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Breaking News: Sandy Adams Named VDACS Commissioner

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Governor Terry McAuliffe has announced Sandra “Sandy” J. Adams as Commissioner of Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Sandy Adams most recently served as Acting VDACS Commissioner.  This was Adams’ second time serving as Acting Commissioner. 
Prior to leading VDACS in an acting capacity, Adams served for three and a half years as the agency’s Deputy Commissioner.  
In her new role as VDACS Commissioner, Adams is responsible for managing an agency that promotes the economic growth and development of agriculture, provides consumer protection, and encourages environmental stewardship.  
Prior to serving as Deputy Commissioner, Adams served ten years as VDACS Director of Administrative & Financial Services and three years as the agency’s Financial Director.  In addition to her almost 20 years at VDACS, Adams served 12 years in a number of positions at the Department of Taxation.  
Adams received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Mary Washington College and a post-baccalaureate Certificate in Accounting from Virginia Commonwealth University.

VFLEP Newsletter Now Available on Plows and Politics

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Andrew Smith
Senior Assistant Director, GR
A majority of Virginia’s forestland is privately own, much in conjunction with farms. The Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program (VFLEP), develops a newsletter to inform landowners of information and opportunities to best manage their forest resources. We plan to begin sharing this newsletter as it’s available on Plows and Politics. You can read the latest issue here. June 2014 issue

From the Field: County Farm Bureaus Provide Big Time Incentives for Advanced Education

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From the Field is a bi-monthly 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.

In my last post, I discussed the major financial support of youth livestock shows and exhibitors by county Farm Bureaus.  Since graduation time has just now wrapped up around most of the country, I wanted to enlighten you on another major area of youth support.  This area is scholarships, and they are offered in many styles and amounts. 
The most common type is for high school students entering college and pursuing a degree in agriculture.  The agriculture field being very broad these days allows numerous students to be eligible.  Some counties don’t restrict eligibility to agriculture only.  One county Farm Bureau that I know of even budgets a certain amount of scholarship money for advanced educational courses that farmers want to take. 
The typical scholarship amount is $1,000, and counties may offer one or more.  Some counties extend the scholarship every year for the full four years of a college degree as long as certain criteria are met.
The county Farm Bureaus advertise their scholarships through the county Farm Bureau newsletter, website, newspaper, high school guidance department, ag teacher/FFA advisor, and any other way they can think of to get the word out.  Once the scholarships are awarded, many counties have a representative make a presentation of the scholarship at the awards ceremony that most high schools have.  This gets some recognition for the county Farm Bureau.
Now here is the amazing part.  Total scholarship money offered by county Farm Bureaus state wide is an astounding $157,400.  So if you have any family members that will be entering college next year, it is definitely worth checking with the county Farm Bureau office for available scholarships.
The county Farm Bureaus are very dedicated to supporting the next generation of agriculturalists and dedicate some serious funding to back up their commitment.  This is another reason to join Farm Bureau or renew your membership.
The county Farm Bureaus do a ton of good things in the local communities.  Your membership dues pay dividends back into your own county.  With more members, think of how much more could be done.  So ask your friends and family to join if they are not members. 
Until next time,

Mark

Washington Post: GMOs Could Improve the Lives of Millions

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Lindsay Reames
Assistant Director, GR
The Washington Post recently published the editorial below on the misguided movement to restrict the use of biotechnology in crop production.  The editorial makes a number of good points regarding the responsibility that we in agriculture have to feed the growing world population in a responsible manner and how the use of biotechnology is integral to addressing that challenge.   
You can read it here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/genetically-modified-crops-could-help-improve-the-lives-of-millions/2014/06/01/9a972aee-e2bf-11e3-810f-764fe508b82d_story.html 

Cantor Visits Virginia Farm Bureau Board, Talks Farm Bill and EPA

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U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor, R-7th, told members of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation board Wednesday that an “unholy marriage between food stamps and farm policy” complicated Congress’ ability to pass the 2014 Farm Bill sooner than it did.

“The most difficult challenge of that bill is that 83 percent of it is the (federal) nutrition program” and the remaining 17 percent is related to production agriculture, Cantor noted at the board’s May 28 meeting. As specifics of the bill are finalized this summer in Washington, “I hope it gets a little easier, but it was pretty rough.”

Also complicating many pieces of legislation before Congress, he noted, is “that very unique but difficult balance of power” between a Republican-controlled House and a Democrat-controlled Senate and Democratic administration. “That balance hasn’t been that way since 1859,” and it has been marked by “very many colliding views.”

One of those collisions was a stumbling block for the farm bill, Cantor noted, explaining that, with regard to the bill’s nutrition elements, “there is a real commitment in the House to stop piling up the debt every single year and leaving it to our kids.” Since 2008, he said, Americans’ use of federal nutrition assistance has doubled, and Republicans wanted to emulate welfare-to-work policies implemented in the 1990s and establish accountability among assistance recipients.

Cantor acknowledged that the current U.S. economy is a concern for farmers and many other business operators. “It’s not easy” to remedy a downturn quickly, he said, but at times “it seems as if Washington is doing everything it possibly can to make it more difficult.”

He cited the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed “Waters of the U.S.” rule as an example. The rule would put significantly more water-use decisions previously made by states under EPA control and put significantly more control over bodies of water on farms nationwide.

The rule would create more risk for smaller farms and other businesses, he said, “and no one’s going to take that risk if the price of that risk is too high.”

VFBF and the American Farm Bureau Federation are participating in a campaign urging the EPA to “Ditch the Rule.” Go to: www.ditchtherule.fb.orgfor details. 

Cornell Study: State-mandated GMO Labels will Drive Up Food Prices

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A recent study showing how mandatory labels for foods made with genetically modified ingredients would cost families in one state hundreds of additional dollars each year at the grocery store is yet another reason why Congress shouldn’t delay in passing the bipartisan Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, according to farmers and ranchers. 

In making it clear that the Food and Drug Administration is the nation’s foremost authority on the use and labeling of foods containing GM ingredients, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act (H.R. 4432) will provide a federal solution to protect consumers from a confusing patchwork of 50-state GMO labeling policies, and the misinformation and high food costs that would come with them, explained Andrew Walmsley, American Farm Bureau Federation biotech specialist. 

Cornell University researchers earlier this month revealed the results of a study showing that New York’s proposed mandatory GMO labeling bill would cost families an average of $500 per year at the checkout aisle. The findings come on the heels of similar studies in Washington state and California that showed mandatory GMO labels would result in comparable increases in the cost of food.


Proponents of GMO labeling say they’re concerned about the safety of foods made with GM ingredients, despite the fact that GMOs have been used in our food supply for more than 20 years and no study has ever shown them to be unsafe or even different from foods without GMOs.

“There is no uncertainty about the safety of GMO food ingredients,” Walmsley emphasized.  “And as the Cornell study and others have shown, nor is there any doubt mandatory state-by-state labeling requirements will hit consumers’ wallets hard, with those who can least afford it hurting the most. ”

The Cornell study found that a mandatory labeling law like the one proposed would likely cost the state of New York millions of dollars in revenue to implement the new requirements and to account for a loss in farm income. 

The study was conducted by Professor Bill Lesser from Cornell’s Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management to evaluate the added costs that will be passed on to consumers if mandatory labeling becomes law in New York.

The federal Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act will safeguard farmers and ranchers access to the technology they need to provide consumers with the variety of food options and price points they expect, and need, while ensuring food safety is the leading driver of a national labeling policy.  Specifically, the measure requires FDA to conduct a safety review of all new GMO traits well before they’re available on supermarket shelves and empowers the agency to mandate the labeling of GMO food ingredients if the agency determines there is a health, safety or nutrition issue with a new GMO technology. 

The bill would not prevent companies from voluntarily labeling their products for the absence or presence of GMO ingredients, but would instead direct FDA to establish federal standards for those voluntary labels.

Franklin, Albemarle and Pittsylvania County Projects Awarded AFID Grants

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Governor Terry McAuliffe has announced that three projects – two to make locally grown produce available year round and one seeking to bring a major poultry producer to Southside Virginia – were awarded $60,000 in planning grants from the Governor’s Agriculture & Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID). The AFID planning grant program encourages local governments to work with the agricultural community to identify projects and opportunities that can bring important benefits to local producers, and the community as a whole.
“Supporting Virginia’s diverse agricultural and forestry sectors is a great way to expand and diversify our economy,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Assisting localities in identifying potential new projects and implementing programs that strengthen agriculture and forestry in their communities and will contribute to building a 21st Century Virginia economy. Laying the foundation for possibly larger future projects in these communities, the relatively small, but important, amount of state support provided today allows localities to plan strategically and creatively about how to incorporate two of the state’s largest industries into their economic development efforts.”
The AFID planning grant program, funded annually at $250,000, was developed in 2012 to encourage local and regional governments to think strategically about how they can better support and integrate agriculture and forestry-based industries into their community’s overall economic development efforts. The planning grants are part of the larger Governor’s AFID program, an economic development tool specifically for agriculture and forestry value-added or processing projects. AFID economic development grants are available for political subdivisions of the Commonwealth interested in growing their agriculture and forestry industries by strategically targeting businesses that add value to Virginia grown agriculture and forestal products.

“Partnering with local governments to leverage their resources and innovative ideas on growing and supporting Virginia’s agriculture and forestry industries, like we do with our AFID program, is good policy;” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd P. Haymore. “From innovative facilities that preserve locally grown produce for sale throughout the year to recruiting a major new industry to Southside, the projects funded today highlight the innovation and diversity of Virginia agriculture. Benefits from allowing localities to explore and capitalize on these kinds of opportunities have the potential to be felt throughout the business chain, from the individual producer level to the value-adding enterprise.”
Applications for AFID planning grants are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the fiscal year. Successful funding requests must show a clear need to be addressed, a solution to be undertaken, demonstrate strong support from local government and the agriculture and forestry community, and be able to match each dollar requested with a dollar of local government funds, or allowable in-kind contributions. Localities interested in applying may visit http://vdacs.virginia.gov/agribusiness/planning.shtml or contact Stephen Versen at stephen.versen@vdacs.virginia.gov or 804.786.6911 for more information.
According to a 2013 economic impact study conducted by the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, agriculture and forestry are two of Virginia’s largest industries, with a combined economic impact of $70 billion annually.  Agriculture generates more than $52 billion per annum, while forestry induces over $17 billion. The industries also provide more than 400,000 jobs in the Commonwealth.
Details on the three grant awards are below:
1.  Project Title:  Local Food Initiative
Applicant:      Franklin County
Award:           $15,000
Summary:      Franklin County is seeking an AFID Planning Grant to help Ferrum College implement a shared vision for making locally produced food a part of the County’s economic development strategy.  Included in the project is the operation of a flash freezer and storage freezer that will assist in furthering use of local food production.  This equipment will allow the College to double their purchases of local foods, increasing their local sourcing for campus food from an already impressive 30% to 60% from Virginia producers.  In 2012, Ferrum College’s Dining Services purchased $250,000 worth of product from local producers.  The roughly $100,000 project is also benefitting from $49,402 in Tobacco Commission funds.  The project will allow for at least one Full-Time Equivalent position on campus and provide additional access to local foods for their 1,500 primarily-residential students and 300 faculty and staff.  Ferrum is also working with Franklin County Public Schools on a pilot basis to provide fresh, local food to them as well.
2.  Project Title: Virginia Produced: A Light Processing and Flash Freezing Hub for Virginia-Grown Produce
Applicant:      City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County
Award:           $35,000
Summary:      This project will yield an actionable business plan for a flash freezing and light food processing hub, building on a feasibility study already completed by the Jefferson Area Board for Aging. The resulting business entity would source Albemarle County and Virginia-grown produce supplied by the Local Food Hub and distribute flash frozen bulk and retail packs and prepared meals to institutional customers such as the University of Virginia, Virginia Area Agencies on Aging, and specialty grocery retailers such as Whole Foods.  Growers stand to benefit through greater demand for their crops and exposure to new purchasers.  Local, wholesome food could be available year round for consumption by the local community.
3. Project Title: Integrated Poultry Industry Feasibility Study
Applicant:      Pittsylvania County
Award:           $10,000

Summary:      To conduct an in-depth and independent feasibility study focused on attracting integrated poultry companies to Pittsylvania County.  The study will inventory which companies are considering expanding, how and where a poultry complex could be located, which attributes of an area are attractive to poultry companies, and how the county can enhance its profile and marketing strategies to lobby these poultry companies.  This feasibility study and the data it produces will be utilized to develop promotional pieces and to assist the county in the manner best suited to invite an integrator to Southern Virginia.