburn. joined the Federation in 2006 as at the Garrett Coliseum in edu/research-topics. The 2018 farm bill a field man before transferring Montgomery. Youth, 4-H and removed industrial hemp from the list of to the home office, will lead FFA members, in addition to controlled substances. the organization’s efforts in the agriculture college students, “These FAQs have been fully vetted Alabama Senate and House of may compete. Deadline to enter with the department to make sure they Representatives. is March 1. Contact Jason P’Pool are accurately answered,” said Alabama • Melissa Martin, a 14-year at [email protected] to learn Extension’s Dale Monks. “The questions company veteran, was promoted more. and answers are current as of Jan. 31, but to Corporate Media Director • The 2019 National Wheat interested growers need to continually for Creative Consultants Inc., Yield Contest is open and check because this is a fluid situation.” the Federation’s in-house accepting nominations. Winter advertising agency. The new wheat entries are due May 15, OBITUARY position combines messaging and spring wheat entries are responsibilities of her previous due Aug. 1. There are dryland Dwight England of Florence died job with additional advertising and irrigated subcategories. To Feb. 3. He was 56. duties. learn more, visit yieldcontest. England served 24 years on the • Katrenia Kier and Robert wheatfoundation.org. Lauderdale County Farmers Federation Turner were named Alabama • U.S. soybean production board of directors. He was a farmer and Forestry Commission chair and conservation practices officially salesman at Helena Chemical Co. vice chair, respectively. Kier is meet European Union (EU) He is survived by his wife, Melinda from Huntsville, while Turner sustainability standards, and England; his son, Chris Faulkner lives in Sulligent. The seven- biodiesel produced from (Courtney); a granddaughter, Annistin member board is appointed by documented soybeans can now Faulkner; and his parents, Ralph and the governor and approved by be used in the EU. Frances England. the State Senate. Alabama Delegates Attend Farm Bureau Convention ver 100 Alabama Farmers Federation Omembers helped the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) celebrate a century of service Jan. 11-16. AFBF’s 100th annual convention was held in New Orleans, where U.S. President Donald Trump addressed attendees for the second consecutive year. He assured the crowd of nearly 6,000 farmers from all 50 states and Puerto Rico that agriculture is a priority for his administration. “The American farmer feeds and fuels and sustains our nation,” Trump said. “On every front we are fighting for our great farmers, great ranchers, great growers.” AFBF President Zippy Duvall echoed Trump’s remarks, thanking the president for his support. “With this administration giving us a Alabama Young Farmers competed during the American Farm Bureau Federation annual seat at the table, we (worked) with them convention in New Orleans. From left are Sid Phelps of Tallapoosa County, who made Discussion Meet Sweet 16; Samantha Carpenter of Limestone County, Excellence in Agriculture competitor; through tax reform, which lowered the and Jordyn and Chris Upchurch of Clay County, who made the Top 10 in Achievement Award. tax rate for almost every farmer,” he said. At the convention, farmer-delegates voted on policy recommendations to Flapjacks with the Foundation, which Agriculture. They received copies of chart AFBF’s course for the next year. supports education through the “Right This Very Minute,” the foundation’s Alabama farmers also attended American Farm Bureau Foundation for accurate agriculture Book of the Year. Grants Fund Ag In The Classroom Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID Permit #310 Montgomery, AL P.O. Box 11000 Montgomery, AL 36191-0001

The Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) in Talladega County received an Alabama Ag in the Classroom mini-grant Jan. 31. Rep. THE CULTIVATOR is published monthly by the Alabama Farmers Steve Hurst, R-Munford, presented the grant to AIDB educator Federation, a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Rachel Chastain to fund supplies for the school’s Joe Tom Armbrester Correspondence may be addressed to THE CULTIVATOR, Marlee Agricultural Center. Moore - Editor, P.O. Box 11000, Montgomery, AL 36191-0001.

Ag Leaders Celebrated At Hall Of Honor Banquet Wheat, Feed Grain Farmers Donate Rescue Gear uburn University’s College of AAgriculture and Agricultural Alumni Association celebrated five Alabamians for significant contributions during the 2019 Alabama Agriculture Hall of Honor banquet Feb. 7 in Opelika. Ben Gore of Albertville, John Jensen of Auburn and Dan Smalley of Arab were inducted into the Hall of Honor. The late William Ethridge Jr. of Bessemer and the late Roy Hereford Jr. of Faunsdale were Pioneer Award recipients. Gore, the agribusiness inductee, is the retired CEO of Alabama Farm Credit. Education/government honoree Jensen was a longtime College of Agriculture faculty member, administrator and exten- sion fisheries and aquaculture specialist. Smalley, a retired poultry farmer who was a leader in and advocate for the poultry industry, is the production awardee. Ethridge was a successful dairy Alabama Wheat & Feed Grain (WFG) Producers helped sponsor the 2019 Grain Expo in Decatur farmer and enthusiastic promoter of Jan. 17. The Alabama Farmers Cooperative (AFC) Grain Division coordinated the event, where dairy and agriculture. Hereford was an farmers learned grain bin safety. WFG Producers also donated farm safety equipment to fire and auctioneer committed to improving rescue squads. From left are Alabama Farmers Federation WFG Division Director Carla Hornady, public perception of the auction business. Decatur Fire & Rescue’s Stacy Rose and AFC Grain Division Vice President John Gamble.