Greetings,
2019 has certainly presented farmers and the cotton industry at large a unique set of challenges so far, both on and off the farm. Recently, we made it over some of those hurdles and we are hopeful that we will keep moving forward. As always, please forward this message to anyone you think would benefit from reading it and do not hesitate to contact us if we can ever be of service.
Georgia Cotton Commission
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Cotton Commission Welcomes Disaster Vote; Trade Announcement
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The Georgia Cotton Commission would like to thank their partners in congress for their recent passage of disaster assistance (HR 2157) and President Trump for his announcement of a revamped trade assistance package for farmers affected by adverse market conditions caused by ongoing trade negotiations between the United States and various foreign nations. A big thank you goes out to the members of Georgia’s congressional delegation for keeping the disaster issue at the forefront of political discussions despite the length of time it took for their colleagues to act on it.
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Leaders Converge on Doerun
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After the passage and signature of HR 2157, federal and state leaders gathered in Doerun at the family farm of GCC Chairman Bart Davis to discuss the impact the legislation will have on the state, rural communities, and on the family farm level. A big thank you to Governor Brian Kemp, Secretary Sonny Perdue, Senator David Perdue, Representative Sanford Bishop, Representative Austin Scott, and Commissioner Gary Black for coming to inform growers and the ag industry on these important developments.
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The Georgia Cotton Commission has developed three promotional videos that are currently running on social media and some TV advertisements. Each is directed at a different type of consumer. See links for each imbedded in the respective photos. Remember to like and share these so that more people see them!
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Whitaker: Variety Selection in Georgia, Why Our Best Choices are Sometimes a Compromise...
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Weather is a big factor that all cotton producers have to consider during planting season. In Georgia, rainfall is almost always limited at some point and our producers are some of the most experienced in “making it work”.
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Davis Testifies to Ag Subcommittee
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In May, GCC Chairman Bart Davis, a cotton farmer from Colquitt County, testified to the US House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management on the "State of the Farm Economy". Thanks to Chairman Filemon Vela (D-TX), Ranking Member Glenn Thompson (R-PA), Rep. David Scott (D-GA), Austin Scott (R-GA), and Rick Allen (R-GA) for holding the hearing and asking for Chairman Davis' testimony.
Video Credit - National Cotton Council of America
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- Sponsored Georgia Association of Extension 4-H Agents Annual Meeting.
- Attended meetings with USDA Under Secretary Bill Northey.
- Attended Spring meeting of American Cotton Producers, Dallas, TX.
- Attended rural broadband roundtable with Congressmen Austin Scott & Buddy Carter as well as FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr.
- Exhibited at Pearson Elementary School Agriculture Awareness Day.
- Wrote support letter for study on cotton dwarf leaf curl virus.
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- Signed on to NCC letter commenting on new WOTUS rule.
- Signed on to letters on disaster assistance.
- Sponsored and Exhibited at Georgia FFA Convention; presented Fiber/Oilseed Proficiency Award, sponsored by Georgia Cotton Commission.
- Sent "Cotton: The Story" educational kits and/or other promotional materials to educators in Gordon, Oglethorpe, Coffee, Pierce, Murray, and Seminole Counties.
- Sent "Cotton: The Story" educational kits to educators in Missouri, California, and Florida.
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- Exhibited at Telfair County Farm Day.
- Set up interviews related to disaster aid and international trade.
- Attended Advancing Georgia's Leaders in Agriculture & Forestry Board Meeting/selection day.
- Presented Tifton Campus MVP Award at UGA Tifton Graduation.
- Exhibited at Long County Farm Bureau Farm Day.
- Exhibited at Montgomery County Farm Day.
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- Attended US House Agriculture Committee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management, testimony by GCC Chairman Davis.
- Exhibited at Claxton Elementary School Farm Day.
- Participated in conference call with The Cotton Board.
- Sponsored and Attended Georgia Press Association Convention.
- Sent "Cotton: The Story" educational kit to educators in North Carolina.
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- Participated in Cotton Incorporated conference call on on-farm robotics.
- Participated in National Cotton Council of America conference call on risk management.
- Attended meeting with USDA-NRCS Chief Matt Lohr.
- Attended roundtable on disaster assistance passing, Doerun.
- Participated in interviews related to disaster aid passage.
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- Met with Auburn University Cotton Team on cotton blue disease.
- Held summer GCC Board Meeting
- Attended Georgia Disaster Recovery Task Force meetings.
- Sent "Cotton: The Story" educational kits to educators in Cobb, Newton, Echols, and Dodge Counties.
- Sent "Cotton: The Story" educational kits to educators in Alabama.
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Georgia Cotton Commission
Board of Directors
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Bart Davis
Chairman
Colquitt County
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Matt Coley
Vice-Chairman
Dooly County
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Lee Cromley
Bulloch County
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Steven Meeks
Wayne County
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Chris Hopkins
Toombs County
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Gary Black
Commissioner
Georgia Department of Agriculture
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Gerald Long
President
Georgia Farm Bureau
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Richey Seaton
Executive Director
richey@georgiacotton.org
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Martha Harris
Office Manager
martha@georgiacotton.org
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Taylor Sills
Director of Public Affairs
taylor@georgiacotton.org
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