2023 Legislative Report Week 2

GFB Public Policy Department

LEGISLATIVE REPORT WEEK 2

January 20, 2023

IN THIS ISSUE:

In this Issue:

News from under the Gold Dome
Budget Discussions
Governor's Budget Proposal Highlights
Rep. Dickey Appointed House Ag Chair
2022 Census of Agriculture
Deer Damage? Advocate For Flexible Hunting Regulations
Storm Victim Tax Relief
Bills of Interest

Under the Gold Dome

The Capitol was a little less crowded as members of the appropriations committees in the House and Senate met for a week of budget hearings. Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) staff has closely monitored appropriations hearings and will continue to advocate for programs and initiatives that benefit agriculture and Georgia farmers. Legislators did not use any of their 40 legislative days this week, but will return on Monday, January 23 for Legislative Day 5. GFB staff is present at the Capitol every day to represent our members and serve as a resource to the Georgia General Assembly.

Georgia Farm Bureau Legislative Report 2023 Session Budget Week

Budget Discussions Underway

This week the Joint Appropriations Committee met to begin their work of amending the FY23 budget and setting the funding levels for FY24. Chaired by Sen. Blake Tillery and the new House Appropriations Chairman, Rep. Matt Hatchett, the committee heard testimony from agency heads, our State Fiscal Economist, and others throughout the week. Coming off record high state revenue collections and facing predictions of slower economic growth, much of the conversation has been centered around how to continue conservatively managing the state's budget and best use the surplus dollars.

The committee heard testimony from Georgia's State Fiscal Economist, Dr. Jeffrey Dorfman, who made a case for continuing with a conservative approach to state spending. He pointed to a successful year for the stock market during 2021, resulting in approximately $3 billion in capital gains tax revenue for the state, as a major factor in the record surplus. In addition, Georgia brought in increased corporate and individual income tax dollars due to strong economic activity and job growth. While we have experienced record budget surplus and high tax collections in recent years, Dr. Dorfman noted this will not necessarily remain the case. He concluded that the Governor's measured approach and funding of one-time programs rather than permanent government programs, would ensure continued budget stability for the state.

On Wednesday, the joint committee heard from our new Commissioner of Agriculture, Tyler Harper. Commissioner Harper (R-Ocilla), only a handful of days into his new role, was already well underway working to ensure Georgia's farmers have the resources they need to provide us all with a reliable food and fiber supply. The success of the Farm to Foodbank program that was funded during last year's session was highlighted, with all funding for that program set to be deployed by the beginning of February. He laid out the Department of Agriculture's (GDA) budget requests for the coming session, including $2,051,275 in additional funding for AFY23 and FY24 to implement The Georgia Raw Dairy Act (HB1175 from 2022 session). This money would be used to hire additional staff and purchase specialty equipment to satisfy the safety and testing requirements of HB 1175. As a result of a comprehensive salary study regarding pay competitiveness of GDA compared to surrounding states, the Commissioner is requesting funds to align salaries of crucial staff more closely with that of the going rate throughout the Southeast. Commissioner Harper highlighted agriculture as Georgia's number one industry and the vital role it plays in not only providing food to our citizenry but also to our state's economic growth. We look forward to working with Commissioner Harper as he seeks to keep agriculture strong and growing in our state.

Governor's Budget Proposal Highlights

Last week Governor Kemp released his AFY2023 and FY2024 budget report. Included in that proposal are investments in K-12 education, one-time property tax relief grant funding, $1 billion in taxpayer refunds, and much more. With more than $5 billion being held in Georgia's "Rainy Day Fund", there are many items being discussed under the gold dome concerning how to use those dollars while also maintaining a conservative outlook on future state revenues.

Included in the Governor's budget proposal is a $2,000 cost-of-living adjustment for all full-time state employees. These funds will improve recruitment and retention efforts for those critical positions. Please see below for additional FY24 budget highlights that include the cost-of-living adjustments, and additional proposed changes to both the AFY2023 and FY2024 budgets.

Budget Proposal Highlights for FY2024

$59,234,714 in total state funds for the Georgia Department of Agriculture
$2,127,728 in the Georgia Agricultural Trust Fund
$52,436,941 in state funds for the Agricultural Experiment Station
$48,432,648 in state funds for Cooperative Extension Service
$3,140,076 in state funds for State Soil and Water Conservation Commission
$5,168,289 in state funds for the Veterinary Medicine Experiment Station
$35,703,211 in reserved funds reallocated for the establishment of the Rural Workforce Housing Fund
$5,735,000 in funds that seek to ensure an adequate supply of physicians in rural areas of the state

Changes to AFY2023 Budget

State Forestry Commission

$830,000 to purchase 28 leased vehicles for forest management and fire suppression services.
$513,769 increase for fuel expenses and fire protection services.

Changes to F2024 Budget

Georgia Department of Agriculture

$242,954 in funding for the Agricultural Trust Fund raised during 2022 from GATE Card fees pursuant to HB 511 (2021 Session)

State Forestry Commission

$393,769 for fuel expenses from fire protection services

Department of Economic Development

$214,918 for the Rural Development Initiative

Physicians for Rural Areas

$3,520,000 increase in funding for loan repayment programs aimed at ensuring an adequate supply of physicians in rural areas of the state

Rep. Robert Dickey Appointed House Ag Chair

On Tuesday the House Committee on Assignments released appointments for the 2023 Session, and Chairman Robert Dickey of House District 140 will be returning as the Chairman of the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee. Chairman Dickey owns and operates his family peach farm, located in Middle Georgia since 1897. He represents the peach industry as a board member for the Georgia Peach Council and former board member of the National Peach Council. Chairman Dickey was the primary sponsor of Georgia Farm Bureau's spotlight issue last year; The Freedom to Farm Act. He is a friend to Georgia Farm Bureau and a champion for agriculture. We are excited to continue our work with Chairman Dickey in the coming session. For a full list of House Ag Committee members, use the link below.

Click Here

2022 Census of Agriculture

"The future of agriculture depends on your response."

The USDA's 2022 Census of Agriculture is officially underway, and they need your response to make sure all farm families are being counted. You have until February 6, 2023 to submit your information. It is critical that Georgia farmers participate, as policymakers use this data to make both federal and local decisions impacting farm programs, funding, crop insurance rates, rural development, disaster assistance, the farm bill, and much more. Remember, all personal information collected will remain confidential and will not be used in any other way other than USDA data collection.

Although the survey may seem overwhelming, each producer only has to complete the sections that pertains to their operation. You can submit your questionnaire online or by mail. Below is a link that will allow you to access the online portal-- all you will need to have is your unique survey code. If you do not have the survey code from the form mailed to you, please call 888-424-7828 to obtain your code over the telephone.

Once you have your survey code, please follow the steps below to complete the 2022 Census of Agriculture.

Go to www.agcounts.usda.gov
Enter the 12-digit survey code in the box
Select My Active Surveys
Select the link that says UNITED STATES 2022 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE
Verify the contact information is correct and select ADDRESS VERIFIED - START SURVEY, or make corrections by selecting MAKE CORRECTIONS
1. If you made Operation, Operator, or Contact Information corrections, select SAVE CHANGES - START SURVEY
Complete the census through the Conclusion section and select Submit Survey

All census information must be submitted by February 6, 2023 so be sure to complete yours in time.

Complete the Census of Agriculture

Deer Damage? Advocate for Flexible Hunting Regulations

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resource Division (WRD) is requesting public input on the development of hunting regulation proposals for the 2023-2025 hunting seasons. With the ongoing challenge of deer depredation and the resulting crop damage that greatly impacts our state's farmers, we encourage you to make your voice heard regarding these proposals by advocating for an expansion of limits and season dates and prioritizing harvest of does. Comments may be submitted by email to gm.comments@dnr.ga.gov or by written letter mailed to the following address:

Dr. Tina Johannsen
GA DNR Wildlife Resources Division
2067 US Hwy. 278, SE
Social Circle, GA 30025

All comments must be received by 4:30 pm on February 6, 2023.

Georgia Farm Bureau Supports the Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Storm Victim Tax Relief

Our thoughts go out to all individuals and communities affected by the recent tornadoes and severe weather throughout the state. We know occurrences like this are devasting to farms, businesses, and homes, making it challenging to continue daily farm operations as you try to recover from damages. If you reside or have a business in Butts, Henry, Jasper, Meriwether, Newton, Spalding, or Troup counties, you may qualify for tax relief granted through the IRS. For those who qualify, the April 18th deadline will be pushed back until May 15th to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make payments. To find out more information, click below.

More Info

Bills of Interest

HB 33:
Reps. Camp, Mathiak, Lim, Au, and Cameron
This bill would establish the State Board of Veterinary Medicine as an independent agency attached to the Department of Agriculture for administrative purposes. The State Board of Veterinary Medicine serves as the licensing board for veterinarians in the state of Georgia. Currently, this board is administratively attached to the Secretary of State and is under the professional licensing boards division. The legislation would create an executive director position for the board and give them the authority to hire outside investigators to inspect veterinary clinic premises, equipment, and mobile clinics.
House Hopper

Register for GFB Day at The Capitol

This year's Georgia Farm Bureau Day at The Capitol is scheduled for Tuesday, February 14th. We hope you will take this opportunity to join us at the State Capitol to advocate for Georgia agriculture and meet with your legislators as well as other Farm Bureau members from across the state.

The event will begin at 9:30am in the Blue Room at The Georgia Freight Depot. The Depot is located on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive just northwest of the Capitol, at Underground Atlanta. Following orientation, we encourage everyone to visit with your legislators at the Capitol and invite them to come back with you to the Depot to enjoy lunch at noon. Invitations will be sent out to all legislators, but a personal invitation from you would be especially helpful.

Complimentary security parking is located at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel parking deck, located at 165 Courtland Street NE, and a shuttle bus service will run from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

You can access event and registration information by clicking the button below - please complete the registration by January 20th.

Dates to Remember

Please see below for a list of upcoming events related to Georgia Agriculture:

February 1: Georgia Agribusiness Council Breakfast
February 6-7: Forestry Day at the Capitol
February 14: Georgia Farm Bureau Day at the Capitol
February 21: Georgia FFA Day at the Capitol
March 1: PB&J Day
March 6: Georgia Cattleman's Steak Biscuit Day

Not a Member Georgia Farm Bureau? Join Today!

The Georgia Farm Bureau Federation has a membership of almost 250,000 and serves as state's the largest general farm organization. Our goal is to provide leadership and assistance to the agricultural sector, to promote farm products, to aid in ag-related procurement, to be a spokesman for the farmer in the legislative arena, to be a leader in the development and expansion of farm markets, and to strive for more agricultural research and educational funds and facilities.

With members in all 159 Georgia counties, Georgia Farm Bureau is dedicated to promoting and improving agriculture in our counties, state and nation and in continually improving and expanding our service-to-member programs which serve to enhance the quality of life for all Georgians.

Membership in Georgia Farm Bureau is open to everyone. You don't need to be a farmer or have insurance with us to join Farm Bureau!

If you would like to become a member of Georgia Farm Bureau, you can start your membership online right now! We have a simple application process, and you can be our newest member in just a couple of minutes. Click the button below or use our County Office Locator to find the office nearest you.

JOIN TODAY

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Public Policy Department Staff

Alex Bradford, Director
Adam Belflower, Governmental Affairs Specialist
Raynor Churchwell, Agricultural Programs Manager
Renee Jones, Operations Coordinator
Jake Matthews, Governmental Affairs Specialist
Jeremy Taylor, Agricultural Programs Specialist
Keaton Walker, Advocacy and Policy Development Specialist

GFB Public Policy Department

LEGISLATIVE REPORT WEEK 1

January 13, 2023

IN THIS ISSUE:

In this Issue:

General Assembly Convenes
Inauguration Day
New House and Senate Leadership
Governor Kemp Budget Proposal
New Faces Join GFB Public Policy
2023 Policies Established at the 104th AFBF Convention

General Assembly Convenes for 2023 Legislative Session

On January 9th, 2022, the Georgia General Assembly gathered for Day 1 of the 2023 legislative session. The chambers were buzzing with excitement, and it was hard to tell if it was for the start of a new legislative session or the national championship game to be played in Los Angeles later that night. With a Bulldog victory over the Horned Frogs on Monday, the General Assembly reconvened on Wednesday January 11th for the second day of the 40-day session.

On Monday the House and Senate passed an adjournment resolution setting the calendar for the remaining 40 days of the legislative session. Crossover Day, marking the point at which all bills must pass the chamber in which they originated to have a chance at final passage this year, has been set for Monday, March 6th. Sine Die, the last day of session, will be on Wednesday, March 29th. This session marks the first year of the two-year biennium, meaning there will be no legislation that carried over from last year.

At the beginning of this session, we welcomed 52 newly elected freshmen legislators to the General Assembly - 10 new state senators and 42 new state representatives. Following a special election on January 31st, three additional new members to the General Assembly will fill the vacant seats of House District 7, House District 172, and Senate District 11. The House seats were occupied by the late Speaker David Ralston (HD 7) and Rep. Sam Watson (HD 172) who gave up his position to run for the vacant Senate District 11 seat, formerly held by Sen. Dean Burke (SD 11).

Legislators met for a total of 4 legislative days this week, adjourning on Friday. They will return on Monday January 23rd, for Legislative Day 5. Next week will largely consist of appropriations hearings as the General Assembly looks to set funding levels for 2024 and amend the FY2023 budget.

Read about the first week of session in Georgia Farm Bureau's Legislative Report
(Photo Credits: House Media Services)

Inauguration Day - Georgia's Constitutional Officers

As we enter a new year and legislative session, we welcome our constitutional officers who are newly elected and those returning for another term. A joint meeting of the State House and Senate convened in the Georgia State Convocation Center, where Governor Brain Kemp and all other constitutional officers were sworn in. In Governor Kemp's inaugural address, he highlighted his accomplishments over the past four years and outlined his plan to build on that success during his second term. Governor Brian Kemp will serve another 4-year term after winning reelection this past November, earning over 53% of the statewide vote.

Former State Senator Burt Jones from Jackson, Georgia will be serving as our state's next Lieutenant Governor. Taking over the role of Georgia's 3rd Commissioner of Agriculture since 1969 is Tyler Harper. Commissioner Harper previously served as the State Senator for Georgia's 7th district. Returning for another term will be Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Attorney General Chris Carr, Commissioner of Insurance John King, and State School Superintendent Richard Woods. Newly elected to serve as Georgia's Commissioner of Labor is former State Senator Bruce Thompson.

Georgia Farm Bureau congratulates all of our elected constitutional officers, and we look forward to working with them throughout the 2023 legislative session and for the years to come.

New House and Senate Leadership

GFB Congratulates New Leadership
(Photo Credits: Senate Press Office)

With quite a few new faces in the Georgia General Assembly also comes changes to key leadership positions in both the State House and Senate. This week, Sen. Russ Goodman (R-Cogdell) was named Chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee for the upcoming legislative session. Sen. Goodman is a 7th generation farmer in South Georgia and is a great friend to agriculture and Farm Bureau.

The passing of longtime Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, David Ralston, late last year came as sad news to all those who knew him. Speaker Ralston's work as a member of the General Assembly and Speaker of the House for the past 12 years will have a positive effect on our state for a long time to come. Taking over the role as Speaker this year is Rep. Jon Burns from Newington, Georgia. Previously serving as the House Majority Leader, Speaker Burns represents House District 159. We are excited to have such a strong supporter of agriculture and Farm Bureau in this distinguished position.

Continuing in her role as House Speaker Pro-Tempore is Rep. Jan Jones of District 47. Rep. Chuck Efstration of District 104 will assume the role of House Majority Leader and James Beverley of District 143 will continue to serve as the House Minority Leader. For a comprehensive list of the leadership posts in the House please click here.

Serving as the new Senate President Pro-Tempore is Sen. John F. Kennedy of District 18. Sen. Steve Gooch of District 51 will be the new Senate Majority Leader and Sen. Gloria Butler of District 55 will serve as the Senate Minority Leader. To see the rest of the Senators serving in leadership roles for the new legislative session please click here.

Governor Kemp Budget Proposal Unveiled

On Friday Governor Kemp released his AFY2023 and FY2024 Budget Report. With state revenues continuing to remain strong, Georgia is on solid footing with a Revenue Shortfall Reserve in excess of $5 billion and additional funds marked as Undesignated Shortfall Reserve. Governor Kemp plans to again use $1 billion of state reserves for a one-time taxpayer refund and another $1 billion for a one-time Homeowner Tax Relief Grants (HTRG) program. The Governor's proposed budget for FY2024 also includes a $2,000 cost of living increase for all state employees totaling around $243 million. Other items include investments in economic development, K-12 education, and law enforcement.

Public Policy Staff will be reviewing the Governor's proposed budget and will be providing a detailed look at all items related to agriculture in next week's legislative report.

New Faces Join GFB Public Policy

We are excited to welcome two new faces to the Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Public Policy Department. Back in October, GFB welcomed Keaton Walker as the new Advocacy and Policy Development Specialist. She is married to Dr. Clay Walker with one son, Canaan, and currently lives in Hawkinsville, Georgia. Walker grew up on a family farm in Colquitt County raising cattle and quail. She is a graduate of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and the University of Georgia with a degree in Agricultural Communications. Previously in her career she held positions with Circle F Farms and the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter. At GFB, Walker will oversee GFB's annual policy development process, operations of the newly formed PAC, and coordinate members' grassroots advocacy initiatives.

Keaton Walker joins Georgia Farm Buerau

Adam Belflower joins Georgia Farm Bureau

Keaton Walker

Adam Belflower

In January, Adam Belflower joined the team as a Governmental Affairs Specialists. He is a recent graduate of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences where he studied Agribusiness. Belflower is originally from Cochran, Georgia where he attended Bleckley County High School. At a young age he realized his love for agriculture while working on various farms in Bleckley County. In hopes of pursuing a career in agriculture, he attended UGA and became an active member of UGA's Young Farmer & Rancher (YF&R) chapter. Through his time at UGA, involvement with YF&R, and various agriculture internships, Belflower came to start his career with GFB. In this role he will be responsible for representing Georgia agriculture in the legislative arena and working to advance GFB policy before the Georgia General Assembly.

We are excited to have these two join our team and excited to see the great work they will do on behalf of Georgia agriculture.

Right to Repair

On January 8th, 2023, during the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Convention in Puerto Rico, AFBF and John Deere signed a memorandum of understanding that ensures farmers' and ranchers' right to repair their own farm equipment. This is a culmination of years of discussions between AFBF and John Deere.

The agreement gives farmers and independent repair facilities the ability to access tools, information, and resources needed to repair John Deere equipment while also protecting the intellectual property rights of John Deere products. "A piece of equipment is a major investment. Farmers must have the freedom to choose where equipment is repaired, or to repair it themselves, to help control costs. The MOU commits John Deere to ensuring farmers and independent repair facilities have access to many of the tools and software needed to grow the food, fuel and fiber America's families rely on," said AFBF president Zippy Duvall.

The MOU sets parameters and creates a mechanism to address concerns. It requires AFBF and John Deere to meet at least twice a year to assess the effectiveness of the MOU. It is the hope of Farm Bureau that this original agreement with John Deere will be a model for other manufactures across the agricultural sector. To read the official MOU click below.

View MOU

2023 Policies Established at the 104th AFBF Convention

Approximately 120 Georgia Farm Bureau leaders traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico for the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention on January 6th. Attendees were able to participate in a full agenda of speakers and informative breakout sessions covering topics including leadership development, policy updates, and farm tours, as well as the business session to vote on policy resolutions for the 2023 AFBF Policy Book.

The great work of our members was also recognized across multiple programs throughout the week. GFB is proud to have received the AFBF Award of Excellence in four different categories--advocacy, engagement & outreach, leadership & business development, and coalitions & partnerships. Additionally, the MycoLogic team, from Kennesaw State University, won the People's Choice Award in the Agriculture Innovation Challenge for their impressive culinary mushroom cultivation process and design. We are also very proud of the success and strong showing by Georgia's representatives in the Young Farmers & Ranchers Discussion Meet, Excellence in Ag, and Achievement Award competitions.

GFB is proud to have received the AFBF Award of Excellence in four different categories--advocacy, engagement & outreach, leadership & business development, and coalitions & partnerships.