2017 Georgia Agribusiness Council weekly legislative report 
Volume 26, No. 3       Published by the Georgia Agribusiness Council, Inc.       January 27, 2017

PRAYERS FOR SOUTH GEORGIA
Lawmakers from across the state have been focused this week on the devastating storm damage across a wide swath of South Georgia. The appeals for prayers and assistance have come from the State Capitol and U.S. Capitol alike. Governor Deal and a group of legislators toured some of the damage Wednesday to gain a first-hand look and meet with local officials. It is refreshing and humbling to see such an outpouring of support from a diverse group of elected leaders. We are grateful to have heard from many GAC members in the affected area. We know the damage is severe, in addition to the long-lasting consequences of lost homes, pecan trees and pines. It was heartwarming to hear stories about neighbors helping neighbors and communities coming together to support those that suffered the most. That is what makes our state and industry so special. Please do not hesitate to let us know how we can be of service during this difficult time. We are all in this together -  we stand with you and we pray for you. 

We appreciate Southeast AgNet for capturing our perspective on concerns expressed by state lawmakers in the wake of the storm damage across South Georgia. Click here to catch our brief interview.
We appreciate GAC member and State Rep. Sam Watson (Moultrie) for this message about the upcoming breakfast and comments about the tornado damage. Rep. Watson serves as the Chairman of the Rural Caucus in the Georgia General Assembly.
UPCOMING EVENTS
We are less than 3 weeks away from the GAC Membership Supper & Annual Meeting and the GAC State Legislative Breakfast. Our Feb. 7 Annual Meeting and Membership Supper features Wesley Langdale of The Langdale Company as the keynote speaker. VERY FEW TICKETS REMAIN. We encourage you to call our office at 706-336-6830 ASAP if you would like to attend. 
The GAC State Legislative Breakfast on February 8, is pleased to have confirmed the attendance of Governor Deal, Lt. Governor Cagle, House Speaker David Ralston, Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, Senate Ag Chairman John Wilkinson, and House Ag Chairman Tom McCall. We hope you will make plans to join us along with these state leaders. If you would like to order tickets or co-host the legislative breakfast with a table sponsorship, please click the button below or call 706-336-6830.

The legislative clock is ticking again as four more of the 40-day session were marked off the calendar. A total of eight days have now been completed and lawmakers will return Monday for another four day run. This third week of the session also saw paper volumes skyrocket with a flurry of new bills being introduced. The committee process for vetting the bills is just starting to move, but we can feel the momentum growing. Follow these links to review the various House Committees and  Senate Committees. Here are some bills of interest for your review: 
FY2017 SUPPLEMENTAL STATE BUDGET
HB 43  makes adjustments to the current year budget and is tied to the recommendations presented by Governor Deal in the first week of the session. Led by GAC member and  House Appropriations Chairman Terry England (Auburn) , the House passed the proposal in overwhelming fashion. A timely and very notable adjustment is the  inclusion of  $5 million to the Governor's Emergency Fund to help  those impacted by the South Georgia tornadoes . With all of the adjustments, the FY2017 finished out at $24.3 billion. It now goes to the Senate Appropriations Committee for consideration.

CONSERVATION USE (CUVA)
HB 4 by Rep. Jason Spencer (Woodbine) is seeking to prohibit access, or to allow continued enrollment in, the Conservation Use Valuation Assessment (CUVA) program if the property owner is delinquent in county taxes where the land is located. It has been assigned to the House Ways & Means Committee and could make for some interesting discussion.

LIVESTOCK DEALER SURETY REQUIREMENTS
HB 49 by Rep. Clay Pirkle (Ashburn) would pave the way to improved licensing for livestock dealers and sale barns. It establishes a three-year livestock market operator license with a fee not to exceed $200. The triennial fee for a livestock dealer license would be no more than $25.00 and require a “surety” (bond) to aid in the prevention of nonpayment or contract purchase failure by a licensed livestock market operator or a livestock dealer. We expect this bill to move steadily and it took the first step by passing the House Agriculture Committee on Wednesday. This was also the first Ag Committee meeting that included the two newest committee members, Rep. Matt Gurtler (Tiger) and Rep. Bill McGowan (Americus). We look forward to our work with this important group of lawmakers.

GEORGIA REGIONAL TRANSIT COUNCIL
On Wednesday the vice-chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, Sen. Steve Gooch (Dahlonega), submitted SB 6 which would establish a new Georgia Regional Transit Council. The purpose of this council would be to strategically examine the many shortcomings of Georgia’s diverse transportation agencies and services and develop a mission and set goals to address flaws. The plan laid out in the bill emphasizes the council’s role in creating efficiency by offering solutions to improve arterial mobility, develop alternative freight routes, and plan for a future of transportation innovations. These alternative freight routes could have a big impact on how goods are distributed across the state. The council would consist of 19 members including three members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the commissioner of transportation, each chairperson of the five Atlanta counties Board of Commissioners, and others. 
GATE CARD USE DETAILS
Tuesday was the second gathering of the second largest caucus in the state legislature, the Rural Caucus. The luncheon (hosted by the Georgia Farm Bureau and the Georgia Poultry Federation) proved to be a great opportunity for these legislators to learn more about the GATE compliance visits being made to retailers by Georgia Department of Agriculture.  Over the past six months, GDA has conducted over 900 site visits and collected survey data from across the state at various retail establishments that accept the GATE card . The data collected showed that, of these retailers,  54% had 50 customers or less and 69% had ten or less transactions per day .  These numbers indicate the perceptions by some that GATE is used excessively are likely overblown. With approximately 33,000 GATE cards in circulation, these retailer surveys are a way to gather pertinent information about the program. Such compliance visits, and continued education efforts of retailers and GATE card holders, are important in protecting and preserving these tax exemption benefits. 
CITRUS AT THE CAPITOL
Also of interest, we were very pleased to have GAC member Lindy Savelle provide a presentation on citrus production by the Georgia Citrus Association during the House Ag Committee meeting Wednesday morning. Lindy is with 1 DOG Ventures which is a citrus farm and operates a citrus nursery in Sale City, GA. Lindy was the guest of Chairman Tom McCall (Elberton) and provided an excellent presentation on the growth of Georgia’s citrus industry and the potential it has with the new varieties created by Dr. Wayne Hanna at the University of Georgia. Much of the market for expansion is linked to the school nutrition programs. We are very pleased with the growing popularity of this budding sector of agriculture and agribusiness. Congratulations to Lindy and the Georgia Citrus Association! 

GARY BLACK “GEORGIAN OF THE YEAR” CELEBRATION
We were very pleased to attend a banquet honoring Georgia Trend’s 2017 Georgian of the Year, Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black! The Thursday afternoon event was attended by a broad group of distinguished business and political leaders. Commissioner Black was welcomed by a sold out crowd and joined by his family and key Department of Agriculture staff. It was also great having AFBF President Zippy Duvall introduce Gary as he was recognized for this outstanding award. We congratulate our former GAC President and current Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black for this very well deserved honor - and we coincidentally wore matching peanut ties to the event!

ABAC AND BAINBRIDGE STATE COLLEGE MERGER REACHES OUT TO PUBLIC
The merger of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) and Bainbridge State College took additional steps this week as listening sessions were held on each campus for public input. ABAC President David Bridges and Bainbridge State College Interim President Stuart Rayfield hosted the meetings to provide students, staff, alumni and others the opportunity to discuss the merger. Questions about the merger can also be directed to consolidation@abac.edu. The new consolidated institution could be in place by early 2018. 

INAUGURATION & AGRICULTURE
As mentioned in our report last week, it was an honor to attend the inauguration ceremony of President Donald Trump last week. While some are intent on knowing how many people actually attended the ceremony, we can attest it was extremely crowded and exciting. It was also a pleasure to connect with many ag industry friends at the Ag Ball held Friday night, especially American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall and his wife Bonnie, Governor Sonny Perdue and his wife Mary, Ag Commissioner Gary Black and his wife Lydia, and Senator David Perdue and his wife Bonnie, among many others. Georgia lawmakers passed SR 68 in honor of our new U.S. President, signaling a sweeping change to the administration and governance in our Nation’s Capitol. (note future USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue photobombing GAC's Bryan Tolar and AFBF's Zippy Duvall!)
GEORGIA AG DAY TURNS INTO GEORGIA AG WEEK IN 2017
 The Georgia Department of Agriculture has shifted the celebration of our state’s biggest and best industry from a one-day gathering in Atlanta to a one-week collection of activities for all to broaden the engagement. Here are the plans:

Monday, March 20 - Seasons & Faces of Georgia Agriculture
Sloppy Floyd Building Plaza, Atlanta
 The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s photo exhibit featuring farmers throughout the state will be displayed in the plaza of the James H. “Sloppy” Floyd Veterans Memorial Building.  The building houses the Capitol Commons food court, a popular lunch destination for state employees.

Tuesday, March 21- Flavor of Georgia
Old Train Depot, Atlanta
 The University of Georgia’s College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences will once again be hosting their annual Flavor of Georgia Contest to showcase delicious Georgia food products. Visit www.flavorofga.com  or contact Sharon Kane at spkane@uga.edu for more info. This event is by invitation only.
Wednesday, March 22- Ag Hero Day (Statewide)
The Georgia Department of Agriculture invites you to celebrate agriculture heroes in your community by writing a note to farmers thanking them for the food and fiber they provide in our daily lives. Schools are encouraged to invite a local Ag Hero into classrooms to discuss the importance of agriculture and the impact farming has on our economy.  A “Pennies for Produce” Drive will be held in schools to collect funds for food banks across the state to purchase local produce when in season.

Thursday, March 23- Ag Literacy Day (Statewide)
 With the guidance of Georgia Farm Bureau, the Georgia Department of Agriculture is encouraging all of our local and state partners to read a designated agriculture literacy book to a local school classroom. Contact Donna Rocker at dhrocker@gfb.org for classroom activities and more info.

Friday, March 24- Make My Plate Georgia Grown Day (Statewide)
 The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Farm to School Program and the Georgia Department of Education’s School Nutrition Program have partnered together to create a Georgia Grown menu to feature local products in school cafeteria’s across the state. The Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education, School Nutrition is encouraging local and state partners to visit a school cafeteria in your community and enjoy a tasty Georgia Grown lunch. 

Special thanks to our 2017 Star Sponsors listed below. We welcome having GAC member companies be a part of this initiative. Please call our office at 706-336-6830 or  click here for details . Thank you!
A.M. Bickley Inc.
Barrington Dairies
Bay Branch Farms, Inc.
Clay Co. & Associates
Curry Farm Supply Inc.
Docia Farms
Doerun Gin Co. Inc.
Israel Farm Supply Inc.
J & B Irrigation Inc.
KAKEGA LLC
Leger & Son, Inc.
Majors Electric & Mechanical Co., Inc.
Saddle Creek Farm
Vidalia Onion Business Council
GRAPEVINE
* Forestry Day at the Capitol is February 8th. It provides an opportunity to network with legislators, public officials and decision makers while catching up Georgia Forestry Association friends, fellow forestry professionals, and landowners. Click here for details.

*Also on February 8th is the Georgia 4-H "Day at the Capitol". We are proud of what the 4H organization does in our schools and communities! Please visit their website for more info. A special thanks to Senator Ellis Black (Valdosta) for submitting SR 37 that commends the 4-H Clubs of Georgia and Mr. James Hancock, Mr. Arch D. Smith, and the 2016-2017 4-H Leadership Team and recognizes February 8, 2017, as 4-H Day at the state capitol.

*We hope you will be able to attend the Georgia Farm Bureau's Day at the Capitol on February 15th. Get to know your elected officials and mingle with those in the industry to "grow" your network! One of those elected officials, Senate Ag Committee Chairman John Wilkinson (Toccoa), submitted SR 82 that recognizes February 15th as Georgia Farm Bureau Federation Day at the state capitol.

*On Thursday, Chairman Wilkinson also submitted SR 81 commending FFA and recognizing February 19 - 26, as National FFA Week, with February 21st as FFA Day at the capitol. We hope you will be able to come on of these days and support our farmers.

* The 2017 Georgia Agritourism Association’s Annual Conference will be held February 27 – March 1. This is a great opportunity for people to tour Georgia Agritourism operations, network, and learn about the latest in effective marketing strategies, on-farm activities that work, and hear first-hand testimonials from agritourism operators about their success. Call 706-845-9085 for more info.  

*The Georgia Citrus Association will have their first annual meeting on February 27th at the UGA Tifton Campus. This new association will be a catalyst for the fruit growing industry in Georgia. Click here for more information. 

*The annual Wild Hog Supper that was supposed to take place earlier this month but was postponed due to inclement weather has been rescheduled for Monday, February 27th from 5:30-7:30 PM. It will continue to be at the Georgia Freight Depot. Tickets are still available for purchase!

*We hope you will make plans to join us at the  Georgia FFA Foundation Blue & Gold Gala slated for Friday, March 10 at the St. Regis Buckhead hotel in Atlanta.  Click here for details .

This information is intended for members of the Georgia Agribusiness Council, Inc. No part of this document shall be copied, edited, or redistributed in any form without express written consent from the Georgia Agribusiness Council, Inc.

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