Cultivate Feb 2015

Cultivate FEBRUARY 2015

Virginia Farm Bureau

College turning pecans into profit

Cultivate Volume 8, Number 1 February 2015 Cultivate (USPS 025051) (ISSN 1946-8121) is published four times a year, February, April, July, November/December (combined issue). It is published by Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, 12580 West Creek Parkway, Richmond, VA 23238. Periodicals postage rate is paid in Richmond, VA. The annual subscription rate is $1.48 (included in membership dues).

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Features 8

campus with almost

College turning pecans into profit

Locals have gathered pecans at Richard Bland College for years. Now the school is harvesting and selling nuts.

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2014 Farm Bureau photo contest winners

When it comes to visual appeal, Virginia’s farms never disappoint.

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Getting ready to tie the knot?

“We have a 750-acre

Congratulations! A meeting with your insurance agent can be a useful part of your pre-wedding preparations.

500 pecan trees, and it’s part of the college’s plan to use its natural resources.”

— JOANNE WILLIAMS,

communications director, Richard Bland College

Departments

Postmaster: Please send changes of address to, Cultivate, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, P.O. Box 27552, Richmond, VA 23261; fax 804-2901096. Editorial and business offices are located at 12580 West Creek Parkway, Richmond, VA 23238.

Telephone 804-290-1000, fax 804290-1096. Email address is Cultivate@ vafb.com. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

All advertising is accepted subject to the publisher’s approval.

Advertisers must assume liability for the content of their advertising.

The publisher maintains the right to cancel advertising for nonpayment or reader complaints about services or products. The publisher assumes no liability for products or services advertised.

Member: Virginia Press Association

EDITORIAL TEAM Greg Hicks Vice President, Communications Pam Wiley Managing Editor Kathy Dixon Sr. Staff Writer/ Photographer Sara Owens Staff Writer/Photographer Bill Altice Graphic Designer Maria La Lima Graphic Designer Cathy Vanderhoff Advertising

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Did You Know?

VISIT US ONLINE VaFarmBureau.org

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For Your Benefit

WE’RE SOCIAL!

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Heart of the Home

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A Pie for All Seasons

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Stewards of the Land

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Marketplace

Members — Address change? If your address or phone number has changed, or is about to change, contact your county Farm Bureau. They will update your membership and subscription information.

PUBLICATION SCHEDULE

ON THE COVER

Producer members will receive their next issue of Cultivate in April. The magazine is published four times a year.

The outer husks of pecans like those grown at Richard Bland College turn brown at maturity.

To our readers:

2,300 Classrooms in which volunteers read agriculture-related books to children last year during Agriculture Literacy Week.

See the related article on Page 4.

95%

Percentage of U.S. farm animals raised for food whose diets include genetically modified feed.

See related article on Page 22.

This issue of Cultivate marks the launch of a magazine re-design.

It’s our intent to mail you a readerfriendly and well-organized publication that shares not only relevant Farm Bureau news but also information that proves useful to you as a consumer.

We’ve set about organizing content so that key elements are easy to find and concisely written with the busy reader in mind.

We hope you’ll be pleased with the ongoing enhancements, and we thank readers who have been generous with their recommendations.

144

The number of people for whom the average American farmer produces food. That number was 25 in the 1960s.

VaFarmBureau.org / FEBRUARY 2015

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Save the Date!

Volunteers to read My Virginia Plate during Agriculture Literacy Week AITC 2015 Book of the Year Virginia’s Agriculture in the Classroom program has named My Virginia Plate, written by Tammy Maxey and illustrated

by Kevin Pitts and Greg Cravens, its 2015 Virginia AITC Book of the Year.

It is the third in a series of AITC “Farmer Ben” books.

“My Virginia Plate provides an overview of how Virginia farmers produce a wide variety of foods that are a part of a healthy diet,” said Maxey, who is Virginia AITC senior education program coordinator.

The book will be read and distributed in schools statewide by volunteers during Virginia’s fifth annual Agriculture Literacy Week, March 15-21, 2015.

Agriculture Literacy Week runs concurrently with National Ag Week.

“Last year volunteers read to more than 50,000 children in 2,300 classrooms across the state,” Maxey said.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information about Agriculture Literacy Week, visit AgInTheClass.org.

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Members can save at Farm Bureau warehouse open house on Feb. 27 In need of parts for your car, truck or farm machinery? Farm Bureau members can save 10 percent on purchases from the Virginia Farm Bureau Service Corp. Products Division at its Feb. 27 open house.

The open house will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Farm Bureau warehouse at 1541 Mary St. in Sandston.

Members can save on tires, batteries and oil and grease products, as well as on disk blades, plow parts, chisel teeth, roller chains and cutting parts for hay equipment and combines. The discount is available for all products except baler twine, which already will be specially priced for the open house.

For information on specific products, call the warehouse at 800-476-8473.

The annual award recognizes teens for outstanding academic, community and agribusiness achievement.

Finalists will compete at the VFBF Young Farmers Summer Expo. The state winner will receive an award valued at $1,500, including $250 from Virginia Farm Credit Associations, $500 from VFBF Service Corp. under the GM Incentive Program and $750 from the VFBF Young Farmers and Women’s committees. All prizes are subject to change based on sponsor availability.

Entry forms and details are available at county Farm Bureau offices and in the “Member Programs” content at VaFarmBureau.org.

Rural Health Essay Contest entries due March 31 High school and college students from Virginia Farm Bureau memberfamilies who are interested in a healthrelated career in a rural area have an opportunity to earn cash toward their education.

Participants in Farm Bureau’s 2015 Rural Health Essay Scholarship Contest have until March 31 to submit an essay on “My Future Career in Rural Health in Virginia.” First-place winners will receive $1,000, and second-place winners will receive $500. Entries from high school students and college students will be judged separately.

Guidelines and entry forms are available at county Farm Bureau offices and in the “Member Programs” content at VaFarmBureau.org.

Teens encouraged to apply for Outstanding Young Agriculturalist High school juniors and seniors with an interest in agriculture have until March 31 to enter Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s Outstanding Young Agriculturalist Award program.

March 18 National Agriculture Day

March 15-21 National Agriculture Week

Save the Date!

Young agriculture professionals needed to fill bounty of jobs There is an abundance of job opportunities in the food and agriculture fields and a national shortage of young professionals to fill them.

That is the conclusion of a recent study sponsored by the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math—or STEM—Food & Ag Council.

The report on study findings includes a detailed analysis of workforce trends in six agriculture fields: agricultural business and management; agriculture mechanization and engineering; animal sciences; plant and soil science; food science and technology; and other life sciences. Findings indicate that between January and August 2014 nearly 34,000 people were hired each month. Twenty-five percent of workers in the highlighted fields are 55 or older, which means job opportunities will grow through workforce attrition.

The report analysis projects a 4.9 percent growth in employment opportunities in the next five years, adding 33,100 new jobs in advanced agriculture fields.

Ag backgrounds not necessarily a prerequisite The report offers recommendations for guiding STEM professionals to food and ag careers and advancing STEM education and career development in relevant areas of agriculture. In essence, it states that there is a need to transfer knowledge from a retiring generation to their successors. And, unlike previous generations, some of those successors will have no previous connection to agriculture.

“There is a huge field of ag professionals not getting their hands in the dirt,” said Spencer Neale,

Rising ag professionals will be extremely tech-savvy.

director of commodity marketing for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.

“The business of feeding the world is so complex, and there are many ag careers related to policy, the environment, sustainability and technology. The problem is the gap in the number of people to fill those jobs.”

Neale noted that U.S. land-grant universities are typically at the forefront of preparing ag graduates for the workforce. “Organizations like Farm Bureau Federation also have an important role to play in partnering with agencies and universities to meet these growing needs,” he said.

The report noted that the next generation of ag professionals is both tech-savvy and community-minded.

“As agriculture becomes increasingly global and information-based, those attributes can surely make a difference,” Neale said.

CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE According to the Agriculture Council of America, about 22 million people work in agriculture-related fields. Their jobs fall within these areas: • agribusiness management; • agricultural and natural resources communications; • agriscience; • building construction management; • fisheries and wildlife; • food science; • forestry; • horticulture; • packaging; • parks, recreations and tourism resources; and • resource development and management.

For more information on agriculturerelated career options, visit agday.org/ education/careers.php.

VaFarmBureau.org / FEBRUARY 2015

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EVER SEEN ONE OF THESE WHILE DRIVING? That’s not just a big reflector.

It’s a warning to slow down!

Virginia law requires the triangular slow-moving vehicle emblem to be displayed on the back of tractors, other farm equipment and other vehicles that travel on public roadways at speeds lower than 25 mph.

So if you see one on a vehicle up ahead, it’s your first clue that you need to slow down to avoid a possible collision.

It is legal to drive farm equipment on public roads, and in many cases it is the only way farmers can move the equipment from one parcel of land to another.

Things to know:

turn, so check the operator’s hand signals and check the left side of the road for gates, driveways or any other place a farm vehicle might turn.

• If you must pass on the left, be sure the lane for oncoming traffic is clear ahead of you and that the equipment operator is not making a left turn.

PS: Perhaps you’ve seen SMV emblems used to mark rural driveways and mailbox posts as well. That’s definitely not what they’re for!

• Some equipment is wider than one travel lane, and in some cases the operator is not able to see a driver who is following too closely. Besides watching the road, he or she also is looking out for obstacles on the right shoulder, like sign posts and mailboxes, and might drift left to miss them.

• Don’t assume a farm vehicle that pulls to the right side of the road is turning right or moving to let you pass. Many require a wide left-hand 6

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The SMV emblem is a warning to reduce your speed.

Virginia Horse Festival raring to go March 27-29 Virginia is for lovers, and the Virginia Horse Festival is for horse lovers. | BY KATHY DIXON

Extreme Mustang Makeover and EquiSmartz The festival will include an Extreme Mustang Makeover competition and the statewide 4-H EquiSmartz competition finals.

The Virginia Horse Festival grew out of the former Virginia Equine Extravaganza. “We are taking established events and pulling them together as part of one big festival,” said Julie Williamson, a member of the Virginia Horse Festival planning committee. “People won’t have to pick which event to attend; they can attend

KATHY DIXON

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he new Virginia Horse Festival will be held March 27-29 at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County and will have something for experienced horse owners and riders, new horse owners, hobbyists, dog lovers and those with a taste for Western wear, boots and jewelry.

“Everything from show prep to basic vet care will be covered in our clinics and demos,” said Glenn Martin, the festival’s program manager. “This event will be both educational and entertaining for longtime members of Virginia’s horse community, as well as for those who are fans of horses or thinking about becoming horse owners.”

The Virginia Horse Festival will have something for seasoned and would-be horse owners.

everything in the same weekend.”

The festival will kick off with the Mustang Makeover, a wild horse training event sponsored by the Mustang Heritage Foundation. Youth and adult trainers, assigned wild mustangs in November 2014, have been training them for competition.

At the horse festival, the trainers will compete in classes such as handling and conditioning, leading, riding obstacles and freestyle. The Mustang Makeover finals will be held Saturday night and culminate with an auction of the trained Mustangs.

The EquiSmartz competition tests 4-H students’ knowledge of horses and ponies. District competitions are held throughout the year.

Other highlights Additionally, The Meadow’s annual Secretariat birthday celebration is scheduled for March 28. The 1973 Triple Crown champion was born on the property on March 30, 1970.

The Central Virginia Agility Club will provide dog agility demonstrations as well. All seminars, clinics, demonstrations and nightly entertainment are free to observe with a paid admission.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For details about the Virginia Horse Festival, visit VirginiaHorseFestival.com.

VaFarmBureau.org / FEBRUARY 2015

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COLLEGE BENEFITS FROM NATURAL RESOURCE School has a 750-acre campus with almost 500 pecan trees The 108-year-old pecan grove at Richard Bland College predates the college, which bought the land in 1960.

BY KATHY DIXON

R

ichard Bland College is nuts about turning a natural resource into profit for the school.

They’ve begun harvesting nuts from 108-year-old pecan trees that were well established on the land when the school bought it in 1960.

“It stemmed from an innovative idea from our president, Debbie Sydow,” said Joanne Williams, RBC director of communications. “We have a 750-acre campus with almost 500 pecan trees, and it’s part of the college’s plan to use its natural resources.”

The pecan trees were planted on the Prince George County land in 1906, and by the time the college acquired the land, they were well-established and producing plenty of nuts. Students, faculty and members of the community gathered pecans after the 8

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RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE

nuts fell from the trees.

“Locals have been coming here for years and picking up pecans,” said Bill Wamsley, RBC landscape supervisor.

“Even in a hard rain, they come out.”

Williams recalled visiting a local restaurant where a customer brought in pecans and gave them to others in the establishment. “They were beautiful, and I asked her where they came from. Her response: Richard Bland College!”

But Sydow wanted the college to

begin harvesting the trees and selling the pecans for a profit. They bought some equipment and began harvesting last winter.

The school hopes to purchase additional equipment to shell and package the nuts and sell them at retail, Williams said. Right now the unshelled nuts are sold to a wholesaler.

Eventually it will be a soup-to-nuts operation run by students, maybe even a business class, Williams said.

Currently there are three students helping with the operation, along with the facilities director, landscape supervisor and other facilities employees.

They use a hopper, which rakes up the nuts—as well as leaves and other debris— and flings them into a basket. Employees sort through the nuts, sweep the dirt off, then wash them and sort them again. It’s all done by hand.

The workers begin harvesting the pecans after the first hard frost. The frost causes the nuts’ shells to dry, and they begin to fall from the trees.

“Last year we harvested through January (2014),” Wamsley said in November. “This year they’re already all down.”

Tom Goudreault, a facilities management employee, blames heavy winds. “It knocks them down prematurely, but we can’t control the weather.”

Last year’s harvest yielded more than 1,000 pounds of pecans, but the school did not expect that many this past fall.

Until last year, the trees had not been fertilized or had any other inputs. They were fertilized for the first time last February and will be fertilized again next month.

“We want this to be a continuous source of income for the college,” Williams said.

In the meantime, community members are still allowed to harvest nuts.

And if they store them in a cool, dry place, the unshelled pecans will keep for as long as three years.

PECAN FACTS • A pecan is not truly a nut; it is technically a fruit with a single stone or pit, surrounded by a husk. The husk starts out green and turns brown at maturity.

• Wood from pecan trees is used for furniture, flooring and flavoring fuel for smoked meats.

• Albany, Ga., which boasts more than 600,000 pecan trees, is the pecan capital of the United States.

• There are more than 1,000 varieties of pecans. Many are named for Native American Indian tribes, including Cheyenne, Mohawk, Sioux, Choctaw and Shawnee.

• Some of the larger pecan shellers process 150,000 pounds of pecans each day. That’s enough to make 300,000 pecan pies!

• The United States produces about 80 percent of the world’s pecan crop.

Source: National Pecan Shellers Association

VaFarmBureau.org / FEBRUARY 2015

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The college began harvesting pecans last winter and selling them unshelled to a wholesaler.

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PHOTOS BY RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE

KATHY DIXON

A vehicle-drawn hopper rakes up fallen pecans, which staff and students sort and clean.

VaFarmBureau.org / FEBRUARY 2015

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Middle-size farms ‘going away,’ 2012 census figures show

Current conditions more comfortable for larger and smaller farms Findings from the 2012 Census of Agriculture, released last year, highlighted an ongoing shift in American agriculture that’s becoming more pronounced.

Dr. Bob Young, American Farm Bureau Federation chief economist and deputy executive director for public policy, told participants in the 2014 Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in December that medium-sized farms are “going away” as the number of smaller- and largerscale farms increase or hold steady.

Not all opportunities work for all farms

What does this disappearance of the middle mean?

“Many middle-size farms are still in business, but they have had to downsize and find off-farm work to pay for things like health insurance,” explained Spencer Neale, VFBF commodity marketing director.

“These are the farms that are too big to (efficiently and profitably) sell their products at farmers’ markets, but too small to meet the demand for larger commodity markets and often require off-farm income in order to stay in business.”

By contrast, because of the local foods movement, the number of niche or value-added farms grossing less 12

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Economic conditions and food trends in recent years have favored the large-scale and smallscale farm.

than $10,000 has grown tremendously, Neale said. And the top 20 percent of the country’s farmers are producing the vast majority of the nation’s food.

“Due to increased input costs, a shift in infrastructure and efficiencies of scale, many larger family farms contract with vertically integrated companies. This enables them to produce enough volume to take advantage of more sophisticated production and harvesting technologies and develop their own market-based risk management strategies not available to smaller producers,” Neale explained.

“Contracts allow processors to

obtain agricultural products with specific attributes, volumes and time frames,” Neale explained. “This allows the companies to operate more efficiently, and it reduces price and marketing risks for farmers.”

A mix of farms is still important

Neale emphasized, however, that small, medium and large farms play unique roles in the U.S. food supply chain.

“The diverse nature of foods available to U.S. consumers is, and always will be, dependent on maintaining a healthy mix of all types of producers in the future.”

33,330 of the 2.1 million farms in the United States— about 1.6 percent— produce 50 percent of the nation’s agricultural products

But the diverse U.S. food supply depends on a diverse mix of farms.

VaFarmBureau.org / FEBRUARY 2015

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Agriculture in the News

USDA: Nation’s farm exports set new record in 2014

CENSUS:

KATHY DIXON

Virginia aquaculture sales topped $55 million

More than half of Virginia aquaculture sales in 2013 were for clams and oysters.

Virginia is home to more than 120 commercial aquaculture operations that saw a total of $55.6 million in sales in 2013.

Among them were 17 operations selling crustaceans—soft-shell crabs, freshwater prawns and saltwater shrimp; 26 operations selling food fish like hybrid striped bass, catfish, tilapia and trout; 80 selling oysters and clams; and three selling ornamental fish. More than half of the state’s 2013 aquaculture sales, $41.5 million, were for mollusks, divided almost evenly between clam sales and oyster sales.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service released findings from its 2013 Census of Aquaculture on Sept. 29. The census is the third that NASS has conducted; the previous census was conducted in 2005.

The 2013 census found that Virginia’s aquaculture sales increased 26 percent between that year and 2005, even though the number of aquaculture operations decreased by 19 percent.

“Virginia aquaculture is truly a bright spot for Virginia and showcases the diversity of agriculture in our state,” said Spencer Neale, director of commodity marketing for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. “The growth in this particular segment is a trend that we have seen going back 20 years, when a similar census conducted by the state estimated aquaculture sales at a little over $18 million. There is no reason this growth trend should not continue, moving forward.”

Nationwide, the census found the total sales of aquaculture products in 2013 was $1.37 billion, an increase of 26 percent from 2005. Sales of food fish totaled $732 million, an increase of 9 percent from 2005. Crustacean sales totaled $85 million, up 59 percent, and mollusk sales totaled $329 million, an increase of 62 percent.

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U.S. agricultural exports, including those from Virginia, are at an alltime high.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced that agricultural exports for 2014 totaled $152.5 billion, topping last year’s record $141 billion.

“American farmers and ranchers have once again achieved another year of record exports,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Agricultural exports have climbed 41 percent in value over the past five years. U.S. agricultural exports have increased in volume as well as in monetary value, which demonstrates an increasing global appetite for high-quality, Americangrown products.”

Virginia agricultural products have followed the same trend.

In March, Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced that the state’s farm and forestry exports reached an all-time high of $2.85 billion in 2013, up from the previous record of $2.61 billion in 2012.

Agricultural exports from Virginia have grown in value by 27 percent since 2010, when the state launched a strategic plan to grow those exports.

Virginia has trade representatives in key markets to help facilitate the purchase of ag and forestry products.

State trade offices are operating in Canada, Latin America, Europe, India, Russia, China and Hong Kong.

The top three export markets for Virginia are China, Canada and Switzerland. Virginia’s top ag and forestry exports include soybeans, soy meal and soybean oil; lumber and logs; unmanufactured leaf tobacco; wheat, corn, barley and other grains; animal feed; pork; poultry; seafood; processed foods and beverages, including wine; wood pellets; animal fats and oils; raw peanuts; and cotton.

Did you know?

Ethanol is made from corn.

It’s a clean-burning, high-octane fuel that increases the U.S. fuel supply and is made from a renewable resource grown right here at home.

Ethanol, the Virginia Grain Producers Association notes, saves consumers money at the pump, reduces U.S. dependence on foreign oil and supports more than 400,000 jobs nationwide.

According to the National Corn Growers Association, 38 percent of the U.S. field corn supply is used to feed livestock. Another 29 percent is used directly for ethanol production.

VaFarmBureau.org / FEBRUARY 2015

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2015 PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS Virginia farms, the families who operate them and the animals and crops they produce are a boundless source of photo subjects.

County Farm Bureaus in Virginia had the option of sponsoring photo contests last year and submitting their first-place entries for judging on the state level. Entries were judged in three age categories. These photos were among the first-place winners.

THIS PAGE: Top, Cows Have the Best View by Patricia

Temples, Greene County; Left, Alpaca Snack by Caroline Hale, Floyd County OPPOSITE: Top left, Evening on the Farm by Kenzie Miller,

Shenandoah County; Top right, Nose to Nose, Cheek to Cheek

by Maika Atwell, Smyth County; Bottom: She is Family by Ann Harrell, Craig County.

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CULTIVATEFARM BUREAU NEWS VIRGINIA

VaFarmBureau.org / FEBRUARY 2015

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‘ With this ring—and these joint policies—I thee wed’: Your agent can offer advice (and congratulations!)

When two people merge their lives, their futures and their assets, they generally should merge their insurance policies.

Virginia Farm Bureau insurance agents are happy to help newlyweds decide what to do with their auto, property and life insurance policies.

Read the information below, and then give your agent a call. In fact, a meeting with your agent can be a useful part of the pre-wedding preparations.

Auto, property insurance Personal automotive policies should be combined after marriage.

Combining the policies can reduce the overall premium due to multicar discounts, and, depending on your age, marriage can lower your insurance rate.

Another reason to combine auto policies is that a resident spouse automatically is considered a named insured by contract definition, even if his or her name doesn’t appear on the policy, according to Nancy Wilson, underwriting manager for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. “This can affect whether coverage is automatically available for newly acquired vehicles,” Wilson said. “If one spouse purchases a vehicle but hasn’t called the insurance company to add it yet, but the spouses are on the same insurance policy, they are covered. If the couple had separate policies and there was an accident with the new vehicle, there could be no coverage.”

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It also is best to combine personal property and liability coverage, Wilson said.

“Usually this will result in reduced premium and will simplify claims settlement, rather than having two policies that could potentially apply in the event of a loss.”

Life insurance Purchase life insurance after the wedding in order to ensure that a surviving spouse will be able to continue living comfortably in the event of the loss of one income. Life insurance also will help take care of any final, unexpected expenses such as funeral and medical bills.

“There could be situations where, when you get married, your spouse could be responsible for satisfying your debts,” said Gerald Gardner, VFBMIC director of sales. “If you die without paying off your debt, life insurance will take care of those instead of your spouse being required to pay them.”

If you are planning on having children, it’s a good idea to have life insurance in place before they are born.

Combining insurance policies when getting married can result in a simplified claims process and, in some instances, savings for the newlyweds.

Insurance issues to consider when getting married ( Life event: Marriage Some things to consider regarding your insurance needs: • With your combined assets, do your liability limits offer appropriate protection?

• Is there a valuable wedding or engagement ring that should be scheduled for open perils coverage?

• Now is the best time to review all existing coverage and then combine policies as a married couple.

• You may be able to save money on health insurance by being on one policy too.

VaFarmBureau.org / FEBRUARY 2015

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For Your Benefit

NEW! Members

Save $500 on purchase or lease of selected GM vehicles

Help is within reach with Member’s Medical Alert

Farm Bureau members in Virginia are now eligible for a manufacturer’s incentive discount of $200 to $300 on utility and sport vehicles and all-terrain vehicles from participating Polaris dealers.

Members should negotiate their best deals with their preferred Polaris dealers and then add the manufacturer’s incentive discount to the bottom line. There is no limit to the number of incentive discounts that a Farm Bureau member may use, provided they use no more than one per vehicle acquired and vehicle acquisitions are made for their personal or business use.

To take advantage of this benefit, visit FBAdvantage/Deals.

Farm Bureau members can receive a $500 discount on the purchase or lease of qualifying Buick, Chevrolet or GMC vehicles at participating dealerships.

To use this member benefit, visit fbverify.com/GM, enter your membership number and ZIP code, and print out a Farm Bureau Membership Verification Certificate to take to your GM dealership. The discount must be processed at the time of delivery; GM will not accept certificates on vehicles that already have been delivered.

See participating GM dealers for full details.

Virginia Farm Bureau’s Member’s Medical Alert system makes it easy for members or their loved ones to summon assistance in an emergency.

Powered by national provider LifeStation, the service features a stateof-the-art, 24-hour call center with care specialists who can be contacted via a tabletop console or a help button that users can wear or mount on a wall.

eligible for discounts on Polaris vehicles

• Members pay a special monthly rate of $25.95 for landline use.

• Cellular-based connection is available for an additional $14.95 per month.

For details call 877-288-4958 or visit MembersMedicalAlert.com and use code FB102.

Call your county Farm Bureau for help understanding the new health care laws.

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Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. trades as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia, and its service area is all of Virginia except for the City of Fairfax, the Town of Vienna, and the area east of State Route 123. Independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ® ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

For Your Benefit

Historic open enrollment ends Feb. 15 The largest mandatory open healthcare enrollment period in U.S. history ends Feb. 15.

And Americans who don’t have health insurance by that time will have to pay a penalty.

Under the Affordable Care Act, all U.S. citizens, legal residents and their dependents are required by law to have some form of healthcare coverage by Feb. 15. Those who don’t will face a penalty when they file this year’s income tax returns.

What now?

If you already have health insurance through your employer or through a private plan, you will simply need to check a box on your federal tax return.

If you were uninsured more than three months in 2014, you will have to either pay the “individual shared responsibility payment” fee or qualify for an exemption when you file your 2014 tax return.

This year’s payment will be either $95 per adult or 1 percent of your taxable household income, whichever is higher. The rates will increase to $325 per adult or 2 percent in 2015, and in 2016 the fee will be $695 per adult or 2.5 percent of taxable income, whichever is higher. The additional payment on your tax filing may result in a smaller refund or cause you to owe more taxes.

The bottom line is this: If you still need health coverage, it’s best to buy

it now before the enrollment period ends this month. After that, you won’t be able to buy health coverage through the marketplace until November, and it will not take effect until January 2016.

Got questions?

Farm Bureau can help Certain exemptions exist, but they are few. Check with your county Farm Bureau health insurance specialist to find out if you qualify, or to get more information about health insurance requirements under the new law.

Virginia Farm Bureau Members receive 2 FREE General Admission tickets* to 2015 home games for UVA Men’s Lacrosse and Baseball (ACC games only), as well as VCU Soccer, Baseball, Volleyball and Women’s Basketball.

Just present your photo ID and valid Virginia Farm Bureau Membership Card at the Ticket Office on game day!

For up-to-date schedule information, visit:

VirginiaSports.com

VCUAthletics.com

*Tickets subject to availability. Offer valid while supplies last. Postseason games not included in this promotion.

VaFarmBureau.org / FEBRUARY 2015

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GMO-fed animals are safe to eat, study finds Research reviewed 29 years of livestock data

BY KATHY DIXON

Fifth-generation dairyman Jeremy Moyer said genetically modified corn and soybeans that his family grows and feeds to their dairy cows contribute to the their Amelia County farm’s productivity.

And he doesn’t see any reason why people shouldn’t drink milk from cows that eat GM feed. His family does.

“Nothing to fear” The cows at Oakmulgee Dairy Farm are among billions of farm animals that are fed GM crops each year. And while the use of genetically modified animal feed has increased over the past decade, the risk to human health has not.

Study findings published last fall in the Journal of Animal Science concluded that GM feed is safe for both animals and humans and is nutritionally equivalent to non-GM feed.

There have been more than 2,000 studies documenting that biotechnology doesn’t pose a threat to humans, but this is the first study

The majority of animals raised for food in the United States eat feed that contains genetically modified ingredients.

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that found GM feed safe for foodproducing animals.

“This and other studies prove that GM feed for livestock and GM food for humans are both safe for consumption, and consumers have nothing to fear,” said Lindsay Reames, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation assistant director of governmental relations.

Most GMO crops fed to livestock Food-producing animals such as cows, pigs, goats, chickens and other poultry species consume 70 percent to 90 percent of genetically engineered crops, mainly corn and soybeans. In the United States alone, animal agriculture produces more than 9 billion food animals annually, and more than 95 percent of those animals eat feed containing GM ingredients.

The numbers are similar in genetically modified organism-producing countries with a large agricultural sector, such as Brazil and Argentina.

In the most comprehensive study of GM feed ever conducted, University of California-Davis Department of Animal Science geneticist Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam and an assistant reviewed 29 years of livestock productivity and health data from before and after the introduction of genetically engineered animal feed.

Titled “Prevalence and Impacts of Genetically Engineered Feedstuffs on Livestock Populations,” their findings can be found online at: journalofanimalscience.org/ content/92/10/4255.full.pdf+html.

The authors examined data related to more than 100 billion animals raised before 1996, when animal feed was 100 percent non-GMO, through the point when prevalence of GMO crops in animal feed jumped to 90 percent or more. The data included records of animals examined pre- and postmortem, since sick animals cannot be approved for meat.

The study found that GM feed is safe and nutritionally equivalent to

non-GM feed. Because DNA and protein are normal components of the diet the animals digested, there were no quantifiable traces of GM components in milk, meat and eggs following consumption of GM feed.

There also was no indication of any unusual trends in the health of animals since 1996, when GMO crops were first harvested. Additionally, the authors found no evidence to suggest any health effects on humans who eat animals fed with GM feed.

According to the Journal of Animal Science, many researchers came to the same conclusions a decade ago, suggesting that little contradictory data has emerged over the past 10 years, despite the increased use of GM feed.

“These studies have concluded what farmers have known for years—that GM crops are a safe and effective food source for animals and humans,” Reames said. “They allow farmers to more effectively grow crops and more efficiently feed their animals.”

VaFarmBureau.org / FEBRUARY 2015

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The timeless garden challenge: Keeping squirrels out of bird feeders Many homeowners enjoy feeding birds in their yards—that is, until squirrels start nibbling at the feed, or the feeder.

Squirrels climb on bird feeders and eat the food, often chewing and clawing through wood or plastic to get to it.

“While squirrels are nice to have in the backyard and are a part of wildlife, they can be a big nuisance,” said Virginia Cooperative Extension specialist Chris Mullins, who works at Virginia State University. “There are several things you can try to keep squirrels away from bird feeders if you want to feed birds—not squirrels—in your yard.”

The best way to keep a squirrel away is to make feeders less accessible to them, Mullins said.

“Place feeders well away from trees, wires and porches to make it more difficult for squirrels to get on the feeder,” he said.

Ideally, mount a bird feeder on a smooth metal pole at least 6 feet high, and prune any branches within a 12foot radius. Placing a wire bird cage around the feeder or smooth plastic or metal baffles above and below the feeder also might restrict a squirrel’s ability to get to the food.

Also consider these tips:

Replace destroyed feeders with

specially designed bird feeders fitted with doors that close when triggered by a squirrel’s weight. Alternatively, choose metal feeders that squirrels will be less likely to chew through.

Feed birds nyger or safflower seed,

which are less attractive to squirrels.

You also can try adding cayenne pepper or similar spices to birdseed to deter squirrels; squirrels are sensitive to the perceived heat of peppers, while birds are not.

“If all else fails, consider putting food out for the squirrels,” Mullins said.

“Squirrels love to eat dried corn.

Perhaps they’ll consider snacking on the corn and leave the bird feed alone.”

Clean and remove debris and spilled seed from the ground that could be attracting squirrels.

Hang a feeder from a thin horizontal

wire strung with spinners to keep squirrels from climbing across the wire. Spinners can be recycled thread spools, short lengths of pipe or hose, or empty plastic soda bottles strung along the wire.

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The lengths to which squirrels will go to eat from backyard bird feeders can be surprising, entertaining and infuriating.

Preparing your spring garden in February How early is too early to start a spring garden?

With winter in full swing, many gardeners are itching to get out in their yards and start planting. But in Virginia, “most plants need to be planted after the last frost,” said Chris Mullins, a fruit and vegetable specialist for Virginia Cooperative Extension at Virginia State University.

Mullins recommends reviewing the Extension Vegetable Planting Guide and Recommended Planting Dates online at pubs.extvt.edu/426/426331/426-331_pdf.pdf.

“Some crops, such as certain lettuces, are frost-tolerant and could be planted outdoors in February or March, depending on where you live,” he said. “But most people will probably want to start by growing spring garden transplants in a sunroom or using grow lights in their home.”

Warm-weather crops such as tomatoes, peppers and lettuce can successfully be started indoors in February and moved outdoors later, Mullins said. If you’re determined to start planting outdoors in February, some lettuces will do well in cold temperatures, as will cole crops such as broccoli, cauliflower and Swiss chard.

English peas and cole crops produce better when seeded directly to the ground instead of transplanted, Mullins said, so consider starting those outdoors earlier than May. He recommended checking information on the seed packaging to determine planting dates and whether the plants are frost-resistant. He also recommended using row covers or garden tunnels if planting directly in the ground when temperatures could dip below freezing.

Certain frost-tolerant lettuces can be started outside in February or March. Check package directions.

Other types of protection can be used to shield plants from wind and cold, including plastic milk jugs and other plastic bottles. Remove the bottoms of the bottles, and they serve as mini-greenhouses when their caps are removed.

Mullins hosts vegetable gardening segments on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly television program, which can be viewed on local stations statewide, on RFD-TV and at VaFarmBureau.org.

VaFarmBureau.org / FEBRUARY 2015

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Heart of the Home

Ewe tried any lamb lately?

“Lamb” is used to define sheep meat from an animal that is less than one year old.

Lamb consumption in the United States is concentrated on the coasts and in larger metropolitan areas, which means Virginia lamb producers are well-situated to reach markets between Boston and Miami. The most recent Census of Agriculture found nearly 85,000 sheep and lambs being raised on about 2,300 Virginia farms.

The American Lamb Board celebrates Lamb Lovers’ Month in February.

Loin Chops with Lemon-Honey-Thyme Marinade INGREDIENTS

½ cup honey ½ cup fresh lemon juice ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard ½ teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 4 lamb chops (loin, rib, sirloin or shoulder) DIRECTIONS

In a small saucepan, combine honey, lemon juice, olive oil, thyme, mustard, salt and pepper flakes. Over medium heat, bring to a slight simmer, then remove from heat immediately and let marinade cool. Set aside ¼ of the marinade for later use.

With a fork, pierce lamb chops several times on all sides. Place chops in a plastic food storage bag, and coat with marinade. Marinate at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove chops, discarding remaining marinade.

Cook times will vary depending on thickness of chops. For 1" chops, broil or grill over medium heat for about 4-6 minutes per side or until they reach desired doneness. You also can pan-fry the chops and then transfer to a baking sheet and let them finish cooking in a 400° oven until they reach desired doneness.

Brush chops with warmed reserved marinade before serving. Serves 4.

Source: American Lamb Board

AMERICAN LAMB BOARD

These chops can be broiled, grilled or pan-fried. Cooking times will vary based on thickness.

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A Pie for All Seasons

Sweet chocolate pie is perfect for your sweetheart We’ve all heard the phrase “as American as apple pie,” but pies actually originated elsewhere and didn’t start out filled with fruit.

According to the American Pie Council, the first pies were made by ancient Romans, who may have learned about filled pastry dishes from the Greeks. The first known pie recipe—for a rye-crusted goat cheese and honey pie—was published by the Romans in the 14th century, the pie council said. Credit for the first fruit pie is given to England’s Queen Elizabeth 1.

English settlers brought pie to America, according to the APC, and early American pie crusts were not so much part of a dish as a vessel to hold the filling during baking.

Chocolate Pie INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons flour ⅓ cup cocoa ½ teaspoon salt 2 eggs ¾ cup milk 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 tablespoon vanilla 1 unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 350°. In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, butter and vanilla. Blend in the dry ingredients, and mix well. Pour filling into the unbaked pie shell.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until filling is set.

Source: Country Treasures from Virginia Farm Bureau Kitchens

Chocolate is always in season!

Throughout 2015, we plan to offer Cultivate readers seasonal pie recipes. It’s the middle of winter, and not much is in season. But, fortunately, chocolate is always available! What better way to show your appreciation to a loved one than with a smooth, sweet chocolate pie?

This simple chocolate pie recipe can be dressed up with a variety of toppings.

VaFarmBureau.org / FEBRUARY 2015

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Stewards of the Land

Meet Bob and Susan Threewitts Twin Oaks Farm, Rockingham County The farm: Bob and Susan Threewitts have been farming since 1978. They currently operate three farms that comprise a total of 300 acres, raising about 200 cows and calves, growing 125 acres of hay and operating two broiler houses in which they raise about 550,000 chickens each year.

The family:

Farm Bureau involvement: Bob is a former Rockingham County Farm Bureau president and currently serves on that organization’s board.

Susan chairs the Rockingham Farm Bureau Women’s Committee and serves as secretary of the county Farm Bureau board.

Stewardship practice: The Threewitts’ farm is at the beginning of Cub Run, a tributary of the Shenandoah River. There also are two feeder streams that traverse the 90-acre pasture on the main farm,

PHOTOS BY KATHY DIXON

Bob grew up on his family’s Virginia Century Farm in Surry County. Susan grew up on the couple’s farm in Keezletown, which has been in her family for almost 100 years. Their son, Chris, helps with the farming operation and works full time for Southern States Inc. in Luray. Daughters Kathryn

and Lee have off-farm jobs. The Threewitts also have two grandsons, who are 9 and 7.

and the couple wanted to fence their cattle out of all three bodies of water.

To accomplish that, they needed to find an alternate water source for the animals. They were able to tap into a natural spring that gravity-feeds into seven watering stations located in their six pastures; no electricity is involved.

“If we’re ever gone, we know there is always water for the cattle,” Bob said.

The spring moves about 12,000 gallons of fresh water a day through the waterers, eventually feeding into Cub Run. To protect the water and keep it healthy before it runs off the farm, the Threewitts built fences on either side of the streams to keep the cattle from drinking the water or wading in it. A buffer strip of vegetation runs along the streams, and the Threewitts also planted sod and trees. Virginia Tech put water monitoring stations along the streams, and “bottom line,” Bob said, “when the water leaves the farm, it is cleaner than when it enters our property.”

The fencing and plantings were partially paid for through a costshare program with a Chesapeake Bay Funders Network grant and administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources and Conservation Service.

Biggest source of pride:

Susan and Bob Threewitts installed spring-fed watering stations on their pastureland when they fenced their cattle out of three streams.

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“It’s been well worth the money and effort,” Bob said. “The herd is healthier, and so is the water in the stream. And the six parcels allow us to better manage our forage resources by using rotational grazing for the cattle.”

“ The herd is healthier, and so is the water,� Bob said of the exclusion fencing.

Trade with Cuba, Virginia oysters featured on Real Virginia Featured this month on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly television program: • What opportunities might normalized relations between the United States and Cuba create for Virginia farmers?

• The Old Dominion’s oyster harvest.

Real Virginia airs nationwide at 3:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month on RFD-TV on Dish Network and DirecTV. It airs weekly on WVPT Harrisonburg, WBRA Roanoke, WCVE Richmond, WHRO Norfolk, WVVA Bluefield and WTKR Norfolk, as well as on cable systems across the state. It’s available online at VaFarmBureau.org.

Real Virginia To view Real Virginia, visit VaFarmBureau.org.

Farm Bureau needs your updated contact information, including email Are your membership records current?

If you’ve moved, acquired a new telephone number, or changed your name or email address, it’s important that your new information is reflected in your membership and insurance records.

Email addresses and cell phone numbers help your Farm Bureau agent reach you in instances where prompt communication is important.

If you need to update your records, email your current contact information to membership@vafb.com, and our staff will handle the update. You’re also welcome to call or visit your county Farm Bureau office to update your records.

2015 magazine classified ad schedule and policies Members of Virginia Farm Bureau will receive one free 15-word classified ad per membership per year in Cultivate, which is mailed to associate members, or in Virginia Farm Bureau News, which is mailed to producer members.

Ads of 16 to 30 words must be accompanied by payment of $20.

Any additional ads placed by members in the same calendar year must be accompanied by payment of $10 for 15 words or fewer, or $20 for 16 to 30 words. Ads submitted without payment will be returned. We do not invoice for classified ads or provide

proofs or tearsheets.

Ads with more than 30 words and ads from nonmembers will not be accepted.

Use the form in the February 2015 issue of Cultivate or the online form at VaFarmBureau.org to place your ad.

No ads or cancellations will be taken by phone. Ads will be accepted only from members whose membership is current.

Magazine classified ads can be placed in the following five categories only: • Crops; • Farm Equipment;

• Hay/Straw; • Livestock; and • Livestock equipment.

Classified ads will be published in the following issues: • April Cultivate (mailed to associate members only); • May Virginia Farm Bureau News (mailed to producer members only); • July Cultivate (mailed to associate members only); and • August Virginia Farm Bureau News (mailed to producer members only).

Finding your member number When placing your ad, be sure to include your Farm Bureau member number, which can be found above your name on the

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mailing label of your copy of Cultivate. All member numbers will be verified

Marketplace

How to place your classified ad STEP 1 Use the form below to provide contact information and the text for your ad.

• Ads will be accepted from Farm Bureau members only.

• Classified ads are not transferable.

• Please type or print.

• Classified ads will not be accepted or cancelled over the phone.

STEP 2 Indicate the issues in which you want your ad to run.

STEP 3 Select the category in which you want your ad to run (Pick one only).

STEP 4

Your first ad of 15 words or less is free with your membership.

Pricing for additional ads: 1–15 words $10/ad 16–30 words $20/ad Additional ads must be accompanied by a check (no cash) for each issue in which the ad is to appear.

• Make check payable to: Virginia Farm Bureau.

• Ads longer than 30 words will not be accepted.

• We do not invoice for classified ads or

provide proofs or tearsheets.

• Ads submitted without payment will be returned.

STEP 5

Mail your ad (and payment) to: Virginia Farm Bureau News/Cultivate Classifieds P.O. Box 27552 Richmond, VA 23261-7552 Or place it via the Virginia Farm Bureau website at VaFarmBureau.org/.

Deadlines Ads and cancellations must be received (not mailed) by the following deadlines: ISSUE

DEADLINE

Mailed to producer members May April 1 August July 1 Mailed to associate members April March 2 July June 1

Important: We are not responsible for typographical errors or errors due to illegible handwriting (No refunds available). Classified ads carried in Cultivate and Virginia Farm Bureau News do not constitute an endorsement by Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and its affiliated companies and organizations.

We reserve the right to edit or reject ads, including ads that represent a business in competition with the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company or any of our affiliated or affinity partners. We reserve the right to edit or reject any advertisement that makes reference to any particular political party or group, religious belief or denomination, race, creed, color or national origin.

Moving? If your address or phone number has changed—or is about to—don’t forget to contact your county Farm Bureau office to ensure that your membership and subscription information stays current!

One free 15-word ad per membership per year; dues must be paid before placing ad.

NAME: __________________________________________________________________________________________ MEMBER NO.: _____________________________________________________________________________________ COUNTY: ________________________________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS: _______________________________________________________________________________________ CITY: _________________________________________

STATE: _______________________

ZIP: _____________

DAYTIME PHONE NUMBER: _________________________________ E-MAIL ADDRESS: ________________________ Ads will not be accepted without the information above

ADVERTISEMENT (one word per space; please type or print):

Category in which ad should run (select only one): q Crops q Farm Equipment q Hay/Straw q Livestock q Livestock Equipment No other categories available

1._______________________ 2._____________________ 3. ________________________ 4. _______________________ 5. _____________________________ 6. ______________________ 7. _____________________ 8. ________________________ 9. _______________________ 10. _____________________________ ( ) 11. ______________________ 12. ____________________ 13. _______________________ 14. ______________________ 15. _____________________________ phone number

ISSUE IN WHICH AD SHOULD RUN: q August (mailed to producer members) q April (mailed to associate members) q This is my one free 15-word ad for 2015 q Payment enclosed: $ _____________ q May (mailed to producer members) q Please place my ad in The Delmarva Farmer for 4 weeks at no additional cost to me. q July (mailed to associate members) Your ad will automatically be included in the online VFB Marketplace for free Ad placement available for these issues only (Ads expire with membership).

*

VaFarmBureau.org / FEBRUARY 2015

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Breaking new ground, all the time It won’t be long before farmers across Virginia begin spring planting, but Farm Bureau members like you help the organization break new ground year-round.

For less than $4 a month you’re helping to ensure that working farmland stays in production, that Virginia farmers get the information they need to be successful, and that their interests are represented to elected officials.

You can make an even bigger difference this year by telling your family, friends and neighbors about Farm Bureau and encouraging them to become members as well.

There’s never been a better year, and we’re just getting started.

VaFarmBureau.org