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Virginia Farm Bureau to Host Discussion on Shaping Agriculture’s Future

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LUVirginia Farm Bureau Federation will host a Collegiate Farm-to-Table Agriculture Education event Sept. 15 at Longwood University. The dinner and panel discussion will focus on “Shaping the Future of Agriculture Together” in light of world population projections for 2050.

“The event is an opportunity for the next generation to discuss the relevance of agriculture, and to be inspired to find solutions for providing a healthy, abundant food supply for future generations. The global population is projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050,” said Dee Cook, member development specialist for Farm Bureau.

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VT Ag Tech Program open house set for Oct. 29

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ATVTVirginia Tech will hold an open house Oct. 29 for students interested in the Agricultural Technology Program in its College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

The program was created to offer hands-on experience utilizing state-of-the art equipment and facilities, a practical education that enables you to “hit the ground running,” and gain industry experience with a required internship. Students who successfully complete the two-year program earn an associate’s degree, and they can specialize in applied agricultural management or landscape and turf management.

Ag Tech Program students use the same campus, labs, farms and other resources as students enrolled in four-year programs. Typically 95 percent of graduates find employment in their fields of interest within six months of earning their degrees.

The open house is 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at Litton Reaves Hall. A free lunch will be provided at West End Market (the first true marketplace-style dining operation on a university campus in the United States). More information can be found atwww.dining.vt.edu/centers/westend/west_end.html.

Please register at www.agtech.vt.edu or email agtech@vt.edu

New Funding Announced for Reforestation of Timberland and Fire Suppression Programs

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RTGovernor Terry McAuliffe announced today that the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) will receive increased funding to support two vital forestry programs – the Reforestation of Timberlands (RT) program and the fire suppression program. Investments in both programs solidify Virginia’s commitment to the Virginia forestry industry which contributes more than $17 billion to the Commonwealth’s economy and supports more than 103,000 jobs in Virginia.

“Virginia’s forestry industry supports thousands of good jobs in our rural communities and provides important market opportunities for the Commonwealth’s private forestland owners,” Governor McAuliffe said, speaking at today’s announcement. “Partnering with Delegate Landes and others in the General Assembly, we have secured funding to ensure that Virginia’s forests are sustainable and healthy for years to come. As we continue our efforts to build the new Virginia economy and promote Virginia’s forest products domestically and internationally, it is imperative that we ensure our forestlands are protected, productive and healthy for the future of this vital industry.”

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Owners say Third Time’s a Charm for ‘Hungry’ Ethanol Plant

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Ethanol plantThe new owners of an ethanol plant are convinced that the third time’s a charm.

“We’re here for the long term,” said Jared Gustafson, commodity buyer for Green Plains Inc. of Omaha, Neb. Green Plains purchased the Hopewell plant last October, and production began in March.

The plant previously was owned by Vireol Future Fuels and Vireol UK, which bought it in 2013. In 2014, the companies began converting corn into ethanol under the name Vireol Bio Energy LLC. They produced nearly 4 million gallons of ethanol each month until they closed the plant in August 2015.

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PODCAST: Chesapeake Bay Regulatory Issues

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Farmers in Virginia have been dealing with an increasing regulatory burden from federal agencies, particularly in the Chesapeake Bay region. Arkansas Farm Bureau’s environmental issues committee traveled to Virginia recently to see first-hand how farmers and ranchers there are responding to the regulatory challenges. In this conversation, Wilmer Stoneman, associate director of Governmental Affairs for Virginia Farm Bureau explains how Arkansas farmers and ranchers may prepare in the event they face similar regulatory issues in the future. Click here to listen: http://www.arfb.com/media-communications/press-releases/2016/podcast_chesapeake_bay_regulatory_issues/

 

Young Farmer in a Class By Herself

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Mindy 2Today’s farmers and ranchers are accustomed to wearing a lot of hats, juggling a variety of roles to meet the demands of 21st-century agriculture. Mindy McCroskey of Bristol, Virginia, is a good example of this multi-tasking trend. To hear her tell it, she’s just doing what comes naturally.

“I’ve lived on a farm my whole life,” she says. “I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love cattle. I started showing at 4H when I was 9 and got my first registered Simmental when I was 11.

“Right now I have 19 cows and their calves, all registered Simmentals. They’re not as large framed as some of the breed. And while people may picture Simmentals as gold or white or red, I raise black cattle,” she says. “Black cattle are just sort of popular around here.”

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Farmers’ Almanac Launches Farmer of the Year Contest

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foy-logoFarmers’ Almanac, in partnership with AFBF, has announced its search for three farmers or ranchers to be recognized as “Farmers’ Almanac Farmer of the Year.” The contest, announced in the special 200th Collector’s Edition of the 2017 Farmers’ Almanac, seeks to recognize and share the dedication, hard work and contributions farmers make to our world and society. Stories of outstanding individuals who work hard to bring food to our tables are sought.

“Farmers and ranchers have long used their ingenuity and tireless work ethic to preserve natural resources and build up local communities while producing food, fiber and fuel for consumers here at home and around the world,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. We’re pleased to join the Farmers’ Almanac in launching the Farmer of the Year program.”
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National Survey, Virginia Program Noting Farms’ Conservation Efforts

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creek crossover for cattle (2)

Creek crossover for cattle

The National Agricultural Statistics Service is conducting its second annual survey to measure the environmental benefits associated with conservation practices on agricultural land.

Virginia’s Resource Management Plan program, which just entered its third year, is also noting efforts by farmers to protect the environment.

Since Virginia launched its RMP program in July 2014, 320 plans have been developed for farms in the commonwealth’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Created in the interest of meeting bay cleanup goals, the program encourages farmers to voluntarily increase their use of agricultural best management practices and documents their current practices.
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Zippy Duvall: The Rural Vote Can’t be Overlooked in 2016

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ZippyAgAgendaBy Zippy Duvall
President, American Farm Bureau

Country roads are an important part of the route to public office. There’s no such thing as “fly-over country” in an election year–and some lawmakers have learned this the hard way. Farmers and ranchers are fully engaged in the political process. They know their businesses and families have too much at stake to take a back seat during any election.

While rural areas have gotten smaller over recent decades, lawmakers can’t ignore that America’s farmland and the people who live there are at the heart of what built this country, and what nourishes it still today. Our nation is run by people who show up and make their voices heard. Our friends in Kansas recently reminded us of this in the primary race for their first district. Many of the district’s farmers and ranchers felt that Congressman Huelskamp had forgotten his neighbors and the people who sent him to Washington, especially when it came to his lack of support for the farm bill that provides a safety net for farmers when prices plummet and ensures we can continue to feed ourselves. The Kansas Farm Bureau took a firm stance by calling out Huelskamp and endorsing his primary opponent Roger Marshall, to ensure agriculture in the first district would once again have a voice on Capitol Hill. Voters then stood up on primary day and called for a different approach to politics. Maintaining a healthy agriculture and strong food security requires a willingness to reach across party lines to find solutions that work. Huelskamp’s rural constituents are sending him home after his term ends this year. That’s what happens when a lawmaker becomes more beholden to groups in Washington than their own constituents.

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From the Field: Equipment Safety a Big Concern for Young Farmers

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Safety YFsFrom the Field is an occasional column written by Mark Campbell, Farm Bureau Field Services Director for the Central District. He writes about Farm Bureau member benefits and County Farm Bureau activities.

It is one thing to be safety conscious for yourself, but when you take farm equipment on the highway, your safety zone extends to everyone else on the road. It’s hard enough to share the road when your equipment takes up more than a lane and trying not to hit mailboxes or run in the ditch. Today compared to maybe 20 years ago, or even 5 years; equipment is larger, automobile drivers are more hurried and distracted with cell phones or vehicle technology. So farmers have to look out for the safety of others, and even more so now, anticipate what drivers will do.

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