Ag News
GFB holds spring commodity meeting to discuss ag issues
Posted on Feb 27, 2025 at 13:47 PM
Members of Georgia Farm Bureau’s Commodity Advisory Committees met at the organization’s home office in Macon on Feb. 24 to discuss issues their respective commodities are facing and to review the organization’s policy pertaining to their crops or livestock. GFB has 20 commodity committees – one for each of the major crops or livestock Georgia farmers produce, one for agritourism and direct marketing venues, and one for ag water issues.
During a lunch program, committee members heard from James Beal, executive director of Georgians for Lawsuit Reform regarding tort reform legislation the Georgia General Assembly is considering this session at the request of Gov. Brian Kemp. Beal explained that the goal of tort reform is to bring balance to the legal system and keep lawsuits from getting out of control.
Beal said there are a few key areas where tort reform change is needed in Georgia, such as stopping phantom damages where people claim more money than they actually lost, premises liability (ensuring property owners aren’t unfairly blamed for accidents), seat belt “gag rules” (this would allow evidence to be presented to a jury if a plaintiff was not wearing a seat belt, which is currently not allowed), and third-party litigation funding where outside investors fund lawsuits to make a profit or gain intellectual property. Fixing these issues would help reduce lawsuit abuse, lower costs for businesses, and make sure Georgia’s legal system is fair for everyone—not just those seeking a big payout.
“When you have these sorts of abuses in the legal system, you see unpredictability in the law and it drives up insurance rates for businesses,” Beal said. “What the governor is trying to do with tort reform is to put standards into law and to shine light on these third-party litigation groups. It’s frivolous lawsuits that we want to cut down on and make it fair for all parties. If this is an issue that you care about, it’s vital that you contact your state representatives and ask them to support these bills, especially your state House members.”
Last week the Georgia Senate passed SB 68 - introduced by Sen. John Kennedy (R-Macon)- which contained most of Gov. Kemp’s comprehensive tort reform proposals: preventing people from claiming more damages than they actually lost, limiting premises liability to prevent property owners from being unfairly blamed for accidents, and allowing evidence to be presented if a plaintiff was not wearing a seatbelt. SB 68 has now moved to the Georgia House for consideration. As of Feb. 24, it was being considered by the House Rules Committee. A second Senate bill, SB 69, proposes preventing third-party litigation funding where outside investors fund lawsuits to make a profit.
After Florida legislators passed laws that are similar to SB 68 and SB 69, the state is seeing “a phenomenal result,” Beal said.
“They’re seeing a 6 percent reduction in their [insurance] premiums across the state. They’re seeing 11 new insurance carriers come into Florida to start providing policies that creates competition that should hopefully lower prices for businesses,” Beal said. “Sixty percent of their Top 10 largest insurers are increasing their coverage and 40 percent of them are reducing their rates.”
Update on federal ag issues
Among issues some of the committees discussed was the executive order President Donald Trump signed on his first day in office that paused funding for federal programs appropriated under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) for review. This included $19.5 billion for ag-related conservation programs and $3.1 billion for climate-smart farm projects. This frozen funding was set to support projects including rotational grazing systems to improve soil health, waterways to reduce erosion, the installation of solar panels, and conversion from diesel to electric irrigation systems. Many farmers have made plans and investments based on the promised funding, leaving some in financial peril, according to several groups that support farmers.
While speaking with some of the committees, GFB National Affairs Coordinator Ben Parker noted that the USDA announced Feb. 20 that it is releasing the first portion of paused IRA funding, totaling about $20 million, for USDA programs like the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.
In a statement announcing the releasing of funds, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins emphasized honoring existing farmer contracts. She pledged support for farmers, calling them the nation's backbone. The review continues to ensure funds prioritize farmers over unrelated initiatives like DEIA or climate programs, with more funding releases expected.
Parker also discussed the American Relief Act of 2025, which Congress passed in December and former President Biden signed into law Dec. 21. Parker explained that this act had three provisions for agriculture: 1) it continues the 2018 farm bill through Sept. 30, 2025; 2) it appropriated $10 billion in economic assistance to farmers in response to the dire financial situation they are experiencing; and 3) appropriated $21 billion in disaster aid for natural disasters in 2023 and 2024.
The act states that producers who grew any crop that falls under Title 1 of the farm bill in 2024 – barley, corn, cotton, grain sorghum, oats, peanuts, rice (long/medium grain), soybeans and wheat - are eligible for economic assistance payments, which must be paid to producers within 90 days of enactment date of the legislation. It is expected farmers will receive these payments by the end of March.
Payments per acre for each crop will be determined as the higher of the two formulas – primary payment or minimum payment.
The primary payment will be calculated by multiplying projected per-acre losses by a factor of 26%. For corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, sorghum, oats and barley, the payments are to be calculated using the USDA’s published national average cost-of-production forecasts.
For all other crops, USDA is to calculate a comparable total estimated cost of production. The projected revenue per acre will be calculated using projected 2024/25 market year average prices set in the Dec. 10 World Agricultural Supply & Demand Estimates and a 10-year average of the national average harvested yield per acre.
A minimum per-acre payment will be calculated by multiplying 8% of a crop’s statutory reference price by the national average payment yield. The payment yield is the yield used in calculating Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program payments.
The farmer will then be paid on all acres planted to eligible commodities for harvest, grazing, haying, silage or other similar purposes for the 2024 crop year. Additionally, farmers will be paid on 50% of all acreage prevented from planting during the 2024 crop year due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters or other conditions beyond the control of the farmer determined by the secretary of agriculture.
Economic aid will be capped at $125,000 for farmers and ranchers with less than 75% of their average gross income across tax years 2021, 2022 and 2023 derived from farming, ranching or forestry. The cap is $250,000 for farmers with 75% or more of their average gross income derived from farming, ranching and forestry.
The legal structure of the farm will determine the per-farm aid limit. If multiple farmers are part of a general partnership or joint venture, payment limitations are not imposed on the entity level but apply to each farmer individually.
The timeframe for USDA disbursing the disaster aid is unknown at this time, Parker said.
Update on state ag issues
On the state level, GFB Governmental Affairs Specialist Chase McClure discussed efforts being made by Georgia officials to help farmers recover from Hurricane Helene. Rep. James Burchett (R-Waycross) has introduced HB 223, Gov. Kemp's Hurricane Relief Package. This bill consists of three proposals, which are all tax policies.
First, the bill proposes that federal disaster assistance payments for ag losses due to Hurricane Helene be exempt from the state income tax.
Second, the bill proposes a tax credit for the clean-up or replanting of trees used in the commercial production of food, wood, or wood products. This tax credit is like the credit issued after Hurricane Micheal and applies to the 66 counties included in the renewal of Gov. Kemp's Executive Order No. 10.29.24.01. The taxpayer claiming the credit can claim up to $400 per acre and the tax credit is both transferable and refundable.
Third, the bill proposes a sales tax exemption through the GATE program for building materials used in the repair of buildings used exclusively to raise animals, like poultry houses and livestock barns. This exemption would only be applicable from enactment of the legislation to end of year 2025.
Other topics discussed in committee meetings included a water metering bill (HB 143), truck weights and the Conservation Use Value Assessment (CUVA).
On Feb. 13, the Georgia House Natural Resources and Environment Committee considered HB 143, which would help reduce the burden of water metering on farmers while giving the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) the ability to monitor statewide water usage more efficiently. A provision was added to allow EPD to perform maintenance on water meters.
Multiple bills concerning CUVA are under consideration. Senate Bill 45 and Senate Resolution 56, both introduced by Sen. Sam Watson (R-Moultrie), passed the Senate. SB 45 would increase the acreage cap under CUVA from 2,000 acres too 4,000 acres. A companion bill was introduced in the House. SR 56 proposes an amendment to the state constitution to allow the changes under SB 45.
Watson also introduced SB 59, which would allow CUVA-enrolled land to be leased in some circumstances without breaching the landowner’s CUVA covenant. The Senate passed SB 59, which is awaiting consideration in the House.
House Bill 165 would make permanent the weight limit of agricultural and forest products hauled by truck at 88,000 pounds, matching the weight limits allowed in all of Georgia’s neighboring states. The limit was established through legislation passed in 2023 and would “sunset” this year without additional legislation.
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