FBN March 2015

Farm Bureau News

The Voice of Virginia’s Agriculture Producers

MARCH 2015 | VAFARMBUREAU.ORG

Grain program saves farmers time, provides prices

Farm Bureau News

Volume 74, Number 2 March 2015

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Features 16

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Grain program saves farmers time, provides prices

Last year Virginia Farm Bureau’s grain marketing program helped move 2.51 million bushels of product.

Farm Bureau bringing Seed Survivor display to schools

Elementary school students have been getting a taste of agriculture this winter—right in their schools’ parking lots.

SARA OWENS

Virginia Farm Bureau News (USPS 017-763) (ISSN 1525-528X) is published six times a year, January, March, May, June, August, September/October (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 $1.42 (included in membership dues).

“Instead of having to make 10 phone calls, I can make one phone call. … I get the best price, and the trucks come to the farm to get the grain.”

Postmaster: Please send changes of address to, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, Farm Bureau News, P.O. Box 27552, Richmond, VA 23261-7552; fax 804-290-1096. Editorial and business offices are located at 12580 West Creek Parkway, Richmond, VA 23238. Telephone 804-290-1000, fax 804-290-1096. Email virginiafarmbureaunews@vafb.com. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

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.

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

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“Farm Bureau Proud” event delivered insights

American Farm Bureau’s president called today’s farmers “a living, breathing testament to the power of perseverance” at an event chock-full of workshops to help producers have a successful 2015.

—GEORGE RICE, Hanover County grain producer

Departments 10

Across America

15 Viewing Virginia 22

For Your Benefit

27

A Pie for Every Season

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Heart of the Home

PUBLICATION SCHEDULE

ON THE COVER

Producer members will receive their next issue of Virginia Farm Bureau News in May. The magazine is published six times a year.

Farm Bureau’s grain division helps members buy and sell grain and feed ingredients (Photo by Sara Owens).

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

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

Officers Wayne F. Pryor, President Scott E. Sink, Vice President

Board of Directors DIRECTOR

DISTRICT COUNTY

Emily Edmondson 1 Tazewell Richard L. Sutherland 2 Grayson Evelyn H. Janney 3 Floyd Gordon R. Metz 4 Henry Stephen L. Saufley 5 Rockingham Peter A. Truban 6 Shenandoah Thomas E. Graves 7 Orange Leigh H. Pemberton 8 Hanover William F. Osl Jr. 9 Cumberland Robert J. Mills Jr. 10 Pittsylvania J. M. Jenkins Jr. 11 Lunenburg W. Ellis Walton 12 Middlesex M. L. Everett Jr. 13 Southampton David L. Hickman 14 Accomack Janice R. Burton * Halifax Grant A. Coffee ** Lunenburg *Women’s Committee Chairman **Young Farmers Committee Chairman

President’s Message

Agriculture benefits as volunteers sow seeds for learning

Books read during Agriculture Literacy Week 2015 – My Virginia Plate 2014 – What’s in the Garden?

By the time this issue of Virginia Farm Bureau News reaches you, Farm Bureau volunteers throughout the commonwealth WAYNE F. PRYOR will be readying for Virginia’s fifth annual Agriculture Literacy Week.

It’s March 15-21 this year, concurrent with National Agriculture Week—and not by coincidence.

During that week, volunteers from many different sectors of Virginia’s agriculture and agribusiness community will visit elementary schools, preschools and libraries in their communities to read agriculturerelated books to children. Many of them will read My Virginia Plate, the 2015 Agriculture in the Classroom Book of the Year, and many will donate a copy of that book to school or classroom libraries.

If you’ve ever sat down with a book in the rocking chair of a classroom story corner, and had 30 pairs of eyes trained on you, you know what a vantage point that is for sharing information. It encourages children not only to follow what’s in the book, but also to think it through and ask questions. I’ve read in classrooms before, and I’ve gotten lots and lots of questions!

The majority of children in participating schools—even the schools in rural areas—do not live on farms, though they might see them from the

school bus window or visit one on a field trip. Agriculture Literacy Week helps make them aware that there are many farms not far from their homes and schools, and that those farms are a source of many products their families use every day.

There has never been a shortage of willing Agriculture Literacy Week volunteers. They’ve included county Farm Bureau women’s committees, Young Farmers and board members, as well as FFA and 4-H members, agribusiness professionals and staff from state agencies. In addition to reading in classrooms, many have brought animals and samples of different farm products, and they’ve told children about the work they do on their respective farms.

Last year, volunteers read in 2,300 classrooms and reached more than 50,000 children. This year, I have no doubt they will raise the bar again, and I want to thank them in advance. Farm Bureau and AITC also are grateful to our book sponsors, James River Equipment, Tyson Foods and Virginia Grown, for their support.

We’re also grateful to the many schools that will be opening their doors to visiting farmers.

This year’s effort is shaping up to be one for the books.

2013 – Kelly’s Big Day 2012 – From Our Fields … To You 2011 – Ready, Set, GROW!

WANT TO KNOW MORE? Wayne F. Pryor, a Goochland County beef and grain producer, is president of Virginia Farm Bureau.

For more information about Agriculture Literacy Week, visit AgInTheClass.org.

VaFarmBureau.org / MARCH 2015

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National Ag Day – March 18 National Ag Week – March 15-21 If you’re a Virginia farmer and a Farm Bureau producer member, you’re part of a resilient and forward-looking community that, in 2014:

Larry Bright and his wife, Debby, have pasture-raised hogs, beef cattle and pasture-raised Thanksgiving turkeys and broiler chickens on Bright Farm in Floyd County. The Brights were featured in an April 2014 article in Cultivate magazine.

KATHY DIXON

• helped contribute $70 billion to Virginia’s economy and participated in a growing and thriving ag export effort; • made farm-fresh foods and other products available at more than 200 farmers’ markets statewide; • made their voices heard by elected officials and other decision-makers on local, state and national issues; • worked with community organizations to address struggling families’ need for food; • reached out to more than 50,000 children during Agriculture Literacy Week; and • helped support the commonwealth’s largest farmers’ advocacy organization.

Thank you for everything you do.

Save the Date!

Farm-to-school conference set for March 18 and 19

Horses and horse enthusiasts will be making tracks to Caroline County.

Virginia Horse Festival offers something for all equine interests A brand-new signature event at The Meadow Event Park has something for everyone.

The Virginia Horse Festival, which will be held on the historic property March 27-29, is for experienced horse riders; new horse owners; those thinking about buying a horse; people who enjoy Western wear, jewelry and boots; dog lovers; and Virginians who enjoy being outside at a picturesque venue.

For ticket pricing, other festival information and a complete schedule—or to save on admission when buying tickets in advance—visit VirginiaHorseFestival.com.

With more than 75 clinics, demonstrations and seminars led by local, regional and national experts, the festival offers a wide variety of opportunities to learn more about horsemanship and ownership. But it offers entertainment as well.

A special birthday celebration will be held for racing legend Secretariat, who was born on the property in 1970. Festivities throughout the weekend include celebrity appearances by members of the Secretariat team at the exhibit hall and at a VIP reception; narrated tram tours of the farm; and an open house at Meadow Hall featuring the Meadow Champion Galleries, Triple Crown Room and Museum of the Virginia Horse. Details are available at SecretariatsMeadow.com.

The Extreme Mustang Makeover competition is an additional event for which almost 30 people have spent recent months training wild mustangs.

They will show off their horses’ skills during the finale Saturday night, and the mustangs will be auctioned when the competition concludes.

On Sunday, the Central Virginia Agility Club will present a group of talented dogs that jump hurdles, run obstacle courses, snatch discs and show off their moves in the popular canine sport.

The Virginia Farm-to-School Conference will be held March 18 and 19 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Charlottesville.

Conference speakers will address issues related to procuring locally grown foods for school systems and incorporating more of those foods into school menus. Education programs will cover topics such as food safety, school gardens and community collaborations.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services was awarded a U.S. Department of Agriculture farm-to-school event grant for a statewide conference to increase the number of school systems incorporating Virginia-grown products into their menus while encouraging reliable, ongoing markets.

Registration is $40. Conference details and online registration are available at vdacs.virginia.gov/ marketing/f2sconference.shtml.

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/memberprograms/ contestsandawards.

VaFarmBureau.org / MARCH 2015

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Save the Date!

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.

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/memberprograms/ contestsandawards.

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March 18 National Agriculture Day

March 15-21 National Agriculture Week

Number of burglaries reported on Virginia farms in 2013, according to the Virginia State Police.

See the related article on Page 15.

Financing Country Living Since 1916 The Experts in Rural Finance Homes • Land • Construction • Livestock Barns • Outbuildings • Equipment

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

FarmCredit.com

KATHY DIXON

Del. Bobby Orrock (top), R-Thornburg, was a fan of the traditional strawberry milk punch at Farm Bureau’s legislative reception. Orrock also tried his hand at “milking” a replica of a dairy cow (center).

Lynwood Broaddus (bottom) of Caroline County met with an aide to Del. Buddy Fowler, R-Glen Allen.

NORM HYDE

SARA OWENS

SARA OWENS

Members share views with state legislators

Bill Osl of Cumberland County, who serves on the VFBF board, was among a large group of members who met with Sen. Frank Ruff, R-Clarksville.

About 130 Farm Bureau volunteer leaders converged on Richmond from across the commonwealth Jan. 29 for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s annual Legislative Day. The previous evening, the VFBF Women’s Committee hosted a legislative reception that offered members an opportunity to chat with their legislators in a casual setting. It also featured foods and beverages from Virginia farms and the opportunity to “milk” a faux dairy cow that was part of the Farm Bureau exhibit at last fall’s State Fair of Virginia.

The next morning, Farm Bureau representatives met with their state senators and delegates to discuss farming issues of concern.

Topics included agriculture best management practice cost-share funding and funding for soil and water conservation districts; biosolids; Virginia’s Right to Farm Act; the importance of the state’s weights and measures program; and the need to maintain funding for existing coyote damage control services.

VaFarmBureau.org / MARCH 2015

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Seed Survivor mobile display aims to educate children about agriculture Most American children do not live on farms.

A mobile exhibit has been bringing a taste of farming to their schools.

BY SARA OWENS

Hands-on presentation Students spend half of the one-hour Seed Survivor presentation inside the mobile display playing multimedia 8

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

PHOTOS BY SARA OWENS

E

lementary school children are getting a taste of agriculture— right in their schools’ parking lots—thanks to Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s partnership with Agrium Inc. Farm Bureau has teamed up with Agrium to bring a mobile Seed Survivor exhibit to public and private schools across the commonwealth. Seed Survivor is a free, curriculum-based learning experience that encourages children to master the elements that plants need to grow.

“This program provides opportunities to get future generations excited about agriculture,” said Ron Saacke, VFBF director of the Women’s and Young Farmers programs and Agriculture in the Classroom. “It simply connects students to the science and technology behind all types of crop production practices while allowing Agrium and Farm Bureau to show we care about the environment and what we produce for them.”

Adults and children will have an opportunity to view the mobile agriculture classroom from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 14 during the Virginia Beach Farmers Market’s National Ag Day Expo. The market is at 3640 Dam Neck Road in Virginia Beach.

and virtual reality video games related to soil, water, sunlight, nutrients and growth. The other half of the presentation is spent in a guided lesson on plant nutrients. After learning about the elements needed for plants to survive, students plant a sunflower seed to take home and grow.

The exhibit began traveling to Virginia schools on Nov. 17, 2014, and will conclude April 1, having reached nearly 7,000 third-, fourth- and fifthgraders at more than 55 schools.

“This mobile display is one of only two that travel around the United States and Canada each year,” Saacke said. “We’re lucky to have it here in Virginia, and we’ve tried to get it out to as many elementary students as possible before it moves to another state in April.”

Mark Lilly, a contract educator for the program, said he was interested in helping with the program because he grew up in farming.

“We teach about agriculture and how farmers do what they do, and how they do it more efficiently,” Lilly said.

“The kids get really excited about the interactive trailer and planting the sunflower seed and watching it grow.

If I piqued one child’s interest, I’ve done my job.”

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more details about Seed Survivor, visit seedsurvivor.com.

QUICK FACTS: Seed Survivor was developed in 2005 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

by Agrium Inc. • The display was featured at the State Fair of Virginia in 2013 and 2014.

• Teachers and industry experts worked together to develop the display’s activities, games and content.

• The display has five interactive learning stations that focus on water, light, soil, nutrients and growth.

In January, students at South Elementary School in Prince George County played interactive games (inset) and planted sunflower seeds in the Seed Survivor exhibit.

Across America

Farm Bureau, others support normalized relations with Cuba The American Farm Bureau Federation has voiced support for President Obama’s move toward normalized relations between the United States and Cuba. The process is expected to facilitate expanded U.S. farm exports to Cuba.

AFBF President Bob Stallman noted that U.S. farmers currently can export goods to Cuba, “but third-party banking requirements and limited credit financing make it harder to compete in the market than it should be. We look forward to a prompt lifting of those restrictions. Improving trade relations between the United States and Cuba will expand access to a market of 11 million consumers for U.S. agriculture. That’s good for Cuba and good for America too.”

On Jan. 8, the AFBF was among more than 25 U.S. food and agriculture companies and organizations that announced creation of the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba.

The coalition seeks the end of the U.S. embargo on Cuba and the advancement of trade relations.

Virginia has exported agricultural goods to Cuba since 2003, the first year in which U.S. exports to that nation were allowed since 1961. In 2013, the commonwealth exported $38 million in agricultural products to Cuba, among them apples, soybeans and soybean meal. Virginia is among the top four states that export to Cuba, the other three being Louisiana, Florida and Georgia.

On Jan. 7, Gov. Terry McAuliffe met with Dr. Jose Ramon Cabanas 10

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

PHOTO

Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean. It has more than 11 million inhabitants.

Rodriguez, chief of the Cuban Interests Section in Washington.

Cabanas also met with Virginia Farm Bureau Federation President Wayne F. Pryor and other VFBF representatives.

Cabanas noted that Virginia has actively pursued ag export opportunities in Cuba and consistently has sought relevant contacts and relationships. “You have been, in ways, pioneers,” he said.

Consequently, he explained, Virginia and its agricultural products are in a favorable position as the two countries begin to consider a post-embargo future.

“If we are able to remove the obstacles, …

I would say the limit is the sky.”

Spencer Neale, VFBF commodity marketing director, said the opportunities are present to significantly expand exports of raw and processed U.S. farm products to Cuba. “And if the United States does normalize relations with Cuba, I am sure they will have agricultural products to export to us that will be attractive to our consumers and provide an economic boost to their farm sector.”

Across America

New report illustrates diversity among family farms

M

ost farms in the United States, including those in Virginia, are familyoperated, but not all family farms are the same.

That is the thrust of a report recently issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. The report, using a new classification system, examined annual revenue of U.S. farms, major occupations of farm operators and family and nonfamily farm ownership.

It defined a family farm as any farm where the majority of the business is owned by the operator and individuals related to the operator.

Tony Banks, a commodity marketing specialist for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, noted that, with slight variation, Virginia farm sizes and characteristics are similar to the national averages in the report. In Virginia, as well as nationwide, 90 percent of family farms would be considered small, with an annual gross cash income of $349,999 or less.

The USDA report noted that, while small farms operate half of the nation’s total farmland, they account for only 26 percent of production. Family farms of different types account for 97 percent of U.S. farms and 85 percent of production.

In terms of crops, the report noted that different types of farms account for the production of specific commodities. Midsize and large-scale family farms dominate the production of cotton, cash grain and hogs. Large-scale family farms and nonfamily farms dominate the production of high-value crops and dairy. Small farms produce roughly half of the nation’s hay, poultry and other livestock.

The majority of U.S. and Virginia farms are family-owned and family-operated.

Many farms have multiple operators, and many larger farms have multiple generations of operators.

Thirty-two percent of U.S. farms have a principal operator at least 65 years old. The report pointed out that the presence or absence of younger related operators can affect farm expansion and contraction decisions as well as succession.

The nonfarm economy is critically important to operators of small family farms. Because many small-farm households rely on off-farm sources for most of their income, general economic policies can be as important to them as farm policy.

The full report is available at ers. usda.gov/media/1728220/eib-133.pdf.

VaFarmBureau.org / MARCH 2015

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Across America

Dairy production, herd size see notable increases

Virginia was home to 92,000 dairy cows this past fall.

U.S. milk production is up nearly 4 percent from a year ago, and so is production per cow and the size of the nation’s collective dairy herd.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reported on Nov. 19, 2014, that milk production in the country’s 23 major dairy states in October was 16 billion pounds—3.9 percent more than in October 2013.

Production per cow in the 23 states averaged 1,868 pounds, which is 51 pounds more than a year ago and the highest per-cow rate for October since NASS began tracking production for the 23 states in 2003.

Shifts in domestic demand for dairy products and near-record highs for U.S. dairy exports are driving increased U.S. milk production, said Tony Banks, a commodity marketing specialist for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.

“U.S. dairy farms are among the most efficient in the world, and farmers will respond to market signals,” Banks said.

“These production increases have to occur in spite of very high feed costs, and drought affects whether dairymen are to maintain or improve net operating margins. Higher farm milk 12

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

prices and record-high cattle prices are encouraging dairy farmers to maximize dairy rations for production and to cull less-productive cows much quicker.

“Constant improvements in dairy genetics and computerized feeding systems also have contributed to increased per-cow and per-herd milk production.”

The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 states was 8.59 million, or 89,000 more than in October 2013.

Virginia is among those 23 states, along with Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

The NASS report indicated 92,000 milk cows in the commonwealth, compared to 94,000 a year earlier but noted a per-cow production average increase, from 1,510 pounds in October 2013 to 1,580 pounds in October 2014.

Virginia milk production for October was just over 2.3 billion pounds, which represents an increase of 2.1 percent over October 2013.

Per-capita egg consumption is expected to reach 257.9 this year.

Egg consumption is at seven-year high Americans are eating nearly four more eggs per person per year than they did before 2011, and U.S. egg production at the end of last summer was 3 percent higher than it was a year before.

The American Egg Board reported late last year that U.S. per capita egg consumption rose from 247.9 eggs in 2011 to 251.3 eggs in 2013. It is expected to rise to 257.9 eggs this year.

On a related note, a meta-analysis published last year in the British Medical Journal concluded that higher consumption of eggs is not associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease or stroke.

Across America

Farmers share production practices in video series

The documentary Farmland made its debut last spring.

Farmland film available via on-demand, digital platforms Academy Award-winning filmmaker James Moll’s feature-length documentary Farmland is now available for rent and purchase via on-demand platforms.

Farmland is available for digital download via iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Blockbuster On Demand, Sony Playstation, Vudu.com, Xbox and YouTube. The film also is available to traditional satellite and cable television subscribers and DirecTV and DISH subscribers via video-on-demand or pay-per-view platforms.

Farmland, which made its theatrical debut in 2014, affords viewers a glimpse into the lives of six American farmers and ranchers. It was made with support from the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance, of which the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and the American Farm Bureau Federation are members.

View the official Farmland trailer at farmlandfilm.com.

The Internet is a boundless source of videos on how things are done. Now some U.S. farmers are sharing videos about what they do every day, with the goal of reaching consumers who have questions.

Videos titled How to Milk 1,200 Cows, How to Care for 7,000 Pigs, How to Gather 50,000 Eggs a Day and How to Use Trash to Help Crops Grow have been released by the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance on its website, fooddialogues.com. The “trash” in the crops video title refers to residue from a previous year’s crop.

“What we hope to do, specifically, with this project is to make sure the trust in food production is continuing to grow and that farmers really have the freedom to operate their farms the way that they want to, and to respond to consumer demands that are coming from an informed consumer instead of a consumer who has unrealistic fears about how their food is produced,” said USFRA CEO Randy Krotz.

The USFRA consists of more than 80 farmer- and rancher-led organizations and agricultural partners working to engage in dialogue with consumers who have questions about how food is grown and raised. Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and the American Farm Bureau Federation are members.

VaFarmBureau.org / MARCH 2015

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Across America

Bill would clarify Affordable Care Act’s seasonal employment definition H.R. 863 opts for specifics over ‘good faith’ interpretation; might not work for all Virginia farmers The bipartisan Simplifying Technical Aspects Regarding Seasonality Act of 2015, or STARS Act, provides a needed clarification to the employer mandate’s seasonal worker exemption provision within the Affordable Care Act. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the bill also known as H.R. 863 would clearly define seasonal employment and reduce the administrative burden for small businesses like family farms and ranches and help them avoid hefty penalties.

The AFBF-supported legislation was introduced in February by U.S. Reps. James Renacci, R-Ohio; Kurt Schrader, D-Oregon; Lynn Jenkins, R-Kansas; and Jim Costa, D-California.

Under the ACA, large employers are required to offer health care coverage or pay a fine. Though the law intended to grant an exemption for small, seasonal employers, that intent is lost in multiple inconsistent definitions and burdensome red tape, explained AFBF health insurance specialist Pat Wolff.

To determine whether one qualifies as an “applicable large employer” who must offer health care coverage, an employer must go through multiple steps to determine if he or she averages 50 or more full-time employees or full-time equivalents over the course of the year.

However, if an employer’s workforce exceeds 50 full-time equivalents for not more than 120 days, the employer may remove seasonal workers from the equation and recalculate.

Rules permit the use of a “good faith” interpretation of seasonal worker based on the nature of the work performed.

“Both the calculations for determining if an employer is considered large and the calculation to determine if an employee is full-time are complex and confusing,” Wolff said. “In addition, the definition of a seasonal worker and a seasonal employee are not interchangeable.”

The STARS Act would align the definitions of seasonal worker and seasonal employee as a worker who is employed on a seasonal basis for six months or less during 14

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

the calendar year. It also would simplify the formulas that seasonal employers use to determine if they are Applicable Large Employers and to determine the full-time status of their seasonal employees.

“This targeted approach provides critical relief without fundamentally upsetting the intent of the ACA’s employer provisions,” AFBF, several state Farm Bureaus and more than 100 other organizations wrote in a letter of support to the bill’s sponsors.

Wilmer Stoneman, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation associate director of governmental relations, said VFBF has qualified its support for the bill by expressing the concerns that six months is not enough time for some producers who employ seasonal workers.

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Viewing Virginia

Farms, rural areas not immune to thefts and other crimes

A

ccording to the 2013 Crime in Virginia report compiled by the Virginia State Police, there were 39 burglaries reported at farm facilities that year, along with 20 more in fields and woodlands. Eighteen cases of stolen property were reported from those types of locations, along with 631 cases of vandalism, mostly in fields and woodlands.

The report is a compilation of local police reports gathered from across the state.

“We had a tremendous problem with metal theft a couple of years ago,” said David Hickman, a member of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation board of directors who farms in Accomack County on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

“Center pivot (irrigation) systems are a major target. They steal the electrical wire. When they melt all the rubber off, they get about $400 for scrap metal at the junkyard, but it costs a farmer $5,000 to replace.”

Hickman’s farm was hit four times three years ago, and he was worried he would be dropped by his insurance company. He installed a wireless security system on his irrigation equipment that alerts him if someone tampers with the equipment.

Such thefts “have calmed down, in part because of strong prosecution,” Hickman said. “One case took me three days in court, but they convicted the guy and I get some restitution. Every few months I get $100 in the mail. I’ll never get back all that I lost, though.”

The Virginia General Assembly

Irrigation equipment is among major targets of thieves in rural areas who want to sell stolen metal for scrap.

tightened regulations on scrap metal dealers in 2013, requiring dealers to document many objects sold to them in an effort to reduce scrap metal thefts.

In California, metal theft alone cost farmers $1.1 million in 2013. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has recommended that local producers survey their properties regularly to reduce security threats; inventory farm equipment for insurance purposes; and take regular counts of livestock.

Other rural crime prevention tips include forming watch groups that work with local law enforcement to keep an eye on remote properties; marking, tagging or tattooing equipment

and animals; and installing video surveillance systems. Producers also are encouraged to use locks with metal covers over the hasps, light critical storage areas and fortify gates that could be removed easily.

“It’s not an organized program, but I tell my neighbors and people who live near an irrigation system that if they see anybody there, please call me right away,” Hickman said. “I have several contractors who’ll park their vehicles at my well-lit packing shed rather than leaving them out in the dark. You have to be careful leaving vehicles out in the field; they’ll siphon the gas right out of them.”

VaFarmBureau.org / MARCH 2015

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PHOTOS BY SARA OWENS

Farmers benefit from successful grain marketing program

Driver Anthony Pollard watches as corn is loaded into his truck on the Hanover County farm of George Rice.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

BY SARA OWENS

The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Grain Marketing Division moves a lot of corn, wheat, soybeans and barley across the state every year.

Last year the division helped market and move 2.51 million bushels of grain, which equates to 2,510 tractor trailerloads. The grain came from about 60 producers and was sold to 13 buyers in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

“In this day and age there are a lot of competing bidders for grain,” said Robert Harper, Farm Bureau’s grain manager.

“Farm Bureau is able to bring a huge volume of grains to companies, which can often mean better prices for growers, and a lot of companies like to work with Farm Bureau.”

The grain division is a licensed grain dealer that Farm Bureau put in place to help producer members buy and sell bulk loads of corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, oats and feed ingredients.

Harper has been selling grain for producers since July 2014. He previously worked as a Virginia Cooperative Extension agriculture and natural resources agent serving Goochland and Powhatan counties.

He also raises beef cattle.

“It’s just me, a computer and a phone, working to sell grain for our members,” he said. “My hope is that I’m adding value by marketing on behalf of our producers.”

“They can’t sit at the computer all day” Harper spends every morning reviewing newsletters and watching the futures market. Then he texts producers to let them know the outlook for the day.

“Farmers are busy, and they can’t sit at the computer all day and watch the prices and look at all of the information.

I do that for them,” he said. He can review the prices of more than 10 companies and see what they are paying locally.

“A producer could call each buyer themselves, but the hope is that they

“ I get the best price, and the trucks come to the farm to get the grain,” said Rice, who has sold grain through Farm Bureau since 1972.

call me, I tell them what the prices are, and in 30 seconds he or she can make a decision,” Harper said.

Hanover County grain and vegetable producer George Rice has used Farm Bureau’s Grain Marketing Division since the program was created in 1972.

His father, Leroy Rice, was part of a committee that advocated for forming the division in the late ‘60s.

Each year, Rice sells 40,000 bushels of grain. He likes the convenience and said he always gets the best price.

“Instead of having to make 10 phone calls, I can make one phone call (to Harper),” he said. “I get the best price, and the trucks come to the farm to get the grain.”

Producers have a lot of options Farm Bureau offers a delivered price and a picked-up price, so growers can either deliver their grain themselves or have a truck pick it up from the farm.

Farm Bureau works with reputable drivers for pick-ups and deliveries.

“We’ve worked with some of these drivers for more than 30 years,” Harper said. “They are dependable and do a great job.”

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information about the Grain Marketing Division, contact Robert Harper at 804-290-1105 or robert.harper@vafb.com.

To help growers make sound decisions about when to sell grain, Jonah Bowles, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation senior agriculture market analyst, is available to answer questions by phone and meet with growers to develop individual marketing plans.

Contact Bowles at 804-290-1117 or jonah.bowles@vafb.com.

VaFarmBureau.org / MARCH 2015

17

American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention

‘ Farm Bureau Proud’ event delivered insights for improved operations The 96th American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention theme was “Tradition, Perseverance, Vision: Farm Bureau Proud,” and AFBF President Bob Stallman called producers’ collaborative work for policy and programs that benefit all agriculture “Farm Bureau’s most enduring tradition.”

Stallman told the thousands of farmers attending the convention Jan. 9-14 in San Diego that, although commodity prices have dipped, America’s farmers and ranchers are “better off than they were 35 years ago.” He said anyone whose family has farmed over the past three decades is “a living, breathing testament to the power of perseverance.”

While weather and economic uncertainties plague farmers, he noted, the biggest threat to them is still illconceived government regulation.

That’s why delegates, including seven from Virginia, gathered at the convention to set AFBF policy for the upcoming year.

National priority issues included immigration reform; maintaining the federal farm bill; tax policies that encourage economic growth; common-sense solutions for protecting endangered species; energy independence; and a national, factbased approach to food labeling.

One issue that goes beyond the realm of legislation is that of protecting farm data. AFBF has been working to develop industry standards on how agricultural technology companies use and protect farmers’ proprietary information gleaned from precision farming techniques.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

KATHY DIXON

BY KATHY DIXON

The American Farm Bureau Federation annual convention was held Jan. 9-14 in San Diego.

“ Be sure to protect your own data” That was the message from Jason Tatge, one of the many workshop speakers at the convention. Tatge is president and CEO of Farmobile, a system that centralizes data from multiple systems, creating an electronic farm record for producers. Farmobile’s device is installed on farm equipment to simplify data collection.

Other companies offer similar systems. Tatge said it’s important for farmers to find a company that allows them to control their own data. “You should be worried about people getting intimate knowledge of your farming operations,” he warned. Modern farm equipment cabs are constantly collecting data through GPS and other precision application systems, and that information increases every year.

“Think of it as chapters in the book of your farm; you need to author your own crop stories and protect that book.”

Consumer research finds farmers need to raise their voices A standing-room-only crowd was told that consumers interviewed in 2014 by the Center for Food Integrity were less concerned about food issues than in 2013 but they were still concerned.

“For moms, the top issue was the rising cost of food,” said Charlie Arnot, the center’s CEO. More than 2,000 moms, millennials and foodies were surveyed on various topics relating to food production and the American food supply. “Keeping healthy food affordable is of high concern for all three groups.”

The research found that if farmers talk about how they are keeping healthy food affordable, it’s a good way to explain farming to consumers. Farmers need to continue building trust with the general public, Arnot said.

The CFI surveyed 6,000 consumers over the past three years and found

American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention that shared values are as much as five times more important in building trust than providing scientifically based information. “The facts alone don’t drive decisions; if moms think something’s bad for their kids, they won’t give it to them—regardless of the science. You need to become their allies and not attack them with data,” Arnot said.

When conversing with consumers about farming, agriculture and the nation’s food supply, the goal should not be to win an argument, he said.

“Find meaningful, relevant ways to introduce the science and technology side of an issue.”

Everybody has a stake in food safety In a workshop focused on U.S. Food and Drug Administration updates, Mike Taylor, FDA deputy commissioner for food and veterinary administration, said the agency’s jurisdiction over the human food supply is a farm-to-table operation.

The FDA’s role “cuts all the way across the food supply, and consumers are part of the system,” Taylor said. “We feel like we are part of a larger effort to have a safe, affordable food supply.”

While the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates meat and poultry products—and that regulation includes processing plants—the FDA regulates everything else related to the safety of the food supply, Taylor said. A newly created Food Safety Modernization Act will help ensure a safe food supply continues.

“That’s a goal everyone shares.”

In creating rules under the FSMA, the FDA has solicited feedback from the farming community. Signed in 2011, the act will have a common set of standards that are consistent for all agricultural commodities. Imported food will be held to the same standards as food produced domestically, and producers will be expected to comply with the regulations.

“Everybody has a stake in food safety,” Taylor said. He said the FDA has been trying to collaborate more closely with the ag community “to achieve common goals.”

Virginia Young Farmers compete nationally Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers put forth a strong showing at the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention.

Jessica Jones of Pittsylvania County, shown with AFBF President Bob Stallman, was one of three runners-up for the Excellence in Agriculture Award.

Seven proposed regulations were published in early 2013, and after a public comment period, revised regulations were issued in September 2014. More public comments were held, and the final rules are now being formed. Taylor said he expects them to be published late this year.

For more information, visit fda.gov/ fsma.

Animal antibiotic use changing The FDA also has new rules regarding antibiotic use in livestock. According to Taylor, because of concerns about antimicrobial resistance, the FDA will be phasing out the use of animal antibiotics used for growth. Farmers still will be able to use antibiotics to treat illness and disease. They will have three years to voluntarily phase out antibiotics that are used solely to increase production.

Precision ag to help feed the world Nitrogen is a critical input for crop production and “essential for increasing yields,” said Paul Welbig, general manager of Raven Industries.

Addressing convention attendees about improving nitrogen application

Jessica Jones of Pittsylvania County was a finalist and one of three runners-up for the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture Award. The award recognizes individuals for involvement in agriculture, leadership ability, and involvement and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations.

Jones teaches agricultural science and serves as the FFA advisor at Chatham Middle School in Pittsylvania.

Sarah Scyphers, a Washington County farmer and agriculture educator, advanced to the semifinal round in the YF&R Discussion Meet competition.

The Discussion Meet is a committee-style discussion on a predetermined agricultural topic and participants are judged on their ability to build consensus and work toward solutions.

Brent and Margaret Arbogast of Rockingham County competed for the YF&R Achievement Award, which recognizes young farmers who are successful in production agriculture and provide leadership on and off the farm.

The Arbogasts raise beef cattle, broiler chickens and sheep and grow hay and corn.

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American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention using new technology, he said. “We have to increase food production 70 percent by 2050, and nitrogen is an essential input for increased production and yields. Crops need nitrogen, but any extra is bad for the environment.”

Using precision agriculture— techniques that maximize results while minimizing inputs—is the key.

New technologies will help farmers follow the four R’s of nitrogen application: the right source at the right rate, at the right time, in the right place.

Some examples of precision ag include nitrogen stabilizers, products that delay the release of nitrogen; nitrogen use efficiency, a biotechnology trait in seeds that helps increase the efficient use of nitrogen by that crop; and using data gathered from farm machinery to more directly target areas of application and amounts of nitrogen to use.

Welbig also recommended that farmers use mobile devices to “keep your farm in your pocket” for acquiring instant data. “Talk with your agronomist, and ask how you can more efficiently apply nitrogen.”

Strategic succession planning begins with good tax strategy Most farmers have a succession planning problem, said Kevin Bearly in a workshop titled “Managing Taxes Through the Downturn.”

“You have to have a plan in place and communicate it with other family members,” said Bearly, a principal with the consulting and accounting firm K Coe Isom. “There’s no excuse not to have a plan.”

Without proper planning, when a farm owner dies, “someone will have to write a big check” to pay estate taxes.

And often, if the check writer is one of the children, they find it easier to sell the farm than keep it.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Bearly said there are opportunities to take advantage of today’s tax laws to ensure that doesn’t happen. An income defective irrevocable trust, or IDIT, can help farmers protect their assets.

Bearly suggested putting 1 percent of a farm’s assets into a limited liability corporation, or LLC, and investing the rest in the IDIT. Assets put into the trust can’t be touched by the IRS when a farm operator dies, so they are protected for heirs and aren’t subject to estate taxes.

“The name of the game for income tax plans is defer, defer, defer and prepay,” Bearly said. “It really is that simple.”

Farmers have options to make right farm bill choices Two agriculture economics professors told convention attendees there are several systems to help farmers make the right farm bill choices in the coming years.

The workshop “Farm Bill Decision Tools: What Farmers Need to Know” was co-hosted by Dr. Gary Schnitkey of the University of Illinois and Dr. Patrick Westhoff of the University of Missouri. They said there are online tools to help farmers make necessary decisions under the 2014 Farm Bill.

AFPC Decision Aid at usda.afpc. tamu.edu requires the user to create a profile but will save the user’s data and gives information on different crop insurance options. Farm Bill Tool Box at farmbilltoolbox.farmdoc.illinois. edu helps guide farmers through seven steps that help them make necessary decisions. The Agriculture Policy Analysis System at fsa.usapas. com allows farmers to get accurate information on which program is most likely to pay out more given the crop price.

Producers will need information on at least their last five years of yield.

“The more history you have, the better,” Westhoff said. “But at the very least you need the past five years to do it right.”

UAV possibilities fly high for farmers The combination of unmanned aerial vehicles, also commonly called drones, and multi-spectral image processing may be the next step in precision agriculture, giving farmers almost instant information on how their crops are doing with greater detail than ever before.

Kevin Price, executive vice president of applied research and technology development at AgPixel/RoboFlight Systems LLC told farmers, “This will be a technology that changes the way we do agriculture.”

The concept behind the innovation is simple: The healthier a plant is, the more chlorophyll it produces; the more chlorophyll a plant has, the more green light it reflects. With multi-spectral images reading the amount of green light being reflected by crops and a specialized map, farmers will be able to get an image of their field with all of the trouble spots highlighted.

The map allows a field scout or producer to find areas with nitrogen deficiency, irrigation lapses, soil erosion or insect or weather damage.

The high-resolution images tell farmers exactly where to take action, saving them the time and expense of treating a larger area. Many of the problems mapping can detect are invisible to an observer standing on the ground.

The agriculture sector is expected to benefit from the use of UAVs 10 times as much as other industries.

Price suggested that farmers jump on the opportunity but cautioned against shoddy products and promises of cheap analysis.

Time to double-check visibility of equipment on roads For farmers who work more than one piece of land and move equipment from field to field, it’s always a good idea to make sure that equipment is highly visible.

Moving machinery on public roads can be one of the most dangerous parts of farmers’ jobs—especially when other motorists are in a hurry.

Glenn Dye, who grows corn, soybeans, wheat and hay on his family’s farm in Stafford County, said he and other local farmers try to avoid heavy-traffic times when they move equipment. They also use slow-moving vehicle emblems, flashing lights, flags and escort vehicles.

Even with those precautions, collisions

can occur. Dye noted that many new residents of his fast-growing county are not familiar with agriculture and “don’t know anything about farm equipment.”

Dye, who serves on the Stafford County Farm Bureau board and participates in the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers Program, said he believes more education on road safety is needed. Using the slogan “Sometimes Half the Road Is Not Enough,” developed by Virginia Cooperative Extension for a farm vehicle safety campaign, he placed banners and other materials at the Farm Bureau booth at the 2014 State Fair of Virginia.

Are you set for spring?

Are your slow-moving vehicle emblems still in place on all your equipment, or did you manage to lose one last fall? Are they still nice and bright, or have they faded over time? Safety equipment such as SMV emblems, flashing amber lights and reflective marking tape are available through your county Farm Bureau.

Make sure your slow-moving vehicle emblems are all in place before moving equipment this spring.

Heads up! April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month in Virginia and a good time to remember that when you are behind the wheel, driving should be the top priority—not conversing on the phone, texting, eating, talking to passengers or any other activity that diverts a driver’s attention from the road.

Virginia Farm Bureau has partnered with Drive Smart Virginia to bring awareness to the issue of distracted driving.

Distracted driving kills and injures thousands each year. To find practical driving tips and take a pledge to drive distractionfree and make Virginia’s roadways safer, visit drivesmartva.org.

VaFarmBureau.org / MARCH 2015

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For Your Benefit

Save on brand-name and generic prescription drugs Farm Bureau’s free Prescription Drug Discount and Savings Program affords members significant savings on more than 12,000 name-brand and generic prescription drugs at more than 57,000 pharmacies.

Members pay no fee to use the program, which is designed for individuals with no health coverage for prescription drugs. It also can be used in instances when a prescription is not covered by a health insurance plan.

The program works via a “consumer card” or “point of sale card” that can be used by your entire household.

There are no medical exams, no waiting periods, no claim forms to file and no exclusions for pre-existing conditions. Simply present your card at a participating pharmacy when you have your prescription filled, or use it when ordering medicines through the

mail-order program of Agelity Inc. To get your card, visit your county Farm Bureau office or VaFarmBureau. org/memberprograms/memberbenefits.

You don’t have to wonder about health risks with Life Line Screenings Members can save on four noninvasive vascular health screenings— for carotid artery, abdominal aortic aneurysm, atrial fibrillation and peripheral arterial disease—and have a free osteoporosis screening to assess risk for stroke, heart attack and bone fractures.

Life Line Screening, the nation’s leading provider of preventing screenings, provides these procedures to Farm Bureau members at the discounted rate of $145.

Watch for mailings about Life Line screenings in your area, or contact your county Farm Bureau for details.

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

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

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

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

• No long-term contract and 30-day money-back guarantee.

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.

HealthMarketPlaceVA.com 22

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

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.

Know what is covered: Farmers’ markets and roadside stands

With spring on its way, many farmers’ markets will be opening soon.

It is important that producers who participate in local markets or operate farm stands review their insurance coverage to ensure they have proper liability protection in place for their activities and the products they sell.

“You definitely want to know that you have coverage, especially from a product liability perspective, since those claims have increased in recent years,” explained Scott DeNoon, agricultural underwriting specialist for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. Product liability refers to legal liability for damage or injury resulting from the use of a producer’s goods or services. Farm Bureau’s base farmowner policy extends liability protection to the producer at farmers’ markets and for roadside stands they operate at which their products are sold. However, the policy’s product liability coverage does not apply if the products sold at the market or stand are processed or manufactured.

“The base policy provides product liability protection for raw, unprocessed products such as fruits or vegetable but does not apply if those fruits or vegetables are altered to make jellies, sauces or other similar products,” DeNoon said. “Processing and packaging products for direct sale to the consumer greatly increases a producer’s

PAM WILEY

If you participate in a farmers’ market, check your liability coverage for your products

Does your farmowner insurance provide adequate liability coverage for products you sell at a farmers’ market or farm stand?

liability and must not be overlooked.”

Coverage can be provided for that exposure by attaching an endorsement or rider to the insurance policy.

DeNoon encourages producers to contact their Farm Bureau insurance agents for additional information and

assistance in tailoring their insurance to their specific activities.

“Regular communication with your insurance agent about the details of your operation is essential to making sure you’re properly covered,” he said.

VaFarmBureau.org / MARCH 2015

23

State Fair of Virginia receives international recognition

Ginny the State Fair Bus was used to market the 2014 State Fair of Virginia.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

THE STATE FAIR OF VIRGINIA received a first-place award of distinction in communications for its 2014 marketing campaign from the International Association of Fairs and Expositions.

Work in promoting the fair also earned the communications staff of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation a Best Public Relations Campaign award in the 2014 American Farm Bureau Federation Communications Awards competition.

The 10-day event drew 238,000 visitors, a 4 percent increase in attendance over 2013.

Television ads, outdoor billboards, radio advertising, social media, posters and other marketing and public relations tactics helped clinch the awards. The marketing campaign also included the fair’s mobile marketing unit, Ginny the State Fair Bus. Ginny was driven around Central Virginia to promote the fair and was featured in the fair’s Facebook and Twitter

A row crop display and urban garden plot at the fair were recognized for their educational value.

communications and its television commercial.

The State Fair received five additional IAFE awards of distinction in communications, placing first in the categories of television advertising and miscellaneous marketing/promotional display or piece for Ginny; second in the best overall social media campaign and promotional poster categories; and third

for the category of outdoor promotional advertising for digital billboards that ran before and during the fair.

Additionally, the fair received a secondplace Agricultural Award of Excellence from IAFE for its crops garden and urban agriculture display, and a third-place Award of Distinction for Competitive Exhibits for its decorated hay bale competition for youth.

New Silverado, same great member benefits.

Farm Bureau memBers can get a $500 private offer toward the purchase or lease of most new GM vehicles, including the Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD lineup.They get tough jobs done with a maximum payload of up to 6,635 lbs and a conventional towing capacity of up to 17,000 lbs.

Contact your county Farm Bureau office or visit fbverify.com for more details.

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Montgomery educator named Virginia AITC Teacher of the Year Marlena “K” Preston of Montgomery County has been named Virginia’s Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year.

The award recognizes a Virginia educator for efforts in incorporating agriculture into his or her core curriculum.

“K is committed to engaging her students in real-world, hands-on learning and connecting her students with academics and agriculture,” said Tammy Maxey, AITC senior education program coordinator. “She strives to instill in her students a love and respect for agriculture and the environment.”

Preston teaches kindergarten at Belview Elementary School in Radford. She uses agricultural concepts daily in her classroom as real-life examples to demonstrate required core curriculum.

Her students have visited local dairies, farm markets and Virginia Tech’s horticultural garden, and she helped establish a school garden that is used as a teaching tool. Students help care for Belview’s Giving Garden, and during the summer it is used as a community garden.

A teacher for 30 years, Preston became involved in AITC in 2012 after attending a Virginia AITC training session at the Virginia Association of Science Teachers Conference.

As Virginia AITC’s Teacher of the Year she will receive a scholarship to attend the 2015 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in June in Louisville, Ky., and a stipend for her classroom.

Donor organizations In addition to the many individuals who contributed, the following organizations made contributions of $500 or more to the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom between Dec. 6, 2014, and Feb. 10.

• Albemarle County Farm Bureau • Amelia County Farm Bureau • Cooperative Milk Producers Association • Dairy Farmers of America Inc. • Frederick County Farm Bureau • Universal Leaf Foundation • Virginia Beef Industry Council • Virginia State Apple Board/Apple Growers Assoc.

• Virginia State Dairymen's Association Donations can be made online at AgInTheClass.org or mailed to AITC, P.O. Box 27552, Richmond, VA 23261-7552.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Commodity contest will help connect children to agriculture Because Agriculture Literacy Week also takes place during the peak of the college basketball season, the Virginia Foundation for AITC will hold its third annual Agriculture Commodity March Madness competition March 1-31. Eight Virginia farm commodity groups—beef, dairy, equine, fruits, horticulture/ gardening, pork, poultry and vegetables/ grains—will face off in a friendly fundraising competition, with the agriculture community deciding the winner.

Last year the contest raised $5,755—$4,000 more than in 2013— with donors from the state’s pork industry generating the winning amount, $2,510. The March Madness funds were used to buy copies of the children’s books Pigs & Pork and Pigs: An A-to-Z Book. Smithfield Foods added to the funds raised so AITC would have enough books for all Virginia educators attending AITC workshops.

Visitors to AgInTheClass.org who donate at least $10

by March 31 can cast a vote in support of one of the eight commodity groups. Votes and donations also can be mailed to AITC, Attention: Agriculture Commodity March Madness, 12580 West Creek Parkway, Richmond, VA 23238.

“This contest is a really fun way to get agricultural resources into the hands of as many Virginia students as possible,” said Karen Davis, AITC foundation executive director. “We decided this year to expand the contest by recognizing second- and third-place winners and changing the prizes so the winning commodity gets even more visibility and our second- and third-place commodities are recognized for their efforts.”

The winning commodity will be highlighted for a month on the AITC website and Facebook page and through educational emails with commodity-specific AITC lesson plans and resources. An industry video also will be featured on the AITC website and Facebook page. The second-place winner will be featured for two weeks, and the third-place winner for one week.

A Pie for Every Season

Make your March pie a peanut one March is National Peanut Month—and a good time to buy some Virginia peanuts and make a sweet and salty treat.

One ounce of peanuts provides 15 percent of the recommended daily intake of protein, according to the Virginia Carolinas Peanuts Association.

Fluffy Frozen Peanut Butter Pie INGREDIENTS

3- ounce package cream cheese, softened 1 cup confectioner’s sugar ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter ½ cup milk 8- ounce container frozen whipped topping 9" graham cracker or cookie crumb pie crust ¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts DIRECTIONS

Whip cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar and peanut butter.

Slowly add milk, blending thoroughly.

Fold in topping, and pour mixture into pie shell. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Freeze and serve. If not serving this pie the same day it is prepared, wrap it using airtight freezer paper after the pie is frozen.

Makes six servings.

Source: Virginia-Carolinas Peanut Promotions

VaFarmBureau.org / MARCH 2015

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Heart of the Home

Virginia commodities contribute to delicious dishes Peanuts are one of Virginia’s most popular agricultural commodities, and they add crunch to the stuffing in these Elegant Chops.

Elegant Chops INGREDIENTS

2 cups chopped celery and celery leaves ½ cup chopped onion ½ teaspoon celery salt ¼ teaspoon pepper ¼ cup butter or margarine 1 cup chopped roasted peanuts ½ cup chicken broth or water 3 cups bread crumbs from crustless dayold bread 4 rib pork chops, cut 1½” thick with a pocket for stuffing salt, pepper and paprika to taste DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°.

Sauté celery, onion and seasonings in butter for about 5 minutes or until tender.

Add peanuts, chicken broth or water and bread crumbs. Toss to mix thoroughly.

Lightly stuff chops with the peanut dressing, and fasten them closed with wooden picks. Season with salt, pepper and paprika. Place chops in a lightlygreased casserole dish, and bake for 1½ hours or until chops reach an internal temperature of 165-170°.

Serves 4.

Source: Virginia-Carolinas Peanut Promotions

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Heart of the Home

Cheesy Spinach and Ham Mac INGREDIENTS

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni 4 tablespoons butter 2 c ups whole milk OR 2 cans evaporated milk 8- ounce package of cream cheese, softened ½ cup sour cream 2 bags of three-cheese shredded cheese 2 cups diced ham 1 small bag of baby spinach ½ cup bread crumbs or crushed butter crackers DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a saucepan, cook the macaroni according to package directions, drain and set aside.

In another saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter, and then add the milk, cream cheese and sour cream. Cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture is smooth.

Add 4 to 5 handfuls of the shredded cheese to the sauce mixture. Continue stirring to prevent it from burning. Cook an additional 5 minutes or until all the cheese is melted and a thick sauce has formed. Turn off the heat.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked macaroni, ham and half to threequarters of the cheese sauce.

In the bottom of a non-stick baking pan, place one thick layer of spinach.

Cover with some of the macaroni and cheese mixture. Repeat with more spinach, then more macaroni and cheese until the dish is full.

Add the remaining cheese sauce, then the remaining shredded cheese. Top with bread crumbs or crushed crackers, and bake for 30 minutes. Allow dish to cool for 30 minutes before serving to give the cheese sauce time to set.

Source: Caressa Jackson, cooking host, Real Virginia

VaFarmBureau.org / MARCH 2015

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Mustang makeover, farm safety featured on Real Virginia Featured this month on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly television program: • The Virginia Horse Festival will host an Extreme Mustang Makeover competition later this month at The Meadow Event Park.

• Farming is one of the country’s most dangerous occupations. We watch as rescue squads learn how to safely extricate farm machinery accident victims.

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

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.

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 Virginia Farm Bureau News, mailed to producer members, or in Cultivate, mailed to associate 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. Ads with more than 30 words and ads from nonmembers will not be accepted.

Use the form in this issue of Virginia Farm Bureau News or the online form at VaFarmBureau.org/marketplace 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 and July Cultivate (mailed to associate members only); and • May and August Farm Bureau News (mailed to producer members only)

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.

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

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

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.

Important: We are not responsible

provide proofs or tearsheets.

•A ds submitted without payment will be returned.

STEP 5

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

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.

STEP 3

Deadlines

STEP 2

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

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

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

ISSUE DEADLINE Mailed to producer members May April 1 August July 1 Mailed to associate members July June 1

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 May (mailed to producer members) q July (mailed to associate members)

q August (mailed to producer members) q This is my one free 15-word ad for 2015 q Payment enclosed: $ _____________ q Please place my ad in The Delmarva Farmer for 4 weeks at no additional cost to me.

* Ad placement available for these issues only

Your ad will automatically be included in the online VFB Marketplace for free (Ads expire with membership).

VaFarmBureau.org / MARCH 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