Visit Our Website GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE - TOMMY IRVIN, COMMISSIONER Vol. No. 22 ^75 `Special People' Issue Wednesday, October 22, 2008 Copyright 2008 ag consumer line... October Forecast Shows Crop Yields Up, Down Scheduled Dec. 3 During the Christmas holiday season, many elderly and shut-in people do not have family members or friends who can visit them or send them cards and letters. Each year the Market Bulletin publishes a list of these "special people" who would enjoy receiving cards and letters during the holidays. The Special People list for 2008 will be published in the Bulletin Dec. 3; deadline for submitting names and addresses is Nov. 12. If you know of an elderly or shut-in person who would like to be included in this list, please secure his or her permission and include a statement to this effect with the person's signature before submitting the information to the Market Bulletin. Only Georgia residents will be included on the list. Please submit the name and address for one person only. The editor has the right to reject entries not meeting the above requirements. Only one Special People list will be published for 2008. Send entries to: Market Bulletin, Georgia Department of Agriculture, 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW, Atlanta, GA 30334-4250. Is frozen food safe? Food stored constantly at 0 Fahrenheit will always be safe. Only the quality suffers with lengthy freezer storage. Freezing keeps food safe by slowing the movement of molecules, causing microbes to enter a dormant stage. Freezing preserves food for extended periods because if prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause both food spoilage and food borne illness. *** Are wild blueberries edible? Yes. The cultivated types you buy in the store or at a blueberry farm or farmer's market are merely improved varieties of our native "wild" blueberries. The wild ones may not be as big and juicy as the cultivated types but are edible nonetheless. If you have questions or problems with products or services regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, you may contact the Office of Consumer Services, 19 Martin Luther King Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30334 or call (404) 6563645 (Metro Atlanta) or 1-800-282-5852 (statewide). Utilize Pumpkins for More Than Carving Jack-o-Lanterns for Halloween Observance Although many people associate pumpkins with the observance of Halloween, this member of the squash family has great nutritional value and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. The pumpkin, a bright, orange-colored squash, is packed with important nutrients. Pumpkins are a great source of vitamin A, in the form of beta carotene. In its conversion to vitamin A in the body, beta carotene performs many important functions in overall health. A diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protection against heart disease as well as some degenerative aspects of aging. Pumpkins also are high in calcium, potassium, phosphorous and vitamin C. In addition, pumpkins are a good source of dietary fiber and contain no cholesterol and only a trace of fat. A Shopper's Guide To Pumpkins * When buying pumpkins, select a firm, heavy pumpkin without blemishes or spots and avoid those with scars or cracks. A well-formed, heavy pumpkin will have more meat, less waste and a sweeter flavor than lighter weight pumpkins. * Look for pumpkins with a rich, orange color and an attached, dry stem. * If stored in a cool (50 degrees Fahrenheit), dry, well-ventilated place, pumpkins will last up to three months. If kept at room temperature, pumpkins will keep for about one month. * Pumpkin puree can be refrigerated for three to five days or frozen for later use. * Small, two to three pound pumpkins are easiest to use. (Continued on Page 12) According to the crop forecast released from the Georgia Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service October 10, crop yields for com, tobacco and hay were down from its September survey while cotton and peanuts showed an increase in yields. The yield for soybeans was unchanged from the previous estimate. Harvesting conditions during September were favorable. The forecast was based on a survey of growers contacted around October 1. Com yield for 2008 is expected to average 130 bushels per harvested acre, five bushels below last month, and the same as last year. Total com production is expected to reach 41.6 million bushels from 320,000 acres harvested for grain. Production of this size would be 29 Notice of Avian Auction Pursuant to O.C.G.A. 4-11-9.6, the Georgia Department of Agriculture shall conduct an auction on the following birds: 95 Cockatiels 1 Peach Face Lovebird 5 Blue Crowned Conures 13 Black Masked Conures 7 Red Masked Conures 7 Sun Conures 2 Jandaya Conures 3 Yellow Nape Amazons 2 Indian Ringnecks 1 Military Macaw 2 Blue and Gold Macaws 1 Harlequin Macaw 4 Umbrella Cockatoos 1 Sulfur Crest Cockatoo 3 Maluccann Cockatoos 4 Timneh Grays 2 Yellow Wing Amazons The auction will be held on Saturday, November 8,2008, at the Atlanta Farmers Market, located at 16 Forest Parkway in Forest Park, Georgia. Interested individuals may view the birds from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The auction will begin at 11 a.m. Pictures of the birds will be posted on the Department's website at www.agr.georgia.gov. Once at the site, click on Notice of Avian Auction listed under Featured Items. When the page displays, click on the link provided to view the bird catalog. There will be minimum bids posted for each of the birds. For directions to the Atlanta Farmers Market, please call (404) 675-1782 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. No representation is made to the physical condition, behavior, or acceptable use of the birds. The Department reserves the right to withdraw birds prior to the auction. The successful bidder must be prepared to tender the highest bid by cashier's check, money order, or personal check with a letter of credit from (Continued on Page 11) percent less than last year. Georgia's 2008 cotton crop is forecast to average 812 pounds of lint per harvested acre, 15 pounds per acre more than last month and 11 pounds more than last year." Acreage expected to be harvested this fall is estimated at 940,000 acres, the same as last month, but 55,000 acres less than last year. Production is estimated at 1.59 million bales, four percent less than last year's 1.66 million bales. Peanut production in Georgia is forecast at 2.23 billion pounds, compared with last year's 1.62 billion pounds. Harvested acres are expected to be 685,000 compared with 520,000 in 2007. Yields across the Georgia peanut belt are expected to average 3,250 pounds per acre, up 100 pounds per acre from last month, and 130 pounds more than last year. Soybean yields in Georgia are forecast at 30 bushels per acre, the same as last month, and the same as last year. Harvested acres are estimated to be 410,000 acres, up 5,000 acres from last month. Production is projected to be 12.3 (Continued on Page 12) Notice Ad Deadline for the Nov. 19 issue is noon Nov. 5 o 0oo0