A majority of U.S. adults have a positive view of farmers’ sustainability practices, and an overwhelming majority trust farmers, according to a new national public opinion poll from the American Farm Bureau Federation.

The survey of 2,200 U.S. adults found that more than half (58%) rate the sustainability practices of U.S. farmers positively, with broad agreement from a majority of adults across demographic groups.  

Nearly nine in 10 adults (88%) trust farmers, a 4% increase from AFBF’s June 2020 polling, which is evidence the public recognized that food supply chain challenges brought on by the pandemic were not within the control of farmers and ranchers.

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It was great getting to know Delegate Wendy Gooditis, vice chair of the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee, during this week’s Friend of the Farm Chat! Along with being an avid horse enthusiast, Del. Gooditis also has family in the oyster business. Check it out below.

Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom has awarded 62 grants to 44 Virginia localities for the 2020-21 school year. Funding will be allocated to provide 22,000 youth with agriculture experiences related to gardening, animal agriculture, STEM, health, nutrition and leadership development.

“Grant applications for 2020 reflected the needs for both hands-on and virtual learning,” said Tammy Maxey, Virginia AITC programs director. “Projects represented a wide range of plant and animal educational projects—from the creation of division-wide virtual agri-science videos to revitalizing school gardens. We are pleased to have representation from pre-k through 12th-grade educators from across the commonwealth.”

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Check out the latest edition of our Friend of the Farm Chats! This week, Sen. Dave Marsden tells us what he’s learned since serving on the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee.

Virginia’s cotton and peanut harvests are lagging due to a series of disruptive weather events, and the threat of additional rain could further dampen farmers’ efforts.

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service Nov. 9 crop report, Virginia’s cotton and peanut harvests are just 35% and 65% complete, respectively.

At this time last year, Virginia farmers had completed the peanut harvest and harvested 74% of the state’s cotton.

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Farmers have an opportunity to submit ideas for changes they would like to see in hunting, trapping, and wildlife regulations for the 2021-2022 seasons. The Department of Wildlife Resources will take this information into account when considering potential regulation changes. It is important for farmers to voice their concerns about areas that affect them, such as wildlife damage to crops and livestock, and offer possible solutions.

Please take the time to complete DWR’s comment form, which can be found here. Completed forms can also be emailed to RegComments@dwr.virginia.gov or mailed to Department of Wildlife Resources, Regulatory Coordinator, P.O. Box 90778, Henrico, Virginia 23228-0778. Comments are due December 11, 2020. Farm Bureau members who need assistance should contact Stefanie Taillon at stefanie.kitchen@vafb.com.

Check out this week’s Merchandiser Minute!

Rain-saturated soil may have interrupted the plantings of winter small grains in Virginia, but farmers report crop conditions so far are good.

Plantings of barley and winter wheat are dragging behind last year’s progress slightly, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s Nov. 1 crop report.

The report said precipitation from the remnants of Hurricane Zeta resulted in wet conditions that limited some fieldwork. Virginia farmers have planted 56% of next year’s winter wheat crop, which is mostly in good condition, but still trailing 2019 plantings. Barley crop conditions are slightly better, with 69% planted, down from 84% this time last year.

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Mid-Atlantic farmers can lock in new premiums by selecting high oleic soybeans for the 2021 growing season. Many Delmarva-area farmers have already decided to take advantage of this opportunity due to the minor adjustments needed from growing commodity soybeans and expanded convenient delivery location options accepting Plenish_® high oleic soybeans from Corteva.

Maryland-based Perdue AgriBusiness has increased per bushel premiums for 2021 in hopes of encouraging more of the region’s farmers to grow high oleic soybeans to meet growing demand for refined high oleic oils. Mid-Atlantic soybean farmers have already received more than $10 million in premiums since the program began.

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The ongoing pandemic highlights a demand for red meat processing facilities in Virginia, and a new guidebook has been created for entrepreneurs interested in establishing a business in the commonwealth.

While demand is high for small-volume red meat processing facilities, there are challenges that need to be addressed. Those include the availability of skilled labor for meat processing and a low return on investment, which may thwart potential investors.

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