The Virginia Farm Bureau board of directors has announced the decision to cancel the 2020 State Fair of Virginia, and instead hold a modified State Fair 4-H Livestock Show. The traditional fair that was scheduled for Sept. 25 through Oct. 4 will not take place due to complications associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This was a difficult decision, but safety is our number one priority,” said Marlene Jolliffe, the fair’s executive director. “We’ve spent months developing plans and scenarios that would allow us to still host the fair this year, but with the ever-changing, unpredictable COVID-19 situation, we just couldn’t make it work.”

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From American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall:

AFBF President Zippy Duvall

Many of you know that I was diagnosed with COVID-19 two weeks ago. I want to begin this column with a heartfelt thank you for everyone’s thoughts and prayers. Your messages of caring and encouragement have meant a lot to me.

It is amazing how this virus hits people in such different ways. My COVID-19 experience has been much lighter than others have had. I’m blessed and grateful for that, but I also want to send prayers to everyone whose health has been more severely impacted, as well as those whose livelihoods have been threatened.

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Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. was named among the 2020 Property-Casualty Ward’s 50 Companies—for the third year in a row.

The list is compiled by Ward Group, a consulting firm specializing in the insurance industry and a leading provider of industry benchmarking.

“During this time of continued uncertainty, it brings us great pleasure to be named one of the 50 top property and casualty companies in the country for the third consecutive year,” said Darlene Wells, VFBMIC executive vice president and general manager. “This recognition stems from our strong financial stability, superior customer service and competitive products. Our local agents do a phenomenal job serving our policyholders.”

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Virginia Farm Bureau’s strength has always been rooted in our membership. Our members live in every corner of the Commonwealth, raise an unbelievable variety of crops and commodities, and carry diverse views that all come together through our grassroots structure to serve as a united representative of the Virginia agriculture industry.

This week, we were proud to have four of our members travel to the White House to represent our membership, our industry, and rural Virginia at an event focused on an issue that impacts all of us: burdensome regulation.

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The 2020 Virginia Ag Expo has been canceled to ensure the health and safety of exhibitors and guests as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The American Farm Bureau is asking Senate lawmakers to make several changes to the Paycheck Protection Program to make it more workable for farmers and ranchers.

“While the PPP is providing vital assistance to farmers and ranchers who were able to receive loans, more funding is needed to support those shut out of the program and significant changes are necessary for agricultural producers to fully participate in the PPP,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said in letter to Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee Chair Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Ranking Member Ben Cardin (D-Md.).

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While DMV Customer Service Centers are reopening, the staggered openings and services by appointment only have implications for pesticide applicators and their ability to take the certification exam(s).  To address the issue, the Administration has again extended the expiration date for all Notices of Authorization to tests issued on or after December 20, 2019.  All authorization letters for prospective applicators to take the exam(s) to become certified issued on or after December 20, 2019, will now expire on October 31, 2020, or the current date of expiration, whichever is greater. Prospective applicators that do not take the exam(s) by October 31, 2020, or the current date of expiration, whichever is greater, will be required to submit a new application with appropriate fees to take the exam(s).

The most current information related to applicator certification can be found here: https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/pesticide-applicator-certification.shtml.

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