Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom has awarded 62 grants to 38 Virginia localities for the 2019-2020 school year. Funding will be allocated to provide 25,000 youth with agriculture experiences related to gardening, animal agriculture, health and nutrition and leadership development.

“This year we had an outpouring of grant applicants reflecting pre-K through 12^th grade education programs from schools across the commonwealth,” said Tammy Maxey, Virginia AITC senior education manager. “These schools and 4-H chapters will start gardens, provide nutrition and culinary experiences, begin school farms and create agriculture leadership opportunities. We look forward to visiting these grant sites and watching students learn.”

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Michael H. McDowell of Vernon Hill, Virginia has been selected as the overall winner of the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award for 2019. He is a fourth-generation Halifax County farmer and cattleman who grows mixed grass hay, annual hay, and alfalfa and raises award-winning registered Angus cattle.

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Governor Ralph Northam has announced a statewide drought watch advisory for the Commonwealth of Virginia. A drought watch is intended to increase awareness of current conditions that are likely to precede a significant drought event. Localities, water suppliers, self-supplied water users, and all citizens are encouraged to begin preparations for a potential drought.

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Andrew Smith, Associate Director, Governmental Relations

We are right in the heart of harvest season for corn and soybeans, this will continue for a couple more months. I thought it a good time to remind folks of the resources we have online about farm vehicle and farm equipment. Anyone can access the information in our Resource Center (click here).

We have the entire wording of laws relating to the registered farm vehicle tag (F-tag), Unlicensed Farm Vehicle (Farm Use), Size and Weight Manual, and several others, including links to helpful websites such as the Department of Motor Vehicles site for Farm Vehicles, and the Federal Motor Carriers information on hauling ag products.

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Written by AFBF President Zippy Duvall

Your American Farm Bureau turns 100 next month, a truly special cause for celebration. All year long we have been celebrating a century of working together for the men and women who grow our food, fiber and energy. This remarkable milestone is a testament to how much stronger we are when we speak with one voice.

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Virginia farmers stand to benefit from the recently signed U.S.-Japan interim trade agreement.

The agreement will lower or completely cut tariffs for many agricultural products, including fresh and frozen beef and pork, according to a statement from the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

Ben Rowe, national affairs coordinator for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, described the deal as a positive step for farmers. “At $13 billion a year, Japan is already the fourth-largest buyer of U.S. agricultural products, despite an average tariff of more than 17%. With a lower tariff, thanks to the trade deal, we expect our agricultural exports to grow.”

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Governor Ralph Northam has announced an award of $541,467 in grant funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for ten agriculture-related projects. The project awards resulted from a competitive grant process established by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) for the USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant funds.

“Agriculture is Virginia’s largest private industry, and to ensure this sector stays at the forefront of our economy, we must continue to support research and technological advancements that enhance the competitiveness of our specialty crops,” said Governor Northam. “These grants fund important projects that will help improve food safety for growers, boost agricultural development, and create new market opportunities, especially in our rural areas.”

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The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today announced that registration is now open for the Congressionally mandated Commercial Driver’s License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.  Commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders, employers, medical review officers, and substance abuse professionals can now visit https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov and register to create a secure online user account.

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Farmers are being denied due process as part of an abuse of discretion by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, according to a scathing ruling by the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The ruling is highlighted in a letter from the American Farm Bureau Federation calling on Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to enact much-needed reforms in the agency.

The letter focuses on the case of an Indiana farm owned by David and Rita Boucher, and Mrs. Boucher’s 17-year saga of unfair treatment at the hands of the NRCS staff. The Bouchers removed nine trees on 2.8 acres and NRCS, in turn, demanded they plant 300 trees per acre as compensation.

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