Conference Helps Mold Young Leaders | |
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The 2023 Alfa Youth Leadership Conference helped 87 high school freshmen and sophomores from across Alabama develop crucial life and ag advocacy skills at the Alabama 4-H Center in Columbiana Nov. 13-14.
The two-day conference was hosted by the Alabama Farmers Federation and began with students networking with other young people from around the state. Later, character development sessions were hosted by professional speakers Noah Galloway and Rhett Laubach.
The highlight of the conference included a session where students practiced the skill of service and assembled wooden toys to send to patients at Children’s of Alabama hospital this holiday season.
Applications for the 2024 conference will be available next September.
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FarmPAC Supporters to Meet Hegseth during Special Reception | | |
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Alabama farmers who give above the suggested Alabama FarmPAC donation amount can meet Fox & Friends Weekend Co-host Pete Hegseth at the annual meeting Dec. 4 during a special reception. The first 100 members in line will receive his book.
Following the reception, Hegseth will deliver the keynote address during General Session III.
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Rain Brings Update to Fire Restrictions | | |
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With recent rain, the Alabama Forestry Commission eased fire restrictions across much of the state.
The order released on Nov. 21 stated all burn restrictions were lifted in 33 counties in Alabama.
In 23 counties in Alabama, the No Burn order was removed and replaced by a fire alert, which means one-day burn permits will be issued to certified prescribed burn managers only.
Some counties did not get adequate precipitation to alleviate the drought conditions, so 11 counties remain under the No Burn order issued by Gov. Kay Ivey on Nov. 9. These are Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Etowah, Jefferson, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair and Talladega counties.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture Southern Region release shows corn production in the U.S. is forecast at a record high, soybean production is forecast up 4.13 billion bushels and cotton production is forecast at 13.1 million bales. If the forecast is correct, corn would be up 11% from 2022, while soybeans and cotton would be down 3 and 2% respectively. Click here to read Alabama specific numbers.
Submitted by Carla Hornady.
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Greenhouse, Nursery & Sod | |
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U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., continues to champion farms across Alabama that use the guest worker H-2A program. Most recently, Tuberville wrote comments strongly opposing and asking the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to rescind its most recent proposed rule-making.
“DOL’s proposed rule, which was published in the Federal Register on Sept. 15, aims to strengthen protections for seasonal and temporary farmworkers, but will ultimately result in putting America’s farmers out of business," Tuberville said. Click here to read more.
Submitted by Blake Thaxton.
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The National Peanut Board celebrated record-breaking peanut butter consumption this month. November is National Peanut Butter Lovers Month. Per capita consumption of peanut butter reached an unprecedented 4.4 pounds this year, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Census Bureau. Total peanut per capita consumption remains high and stable at 7.7 pounds. Click here to read more. | |
Submitted by Kaye Lynn Hataway - Alabama Peanut Producers Association | |
Take the Agricultural Producer Survey Today | |
The Alabama Farmers Federation is conducting a survey to help the organization meet the needs of its members. The survey is anonymous, and the results will help direct programs of the Federation. | |
Federation Welcomes Southeast Farm Bureaus to Home Office | |
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The Alabama Farmers Federation Nov. 29 welcomed Farm Bureau Federations from Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas to Montgomery for an Agricultural Labor Policy meeting.
During the event, led by the Federation's Mitt Walker and Blake Thaxton, representatives from each state discussed the shortage of farm labor, guest worker policies and possible solutions to issues that impact farmers across the country.
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Farmers Can Expect Limited Disaster Support from the Latest ERP Reboot | |
On Oct. 27 the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the allocation of more than $3 billion to support commodity and specialty crop producers impacted by natural disasters in 2022 through a modified continuation of the Emergency Relief Program (ERP). Though initially welcomed by farmers and ranchers recovering from exceptional drought conditions, severe hurricanes, derechos, flooding and other natural disasters, a change in how assistance is calculated will drastically reduce the support many impacted producers receive. In particular, the program’s new progressive factoring methodology limits sufficient support to a small percentage of operations, a puzzling approach when natural disasters devastate operations of all types. This report discusses how the ERP 2022 works. Find more information in the quick click section below. | |
Federation Supports EATS Act | |
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The Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act was introduced in the U.S. Senate inspired by California’s Proposition 12. The legislation would prevent individual states from dictating production standards in other states.
A Supreme Court decision has upheld Proposition 12, which mandates that pork producers meet California standards in order to sell pork products in the state. Lawmakers supporting the EATS Act assert that states and local governments should hold the authority to regulate agriculture within their borders and not be subject to obstruction from other jurisdictions. Nearly a dozen state governors have also agreed with that sentiment, outwardly supporting the legislation.
The Alabama Farmers Federation is supportive of the EATS Act.
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Peanut Producers Share Comfort of Peanuts at National Peanut Festival | | |
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November is the month of comfort. Farmers wrap up their harvest season, families travel home to gather around tables with an assortment of food and folks from all over rush to attend the National Peanut Festival in Dothan. This year's event has come and gone, but peanut farmers are still working to put food on the table and peanuts in peanut butter jars.
Alabama Peanut Producers Association Executive Director Libbie Johnson attended the National Peanut Festival for the first time this year.
“What a great experience it was to see the National Peanut Festival in full swing," Johnson said. "It was a joy to see so many people join together to celebrate fall, the season of peanuts and family togetherness. It was especially nice to educate people from outside of Alabama about how peanuts grow and what they are used for outside of peanut butter and candy. I loved seeing people line up to eat a grilled peanut butter and jelly. It brings the comfort of home to the joy of a festival. What an exceptional combination.”
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Pickens County Dairy Continues Family Legacy | | |
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Circle J Dairy of Pickens County is continuing their family legacy of dairy farming — milking around 40 Jersey and Holsteins daily in Gordo.
For now, Circle J Dairy’s sole offering is farm-fresh milk that’s pasteurized — or heated to a certain temperature to kill bacteria — and non-homogenized. That means the cream separates from the milk and rises to the top after bottling. The farm offers chocolate milk from time to time and hopes to add buttermilk and ice cream in the future.
This Sweet Grown Alabama milk can be found in their farm store, restaurants, grocery stores and coffee shops in the area.
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Tag Along: Farming Feeds Alabama | | |
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Thousands of Alabama motorists daily crisscross the state sporting Farming Feeds Alabama Ag Tags.
The current third-generation Ag Tag streams red, white and blue as the American flag anchors its background. Agricultural commodities and equipment are incorporated into each tag, telling the story of Alabama’s 44,000 farm families, said Alabama Farmers Federation President Jimmy Parnell.
“Twenty-one years ago, the Alabama Farmers Federation created the Ag Tag to bring awareness to agriculture, support agricultural education and engage consumers with producers,” Parnell said. “The Ag Tag represents faith, freedom and farming.”
Ag Tag sales benefit the Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation, which supports agricultural literacy projects, Ag in the Classroom, livestock expositions, youth agricultural programs, scholarships and more.
“Driving a vehicle with an Ag Tag is more than just having ‘Farming Feeds Alabama’ on your bumper,” Parnell said. “Having an Ag Tag makes you a part of a family — a family who supports this state and feeds the world.”
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Co-chairs of the Agricultural Labor Working Group U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., and Don Davis, D-N.C., released an interim report Nov. 7 on the activities of the working group and the issues identified from a series of roundtables conducted over the past four months. Click here to read more.
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Major commodity groups and the American Farm Bureau Federation are calling on U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to overhaul a 2022 disaster assistance program that significantly prorates assistance for larger losses. The Emergency Relief Program was funded for 2022 with a $3.2 billion appropriation from Congress that was significantly less than the estimated uncovered losses. Click here to read more.
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Reruns of Simply Southern continue this month, but each episode includes portions of new content. So be sure to tune in!
Dec. 2/3/6: The 2023 Outstanding Young Farm Family Brady and Anna Peek of Limestone County, Church in the Pines at Lake Martin, What’s in Season for December with Sweet Grown Alabama, how sweet potatoes are grown with Joel Sirmon of Baldwin County, and a Southern Bite recipe for Southern Tomato Gravy.
Dec. 9/10/20: A boom in demand for ag-related jobs featuring Elmore County High School FFA; Gross Out Camp; a brand new Rural Roundup of agricultural news; Extension’s segment on identifying snakes; and a Southern Bite recipe for Deep Fried Pecan Pies, sponsored by Priester’s.
*Note: On Dec. 13, Simply Southern TV will be pre-empted on RFD-TV for coverage of the National Rodeo Finals. This show will be moved to the following week, airing on Wed., Dec. 20.
To find out where and when the show airs near you, visit simplysoutherntv.net and click “Where To Watch.”
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Feb. 1 - Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show in Dothan. More information to come at a later date.
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