Breaking News: Poultry Grower Lois Alt Prevails Against EPA

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Poultry and livestock farmers declared victory on Wednesday when a federal court ruled in favor of West Virginia poultry farmer Lois Alt in a lawsuit she brought against the Environmental Protection Agency. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia ruled that contrary to EPA’s contention, ordinary stormwater from Alt’s farmyard is exempt from National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit requirements.
Alt filed suit against EPA in June 2012 after the agency threatened her with $37,500 in fines each time stormwater came into contact with dust, feathers or small amounts of manure on the ground outside of her poultry houses as a result of normal farm operations. EPA also threatened separate fines of $37,500 per day if Alt failed to apply for a NPDES permit for such stormwater discharges. AFBF and the West Virginia Farm Bureau intervened alongside Alt as co-plaintiffs to help resolve the issue for the benefit of other poultry and livestock farmers.
“We are pleased the court flatly rejected EPA’s arguments and ruled in favor of Lois Alt,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “The outcome of this case will benefit thousands of livestock and poultry farmers who run their operations responsibly and who should not have to get a federal permit for ordinary rainwater from their farmyards.”  

In ordering Alt to seek a permit, EPA took the legal position that the Clean Water Act’s exemption for “agricultural storm water discharges” does not apply to farms classified as “concentrated animal feeding operations” or “CAFOs,” except for areas where crops are grown.  In other words, any areas at a CAFO farm where crops are not grown, and where particles of manure are present, would require a permit for rainwater runoff.   
In April of this year, the federal court rejected efforts by EPA to avoid defending its position by withdrawing the order against Alt.  In opposing EPA’s motion to dismiss, Alt and Farm Bureau argued that farmers remained vulnerable to similar EPA orders, and the important legal issue at stake should be resolved.  The court agreed.

“This lawsuit was about EPA’s tactic of threatening farmers with enormous fines in order to make them get permits that are not required by law,” said Stallman. “Lois Alt was proud of her farm and her environmental stewardship, and she stood her ground. We’re proud to have supported her effort.”  

Help South Dakota Cattle and Sheep Farmers Affected by Winter Storm Atlas

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While the government shutdown was dominating the news the last two weeks, tragedy struck South Dakota cattle and sheep farmers after an early October blizzard decimated herds. Up to 4 feet of snow fell in the Black Hills area during the storm, killing at least 10,000 to 20,000 head of livestock, state officials say. The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association estimates this part of the state lost at least 5 percent of its cattle, which is mostly raised for beef.

Wisconsin dairy farmer and agriculture blogger Carrie Mess wrote an article that appeared in The Guardian, a leading English newspaper, about the storm, its detrimental effect on farmers and how we can help through the Rancher Relief Fund. The article is below:

South Dakota’s cattle cataclysm: why isn’t this horror news?Ranchers in South Dakota lost tens of thousands of cattle from a freak storm. Thanks to the shutdown, no one is paying attentionBy Carrie Mess 

If you aren’t in the agriculture world, you most likely haven’t heard about the devastating loss that ranchers in western South Dakota are struggling with after being hit by winter storm Atlas.

For some reason the news stations aren’t covering this story. I don’t understand why they wouldn’t. This story has heartbreak, tragedy and even a convenient tie into the current government shutdown. Isn’t that what the news is all about these days? 

But the news isn’t covering this story. Instead, it is spreading around on social media, and bloggers are writing from their ranches in South Dakota. Bloggers are trying to explain how the horrible happened. And now I am going to join them to tell you the part of the story that I know, and I am going to ask you to help these people, because if you are here reading this, I know you give a crap about these people. 

Last weekend western South Dakota and parts of the surrounding states got their butts handed to them by Mother Nature. A blizzard isn’t unusual in South Dakota, the cattle are tough and can handle some snow. They have for hundreds of years. 

Unlike on our dairy farm in Wisconsin, beef cattle don’t live in climate controlled barns. Beef cows and calves spend the majority of their lives out on pasture. They graze the grass in the spring, summer and fall and eat baled hay in the winter. 

In winter these cows and calves grow fuzzy jackets that keep them warm and protect them from the snow and cold. The cows and calves live in special pastures in the winter. These pastures are smaller and closer to the ranch, and they have windbreaks for the cows to hide behind. They have worked for cows for hundred of years. 

So what’s the big deal about this blizzard?

It’s not really winter yet. 

The cows don’t have their warm jackets on. The cows are still out eating grass in the big pastures. Atlas wasn’t just a snowstorm, it was the kind of storm that can destroy the ranchers that have been caring for these cattle for hundreds of years.

Last weekend Atlas hit. It started with rain. The rain soaked the cows and chilled them to the bone. Inches and inches of rain fell. The rain made horrible mud. Then the winds started – 80mph winds, hurricane force. When the wind started, the rain changed to snow. A lot of snow. The cows were wet, muddy and they didn’t have their winter jackets when the wind and snow came. Wet snow. Heavy snow.

The cows tried to protect themselves. They hid in low spots away from the wind. The low spots where the rain had turned the ground to thick mud. Some got stuck in the mud. Some laid down to get away from the wind, to rest a little, they were tired from trying to get away from the weather when they were already so cold. 

The snow came down so heavy and so fast the the low spots that the cattle were laying in filled with snow. Not a few inches of snow, not a foot of snow. Enough snow that the cows and their calves were covered in snow.

The cows and calves suffocated or froze to death. 

The caretakers of these cattle had no power to save them. They had to stand by and take the lashings from Mother Nature. They had no options. When it was all over, they went out to discover what they had left.

Can you even imagine what that would feel like? Standing with your hands tied as your life’s living, breathing and mooing work is destroyed. I can’t imagine, I don’t know how I would recover from a loss like that. This wasn’t just one or two herds of cows. This wasn’t just one or two families that lost animals. This wasn’t just a few cows. Tens of thousands of cows are gone. Some ranchers lost their entire herds. All of their cows, gone. 

In the fall, a cattle rancher sells their calves to someone who specializes in raising them for market. It’s how a ranch generates income. Calves are the lifeblood of a cattle ranch. Most ranchers had not yet sold their calves when Atlas hit. Their calves are gone. The cows that made those calves were pregnant with with next year’s calves. Those cows are gone, those calves are gone.

Meanwhile in Washington DC, the shutdown has doubly screwed the ranchers. The people that are supposed to try to help these people are unable to do their jobs. The farm bill is held up again. No one knows when, how or if help is going to come. 

Insurance? Not likely. 

When a flood comes and your corn is flooded out, you have some options. Insurance for cattle is expensive and it comes with hundreds of loopholes that make the gamble of farming without it the most practical choice for many.
There is no way around it, this storm has put some ranchers out of business. 

Time will tell just how many. 

• This was originally posted on the author’s blog, The Adventures of Dairy Carrie. The author also points out that the AgChat Foundation has partnered with several organizations to create a grassroots effort to help ranchers who lost so much.

Governor McDonnell Announces Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund Planning Grant Recipients

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Governor Bob McDonnell has announced the recipients of the initial round of fiscal year 2014 planning grants from the planning grants program of the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID).  The AFID planning grants program was developed to encourage local governments and regional organizations to think strategically about how they can better support and integrate agriculture and forestry-based industries into their community’s overall economic development efforts.

“At the state level, we’ve had great success incorporating the Commonwealth’s two largest industries, agriculture and forestry, and their $70 billion overall impact on our economy into our economic development agenda,” said Governor McDonnell. “Creating a program that incentivizes communities to plan for how they can best grow and support these industries in their business community is a natural continuation of a strategy that is proven to benefit Virginians and create jobs.” 

The communities and regions receiving AFID planning grants will match each dollar awarded with a dollar of local funds, including certain types of allowed in-kind contributions. The program also requires the active participation of a board, committee or working group representing the relevant agriculture and forestry interests in the locality.  

“Applicants were given flexibility to pursue the type of project that made the most sense for their region or locality, whether it was taking advantage of an existing asset, as Roanoke County is doing with their study of Virginia Tech’s Catawba Sustainability Center or exploring the creation of a new asset, as Albemarle County is doing with their Virginia Wine Heritage Center Study,” said Todd Haymore, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry.  “By actively involving the agriculture and forestry community into the planning process we are helping communities grow a long standing component of their economic infrastructure while providing new opportunities to our farm and timber producers.”

The AFID planning grants program guidelines were first announced by Governor McDonnell on November 27, 2012.  Fiscal year 2013 awards were announced May 8, 2013 and awarded $249,000 to eleven projects covering thirty-one localities.  With this announcement, the AFID planning grants program has committed $309,500 to fourteen projects covering thirty-eight localities.  Applicants demonstrating a clear need, a solution to be undertaken, and strong support from local government and the agriculture and forestry community received the highest marks during the review process.  For the remainder of fiscal year 2014, requests from the AFID planning grants fund, which has $189,500 in uncommitted funds, will be accepted, reviewed, and awarded on a rolling basis until the fund is exhausted.

Details on the grant awards are below. Localities interested in applying may visit http://vdacs.virginia.gov/agribusiness/planning.shtmlfor more information.

According to a 2013 economic impact study by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia, 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.

Governor’s Agricultural and Forestry Industries’ Fiscal Year 2014
Planning Grant Recipients and Projects
Project Title: Feasibility Study to Establish Virginia Wine Heritage Center in Albemarle County
Applicant: Albemarle County
Award: $20,000
Summary: Albemarle County is partnering with the Charlottesville/Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau, Thomas Jefferson Foundation/Monticello, and Piedmont Virginia Community College, to bring in an expert consultant to examine the feasibility of establishing a Virginia Wine Heritage Center in Albemarle County.  The study will look at critical partnerships, facility attributes and location, funding needs, and the appropriate business model.

Project Title: Building Agricultural and Forestry-based Businesses in The Foothills
Applicant: Rappahannock-Rapidan Region-Planning District (RRPDC); includes Culpepper, Orange, Madison, Fauquier, and Rappahannock counties
Award: $33,000
Summary: The project is an effort to increase support and preservation of the region’s agricultural and forestry based industries by implementing specific strategies designed to raise awareness of these industries, increase the purchases of regional ag and forestry products, and sustain the future of agriculture and forestry in region. Deliverables include a regional agro-artisan trail, directory, brand, annual conference, marketing effort, and completion of regional green infrastructure maps and data with agricultural soils and water quality.

Project Title: Linking the Virginia Tech Catawba Sustainability Center to the Local Food System
Applicant: Roanoke County
Award: $7,500
Summary: The Virginia Tech Catawba Sustainability Center is a 377 acre historic dairy farm located in Roanoke County that was donated by the former Catawba Sanitarium to Virginia Tech.  In recent years, Roanoke County has helped fund the activities of the center and searched for ways to help the center contribute to region’s economy. Roanoke County and staff at the Sustainability Center, will work with Virginia Tech’s Office of Economic Development to explore strategies to increase the connectivity of the Catawba Sustainability Center to the regional food system. 

Know Your Boundaries to Avoid Timber Trespass and Theft

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Andrew Smith
Senior Assistant Director
Governmental Relations
Lately I have seen a greater number than normal logging operations going on around my home in rural Virginia. It always brings to mind the important issue of property lines. So often I hear of disputes after timber has been cut because of someone not knowing or making assumptions about boundary lines. I hear the discussion of what is the difference between “timber theft” and “timber trespass” often.  Though the issue isn’t a simple one. Primarily the difference comes down to whether the boundaries of the property not being harvested were clearly marked or not showing others where the lines are. Certainly the harvested property owners should know where their lines are, but whether or not the neighboring property is clearly marked can make the difference between timber theft and timber trespass.

Honestly, what can make the difference is a walk in the woods and a can of paint. It pays to know your property lines and monuments and to routinely make sure they are marked. Don’t get me wrong, I realize the diverse terrain of Virginia’s landscape, where walking 100 acres in Hanover County isn’t the same as walking the same number of acres in the western portion of the state. The bottom line making sure your lines are clearly marked could save you a lot of money and headache in the future. It pays not only in forest management, but during hunting season as well.

There are some great articles that explain the issue in more detail and we make them available to you here. I encourage you to print them out and give them a read. As the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention…
2012 Department of Forestry report: Timber Trespass in the Commonwealth
2013 Timber Theft Parts I and II by Bill Worrell
Virginia Department of Forestry Publications

Tax Holiday for Energy-Efficient Appliances Returns to Virginia October 11-14

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If your old appliances are on their last legs, it’s a great time to replace them with energy-efficient products while saving some money.  Virginia’s seventh Energy Star and WaterSense Sales Tax Holiday returns Friday, Oct. 11, and lasts through Monday, Oct. 14.
Energy Star and WaterSense products are better for the environment, and have the added benefit of lowering your home’s energy bills.
Each qualifying product must cost $2,500 or less, have either an Energy Star or WaterSense label affixed, and be purchased for personal or noncommercial use.  Qualifying Energy Star products include air conditioners, ceiling fans, washing machines, dishwashers, dehumidifiers, refrigerators and compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). WaterSense-labeled bathroom sink faucets, faucet accessories, toilets, showerheads, urinals and landscape irrigation controllers will also be tax-exempt. Certain used Energy Star and WaterSense items will also qualify for tax-free status during the four-day exemption period.

 “If there’s one thing most of us can relate to this time of year, it’s a desire to lower our energy bills,” said Governor Bob McDonnell.  “Not only is it a good way to save some money, it’s also good for the environment.  For the past several years, Virginians have had the opportunity to save money by replacing their old, outdated appliances with Energy Star or WaterSense products. Even if you’re not in the market for new appliances, everyone needs light bulbs – and CFLs are included in the holiday. I urge everyone who needs these products to go out and take advantage of this long money-saving weekend.”

The Department of Taxation has posted guidelines, frequently asked questions, and a list of approved Energy Star and WaterSense items on its website at tax.virginia.gov.
Online purchases of qualifying Energy Star and WaterSense products will also be exempt from the sales tax as long as the orders are placed during the Oct. 11-14 exemption period and the sellers have the items available for immediate shipment.

In addition to exempting certain Energy Star and WaterSense products from the sales tax during the four-day tax holiday, retailers may also offer non-exempt merchandise sales-tax free.  Retailers who choose to do this must pay the tax themselves to the Department of Taxation.

From the Field: Harvest Report and Ag Spotlight Straight from Southeastern Virginia

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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.
I spent a day and a half with District Field Services Director Daryl Butler in the Southeast Field District to learn more about the agriculture in that part of the state and the harvest.  
In the counties of Southampton and Isle of Wight, the most common crops were cotton, peanuts, and soybeans.  There was some corn, but not as much as I anticipated.  I later found out that corn wasn’t as prevalent in some areas due to soil type and water holding capability.  All of the corn had been harvested that I saw. 
Yields were very good with many farmers reporting around 200 bu/acre.  Average yields in the area usually run around 125 bu/acre.  Soybeans had a few weeks to go until they were to be harvested.
It was a very busy time as peanut and cotton harvest had started.  All of the peanut fields that I saw had already been dug with the rows of peanuts and vines on top of the ground.  I was able to witness a self-propelled peanut combine in action.  It harvested 8 rows and it was as dusty an operation as I have ever seen.  But it makes sense though, since the machine is harvesting a product that was once underground.  Plus the weather had been very dry until this week.  These peanuts were transferred to tractor-trailers in the field for transport to market.  We visited a peanut-buying station and processor and got a quick tour of the business between the owner shuttling wagon loads of peanuts around the bins.  The peanut crop was the largest last year in recorded history.  While the peanut crop this year isn’t that large; it is coming in at a larger yield than average and the quality is excellent.  I’m glad, because I love Virginia peanuts.  They are the premium peanut.  I also learned that China is a big buyer of peanuts.  They use it for oil and peanut butter.

Cotton harvest was just beginning. Some fields still had lots of leaves on the plants.  But others were ready.  Farmers have to spray a defoliant on the plants to make the leaves fall off.  Cotton, unlike some other crops, requires more pest and fungus management throughout the growing season.  There are two types of cotton picker: those that are a basket type that unloads into a module builder and those that make a round bale on the go.  A module builder looks like a large trash compactor.  It compacts the cotton into a shape similar to a loaf of bread.  This is done in the field, and the cotton gins have special trucks that go to the fields to pick-up the cotton.  The cotton trucks have a roll back feature that slides under the cotton and pulls it onto the truck bed that is covered with a tarp.  The cotton pickers that make the round bales are more expensive and heavier.  The tradeoff is quicker harvesting and less labor.  The cotton picker basically has a round baler on the back, and the technology of the baler portion is almost identical to the round bale hay balers.  While all hay producers are familiar with net wrap.  These cotton pickers have the same thing, but it is plastic wrap and it does cover the edge as well.  The one farmer with one of these cotton pickers reported that they could harvest as much as 80 acres in a day.  Cotton yields, while still very early in the season seem to be above average to good.

The technology on the equipment was neat for me to see.  Being from a livestock background, this type and size of equipment is rare to see.  However, in crop production, it is pretty standard equipment to have.  We have heard a lot about precision agriculture with GPS; but aside from that there is still a lot of technology.  Most all of the newer tractors have digital displays about fuel economy, percentage of power used, engine status, and more.
It became evident very quickly that the investment in equipment was huge, but very necessary.  As one farmer put it, “You can’t get into cotton half way.  You need to go all-in.”  That was true.  These families farmed significant amounts of acres and having equipment that ran efficiently with minimum breakdown, covered more acres in less time and lowered labor expenses was of paramount importance.
I thank Daryl for a very informative tour of southeast Virginia agriculture, and I thank the farmers who put it all on the line to bring us the best food and fiber crops in the world.  On the way back to central Virginia, I made sure to stop in Wakefield and buy some peanuts. 
Until next time,

Mark 

American Farm Bureau Appeals Chesapeake Bay Ruling

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AFBF President
Bob Stallman
The American Farm Bureau Federation took action Monday to appeal a recent court decision that upheld the Environmental Protection Agency’s “pollution diet” for the 64,000-square-mile Chesapeake Bay watershed.  AFBF filed a notice to appeal the Sept. 13 federal district court ruling, seeking reversal of a decision that gives EPA wide latitude to dictate local land-use and development decisions.
“This is a wrongly decided case that has dangerous implications for farmers and many others in the Chesapeake Bay area and nationwide,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “This case isn’t about whether or not to protect the Chesapeake Bay – we all share that goal. This case is about whether EPA can dictate where farming will be allowed, where homes can be built, and where businesses can be established. By taking over decisions like that, EPA has turned the whole concept of cooperative federalism out the barn door.”
AFBF seeks an appeal to preserve the primary role of states in setting land use policy and determining how to achieve water quality goals. According to AFBF, the Clean Water Act puts states in the drivers’ seat to determine how farmers, builders, homeowners and towns will share the responsibility of achieving clean water.  EPA’s framework puts EPA in control of those decisions.

“Win or lose on appeal, farmers and ranchers will continue their dedicated efforts on the farm to improve water quality and the natural environment,” said Stallman. “In the meantime, AFBF will continue to oppose what we see as a remarkable power grab.”

VT Ag Tech Program open house set for Nov. 2

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Virginia Tech will hold an open house Nov. 2 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, Room 1870. A free lunch will be provided.

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

Government Shutdown to Impact Farmers; Farm Bill Expires

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Because Congress wasn’t able to pass a federal budget, the federal government shut down at midnight on Sept. 30, 2013. A shutdown means all federal agencies must layoff non-essential personnel and close non-essential programs and offices. Since 1976 there have been 17 government shutdowns, the longest lasting 21 days in 1995-1996.

What does that mean for farmers?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture hasn’t said precisely how many of its 100,000 workers will be furloughed.
At the Food Safety and Inspection Service, 8,407 of the 9,633 employees will remain on duty – though those numbers could change if the shutdown lasts longer than two days. Some workers, such 528 of the 743 at the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, will remain unaffected, since their salaries are funded by user fees, not federal money. However, local Farm Service Agency, Rural Development, or Natural Resources Conservation Service staff will not be considered essential, so farmers will not be able to receive any loans for programs they have applied for.
Inspections of meat and poultry will continue, and the agency will halt its production of statistical reports on crop estimates and sales widely used in the agricultural market.
Listed below is a summary of how the government shutdown will affect farmers who depend on USDA programs and other government services.

Farm Program Payments

Farm program payments for crops planted in 2013 would continue after the farm bill expires September 30. However, payments would not be able to be delivered under a government shutdown.
Food Safety
Food safety inspectors are considered essential and would stay on at the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS). The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) would also continue inspections to the extent they’re paid by user fees.
Rural Development Programs
Rural development programs would be put on hold, and no additional loans/grants, including RD rural housing loans or guarantees, will be issued. Projects already financed that are under construction would also be delayed. These programs include the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), Rural Community Development Initiative Grants, Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG), Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants (REDLG), among several others.
Conservation
Because National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff is not considered essential, enrollment in conservation programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), Grassland Reserve Program (GRP), and Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP) would stop. In addition, there would be no future financial assistance or technical assistance available through NRCS staff. However, USDA would continue to honor existing contracts.
Foreign Agricultural Service
Funding for Foreign Agricultural Service’s Foreign Market Development Program and Market Access Program could be delayed.  Funding for international offices and staff will stop.
Food Aid
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the federal school lunch program would continue. However, funding will stop for the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants and Children (WIC)—which provides grants to states for food aid, health care referrals and nutrition education for low-income woman and children.
Forest Service
As already noted, Forest Service employees deemed essential, such as firefighters, would stay on. However, national parks across the nation would be closed. This includes the Smithsonian museums, National Zoo and civil war battlefields and the national monuments in Washington, D.C.

Immigration

The Department of Homeland Security will no longer operate its E-Verify program, which means that businesses will not be able to check on the legal immigration status of prospective employees during the shutdown.
Regulatory Agencies
The Environmental Protection Agency will close down almost entirely during a shutdown, save for operations around Superfund sites. Many of the Labor Department’s regulatory offices will close, including the Wage and Hour Division and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (The Mine Safety and Health Administration will, however, stay open.)
Also on Sept. 30, the current Farm Bill officially expired. American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman released the following statement:
“Farmers and ranchers, along with 90 percent of the country, are frustrated with Congress.  Aside from shutting down the government, the one-year farm bill extension Congress granted last session also expired at midnight, while the new farm bill has yet to formally reach the conference process.
“Farm Bureau members are deeply concerned over the political challenges that are making it next to impossible for Congress to reach a compromise on important legislation, while restoring fiscal order and setting a responsible course to get the federal budget back on track.  Adding to our frustration, both the House and Senate versions of the farm bill would provide significant savings that could be applied toward reducing the federal deficit.
“Now that the 2008 farm bill extension has expired, farmers once again are left with uncertainty as to the safety net and risk management tools that are important in planning for next year’s crop.  And come January, consumers once again face the impact of high food costs as decades-old farm policy kicks in. 
“Both the House and Senate agriculture committees have worked hard to put together bipartisan packages that would deliver solid safety net options and comprehensive risk management tools for farmers and ranchers.  It is past time for Congress to let these two committees get back to what they do best – work together in a bipartisan fashion to forge the best new farm bill possible in today’s tough political environment.
“Farm Bureau is encouraging Congress and President Obama to work together to get the budget process in order, get our national economy back on track and move forward on legislation important to agriculture, such as the farm bill, immigration and tax reform and waterways funding.”

AFID-Funded Project Creates 75 New Jobs in Carroll County

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Governor Bob McDonnell yesterday announced that Virginia Produce Company (VPC), a family-owned agricultural produce wholesaler located in Hillsville, will more than quadruple the size of its operating facility and create 75 new full-time equivalent (FTEs) positions.  During the three-year project, VPC will invest more than $2.54 million in capital improvements and purchase an additional $12 million of Virginia grown produce from Virginia farms.  A unique aspect of this project will be the employment of 75 packing line workers, accounting for 50 FTEs, from the Mount Rogers Industrial and Developmental Center (IDC), a division of the Mount Rogers Community Service Board that trains and employs disabled Virginians.  In addition to the 75 IDC workers, VPC will also employ 25 full-time positions.
Speaking about yesterday’s announcement, Governor McDonnell said, “Virginia Produce Company symbolizes so much of what defines Virginia agriculture, the Commonwealth’s largest industry.  It is a family-owned business established on the idea that bringing the grower and wholesaler closer together benefits everyone involved, including the consumer.  Incorporating the Nature’s Hope project into this expansion further defines what Virginia Produce is all about. This partnership with Mount Rogers IDC provides a great opportunity for local residents with disabilities to be part of a productive work setting while earning a paycheck.”

VPC currently sorts, processes, packages, and distributes a variety of Virginia grown produce including tomatoes, pumpkins, sweet corn, squash, and broccoli from its 30,000 square foot facility in the Carroll County Industrial Park.  The expansion project will involve VPC purchasing a 138,000 square foot facility in the industrial park and making the necessary upgrades, including installation of larger coolers and more production lines, increasing capacity for current products and allowing expansion into new produce markets. 
 “This VPC project is an excellent example of a company fulfilling the dual purposes of the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) program – making positive impacts both at the processing facility and on Virginia growers,” said Todd P. Haymore, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry.  “The additional capital investment and job creation at VPC’s facility is outstanding for Carroll County.  I am especially excited about VPC’s commitment to purchase 50% of their increased produce demand, an estimated $12 million out of $24 million in new purchases in the next three years, from Virginia growers.  This infusion of additional revenue into the local agricultural economy is a huge boost to our farm families.”
VPC works directly with its growers through a farm-management program, helping farmers grow specifically what the market demands.  VPC’s farm-management program currently includes 20 Virginia growers and 1,800 acres with produce being sold into local and regional markets.  The new facility will help to serve a significant increase in the size of the farm-management program.
The President of Virginia Produce Company, Moir Beamer, said “We are excited about this opportunity to expand our business operations in Carroll County and provide our customers with a larger selection of Virginia grown produce.  With this program, we are working with people with disabilities and providing consumers with more options.”
VPC’s impact on area farmers has been distinctly positive.  Working closely with VPC to coordinate production, farmers have greater certainty that crops will be sold and typically bring more acreage under cultivation over time to meet increased demand.  As the VPC expansion comes online, there will be greater opportunities for existing and new farmers in the region.
David Hutchins, Chairman of the Carroll County Board of Supervisors said, “The expansion of Virginia Produce in Carroll County is an excellent example of utilizing the resources we have to create economic prosperity.  Agriculture is our leading industry in Carroll and to build upon our strengths is vital.  We have a local business that we are able to assist in growing that will generate jobs and capital investment.  And at the same time, Carroll County will sell the former Sara Lee property to Virginia Produce and that real estate will be back on the tax rolls.”
The expansion of VPC also allows for the growth of another signature agricultural institution in the area, the Southwest Virginia Farmers’ Market.  With a retail division owned by Carroll County and a wholesale division owned by the Commonwealth and operated by the County, the market is a tremendous resource for local farmers that provides wholesale, grading, packing and cooling operations.  With its relocation, VPC will lease its existing facility to the market with an option to purchase.  The lease of the VPC facility will double the market’s capacity and ensure that the produce infrastructure in the facility will remain an asset to the farming community.
The expansion is also made distinctive by VPC’s commitment to the “Nature’s Hope” product label it is introducing.  The new product label will involve the employment of up to 75 disabled Virginians in the facility through the Mount Rogers IDC.  HOPE stands for “Helping Organizations & People Excel” and is focused on programs that help disadvantaged groups excel in life through integrating them into different aspects of the creation of the product.  Involvement at VPC could include harvesting, packaging produce, or any other aspect of moving product from farm to table.  With the disabled population facing unemployment rates of 40 percent, “Nature’s Hope” provides a terrific opportunity for these individuals to find meaningful work.  The program has already received support and interest from national grocery chains.
Frank Dowell, Director of Mount Rogers IDC said “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Virginia Produce Company in the packaging of locally-grown produce under the “Nature’s Hope” label.  Through the vision shown by company President Moir Beamer and his team, we will be able to provide more employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in our region.  We would like to express our enthusiasm in eager anticipation of Virginia Produce’s expansion and further collaboration with our agency.”
Steve Smith, President and CEO of Food City said, “We value the relationships we have built with Virginia farmers and Virginia Produce Company.  Working together, we have continued to grow and strengthen our partnership, which has provided critical opportunities for part-time farmers to transition to full-time farming and expand their own operations. Virginia Produce has been extremely instrumental in this process through their collaboration with the farmers in Southwest Virginia. The addition of VPC’s “Natures Hope” project will allow us to continue to work jointly with local farmers to increase our supply and explore the potential to further diversify the crops currently produced in Southwest Virginia.”
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) worked with Carroll County to help make the project a reality. Governor McDonnell approved a $200,000 matching grant from the Governor’s AFID Fund to assist Carroll with the project. The project is receiving additional assistance through the Tobacco Commission’s Tobacco Region Opportunity Fund, the State’s Enterprise Zone Program and through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

According to a 2013 economic impact study by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia, 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.