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November 14th, 2022
Happy Monday E-News readers. This past Friday was Veterans Day. Go to the GMP Facebook page and check out our post from Friday to read about two organizations in Georgia that serve our veterans through connecting them with agriculture. A belated Thank You to the men and women who serve or have served in our nation's armed forces.
Thanksgiving is only 10 days away. In honor of America's #1 feast day, respond to this email with your best dairy-filled Thanksgiving dinner recipe.
In this issue of Georgia Milk Producers E-News:
- Recap of GA Election Results
- Bobby Walker Award Nominations Open
- DMC triggers second payment of 2022
- FDA Antibiotics Rule Goes into Effect June 2023 & Dairy Science Journal Discusses Consumer Preferences for "RAU" Milk
- USDA Loans $36 Million for GA Rural Broadband
- Administration Names Food Security a National Security Priority
- Upcoming Events
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Georgia Dairy Conference at Savannah, GA, January 16-18, 2023 - Have you registered?!??
- Kreeger Jersey Production Sale
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Georgia Election Recap
Last Tuesday was election day across the country. This year's midterm election in Georgia included races for U.S. Senate, all 14 congressional seats, and all statewide offices in state government. Republicans maintained control of all major statewide offices and won majorities in both chambers of the Georgia General Assembly. The U.S. Senate election will head to overtime after both major party candidates failed to earn 50% of the vote.
U.S. Senate - No candidate received a majority of the vote, so there will be a runoff election on December 6 between incumbent Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker. Control of the U.S. Senate will remain with the Democratic Party as races in Arizona and Nevada were called for the Democratic candidates over the weekend. The outcome of Georgia's runoff election will still be important to both parties as the current 50/50 split in the Senate provided both parties with challenges over the past two years.
U.S. House - Control of the House of Representatives has not been decided, but many news outlets predict Republicans will be the majority party in the House by a small margin. Georgia incumbents Buddy Carter (R), Sanford Bishop (D), Drew Ferguson (R), Hank Johnson (D), Nikema Williams (D), Lucy McBath (D), Austin Scott (R), Andrew Clyde (R), Barry Loudermilk (R), Rick Allen (R), David Scott (D), and Marjorie Taylor Green (R) won reelection. Mike Collins (R) and Rich McCormick (R) are the newest members of Georgia's delegation, and they will be representing the 10th and 6th districts, respectively.
If the US House does switch majority parties, that means two Georgia Congressmen will lose chairmanships to two important agriculture committees. Chairman of the House Ag Committee David Scott will become ranking member and Chairman of the Sub-Appropriations Committee for Agriculture Sanford Bishop will become ranking member. Georgia is also represented on the House Ag Committee by Rick Allen and Austin Scott.
GA Constitutional Offices- Gov. Brian Kemp and all the statewide incumbent officers won reelection. Burt Jones will be the new Lt. Governor replacing Geoff Duncan who chose not to seek a second term. Bruce Thompson will be Georgia's new Labor Commission.
Tyler Harper won election as Georgia's new Agriculture Commissioner succeeding Commissioner Gary Black. Harper is from Ocilla, GA where he owns a small business and works with his family's farm. Harper served in the Georgia State Senate for 10 years where he was Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee and a member of the Agriculture Committee. Harper will assume office in January.
Georgia Legislature - There were 10 new members of the State Senate and 39 new House Reps elected to the Georgia General Assembly. Republicans will maintain the majority in both chambers House and Senate Ag Chairmen Robert Dickey (R-Musella) and Larry Walker (R-Perry) were both reelected.
The Georgia State Senate held elections for leadership positions later in the week and elected John Kennedy (R-Macon) as the new Senate President Pro-Tem. Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega) was elected Majority Leader.
The Georgia House held leadership elections today to select a new House Speaker after Speaker David Ralston announced he would be stepping down from his leadership position to focus on his health. Jon Burns (R-Newington), who served as House Majority Leader previously, was elected Speaker. Jan Jones (R-Milton) was reelected as Speaker Pro-Tem, and Chuck Efstration (R-Dacula) was chosen as Majority Leader.
Referendum B - The ballot question altering state tax code to allow two qualifying family farms to merge and maintain tax-exempt status passed overwhelmingly. The referendum also amends the tax code to include dairy and eggs as qualified agricultural products.
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Bobby Walker Award Nominations Open Now
Each year at the Georgia Dairy Conference, the Georgia Milk Producers awards the Bobby Walker "Friend of the Dairy Industry" Award each year to an individual who has made a profound impact on Georgia's dairy industry. Nominations for the 2023 Bobby Walker Award can be submitted at www.gadairyconference.com/nomination-form or by emailing gamilkproducers@gmail.com. The nomination deadline is December 11, 2022.
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DMC Pays Out for Second Time in 2022:
The Dairy Margin Coverage program will pay out for the month of September following an income over feed calculation of $8.62/cwt. Production insured at the $9.50 coverage level will receive an $0.88/cwt payment.
FSA announced that $47.9 million was paid out to producers for August DMC payments.
This is a good time to mention that DMC signup for 2023 is open now until December 9. Contact your local FSA office for more information.
For quotes and notes on the latest DMC payment, check out Karen Bohnert's piece at Dairy Herd Management HERE.
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FDA Antibiotic Rule Coming Down the Pike (and a shameless plug for GDC 2023)
This isn't "new news," but it bears repeating: FDA Guidance for the Industry #263 goes into effect on June 11, 2023 and will limit the availability of many common antibiotics to prescription only. Producers will need a prescription from a licensed veterinarian to obtain these drugs.
Bovine Vet Online has two tips for producers ahead of the rule's implementation. First, take stock of what antibiotics you are using and how much of each drug you are using. Second, producers should go ahead and start talking to your vet about a plan for treatments moving forward.
You can read the full article at BovineVetOnline HERE.
Study from Cornell on Antibiotic Labeling & Consumer Preferences
Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine released a study earlier this month that researchers say points to a clear consumer preference for milk made by cows that are only treated with antibiotics when necessary. The study, which was published in the Journal of Dairy Science, states that consumers prefer milk with a "responsible antibiotic use" label, but the price point for said milk was still comparable to non-labeled milk.
Cornell Vet School has a full writeup on the study on its website. Check it out HERE.
Speaking of antibiotic use, the 2023 Georgia Dairy Conference will feature on of the US's leading experts on antibiotic use in dairy cattle, Dr. Pamela Ruegg. You will not want to miss Dr. Ruegg's presentation on Innovative Mastitis Therapies during Tuesday's general session.
If you have not registered for the 2023 Georgia Dairy Conference yet, you can do so at www.gadairyconference.com
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