Georgia Milk Producers 1641 New High Shoals Road, Suite 5 Watkinsville, GA 30677 Office: 706-310-0020 or Mobile 706-614-4385 GMP E-News February 25, 2022

Wow! Time is flying in this year of 2022! Here is this weeks' News; scroll for more information: The Ukraine - Early Reports Farm Bill Preview - John Newton speaks at Ky Dairy Partners Milk Production Report - Top 6 states FMMO Revision - Ongoing Reports Georgia Horn Fly Research makes Yahoo News Management: Is your Farm Financially Healthy (It's not just a balance sheet Dairy: Good for Me, Good for the Planet

THE UKRAINE: EARLY REPORTS Feb. 24, 2022: Russian Attack Causes Food, Ag Impacts, by Chris Clayton, for DTN. In the article: Vilsack speculates that fertilizer suppliers may use the invasion as an opportunity to raise prices Doesn't foresee an impact on US food supply, but predicts European impact may be deep Russia is a large international supplier of nitrogen, potash, and phosphorus, but not yet clear if sanctions will apply to those commodities. Feb. 24, 2022: Putin Attacks Ukraine: How Will War in Eastern Europe Affect Your Business, by Bill Biedermann for Farm Futures.   In a sobering opening, the author compares circumstances to beginning of World War II Ukraine supplies 17% of world's corn exports, and 30% of world's wheat exports, a military threat could encourage buyers to make significant adjustments Interesting maps in the article outline more about the corn and wheat producing regions Markets could be further compromised by developing shortages in South American harvests

FARM BILL PREVIEW: John Newton, Economist to Senate Ag, at KY Dairy Partners John Newton, the Ag Economist for the US Senate Ag Committee, presented in a virtual session to KY Dairy Partners Annual Meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 23rd. Here are some highlights: Senator Boozeman, (R-Ark), is the Ranking Member of Senate Ag, and he would like to explore revitalization of the dairy industry in the southeast, and would like feedback on how to accomplish that. The next Farm Bill will be the first one with a price tag over $1 Trillion. 83% will be attributed to Food Assistance Programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs) and The Thrifty Food Plan, related to the Build Back Better Initiative. Federal Support will decline as much as 37% in 2022, largely due to the Covid programs of the past couple of years have expired or will expire. He mentioned the Make Allowance study released last week as a precursor to FMMO revisions. Dairy is the only ag sector which subsidizes processing.

MILK PRODUCTION: Feb. 24, 2022:  South Dakota Stands Out in an Otherwise Bleak Milk Production Report, by Karen Bohnert, for Dairy Herd.   The Top 6 states are California, Wisconsin, Texas, Idaho, New York, and Michigan South Dakota was up 18.3% in Milk Production, but still not in the Top 15 FMMO Revision: The Ongoing Discussion Feb 7, 2022:  Objectives for Federal Order Reform Identified, a perspective from Ken Bailey, published at Progressive Dairy.  Please read this article to see if the goals Bailey outlines are reflective of the needs of the Southeast and East Coast fluid markets.  GEORGIA on YAHOO NEWS Feb. 5, 2022:  Developing a Genetic Solution to the Billion Dollar Horn Fly Problem, by Carlton Fletcher, originally for the Albany Herald, picked up and redistributed by Yahoo! Life! A team of University of Georgia animal scientists have received a $650,000 federal grant, and a smaller grant from the Georgia Beef Commission to fund a study on a reduction of horn flies Study will integrate physiological, phenotypic, behavioral, and genomic information through sophisticated AI tools to dissect the genetic basis of the problem The study team is headed by Dr. Romdhane Rekaya, of the Dept. of Animal and Dairy Science MANAGEMENT: Feb. 24, 2022: Is Your Farm Financially Healthy? Look Beyond the Balance Sheet, by Tom Bechman, for Farm Progress.   Opens with this question: "Don't be fooled by increasing land and equipment values. An improving balance sheet doesn't necessarily mean your farm is performing at its best." Many good tips and reminders to keep perspective for long-term farm business viability. MARK YOUR CALENDAR! March 8th (Mon) 3:30 pm:  'Dairy: 'Good for Me, Good for the Planet':" A joint effort of The Dairy Alliance and Georgia Farm Bureau, this virtual presentation "will talk about the contributions of dairy farmers in feeding our communities and the planet, as well as their contributions in caring for the Earth which we all share." Register by Mon, March 7th, at 4 pm at this link, in order to receive an access link.

Stay safe in those fields, and please remember to keep the people of Ukraine and Europe in your prayers! Julie