11 April 2025

In this Issue:

• Headlines
• General Assembly Update- Sine Die Edition
• GFB to Host Webinar with Ag Policy Leaders
• A Glimpse into Suburban ATL's Dairy Past
• ECAP Program Eligible for Dairy Farmers
• Ag Clean Day for Pesticide Disposal
• EPD Taking Applications for New Wells in SW GA
• GMP Classifieds
• Upcoming Events

Headlines

articles and press releases of interest this week

• Cornell Study Finds Avian Flu in Raw Milk More Sensitive to Heat Than Expected
• EU Pauses Retaliatory Tariffs Following Trump’s Trade U-Turn
• EPA Chief Hopes a Change to Clean Water Act Can Win Over Farmers
• More US Senate Republicans Voice Support for Congressional Oversight on Tariffs
• Good Biosecurity Reduces Risk of Avian Influenza in Poultry and Dairy
• Dairy Producers Leverage Genetics to Optimize Milk Composition for Processing
• NMPF’s Doud Defends Tariffs, Says Dairy’s Future is Bright (Video)
• Where Will Dairy Farm Workers Come From in the Future
• Navigating the Tariff Tightrope When it Comes to Dairy Products
• Hagstrom Report: Senators Urge USDA Sec. to Revise HPAI Strategy
• Prospective Plantings Report Shows Big Shift to Corn
• National DHI Test-Day Somatic Cell Count Unchanged at 181,000

Update from GA State Capitol

The curtain has dropped on the 2025 Georgia General Assembly. Friday marked the final day of the legislative session with several major ag bills passing this year:

• SB 105 - Authorizes licensed vets and vet techs in GA to provide veterinary tele-advice and allow for telemedicine and tele-triage under certain circumstances
• SB 144 - Clarifies that pesticide and fertilizer manufactures are not liable for not including health warnings that are not required by US EPA 
• HB 90 - Raises acreage cap on conservation covenants from 2,000 to 4,000 acres. Companion resolution HR 32 creates ballot measure for next statewide election
• HB 143 - Puts the burden on GA EPD to install and maintain water metering devices
• HB 164 - Repeals sunset clause on truck weights measure and makes 88,000 lbs. limit for agricultural products permanent
• HB 172 - Updates student loan forgiveness program for veterinarians’ vet school loans to encourage more large animal vets in rural areas
• HB 223 - Governor’s disaster relief bill that excludes federal relief money from state income tax requirements, provides timber tax credit, and exempts sales tax on materials for rebuilding poultry and livestock facilities.

All of the aforementioned bills are not waiting on the Governor’s signature. The Governor has 40 days to sign or veto legislation after the end of the legislative session. We’ll keep you updated on when these bills will become law.

Special thanks to Georgia Farm Bureau and Georgia Agribusiness Council policy teams that put together weekly newsletters tracking all of the legislation at the capitol. You can read their final newsletters for the session HERE and HERE. Also thank you to the policy folks at the capitol who help producer groups like GMP keep an eye on the bills that would affect Georgia dairy farmers.



GFB to Host Legislative Wrap-Up Webinar

Join Georgia Farm Bureau, House and Senate Ag Chairmen Robert Dickey and Russ Goodmen, and leadership from the Georgia Department of Agriculture on April 15 at 9:00 AM for a webinar recapping the 2025 Georgia General Assembly legislative session.

Register at gfb.ag/PostSessionWebinar



A Glimpse Into the Dairy History of One Suburban Atlanta Community

The Cobb Courier, a local news outlet based in the northwest suburbs of Atlanta, had an interesting story out last week about the agricultural history of Smyrna, GA. For our readers who don’t frequent the I-285 loop in Atlanta, Smyrna has become synonymous with Truist Park and The Battery at Truist where thousands upon thousands of Braves fans flock to eat, drink, and wait for Ronald Acuna Jr. to return from the Injured List….I digress.

This paved-over section of Metro ATL was home to dairy farms and plenty of agricultural production just 100 years ago. As Larry Felton Johnson writes in the Courier, the remaining archives provide a glimpse into the dairy industry before pasteurization, before consolidation, and before the Atlanta Braves.

A Glimpse into Smyrna’s Early 20th Century Dairy Industry



Emergency Commodity Assistance Program

Last year, Congress passed $10 billion in assistance to commodity producers who have been impacted by decreased commodity prices and increased input costs. In March, USDA announced the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) to distribute those funds.

Farmers who grew barley, chickpeas, corn, cotton, lentils, oats, peanuts, peas, rice, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, and oil seeds are eligible for a per acre payment. Dairy farmers who grew any of the the commodities above for feed are also eligible for a payment.

USDA has begun mailing out applications or contacting producers directly about their eligibility. If you have not heard from your local Farm Service Agency office yet, contact them today. Also, if you did not file your acreage reports with FSA last year, you can retroactively file with them until August 15, 2025 and still be eligible for ECAP.

To find your local USDA Service Center and contact your FSA office, CLICK HERE

Read more about ECAP, the payment rates, and the forms required to qualify



Ag Clean Day - May 13

The Georgia Department of Agriculture will be hosting a pesticide clean day on May 13th, 2025 at St. Ives Country Club in Johns Creek, GA. This program gives everyone an opportunity to discard old, unusable, or canceled pesticides. No fees are charged for participation, and all accepted materials will be turned over to a hazardous waste contractor for disposal.

To participate, fill out this form and email it to Brad Baker (brad.baker@agr.georgia.gov) by May 8, 2025.

*Chemical and Pesticide Dealers can also bring bulk quantities of pesticides for a fee. Contact Brad Baker for more information*

EPD Taking Applications for New Irrigation Wells in Southwest GA

EDP Taking Applications for New Irrigation Wells in Southwest Georgia

Georgia EPD opened applications for new and modifications of existing agricultural water withdrawal permits in the lower Flint River Basin for the first time in over 10 years. The two permits, Agricultural Withdrawal Application for Flint River Suspension Area and Transfer/Modify Agricultural Withdrawal Permit in Flint River Suspension Area, as well as their application and permit forms can be found at the EPD permitting webpage. 

Producers are encouraged to contact the EPD Tifton Office at 229-221-3906 or email ag.permits@dnr.ga.gov with any questions regarding eligibility or applying for a permit.



GMP Classifieds

Want to showcase your business to dairy producers and industry professionals across the Southeast and US? Email info@gamilk.org to learn more about how you can advertise in the GMP E-News

Thank you to our Associate Members

The missions of Georgia Milk Producers is to support, sustain, and grow the Georgia dairy industry. In addition to our partners in industry who support the Georgia Dairy Conference each January, we are also offering an opportunity for allied industry to partner with GMP year-round, network with producers throughout the year, and promote their companies outside of the conference. Thank you to our inaugural Associate Members, FERA Animal Health and BMO Bank.

We neglected to mention in last week’s E-News that the second-most wonderful time of the year was upon us: baseball season. Opening day came and went and the Braves are……fielding a team this year.

But since this is a dairy newsletter how about this for a dairy-baseball story: Michigan Dairy Farmers are partnering with High-A minor league affiliate of the Detroit Tigers to fund an indoor training center for the team. United Dairy Industry of Michigan and the West Mighican Whitecaps have agreed on a licensing deal that would give UDIM the naming rights to the team’s new indoor facility. The facility will feature promotional and nutrition-based signage about dairy and will also host local amateur teams that rent the facility for training.

RFD-TV: Dairy Farmers Hit a Home Run with Local Michigan Minor League Team

Until Next Time,

Bryce Trotter