A division of Georgia Farm Bureau
Updated Monday, May 12, 2008 @ 3:57 PM
GOVERNOR SUSPENDS GAS TAX ON OFF-ROAD DIESEL; SIGNS AG BILLS -- At a ceremony at Georgia Farm Bureau headquarters in Macon Monday morning, Governor Sonny Perdue signed an executive order suspending the collection of the state gas tax on diesel sold for off-road uses. Governor Perdue also signed several agricultural-related pieces of legislation during his visit to Farm Bureau: Senate Bill 515, House Bill 649, House Bill 1178 and House Bill 1088.
“Our farmers have borne the brunt of this multi-year drought, and now face record fuel prices during our planting season,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “Suspending this tax will bring needed relief to our state’s largest industry.”
Governor Perdue discussed this idea with the General Assembly’s Rural Caucus towards the end of the 2008 session. The Georgia House and Senate each passed resolutions urging the Governor to consider suspending the tax. The Georgia Farm Bureau has also asked Governor Perdue to consider this action.  
“Suspension of the sales tax on off road diesel fuel would help farmers, it would promote a major segment of our state’s economy, and it would allow for more money to be spent in local rural economies,” Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall wrote in a letter to the Governor.
Suspension of the tax will save farmers and timber owners the four percent sales tax charged on off-road diesel. The state does not charge an excise tax on this type of fuel, and the executive order does not impact local taxes that are levied. The suspension is expected to offset state revenues by $2 million to $4 million. Off-road diesel is dyed red to differentiate it from on-road diesel, which is not affected by this suspension.
Pursuant to state law, the tax will be suspended until the General Assembly meets again. The legislature has adjourned its regular 2008 session, which means the next meeting of the General Assembly is expected to be in January 2009.
The suspension is effective immediately.
At the same signing cermony, Governor Perdue also signed legislation that will continue to support Georgia’s agricultural community.  
SB 515 sponsored by Sen. John  Bulloch changes the membership of the Seed Commission and dissolves the Commission’s statutorily created advisory board; HB 649 sponsored by Rep. Tommy Smith establishes an Agricultural Commodity Commission for blueberries; HB 1178 sponsored by Rep. Ellis Black extends state sales and use tax exemption sunset on liquefied petroleum gas or other fuel used in a structure in which swine are raised to June 30, 2010 and HB 1088 allows the Department of Transportation to place directional signs on the state highway system that directs passing traffic to an agricultural tourist attraction; this legislation is sponsored by Rep. Butch Parrish.

The Governor’s Executive Order follows:

Whereas:    The price of dyed fuel oils, as used primarily for off road, agricultural uses,         including timber growing or harvesting, has risen substantially; and

Whereas:    This spike in the price of dyed fuel oils has produced an acute strain on Georgia’s agricultural and timber growing or harvesting sectors; and

Whereas:    These circumstances make it appropriate to exercise the authority vested in the Governor pursuant to Code Section 45-12-22 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, to suspend the collection of taxes, or any part thereof, due the state;  and

Whereas:    Suspension of the collections of state sales and use taxes on dyed fuel oils used    for off road purposes may give additional incentive to certain individuals to purchase tax-exempt motor fuel from a licensed distributor designated and   formulated for non-highway use and to subsequently use or permit the motor fuel to be used for highway purposes, such activity being unlawful pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 48-9-17; and

Whereas:    The public is hereby reminded that any person who violates O.C.G.A. § 48-9-17  “shall be punished by a fine of not less than $1,000.00 nor more than $10,000.00 or by imprisonment for not less than 30 days nor more than 12  months, or both.”

                      Now, therefore, pursuant to the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Georgia, it is hereby Ordered:    
 That the collection of the 4% state sales and use tax as that tax applies to sales of dyed fuel oils as defined in paragraph 5.1 of Code Section 48-9-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated which is used exclusively for agricultural and timber   growing or harvesting purposes and not for highway use as defined in paragraph (8) of Section 48-9-2, be suspended commencing with all sales occurring immediately following the last moment of May 11, 2008, until the General Assembly acts upon this Order. This 12th day of May, 2008. 



ALL POULTRY IN SEOUL KILLED AFTER BIRD FLU OUTBREAK -- South Korean officials said Monday they have killed all poultry in Seoul, the capital, to curb the spread of bird flu following a new outbreak of the disease in the city.
Quarantine officials destroyed 15,000 chickens, ducks, pheasants and turkeys raised in farms, restaurants, schools and homes in the capital, said Kim Yoon-kyu, a Seoul Metropolitan Government official.
The Seoul government said the slaughter was necessary to contain the disease. It said it will now focus on preventing live poultry from being brought into the capital.
The slaughter began Sunday night, hours after authorities confirmed Seoul's second outbreak of bird flu in less than a week.
The slaughter did not affect parrots, parakeets and canaries because they have little chance of spreading the disease, Kim said.
Government tests were under way to determine whether the outbreak was caused by the virulent H5N1 virus, said Kim Chang-seop, an official at the Agriculture Ministry. He said test results would be available as early as Monday night.
Outside Seoul, two outbreaks of the H5N1 virus were reported Sunday in poultry farms in Busan and Ansung, Kim said. He said it was the first time the virus has been found in Busan, the country's second largest city.
They were the 27th and 28th confirmed outbreaks of the H5N1 virus, Agriculture Ministry spokesman Yoon Young-ku said.
Bird flu began sweeping southern parts of the country last month for the first time in more than a year, forcing the slaughter of about 6.8 million birds.
The virus remains hard for people to catch, but scientists worry it could mutate into a form that spreads more easily between humans, with the potential to kill millions worldwide.
Worldwide, at least 241 people have died from bird flu since 2003, according to the World Health Organization. Most human cases have been linked to contact with infected poultry.

UGA STUDENTS LEARN TO PROTECT U.S. FOOD SUPPLY-- Dead pigeons don’t usually attract much attention. But a few hundred of them infected with avian influenza and mysteriously found in several U.S. cities would cause, at the least, a media storm.
Fortunately, this scenario wasn’t being discussed by a terrorist group. Instead, University of Georgia students made the attack through a PowerPoint presentation. Their classmates were geared up to defend against it.
In the “Terror and the Food Supply” class, students learn the strengths of the nation’s food system and work to find its weaknesses through mock terrorism attacks using sodium cyanide and avian influenza. They learn to contain attacks, too, said Nick Hill, a UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences professor who teaches the class.
“There are very few students trained in this initiative of agrosecurity,” Hill said.
The class is the first offered in the UGA certificate program in agrosecurity. UGA is the only university in the U.S. that offers a program “with comprehensive study of the plant, animal and food industries in relation to policy and food system security,” said Sarah Workman, with the CAES Office of Global Programs. She wrote the proposal that got the program started.
A search on usajobs.gov shows 1,513 jobs related to homeland security, 15 within 100 miles of Athens, Ga. The agrosecurity certificate program can help UGA students get these jobs.
“There are a lot more openings for people who have a systems view of the food supply,” Workman said. “We need people who will connect the dots and keep their eyes open for ways to assure our food and farms are not vulnerable to hazards.”
UGA student Pauline Nguyen initially went into food science because, “literally, I like food, and I like science,” she said.
But after Hill spoke in one of her classes, she decided an agrosecurity course would be an interesting way to fill one of her major’s requirements. Agrosecurity is now her new career choice.
“I’ll be changing the world because I accidentally signed up for a class,” she said.
In 2004, Tommy Thompson, former U.S. secretary of health and human services, said he was surprised terrorists had not attacked the U.S. food supply. The words struck Hill, who in 2006 created the class on terrorism and the food supply.
In 2007, the CAES offered the agrosecurity certificate program. This year, science-specific students can add three courses to their college majors, receive the certificate and get hands-on experience in how to handle agricultural incidents, assist in emergencies and help keep the U.S. food supply safer.
“Only 0.1 percent of the food imported into the U.S. gets tested,” Hill said. “It’s interesting because we’re net importers of food – primarily fruits and vegetables. It’s an opportunity for people to strike us.”
For more information, visit the Agrosecurity Certificate Program online at www.agrosecurity.uga.edu/certificate or e-mail Karen Simmons at karens@uga.edu.


GOVERNOR PERDUE SIGNS FOREST LAND CONSERVATION LEGISLATION -- Governor Sonny Perdue Thursday signed The Georgia Forest Land Protection Act of 2008, HB 1211, at the Swainsboro Pine Tree Festival and Timber Expo.  
“I am pleased to sign this legislation that promotes forest land conservation throughout the state and coincides with the Conserve Georgia campaign that we kicked off two weeks ago,” said Governor Sonny Perdue.  “These bills would not have made it to my desk without the hard of the many legislators joining us here today.”
HB 1211, sponsored by Rep. Richard Royal, creates a property valuation classification of forest land, which has no acreage cap and allows all property owners including businesses to put their property into covenant and receive the tax benefits.  This legislation becomes effective upon the passage of a related constitutional amendment on the ballot in November 2008 (HR 1276).
“The Georgia Forest Land Protection Act of 2008 will protect the state’s environment for years to come and will allow our forest land owners to continue their ownership of these valuable resources by reducing the terrible burden of unfair property taxes,” said Rep. Richard Royal.  “In addition to maintaining the state’s forest land, it will also help ensure clean air and water.”
By entering into a covenant to utilize the forest land for conservation purposes for at least 15 years, Georgia’s private property owners will have the advantage of a lower tax burden on qualifying land for as long as the land is kept in its natural state.
Governor Perdue and Rep. Royal were joined at the bill signing event by Rep. Jim Cole, Rep. Jay Shaw, Rep. Butch Parrish, Rep. Jimmy Pruett, Sen. Ross Tolleson, Sen. John Bulloch and Sen. Jack Hill.
Monday morning, May 12, at 9:30 a.m., the Governor is slated to sign at least four ag-related bills at Georgia Farm Bureau headquarters in Macon.



PROPOSED EQUINE TAG PASSES HALFWAY MARK -- Georgia’s new equine license plate seems well on its way to begin manufacturing.
 So far nearly 600 plates have been pre-ordered, with 1,000 needed for production to begin.
 “I am encouraging drivers, especially horse lovers, to put their car before the horse – the horse license plate,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin. 
 Proceeds from sales of the specialty tag will provide needed funds for promotion, research and educational programs for the state’s equine industry.
 The equine license plate can be ordered by filling out an Application for a Special Interest License Plate (specifying “Georgia Equine Industry”) at any motor vehicle tag office. A one-time manufacturing fee of $25 will be required at the time of order (this will apply to the tag or it will be refunded if the tags are not produced).
Those who order the tag should be sure to obtain a receipt after payment.


AFBF: FOOD FIX NEEDS TO BE THOUGHTFUL, COMPREHENSIVE -- The American Farm Bureau Federation Wednesday said there is no short-term fix for the complex global food situation. In a statement on global food prices submitted to Congress, AFBF said there are many factors causing an increase in food prices around the world that must be addressed with thoughtful and comprehensive measures.
Escalating energy prices, demand and weather are but a few culprits for rising food prices, said AFBF. The organization also said the overall food price issue is much larger than the U.S. “It is global and requires global solutions,” said the organization.
AFBF cited a February 2008 report by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization that “identifies the rising cost of energy, increased worldwide demand, weather impacts on crop production, lower stocks levels, and the production of biofuels and the operation of financial markets as part of the current global food situation. This has resulted in world price increases of 80 percent for some products from 2005 to 2008,” said AFBF in its statement.
Domestically, said AFBF, the spiraling cost of natural gas and crude oil are having a major impact on production costs for farmers, ranchers and the entire food production chain. “Action must be taken to reduce our reliance on foreign sources of oil,” said AFBF. “Development of domestic oil and gas reserves, a continued commitment to biofuels and development of renewable resources must be part of the solution.”
Because of the renewable fuels standard (RFS), gas prices have already been lowered by as much as 15 percent according to AFBF and other studies, saving the consumer roughly 50 cents per gallon.
The organization also said other remedies are needed, such as investments in agricultural research and infrastructure, which play a critical role increasing agricultural production. Globally, countries should be discouraged from placing embargos on exports, which only result in escalating prices, and markets must be given time to adjust to growing demand and be allowed to stabilize.
Short-term solutions, such as food aid, agricultural assistance and efforts to calm markets, could help through the difficult time, but, says AFBF, “The situation we face today has been building over a long period. It will not be resolved by politically expedient solutions but must be addressed in a thoughtful and comprehensive manner.”
Long-term, said AFBF, there also needs to be more objective and open-minded approaches to agriculture productivity around the world. “Deciding to forgo technologies that can significantly improve yields, reduce pesticide needs and provide for greater output puts a major cost on developing and other economies.”


USDA SAYS WEATHER MAY KNOCK DOWN CORN PRODUCTION THIS YEAR -- Corn production this year could be down as much as 7 percent from the record-breaking heights of 2007, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released Friday.
The prediction is a foreboding sign for those hoping for a drop in prices.
"What's it mean ultimately? High food prices, for sure," said Don Roose, president of U.S. Commodities in West Des Moines, Iowa, a commodities trading firm.
The USDA report projects farmers will harvest about 12 billion bushels of corn this year. About one-third of the harvest will be directed toward ethanol production, the USDA estimates.
The revised projections came as wet weather in the Corn Belt slowed plantings, causing the greatest delay since 1995. The USDA reported that only 27 percent of the nation's corn crop had been planted through May 4.
Analysts believe Friday's report could extend sky-high corn prices. Prices for the crop have skyrocketed over the last year, lingering for weeks at more than $6 per bushel amid an ethanol boom and more demand for exports.
"Today's report is an indicator that we're going to be living with very high corn prices for a very long time, at least through the next crop year," said Mark McMinimy, an agribusiness and biofuels analyst with the Stanford Group in Washington.
Although the report could prompt high prices, Roose said the USDA was being optimistic in its projections. If nothing changes, there could be even bigger problems than the report suggests, he said.
"In some ways it's actually kind of a bullish report," he said. "The bottom line is it says we're off to a poor start. We needed things to go almost perfect this year to avoid a big problem and so far we're staring at that big problem."
The report could also exacerbate problems for the ethanol industry, which has come under increased fire as global food prices soar.
Recently Texas Gov. Rick Perry and 26 senators, including likely GOP presidential nominee John McCain, asked the Environmental Protection Agency to cut a federal requirement for 9 billion gallons of corn-based ethanol in half.
"This sure does turn up the heat on ethanol subsidies," said Bruce Babcock, the director of Iowa State University's Center for Agricultural and Rural Development. "The industry has been taking heavy fire."
But Babcock said that even if ethanol subsidies were cut dramatically -- a highly improbable scenario -- it would only reduce the price of corn by a dollar or so a bushel.
"It's not like by cutting subsidies we can undue this problem," Babcock said. "There's a lot of demand for corn. And even if they don't have subsidies, if ethanol producers can make a buck or a dime or a nickel processing corn they're going to process it."
McMinimy also predicted more pressure on the ethanol industry after Friday's numbers, although he said the angst was misguided.
"It's fair to say that much of the media and chatter ... has drawn the conclusion that ethanol is the culprit," McMinimy said. "The truth is that's way, way over simplified. But that doesn't mean they won't be feeling the heat as a result.
McMinimy said that the only way he could see corn prices coming down is if yields -- the amount of corn farmers actually harvest -- are higher. The USDA now projects a yield that is "lower than the trend but still by historical standards pretty high," McMinimy said.


VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR STATEWIDE RAIN GAUGE NETWORK -- The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, better known as CoCoRaHS, is looking for volunteers to help collect rainfall data across Georgia.
The CoCoRaHS program started in Colorado in 1998 and has expanded to 31 states where more than 10,000 observers take daily measurements of rain, hail and snow, according to Chris McGehee, hydrologist at the Southeast River Forecast Center (part of NOAA’s National Weather Service). She serves as CoCoRaHS state coordinator for Georgia. The non-profit organization stresses training and education, and welcomes volunteers from all walks of life to take part in monitoring precipitation.
“This is a great chance for weather enthusiasts and average citizens to be part of a project that collects vital rainfall data,” McGehee said. “The data is readily available to the general public and other organizations.”
Volunteers use low-cost equipment and an interactive Web site to provide the highest quality data for natural resources, education and research applications. Climatologists, hydrologists, water resource managers and the National Weather Service are just some of the users of the high-density rainfall reports.
Georgia CoCoRaHS is officially set to join the network on May 1st, but enthusiastic public response led CoCoRaHS headquarters to put Georgia’s web pages online a month early. More than 100 Georgians from 46 counties have signed up already.
“Official measuring stations across the state are sparse, and rainfall can vary quite a bit over short distances,” McGehee said.  “With trained volunteers, CoCoRaHS helps fill these gaps and give us a better picture of rainfall patterns.”
To volunteer as a CoCoRaHS observer or for more information, visit www.cocorahs.org or email McGehee at christine.mcgehee@noaa.gov.
CoCoRaHS is nationally funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Science Foundation.


HIGH WINDS OVER THE WEEKEND IN GEORGIA -- High winds and scattered rains occurred across Georgia over the weekend, according to the USDA, NASS, Georgia Field Office. Daily average high temperatures were in the lower to mid-80's. Average lows were in the 50's and 60's.
Soil moisture conditions were rated at 10% very short, 43% short, 45% adequate, and 2% surplus.
There were high winds over the weekend. Some lodging was reported, in wheat fields, as the result of the strong winds and rains. The rain was welcomed by farmers. Lack of rain recently has had a negative impact on wheat and hay crops. Dry weather has slowed planting. Some producers had to quit or finish planting cotton and start planting peanuts due to the dry conditions.
Cotton and peanuts were still being planted on irrigated acreage, but most dryland planting ceased. Farmers were irrigating wheat, corn, and hayfields where possible. It was still too cool for most farmers to plant in north Georgia.
Other activities included cutting hay and planting vegetables. County Extension Agents reported an average of 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork.

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The Georgia Farm Bureau, Inc./dba Georgia Farm Radio Network, does not necessarily agree with nor endorse any of the information contained in the above news stories. The page is merely a digest of what is being said about Agricluture in the media as compiled in the Georgia Farm Radio Network / Clear Channel Networks newsroom.