A LOOK BACK AT THE SOUTHERN FARM SHOW

A self-propelled sprayer attracted a lot of interest at the Granville Equipment display at the Southern Farm Show earlier this month. Shown here is Mike Smith (center, a farmer from Georgia), who is learning about the sprayer from (from left) Randy Watkins, Don Watkins and Stephanie Keith, all of the Granville staff. (Photo by the editor)

Looking back on the farm show: It seemed that attendance at the Southern Farm Show earlier this month was noticeably reduced from 2019. But exhibitors (some anyway) who sold mostly tobacco equipment told me that the turnout for them was good, especially on Friday. "We had plenty of people," said Randy Watkins at Granville Equipment Company. "And they showed better optimism than they did at the last show." 

Among the popular implements at the Granville display were its multipass harvester and its self-propelled high clearance sprayer. "We sold a few sprayers, though not as many as we would have if the tobacco economy was stronger than what it is," said Watkins. Granville has some new hemp production equipment, and it--especially its Granville Flower Extractor system--attracted considerable interest from visitors to the exhibit.

Used equipment is selling at very low prices at farm sales, says J. Michael Moore, Georgia Extension tobacco specialist, and a little new equipment is moving. "A few curing barns have been purchased in Georgia and Florida," says Moore. "Some replace barns that burned down last season, while others have replaced old barns that were no longer in good condition."

Transplanting will begin soon: In Florida, some tobacco may be taken to the field as early as March 10, says Moore. But in Georgia, he hopes that farmers will delay transplanting until April 7 to reduce incidence of tomato spotted wilt virus. But the crop may not wait. "We have seeded greenhouses, and some plants have been clipped multiple times," says Moore. "But fields are wet and little field work has been done so far." Farmers are getting to the point  that they need to know what the industry needs and what size contract they can expect.

AWARDS

The Tobacco Growers Assn. of N.C. conferred awards  to several individuals at the Southern Farm Show. They were:

• Outstanding Association Director--Randy Edwards, Johnston County,
•  Farm Family of the Year--Grissom Family Farms, Vance County.
• Extension --Rick Bonanno, N.C. Director of Extension.

  	Randy Edwards

• Distinguished Service--Beth Farrell, North Carolina Department of Agriculture.
• Lifetime Century Member--Frank Grainger, Fair Products.

The Tobacco Farm Life Museum of Kenly, N.C., presented two awards during the Southern Farm Show:

• The Excellence in Agriculture award went to Alice Scott, co-owner and executive secretary of Scott Farms, a sixth-generation family farm  

  Wayne Grissom accepting for Grissom family of Vance Co.

  in Lucama, N.C., for her involvement in the promotion and continued growth of the agriculture community in North Carolina. The sponsor of this award was Southern Bank.

• Innovative Young Farmer of the Year went to Michelle Pace Davis, who operates Pace Family Farms located in Clayton, N.C., received the. Davis has been instrumental in opening the Pace Family Farms as an agritourism location and in instituting creative solutions to prevent produce waste. The award sponsor Farm Credit Assns. of North Carolina.

APPOINTMENTS AND VACANCIES:

New director at Oxford: Chris Jernigan has been named superintendent of the Oxford (N.C.) Tobacco Research Station. Jernigan previously served as the tobacco supervisor and later as assistant superintendent at the Caswell/Lower Coastal Plains Research Stations in Kinston. More recently, Jernigan worked in the NCDA'S Agronomic Services Division as a regional agronomist and research coordinator. Two other staff members have been given new positions: Carl Watson has been named assistant superintendent and John Shotwell has been named research specialist in the tobacco program.

Tobacco specialist needed in Tennessee: The post of state Extension tobacco specialist in Tennessee is vacant since Eric Walker joined the staff of Burley Stabilization Corp. in Springfield, Tn. Walker had served as Extension state tobacco specialist for Tennessee since 2014. As a result of his departure, a search effort to fill the Extension position will begin shortly, and it is hoped that the position can be filled toward the end of 2020. The location of the new specialist's office has not been decided. The position will have responsibilities for some tobacco Extension work in Kentucky.

New director at Greeneville, Tn.: Justin L. McKinney has been appointed director of the University of Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center at Greeneville, Tennessee. McKinney was previously the director and financial manager of the Eastern Kentucky University farms...Rob Ellis, who had been the director of the Greeneville station as well as the Highland Rim station, has returned to working full time at Highland Rim. NOTE: Contrary to earlier announcements (see TFN, January II 2018), a small amount of tobacco research continues at the Greeneville station, especially burley variety research.

GAP TRAINING MEETINGS THRU MID MARCH

Feb 27, 5:30 pm, Central City, KY

Mar 2, 6 pm, Owensboro, KY 

Mar 3, 6 pm, Madison IN 

Mar 3, 12 pm, Russellville, KY

Mar 4, 12:30 pm, Tifton GA

Mar 5, 10 am, Marion SC

Mar 5, 6 pm, Greeneville TN

Mar 10, 1 pm, Murray KY

Mar 12, 9 am, Greensburg, KY

Mar 16, 6 pm, Lafayette, TN