Virginia farmers will help mark a milestone this month when they attend the 100th American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention.
The Jan. 11-16 event is expected to draw about 6,000 farmers and ranchers and their families.
President Donald Trump is slated to take part in the convention’s general session on Jan. 14, and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will deliver keynote remarks that day as well. Two speakers with ties to Virginia are on the agenda as well. Tammy Maxey, senior education manager for Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom and president-elect of the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization, will lead a workshop on boosting agricultural literacy locally. Dr. Amy Johnson, a family nurse practitioner for Centra Medical Group in Bedford County and president of Bedford County Farm Bureau, will speak on “Incorporating a Culture of Safety in Farm Bureau.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced an extension to the original deadline for Market Facilitation Program applications. Agricultural producers who are seeking payments through the program, which is a part of the trade mitigation initiative, will now have more time to submit their applications.
In June 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began a two-step process to review and revise the definition of “waters of the U.S.” under the Clean Water Act, proposing to first rescind the 2015 WOTUS rule while they worked to develop a new lawful and rational definition.
On December 10 – 12, 2018 the presidents of all fifty state Farm Bureaus traveled to our nation’s capital to participate in the annual American Farm Bureau resolutions meeting. This meeting presents an opportunity for the states to bring issues forward from their own resolutions committees to be debated and considered for inclusion in the AFBF Policy Book.
Governor Ralph Northam today announced his proposed budget will feature major investments in the protection of Virginia’s natural resources, the first installment of a historic commitment to water quality needs and consistent clean water funding. The governor’s funding strategy would accelerate Virginia’s progress towards its 2025 targets for reduction in the Chesapeake Bay and ensure that the Commonwealth meets its cleanup goals.
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army (Army) are proposing a clear, understandable, and implementable definition of “waters of the United States” that clarifies federal authority under the Clean Water Act. Unlike the Obama administration’s 2015 definition of “waters of the United States,” today’s proposal contains a straightforward definition that would result in significant cost savings, protect the nation’s navigable waters, help sustain economic growth, and reduce barriers to business development.
Marlene Jolliffe, executive director of the 
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