News & Issues

Colquitt County Extension Coordinator Receives UGA Hill Award

Monday, May 7, 2012 Writer: Jonathan R. Veit, 706/542-2524, veit@cviog.uga.edu Contact: Maegan Rudd, 706/542-2738 rudd@cviog.uga.edu Colquitt County Extension Coordinator Glenn Beard Receives UGA Hill Award for Distinguished Achievement Athens, Ga. – At a recent awards ceremony at the University of Georgia, Glenn H. Beard, county extension coordinator for Colquitt County, received the Walter Barnard Hill Award for Distinguished Achievement in Public Service and Outreach for his almost 30 years of service to the advancement of Georgia agriculture through the UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences cooperative extension program. For the past 17 years, Beard has served as extension agent
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Food Safety Update of Cantaloupe Growers May 23 in Tifton

Food Safety Update for Cantaloupe Growers: Lessons Learned from the Colorado Outbreak May 23, 2012 9:00 am - 1:00 pm (Lunch will be provided) Tift County Extension Office 1468 Carpenter Road South Tifton, GA No matter the size of your operation, cantaloupe producers have felt the devastating market hit with food born illness outbreaks across the nation in recent months and years. The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association is actively participating in industry initiatives to find and implement new research, pathogen detection methods, and even simply improve best management practices for cantaloupe growers. Wednesday, May 23, 2012, GFVGA is
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GFVGA President Dick Minor Interviews with NPR about Immigration Laws

NPR Interviews GFVGA President Dick Minor about Consequences of State Immigration Laws GFVGA President Dick Minor interviewed with National Public Radio’s Talk of the Nation program Monday, April 30 about the intended and unintended effects of state immigration laws. Interviewer Neal Conan began the program asking Minor about what had been happening in the agriculture industry since Georgia’s immigration law took effect in July 2011. Minor noted that the effects of that legislation began as early mid-April 2011 when Georgia’s session came to a close.  “There was quite a bit of stir about it on the media,” he said. “It
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Specialty Crops Score Big Win with Farm Bill

Specialty Crops Score Big Win With Farm Bill Passing Senate Ag Committee The Senate Agriculture Committee has passed their version of the 2012 Farm Bill. For Specialty Crops there were some key improvements for specialty crops from the previous Farm Bill. The Bill includes the following key provisions: Specialty Crop Block Grants funded at $70 million per year (increase of $142 million over 10 years) Specialty Crop Research Initiative funded at $25 million in FY13; $30 million in FY14-15; $65 million in FY16; $50 million in FY17 (increase of $416 million over 10 years) Plant Pest and Disease Program funded
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Senate Ag Committee Releases Legislative Language for 2012 Farm Bill

On Friday, April 20, the Senate Agriculture Committee released legislative language for the 2012 Farm Bill.  After an initial review of the language, much of the GFVGA supported Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance recommendations have been included in this initial proposal. Committee review and debate will begin on Wednesday, April 25 at 9:00 AM. Listed below are some of the highlights of the Farm Bill proposal that affect our growers; however, there are several key elements yet to be reviewed and analyzed by the Alliance. We will keep you informed as more information is available to be shared. ACTION ITEM
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GlobalG.A.P. V4 Training dates by NSF Agriculture

Overview: This training course is designed for Individuals seeking a better understanding of GlobalG.A.P. IFA V4 food safety audit requirements for ranch and packing of fresh fruits and vegetables. The course will provide a detailed understanding of the requirements for GlobalG.A.P. IFA V4 implementation and certification. Content: In this course an NSF Agriculture technical expert will lead participants through the fundamentals of the GlobalG.A.P. IFA V4 Food Safety Certification Audit. The course will cover in detail the requirements of the standard and its implementation. To register click here. Training dates: Wenatchee, WA  ----- April 19-20, 2012 Tifton, GA  ----- April
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