Starting in October, a new training program will offer beginning and young farmers crash courses in business planning, vegetable and fruit production and goat husbandry to provide them with a strong foundation to help grow their new businesses.

The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UGA Small Business Development Center, Georgia Organics, Fort Valley State University and AgSouth Farm Credit, along with other partners, are developing the training and mentoring program to help beginning farmers become successful and sustainable farmers. The partnership will provide training to 70 new farmers, focusing on minority farmers and farmers with limited means.

The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture announced Feb. 2 that the partnership would receive a Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Grant of $652,000 to establish an innovative training program that can be presented throughout the state.

"Many of the young people interested in farming don't come from a farming background," said Julia Gaskin, director of UGA's Sustainable Agriculture Program. "We have been very interested in developing a comprehensive training program to help this group and those currently farming that want to improve their operations."

The statewide partnership also includes UGA Extension's county agents, the Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association.

"We think this collaborative approach will give us a good foundation for a strong program for the state's beginning farmers," Gaskin said. This grant is part of more than $18 million in NIFA funding to support beginning farmers.

The core of the training program is business planning. The UGA Small Business Development Center — a unit of the Office of Public Service and Outreach — and AgSouth Farm Credit will provide business planning and financing workshops to the farmers.

"To assure a continued sound agriculture industry in our nation, it is essential that we provide financial literacy and risk management training for the next generation of farmers," said Van McCall, director of the AGAware program for AgSouth. "AgSouth Farm Credit has made a commitment to the future of agriculture through the development of our national award-winning AGAware program. We are very excited for the opportunity to partner in this program."

AgSouth Farm Credit launched a young and beginning farmers training program in 2013 with AGAware, a series of business skills workshops focusing on business planning, marketing and Farm Services Agency and Small Business Administration programs.

Georgia Organics will help develop training for farmers interested in small fruit and vegetable production and coordinate the hands-on training that will offer internships and/or mentoring experiences.

"Beginning farmers face many obstacles, and successful, established farmers offer a wealth of expertise to help them succeed," said Alice Rolls, executive director of Georgia Organics. "We look forward to connecting these new growers with producers who have been there, and to the rewarding work of feeding their communities."

Tom Terrill, a small ruminant expert at Fort Valley State University will lead the development of the small ruminant training. The training is based on the highly successful Master Goat Producers classes that have been run in north Georgia. The demand for sheep and goat products has been growing, and this training will teach new farmers the basics on how to be successful with their herds.

"Goat production is an ideal enterprise for beginning farmers because of (growing) demand for goat meat in the United States and because they do not require an intensive system," Terrill said. "Goats can utilize brush, broadleaf weeds and grasses on marginal land and still be productive."

The UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will lead the grant and provide additional training in small fruit and vegetable production.

For more information about Georgia's Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, see www.SustainAgGA.org.

(Merritt Melancon is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)

An argument over a “beer run” apparently led to a DeKalb County, Alabama man being shot in the hip last week.

According to Sheriff Jimmy Harris, Deputies along with members of both the Crossville and Geraldine Police Departments, responded to a report of a shooting incident, on Highway 75 in the Painter community, and arrived to find 25 year old Gregory Britt suffering from what appeared to be s gunshot wound.

Britt told officers that Dewey Lee Parris, age 46 of Crossville, came to his home asking him to take him to the beer store and when Britt said no, an argument began.

Parris reportedly struck Britt in the head and face with a pistol and held him hostage for at least an hour and a half; Britt finally managed to escape, and while running from the home, he was struck by a bullet fired by Parris.

Another round struck a camper located next to the house – there were two people inside at the time; fortunately, however, no one was hurt.

Parris then fled the scene, but was taken into custody just before 4:00am, and charged with Attempted Murder and Discharging a Firearm into an Occupied Dwelling.

Britt, meanwhile, was taken to Marshall Medical South by the DeKalb Ambulance Service – where he was treated and released a short time later.

Parris claims he shot in self-defense; he currently remains in the DeKalb County Detention Center without bond.

A winter storm watch has been issued beginning at 1 a.m. on Monday through Tuesday at 7 p.m., according to information from Chattooga County EMA Director Eddie Henderson.

The storm is expected to move in on Monday morning and last through Tuesday evening with primarily rain, snow and sleet expected.

There is the possibility of brief periods of freezing rain possible with light snow expected near the end of the weather event on Tuesday afternoon.

Significant travel problems will begin on Monday with the main threat being black ice.

An updated briefing on Sunday afternoon and AM 1180 Chattooga County Radio will pass that information on to you.

Registration for baseball and softball with the Summerville Recreation Department began will continue until Friday, February 20^th.  Registration is open for ages 3 years to fourteen years.  There is a registration fee of $10 for city residents and $25 for county residents.  Also, you will need to bring a copy of the participant’s birth certificate if there is not already one on file with the Summerville Recreation Department.  For more details you can call 706-859-0910.

A Gordon County deputy sheriff attempted to stop a suspicious vehicle on I-75 (northbound) near Calhoun when the vehicle, a Hyundai `Sonata` fled, leading the deputy and other officers on a high speed pursuit at speeds of over 100 miles per hour before crashing at the Highway 225 off ramp. The driver, Marcus Dewitt Smith, age 19, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was at that time being sought by Chattanooga/Hamilton County (Tennessee) authorities in connection with a homicide investigation. He was arrested and subsequently turned over to Tennessee authorities a few days later.

In October, 2013, Smith was returned to Gordon County to face charges which stemmed from the September 5th (2013) pursuit. On March 7th, 2014, Smith was again released to Tennessee authorities.

On Wednesday, February 11th, (2015) the same deputy sheriff was on patrol on Interstate 75 near Resaca, when he attempted to stop a suspicious Hyundai `Sonata`. This vehicle fled northward on the interstate, leading Gordon County deputies, Whitfield County deputies, and State Troopers on a chase at speeds in excess of over 100 miles per hour. Near the Rocky Face Exit north of Dalton, a Whitfield County deputy sheriff successfully deployed road spikes and stopped the suspect car which left the roadway into the emergency lane as it`s tires deflated. The pursuit was terminated without injury or damage to any innocent motorists. The Gordon County deputy who had initially tried to stop the car was very surprised when the driver, Marcus Dewitt Smith said to him, It`s me…

Smith, now age 20, and still of Riverside Drive, Chattanooga, Tennessee, was taken into custody without further incident and driven to the Gordon County jail where there was found an outstanding warrant (from Gordon County Superior Court) for his arrest for violation of probation. The warrant cited an arrest in Tennessee for a cocaine related charge, as well as failure to pay court imposed fines. Smith being held in jail pending bond proceedings.

Coosa Valley News 

                  Chattooga County Sheriff’s Department

24 Hour Arrest Report

02/14/2015

50 Inmates at Chattooga 53 Meals Ordered

27 Housed Out At Floyd County Jail

                19 Housed Out At Polk County Jail                                            

  2 Housed Out At Walker County Jail

  Total Inmates: 98

Read more

Read more