FBN Aug 2015

Farm Bureau News

The Voice of Virginia’s Agricultural Producers

AUGUST 2015 | VAFARMBUREAU.ORG

RMP program: Farmers stepping up for voluntary plans

Farm Bureau News

Volume 74, Number 5 Augusr 2015

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Features 16

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“We’ve made lots of progress. The

RMP programs: Farmers stepping up for voluntary plans

reception has been

Just one year after Virginia’s Resource Management Plan program was implemented, the plans are rolling in.

better than we thought it would be.”

Agreement reached regarding elk management plan

The state game department says it will work with agriculture leaders and other stakeholders to create a viable elk management plan in counties west of the Blue Ridge.

KATHY DIXON

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).

—BARBARA MCGARRY, RMP program specialist, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

“Work in progress” museum is full of history

Keystone Tractor Works has no shortage of vintage tractors—and other collectibles.

Departments 6

Across America

10 Viewing Virginia

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

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

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

For Your Benefit

Board of Directors

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A Pie for Every Season

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Heart of the Home

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Marketplace

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

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PUBLICATION SCHEDULE

ON THE COVER

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

Keith Horsley raises grain with his father in Gloucester County (Photo

by Kathy Dixon).

DIRECTOR

DISTRICT COUNTY

*Women’s Committee Chairman **Young Farmers Committee Chairman

Save the Date!

State Fair of Virginia opens Sept. 25

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Seats in the Virginia General Assembly that will be up for election in November—40 in the Senate and 100 in the House of Delegates. Look for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation AgPAC’s endorsements of candidates for those seats in the September/October issue of Virginia Farm Bureau News.

The State Fair of Virginia will take place Sept. 25 through Oct. 4 at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County (See related article on Page 5). The 10-day event will feature agriculture, food and fun, including new attractions like Agricadabra, a high-energy interactive show that mixes agriculture, education and magic, and The Birdman, the world’s largest traveling bird show.

For information on attractions and events visit StateFairVa.org.

VFBF Annual Convention returning to Norfolk

Urban Ag Summit set for Oct. 22-23

The 2015 Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention will take place Dec. 1-3 at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott. The convention is open to voting delegates and any other interested Farm Bureau members.

Members can register to attend through their county Farm Bureau offices later this month.

The second Virginia Urban Ag Summit will take place Oct. 22 and 23 at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Richmond.

This event is an opportunity for stakeholders from both the public and private sectors to learn more about urban agriculture—a movement that has seen dramatic growth nationwide in recent years.

For more information, visit events.SignUp4.com/ UrbanAgSummit2015.

VaFarmBureau.org / AUGUST 2015

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Farm Bureau satisfied with elk management plan The Virginia Board of Game and Inland Fisheries made a decision at its June 2 meeting to allow elk hunting in 28 counties, pending a clear elk management plan that is agreed upon by The potential for vehicle collisions with agriculture leaders and elk and for farm damage raised concerns. other stakeholders.

The decision was made following a public comment period on a proposal by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to close the state’s elk hunting season in 31 counties west of the Blue Ridge.

Elk in Virginia • The size of the elk population in Virginia is presently unknown but may number 50 to 100 animals.

• Confirmed sightings of elk have been reported in the four Kentucky counties that border Virginia, as well as in Russell, Scott and Washington counties. Since 2000, 30 elk have been harvested from five counties, Buchanan, Russell, Scott, Washington and Wise.

Of those, 19 were in Wise County.

• Elk are the second-largest member of the deer family in North America; moose are the largest.

"My belief in the system was restored" “I am so pleased that the board was open to working with the agricultural interest in this state to come up with a much more manageable plan,” said Emily Edmondson, a Tazewell County cattle producer and a member of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation board of directors. “My belief in the system was restored by the genuine interest and effort by DGIF to work with the agriculture community.”

Edmondson and other Farm Bureau members rallied together to submit comments and voice their concerns about the proposal.

“There needs to be a plan, and we need to work at this. The elk have been here, and now we can figure out a way to handle them in the future.”

In 2012 the game department re-established about 75 elk in Buchanan County, and elk hunting was prohibited in Buchanan, Dickenson and Wise counties. Currently, hunters with a valid deer tag may hunt elk anywhere in the state except that three-county Elk Management Area.

The hunting policy was established primarily to limit the risk of reintroduced elk—or deer—transmitting diseases to agricultural livestock and the white-tailed deer population.

Closing the elk season west of the Blue Ridge would have added 28 more counties to the Elk Management Area. The initial proposal caused distress for farmers, who shared concerns about the potential elk have to damage cropland, pastures and vineyards, as well as the potential for injuries and vehicle damage in collisions with elk.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

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Agriculture remains an integral part of State Fair Sale of Champions returns; new and favorite attractions have ag themes After several years on hiatus, a youth livestock Sale of Champions will return to this year’s State Fair of Virginia on Oct. 3.

The sale will follow 4-H and FFA livestock shows and will feature the auction of grand and reserve champion market steers, hogs, lambs and goats.

It will support the fair’s long-standing commitment to the hundreds of youth who compete for scholarship money through the State Fair Scholarship Program.

“The State Fair of Virginia provides a multitude of opportunities to showcase exceptional young leaders, and the return of a Sale of Champions will certainly be a great opportunity to showcase youth who achieved great success showing their livestock,” said Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe, vice president of operations for The Meadow Event Park, where the fair is held. “The real story behind the sale is the long hours and commitment to animal care that took place before the youth even arrived at the fair.

“It’s important for the general public to understand that the success of agriculture and our ability to feed the world are dependent on the younger generations remaining engaged and interested in agriculture.”

Magic, milking and more Agriculture also will be featured in several grounds attractions. The Agricadabra Show will teach fairgoers about Virginia agriculture using comedy and magic.

“This is the perfect way to blend agriculture education with entertainment,” said Greg Hicks, vice president of communications for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, which owns The Meadow Event Park. “We know children will love the show, but there are probably lots of adults who will enjoy it as well. And everyone will learn something about agriculture.”

Brad Matchett, who has been educating visitors to county and state fairs for the past 14 years, said his Agricadabra Grand and reserve champion market animals from youth livestock show originated at the shows will be auctioned at the revived Sale of Champions to benefit State Fair of Virginia. the State Fair Scholarship Program.

Matchett now performs three to four shows a day at about 16 fairs each year. try their hands at milking the oldDuring the shows, he customizes the fashioned way while learning about the information for the state in which he’s dairy industry. performing.

Fairgoers also will be able to see a In the Thrill Pit, tractor pull growing vegetable garden as well as competitors will perform their own Virginia field crops. They can learn the brand of motorsports magic. Pullers difference between feed corn and sweet modify traditional farm equipment, corn; learn about milo in the field; and creating multi-engined forces to be learn how to create their own urban reckoned with. garden spaces.

In the ever-popular Young MacDonald’s Farm tent, sponsored by Farm Credit, fairgoers will see a sow SALE OF CHAMPIONS with a litter of piglets, various breeds of cows with calves, goats, alpacas, To register as a buyer or contribute hatching chicks and the iconic duck to the general fund, contact Glenn slide. There also will be numerous Martin at gmartin@statefairva.org or opportunities to milk cows. Six times 804-994-2858. a day, the SouthLand Dairy Farmers portable milking parlor will let fairgoers VaFarmBureau.org / AUGUST 2015

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Across America

AFBF president to step down in January American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman announced July 14 that he will not seek re-election in January 2016 STALLMAN following 16 years at the helm of the nation’s largest, most influential general farm organization.

Stallman, a cattle and rice producer from Columbus, Texas, is the 11th president in AFBF’s almost-97-year history.

“It has been a tremendous honor to serve the nation’s Farm Bureau members and represent agriculture and rural America,” Stallman said.

“After 16 years as AFBF president, six as Texas Farm Bureau president and several more in other Farm Bureau roles, it is time to hand over the reins of leadership—a decision that is made easier by knowing the great leadership and foundation that exist to continue moving Farm Bureau forward. I am as optimistic as ever about the future of American agriculture and Farm Bureau.”

"A true defender of agriculture" Virginia Farm Bureau Federation President Wayne F. Pryor, who has worked with Stallman for the past eight years and has served on the AFBF board of directors, said the AFBF president has helped farmers navigate tough topics such as biotechnology, clean water and immigration. “He always keeps the

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

best interest of all farmers in mind, and he has worked hard to support Farm Bureau priority issues,” Pryor said. “He has been a true defender of agriculture and a friend of farmers.”

Pryor added that, with Stallman at its helm, AFBF has drawn closer to Congressional approval of trade agreements that will help expand global markets for U.S. agricultural exports. “Trade has always been one of Bob Stallman’s priorities, and he has worked hard to increase overseas opportunities for American farmers as well as Virginia farmers,” he said.

Stallman was the keynote speaker at Virginia’s first annual conference on agricultural trade in 2010. He also has been a keynote speaker at the VFBF Annual Convention.

During Stallman’s presidency, AFBF membership has grown by more than 1 million member families.

Programming has expanded to include more efforts to build rural communities and economies and more leadership development programs to help farmers and ranchers become advocates for agriculture.

“While the presidential gavel will change hands, what defines Farm Bureau will remain the same: our grassroots strength and our commitment to strengthening America’s agricultural and rural communities,” Stallman said.

A new AFBF president will be elected to a two-year term at AFBF’s annual meeting in January 2016 in Orlando, Fla.

Farm Bureau to Senate: EPA abused rulemaking process The U.S Environmental Protection Agency abused and distorted the normal rulemaking process to pre-determine the outcome of its highly controversial “Waters of the U.S.” rule, American Farm Bureau Federation General Counsel Ellen Steen told the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 10.

Instead of inviting and openly considering public input, Steen said, the EPA conducted an aggressive advocacy campaign to obscure the on-the-ground impact of the rule and to smear groups like Farm Bureau that attempted to explain those impacts to the public.

“The notice-and-comment procedure for rulemaking is designed to ensure that agencies take honest account of the thoughts and concerns of the regulated public,” Steen said. “Legitimate concerns over how the rule would affect agriculture, in particular, were subtly twisted and then dismissed as ‘silly’ and ‘ludicrous’ and ‘myths.’ Public statements from the agency’s highest officials made it clear that the agency was not genuinely open to considering objections to the rule.”

Steen said the EPA also made use of social media tools such as Thunderclap to generate well-intended but illinformed support for the rule among the nonfarming public. Later, agency officials pointed to the resulting emails, petition signatures, postcards and other nonsubstantive mass comments to contend that the public supported the rule. The vast majority of substantive comments— from state and local governments, business owners and organizations representing virtually every segment of the U.S. economy—opposed the rule, Steen maintained.

“Regardless of whether you supported, opposed or never heard of that rule, you should shudder to think that this is how controversial regulations will be

Across America

Farm Bureau releases detailed analysis of ‘Waters of the U.S.’ rule The American Farm Bureau Federation has released documents outlining how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “Waters of the U.S.” rule will give the agency sweeping powers to regulate land use despite a body of law clearly prohibiting such overreach.

The Farm Bureau analysis, which is available online, makes available to the public details the EPA has refused to address in public meetings over the past year.

“Our analysis shows yet again how unwise, extreme and unlawful this rule is,” AFBF President Bob Stallman said. “Our public affairs specialists and legal team have assembled the best analysis available anywhere, and their conclusions are sobering: Despite months of comments and innumerable complaints, the ‘Waters of the U.S.’ proposal is even worse than before.”

The rule, first released in draft form in April, 2014, has garnered fierce opposition from farmers, ranchers and landowners of all kinds. Dozens of states and numerous municipalities oppose it because it would federalize regulation already handled at the local level. Just as important is the rule’s radical view of “water,” which would encompass the vast majority of land in the U.S. since it surrounds actual water that may or may not be protected under the Clean Water Act.

developed in the age of social media,” she said. “Agencies must strive to maintain an open mind throughout the rulemaking process and to inform rather than indoctrinate and obfuscate, even when policy issues have become controversial and politicized.”

On Capitol Hill, Farm Bureau hailed passage by the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee of a bill to stop the “Waters” rule.

The Federal Water Quality Protection Act, S. 1140, would force the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to craft a new rule that would fall within the parameters of Congress’ intent under the Clean Water Act. The measure would require a comment period on the revised proposed rule of no fewer than 120 days and a final rule published no later than Dec. 31, 2016.

Farm Bureau analysis • FACT or FICTION? Shedding the light on EPA’s ‘Facts’ about the new ‘Waters of the U.S.’ rule fb.org/tmp/uploads/FACT_or_ FICTION-Copy.pdf • Final ‘Waters of the U.S.’ Rule: No, No, No! No Clarity, No Certainty, No Limits on Agency Power fb.org/tmp/uploads/Final_Rule_ No_No_No-Detailed_VersionCopy.pdf

Enter your farm photos in Farm Bureau photo contest

BEST IN SHOW BY EMILY WAGGONER OF PENDLETON, S.C.

The American Farm Bureau Federation, in conjunction with the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, is accepting submissions for its annual photo contest through March 31, 2016.

The contest is open to all Farm Bureau members and state- and county-level Farm Bureau staff 18 and older at the time of entry, including professional photographers.

Photo submissions will be used to accurately portray today’s agriculture and the safe practices of farmers and ranchers.

Additionally, submissions will be used for future publications, promotions and social media by AFBF and related companies.

All photos submitted must exemplify safe practices on the farm or ranch.

Photos may be entered in four categories: Farm Families, Farm Labor, Technology and Consumer Outreach.

Monetary prizes will be awarded to the top three placing photos from each category.

First place winners will be awarded $150, second place $100 and third place $75.

Contest winners will be announced April 15, 2016, on Farm Bureau’s social media platforms and website.

For more information on how to register and to view the contest rules and regulations, visit photocontest.fb.org.

Questions about the contest may be emailed to photocontest@fb.org.

VaFarmBureau.org / AUGUST 2015

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Across America

Rural transportation needs improvement, study finds

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recent report from a national research group shows that the U.S. rural transportation system is sorely lacking.

According to TRIP, a nonprofit transportation research group, a recent study found that America’s rural roads, highways, rails and bridges fail to provide the necessary level of connectivity to many communities. It also found they are inadequate for growing freight travel.

Nearly 40 percent of roads no better than "fair" The report stated that in 2013, 15 percent of the nation’s major rural roads were rated in poor condition, and another 39 percent were rated in fair or mediocre condition. In 2014, 11 percent of the nation’s rural bridges were found to be structurally deficient, and 10 percent were functionally obsolete.

“The nation’s transportation system is crucial for farm businesses, which are predominantly located in rural areas,” said Andrew Smith, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation senior assistant director of governmental relations.

“Farmers produce commodities that need to get to market, whether that’s across county or state lines or on the other side of the world.

“We need a safe, efficient system to get those goods to market.”

Water, rail and roads all critical Rural communities include more than 72 percent of U.S. land and are home to about 61 million people, said Veronica Nigh, an American Farm Bureau Federation transportation specialist.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Rural communities include more than 72 percent of U.S. land and are home to about 61 million Americans.

“Transportation is essential in these communities for many reasons, including economic growth and stability,” Nigh said. “Rural transportation is really a three-legged stool relying on water, rail and roads.

Without any of the three of those, our rural communities can’t thrive in the

way that they really should. Those different segments of the transportation system that U.S. agriculture relies on are necessary to ensure our future successes.”

To make necessary improvements, Nigh said solutions are needed at the county, state and federal levels.

Across America

Farmers using less fertilizer with record-breaking efficiency

In 2014, U.S. farmers more than doubled corn production using only 4.5 percent more fertilizer nutrients than in 1980.

Farmers are growing more crops with less fertilizer, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The latest fertilizer application rate data from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service shows that in 2014, U.S. farmers more than doubled corn production using only 4.5 percent more fertilizer nutrients than in 1980.

Specifically, in 1980 farmers grew 6.64 billion bushels of corn using 3.2 pounds of nutrients—nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium—for each bushel, and in 2014 they grew 14.22 billion bushels using 1.6 pounds of nutrients per bushel.

"Four R's" driving performance improvement “This trend of continuous environmental and economic performance improvement is something that agriculture producers are very proud of, and the farmers and businesses that serve farmers will continue to improve efficiency,” said Wilmer Stoneman, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation associate director of governmental relations.

Corn production accounts for half of the nation’s fertilizer use, and experts estimate that 40 to 60 percent of world

food production is attributable to fertilizers.

“Farmers in Virginia and across the country have been practicing good nutrient management for many, many years, including using the ‘Four R’s’ of nutrient management—use of the right fertilizer source at the right rate, right time and right place,” Stoneman said. “Through technological advances on farms and nutrient management plans, farmers will continue to be able to reduce their inputs and increase productivity.”

VaFarmBureau.org / AUGUST 2015

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Viewing Virginia

Farmers seek balance in drone regulations MarketMaker portal available in Virginia

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s the Federal Aviation Administration drafts final regulations for the use of unmanned aircraft in agriculture, farmers are seeking to protect privacy and reap the benefits of a new tool for precision agriculture.

The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation supported two bills in the 2015 General Assembly that prohibit any government agency or organization from using drones to survey property except during the execution of a search warrant or when an inspection warrant has been issued. The bills also permit drone use for agricultural research and development, along with other exemptions. Both bills recently were signed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

“Our members felt unauthorized aerial surveillance of their farms and forests by government agencies would be an invasion “We need balanced of privacy,” said Trey Davis, VFBF assistant regulations to help director of governmental relations. “This legislation essentially puts some checks this new agriculture and balances into that use of drones, while encouraging our research institutions to find tool thrive while new ways to help farmers improve yields and protecting the protect the environment.”

Using unmanned aircraft to take pictures of privacy of all large farm fields or use temperature and other sensors holds great promise. Virginia Tech Virginians.” has an entire research center, the Virginia Center for Autonomous Systems, dedicated —TREY DAVIS,

assistant director of to technology like drones. Sampling microbe

governmental relations, VFBF data above a farm field is just one of the technologies being studied.

“Precision agriculture is all about using technology to fine-tune our existing crop production techniques and even develop new ones,” Davis said. “One of (farmers’) goals is to apply only as many nutrients as are necessary for a healthy crop.

Another is to improve yields across large amounts of acreage. Data from drones could be very useful in accomplishing both goals.”

Draft rules being considered by the FAA include requiring operators to obtain an unmanned aircraft system operator certificate, stay away from bystanders and fly only during the day. They would limit flying speed to 100 mph and altitude to 500 feet. In addition, the aircraft could weigh no more than 55 pounds and would have to remain within the operator’s line of sight.

“This is cutting-edge technology. Commercial drone systems are already being demonstrated to Virginia farmers,” Davis said. “We need balanced regulations to help this new agriculture tool thrive while protecting the privacy of all Virginians.”

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Through an online portal called MarketMaker, buyers can now experience a virtual marketplace showcasing products from Virginia farms.

MarketMaker, which is at va.foodmarketmaker.com, was established to increase access and acquisition of Virginia products and connect farmers with buyers who want their products. It has been introduced in 21 states since 2004. Virginia Cooperative Extension spearheaded the effort to bring it to Virginia.

The Virginia Foundation for Agriculture Innovation and Rural Sustainability, an affiliate of Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, along with Colonial Farm Credit, Farm Credit of the Virginias, the Virginia Agribusiness Council, and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, helped the state gain access to MarketMaker.

Meat, poultry, fish, fruits and vegetables and wines are all available on MarketMaker. The tool also provides producers with current information on what is selling and for how much.

“The MarketMaker tool will serve as an online marketplace to buy, sell and trade local food and agriculture products to individuals, wholesalers and restaurateurs. Essentially it will provide farm-to-fork access to participants across the food supply chain,” said Julia Schlosser, VA FAIRS project manager.

Viewing Virginia

US apple exports to China could help Virginia growers

Virginia is the nation’s sixth-largest apple-producing state. Growers are planting more varieties for the fresh-fruit market.

Why do Virginia apple growers care how many West Coast apples are shipped to China?

China is a growing world market, and a domestic over-supply of Washington state apples could hurt Virginia apple prices, according to Spencer Neale,

Virginia Farm Bureau Federation vice president of commodity marketing.

“If Washington state has a glut of apples, they can always be diverted to the processing plant. So anything that boosts the overseas sales of fresh apples is better for us,” Neale said.

“The majority of Virginia apples have always gone to processing for juice and sauce, but the interesting news is that more Virginia growers

are planting apple varieties for the fresh fruit market. This is driven by the availability of new varieties and by consumer demand for more locally grown apples,” he added.

China is the world’s largest apple consumer, and the majority of its crop is grown for processing as well. But Chinese consumers are buying more fresh-market apples every year, and a new trade deal would open that market to West Coast growers. The deal was finalized between the U.S. and China in January. The trade-off is that Chinese apple producers must be allowed to sell in the U.S. Chinese apple imports have been blocked in the past to protect U.S. orchards from the oriental fruit fly. The deal would allow imports to resume provided the Chinese apples are bagged and properly decontaminated. The U.S. apple crop is a $3 billion industry, and Virginia’s apple crop is worth about $54 million annually.

Currently, only U.S.-grown Golden Delicious and Red Delicious apples are exported to China, which for years blocked all U.S. apple imports. Neale said those varieties represent about 40 percent of U.S. production, with Honeycrisp, Pink Ladies and Brown Russets among the new players.

Economists expect U.S. apple exports to increase by as much as 10 percent.

Almost all apple exports and imports between the U.S. and China will happen on the West Coast, so no new sales of Virginia apples are expected, Neale said. The benefits for Virginia growers will be more subtle.

“We’re the sixth-largest appleproducing state in the country, but we’re not so big that we need to export that far away (to China). Our ideal export markets are Mexico and countries in the Caribbean.”

VaFarmBureau.org / AUGUST 2015

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Viewing Virginia

Secretariat’s birthplace at The Meadow named to National Register of Historic Places The birthplace of 1973 Triple Crown champion Secretariat located in The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County was named to the National Register of Historic Places in late May by the National Park Service.

Known as the Meadow Historic District, the designation includes the foaling shed where Secretariat was born, his training barn, the yearling barn, a yearling barn annex, The foaling shed where Secretariat was born and other buildings a stallion barn, a horse related to the Meadow Stables enterprise are still in place at The cemetery, a well house Meadow Event Park. and a pump house.

The Meadow Historic District was named to the Virginia Landmarks Register on March 19. The property, which dates to 1805, is owned by Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.

“This is a major milestone for The Meadow Event Park and the important legacy of the farm,” said VFBF President Wayne F. Pryor. “We are extremely proud to now have both the national and state historic designations.”

Penny Chenery, who owned and raced the legendary Thoroughbred, said the timing of the announcement “could not be better,” as many people were hoping for a Triple Crown winner at the Belmont Stakes on June 6. American Pharoah, a great-great-great-grandson of Secretariat, delivered.

Leeanne Meadows Ladin, Secretariat tourism manager at The Meadow Event Park and co-author of Secretariat’s Meadow – The Land, the Family, The Legend, coordinated the research and documentation for the nomination process. Ladin leads the Hoofprints of History tours of Secretariat’s birthplace year-round by appointment. For tour information, visit MeadowEventPark.com.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

VFBF communications staff win national awards The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation has been recognized with American Farm Bureau Federation’s top public relations award, the Dave Lane Award for Media Relations Excellence.

The judges said Virginia’s entry showed a “great balance between strategic issues and consumer communications— something truly for every audience.”

VFBF communications staff accepted the honor at the AFBF Strategic Policy, Advocacy, Resources and Communications Conference in June. It marked the 11th time Virginia Farm Bureau has claimed the coveted award.

Staff also earned first place in the category of Best Advertising Campaign or Spot for their work to publicize the State Fair of Virginia. The judges said the State Fair campaign was “nicely conceptualized and executed.”

Above: Virginia Farm Bureau Federation media relations work has garnered yet another American Farm Bureau Federation Dave Lane Award for Media Relations Excellence.

Viewing Virginia

EPA: Chesapeake Bay clean-up progressing in Virginia

Farmers’ efforts to protect the Chesapeake Bay appear to be paying off.

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2014-2015 interim report card on efforts by Virginia farmers to reduce pollutants reaching the Chesapeake Bay found producers are “generally on-track for meeting programmatic milestones” in a multiyear effort.

The report, prepared by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “notes that many farmers are taking the steps required to reduce soil erosion and runoff of nitrogen and phosphorous,” said Wilmer Stoneman, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation associate director of governmental relations.

“Farmers have said all along that there’s no quick and easy fix to bay restoration. We’re pleased to hear that we’re on track to make that a reality.”

The Interim Evaluation of Virginia’s 2014-2015 Milestones and WIP Progress was published June 10. WIP stands for watershed implementation plan, a specific set of conservation improvements and benchmarks established for each watershed in the state by the EPA under the overall Chesapeake Bay Program partnership.

Conservation efforts in different sectors are being tracked by the Virginia Department of Conservation

and Recreation, which supplied the numbers to the EPA for evaluation.

They include activities related to agriculture, urban and suburban storm water, wastewater treatment plants and nutrient-reduction credit efforts. The EPA found that farmers are currently on track for reaching the overall 2017 target for reducing nitrogen and phosphorus runoff by 60 percent compared to levels measured in 2009.

“Virginia farmers are doing well in implementing best management practices to reduce erosion and pollutants, although the report said additional BMP steps may be needed in the future,” Stoneman said. “It also noted that the state of Virginia has committed or spent almost $25 million in the bay watershed since 2012 to help farmers install fencing to keep cattle out of waterways.

“Farmers are grateful for the assistance, but much more cost-share funding will be needed in order to continue with this good progress. It can cost tens of thousands of dollars to fence some properties—money that many producers just don’t have available to spend.”

The report noted that Virginia is expected to have 274 individual farm Resource Management Plans developed by the end of this year, well above the goal of 40 plans (See related article on Page 16).

“Farmers are eager to do their part to clean up the bay under voluntary programs like RMPs,” Stoneman said, “but we need the additional staff and financial resources to carry out these recommendations. And we will continue to ask the General Assembly to fully fund these efforts.”

VaFarmBureau.org / AUGUST 2015

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Viewing Virginia

WHAT—AND WHO—IS IN THE BAY WATERSHED? The term “watershed” refers to the area of land that includes a particular body of water and all the tributaries that flow into it.

• The Chesapeake Bay’s 64,000square-mile watershed includes parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia and all of the District of Columbia.

• Within that watershed are about 1,800 local governments and more than 17 million people who live and work in a variety of communities and industries.

• Fifty-one billion gallons of water flow into the bay from its freshwater tributaries; more than 80 percent of that comes from the Susquehanna, Potomac and James rivers. More than 100,000 streams, creeks and rivers run through the bay watershed.

Lawsuit regarding additional regulation of large livestock farms dismissed A circuit court judge in Richmond rejected on July 9 a lawsuit aimed at declaring a cow a fertilizer applicator.

The suit by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation asserted that Virginia should prohibit large-scale livestock farmers from allowing their animals access to rivers and streams.

State law mandates that “waste shall not be applied” in farms’ buffer zones along stream banks, and the lawsuit argued that 14

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

waste dropped by animals near streams constitutes application.

The court, however, maintained that the language of existing law refers to farmers spreading manure for fertilizer—a regulated practice that requires a permit.

Virginia Farm Bureau Federation was among agricultural groups that intervened in the case. VFBF President Wayne F. Pryor said he was pleased with the outcome.

“Pastured livestock are exempt from storm

water regulations, but stream exclusion fencing is not a particularly new practice and livestock farmers are well aware of the need to protect water quality,” Pryor said.

“In recent decades, many, many Virginia farmers have voluntarily fenced their animals out of streams. And we know many more have applied for available cost-share funding to help them do likewise.”

Viewing Virginia

Chesapeake Bay watershed New York

Pennsylvania

Maryland Frederick

West Virginia

Winchester

Clarke Loudoun

Warren Shenandoah

Rappahannock Rockingham

Harrisonburg

Augusta Staunton

Bath

Waynesboro

Alleghany

Orange

Charlottesville

Albemarle

Rockbridge

Fairfax Manassas

Delaware

Alexandria

Stafford

Fredericksburg

King George

Spotsylvania

Louisa

Caroline

Westmoreland Essex

Richmond Northumberland Hanover King Accomack William Buena Vista Lancaster King and Goochland Queen Botetourt Amherst Henrico Craig Buckingham Middlesex Powhatan Richmond Bedford Cumberland New Kent Northampton Lynchburg Appomattox Mathews Roanoke Chesterfield Charles James Montgomery Amelia Campbell City City Gloucester Williamsburg Prince Edward Prince Nottoway Dinwiddie York George Surry Poquoson Covington

Giles

Madison

Greene

DISTRICT of COLUMBIA

Prince William

Page Culpeper

Highland

Arlington

Fauquier

Lexington

Nelson

Fluvanna

Virginia

Newport News

Colonial Heights Hopewell Petersburg

Isle of Wight Suffolk

Hampton

Norfolk

Portsmouth Virginia Beach

Chesapeake

VaFarmBureau.org / AUGUST 2015

15

Resource management plan successfully tracking farm conservation efforts

BY KATHY DIXON

Just one year after Virginia’s Resource Management Plan program was implemented, the plans are rolling in.

The program to help implement and track farmers’ conservation efforts began July 1, 2014. Organizers’ initial goal was to have 274 plans written

by October 2015; as of June 12, 230 plans had been entered into the plan development computer module.

“We’ve made lots of progress,” said Barbara McGarry, Department of Conservation and Recreation resource management program specialist. “The reception has been better than we thought it would be.”

She attributed some of that success to farmers already engaging in the conservation practices required by the plans.

For example, Keith Horsley and his father, Clem Horsely, work to protect the nearby York River and other tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay by planting cover crops on their Gloucester County grain farm. After the cover crops are harvested, they drill corn, soybeans or wheat directly into the stubble without tilling the soil. The Horsleys’ Holly Springs Farm was one of seven farms that were part of the RMP pilot program.

Representatives of the RMP program visited the Horsleys’ farm to see what conservation practices they would need to implement in order to comply with an RMP. “We were in compliance with all the regs and didn’t have to implement anything new,” Keith Horsley said. On Dec. 5, 2014, Holly Springs Farm was recognized by Gov. Terry McAuliffe as the first Virginia farm to fully implement the RMP requirements.

Individual farms’ RMPs document farmers’ roles in keeping the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries healthy. RMPs require that a farmer install or implement specific agricultural 16

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Clem Horsley (left) and his son, Keith, check the growth of soybeans they planted in a field of barley used as a cover crop.

best management practices, and an RMP certificate of implementation is effective for nine years, with compliance inspections at least every three years.

The certificate provides certainty that

a participating farm is in compliance with state nutrient, sediment and water quality-related standards. Farmers enroll in the program and comply with their respective plans voluntarily.

“The public doesn’t realize all the practices farmers are using to help the Chesapeake Bay.” —Keith Horsely, Holly Springs Farm

Process for becoming a certified RMP farm

1

Assessment—A certified RMP developer visits the operation, meets with the farmer, evaluates the land and practices in place, and begins development of practices to meet program requirements.

2

Plan Development—The certified RMP developer meets with the farmer and discusses how to meet the requirements. Once the farmer agrees to the best management practices and a timetable for implementing them, the RMP is submitted to the local soil and water conservation district or the Department of Conservation and Recreation for review and approval.

The Horsleys’ farm was the first statewide to fully meet RMP requirements.

PHOTOS BY KATHY DIXON

The program encourages expanding conservation practices statewide and documents practices already in use. It was created in part to provide data that proves the positive impact of farmers’ conservation efforts. It’s the first of its kind for any state in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The Horsleys originally enrolled 74 acres in the RMP program and have since added another 300. “The public doesn’t realize all the practices farmers are using to help the Chesapeake Bay,” Keith Horsley said.

But Virginia’s farmers are stepping up to have their efforts counted, and to ensure they are doing all they can.

“There have been a large number of plans written in a short amount of time,” McGarry said, “and we’re very pleased with that.”

3

Plan Implementation— Once an approved plan has been fully implemented, a farmer may request that the review authority visit the farm to verify implementation. A certificate of RMP implementation is issued once the review authority determines full implementation.

4

Verification—Continued verification visits are conducted every few years to ensure the continued proper functioning and maintenance of the BMPs.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information about the Resource Management Program, visit dcr.virginia.gov/soil_and_ water/rmp.shtml.

VaFarmBureau.org / AUGUST 2015

17

Keystone Tractor Works exhibits feature vintage tractors, trucks and farm and transportation memorabilia.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

‘ Work in progress’ tractor museum is full of history

BY SARA OWENS

Walk into Keystone Tractor Works in Colonial Heights, and you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.

The 70,000-square-foot museum has 160 antique tractors in its main showroom, along with an antique tobacco exhibit, antique gas pumps and displays of vintage tools, toy trucks and soda bottles.

Off the main room are two smaller rooms—one filled with antique trucks and the other housing antique cars and a meeting space.

“There’s a little something for everyone,” said Alan “Bones” Stone, the museum’s curator. “The museum is a work in progress, and we’re always adding something so there’s always something new to see.”

The museum opened in October 2010. In addition to the exhibit space, it has a gift shop, and a restaurant is being added.

Guests can take a self-guided tour of the museum, following informational signs at each tractor, truck or car. The rows of tractors are organized by make, model and year. Stone said all but four of the tractors were driven onto the

showroom floor, and most of them run.

“We have a lot of unique tractors,” he said. “We have the first electric-start tractor, first front-wheel drive tractor and several sought-after tractors.”

A bright orange-yellow 1938 Minneapolis-Moline UDLX Comfortractor sits near the front of one row. It’s a closed-cab farm tractor equipped with automotive features such as an electric starter, a dashboard with a speedometer, heat, windshield wipers, a cigarette lighter and a radio.

Stone said people would take it out on the town at night after using it in the fields. “It cost nearly twice as much as other tractors of that time, so it didn’t sell well,” he said. There are only about 30 completely restored UDLX Comfortractors in existence today.

A 1917 Waterloo Boy also is included in the display. Deere & Company purchased Waterloo Gasoline Engine Co. in 1918 and after the sale would become known as the John Deere Tractor Co. The company continued to sell tractors under the Waterloo Boy name until 1923, when the John Deere Model D was introduced.

Truck company owner ‘just kind of got into collecting’ Keith “Keystone” Jones, CEO of Abilene Motor Express in Chesterfield County, owns the museum. The tractors and trucks are from his private collection. The museum is one of the five largest exhibits of its kind on the East Coast.

Stone said the first tractor Jones purchased was his uncle’s 1950 John Deere Model M. “Keith liked old tractors and was involved in tractor pulling for many years,” he said. “After he got his first tractor, he just kind of got into collecting and went from there.”

Keystone Tractor Works has hundreds of tractor-pulling trophies on display in its main showroom. The museum hosts meetings and tour groups and also takes tractors to events like the State Fair of Virginia and Field Days of the Past in Goochland County.

“We really like to support local events,” Stone said. “We also attend the John Deere Expo in New York every other year.”

PHOTOS BY SARA OWENS

Nearly all of the museum’s tractors were driven into the building and still run.

VaFarmBureau.org / AUGUST 2015

19

MUSEUM FACTS:

• Keystone Tractor Works considers

machinery from 1959 or earlier to be antiques.

• Oldest tractor: 1917 Waterloo Boy • A black Cadillac in the collection was

used in the 2014 movie Get On Up, which starred Chadwick Boseman as singer James Brown.

• A gas pump and tractor from the

collection were used in the 2008 movie Lake City, which starred Sissy Spacek and was filmed in Virginia.

• The museum is heated with used oil from Abilene Motor Co. trucks.

• Abilene Motor Express participates in

the annual Trucker’s Parade Against Cancer each October. The parade of vintage trucks travels through four towns in Charlotte County, each vehicle bearing a banner in memory or honor of a loved one who has fought cancer.

“We’re always adding something,” curator Alan “ Bones” Stone said of the museum collection, which includes antique fire trucks and cars and tobacco collectibles.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? Visit keystonetractorworks.com for museum hours, admission costs and photos of the antique tractors, road trucks and firefighting equipment in the collection.

Keystone Tractor Works 880 W. Roslyn Road Colonial Heights, VA 23834 804-524-0020

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

For Your Benefit Save $500 on purchase or lease of selected GM vehicles Farm Bureau members in Virginia can receive a $500 incentive toward the purchase or lease of qualifying Chevrolet, GMC or Buick vehicles at participating dealerships.

The Farm Bureau GM $500 Vehicle Discount Program is available for members who are at least 18 and have been Farm Bureau members for at least 30 days. The offer can be combined with most other incentives.

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.

Members without Internet access can get assistance in acquiring a certificate from their county Farm Bureau offices.

The $500 incentive 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.

Members save at least 10 percent on Grainger purchases Farm Bureau members in Virginia can use the Farm Bureau Member Grainger Savings Discount to order supplies and products at savings of at least 10 percent plus free shipping on online orders shipped via ground transportation.

Members nationwide who have shopped Grainger have saved an average of 26.65 percent off catalog prices*.

Same-day shipping is available for the majority of in-stock items.

To get your member savings, make your purchase using Virginia Farm Bureau’s unique account number,

available from your county Farm Bureau.

When shopping online, create an account with the “Register Now” link at grainger.com. After you create a user ID and password, you can view exclusive Farm Bureau pricing. Before you start shopping, click the “My Account” link, then the “Shipping Address” link to change the pre-filled address (Virginia Farm Bureau) to your personal shipping address.

To ensure your membership discount is applied, always reference the Virginia Farm Bureau account number when visiting a local Grainger store or ordering at 800-GRAINGER (800-472-4642).

If you need additional help, call Grainger’s special Farm Bureau Member Support line at 708-396-1900. *Average of actual discounts received by Farm Bureau members during the period of December 2012 to February 2013. Rates of discount are not guaranteed and may be different from those shown.

The Farm Bureau protects the future of your farm and your neighbors farms all year long.

Today, membership can save you up to $500 on new Case IH tractors and equipment!*

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Print your certificate today!* Visit fbverify.com/CaseIH *A current Farm Bureau membership verification certificate must be presented to the Case IH dealer in advance of product delivery to receive the incentive discount. Farm Bureau Members can download a certificate at www.FBVerify.com/caseih. Not a Farm Bureau member? Reach out to your state Farm Bureau to join today.

Farm Bureau and the FB State Logo are registered service marks owned by the American Farm Bureau Federation, and are used by CNH America LLC under license from the American Farm Bureau Federation. ©2014 CNH America LLC. All rights reserved. Case IH is a registered trademark of CNH America LLC. www.caseih.com

VaFarmBureau.org / AUGUST 2015

21

Health insurance issues to consider when saying ‘I Do’ Marriage is a life-changing event in more ways than one.

When it comes to health insurance, marriage qualifies a spouse to make changes to his or her health insurance coverage outside of open enrollment periods. That’s the case for health plans both on and off the health insurance exchange.

When you get married, you may want to consider whether you should stay on your own insurance plan, enroll in your spouse’s insurance plan or add your spouse to your plan. The decision can be made by asking yourself the following questions: • What’s the cost difference between keeping your plan, joining your spouse’s plan or adding your spouse to your plan?

• How do the coverage options and benefits differ between the plans?

• Will either of you have to change doctors if you enroll in the other’s plan?

• How much time are you given to make changes to health coverage after you get married?

• If you’ve been contributing to a flexible spending account, or FSA, how much money will you lose if you switch plans?

22

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Have questions?

Any Virginia Farm Bureau member with questions about his or her best options for health care coverage is welcome to visit a county Farm Bureau office. Trained staff are available to help you get the answers you need.

‘ With this ring —and these joint policies—I thee wed’: Insurance issues to consider when getting married 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.”

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

“Usually this will result in reduced premium and will simplify claims

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

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.

(

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 / AUGUST 2015

23

Two students win Rural Health Essay Scholarship Contest They’ll pursue careers in physical therapy, osteopathic medicine

BY VERONICA ROBERTSON

Marjorie Grumbine of Botetourt County and Ian Edward Vest of Floyd County will receive $1,000 each for their winning entries in the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation 2015 Rural Health Essay Scholarship Contest.

Second place winners Amanda Miller Akers of Rockingham County and Courtney Wade of Amelia County will receive $500 each.

The contest was sponsored by the VFBF Rural Health Advisory Committee and funded by the Farm Bureau Health Care Consultants Department to help benefit young people’s career interests in rural health care. High school and college students from Farm Bureau member families submitted essays on “My Future Career in Rural Health in Virginia.”

Grumbine, daughter of Randall and Catherine Grumbine

24

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

of Fincastle, attends Virginia Commonwealth University and studies exercise science with plans to continue her education at VCU’s School of Physical Therapy.

After college, she noted, “I feel like working in rural Virginia would allow me to connect well with my patients by sharing the same culture, past experiences, and background.”

Vest, son of Daniel B. and Kirsten M. Vest of Check, attends Floyd County High School. He plans to attend Bridgewater College and study biology in the school’s pre-medicine program and eventually enroll in Campbell University’s School of Osteopathic Medicine.

“After residency and establishing myself,” he wrote, “I plan to move back to Floyd, Virginia, and open my own family practice.”

AITC thanks donor organizations

• Amherst County Farm Bureau Women's Committee • Anthem • Appomattox County Farm Bureau Women's Committee • Benefit Fiduciary Group LLC • Birdsong Peanuts • Botetourt County Farm Bureau • Brunswick County Farm Bureau Women's Committee • Carroll County Farm Bureau Women's Committee • CCA Financial LLC • Cenveo • Charles City-James City-New Kent-York County Farm Bureau

Women's Committee •C hesterfield County Farm Bureau •C olonial Agricultural Educational Foundation • ColonialWebb Contractors • Dairy Farmers of America • Experient Health • Finys •F loyd County Farm Bureau Women's Committee •G loucester-Mathews County Farm Bureau •G reene County Farm Bureau Women's Committee •G reensville County Farm Bureau Women's Committee •H alifax County Farm Bureau Women's Committee • Insurance Auto Auctions • James River Equipment • Lee County Farm Bureau • LexisNexis • Mass Mutual Financial Group •M iddlesex County Farm Bureau

AITC grants available to schools incorporating agriculture in their classrooms Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom is offering up to $500 to schools that plan to conduct an agriculture project in the coming school year.

AITC mini-grants support schools and organizations that work to help students understand the source of their food and fiber products and gain a greater knowledge and appreciation of agriculture. Successful applicants will provide students with hands-on, experiential learning opportunities.

A grant program overview and application form are available at AgInTheClass.org.

Correction A June Virginia Farm Bureau News article on schools that received Agriculture in the Classroom grants earlier this year incorrectly placed Concord Elementary School in Appomattox County. The school is in Campbell County.

Women's Committee • Mike Albert Fleet Solution • Nottoway County Farm Bureau Women's Committee • Powhatan County Farm Bureau Women's Committee • Prince William-Fairfax County Farm Bureau Women's Committee • Ricoh USA • Safelite Auto Glass • Shenandoah County Farm Bureau • Sinnott Nuckols & Logan P.C. • Smyth County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee • Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co. • Spotsylvania County Farm Bureau Women's Committee • Sterling Capital Management • Stowers Farm • SYCOM Technologies • Tazewell County Farm Bureau Women's Committee

• The Supply Room • Virginia Cotton Board • Virginia Crop Production Association Inc. • Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services • Virginia Farm Bureau Young Farmers Committee • Virginia Farm Credit Association • Virginia Grain Producers Association • Virginia Pork Council • Virginia State Feed Association • Virginia Tobacco Board • Washington County FarmBureau Women's Committee

Donations can be made online at AgInTheClass. org or mailed to AITC, P.O. Box 27552, Richmond, VA 23261-7552.

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VaFarmBureau.org / AUGUST 2015

25

A Pie for Every Season

Juicy tomatoes are the stuff of savory summer pies Tomatoes are the jewels of summertime gardens.

They can be savory or sweet, and juicedripping ripe tomatoes make excellent hot-weather pies.

Tomatoes are fruit, though they’re often cooked like vegetables. The French refer to the tomato as pomme d’amour, or “love apple.” And in Italy the tomato is sometimes called a pomodoro, or “golden apple.”

Regardless of the name, tomatoes are versatile and come in more than a thousand different varieties. Although they frequently are associated with Italian cuisine, they actually originated in South America, in the region occupied by Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and the western half of Bolivia. The first type of tomato grown is thought to have resembled today’s cherry tomato.

It wasn't until the 1500s that Spanish explorers and colonizers brought tomato seeds from Mexico back to Spain and introduced the tomato to European populations. The use of tomatoes gradually spread throughout Europe (including Italy) over the course of the 1500s. Today, tomatoes are enjoyed worldwide—to the tune of about 130 million tons per year.

The largest tomato-producing country is China, with approximately 34 million tons of production, followed by the United States, Turkey, India and Italy.

The following is a recipe by Kroger Chef Emerald Coleman, as published online by WSET-TV 13, an ABC affiliate in Lynchburg.

26

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

What better use for garden-fresh tomatoes and basil?

Tomato Pie INGREDIENTS

4 large tomatoes, halved, seeded, juiced and chopped 9-inch pie shell, prebaked for 9 minutes half a medium-size red onion, chopped ¼ cup sliced fresh basil ¾ cup mayonnaise 2 cups grated cheese—mozzarella, Cheddar or a mixture 1 teaspoon hot sauce salt and pepper to taste DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°.

Squeeze as much moisture as possible from the chopped tomatoes. Sprinkle the bottom of the prebaked pie shell with the chopped onion. Next, spread the tomatoes and basil in the shell.

In a medium bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, cheese, hot sauce and salt and pepper. Spread the mixture over the tomatoes, and bake until browned and bubbly, about 30-40 minutes.

A Pie for Every Season

Here’s another version of a tomato pie from the Georgia Farm Bureau:

Fresh Tomato Pie INGREDIENTS

2-3 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes, drained ½ teaspoon EACH salt and pepper 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese ½ cup mayonnaise 9-inch pie crust, pre-baked according to package directions ½ cup chopped onion 9 fresh basil leaves, chopped additional salt and pepper to taste DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place chopped tomatoes in a colander to drain, then sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. In a bowl, combine the cheeses and mayonnaise.

To assemble the pie, place onions in the bottom of the baked crust, spread the tomatoes evenly over the onions, then add the basil leaves and, if desired, salt and pepper to taste. Gently place cheese mixture over the top, and spread it evenly until the mixture almost touches the edges of the pie shell.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

Tomatoes are enjoyed worldwide today, having originated in South America and been introduced in Europe by Spanish explorers.

VaFarmBureau.org / AUGUST 2015

27

Heart of the Home

Hot days call for simpler meals Here’s a simple personal pizza and a versatile berry sherbet that can be adapted to ingredients on hand.

Each week Caressa Jackson hosts the “Heart of the Home” cooking segments on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly

television program, courtesy of Virginia Grown, a program of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Jackson shares seasonal recipes from online grocer Relay Foods.

Artichoke Pesto Pizza with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Kale INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

dough for 4 personal-size pizzas

Thaw dough at room temperature for 2 hours or overnight in refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 375˚ for whole-wheat dough and 425˚ for white dough.

Roll out dough on a floured surface until it is ¼" thick. Spread pesto over pizzas, then evenly distribute shredded cheeses and add sun-dried tomatoes.

Bake until crust begins to brown, usually 14-22 minutes. Check baking progress at least 5 minutes before

1 jar lemon artichoke pesto ½ cup roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes 8 ounces mozzarella, shredded 4 ounces Parmesan, shredded ½ cup roughly chopped kale black pepper to taste

You can always make one family-size pizza instead of four personal ones, too!

28

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

prescribed baking times.

Add chopped kale, and bake for 4-6 minutes longer, until the cheese has melted and pizza crusts are crispy.

Season with black pepper, and serve piping hot.

Serves 4.

Heart of the Home

Mixed Berry Sherbet One cup of blueberries can be substituted for 1 cup of blackberries, if you want to try this cool treat before blackberry season. Note that this recipe requires an ice cream freezer.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup blackberries 1 cup strawberries 2 cups raspberries 2 cups whole milk 1 cup sugar 1½ teaspoons lemon juice DIRECTIONS

In a blender or food processor, puree the blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, milk and sugar until smooth.

Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the puree to remove all seeds. Stir in the lemon juice.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 1 day. Freeze in ice cream freezer according to manufacturer's instructions.

Don’t wait for one particular berry to try this sherbet recipe; it can be adapted to what’s in season locally right now.

VaFarmBureau.org / AUGUST 2015

29

Social media and Real Virginia led Lee County farmer to new land A feature on Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly television show helped a Lee County farmer lease 185 acres.

BY SARA OWENS

Television appearances bring fame for some, but for one farmer in Lee County it brought land.

Lee County beef cattle, vegetable and tobacco farmer Jonathan Cavin appeared in an April report by Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s television program, Real Virginia, on social media.

An occupational therapist in Georgia was watching Real Virginia on RFD-TV while working with a patient and happened to see the story.

“The last Saturday in April, I got a Facebook message from a woman wanting to lease land to me,” Cavin said.

The owner of the property saw the screenshot of Cavin Farms Facebook page on the television program and sent a private message to Cavin inquiring about his interest in leasing her land.

“She had land to lease in Jonesville, which is about 20 miles from my farm in Rose Hill,” Cavin said. “She messaged me on Saturday,

we talked on the phone that Sunday and the following Saturday we met in person and signed the papers for the lease.”

The 185 acres is currently unfarmed. “There are no restrictions on the land—she just wanted someone to take care of it and turn it into a working farm,” Cavin said.

It’s a bit too far from his main operation for him to grow crops on it, so he plans to turn it into a cattle farm.

“Since I leased it so far

CAVIN

into the year, my goal is to work on maintaining it for now, but it will be more of a 2016 project, when it gets colder out,” Cavin said.

“The property is also very mountainous and is full of snakes this time of year, so I’m waiting until it cools off.”

Apples & Secretariat history highlighted on Real Virginia Featured this month on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly television program: • More Virginia apples are being raised for the fresh fruit market • Resource Management Plans are a new tool to help farms protect the environment • Secretariat’s home is now on both the Virginia and National registers of historic places 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.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Marketplace

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AZOMITE – Trace mineral compound for crops, livestock, garden. Call Milton Christy at Agri Service. 540-752-2667.

FARM EQUIPMENT

FOR SALE – 2004 Hudson dual tandem 10 ton trailer, EC, $6,000. Triple bottom plow, GC $350. New Holland 256 hay rake, 273 square baler, 479 mower/conditioner $4,000. Lynchburg 443-928-4728.

NINE – Tandem axle drying trailers, yellow or red, many uses, $350 each. 757630-8550.

WANTED – 50-hp to 60-hp tractor with loader under 2,000 hours. 540-885-3008.

TRACTORS – B Allis Chalmers $950; Craftsman 16 $550; two walk behind on steel $700. 804-360-2240.

FOR SALE – 6-ft. finish mower, very good condition. Hinomoto tractor, needs engine work. 276-694-6852.

FARMALL CUB – With cultivators $2,000; Farmall Super C $1,600; Farmall M $1,500. 540-320-1949.

PARTS – For Cat 955.H loader, some new, some used and very reasonably priced.

276-694-6852.

JOHN DEERE – Hay rake #660, 3 wheel rake, excellent condition $2,600 OBO. 804-339-0722.

LIVESTOCK REGISTERED – TWH gelding, 12-years old, 16-hands, excellent trail or field trial, quiet disposition, $1,875. 540-239-0882.

100% BOER BUCK – 2 year old proven, $650; Sire and Dam from Oklahoma. 434589-5658.

COLT – Foaled 5/11/14 RMHA KMSHA, chocolate white mane, tail. Leads, trims, current shots $2,500. 804-943-3811.

ANGUS BULLS – Calving ease, semen tested, excellent bloodlines. Reasonably priced, good selection, delivery available.

C-Stock Farm, Scottsville, day 434-2862743, after 7 p.m. 434-981-1397 or 434286-2423.

TEN ANGUS HEIFERS – Bred to calving ease bull. Call 276-686-4558.

2016 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, which is mailed to producer members, or in Cultivate, which is 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. 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 January 2016 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 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 on your membership card and above your name on the mailing label of your copy of Virginia Farm Bureau News. All member numbers will be verified.

TEXAS LONGHORNS – Registered steers and breeding stock available. Ranch near Emporia. www.lakecountrylonghorns. com. 757-377-5660.

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 Virginia Farm Bureau News. All member numbers will be verified.

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.

VaFarmBureau.org / AUGUST 2015

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