Georgia corn growers will vote in March on whether to reaffirm
the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Corn
for three more years.

The Georgia Department of
Agriculture sends out ballots to each corn grower in the
state. Growers vote March 1-30.

The commission manages checkoff funds used mainly for corn
research in Georgia, said Dewey Lee,
an Extension Service
agronomist with the University of
Georgia College of
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Corn Checkoff

The corn checkoff was established in 1996. To support it, farmers
pay 1 cent per bushel of corn sold. To be re-established, it must
have a two-thirds majority vote.

“If a grower hasn’t received a ballot by the end of the first
week in March,” Lee said, “the grower should contact the
Department of Agriculture or the local county Extension Service
office.”

Georgia grows only about 6 percent to 7 percent of the U.S. corn
crop, Lee said. Because of this small amount, corn research is
done mainly in the Midwest, the hub of U.S. production.

But some things work for Midwest corn growers that don’t work for
Georgia growers, Lee said, and vice versa. The only way to know
what works and what doesn’t, in many cases, is through
research.

Corn is a major crop for many Georgia farmers, Lee said. And many
corn-related issues are specific to Georgia.

Corn Problems

Drought still hovers over much of Georgia. Corn is particularly
susceptible to drought and can be costly to grow during dry
times.

The U.S. Southeast is vulnerable to aflatoxin infection, too. A
fungus that attacks the plant causes aflatoxin, which can be
harmful if consumed. It’s not a big problem in the Midwest, but
it’s a major marketing issue for Georgia growers. Nobody wants to
buy corn infected with aflatoxin.

To stay competitive while fighting drought and aflatoxin, Lee
said, Georgia growers have to have alternative farming practices
and hardier hybrids.

Some corn research proposals have already been approved for
2002-2003. Scientists will study conservation practices and
aflatoxin, breed and test hybrids adapted to Georgia and monitor
irrigation and drought-related problems. Other educational
programs and technical support for overall corn improvement will
also be funded.

Widely Grown

Corn is more widely grown than any other crop in Georgia. Almost
every county has some corn acreage. In 1997, the state’s farmers
grew 500,000 acres, valued at $159.5 million. Growers averaged
about 110 bushels per acre that year.

In 2001, Georgia corn acreage decreased to about 220,000 acres.
However, despite continued drought, farmers produced record
yields — about 134 bushels per acre.

Farmers will begin planting this season’s corn crop in March.
Corn is a major crop for many Georgia farmers, Lee said, and many
corn-related issues are specific to Georgia.

Due to lagging prices for other farm commodities, Lee expects
farmers to plant more of the crop this year.

“Corn acreage could be up as much as 30 percent,” he said.