Georgia
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Inside Selling home-made Page 2 Soil testing Page 3 Georgia peanuts Page 7 U.S. Farm Bill Page 13
Fr
ee
JANUARY 2014
North Georgia’s Agricultural Newspaper
IPPE: world’s largest poultry, meat & feed trade show By Barbara Olejnik Georgia Ag News Staff bolejnik@poultrytimes.net
GAINESVILLE — When the doors open on the 2014 International Production and Processing Expo in January, visitors will be welcomed by more than 1,100 exhibitors displaying products and services for the poultry, meat and feed industries. The exhibits will cover more than 400,000 square feet of space in the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta — making the show the world’s largest annual poultry, feed, and meat industry event. The IPPE will be held Jan. 28-30 and combines the top yearly gath-
erings of three associations — the International Poultry Expo sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association; the International Feed Expo sponsored by the American Feed Industry Association and the International Meat Expo sponsored by the American Meat Institute. John Starkey, USPOULTRY president, noted that the IPPE “is the one location where industry leaders, purchasing managers and decision makers can view emerging technology and new innovations for all segments of the poultry, meat and feed industries.” Show sponsors are expecting more than 20,000 to visit the Expo
See IPPE, Page 13
Photo by David B. Strickland
Poultry Expo: The 2014 International Production & Processing Expo will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 28-30. More than 1,100 exhibitors will be at this year’s event.
Increases estimated for all poultry segments in 2014 By David B. Strickland Georgia Ag News Staff
dstrickland@poultrytimes.net
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Poultry increases expected: The USDA’s Economic Research Service is forecasting increases for broilers, eggs and turkeys for next year.
WASHINGTON — In a nutshell, poultry production (broilers, turkeys and eggs) are being forecast for increases in 2014. In its latest Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook, the USDA’s Economic Research Service notes that table eggs are estimated for a production of 7 billion dozen for next year, a result of decreasing feed prices giving way to production expansion. For broiler meat 2014 production is projected at 38.9 billion pounds. And turkey meat production for next year is being forecasted at 6 billion pounds.
Broilers For the fourth quarter of 2013, ERS notes that broiler meat production is approximately 9.5 billion pounds, which is 3.3 percent more than last year. For next year, “broiler meat production . . . is forecast at 38.9 billion pounds, an increase of 2.9 percent from 2013,” the report noted. “This forecast is 150 million pounds higher than the previous forecast. “In 2014, the increase in broiler meat production is expected to come mainly from a higher number of birds slaughtered, but average bird liveweights are also expected to be higher than in 2013. Broiler integrators are expected to expand production due to the combination of large drops in the prices for corn
and soybean meal and expected growth in the domestic economy. Broiler producers will also gain somewhat from expected strong prices in 2014 for most beef products.” ERS adds that with higher broiler production, along with an increase in the stock of a number of chicken products in the second and third quarters of 2013, this led to a decrease in prices. “In October, prices for whole birds were just over 90 cents per pound, 6 percent higher than the previous year,” ERS reported. “However, while prices are still higher than in 2012, prices for whole birds have fallen significantly over the last several months and in May averaged over 20 cents higher at $1.10
per pound. The wholesale whole bird price is forecast at 88 cents to 92 cents per pound in fourth quarter 2013, a slight decrease from the third quarter average.” “However, prices in 2014 are forecast to be somewhat lower than the previous year,” the report noted. “Wing prices in October averaged $1.47 per pound, 23 percent lower than at the same time in 2012 . . . Stocks of breast meat at the end of September were lower than the previous year, but prices for such products as boneless/skinless breast meat have fallen sharply over the last several months. In May, prices for boneless/skinless breast meat averaged $1.95 per pound, but by
See Outlook, Page 15
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GEORGIA AG NEWS, January 2014
Selling at market — what you need to know to get started By Steven Thomas
Special to Georgia Ag News
GAINESVILLE — Many people ask about selling their homemade products at the farmers market. Before the introduction of the Cottage Food License program, most of these items were not allowed for sale to the consumer, as a state licensed kitchen or commercial kitchen was required in order to meet the specifications of the Georgia Food Laws. Food manufacturing operations conducted in a rented commercial kitchen would also require a Food Sales Establishment License to sell those products. Now, through the Department of Agriculture, Georgia joins other states with the Georgia Cottage Food Regulations. These new regulations allow for the production of
certain foods to be made in residential kitchens, while providing oversight to ensure food safety standards. Before we Thomas get into what you need to know to get started be aware that, even with this new licensing program, not all farmers markets will let you become a vendor with a Cottage Food License. Even though an entity may be licensed as a Cottage Food Operation, some farmers markets or other direct marketing venues may require vendors to have a Food Sales Establishment License. Local policies enacted by farm-
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ers market boards and other local governing bodies are outside the scope of the department’s Cottage Food Regulations. There are several reasons for this ranging from liability insurance to competition with vendors selling the same products from a state licensed kitchen having a higher overhead cost. Contact individual farmers markets to find out if they allow Cottage Food Operations.
What you need to know If you are interested in starting a home-based food operation, here’s what you need to know to get started. Let’s begin with what can be made and what can’t. The key words that pop out of the regulations are “non-potentially hazardous foods.” Examples include loaf breads, rolls and biscuits; cakes that do not require refrigeration; pastries and cookies; candies and confections; fruit pies; jams, jellies and preserves; dried fruits; dry herbs, seasonings and mixtures; cereals, trail mixes and granola; coated or uncoated nuts; vinegars and flavored vinegars; and popcorn, popcorn balls and cotton candy. Notice that canned goods, such as tomatoes, peaches, pickles and other such items are not included. These types of products are considered potentially hazardous because, prepared incorrectly, they can lead to severe and potentially fatal foodborne illnesses. Getting started Here is what you need to know to get started. First, check with your local municipal and county governments to make sure that you are allowed to operate a home business. Second, you need to make sure that your sewer or septic system is adequate for a food processing operation. Also, an annual water
analysis is required for coliform bacteria and nitrates for those with a private water supply. If the department conducts the analysis, there is a $100 fee for the test. Third, you will need to pass a Food Safety training class accredited by the American National Standards Institute. Once you have done these things, you can then apply to register with the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Division for a Cottage Food Operators license. The application requires information such as your business name and where the kitchen is located; and what products will be produced, including size or volume for each product. Following a review of your application, the department will conduct a pre-operational inspection of the kitchen and an evaluation of the kitchen facilities. This is a good opportunity for you to ask any questions and get advice to ensure that you are complying with the regulations and that the information on your application is complete. Remember that the people at the department have experience and expertise and are there to help you succeed. The application requires a complete list of all food items that may be produced under the license. Once issued, if you want to add an item, you would need to pay an additional fee to add it — so it would be best to think it through and prepare for additional products. There is an annual fee for the Cottage Food License of $100. Products can only be sold directly to the consumer and not through retail or wholesale distribution. There are labeling requirements that need to be followed. The most important of these is the statement “Made in a Cottage Food Operation that is not subject to State Food Safety Inspections.”
Overall, the rules are not burdensome and are mostly to ensure the safety of the consumer. Read through the rules carefully and make sure that you can follow them before committing yourself. The rules are available online at: http:// cottagefoodlaws.com/wp-content/ uploads/2011/09/GAcottagefoodregulations7-2-12.pdf.
Planning your business Once you have all the necessary information, you can start planning your home-based business. We all know someone who makes really good bread or cakes or jams and jellies, and we all know that in these tough economic times we need to be able to remain productive and care for our families. The new Cottage Food Rules could be a way to share your best recipe with the world. Perhaps your smallscale, part-time food business will become a real storefront, full-time enterprise. More information is available through the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Check out the Cottage Food FAQ online at: http:// agr.georgia.gov/Data/Sites/1/media/ag_consumerprotection/cottage_food/files/cottagefoodsfaq. pdf and the department’s website at: http://agr.georgia.gov/cottagefoods.aspx, which includes a link to a podcast from the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service College of Family and Consumer Sciences, in coordination with the Georgia Department of Agriculture, presenting a webinar for county Extension agents on the cottage food regulations and frequently asked questions. Steven Thomas is market manager of the Historic Downtown Gainesville Market on the Square. He can be reached at 678-943-4442; by email at steve@hallfarmers.org; or the website www.hallfarmers.org.
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GEORGIA AG NEWS, January 2014
Soil testing will assist in preparing for spring By Michael Wheeler
Special to Georgia Ag News
GAINESVILLE — This year has been one that many farmers will not forget. Record rainfall and cooler weather dominated the growing season. Gainesville has already racked up more than 65 inches of rain, Dahlonega has gotten 85 inches. All of this crazy weather has created good and bad situations for farmers all across North Georgia. Like anything in nature, there has to be a balance. This is especially true in dealing with soil nutrients. Most of the time the soil is too dry
and farmers are usually debating adding fertilizer as it will most likely be wasted away from heat and the lack of the ability of plants taking Wheeler it in. This year is the opposite. We have had so much rain that there is a possibility of many nutrients, especially nitrogen; have been leached away from the root zone of crops. In order to figure this out pull a soil sample and have it sent off to the University of Georgia soils lab in Athens through your local county Extension office. The results and recommendations of a soil sample will allow you to insure that all the hard work and
effort that goes into making a crop will not go in vain. One of the best pieces of information you can receive from a soil sample report is the soil pH. Soil pH is in a way the “gatekeeper” of the nutrients in the soil. When the pH is low or on the acidic side, nutrients are not available to be used by the plants even if you fertilized them. When the pH is where it needs to HUSQVARNA MZ 5225 be, 6.0-6.5 range, the nutrients that • Engine manufacturer: Kohler are put on the ground in the form of compost or fertilizer are easily ab• Engine name: Courage Pro V-Twin sorbed by the plants and put to use. • No turning radius by individual wheel-drive I often call lime a poor man’s fertilizer because you do tend to see a HUSQVARNA MZ 5225 Price: $ 4,699.95 growth response from plants as the pH goes up and nutrients become • Engine manufacturer: Kohler more available. • Engine name: Courage Pro V-Twin The information you get back • Noisturning from your soil test report only as radius by individual wheel-drive good as how the sample was Price: $gath4,699.95 ered. However taking a sample is
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See Soil, Page 6
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GEORGIA AG NEWS, January 2014
AG News
Viewpoint
A poultry story: 60-year history is a fascinating tale By Mike Giles
Special to Georgia Ag News
GAINESVILLE — The history of the poultry industry over the past 60 years is a fascinating combination of innovations in genetics, nutrition, animal health, food safety and processing technology. What brings this history to life for me though are the stories about the early poultry pioneers who took great risks to build companies from scratch. Thomas Carlyle, a 19th century philosopher and writer, said “the history of the world is but the biography of great men.” Giles The same can be said for the men and women who played an important role in the history of poultry in Georgia and the rest of the United States. I’ve been fortunate to work with and learn from Abit Massey, longtime president of the Georgia Poultry Federation. Abit now serves as president emeritus and is a great storyteller in his own right. He knew many of the Georgia poultry pioneers firsthand, and often on our rides together to Atlanta I have had the pleasure of hearing him retell the stories that he heard first from others about the early days of the “modern” poultry industry in Georgia. I might get into trouble for “naming names” and leaving someone out, but the Georgia surnames are familiar to everyone in the poultry industry — Arrendale, Austin, Bagwell, Brooks, Bruce, Burruss, Cagle, Cleveland, Crider, Cromartie, Folger, Fries, Harrison, Hatfield,
McCranie, Strickland, Sutherland, Tucker, Ward, Wilson and many others too numerous to name. For those of you who haven’t heard it yet, I would like to share my favorite story about how an early poultry company got its start. Around 1940, Mr. Julius Bishop, a graduate of the University of Georgia, was working as a clerk in the Athens post office when 300 baby chicks arrived. As was apparently common back then, the chicks carried a COD tag with a fictitious address, a tactic the sender hoped would yield a few dollars if a buyer materialized. Mr. Bishop and Postmaster J.R. Myers called the feed and seed stores, but nobody wanted to buy this shipment of chicks. The next morning it was clear that someone needed to take ownership of the chicks soon or they would not make it. Bishop told the Postmaster that “these chicks aren’t worth a cent apiece.” Myers said, “well, you just bought them for a cent apiece.” Bishop said he didn’t have a place to raise the chicks much less three dollars to buy them. Bishop would later say it was the best favor anyone ever did for him in his life. He borrowed a dollar and a half from a friend who paid the rest, and Bishop temporarily moved the chicks into an empty bedroom of his house. He built a “Louisiana Brooder” in his backyard. When they were grown, he sold the chickens to his neighbor Hubert Bell of Bell’s Food Store chain. After that flock, he built more brooders and soon had 3,000 chickens in his backyard. Mr. Bishop’s backyard business would grow into Bishop’s Hatchery and Athens Poultry Co., which has evolved over the years through different owners, and it continues
to operate as the Pilgrim’s Pride location in Athens, Ga. Just think of the many millions in payroll dollars and farming opportunities made possible by a chance meeting of wayward baby chicks and a man willing to take a business risk! The 1950s was a time of dramatic growth and improvements in the poultry industry. Bird genetics and nutrition were making rapid strides, and entrepreneurs across the nation were taking risks and building businesses that would evolve into the vertically integrated industry that we are familiar with today. In a 1956 University of Georgia Extension publication entitled “Georgia’s Broiler Industry,” Arthur Gannon, Extension Poultryman — a title you don’t hear often nowadays — wrote that Georgia broiler production in 1956 would exceed 1955 by 20 percent or more. It’s hard to imagine that kind of growth and what all it would take to support it in terms of infrastructure, feed capacity, breeder flocks etc. Stories like Mr. Bishop’s were being repeated in one form or fashion in dozens and dozens of ways throughout Georgia and the nation during this period of rapid growth. In 1955, the average live weight of a broiler chicken was 3 pounds with a feed conversion rate of 3:1. Gannon’s 1956 publication made the argument that the stage was set for dramatic growth in the decades to come. Gannon was right about that. Per capita chicken consumption at the time was 22.7 pounds, while total red meat consumption was 161 pounds per person. Gannon wrote that “some have predicted that we can double the consumption of broilers.” That prediction came true too, but it went on to triple and
“
‘The 1950s was a time of dramatic growth and improvements in the poultry industry.’
Mike Giles
Georgia Poultry Federation
quadruple from there. It is a safe bet that in the coming decades we are not likely to see the dramatic growth that our industry experienced in the last half of the 20th century . . . but who knows? Even the most optimistic observers in the 1950s probably would not have predicted what has been accomplished over the past 60 years. At any rate, there will be new stories to tell, perhaps not as colorful as
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the ones from the 1950s, but important stories nonetheless. Shoot me an e-mail at mike@ gapf.org if you have a story you would like to share about the early days of the poultry industry. I’ll file it away and promise to retell it down the road every chance I get. Mike Giles is president of the Georgia Poultry Federation with offices in Gainesville, Ga.
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GEORGIA AG NEWS, January 2014
Sustainability & the egg industry: A journey, not a destination By David Inall
Special to Georgia Ag News
ALPHARETTA — The Oxford Dictionary provides for three definitions for the word ‘Sustainable’: 1. Able to be maintained at a certain rate or level; 2. Conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources; and 3. Able to be upheld or defended. While all of these are excellent examples of what sustainability can mean in a number of contexts, the reality is that sustainability means different things to different people. In an agricultural and food production context, it would be fair to say that many farmers have moved past the desire to merely remain “balanced” or “maintained.” Of course, customer expectations play a role in setting a wide variety of expectations. And we often hear farmers say that they hope to pass on their farms to their children in a better condition than when they took it over. An ambitious and honorable objective given the vagaries of weather, rising input costs, fluctuating farm gate returns, increased government regulation and challenges in securing farm labor. Regardless of where you sit on the sustainability continuum, in my mind there are two points that are known: first, customer and consumer expectations as to how food is produced will continue to heighten and be expressed more intensely, and second, the U.S. egg industry is already in an outstanding position to be a leader in the food industry to meet these current and rising expectations. The egg industry has changed significantly over the past 50 years. In terms of farm numbers, in the mid-1970s there were approximately 10,000 egg producers in the US. By 1987, this number had fallen to around one quarter of that, with only 2,500 farms of significant commercial size remaining. The stark reality now is that in 2013, there are less than 200 commercial size egg producers managing those farms that remain today. What is doubly impressive in this evolution of the industry is that not only are
these remaining producers supplying A m e r i c a ’s consumers with more eggs than they did back in 1987, they are doing it with a Inall smaller total environmental footprint! In an effort to capture this leap in efficiency, innovation and sustainability, United Egg Producers recently took the initiative to work with the American Egg Board to scientifically explore and ultimately demonstrate these overall improvements in the American egg industry over the past 50 years. Following the desire by producers themselves to investigate the environmental performance for the egg industry in both 1960 and 2010 terms, a study was initiated that aimed to formally quantify production performance gains and overall reduction in environmental impact. The study, titled “A comparative assessment of the Environmental Footprint of the U.S. Egg Industry in 1960 and 2010,” undertaken by the Egg Industry Center (Iowa State University, Iowa), is now complete and soon to be rolled out to industry and stakeholders, including consumers, politicians, other NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and retailers. The researchers used the Life Cycle Analysis tool to ensure a standardized framework for measuring energy flows and emissions along the supply chain. The results are stunning. For example, compared to 1960 hens, the entire U.S. layer flock in 2010 has: yy 26 percent lower feed intake; yy 42 percent better feed conversion; yy 57 percent lower mortality; and yy 32 percent lower water use. Another graphic way to demonstrate these changes is to look at this in reverse. If the industry used today the technology that was in place in 1960, the industry would require:
yy 27 percent (78 million) more hens yy 72 percent (1.3 million) more acres of corn yy 72 percent (1.8 million) more acres of soybean The analysis also showed that over this 50 year time period, the environmental footprint per kilogram of eggs produced has delivered a 71 percent reduction in GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions. The bottom line, where this all adds up, is that in 2010 US egg farmers are producing 30 percent more eggs than in 1960 but have lowered the industry’s: (a) Energy demand by 10 percent (b) Global warming potential by 63 percent; and (c) Water quality effects through emissions leading to acidification (54 percent) and eutrophication (63 percent). These results demonstrate how the practices of UEP and its members, the Egg Farmers of America, have evolved over recent decades by incorporating new technologies and husbandry practices to make more efficient use of finite resources such as land, water and energy. Progress has been made on many fronts, including animal genetics, nutrition, disease prevention, housing equipment and environmental control, efficiency of feed production and use, and improved manure handling, storage and use. With the world’s population expected to grow to more than 9 billion by 2050 and global egg demand forecast to double over this same time period, then there is no doubt these improvements in efficiency must and will continue to evolve. The industry has a strong history of both investing in scientific exploration and subsequently adopting technology as their “torchlight” to future profitability and sustainability. There is no doubt that the massive rationalization that has characterized this industry has contributed to and accelerated the update of new technology. The challenge not only for Egg Farmers of America, but for all
agricultural industries, is that collectively we must stay ahead of the game. As industries evolve and change, consumer expectations do likewise. A report recently released by the U.N. Global Compact, entitled “Global Corporate Sustainability Report 2013” has found that many companies were defining goals and setting policies, however, still had work to do in implementing their policies. The report surveyed nearly 2,000 companies across 113 countries, and provided a snapshot of the actions taken by businesses to embed responsible practices into their strategies, operations and culture. This U.N. report is yet another timely reminder of the need for all of agriculture to remain connected to outside influences as we travel at our own speed along the sustainability continuum. Arguably, sustainability cuts wider and deeper through issues above and beyond
each company or industry’s environmental footprint. It is the role of organizations like United Egg Producers to continue to work with its members to ensure we are all tuned into customer and community expectations. Like many agricultural industries, the egg industry has a fantastic story to tell. There is no doubt that the next generation of owners and managers of egg farms are set for an amazing journey over the next 50 years. The great news for our industry is that the future leaders are relishing the opportunity to expand on the current course of efficiency improvements, comfortable in the fact that they never quite make it over that unreachable finish line, and that’s OK by us. David Inall is senior vice president of United Egg Producers with offices in Alpharetta, Ga.
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GEORGIA AG NEWS, January 2014
Small farmers turn to mobile livestock slaughter The Associated Press
ATLANTA — Georgia is the nation’s biggest producer of broiler chickens, but small farmers for years have been pushed to the margins of this lucrative industry because they don’t have access to local industrial slaughterhouses. Run by big companies, such slaughterhouses process thousands of birds an hour and will not slow down for a small order. So small-scale poultry producers have been forced to take their livestock out of state for slaughtering. That costs extra time and money that they can barely afford. Now, a possible solution is being explored that has caught on elsewhere: mobile slaughterhouses — vehicles where livestock can be killed, quartered, packaged and frozen.
Farmers in at least a dozen states have put slaughterhouse equipment in enclosed trailers that can be taken farm-to-farm, processing anything from rabbits to bison. It’s mostly an intermediate step, a way of helping small growers produce more meat until demand increases enough to merit a fixed slaughterhouse. “It would be more of a teaching tool for these guys to learn, get out and do it properly,” said Daniel Dover, the owner of Darby Farms in Good Hope, Ga. He once used a home-built mobile trailer to slaughter poultry, and now drives threeand-a-half hours to bring them to a North Carolina slaughterhouse. Decades ago, farmers could pay slaughterhouses to process livestock under the eyes of government inspectors, making it legal to sell that meat to consumers across
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state lines. By the 1950s, the U.S. chicken industry was consolidating into large corporate chains that tightly manage their chickens from birth to supermarket shelf. Lacking customers, independent slaughterhouses closed, creating a gap in the market for small producers. “In Georgia there are no small facilities where they are doing custom poultry slaughter,” said Brandon Chonko, owner of GrassRoots Farms in southeast Georgia. Chonko, who describes his farm as an “artisanal” producer of pasture-raised poultry, drives about 600 chickens and 200 ducks every two weeks to South Carolina for slaughter. He produces too many chickens for a mobile facility, but might consider using one for duck or turkey. The mobile slaughterhouse is commonly viewed as an intermediate step, a way of helping small growers produce more meat. If the market grows large enough, building more slaughterhouses becomes feasible. There are drawbacks to mobile facilities. Farmers must provide much of the labor. While cheaper than a bricks-and-mortar plant, mobile slaughterhouses entail maintenance and transportation costs,
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side an enclosed building to protect against flies and other pests. Once birds arrive, Skelton verifies that growers meet legal requirements and that their livestock is healthy. Workers place the birds upside down in metal cones, stun them and kill them by slicing their necks. Afterward, the carcasses are scalded to loosen feathers, plucked in a machine and then gutted and refrigerated. Farmers can package and label their products on site. Skelton said the mobile facilities are cleaner than slaughtering done in the open at farms. “I’ve been to some of those places and I don’t think I’d want to feed my dog some of that stuff,” he said. Bruce Dunlop, the president of Lopez Island Farm in Washington state, first used a mobile slaughterhouse in 2001. He uses it to slaughter his cows, goat, sheep and pigs and sells models to other farmers. People who might object to having a permanent slaughterhouse in their neighborhood are less likely to object to mobile processing. “There’s very minimal impact for the neighbors next door,” Dunlop said. “They’re fine with that.”
gin again. Serpentine through the field until you have covered the entire area. You should have taken about 10 to 15 samples from the entire field when it is all said and done. How often you have to take a sample will change with the size of the field, but make sure you are thorough in taking the sample and the entire field is equally represented. From the bucket, pour off about a pint of soil and bring that to your county agent’s office. If you end up with more soil in
the bucket than what you need to bring, that is fine. It is always better to have more soil than not having enough. Soil samples that are brought to the office cost about $8 to be processed, and results are usually ready in about 10 days’ time. You will receive your report directly from your local Extension office either through your e-mail or regular mail. Contact your local Extension office by finding them online at www. ugaextension.com or call 800-2758421.
•Soil (Continued from page 3)
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according to a 2012 study commissioned by Georgia Organics, a nonprofit group that represents growers and customers. And wastewater contaminated with blood and tissue would likely need to be collected and treated, resulting in additional costs. Given those complications, Georgia Organics has recommended more lenient on-farm slaughter rules and adding on poultry lines at existing red meat processors. It also supports building new, traditional slaughterhouses. Farmers in at least a dozen states use roving slaughterhouses, and Georgia Organics has recently explored the possibility of operating a mobile unit at a farmer’s market in central Georgia. “It would bring a new customer base and value to what they are already offering,” said Michael Wall, the organization’s director of programs. Mobile slaughterhouses can meet the standards of traditional facilities, said Steven Skelton, who oversees a mobile slaughterhouse for Kentucky State University. It can process poultry, game birds, turkey, fish, caviar and rabbits. The 200-foot trailer is parked in-
fairly straight forward. All you essentially need is a clean plastic bucket and a garden trowel or spade. Start at one corner of the field and take a thin slice of soil about 6 inches deep. Move along the field in a straight line and take another thin slice of soil. Add that to the bucket and begin mixing the soil from the two spots together. Work along the field the same way until you reach the other end. Move over across the field and be-
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GEORGIA AG NEWS, January 2014
High yields expected for state’s peanut crop By Clint Thompson
Special to Georgia Ag News
TIFTON — Georgia’s peanut production may not rival last season’s record-setting year, but it’s still been a productive season for the state’s third-ranked agricultural commodity. “We’re going to see higher yields than we originally thought,” noted John Beasley, a University of Georgia Extension peanut specialist. How much higher? Last year’s peanut crop produced an astounding 4,550 pounds per acre, easily eclipsing the state record. Though this year might not reach the 4,000-pound plateau, Beasley indicates the final yield statistics can still easily top the 3,600 pound figure reported in 2011. “I think the most recent yield estimate, which came out in Septem-
ber, for our peanut crop was 3,900 pounds per acre, statewide average yield estimate,” he said. “When you compare it to what we were averaging in 2011 and 2010, it’s going to be substantially better.” Beasley says this year’s crop will “still pale in comparison” to last year’s crop, which he said was out of the norm. It was feared earlier in the season that high accumulations of rainfall during the summer washed out portions of farmers’ peanut fields. While reports are low of that being the case, rain did provide other farmers with enough water for their crops to exceed normal growth. “I’ve heard some county agents say they’ve got growers saying they’re making the best peanuts they’ve ever made, even better than last year,” he said. Beasley encouraged peanut
farmers to plant their peanut acreage in late April through mid-May to avoid the pending cold temperatures that annually occur in late October. For example, during the week of Oct. 25-26, temperatures across the state dipped into the 30s, which had an adverse effect on peanuts still in the ground. Fields planted in late May and June are at risk of these cold October temperatures, shutting down the maturity process. “Typically in late October, we’ll have the kind of cold weather that will shut the maturing down. If you are a week or two from optimal maturity, that shutting down of the maturity process will cost you some yield potential,” Beasley said. Clint Thompson is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in Tifton.
Photo by David B. Strickland
Georgia’s peanut crop: This year’s production of peanuts in Georgia has shown a great yield, but will not top the record-setting amounts of last year.
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GEORGIA AG NEWS, January 2014
U.S. poultry and egg exports continue on record pace STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — Although U.S. poultry exports through the third quarter of 2013 continued on a record pace, growing marginally in quantity and value over the same period last year, combined exports of table eggs and processed egg products reached historical highs, according to trade data released recently by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. Total January-September poultry exports reached year-on-year records of 3.077 million metric tons valued at $4.152 billion, up 1 percent and 3 percent, respectively. Combined U.S. exports of eggs and processed egg products through the third quarter of the year, measured in shell-egg equivalents, reached 250.5 million dozen, up 28 percent from the same period in 2012, while export value hit $245.61 million, up 33 percent. Both export quantity and export value set year-on-year records. September exports of U.S. broiler meat (excluding paws) dipped by 1 percent to 276,135 tons, while value rose by less than a percent to $354.5 million, compared to September 2012. Cumulative January-September broiler meat exports (excluding chicken paws) reached 2.5 million tons, up 2 percent, valued at $3.21 billion, up 4 percent. Both export quantity and value set year-on-year records. Exports to key markets for the period included Mexico, 484,958 tons, up 19 percent; Russia, 213,316 tons, up 3 percent; Angola, 148,256 tons, up 20 percent; and Canada, 127,648 tons, up 0.2 percent. Shipments to other important
markets included Cuba, 110,757 tons, down 1 percent; China, 104,113 tons, up 59 percent; Iraq, 120,613 tons, up 23 percent; Taiwan, 68,099 tons, down 31 percent; Georgia, 59,550 tons, up 1 percent; and Guatemala, 59,082 tons, up 14 percent. September exports of U.S. turkey meat slipped by 10 percent from September 2012 to 30,052 tons. Export value, meanwhile, rose by 1 percent to $59.9 million. Cumulative January-September turkey meat exports fell by 4 percent to 252,700 tons, while export value rose by 2 percent to $496.8 million. Export value for the three quarters set a year-on-year record, while quantity was the secondhighest ever. The main reason for the dip in export quantity was a decline in exports of U.S. turkey to the top market of Mexico. Shipments dropped by just over 3 percent to 133,635 tons, which was offset by a rise in export value to $271.9 million. Shipments to China, the second-largest U.S. turkey market, were 34,385 tons valued at $53.9 million, up 3 percent and 4 percent, respectively. Top markets included Mexico, China, Canada, South Africa and the Philippines. September exports of chicken paws fell by 19 percent to 25,046 tons, while export value declined by 12 percent to $31.1 million. Shipments of paws to mainland China decreased by 40 percent to 12,978 tons, while exports to Hong Kong increased by 9 percent to 8,947 tons. Cumulative January-September paw exports fell by 17 percent to 229,069 tons, while value dropped by 20 percent to $279.7 million.
China and Hong accounted for 82 percent of U.S. export quantity of paws. Exports of U.S. table eggs for September slipped by 8 percent to 16.5 million dozen, while value declined by 13 percent to $16.1 million. Cumulative January-September exports of table eggs were up 65 percent in quantity and 71 percent in value to 140.29 million dozen and $134.71 million, respectively. Top export markets included Mexico, Hong Kong, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and the European Union. For egg products, September exports were $10.74 million, down 18 percent from September 2012. Export value to Japan, the top export market for U.S. egg products, dipped 12.7 percent to $3.89 million. Export value to key markets of Canada increased slightly, while shipments to Mexico and the EU were down significantly from September 2012. Cumulative exports of egg products for January through September rose by 4 percent to $110.89 million. Exports to top market Japan increased by 5 percent to $35.62 million, accounting for 32.1 percent of total U.S. exports of egg products. Exports to Mexico quadrupled from 2012 to $28 million, while exports to the EU plummeted by 63.6 percent to $12.8 million. While exports to Canada increased by 53.7 percent to $9.5 million, exports to Hong Kong were up by 34 percent to $2.9 million. More poultry export information can be obtained from the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council at www.usapeec.org.
For the latest poultry news and information visit www.poultrytimes.net
Special
Broilers: U.S. broiler (including paws) exports in January to September since 1990. Source: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service GATS database.
Special
Turkeys: U.S. turkey exports in January to September since 1990. Source: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service GATS database.
Special
Eggs: U.S. exports of table eggs and egg products (in shell egg equivalent) in January to September since 1990. Source: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service GATS database.
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GEORGIA AG NEWS, January 2014
Researchers looking to reduce salmonella on tomatoes RALEIGH, N.C. — A team of North Carolina State University scientists is looking for salmonella on tomatoes and around tomato production areas. What they find could help farmers grow tomatoes that have a decreased likelihood of carrying salmonella. Salmonella is, of course, a bacterium that can contaminate food and make people who eat that food sick. Salmonella causes salmonellosis, a form of food poisoning. Healthy adults infected with salmonella typically experience several days of diarrhea, fever, vomiting and abdominal cramps — unpleasant but survivable. However, for the very young, very old and people with compromised immune systems, salmonellosis can be severe and occasionally result in death. People can come in contact with salmonella in many ways, but the NCSU team is most interested in how and when salmonella contaminates food, specifically tomatoes. Tomatoes are important because they have been linked to salmonellosis outbreaks for more than a decade. Like many types of bacteria, salmonella is most often associated with fecal material, and fecal material is present in the natural environment, associated with wild and domestic animals, including reptiles and birds, even humans. The problem is, even though we know salmonella is associated with fecal material, we don’t know where in the agricultural production environment salmonella is, which is why scientists in NCSU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are looking for it. The NCSU team is made up of Dr. Chris Gunter, assistant professor of horticultural science; Dr. Lee-Ann Jaykus, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished professor of food science; Dr. Otto (Chip) Simmons III, research assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering; Dr. Penelope Perkins-Veazie, professor of horticultural science; and Diane Ducharme, a graduate student working toward a doctorate in horticultural science who is
also a North Carolina Cooperative Extension associate and coordinator of a GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices) program located in the Plants for Human Health Institute on the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis. NCSU team members bring to the table expertise in food safety (Jaykus), vegetable production (Gunter), environmental microbiology (Simmons) and postharvest physiology (Perkins-Veazie). The team is just beginning the second year of a three-year collaborative study that partners with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to better understand the relationship between salmonella, potential environmental reservoirs for the bacteria and commercial tomato production. The study is focused on tomatoes and salmonella in North Carolina even though there’s never been an outbreak of salmonellosis associated with commercially grown tomatoes in the state, says Simmons. There have, however, been outbreaks associated with tomatoes grown in nearby states, such as Virginia and Florida. What is curious about this is that North Carolina and Virginia are similar in many ways, so why has North Carolina been spared outbreaks of salmonella associated with tomatoes? That’s one of the things the researchers hope to better understand. “The purpose of the study is to locate environmental reservoirs of salmonella,” Gunter said. “These bacteria can exist in the environment. We want to know where.” Gunter also points out that not all salmonella are created equal. Some types of the bacteria are more virulent than others; they may cause disease at lower doses, or they may cause more debilitating disease. The scientists want to know what types of salmonella are in the environment. “Without knowing where those reservoirs may be, we have no way to manage salmonella,” Gunter added. Much of the search for salmo-
nella rests with Ducharme. While she works with growers of tomatoes and other crops regularly in her role as a Cooperative Extension associate and statewide Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) coordinator, it is in her role as a graduate student that Ducharme is involved in the salmonella study. During the growing season, Ducharme regularly collects samples from three tomato production areas in different parts of the state. She collects tomatoes, obviously, but she also collects leaves and blossoms from tomato plants, soil and any fecal matter that might be in the area, such as goose droppings. And Ducharme collects water and sediment samples from two streams and a pond used for irrigation in the tomato production areas where she samples. Those water samples may be particularly important. Gunter points out that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has identified surface water as a potential risk for contaminating crops with salmonella. Surface water is open to the environment and may be prone to fecal contamination. It’s used in crop production for things like planting, pesticide application, irrigation and evaporative cooling. Surface water, if it is contaminated, would be a good vehicle for transporting a pathogen like salmonella to tomato plants. Surface water quality is typically determined by the presence of E. coli, a bacterium that, like salmonella, is associated with fecal contamination. Because of this, E. coli is sometimes used to indicate the potential presence of pathogens like salmonella. One of the goals of the study, Simmons said, is to determine if E. coli really is a reliable indicator of water quality and the possible presence of salmonella. Information that indicates how best to ensure the quality of water used in crop production could be particularly helpful to farmers as they work toward implementing
new requirements of the federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). FSMA broadens the power of the FDA to regulate food production, and the FDA’s focus is shifting toward developing food production rules. This means that farmers are going to have an increased responsibility for assuring the safety of the food they produce and will be required to take steps during the food production process to reduce the likelihood of contamination. Farmers should benefit from the study if, as intended, it reveals some of salmonella’s secrets. Rather than requiring a range of actions on the part of farmers that may or may not actually reduce the possibility of salmonella contamination, the FDA should be able to use study results to focus crop production rules on actions that research indicates will
more effectively reduce the chance of contamination. “We’re really looking at the ecology of this pathogen (salmonella) in the environment,” says Ducharme. “The tomato just happens to be the model that we’re using. But we’re looking at production practices used for many crops.” “Ultimately, we hope that we will gain a better understanding of where that pathogen exists, how it moves into crop production areas and then how to mitigate any risk that may be associated with the pathogen,” Gunther added. “We hope to use the information that we gain through this study to develop recommendations for farmers that will reduce risks from salmonella and other microbial contaminants that may occur naturally in commercial agriculture production environments,” Simmons said.
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GEORGIA AG NEWS, January 2014
U.S.-EU trade agreement could hinge on poultry issues By Jim Sumner
Special to Georgia Ag News
STONE MOUNTAIN — When the U.S. government and the European Commission got the idea for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), they envisioned an agreement that would bring the industrial, manufacturing, services and technical sectors together under an umbrella of free trade. The agriculture community, however, did not want to be excluded from such a far-reaching and comprehensive agreement. Agriculture made the following point: “If we’re going to have an agreement that includes agriculture, it must adhere to the longstanding tenet that there will be no exclusions.” For those observers who have not followed global trade
policy over the years, this means that U.S. poultry must not be left out of the negotiations. The reason is simple: the E u r o p e a n Sumner Union has for the past 17 years blocked the import of U.S. poultry for reasons we believe to be not only scientifically invalid, but that go against the grain of international trade rules laid out by the World Trade Organization. Therefore, it’s conceivable that “the poultry issue” could be one of the biggest stumbling blocks to TTIP becoming a reality, not just for agriculture, but for all sectors.
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If the U.S. and the EU cannot come together on such a basic issue as poultry processing, then how will they come together on the myriad other issues that will be on the negotiating table? Our industry has been a strong supporter of our government in negotiating free trade agreements with other countries. Exports are vital to the economic well-being of our industry. Our industry exports more than 20 percent by weight of all the chicken meat produced in the U.S., and about 11 percent of the turkey meat. In 2012, the total value of these exports reached $4.9 billion. We have calculated that if the EU opened to our products it would add another $600 million in exports annually. Why does the EU bar U.S. poultry imports? The U.S. and the EU have always approached poultry processing somewhat differently. The Euros claim their system addresses pathogens like salmonella and campylobacter sufficiently at the farm level so they don’t have to use interventions at the slaughter plant. The U.S. also addresses pathogens at the farm level, but has a strong, prescriptive pathogenreduction program at the plant in order to meet USDA standards. The EU employs an air-chilling system for post-slaughter poultry carcasses, while we in the U.S. use a water-based chilling system. Our industry has always employed safeguards during processing that include anti-microbial treatments of poultry carcasses in the final rinse water that include chlorine or its components, or other effective pathogen-reducing compounds that are accepted by international agencies such as the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which sets international guidelines for food safety. We don’t argue whether either
“
‘It’s conceivable that ‘the poultry issue’ could be one of the biggest stumbling blocks to TTIP becoming a reality, not just for agriculture, but for all sectors.’ Jim Sumner
USA Poultry & Egg Export Council
system is right or wrong or better than the other; they are simply two different ways of producing safe and wholesome products with equivalent results. In 1997, the EU banned U.S. poultry because of chlorine, which they claim is a carcinogen that poses an unacceptable risk to consumers. As we negotiated this issue with the EU over the years, our government proposed that the EU should accept alternative treatments, and the European Food Safety Authority accepted four compounds. The European Commission brought these to a vote of commissioners of all the member states. In a purely political move, the commissioners rejected them unanimously. The Food Safety & Inspection Service recently announced a 55 percent decrease in the incidence of salmonella on raw chicken carcasses in the last five years and a 26 percent decrease in the first quarter of this year as a result of the agency’s pathogen-reduction program. Also, FSIS noted a 50 percent decrease in campylobacter since 2011, when the agency began monitoring the bacterium. While campylobacter has always been a concern in the U.S., it is more of a public health problem in the EU. At a recent international poultry meeting in Europe, our colleagues from the EU said they are concerned with their inability to control campylobacter. But, as one of our technical experts noted,
campylobacter might not be such a problem had Europe not disallowed pathogen-reduction treatments in its processing plants. While some countries, such as the U.K. — where campylobacter is a serious problem — might be more receptive to the use of antimicrobials, others would rather fall on their swords than to do anything that could open the door to imports, even though Brazil has more than made up for the U.S. absence in the market. At a recent meeting of European poultry processors, I made these points, and noted that it’s unfortunate that consumers in two of the most scientifically advanced regions of the world are being deprived of each other’s specialty poultry products because of the inability of our governments to rationally address the situation I’ve just described. Poultry politics are among the strongest of nearly all other sectors of agriculture, and may also surpass other non-agricultural trade issues as well. While a successful TTIP negotiation would be mightily beneficial to the struggling economies of Europe and the U.S., if the EU cannot accept the politics of poultry, then it could very well become a failed agreement. Jim Sumner is president of the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council with offices in Stone Mountain, Ga.
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GEORGIA AG NEWS, January 2014
Make it at Home recipe Make Ahead Stuffed French Toast American Egg Board Servings: 8 Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 45-50 minutes
The American Egg Board notes that this delicious custardy dish can be for special family occasions. Make this tasty oven-baked French toast ahead of time for easy meals or entertaining.
Ingredients: 30 to 36 thin French bread or baguette slices, 1/2-inch slices 4 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 cup strawberry preserves 8 eggs 1 1/2 cups milk 1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, undrained 1/4 cup orange juice 2 tsp. freshly grated orange peel 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. salt
remaining bread slices to make little sandwiches. Arrange sandwiches in greased 13-inch x 9-inch glass baking dish. Whisk eggs in medium bowl until foamy. Stir in milk, pineapple, orange juice, orange peel, vanilla and salt. Slowly pour egg mixture over bread; press bread into egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. Bake in center of 350 degrees F oven until puffed, golden and knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 Directions: minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. More recipes may be obSpread 1/2 of the bread slices tained from the American Egg with cream cheese and straw- Board at www.incredibleegg. berry preserves and top with org.
American Egg Board
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GEORGIA AG NEWS, January 2014
Poultry scientist studies impact of stress on health of chickens By Merritt Melancon Special to Poultry Times
ATHENS — Chickens don’t commute to work or balance checkbooks, but they do get stressed. Dr. Kristen Navara, an assistant professor endocrinology with the Poultry Science Department of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, is finding ways to help them relax. Navara has spent her career researching how environmental factors — like diet and climate — affect biological chemistry and how that chemistry, in turn, affects the health and lives of people and animals. Stressed poultry, like stressed people, experience changes in their body chemistry that affect their health and behavior. Understanding the mechanisms that trigger these changes — and how to pre-
vent them — can change the way we understand the way stress affects animals in general, including people. In the short term, relaxed chickens are healthier and more productive. Navara says there’s a growing consumer demand for breast and thighs from “happier chickens.” “Many people perceive bird’s stress through the lens of what they would find stressful,” Navara said. “Birds don’t assess stress the same way that humans do.” Free-range life might seem like a better life to shoppers, but for chickens — who have a tendency toward cannibalism and fight over resources — free-range life actually may be more stressful. Scientists just don’t know yet, Navara said. Currently, Navara is working with chickens and finches to test a range of enrichment tools like nesting boxes and shiny bird toys to see what helps the birds relax.
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Navara didn’t set out to make chickens more comfortable. She studied biology as an undergraduate and graduate student at Pennsylvania State University and Auburn University, respectively. She went on to pursue postdoctoral studies in neuroscience at the Ohio State University. Studying chickens gives endocrinologists like Navara and geneticists a good model for research, since they are easy to keep and reproduce quickly. “We do basic research in a chicken model, but so much of this research can be used to understand other animals or how these issues affect human health,” she said. For instance, Navara’s earlier research focused on how climate and seasonal changes correlate to different ratios of male and female offspring for many types of organisms, including humans. She’s extended this sex ratio research further into chickens — where poultry producers are interested in finding out what type of diet would induce hens to produce more female chicks. Diet and stress affect the hormone levels in childbearing females and can affect the sex and health of the offspring. For instance, researchers have found that parrots in the wild produce more male offspring when
Merritt Melancon/UGA
Chickens & stress: University of Georgia scientist Dr. Kristen Navara, left, and high school researcher Maria Orlando, work to catch finches so they can be examined for signs of stress. Navara uses finches and chickens to assess the effectiveness of enrichment activities.
food is plentiful. The physiological mechanism that contributes to that kind of phenomenon is what Navara is trying to decipher through her work with chickens. When she’s not delving into the inner lives of chickens, Navara teaches undergraduate courses in avian biology and supports teams of undergraduate and high school research assistants who work in the UGA Poultry Science Department each year.
“We are devoted to bringing both high school students and undergraduate students into the lab,” she said. “I think that’s vitally important because you can’t understand science until you experience it firsthand.” Merritt Melancon is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in Athens, Ga.
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ATHENS — The Georgia/ Florida Soybean Association, the American Soybean Association and DuPont Pioneer have announced that Andrew Moore of Resaca, Ga., has been named 2013 ASA/DuPont Young Leader for Georgia. Moore was selected to represent Georgia in a program that includes soybean producer participants from 24 states and Canada. For 30 years, the ASA/DuPont Young Leader program has identified and cultivated farmer leaders that shape not only the U.S. soybean industry, but all of agriculture, the groups noted. Through train-
ing, Young Leaders strengthen and build upon their leadership skills while building a strong agricultural network. This year’s participants will take part in a two-day training program. The first phase of training occurred at Pioneer’s headquarters in Johnston, Iowa, in November. The next phase will be Feb. 25-March 1, in San Antonio, Texas, with training held in conjunction with the Annual Commodity Classic Convention and Trade Show. “The ASA/DuPont Young Leader Program is truly helping shape the future of the soybean in-
dustry,” said ASA President Danny Murphy, a soybean farmer from Canton, Miss. “By identifying new and aspiring leaders and providing participants with a training opportunity that enhances their skills while growing their peer network, the Young Leader program builds a more collaborative industry that better represents their local, state and national agricultural organizations and agricultural interests.” More information about the program can be obtained from the American Soybean Association at www.soygrowers.com.
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GEORGIA AG NEWS, January 2014
Farm bill deadline looms for end of year The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Government dairy subsidies that affect the cost of a gallon of milk are set to expire at the end of the year as farm-state lawmakers said on Dec. 10 that they do not expect to have a new farm bill — or an extension of current law — before Jan 1. Expiration of the current dairy subsidies triggers 1930s and 1940s law, outdated statutes that could upend the commercial dairy market and eventually cause the price of milk to rise. But Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat, said she has assurances from the USDA that the price spikes would not happen before the end of January, and she and House Agriculture Chairman Frank Lucas, a
Republican, say they hope to have a final farm bill deal by then. The House and Senate have passed separate versions of the fiveyear, roughly $500 billion bill, but with widespread differences over crop subsidies and how much to cut food stamps. “We will be ready to vote in January,” Stabenow said after a meeting with Lucas on Dec. 10. House Speaker John Boehner said he favors an extension, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid balked at that plan. “Let them vote on it. We’re not going to do it,” he said. The House of Representatives on Dec. 13 passed by voice vote a stop-gap farm measure that would extend current law until Jan. 13, 2014, and sent it to the Senate.
Stabenow said a short-term extension could allow subsidies called direct payments to continue. Those subsidies are paid to farmers whether they plant or not and have come under political fire from conservatives and others who have lobbied for less spending on farm programs. Both the House and Senate farm bills would eliminate the subsidies and create new ones. Finding a compromise on cuts to the nation’s $80 billion-a-year food stamp program has been the toughest obstacle in the talks between the House and the Senate. The House passed a bill this summer that would cut $4 billion from food stamps annually and allow states to create new work requirements for some recipients. The Democratic Senate, backed by President Barack
For poultry industry news visit www.poultrytimes.net
•IPPE (Continued from page 1)
during its three-day run. The 2013 Expo set a record attendance of 26,393 people from all over the world, including 5,448 international visitors from 111 countries. Exhibits will provide information on every aspect of the industries — from machinery and equipment to house, feed, transport, process and package; to vaccines to protect against disease; to protective clothing for workers. Exhibits, however, are not the only reason for visiting the show. Educational programs provided by the three sponsoring organizations allow attendees to learn the latest data on issues affecting the industries. Among the programs offered at the 2014 IPPE are ones dealing with ground poultry pathogen reduction, antibiotic use, exporting rules, bios-
ecurity, sanitary equipment design principles, pet food, rendering, and health and wellness trends. While the IPPE is aimed mainly at those involved in the poultry, meat and feed industries, it also provides information for the younger generation, the college students who will eventually take their place in the industry. The College Student Career Program, sponsored by USPOULTRY and held during the three-day Expo, provides employers the opportunity to interview qualified college students for employment or internship openings. The program is one-of-a-kind in the poultry industry. Approximately 300 students from 25 universities participate every year. Because of the large number of industry people expected to be in Atlanta to participate in the Expo, several groups plan to hold committee and/or board meetings and
educational sessions in conjunction with the Expo. These include the National Chicken Council, National Poultry & Food Distributors Association, National Renderers Association and the United Egg Producers. An added perk provided by the Expo is free bus service to Atlanta for a day of visiting the trade show and a return home. Company employees and contract producers of companies that are members of USPOULTRY, AFIA and AMI are eligible. No matter what reason a person might have for visiting the Expo, there is something for everyone — grower, industry personnel, student, international visitor or just someone interested the seeing the multitude of options available at the world’s largest trade show. More information can be obtained at www.ippexpo.com.
Obama, passed a farm bill with a $400 million annual cut, or a tenth of the House cut. Negotiators have focused on cracking down further on a practice in some states of giving low-income people as little as $1 a year in home heating assistance, even when they don’t have heating bills, in order to make them eligible for increased food stamp benefits. The Senate found its $400 million in annual cuts by proposing that states have a $10 heating assistance threshold for such eligibility, while the House doubled that cut by requiring that recipients receive $20 annually — bringing the savings to around $800 million a year. North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven, a Republican who sits on the House-Senate conference com-
mittee, confirmed that negotiators have floated as a compromise $800 million in annual cuts plus pilot programs that would create new work requirements in a handful of states. But he stressed that there is not a final deal. Hoeven said he agreed that the Senate should not pass an extension. “We want to keep the pressure on to get a farm bill done,” he said. Negotiators are also working out how farm subsidies should be restructured in the absence of the direct payments. The two chambers have argued over how to replace those payments, with major farm groups squabbling over whether subsidies should kick in based on crop prices or farmer revenue, and how to count the acreage on which the subsidies are based.
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GEORGIA AG NEWS, January 2014
Tipsy turkeys: N.H. birds fed beer for flavor, size The Associated Press
HENNIKER, N.H. — When it comes to pairing beer with poultry, Joe Morette isn’t too fussy. His turkeys will drink just about anything. Morette, who is raising about 50 Thanksgiving turkeys this year, has been giving his birds beer since 1993, when he and his workers popped open a few cans after work on a hot July day. A turkey knocked one over and started drinking, he said, and they’ve been sipping the suds ever since. Morette, who prefers serving the turkeys lager, insists the beer makes birds fatter, more flavorful and juicier. “Oh, yeah, it’s noticeable,” he said. “It’s not a strong, gamey flavor, it’s a nice turkey flavor.” Longtime customer Dan Bourque, a Manchester attorney, said he hasn’t had a bad bird yet from Morette. He said the turkeys are far superior to the supermarket varieties. “We find the gravy is much darker, and much tastier,” he said. “The bird overall has a slightly different taste that is very appealing.” The animal rights group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) said turkeys shouldn’t be fed beer and that “farmers across the country use questionable practices to keep costs down or to alter the taste of animals’ flesh because their priority is profit, not the animals’ welfare.” But a poultry expert with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension said it is unlikely the birds are suffering. “I don’t know exactly how much beer each turkey is consuming, but it would have to be a lot in order for it to kind of have the same effect as too much beer on people,” said Carl Majewski, field specialist in food and agriculture. “I imagine it’s not enough to really make ‘em tipsy or anything like that. It’s just enjoying a beer with their meal. Why not?” Kathi Brock, national director of Humane Heartland, which oversees the treatment of farm animals, said that standards from the American Humane Association don’t prohibit serving beer to animals. “I consulted with an avian veterinarian who said that while giving beer to turkeys is not a standard protocol, hops could be beneficial for the intestinal tract,” Brock said in an e-mail. Morette’s turkeys are not the first animals to consume alcohol. Japanese farmers have been said to feed cattle beer to stimulate their appetites. And a winemaker and farmer in the south of France have experimented with feeding cows the remainders of pressed grapes to produce meat they’ve dubbed “Vinbovin.” During one recent feeding, Morette’s birds dipped their beaks repeatedly into the foamy liquid in a watering trough. A few minutes later, at least one appeared rather dazed, with eyes narrowed to slits and beer dribbling out of its beak. But the rest seemed alert and no worse for the wear. “Turkeys don’t seem to be the brightest, so they could stumble and you wouldn’t know if they drank too much or not,” Morette said. Majewski said the additional calories and carbohydrates probably do make the birds a bit bigger, and like anything the birds eat, beer likely has some effect on flavor. Juiciness is another matter, he said. “I think it has as much to do with how you cook it rather than what it’s been eating,” he said. “You can take a really well-fed bird and make it not very juicy.” Majewski, who brews beer at home, also raises chickens. But he has no plans to embrace Morette’s methods. “Any beer that we have is too good for them, and I’m going to drink it instead,” he said.
AP Photo/Jim Cole
Beer & turkeys: In this photo taken on Oct. 29, 2013, Joe Morette watches as his flock of turkeys drink beer from the trough in Henniker, N.H. Morette says that birds are just like humans and get beer bellies and insists it makes them fatter, more flavorful and juicier.
Chicken industry boosts 9th District economy GAINESVILLE — Companies that produce and process chicken are an integral part of the economy in the 9th District, which includes Hall County. Producers and processors of chicken along with the companies that provide supplies and materials to the industry provide well-paying jobs in the district and pay significant amounts in taxes to state and federal governments. According to a report released by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association and the National Chicken Council: yy The chicken industry in the 9th District provides 21,548
total jobs with $907,186,900 in wages for an economic impact of $5,338,389.700. yy Companies that produce and process chicken employ as many as 15,795 in the 9th District and generate an additional 5,753 jobs in supplier and ancillary industries. These include jobs in companies supplying goods and services to the industry. yy These are jobs paying an average of $42,100 in wages and benefits. yy The industry also contributes to the economy as a whole. In 2911, the industry was responsible for as much as $5.34 billion in total
economic activity throughout the district, creating or supporting as many as 21,548 total jobs. yy In viewing the broader economic impact, the industry generates businesses seemingly unrelated to the chicken industry. People working in industries as varied as banking, real estate or accounting depend on the chicken industry for livelihood. yy The chicken industry also generates sizable tax revenues. In Georgia, the industry and its employees pay about $2.08 billion in federal taxes and $1.30 billion in state and local taxes.
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GEORGIA AG NEWS, January 2014
•Outlook (Continued from page 1)
October prices had fallen to $1.32 per pound. Weekly prices at the beginning of November seem to indicate that prices have fallen into the high $1.20s per pound.”
Turkeys ERS noted that turkey meat production for the fourth quarter of 2013 is estimated at 1.48 billion pounds, or 4 percent less than the same time in 2012. This is being attributed to less turkeys being slaughtered and small gains in average liveweights. For next year, the report noted turkey meat production at 6 billion pounds, which is 1.7 percent more than 2013. However, “this is a decrease of 95 million pounds from the previous forecast, as turkey poult placements continue to be significantly lower than the previous year,” ERS says. “The decline in turkey production is expected to result from a combination of lower prices in 2013 for both whole birds and many turkey parts. Production is expected to begin to expand in the second half of the year as turkey processors determine that falling feed costs more than offset lower prices and strong competition from the broiler industry in both the domestic and export markets.” Overall turkey stocks for this year have been more than 2012, the report noted. “Cold storage holdings of turkey products at the end of September
Promoting agriculture were 542 million pounds, 4 percent higher than a year earlier,” ERS says. “Overall turkey cold storage holdings at the end of 2013 are estimated at 300 million pounds, 20 million pounds lower than the previous estimated and about even with cold storage holdings at the end of 2012. In 2014, the quarterly ending stocks forecasts are expected to be slightly higher throughout the year.” The report added that the increase in amounts has led to a decrease in whole turkey prices. “Prices for whole frozen hen turkeys at the wholesale level averaged $1 per pound in third quarter 2013, down from $1.08 per pound in third quarter 2012,” the department noted. “Whole frozen hen prices are expected to average $1.01 to $1.05 per pound in fourth quarter 2013, down about 3 cents from the $1.06 per pound average in fourth quarter 2012. “The quarterly price forecasts for frozen whole hens in 2014 are expected to be very close to slightly lower than the levels seen in 2013.”
Eggs Table egg production continues its increasing trend, ERS noted. “On a year-over-year basis, table egg production has been above year-earlier levels for the last 11 consecutive quarters,” the report said. “During September, the number of table egg layers in production totaled 291 million birds, an increase of 1.4 percent from September 2012. Table egg production is expected to continue above the
previous year’s level in fourth quarter 2013, with production expected at 1.8 billion dozen, an increase of 2.7 percent from the previous year.” For next year, table eggs are anticipated to total approximately 7 billion dozen, which is an increase of 1.5 percent from this year, the department noted. Hatching eggs for the third quarters of this year were about 268 million dozen, a 4.7 percent increase from the same time in 2012, the report said. This is attributed to broiler production increases. “Hatching egg production is expected to total 270 million dozen eggs in fourth quarter 2013, an increase of almost 6 percent from the previous year. This expansion is expected to continue to come largely from higher production of meat-type hatching eggs, as broiler production is expected to be higher through the end of 2013,” ERS says. “Hatching egg production growth is forecast to continue to expand in 2014, driven by higher broiler production; however, the growth is expected to moderate somewhat and total 1.1 billion dozen, 2.7 percent higher than the previous year.” For table egg prices, fourth quarter seasonal demand is anticipated to keep prices higher, the report said. The wholesale prices are forecast to be approximately $1.26 to $1.32 per dozen. “With additional growth in production forecast in 2014, prices are expected to average $1.06 to $1.14 per dozen, down about 9 percent from the expected average for 2013,” ERS noted.
Chick-fil-A founder retiring as CEO, chairman The Associated Press
ATLANTA — Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy is retiring as chairman and CEO. His son, Dan Cathy, will take on both roles. Truett Cathy, 92, will assume the title of founder and chairman emeritus of the restaurant chain. The
company said in a statement that he will continue to concentrate on his entrepreneurial work. This includes his new restaurant concept, Truett’s Luau, opening in Fayetteville, Ga. in December. Truett Cathy founded Chick-filA in 1967. Dan Cathy currently serves as
president and chief operating officer of Chick-fil-A Inc. He will retain the title of president when he becomes chairman and CEO. Privately held Chick-fil-A is based in Atlanta. It has more than 1,765 restaurants in 39 states and Washington D.C. The company’s 2012 sales were $4.6 billion.
Photo by David B. Strickland
Ag Breakfast: Brian Kemp, right, Georgia secretary of state, was welcomed as guest speaker at the recent Hall County Farmers Appreciation Breakfast by Michael Wheeler, Hall County Extension coordinator. Kemp noted that agriculture is the largest industry in the state, and its continual promotion is vital for what it provides to the statewide economy. The annual breakfast was sponsored by the Hall County Cooperative Extension and the Hall County Farm Bureau.
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GEORGIA AG NEWS, January 2014
Corn growers remain on track for record production year WASHINGTON — U.S. corn growers remain on track for a record high 14 billion bushel production year, according to the Crop Production report, recently released by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. In addition to corn numbers, the report also included updated forecasts for U.S. citrus production, and major field crops, such as soybeans and cotton. Based on administrative data, NASS revised the acreage planted to corn this season to 95.3 million acres, down 2 percent from the previous estimate. Despite the decrease, however, production forecast remained high due to high forecasted yields. This season’s yields are expected to average 160.4 bushels per acre, with corn growers in 18 states forecast to reach record yields this year. The weather also remains good for harvest so far this year, allowing growers to harvest 73 percent
of the corn crop by Nov. 3, which is 2 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average harvest rate. NASS also reduced the planted area for soybeans to 76.5 million acres, down 1 percent from the previous forecast. Just as with corn, however, favorable weather conditions account for higher pod counts compared with the 2012 yield. Soybean yields are expected to average 43 bushels per acre, with the final production forecast at 3.26 billion bushels. If realized, this will be the third largest production year on record. NASS interviewed approximately 10,000 producers across the country in preparation for this report. In addition to farmer interviews, NASS also used its national and state level objective yield measurements to determine accurate yield and production forecasts. The Crop Production report is published monthly and is available online at www.nass.usda.gov.
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