Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced an award of $481,410.50 in grant funding for 10 agriculture-related projects from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The grants will promote and enhance the competitiveness of Virginia’s specialty crops and create more economic development opportunities across the Commonwealth. 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.

“As one of our largest private industries, agriculture plays a key role in supporting our efforts to build a new Virginia economy and create jobs in every corner of the commonwealth,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Virginia’s agricultural industry depends on 21st century-based research and data to remain competitive in the global economy. These funds will provide necessary support for research in food safety to ensure that Virginia maintains a safe and wholesome food supply.”

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Traveling from Hawaiian papaya groves, to banana farms in Uganda, to the cornfields of Iowa, Food Evolution is set amidst a brutally polarized debate marked by fear, distrust and confusion: the controversy surrounding GMOs and food.

Academy Award-nominated director Scott Hamilton Kennedy partnered with the Institute of Food Technologists, which represents 17,000 food scientists, for the film. It brings to light the environmental, nutritional and economic benefits of modern technology, and supports science in moving agriculture forward.

To spark a fact-based public dialogue about GMOs and our food system, USFRA is engaging consumer audiences and the agriculture community through promotion and enhanced distribution of the Food Evolution film (i.e. college/university campus screenings, a paid digital media campaign, and educational materials).

USFRA encourages you to show a screening of the film in your local area to foster a meaningful dialogue about how food is grown and raised. If you are interested in hosting a screening, contact Jenny Johnson at jjohnson@usfraonline.org or (636) 449-5049.

Food Evolution is available on Hulu and can be purchased/downloaded on iTunes or Amazon.

Robert Mills, Jr., a first generation farmer who grows tobacco and raises beef cattle and pullet breeder chickens near Callands, Va., has been selected as the overall winner of the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award for 2017.

Mills is a member of Pittsylvania County Farm Bureau and services on the Virginia Farm Bureau Board of Directors.

As an eighth grade student in an agriculture class, Mills decided to become a farmer. As soon as he made that decision, people told him he could never do it. His determination proved the doubters wrong. Mills now offers himself as an example for young people who face long odds in reaching their goals. His life is also an example of the positive impact that agricultural education and the FFA organization can have on young people.

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Join us for a Beginning Farmer Webinar! Tuesday, October 17, 2017 1:00pm to 2:00 pm (Eastern)

Good Harvest: Virginia’s Food Crop Donation Tax Credit Presented By: Representatives from First Lady of Virginia’s office, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, and Department of Taxation

Through Virginia’s Food Crop Donation Tax Credit, farmers have the opportunity to use their excess crops for a purpose: serving the 1.2 million Virginians who go hungry each year. In this webinar, participants will learn more about how they can make use of the tax credit to donate their excess harvest, give back to hungry families, and receive up to 30% of the value of their donation. The presentation will cover background of the program, a walkthrough on filing for the credit, suggestions on connecting with local food banks, and a question and answer session.

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The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced that the October Crop Production report that was released today from the National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) shows a continued large increases in projected yields for cotton and peanuts from 2016.

“Virginia farmers were able to harvest their crops ahead of the normal pace during the month of September,” said Herman Ellison, Virginia state statistician, NASS. “The weather conditions were hot and dry with the exception of some moisture from Hurricane Irma in the southeast area.”

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October is National Farm-to-School Month, and Virginia is celebrating with Virginia Farm to School Week, from October 2-6, 2017. This designation is intended to create awareness of the Virginia Farm to School Program and promote opportunities for both farmers and schools to become involved. Farm to School’s overarching mission is to increase the volume of locally- grown foods served in schools, which is a win-win for both school systems and the agriculture industry! This primarily takes the form of three components: procurement, education, and school gardens.

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American Farm Bureau is expressing support for the Agricultural Guestworker Act of 2017. The bill would create an H-2C visa program that will allow American farmers and, packers and processors access to a legal and stable supply of workers. AFBF President Zippy Duvall stated the following:

“Every year, farmers and ranchers face greater challenges in finding enough workers to keep their businesses running. The labor shortage on America’s farms and ranches is growing, and the lack of a stable, legal supply of workers places the health of too many farms at risk. We cannot afford to see any more of our nation’s food supply lost in the fields.

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The number of turkeys raised in Virginia in 2017 is expected to total 17.0 million, down slightly compared to 17.2 million in 2016, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). These results were based on a September 1 survey conducted in major Turkey Producing States.

Turkeys raised in the United States during 2017 is forecasted at 245 million, up slightly from the number raised during 2016. A combination of six states account for nearly two-thirds of the turkeys produced in the United States during 2017. The largest turkey producing state is Minnesota, at 42.5 million turkeys, down 4 percent from the previous year. North Carolina is up 1 percent from last year, producing 34.0 million turkeys. Arkansas produced 26.5 million turkeys, which is up 2 percent from the previous year. Indiana is up 2 percent from a year ago to 19.8 million turkeys. Missouri is up 1 percent from last year, producing 19.3 million turkeys.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will mail census forms to farmers in about eight weeks. Conducted once every five years, the Census of Agriculture is a complete count of all U.S. farms, ranches and those who operate them. It is the only source of uniform, comprehensive and impartial agriculture data for every state and county in the country.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its 2016 Certified Organic Production Report today from the survey conducted earlier this year. The survey queried all known USDA-certified organic farms across Virginia.

“Production of organic crops and livestock continues to grow in Virginia,” said Herman Ellison, Virginia state statistician. “The number of certified organic farms increased 19 percent, with 26 more farms than in 2015. Virginia now ranks 22^nd in the U.S. in total value of sales of certified organically produced commodities, moving up from 24^th in 2015.”

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