In this Issue:

• Headlines
• USDA Announces AI Found in Dairy Cattle-What's Next?
• Reminder: GA RFSI Grant Deadline is This Friday
• Reminder x2: LAS Permit Renewal Due This Friday
• Reminder x3: DMC Enrollment Open until This April 29
• Legislative Tracker
• Upcoming Events
• Happy Easter

Headlines

articles and press releases of interest this week

• US Regulators Urge Congress to Look into Grocery Profits
• Senate Passes $1.2 trillion funding package 
• Legislation Would Require FSA to Make Quarterly Updates to LIP
• Dairy Cattle in Texas and Kansas Test Positive for Avian Influenza
• Dairy Markets Continue to Drop
• Joint Dairy Organization Statement on HPAI in Cows
• A Lot on the To-Do List in a Farm Bill Year
• Kentucy House Passes Restrictions on Filming at Farms
• New Plant Capacity Collides with Shrinking Milk Supply

USDA Confirms HPIA 4 Samples Taken from Dairy Herds in TX & KS

As our GMP members and industry friends are well aware, USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) announced on Monday afternoon that 3 raw milk samples and one nasal swap from dairies in Texas and Kansas tested positive for high pathogen avian influenza (HPAI). USDA stated they have found no evidence that the virus has altered to affect humans at this time. Milk and dairy products in the food chain are not impacted as regulations guarding animal health and milk quality direct milk from sick animals to be diverted away from the food chain and pasteurization is designed to kill all pathogens in milk. 

As USDA and state animal health officials in Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico continue investigating the dairy cattle situation on the High Plains, Georgia Milk Producers and the Georgia Department of Agriculture want to remind Georgia dairy farmers to practice biosecurity measures on farm. In the case of the positive AI tests out west, USDA believes the virus was passed to cattle from wild birds infected with AI. For the better part of two years, the US has seen a significant number of wild birds test positive for AI and in some cases commercial poultry flocks have tested positive after being exposed to the virus.

Tips for Producers to Reduce Risk of AI Spread On Your Farm:

1. If you notice five or more dead birds on your farm, contact Georgia DNR or GDA Animal Health at 404-656-3667
2. When disposing of dead birds or other wildlife, be sure to use gloves and other personal protective equipment that you can discard or disinfect. Bury any dead animals well to prevent other wildlife from finding it. Discard or disinfect anything that may have come in contact with dead animals before returning to barns or milking parlor.
3. Wash your hands and disinfect your boots often.
4. Disinfect equipment before and after working with animals
5. Maintain good barriers and fences between cattle and surrounding wildlife
6. Empty and clean water troughs frequently

Georgia Milk Producers and Georgia Department of Agriculture are still monitoring this situation. We will share updates with our members as we receive them. I’ll repeat a few important reminders below:

1. We have no reason to suspect that any Georgia cattle have been infected with avian influenza or that Georgia cattle are affected by the ongoing situation on the High Plains.
2. Milk and dairy products are safe and wholesome, and neither USDA, nor any of the major dairy industry organizations believe there will be any impact to the dairy food chain. Federal and state regulations are designed to prevent milk from sick animals from entering the food supply chain.
3. If you see something in your herd, say something. Look for decreased feed intake, decreased rumination, decreased milk production, unusual or persisten fever, pneumonia, loose feces, changes in milk color or consistency, or other usual signs. Contact your veterinarian and Georgia Dept. of Agriculture (404-656-3667 if you observe unusual or persistent illness in your herd.

Below we have included two flyers from Georgia Department of Agriculture for our dairy producers. One is a Frequently Asked Questions sheet with information for producers, veterinarians, and consumers. The second is a basic biosecurity flyer with tips on strengthening your farm’s biosecurity.

Join NMPF and the National Dairy FARM Program for a webinar discussing highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in dairy cattle, offering the most up-to-date information on the rapidly evolving animal health issue. The session will include updates from USDA about their investigation, as well as an on-the-ground report from a field veterinarian working with affected cows. The session will also explore the virus's transmission, the significance of reporting infected animals, and identification and treatment protocols. Practical strategies to safeguard the health of dairy cattle via biosecurity measures will also be discussed.

When: April 1, 3:00 PM

Where: Zoom Webinar

Resources for Dairy Farmers

• EPA Registered Products to Kill Avian Influenza
• F.A.R.M. Program Biosecurity Resources
• USDA APHIS News Release
• Press Release from GDA
• Press Release from American Veterinary Medical Association

Reminder: Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Grant Deadline is March 29

The Georgia Department of Agriculture is partnering with USDA to provide producers and processors with the opportunity to boost “middle supply chain” infrastructure throughout several commodity sectors. GDA will award roughly $7.1 million to projects that can begin October 1, 2024 and must conclude by February 28, 2027. The program will support projects that significantly enhance the capacity for local and regional food products, focusing on infrastructure improvement and equipment upgrades.

There are two funding opportunities available in this grant:

1. Simplified Equipment-Only Grants : This grant provides up to $100,000 for equipment to enhance the food supply chain’s efficiency. Eligible equipment includes machinery and tools that aid in processing, aggregation, and distribution activities, directly benefiting multiple Georgia producers.
2. Infrastructure Grants : This grant applies to projects between $100,000 and $300,000 and requires a 50 percent funding match by the applicant (with the potential for a reduced match for certain applicants). 

GMP encourages any Georgia dairy producers, processors, or milk handlers to explore opportunities to invest in much-needed equipment and infrastructure through this grant opportunity. 

Visit the GDA RFSI webpage for more information on the application process, FAQs, and a webinar recording presented by GDA.

Tools for Producers:

RFSI Request For Applications

GDA RFSI Webinar



Georgia Dairies with LAS Permits Must Reapply for CAFO Permit Before March 29

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division and Georgia Department of Agriculture are reminding Georgia dairy farmers with LAS-Large and LAS-Medium permits that permit holders must reapply for CAFO permit coverage before the end of the month. Georgia EPD recently renewed the general permits for medium and large CAFOs under the LAS permit. That new permit will take effect on April 1, 2024. At that time, all existing/current LAS permits will be void. 

To renew your LAS-Large or LAS-Medium permit before April 1 and ensure your farm does not have a lapse in coverage, producers should log in to the Georgia EPD Online System (GEOS) and submit their renewal request. EPD and GDA encourage producers to log on before March 29 to ensure that EPD can assist with any technical questions you may have. Producers and facilities that fail to renew permits on time will experience a lapse in coverage and their farm operations could risk not being covered under the CAFO program.

Questions email Courtney Wilson with Georgia Dept. of Ag at courtney.wilson@agr.georgia.gov or Whitney Fenwick at Georgia EPD at whitney.fenwick@dnr.georgia.gov

• You can access GEOS HERE.



GMP Classifieds

2024 Legislative Tracker

March 28th marks the final day of the 2024 Legislative Session of the Georgia General Assembly. Yesterday, the GA Houes of Representatives and Senate stayed in session late into the night for the first of two marathon voting sessions.

The biggest developments of Day 39's action were probably the passage of the FY 2025 budget in the Senate and the Senate's passage of HB 1172. After passing the FY 25 budget, the Senate transmitted it's version of the budget to the House and both chambers insisted on its version of the bill. A conference committee was appointed with three members from the House and three from the Senate. As happens every year, the conferees will bring a compromise to both chambers for passage tomorrow. This is the only legislation the General Assembly is required to pass before adjourning. HB 1172 was the navigable waters clean up bill that sought to address the concern many in the ag industry had over last year's SB 115. This bill removed reference to the public trust doctrine and reinstated common law tradition of ownership to navigable streams and rivers. A resolution passed the House Natural Resources Committee last week that would create a study committee to examine the definition of navigability moving forward.

Measures that also received final passage over the past week include a measure to restrict ownership of ag land from individuals and companies from hostile nations, a bill that grants right of way to farm vehicles, and a bill that would limit the application of soil amendments on sites where EPD has already issued a citation or enforcement action for the improper application of soil amendments.

The following are pieces of legislation of potential interest to GMP members and E-News readers:

• HB 848 – Reps. Taylor, Lumsden, Collins, Hitchens, and Dunahoo
• A bill to authorize the enforcement of excess vehicle weight violations through an automated vehicle weight detection system.
• Status - Failed to Crossover
• HB 908 – Reps. Ridley, J., Ridley, J., Jasperse, Fleming, and Persinger
• A bill to require food service establishments to disclose if food products contain cell-cultured meat and/or plant-based meat alternatives.
• Status – Failed to Crossover
• HB 922 – Reps. Vances, Tarvin, Lunsden, Collins, and Hitchens
• A bill to constitute the entrance upon another’s property without consent of the owner as an offense of criminal trespass.
• Status – Failed to Crossover
• HB 981 - Reps. Burchett, C. Cannon, Dickey, Meeks, Rhodes
• A bill to exempt agricultural structures from permitting fees by local or municipal governments.
• Status - Failed to Crossover
• SR 470 - Sens. Hickman, Goodman, Watson, Anderson, and Gooch
• A resolution creating the Senate Study Committee on the Preservation of Georgia’s Farmlands; and for other purposes.
• Status - Passed Senate 2/15/24
• HB 1015 - Reps. McDonald, Blackmon, Jones, Hong, Wade and others
• A bill to lower the state income tax rate for 2024 to 5.39% and reduce the income tax rate by 0.1% annually until the maximum tax rate is 4.99%.
• Status: House Passed on 2/8/24. Senate passed 3/20/24
• SB 420 – Senators Anavitarte, Goodman, Beach, Cowsert, and Gooch
• A bill to prohibit certain foreign entities from purchasing agricultural land.
• Status: Passed Senate on 2/29/24. Passed House 3/26/24
• SB 436 – Senators Watson, Goodman, Anderson, Walker, Ginn, and others
• A bill to give operators of farm vehicles the right of way on a state or local roadway when it is unsafe for the farm vehicle to pull off the far-right-hand side of the road.
• Status: Passed House on 3/11/24. Senate passed 3/21/24 
• HB 1052 – Reps. Cannon, Dickey, Huddleston, McCollum, and Meeks
• A bill to allow corporations to qualify for CUVA if the land they are leasing is used for agriculture or timber purposes and if the corporation ownership includes at least one US citizen
• Status: Passed Senate Finance Committee on 3/11/24
• HB 1093 – Reps. Clark, Pirkle, Blackmon, Corbett, and Bonner
• A bill to prohibit certain foreign companies or individuals from purchasing agricultural land
• Status: Failed to Crossover
• HB 1099 – Reps. Huddleston, Burchett, Cannon, Camp, and Rhodes
• A bill to constitute a charge of criminal trespass against individuals who enter the land of another person that has been marked with purple paint marks on either trees or posts on said property.
• Status: Passed House on 2/29/24. Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee
• HB 1169 – Reps. Townsend, Smith, DeLoach, Vance, and Reeves
• A bill to allow the Environmental Protection Division to deny permit applications if the applicant has violated environmental laws or regulations
• Status: Failed to Crossover
• HB 1172 – Reps. Burchett, Rhodes, Leverett, Smith, and Williams
• A bill to limit the public’s right of navigable streams to only using water as highways and for hunting and fishing. The public is not permitted to trespass upon privately owned beds
• Status: Passed House on 2/27/24. Passed Senate on 3/26/24
• SB 429 - Sens. Dolezal, Gooch, Kennedy, Robertson, Anavitarte, and others
• A bill to provide for the submission of small business impact analyses on legislation, rules, and regulations for bills introduced during sessions of the General Assembly. 
• Status: Passed Senate on 2/26/2024. House Passed on 3/26/24
• HB 827 - Reps. Smith, Dickey, Pirkle, Leverett, Hagan, Huddleston
• A bill to increase the penalties for livestock theft
• Status: Passed House on 2/27/24. Passed Senate on 3/18/24
• HB 1223 - Reps. Leverett, Petrea, Prince, Jackson, and Adesanya
• A bill to prohibit the application of soil amendments on a site under existing consent order with the Environmental Protection Division.
• Status: Passed House on 2/29/2024. Passed Senate 3/21/24
• HB 1274 - Reps. Huddleston, Ridley, Dickey, Pirkle, Thomas, Cameron
• A bill updating the veterinary student loan forgiveness program to expand eligibility and increasing annual payments to participating veterinarians serving rural counties.
• Status: Passed House on 2/29/2024. Passed Senate Higher Education Committee on 3/13/24



Until Next Time,

Bryce Trotter