Updated Tuesday, August 4, 2009 @ 8:39 AM
A division of Georgia Farm Bureau

CHARLES H. (HOBBY) STRIPLING NAMED FSA STATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR -- The Obama Administration has announced that Charles H. (Hobby) Stripling will serve as Georgia State Executive Director for the Farm Service Agency at the USDA.
"Hobby Stripling has a solid understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our rural communities and will help build on the Obama Administration's efforts to rebuild and revitalize rural America," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
Since 2002, Stripling has served as District Director for Congressman Jim Marshall. Previously, from 1992-2002, he served as District Director for Congressman Sanford Bishop. He has served both as Mayor and as Municipal Court Judge in Vienna, Georgia, and has served as Chairman of the Board of Bank of Dooly in Vienna. Stripling attended Georgia Southwestern University, as well as the University of Georgia Leadership Institute.
The Farm Service Agency administers and manages farm commodity, credit, conservation, disaster and loan programs as laid out by Congress through a network of federal, state and county offices.  These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of the agricultural industry and to help farmers adjust production to meet demand.  Economically, the desired result of these programs is a steady price range for agricultural commodities for both farmers and consumers.  State and county offices directly administer FSA programs.  These offices certify farmers for farm programs and pay out farm subsidies and disaster payments.  Currently, there are 72 FSA county offices in Georgia.
 The USDA provides leadership on food, agriculture and natural resources and touches the life of every American. Reflecting President Obama's commitment to expanding economic opportunities in rural America, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and the USDA are working to enhance availability of broadband, promote the development of renewable energy, to conserve, maintain and improve our natural resources and environment, and promote a sustainable, safe, sufficient and nutritious food supply.

GAO: RETAIL FOOD PRICES GROW FASTER THAN FARMER PRICES -- Retail food prices grew faster than the prices farmers received for agricultural commodities, but research by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) shows that concentration in the food and agricultural sectors has not affected these trends.
Over the past 25 years, farmers have received a decreasing share of the consumer food dollar. Some analysts and farm interest groups are concerned that this decline can be attributed, in part, to increasing concentration in agriculture. They believe that firms in highly concentrated markets may be able to exert market power by raising retail food prices while also depressing prices farmers receive for agricultural commodities.
Others have argued that concentration has facilitated changes, such as technological innovations, that have improved productivity and served to lower food prices while increasing some farm incomes. The influence of any one factor, such as concentration, in determining agricultural commodity and retail food prices (commodity and food prices) varies and is difficult to isolate, says GAO.
GAO has released a summary of research that was completed June 30. According to GAO, concentration generally has increased at all levels of the food marketing chain and in all agricultural sectors since the 1980s. 
 While real annual per capita food expenditures have increased since 1982, households now spend a smaller share of disposable income on food, according to GAO. Total annual per capita food expenditures rose from $3,358 in 1982 to $3,888 in 2007, in constant 2008 dollars.
 GAO reports that household spending on food decreased from 13 percent of disposable incomes in 1982 to 10 percent in 2007.
Since 1982, overall food prices and food prices in each of the five major agricultural sectors have increased about as much as prices for consumer goods and services overall. However, from July 2008 through December 2008, food prices increased faster than the prices of other goods and services.
Since 1982, farmers have generally received higher monthly prices for their commodities, but these prices have increased less than food prices and inflation in the broader economy. Specifically, prices farmers received, including for beef, pork, dairy, and grains, increased by 34 percent from January 1982 to April 2009.
For the same period, food prices rose by 128 percent, and prices in the general economy rose 102 percent. Commodity prices increased significantly in 2008, reaching a high of 68 percent above their 1982 levels in July 2008, but have declined since then.
GAO said that concentration probably did not cause the 2008 increase in commodity and food prices, which were more likely due to factors such as higher energy costs and growing global demand for grains.
NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT CENTER OF INNOVATION FOR AGRIBUSINESS -- Georgia’s Centers of Innovation program has named Donnie Smith (photo), Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue’s Liaison for Agriculture, as Executive Director of the Center of Innovation for Agribusiness headquartered in Tifton.
“Donnie’s decades of experience in the agriculture industry combined with his service to the state of Georgia will help the Center of Innovation for Agribusiness connect the industry with cutting-edge research,” said Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “The Center of Innovation for Agribusiness is Georgia's central resource for accelerating growth in the agribusiness industry.”
Smith brings extensive industry and government experience to his new position. He has served for six years as the Governor’s Liaison for Agriculture and manages the Governor’s Agricultural Advisory Commission. Smith is a fifth-generation farmer, owner of Smith Farms located in Coffee and Atkinson Counties, and has over 40 years of experience in agribusiness.
Smith will retain several of his duties as Special Advisor to the Governor on Agriculture Affairs and will continue to lead the Governor’s Agriculture Advisory Commission. He is a past Georgia Lancaster Sunbelt Expo Farmer of the Year as well as a past Georgia Flue Cured Tobacco Farmer of the Year. Smith serves on the Georgia Rural Development Council and many local, state and national agriculture organizations.
“Donnie Smith is well positioned to continue to increase the momentum of the Center of Innovation for Agribusiness,” said Sterling Wharton, director of the Centers of Innovation. “His depth of industry experience and connections across the state will enable the Center to continue to advance the economic impact of agribusiness through innovation and technology.”
Smith takes the helm of the Center of Innovation for Agribusiness effective July 27.

GEORGIA TO RECEIVE $2.3 MILLION FOR WATER QUALITY IN AG PRODUCTION -- State Conservationist James E. Tillman Sr., of the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), says that $2.3 million in financial assistance was approved for the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) for two projects in Georgia.
Brent Dykes, Executive Director of the Georgia Soil & Water Conservation Commission stated that "The Conservation Commission and the Athens regional office looks forward to working with small acreage producers in northeast Georgia to build upon their past successes and continue to increase water efficiency and conservation."
One project is Agricultural Water Conservation in the Lower Flint River Basin.  This project will improve water efficiency by updating irrigation systems in 27 counties in Southwest Georgia.
"I'm very pleased that the Department of Agriculture has provided such a generous grant through the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program for this deserving project in Southwest Georgia," Congressman Bishop said. "Given the water challenges our region has faced over the past years,
combined with the recent Federal court ruling on water use in the state of Georgia, this grant will prove to be essential to the management of one our most important natural resources."
"The Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District has worked hard over many years to develop productive partnerships with conservation groups in Georgia. Our strength is in our willingness to partner with different agencies and research institutions to put cutting-edge conservation practices on working farms. We are grateful to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the University of Georgia, The Nature Conservancy and farmers across the state for their help in building momentum to support agricultural water conservation. If our aim is true, we, as a community, will enhance the availability of water resources in the Basin for years and for generations to come," said Marty McLendon, chairman, Flint River SWCD.
The AWEP promotes ground and surface water conservation and improves water quality by helping farmers and ranchers implement agricultural water enhancement activities.

HOUSE PASSES FOOD SAFETY BILL-- The House passed the Food Safety Enhancement Act (H.R. 2749) last week on a mostly party line vote of 283-142. The Senate must now act on the House bill or take up a food safety bill of its own.
The American Farm Bureau Federation expects the Senate will use S. 510 introduced by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) as its legislative vehicle rather than the House bill.
 House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) was successful in obtaining exemptions from most of the bill’s provisions for farms. The Agriculture Department will continue to regulate feed grain farms and livestock and poultry operations, rather than FDA.
 AFBF continues to remain neutral on the House bill. While improvements have been made, AFBF believes some outstanding issues remain to be resolved. For example, AFBF is still concerned about the impact of the legislation on growers of fruits and vegetables.
“There are problems at the FDA that need to be fixed, but we don’t need to create a whole new system,” said Kelli Ludlum, AFBF director of congressional relations.
The bill expands FDA authority to include mandatory recalls, on-farm inspections and stricter inspection of imported foods.
Meat and livestock industry groups have worked to limit the legislation's effect on processors and producers. Livestock producers are exempt from FDA's on-farm inspections and their record-keeping requirements under the bill have been restricted. Livestock antibiotic use restrictions proposed to be added to the bill were kept out of it. Meat packers regulated by USDA would also be exempt from extended FDA authorities.
 There is no timeline for Senate action, but both Durbin and the bipartisan leadership of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee have indicated they intend to complete healthcare reform before beginning consideration of any food safety measure.
NEW GEORGIA STATE DIRECTOR FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT NAMED -- Shirley Sherrod has been named State Director for USDA Rural Development in Georgia.
"This individual will be an important advocate on behalf of rural communities and help administer the valuable programs and services provided by the USDA that can enhance their economic success," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
Since 1985, Sherrod has served as Director of the Georgia Field Office for the Federation of Southern Cooperative/Land Assistance Fund. She has also served as Georgia State Lead for the Southern Rural Black Women's' Initiative for Economic and Social Justice. From 1999-2000, Sherrod served as Executive Director for Community Alliances of Interdependent Agriculture, Inc., in Albany, Ga. Sherrod has more than 15 years experience working with agriculture-focused organizations. Sherrod received a B.A. in Sociology from Albany State University in Albany, Ga., and a M.A. in Community Development from Antioch University in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
Rural Development administers and manages over 40 housing, business, and community infrastructure and facility programs as laid out by Congress through a network of 6,100 employees located in 500 national, state and local offices. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.
Rural Development has an existing portfolio of over $114 billion in loans and loan guarantees.

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