Author: VFB Governmental Relations

Supreme Court Will Not Examine Lawfulness of EPA’s Bay ‘Blueprint’

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On Monday, the Supreme Court announced it will not examine the lawfulness of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay “Blueprint.” AFBF President Zippy Duvall expressed Farm Bureau’s disappointment in the decision in a statement.

“EPA has asserted the power to sit as a federal zoning board, dictating which land can be farmed and where homes, roads and schools can be built,” Duvall said. “We remain firm in opposing this unlawful expansion of EPA’s power.” Duvall said Farm Bureau will closely monitor the agency’s actions in connection with the Bay blueprint, as well as any efforts to impose similar mandates in other areas.

“This lawsuit has ended, but the larger battle over the scope of EPA’s power is not over,” Duvall said.

Farmers to Learn about Communicating at Inaugural Farming Leaders Conference

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Consumers are asking questions about farms and food, and sometimes the farmer’s voice isn’t heard.

To better prepare farmers to communicate with the public, several organizations will host a Farming Leaders Conference March 19 at Blue Ridge Community College. The conference is sponsored by the Farm Credit Knowledge Center, Farm Credit of the Virginias, Rockingham County Farm Bureau and the Rockingham Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee.

The agenda will cover communication styles, modern communication issues and positive media interaction. “The goal of the conference is to prepare those involved in the agriculture community for formal and informal interactions with consumers regarding food and farming,” said Jesse Martin, producer of On the Farm Radio and an organizer of the event.

Presenters include Martin; Dr. Alex White, a dairy science professor at Virginia Tech; Lauren Arbogast, an agriculture lifestyle blogger; Matt Lohr, director of the Farm Credit Knowledge Center; and a team of communicators from the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.

The conference is open to anyone. Registration is $15, and space is limited. Register online at farmingleaders.com.

Virginia is Top State for Agricultural Exports to Cuba

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Governor Terry McAuliffe has announced that Virginia is now the top state in the nation for agricultural and forestry exports to Cuba.  With a total of $41.6 million, Virginia agricultural exports to Cuba increased by more than 67 percent last year surpassing Louisiana, Georgia, Florida and Alabama for the top position.  Virginia exports, mostly soybeans and soybean meal, represent 28 percent of Cuba’s total agricultural imports from the U.S., which totaled $148.5 million in 2015.  Virginia was the only state to see an increase in exports to Cuba in 2015. 
Speaking about the announcement, Governor McAuliffe stated, “Virginia has been a leader in the development of relations with Cuba since federal law allowed for the export of foods and agricultural commodities to the country.  I am pleased that our efforts to foster mutually beneficial exchange with Cuba have led to increased agricultural exports for our Virginia producers.  During the mission in January, we continued these efforts to expand current agricultural export business, achieve new agricultural exports, and open the doors to future collaboration between Virginia Commonwealth University, the Port of Virginia and their Cuban counterparts.” 

During January’s historic marketing and collaboration mission to Cuba, Governor McAuliffe had several discussions with senior government officials, including a meeting with His Excellency Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, Minister of the Ministry for Foreign Trade and Investment (MINCEX).  MINCEX is the Cuban agency responsible for promoting foreign trade and commercial transactions between Cuban enterprises and business entities in other countries.  The agency develops and proposes policies, conducts trade negotiations with other countries and signs agreements to further economic development.  Following the Governor’s invitation, Minister Malmierca agreed to visit Virginia, the first visit to the Commonwealth by a Cuban government official of his ranking in more than 50 years.
“Today’s announcement is a big win for Virginia’s agribusinesses and producers doing business with Cuba, which has led to more than $423 million in agricultural exports to the country over the past decade,” commented Secretary Haymore.  “Minister Malmierca’s visit represents another historic moment for Virginia – Cuba relations and we are honored to host him in the Commonwealth to highlight the great assets we talk about every time we travel to Havana.  Like the Governor, I’m hopeful that Virginia agribusiness will continue to serve as a catalyst for more positive change and create new opportunities for other sectors of the Virginia economy as the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba evolves to normalization.”
Since the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (TSRA) was passed, limited sales of food and agricultural products have been allowed to Cuba.  Recently, the U.S. reestablished official diplomatic ties with Cuba.  As bilateral relations continue to improve, Governor McAuliffe tasked Virginia state agencies to explore new commercial opportunities with Cuba, covering a variety of sectors in preparation for the embargo to be fully lifted.
Following his election in November 2013, Governor McAuliffe has worked to expand Virginia’s relationship with Cuba and to promote ending the U.S. embargo against Cuba.  In January 2015, Cuba’s top diplomat in the U.S., then Chief of Mission, José R. Cabañas, was invited to be the keynote speaker at the Governor’s Conference on Agricultural Trade during a day-long visit to Richmond arranged by the McAuliffe administration; the visit was Cabañas’ first U.S. visit beyond Washington, D.C.  Cabañas was named formally as Cuban Ambassador to the United States in September 2015. 
Although U.S. food and agriculture companies can legally export to Cuba under current sanctions, financing restrictions imposed by the embargo, which went into effect in 1962, still limit the ability of Virginia companies to competitively serve the Cuban market to the fullest extent possible.  Travel restrictions also constrain Americans’ ability to freely travel to Cuba and business collaboration in certain sectors, such as tourism and basic infrastructure investment, remain illegal.  There are currently several bills in Congress which would eliminate or further ease embargo restrictions against Cuba. 
During the visit to Havana, Governor McAuliffe reiterated his position that Congress should take action to address these impediments to business.  Governor McAuliffe commented, “Ending the embargo will create jobs here at home.  From rural Virginia to our world-class ports, lifting these arcane trade and travel restrictions will create new employment and economic opportunities for Virginia companies.  It will also open new opportunities for Cuban products to be imported to the United States.  If we can do business with other countries from around the world, we ought to be able to freely conduct business with a country that’s our next door neighbor”.
In October 2015, Governor McAuliffe was joined by eight other governors in a bi-partisan letterto the leaders of Congress calling for an end to the remaining trade and travel restrictions.  Governor McAuliffe reiterated that his administration will continue to press for changes to federal law which will allow for free and open bilateral trade and travel between the U.S. and Cuba.

Farmers’ Input Sought for Survey on USDA Programs

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The American Farm Bureau Federation is encouraging farmers and ranchers to complete a short online survey about 10 Agriculture Department programs. All farmers – whether they are long-time food producers or just beginning their careers – are encouraged to complete the survey.  

“If you have ever found it confusing or complex to apply for USDA programs, this is your opportunity to provide feedback on how to improve the process,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “We know USDA staff are concerned that farmers and ranchers who could benefit from agency programs frequently do not apply,” he added. “Our goal is to help turn that around.”

AFBF will use feedback from the survey to develop recommendations on how USDA can enhance its programs and make them more useful.    

The survey focuses on the following programs housed in three USDA agencies – Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Rural Development:
•        Environmental Quality Incentives Program;
•        Conservation Stewardship Program;
•        Conservation Reserve Program;
•        Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program;
•        Value Added Producer Grants;
•        Rural Energy for America Program;
•        Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program;
•        Direct Farm Ownership Loans;
•        Direct Farm Operating Loans; and
•        Guaranteed Farm Loans (farm operating and farm ownership).

Membership in Farm Bureau is not required for the survey, which takes fewer than 10 minutes to complete.

Take the survey online through March 15 at http://usdaprograms.questionpro.com/. 

Young Farmers Gather in Richmond to Meet with Legislators

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Members of the Virginia Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Growing Leaders programs met with members of the Virginia General Assembly on Feb. 8. 

In their meetings with state legislators, they discussed important agriculture issues such as funding for Virginia’s Agriculture Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program, property rights, and assistance for farmers dealing with wildlife predation. 
 The group also attended the House Finance Committee meeting at which the committee passed a bill creating an income tax credit for farmers who make food crop donations to a food bank. The bill was heavily supported by Virginia’s first lady, Dorothy McAuliffe, who met with the farmers later that afternoon. VFBF Young Farmers have been partnering with local food banks since 2010 to make fresh produce available to Virginians in need.

Poll: Chesapeake Bay Residents Do Not Trust Federal Regulation

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Nearly three in four residents of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed say state and local government authority over water resources should trump federal authority. When health, safety and environmental regulations are needed, nearly half say they trust state and local governments, compared to only 28 percent who trust the federal government.

Those were two key findings of new Morning Consult polling conducted Jan. 21-22 of 1,042 registered voters who reside within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The poll was sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

“Residents of the Chesapeake Bay region believe their local governments should have authority when it comes to protecting their water, and, understandably, they trust state and local authorities much more than they do the federal government,” said Ellen Steen, general counsel for AFBF.

The Morning Consult poll looked at voter opinion on a range of issues related to the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulatory “blueprint” for the Chesapeake Bay that sets strict federal limits across the region for local land uses such as farming, forestry and development. AFBF has asked the Supreme Court to review the EPA rule, which it believes to be unlawful. The case is American Farm Bureau Federation v. EPA (15-599).

According to the poll, 48 percent of respondents said that when health, safety and environmental regulations are needed, they trust state and local governments more than the federal government.  Just 28 percent said they would trust the federal government more. When it comes to ensuring the quality of rivers, streams and creeks, 74 percent said that state and local communities should be primarily responsible and only 18 percent said the federal government should have the primary responsibility.

More than three in four respondents (77 percent) said local or state governments should be most responsible for regulating how people use land or produce food. Only 14 percent favored the federal government.

While six in 10 voters familiar with the EPA’s regulations initially expressed their support, after being informed of how the rules might affect them locally, that support plummeted to just 39 percent, with 45 percent of the voters opposing them.

“In these days when people place a high value on local food, 62 percent of the respondents said they were less likely to support the EPA’s Bay regulations because they would put a number of local farmers out of business due to restrictions and high regulatory costs,” Steen said. “That’s what this rule is all about; imposing federal restrictions that will make it impossible for many local farmers to continue to farm in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

“We all support better water quality in the Bay, but people living in the watershed care about local farmers, jobs and communities, too. There are better, more affordable and less intrusive ways for states to take the lead and get this important job done that also save room in the watershed for the people producing local food.”

Nearly half of voters (43 percent) said they would prefer to have the option of paying half as much to achieve a safe and healthy Chesapeake Bay, even if that would not achieve the specific numeric water quality goals previously adopted. That’s important because effective ways to address Bay water quality without expensive federal regulations have been in place for years, and they are working, according to AFBF.

Slides highlighting the poll are posted at: http://www.fb.org/tmp/uploads/BayPollAFBF.pdf.

American Farm Features Northampton County Farm Bureau President

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Northampton County Farm Bureau President Steve Sturgis was recently featured on AmericanFarm.com for his conservation efforts. He is a prime example of why we need adequate funding for the Agriculture Best Management Practices program. See the article below or go here to view it: http://americanfarm.com/publications/the-delmarva-farmer/2763-stewardship-has-long-been-key-for-sturgis-tri-s-farms


Steve Sturgis grew up farming in Northampton County but looks at the late 1970s after finishing college as the point where he got “started,” partnering with his father and uncle in Tri-S Farms. 

Then, just as now, farming within sight of the Chesapeake Bay and several creeks and tributaries, soil and water conservation play a major role in the operation’s success.

“It’s an increasing part of everything you do now,” Sturgis said. “You’ve got to be be a good neighbor.”

Tri-S Farms, which now stands for him and his two sons, Kyle and Jarrett, has been practicing no-till since the 1970s and continually adds conservation practices, working with the Eastern Shore Soil and Water Conservation District, that help the environment and the farm’s bottom line.

At the end of last year, Sturgis was recognized for conservation efforts with one of 10 Grand Basin Clean Water Farm awards from Virginia’s Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Sturgis has about 1,000 acres in his operation, growing corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum, but also does custom farming work on another 2,000 acres.


On the land, he’s using cover crops, buffer systems, retention ponds with water control structures and diverting ditches to keep water and nutrients from leaving the land.
Precision agriculture tools play a role, too. 

He uses section control on his sprayer to reduce overlap in the fields and last year started soil mapping fields with a Veris machine and said he’s already realized significant savings in fertilizer. 

He’s also installed a 12-acre pollinator habitat in a hard-to-irrigate part of a field. Similarly, a neighbor began keeping bee colonies on the farm.
In the water, Sturgis is a partner in C&S Seafood, raising millions of clams for Cherrystone Aqua Farms annually for decades. 

“I’ve got a dog in the fight every way you look at it,” Sturgis said. “All my land is either on the Bay or on (Cherrystone) Creek. I’m just doing what we should be doing.”
The area’s history and character also play a role in Sturgis’ stewardship. Many of the properties he farms have homes that date back centuries and owners intent of preserving them.

“All these are very old historic farms and they have a lot of value and a lot of meaning to the people who own them,” Sturgis said. “All farmland is precious but the historical value means a lot to me. I consider it a privilege to farm this land.”

Along with putting the practices in play on the ground, Sturgis continually promotes their use to other farmers and the non-farming public. 

He serves as president of both the Northampton County Farm Bureau and the Virginia Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services and is involved in other local and state farm organizations. 

“Steve Sturgis richly deserves the Grand Basin/Clean Water Farm Award as he truly exemplifies an outstanding steward of the land and water on the Eastern Shore of Virginia,” said Robin Rich-Coates, ESSWCD chairperson. “He is an excellent role model for other farmers and landowners by advocating conservation in agriculture.”

Cole Charnock, an ESSCWD conservation planner who helped prepare the nomination, said Sturgis’ combination of advocacy and implementation made him a prime candidate.

“Though he participates in the DCR cost-share program through the District as well as NRCS programs, he voluntarily implements many other methods of conservation such as no-till, cover crops and buffer systems,” said Charnock. “His positions in several other programs and organizations to educate and promote conservation throughout the community characterize him as going above and beyond as a steward of environmental preservation.”

Sturgis said though he and other farmers may do more than what’s required on some practices, there remain some people and groups that contend he hasn’t done enough.
“Some folks will say ‘well, your buffer’s 15 feet, it should be 100 feet,’” Sturgis said. “To those people I say ‘prove to me that that is better than what I’m doing.”

Relying on the state and federal technical assistance from the conservation district help him make a lot of conservation decisions on the land he manages. “They’re the ones that are in the business of doing it,” he said.

The award came with a yellow and blue metal sign Sturgis mounted on a post at the edge of his driveway. 


“I’m proud of it. But I put it up there for people driving by to see that farmers in general are doing things that help the water, not just me,” he said.