The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) this week announced the availability of two programs that protect hemp producers’ crops from natural disasters. A pilot hemp insurance program through Multi-Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) provides coverage against loss of yield because of insurable causes of loss for hemp grown for fiber, grain, or Cannabidiol (CBD) oil and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage protects against losses associated with lower yields, destroyed crops or prevented planting where no permanent federal crop insurance program is available. Producers may apply now, and the deadline to sign up for both programs is March 16, 2020.
Author: VFB Governmental Relations
Farmers Appreciate Lawmakers’ Commitment to Water Quality Partnership
In recent years, Virginia’s farmers have worked alongside conservation groups and soil and water conservation district staff to address barriers to enacting on-farm conservation practices.
On Feb. 4 and 5 they made the case to state legislators for preserving that partnership rather than relying on regulatory mandates.
Virginia Farm Bureau General Assembly Update: Week 4
Week 4 of the General Assembly was a busy one for Farm Bureau! Check out the update from Andrew and Stefanie.
Merchandiser Minute- Jan. 31, 2020
Check out this week’s Merchandiser Minute!
Isle of Wight Educator named AITC Teacher of the Year
Pamela Hall, a first-grade teacher at Carrollton Elementary School in Isle of Wight County, has been named Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom 2020 Teacher of the Year.
The award recognizes a Virginia educator for incorporating agriculture into his or her core curriculum.
Hall’s mission is to integrate agriculture into the classroom all year long. She uses hands-on approaches, including studying plant and animal life cycles, taking farm nature walks, visiting with farmers, making ice cream, investigating and raising pollinators, and experimenting with hydroponics.
Va. Farmers Discuss Varied Agricultural Topics with Representatives During Legislative Day
Virginia Farm Bureau Federation representatives met with their state senators and delegates to discuss legislative issues Jan. 27 during the organization’s annual Legislative Day.
Meeting with Del. Israel D. O’Quinn, R-Bristol, and Del. Terry G. Kilgore, R-Gate City, a group of Southwest Virginia farmers talked about legislation relating to funding for Virginia Cooperative Extension personnel, pending increases to minimum wage rates, and farmland preservation.
Senate Ag Chairman Aims to Champion ‘Unparalleled’ Va. Products
Virginia has the materials to build a bridge between its urban and rural districts, and the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee has drawn up a blueprint to get the job done.
Sen. J. Chapman Petersen, D-Fairfax, who chairs that committee, addressed more than 130 county Farm Bureau presidents and other Farm Bureau volunteer leaders who gathered in Richmond Jan. 26 prior to the annual Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Legislative Day on Jan. 27.
“I’ve got to be honest,” Petersen said. “Representing an urban district like Fairfax, I was not expecting to be put on the agriculture committee. And I was certainly not expecting to love it as much as I ended up loving it.”
He said the threefold vision of the committee includes promoting Virginia farm products, promoting exports, and preserving open spaces and natural resources.
Farmers Request Adequate Funding for Cost-share Program
Virginia’s farmers have a vested interest in being good stewards of the land and water. And they want to partner with the commonwealth to meet its water quality goals.
Agricultural best management practices are a means to that end, but they’re not inexpensive.
That’s why Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, the state’s largest agricultural organization, is asking that full funding for Virginia’s agricultural BMP cost-share program be included in the governor’s proposed biennial budget.
BMPs include a variety of farm installations and farming techniques that are proven to protect water quality. Farm Bureau is urging lawmakers to include funding for the cost-share program administered by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and distributed through local soil and water conservation districts. The organization also wants to ensure that full funding is provided for technical assistance to local soil and water conservation districts to help farmers meet specifications for conservation practices.
Budget Cuts Pose Potential Problems for Animal Predation Protection Program
The increased visibility and availability of Virginia’s Cooperative Wildlife Damage Management Program has led to an increased dependence on the program among farmers.
With $180,000 of funding standing to be eliminated from the program for fiscal 2021 and 2022, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation is encouraging lawmakers to help keep the program intact. It is critical, Farm Bureau leaders say, for producers who struggle with coyote and black vulture predation.
Rural Va. to Receive Broadband Boost from State, Federal Funding
Through federal investment and state-awarded grants, almost 60,000 rural Virginia households are expected to get broadband internet services.
On Jan. 9 the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it invested $48 million in broadband infrastructure that will encompass a service area of 1,847 miles in Virginia. On Jan. 22 Gov. Ralph Northam announced $18.3 million in grants to 12 projects aimed at expanding services to currently unserved areas across the state. Both deals are viewed as significant wins for local farmers.
Plows and Politics 