FBN Sept 2016

Farm Bureau News Since

75

th 1941

in print

SEPTEMBER 2016

VAFARMBUREAU.ORG

Virginia wheat draws buyers’ attention

Farm Bureau News

Volume 75, Number 3 September 2016

16

Features

“Some people are

16

soft wheat is grown in

11

12

Wheat tour draws buyers’ attention

A new tour of Virginia wheat crops could help boost the state’s wheat industry and expand production.

Virginia launches Century Forest program

On July 1, Virginia began making plans to recognize families who have owned working forestlands for more than 100 years.

surprised at how much Virginia.”

— ANDREW CLEMENTS, merchandiser, Gavilon Grain LLC

PUBLICATION SCHEDULE

Producer members will receive their next issue of Virginia Farm Bureau News in November. The magazine will be published quarterly this year.

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

AITC donors fuel agriculture education statewide

Since 1993, donor-funded activities of Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom have reached more than half a million children.

KATHY DIXON

Virginia Farm Bureau News (USPS 017-763) (ISSN 1525-528X) is published four times a year. January, April, September, November.

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).

Departments 3

Save the Date

6

Across America

Greg Hicks Vice President, Communications Pam Wiley Managing Editor Kathy Dixon Staff Writer/Assistant Editor Sara Owens Staff Writer/Photographer Elizabeth Nixon Staff Writer/Photographer Pat Hooten Graphic Designer Maria La Lima Graphic Designer Claire Mills Advertising

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

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

7 Viewing Virginia

Board of Directors

24

For Your Benefit

28

Heart of the Home

31

Marketplace

Emily Edmondson 1 Tazewell Richard L. Sutherland 2 Grayson Evelyn H. Janney 3 Floyd Gordon R. Metz 4 Henry Russell L. Williams II 5 Rockbridge 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

ON THE COVER Mid-Atlantic wheat tour participants stopped at numerous Virginia farms in early June (Photo by Pam Wiley).

DIRECTOR

DISTRICT COUNTY

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

Save the Date!

10 million Acres of Virginia’s woodlands—about two-thirds—that are controlled by family forest landowners (See related article on Page 11).

State Fair of Virginia gearing up for 10-day run The State Fair of Virginia will take place Sept. 23 through Oct. 2 at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County.

For more information on concerts, attractions, rides and more, visit StateFairVa.org (See related article on Page 18).

VFBF Annual Convention returning to Hot Springs

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s 96th Annual Convention will take place Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 at The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs.

The convention is open to voting delegates and any other interested Farm Bureau members.

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

VaFarmBureau.org / SEPTEMBER 2016

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

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Since

75

th 1941

in print

A look back: Some county traditions still stand Virginia Farm Bureau News marked 75 years in print this past February, and a recent look through the archives highlighted a longstanding summer tradition among county Farm Bureaus.

On the front page of the September 15, 1941, issue of the newspaper, under a subhead noting “August Time Is Picnic Time,” was a photo from the annual picnic of Goochland County Farm Bureau and an article recounting the annual picnic of the Augusta Cooperative Farm Bureau.

The Augusta event was a lively one that drew “over 800 persons” and included softball games, a tug-of-war and a horseshoe-pitching contest. On the softball field, “Staunton won over Weyers Cave … with a score of 9-4 and Raphine defeated Waynesboro, 20-4. In the winner’s playoff, Raphine defeated Staunton with a score of 9-8 and the team was presented with a trophy.”

In the youth division, “the Weyers Cave-New Hope team was declared the winner in the F.F.A. game, and was presented with a $5 cash prize.”

An inside photo showed a crowd enjoying watermelon at the annual picnic of Orange-Madison Farm Bureau, which included “a series of contests and a baseball game.”

Another inside photo showed the Broadway High School band receiving a $45 first-place prize after a competition at the Rockingham County Farm Bureau picnic. The McGaheysville-Elkton Band won second prize, which was $40.

Explore Farm Bureau’s history

County Farm Bureau picnic highlights in 1941 included a band competition in Rockingham County (top), a watermelon feast in Orange County and a tug-of-war in Augusta County.

Through a partnership with the Library of Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation has been able to make back issues of Virginia Farm Bureau News available online as part of the Virginia Newspaper Project.

Issues published between February 1941 and January 2000 are available online at no cost with all images and search capability at digitalvirginianewspapers.com.

VaFarmBureau.org / SEPTEMBER 2016

5

Across America

Election website tracking candidates’ stands on ag issues

interstate commerce and prevents state-by-state labeling laws.

•The USDA will direct formal rulemaking to set national definitions and standards for the labeling of products that may contain ingredients derived from biotechnology; the law prohibits the use of disparaging information relative to biotechnology.

As the Nov. 8 general election draws closer, the American Farm Bureau Federation continues to share information on where the presidential candidates stand on farm and rural issues.

FB Advocacy Election ’16 at election16.fb.org tracks the candidates’ views on agriculture-related subjects.

Dale Moore, AFBF executive director of public policy, recently told the Capital Ag Press, “We want to make sure the voices of our members are heard. There’s too much at stake to take a back seat and watch this process.”

• Strong, narrow definition of bioengineering for labeling purposes is aimed at protecting new and emerging breeding techniques.

• Food manufacturers defined as “very small” would be exempt from the disclosure requirement entirely.

AMS will set the thresholds.

Register by Oct. 17 to vote in Virginia

The deadline to register to vote, or update an existing registration, for the Nov. 8 general election is Oct. 17.

Virginia law requires all voters to provide an acceptable form of photo ID at the polls.

For registration and voter photo ID information, visit the Department of Elections website at elections.virginia. gov.

President signs national biotech disclosure into law On July 29 President Obama signed into law a Farm Bureau-supported measure that puts a stop to state GMO labeling laws and sets in place a uniform national disclosure system that will provide balanced, accurate information to consumers.

“For decades, biotechnology has made it possible for farmers to grow safe and healthful crops while reducing their environmental impact. We 6

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Don’t forget your photo ID when you go to vote on Nov. 8.

are pleased that Congress and the administration have moved swiftly to prevent consumer confusion and protect agricultural innovation,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall.

The law is based on a mandatory disclosure mechanism that requires food companies to provide information through an on-package statement, symbol or some other means of electronic disclosure abiding by standards developed and regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

It gives the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service one year to study consumer access to digitally disclosed information and two years to finalize a rule implementing the law.

Other key elements of the law include the following: • Strong federal preemption effective date of enactment protects

• Meat and dairy products would not be considered GMO products just because the animals were fed GMO feed. Products such as soup in which meat is the lead ingredient would be exempt, even if there is a minor biotech ingredient such as high fructose corn syrup. However, animals that are genetically engineered, such as some types of salmon, would fall under the disclosure requirements.

• The USDA would have no authority to issue or require recalls of products that do not comply with the labeling requirements, and there would be no federal penalties for violations.

States, however, could impose fines for violations of the standards under state consumer protection rules.

• Products that are certified organic by the USDA could be labeled as non-GMO. The AMS has established a website for the new biotech program at ams. usda.gov/rules-regulations/gmo.

Viewing Virginia

Gooden named state’s new secretary Poultry farms benefit from successful of agriculture and forestry disease control

Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced on July 7 the appointment of Dr. Basil I. Gooden as Virginia’s secretary of agriculture and forestry.

Gooden succeeds Todd Haymore, who will assume the role of Virginia secretary of commerce and trade this month.

“Agriculture and forestry are two of Virginia’s largest and most important industries, and Dr. Gooden is ready to build on our administration’s success in growing them under the leadership of Secretary Haymore,” McAuliffe said.

GOODEN Gooden grew up on his family’s beef cattle farm in Buckingham County. He holds degrees from Virginia Tech and the University of North Carolina. In 2014 President Obama appointed him state director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development for Virginia. Prior to that appointment he served as chief deputy director of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development for 12 years.

Both Gooden and Virginia Farm Bureau President Wayne F. Pryor serve on governing bodies for the Center for Rural Virginia.

“We look forward to working with Dr. Gooden,” Pryor said, “and I’m confident his agricultural background and his experience with rural communities will make him an effective advocate for Virginia’s farmers.”

Va. Congressional candidates’ survey responses available online Over the summer Virginia Farm Bureau Federation sent a questionnaire on five issues that have a direct impact on Virginia farms to 24 candidates for Virginia seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The responses of the candidates who chose to participate can be found on the VFBF website at VaFarmBureau. org/Policy-Action/Congressional.

Candidates were asked what actions they would take, if elected, to bring about the following results: • ensure that the Environmental Protection Agency acts within the bounds of the Clean Water Act;

• c hange U.S. energy policy to meet the nation’s short- and long-term energy needs and strengthen energy security; • e nsure consumer safety and streamline the U.S. food safety system; • a dvance immigration reform and resolve the critical labor shortage that many farmers face each year; and •m inimize the federal government’s regulatory burden on legitimate family-owned businesses such as farms.

Biosecurity measures on Virginia poultry farms have been important over the past year due to an avian influenza outbreak that started in 2014 in the Pacific Northwest, Midwest and California.

Virginia Farm Bureau Federation recently lifted heightened biosecurity measures that had been in place for 15 months for staff visiting poultry farms.

“Our employees were asked to not visit any poultry farms out of an abundance of precaution unless there was an urgent or emergency situation that required staff to be on the farm,” said Tony Banks, VFBF assistant director of commodity marketing.

“In relaxing our policy, we returned to our standard policy for on-farm biosecurity—for employees to always adhere to biosecurity protocols in place at each farm. Further, we discourage employees from visiting more than one confined livestock or poultry farm within the same day.”

Farmers urged to be on the lookout for marijuana Law enforcement agencies urged farmers in Southwest Virginia this summer to check their property for marijuana planted by trespassers.

Within the past year, hundreds of marijuana plants have been discovered between rows of hay bales on farms in and around Pulaski County, according to the Claytor Lake Regional Drug Task Force.

“Unfortunately this is a growing trend,” said Cpl. Barbara Owens of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, a member of the task force. “Not only are the marijuana plants an issue, but what is more concerning is there are people trespassing on farmers’ property.”

VaFarmBureau.org / SEPTEMBER 2016

7

YF Summer Expo

Young Farmers explore agriculture’s future in historic setting

PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH NIXON

BY ELIZABETH NIXON

Tour stops included Belmont Farm Distillery in Culpeper County.

More than 200 participants from about 50 counties took part in the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers Summer Expo July 29-31.

The family-friendly event, hosted by the VFBF Young Farmers Committee, was held in several locations in the Piedmont region and drew producers and others from all corners of the state.

The agenda included the Young Farmers Discussion Meet semifinals and judging for the Excellence in

Agriculture and Outstanding Young Agriculturalist award programs. It also featured policy discussion and plenty of opportunities to network and socialize with other industry professionals. Local tours included area farms, a distillery and a rock quarry.

Expo participants confront the issues Event participants were asked to consider issues that VFBF is asking producer members statewide to discuss in the interest of policy

Bank Smarter

to five new part-time employees, and it clearly made a difference.”

Virginia has seen a drop in the number The report listed 218 sheep, 60 calves of livestock animals killed by coyotes and 24 goats as verified coyote kills on on Virginia farms, according to the U.S. 191 Virginia farms in fiscal year 2015. The Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife average number of sheep killed per farm Services division. was 3.3. The numbers might have been Keithand Phillips Bradley Webb Gene Copenhaver David Kiracofe H. B. Hunter Between July 1, 2014, June worse if the Bridgewater cooperative program hadn’t540-437-0604 Senior Vice President/Ag Division Harrisonburg Abingdon 276-623-0128 540-828-2020 Lynchburg 434-455-0888 30, 2015, the stateHarrisonburg saw a 540-437-0604 24 percent implemented preventive measures as decrease in the recorded number of well as actual removal of coyotes on sheep killed by coyotes, as well as a 81 livestock farms. Wildlife Services 26 percent drop in the number of calves reported 512 coyotes removed from taken by the predators. farms with extreme predation problems.

“This is tremendous news for our It’s been a quarter of a century farmers, who suffer economic losses as since the cooperative control program Everett Johnson Roy Settle Mark Cox Gary Britt Jamie Whitacre well as disappointment Wythevillewhenever 276-228-1125 theyJohnson City 423-282-3850 Radford 540-633-3793 Richmond 540-292-5943 Woodstock/Winchester 540-459-7228 began between the USDA and the find a fresh carcass from a coyote kill,” Virginia Department of Agriculture said Wilmer Stoneman, Virginia th Farm and Consumer Services. The program Bureau Federation associate director of emphasizes prevention before removal. governmental relations. “It also shows Funding for the program totaled how effective the cooperative control For over three decades, First Bank &$390,000 Trust Company in FY 2015, thanks to program can be givenrural enough haswhen provided America withmatching innovative funds from state and federal financial resources.

Theproducts budget for the financial and ag industry experts. and an additional $5,000 Agricultural Lending Division governments www.firstbank.com Member FDIC Virginia Cooperative Coyote Damage *2016 Bank Intelligence Solutions and regulatory findings from the Virginia Sheep Industry Board.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

YF Summer Expo

Belmont Farm Distillery products being aged

development. They met in small groups to discuss emerging issues and those that elicit a variety of opinions among members: • economic incentives for agriculture and whether Farm Bureau should support certain commodities over others; • farm buildings and whether there is sufficient clarification for people interpreting farm structure exemptions; • net metering and what policies Farm Bureau should advocate for regarding renewable energy; and • nutrient management plans and how to improve related Farm Bureau policy and engage more farmers in the process.

Becoming social media savvy Young Farmers also were able to consider their communication options in a workshop about different social media platforms. Information was shared by Val Wagner, a North Dakota farmer and vice chairman of the American Farm Bureau Federation Promotion and Education Committee; Young Farmer Coley Jones Drinkwater of Dinwiddie County; and Kelly Pruitt, VFBF grassroots coordinator.

“You have the world at your fingertips,” Wagner told workshop participants. “(Farmers and ranchers) have an amazing story to tell. We need to take a risk to tell our story and show people what is happening on the farm—that’s what they want to see.”

Young Farmers also toured Battlefield Farms Inc. near the town of Orange.

Washington County agriculture educator wins Excellence in Agriculture Award Sarah Scyphers of Washington County is this year’s Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers Excellence in Agriculture Award winner.

The award recognizes individuals for involvement in agriculture, leadership ability and involvement and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations.

Scyphers is an agriculture education instructor and FFA advisor at Holston High School in Damascus. She SCYPHERS grew up on her family’s beef cattle and sheep operation, where they also grew crops to feed their livestock. She, her husband and their two children raise purebred Katahdin and commercial hair sheep, along with commercial and Charolais cattle.

As an educator, Scyphers has looked for ways to benefit not only her students, but also other children in her community. This past school year she was awarded a Models of Innovation Grant through the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Virginia Tech for development of an outdoor learning lab and classroom at her school. She also has established a program in which her students educate third-graders about agriculture.

Scyphers holds a bachelor’s degree in animal and poultry science with an emphasis in production agriculture and a master’s degree in career and technical education with an endorsement in agriculture education.

She will receive a Kubota RTV utility vehicle, courtesy of Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Services, and a Stihl chain saw from Mid-Atlantic Stihl.

She also will receive a travel package to the 2017 American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in Phoenix.

Casey and Stacey Phillips of Montgomery County are this year’s runners-up.

They also will receive a travel package to the AFBF Annual Convention.

VaFarmBureau.org / SEPTEMBER 2016

9

YF Summer Expo

Va. winners to compete for national Young Farmers honors, prizes

Botetourt County student named Outstanding Young Agriculturalist Davis Fenster of Botetourt County was named this year’s Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Outstanding Young Agriculturalist. The award is co-sponsored by the VFBF Young Farmers Committee and Women’s Committee and Farm Credit. It recognizes high school juniors and seniors for academic, community and agribusiness achievement and presentations to a panel of judges.

Fenster is the son of Corbin and Amy White of Buchanan FENSTER and has grown up on his family’s beef cattle farm. He also owns his own business, Little Wasprock Farm, though which he raises and sells poultry, beef and swine.

In addition to working on the farm and showing livestock and poultry through the Rockbridge County 4-H Stockmen’s Club, Fenster has been actively involved in the James River High School FFA chapter. He is a rising senior and a member of the school’s varsity football team and honor council. He also is a National Honor Society member.

After high school he plans to attend a four-year university and pursue a degree in poultry science.

Fenster will receive a $1,500 scholarship, courtesy of Farm Credit and the VFBF Young Farmers and Women’s committees.

First runner-up was Keri Knott of Henry County, who will receive a $500 scholarship, courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co. Other finalists were Michaela Andrews of Caroline County; Hannah Craun of Rockingham County; Abby Durheim of Stafford County; Ty McReynolds of Augusta County; Elizabeth Mullins of Dickenson County; Hannah Reed of Pulaski County; Tess Seibel of Botetourt County; Sarah Vest of Rockbridge County; and Justin Virts of Loudoun County.

Each will receive $250, courtesy of Farm Credit and the VFBF Young Farmers and Women’s committees.

Finalists named for Discussion Meet Semifinals for this year’s VFBF Young Farmers Discussion Meet took place July 30, and four participants will compete for the state title on Nov. 29.

Finalists are Brittany Bowman of Shenandoah County, Jacob Gilley of Orange County, Jessica Jones of Pittsylvania County and William Lloyd of Washington County.

The final Discussion Meet round will be held at the VFBF Annual Convention in Hot Springs.

10

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Winners of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation 2016 Young Farmers Achievement Award, Excellence in Agriculture Award and Discussion Meet will compete on the national level at the 2017 American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention. The convention will be held Jan. 6-9 in Phoenix.

Winners of the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award, Excellence in Agriculture Award and Discussion Meet will receive the following: • their choice of a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado or 2017 GMC Sierra, valued at $35,000, courtesy of Chevrolet; and • paid registration to the 2017 AFBF FUSION Conference, which will be held Feb. 10-13 in Pittsburgh.

Three national finalists for each award will receive the following: • a Case IH Farmall 50A tractor valued at $24,300, courtesy of Case IH; and • a $2,500 cash prize and $500 in Stihl merchandise, courtesy of Stihl.

In the event any of the above awards are unavailable, AFBF reserves the right to substitute a prize of comparable or greater value in its sole discretion.

VA. DEPT. OF FORESTRY

Virginia launches program to honor longtime family forests

BY CLAIRE MILLS

Virginia has launched the nation’s first Century Forest Program, designed to honor and recognize families who have owned working forestlands for more than 100 years.

The state law authorizing the program went into effect July 1.

Virginia’s agriculture and forest industries contribute a combined $70 billion annually to Virginia’s economy, and timber is the thirdlargest contributing sector.

“Nearly two-thirds, or 10 million acres, of Virginia’s woodlands are controlled by family forest landowners.

How they feel about their woodlands, the options available to them, and the decisions they make to manage and conserve them are crucial to sustaining the commonwealth’s $17 billion timber industry,” said Mike Santucci, forestland conservation manager for the Virginia Department of Forestry.

“Their forestlands are the collective fabric that stitches landscapes together across Virginia.”

Virginia began its Century Farm program in 1997 to recognize farms that have been held in the same family for more than 100 years.

Century Forest properties also must have been owned by the same family for at least 100 consecutive years; include at least 20 contiguous acres of managed forest; be lived on or managed by a descendant of the original owners; and have a history of timber harvests or forest management activities.

“The Century Forest program builds on the highly successful Century Farms program. It recognizes the

importance that the family farm and forest community has on the lives of all Virginians—and the need to retain this land cover and land use to maintain the quality of life we all enjoy,” Santucci said.

Andrew Smith, senior assistant director of governmental relations for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, said most Farm Bureau producer member families “have timber and farmland. Some just have farmland, but both have a sense of pride in their agricultural and forest heritage. This program encourages people to keep land in production and shows that generations have been involved.”

The Century Forest program addresses the important challenge of keeping forestland intact.

“The parcelization and fragmentation of family-owned woodlands is a real issue across the South,” Santucci said. “We know that family-owned forests are most vulnerable to being broken apart or taken out of forest use at the time the land is passed forward from one generation to the next. Oftentimes a distinction like Century Forests is that small encouragement needed for a family to continue their good management and conservation of their land and resources.”

At the family level, he said, the Century Forest program taps into the deep connection forest landowners have with their land.

“If you ask owners to talk about their land, the conversation quickly turns to the family stories about the land, or the memories associated with it—the woodland and family legacy. It’s

important to them that these are passed forward to future generations intact.

This is the essence of what the Century Forest designation is meant to capture.”

Qualifying Century Forest families will receive a certificate signed by the governor and a sign to display on their property.

To request an application, email centuryforests@dof.virginia.gov or call the Department of Forestry at 434-977-6555.

Families encouraged to apply for Century Farm status Virginia currently recognizes 1,369 Century Farms.

In recent years, organizers of that program have made a push to get qualifying families to register their farms. As a result, Powhatan County Farm Bureau grew that county’s number from three Century Farms to 14 in just three months.

How did they do it? President Max Timberlake said he approached qualifying landowners—many of them senior adults. He encouraged them to register and offered help with the process. There’s a time commitment involved, he said, “but it’s interesting and rewarding to hear their stories.”

Timberlake said he finds inspiration in the achievement of fellow farmers. “These farms have attained a milestone for agriculture and set the standard for preservation of rural heritage in Powhatan,” he said.

Century Farm applications are available from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and program details are online at vdacs. virginia.gov/conservation-andenvironmental-virginia-centuryfarms.shtml. For more information call 804-786-1906 or email andrew. sorrell@vdacs.virginia.gov.

VaFarmBureau.org / SEPTEMBER 2016

11

AITC

Donors fuel agriculture education—in the classroom and beyond

S

ince it began offering training for educators in 1993, Virginia’s Agriculture in the Classroom program has served nearly 26,000 teachers and more than 650,000 students.

That impact is entirely donor-funded.

Agriculture in the Classroom, a nonprofit affiliate of Virginia Farm Bureau, has as its mission educating children about the importance of agriculture. The program provides agriculture education training and Standards of Learning-aligned lesson plans for teachers to implement in their classrooms. It also trains volunteers who conduct agriculture days at schools and in their communities, and it awards grants to teachers and groups interested in organizing agricultural activities for children.

“We rely solely on the money we receive from our generous donors,” explained Kelly Pious, executive director of the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. “We couldn’t complete our goals without these donations. They are what make us run.”

The 2016 AITC program year ended June 30. For 2016, the program was able to meet or exceed its goals and provide the following: • educator training to 2,500 teachers at 94 events; • new curriculum units, resources, banners and displays; • 20,000 printed newsletters to schools; • materials for 43 volunteerconducted events, which reached 12

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Additionally, AITC began to have a presence at the State Fair of Virginia in 2015. That allowed the program to expand its reach to even more children—and their families.

And the AITC grant program, Maxey noted, helps teachers and volunteers conduct agriculture-related projects.

“These new educational initiatives have been great and would not have been possible without the continued support of our donors,” she said.

Grants enable AITC to reach more children

Many projects supported by AITC are school gardens.

31,000 children; and • 32 grants to programs in public and private schools and Virginia communities, reaching 11,339 students.

“Over the past several years, we’ve put an emphasis on adding new opportunities for teachers and volunteers to expand our reach,” said Tammy Maxey, senior education manager for Virginia AITC. “We continue to conduct a lot of educational trainings for teachers across the state and have been able to reach a new audience of children through activities that volunteers are holding in schools and in their communities.”

Since 2014, AITC has offered school mini-grants of up to $500. In the program’s first year, AITC awarded grants totaling $3,000 to six applicants.

This year the program awarded 32 grants totaling $15,000.

“The grants allow teachers or anyone interested in agriculture education to do more for their classrooms and communities, and we’re able to increase the number of children learning about where their food and basic needs come from,” Maxey said.

Livvy Preisser, a Virginia Cooperative Extension agent, received a $500 grant to build an Ag Day Kit that has allowed her to hold agriculture days in several Campbell County elementary schools.

The kit includes grain art supplies, games and play farm animals and equipment. Preisser created a sensory bin using grains and a wading pool, and she built a simulated dairy cow that children can “milk.” She also purchased AITC giveaway items and handouts to use for her events.

Preisser said the grant allowed her to

AITC

purchase items that she could not have purchased otherwise.

“I believe these funds helped lead to the large success of these agriculture days,” she said. “These supplies are reusable, so they can be used for many events and for years to come. I was able to reach many children in the county and nearby counties.

“Helping children learn about agriculture is very near and dear to my heart,” Preisser said. “I am so passionate about youth agriculture education and have loved having these events over the past year. This grant has been so helpful, and I hope they continue to help people like me get off the ground.”

Agriculture Literacy Week, State Fair allow more educational opportunities Another large part of AITC’s programming is Agriculture Literacy Week, which engages volunteers and allows an additional avenue to reach students.

Now in its sixth year, Agriculture Literacy Week has become so popular that it was expanded to two weeks this past March. More than 1,750 volunteers read agriculture-related books to 40,600 children across the state. The event coincided with National Ag Week.

Later this month, AITC will have an enhanced presence at the State Fair.

In 2015, the program reached 5,000 students through the fair’s Educational Expo school field trip division.

“We use a variety of methods to reach children,” Maxey said. “Most of them are several generations removed from the farm, and it is the goal of Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom to show them how their lives are touched by agriculture.”

Businesses, Farm Bureaus support AITC In addition to many individuals who contributed, numerous organizations made contributions to the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom between July 1, 2015, and June 30, 2016.

• Caroline County Farm Bureau

Founder Level ($10,000 and greater) The following groups made contributions at the Founder Level: • Agriculture in the Classroom Gun Raffle

• Chesterfield County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee

• James River Equipment

• Carroll County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee • Charles City-James City-New Kent-York County Farm Bureau

• Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign • Core Consulting

• Virginia Farm Bureau Federation

• Culpeper County Farm Bureau

• Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co.

• Dinwiddie County Farm Bureau • Dominion Foundation

• Virginia Soybean Board

• Elis Olson Memorial Foundation

Leader Level ($1,000 to $9,999) The following groups made contributions at the Leader Level: • Albemarle County Farm Bureau • Augusta County Farm Bureau & Women’s Committee • BB&T • Birdsong Peanuts • Botetourt County Farm Bureau & Women’s Committee

• Enterprise Holdings Foundation • Finys • First Bank & Trust Co. • Floyd County Farm Bureau • Greene County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee • Halifax County Farm Bureau • Houff's Feed & Fertilizer • Jane & Arthur Flipp Foundation

Volunteers use visits to schools during Agriculture Literacy Week to talk with children about the farm origins of different foods.

VaFarmBureau.org / SEPTEMBER 2016

13

AITC

• King William County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee • Lee County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee • LexisNexis • Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association • Middlesex County Farm Bureau • Mike Albert Fleet Solutions • Prince William-Fairfax County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee • RICOH • Rockbridge County Farm Bureau & Women’s Committee • Rockingham County Farm Bureau & Women’s Committee • Shenandoah County Farm Bureau • Smyth County Farm Bureau • Southeast United Dairy Industry Association • Universal Leaf Foundation • Virginia Beef Industry Council • Virginia Corn Board • Virginia Cotton Board • Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services/Virginia Grown • Virginia Egg Council • VFBF Membership & Field Services Department • VFBF Women’s Committee • VFBF Young Farmers Committee • Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association • Virginia Peanut Growers Association • Virginia Small Grains Board • Virginia Small Grain Producers Association & Virginia Soybean Association • Virginia State Feed Association Inc. • Virginia Tobacco Settlement Fund • Washington County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee Builder Level ($500 to $999) The following groups made contributions at the Builder Level: • American Agriculture Insurance Co. 14

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

• Amherst County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee

• Deas Construction

• Anthem

• Franklin County Farm Bureau

• Big River Advertising • Brunswick County Farm Bureau • CCA Financial LLC • Cenveo • Charlotte County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee • Colonial Agriculture Education Foundation • Colonial Farm Credit

• Experient Health • Gloucester-Mathews County Farm Bureau • Goochland County Farm Bureau • Grayson County Farm Bureau • Greensville County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee • Highland-Bath County Farm Bureau • Houff Foundation • Nottoway County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee

Students who took part in this school gardening activity in Virginia Beach learned about what plants need to thrive.

• Orange County Farm Bureau

• SyCom

• Pittsylvania County Farm Bureau Women's Committee

• Tazewell County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee

• Russell County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee

• The Supply Room Co.

• Safelite Solutions

• Virginia Crop Producers Association

• Scott County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee • SLAIT Consulting • Smart Resources

• Virginia Agribusiness Council • Virginia Poultry Federation • Virginia Tobacco Board

WANT TO KNOW MORE? Find more information about AITC at AgInTheClass.org.

Donations to the AITC program are always welcomed and can be mailed to AITC, P.O. Box 27552, Richmond, VA 23261.

• Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Corp.

VaFarmBureau.org / SEPTEMBER 2016

15

PHOTOS BY KATHY DIXON AND PAM WILEY

Wheat tour reveals milling-quality product in Virginia Mid-Atlantic tour adds stops in commonwealth, will be back next year

A

BY KATHY DIXON

s they waded into hip-high fields of golden wheat, participants in the midAtlantic wheat tour wasted no time measuring the crop’s height, counting the kernels on the heads and checking the overall condition.

The June 10 tour was the first of its kind in Virginia.

“Some people are surprised at how much soft wheat is grown in Virginia,” said tour organizer Andrew Clements, a merchandiser with Gavilon Grain LLC in Kansas City, Mo. “This tour may help shed light on Virginia’s wheat industry and help expand production.”

Expanding southward Mid-Atlantic wheat quality tours began about five years ago in Pennsylvania and have since expanded into Maryland and Delaware. This year was the first time industry stakeholders also examined wheat in Virginia and New Jersey.

Robert Harper, grain manager for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, noted that participating organizations already are interested in visiting more Virginia farms in 2017.

During tour stops at farms in some 16

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

of the state’s northern and eastern counties, agronomists, granary operators, merchandisers, millers, traders and Virginia Cooperative Extension agents inspected the quality of the crop. Ernest “Ernie” Dodson, agronomy advisor for the Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative, said the idea was to observe the condition of the grain and look for any evidence of disease.

The fields were then rated based on a series of criteria.

“It gives us an idea of what’s going to happen with the wheat crop before it happens,” Dodson said.

Some tour attendees would use that information to determine the quantity of wheat they order for their operations.

“All of us will take different sections of the fields and compare notes to look at the overall quality of that field,” explained tour participant Trent Weatherly, a senior feed merchandiser for Cargill.

At Kettle Wind Farm in Prince William County, tour participants counted kernels in 5-feet rows of wheat to determine the average number of kernels per head. They checked for disease and measured the height of the crop.

“The farmer who owns this field asked me what score I thought he’d get and I said between a 65 and 70,” which is fair to good, Dodson said. After a closer assessment, “he’ll be really tickled with the above-average score we’re going to give his crop.”

A challenging spring Generally speaking, participants who toured farms in Caroline and Hanover counties and on the Northern Neck found wheat that, “considering the circumstances of the growing season, looked really good,” Harper said.

“There was less disease pressure than we thought we would find.”

March was unseasonably warm, and that promoted early growth, he said.

An unseasonably cool April and wet, cloudy May created conditions that could have fostered freeze, mold and other problems in wheat.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced June 13 that Virginia farmers expected to harvest 11.7 million bushels of winter wheat this year. Farmers seeded 240,000 acres last fall, with 185,000 acres to be harvested for grain.

Wheat tour participants included grain merchandisers, agronomists and representatives of Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and Virginia Cooperative Extension.

VaFarmBureau.org / SEPTEMBER 2016

17

State Fair weaves agriculture into many programs, exhibits and competitions

BY KATHY DIXON

W

hile driving down the highway at 60 mph, it’s often difficult to identify the crops

flashing by.

But when people visit the State Fair of Virginia Sept. 23 through Oct., 2, they will be able to see corn, cotton, grain sorghum, peanuts, soybeans and tobacco up-close and at their leisure.

Each of those crops is planted in the fair’s field crop plot.

And on all 10 days of the fair Caroline County Farm Bureau President Lynwood Broaddus will be standing nearby to answer fairgoers’ questions.

“Volunteering at the state fair provides me the opportunity to explain how people’s food is produced,” Broaddus said. His desire to discuss farming with people who have no connection to a farm is what drives him to spend his time interacting with fairgoers. “There is not a better opportunity to show off Virginia agriculture, as well as educate our visitors about what I do.”

Many visitors are amazed to see the field crops up close, Broaddus explained. “The grain sorghum, or milo as many people know it, gets a lot of interest. People see this bright red field while driving, but at 60 miles an hour they really can’t tell what it is. This gives them a chance to see it up close and actually touch it, as well as ask questions about its uses.”

Agricultural at heart, since 1854 Youth and open livestock shows, giant pumpkins and the iconic duckling slide are all engaging agriculture aspects of the State Fair of Virginia.

18

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Agriculture is an integral part of the State Fair. Formed in 1854, the fair started as a showcase for agriculture and a gathering place for the community. Today its mission is to increase agricultural and natural resource awareness and interest through educational programs, exhibitions and competitions.

In addition to the field crops plot and

a backyard garden plot, this year’s fair includes Young MacDonald’s Farm, a tradition since the 1960s. For many city and suburban children, this fair exhibit is their first encounter with farm animals.

Inside the Young MacDonald’s tent, visitors can watch baby chicks slowly emerge from their cracking eggs, pet an alpaca, witness a dairy calf being born or give hand-milking a try. They also can see baby pigs and watch goats cavort on their own rock “mountain.”

This year’s fair will have its share of interesting animals, including doves and pigeons, chickens of all varieties and rabbits. Those are in addition to the beef cattle, dairy cows, hogs, sheep and goats that will be shown in livestock competitions throughout the fair. This year there also will be a show for Boer goats, which are raised for meat.

The Sale of Champions—a benefit livestock auction of grand champion and reserve grand champion steers, hogs, lambs and goats from the youth livestock shows—is back again this year. Proceeds will go to the State Fair scholarship program. Last year’s sale raised $61,000 to support the fair’s long-standing commitment to youth who compete for scholarship money.

History and horticulture In Heritage Village, fairgoers will learn about pivotal moments in Virginia history and see equipment farmers and rural families used at the turn of the century.

And in Harvest Landing, they will find crop-judging entries in the horticulture tent, including the celebrated giant pumpkins and watermelons. Last year’s blue-ribbon pumpkin weighed in at 1,340.7 pounds and broke the fair record of 1,203.2 pounds, set in 2014. Last year’s winning watermelon weighed 161.12 pounds.

Caroline County Farm Bureau President Lynwood Broaddus (above) answered fairgoers’ questions about the 2015 State Fair field crop plot. A field trip group (left) visits the paddock used to showcase numerous horse breeds.

Farm Bureau members save $5 on advance tickets

PHOTOS BY KATHY DIXON

Use your Farm Bureau membership number when you buy advance State Fair of Virginia tickets at StateFairVa.org, and save $5 on each one (up to four tickets per membership).

VaFarmBureau.org / SEPTEMBER 2016

19

Award-winning insurance agent’s volunteer experience came in handy ‘Service, leadership, community’ are her focus

W

hen Debbie Murphy had to stand in front of 600 people and give an address during her first meeting as president of her son’s school’s PTA, she had no idea that, decades later, the experience would pay off.

But at this year’s Virginia Farm Bureau Sales Conference, as it started to dawn on her that she was being named the 2016 Ralph Stokes Award winner, Murphy realized she would need to make a few remarks.

“When they got to the part about how the winner was the first female member of the Beaverdam Ruritan Club, I started to realize it was me.

I thought, ‘Oh, they’re going to want me to say something,’ but I don’t remember what I said. I was so emotional, excited, thrilled and shocked,” Murphy said. “I still am.”

A history with Hanover County Farm Bureau

Murphy has worked for Virginia Farm Bureau since 1989 when she was hired as Hanover County Farm Bureau’s secretary. She later was promoted to office manager and in 2002 became an insurance agent.

“I’m glad I took the leap,” she said.

“I like to help people, and I treat the job as looking out for my customers, not selling them something. A lot of my friends are my customers, and a lot of my customers have become my friends.”

The Ralph Stokes Award is the top recognition given by the Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. sales management team to an agent who supports company policies; has a high degree of integrity; is highly respected by peers; supports the agency force; 20

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Agent Debbie Murphy is a lay Eucharistic minister at The Fork Church in Hanover County.

and creates a high degree of client loyalty.

“To me the Ralph Stokes Award is about service, leadership, community and the support of Farm Bureau.

Debbie Murphy embodies all of that and more,” said agency manager Jerry Funkhouser, last year’s winner.

Leah Roller, VFBMIC agency manager for Hanover and King William counties, agreed. “Debbie exhibits all of the traits needed to receive the honor of the Ralph Stokes Award. Part of what made Ralph Stokes so special was that he never allowed a disability to slow him down, and Debbie really shined in this area when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.”

Not sidelined by cancer Murphy was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in early 2011. In between

six treatments of chemotherapy and 36 radiation treatments, she managed to earn a spot on an agent outing to Myrtle Beach, S.C. “She made it a focus that the cancer was not going to beat her, and she set out to win that trip; so while receiving all those treatments and feeling ill and tired, she made sure she won. That is a true Ralph Stokes trait,” Roller said.

When not meeting with insurance customers, Murphy spends a lot of time at The Fork Episcopal Church, just up the rural road on which she and her husband live. “Everything I’m involved with now is church-related,” she said.

But her community involvement previously has included the Beaverdam Ruritan Club, where she was the first female member, the first female treasurer and the first female president. She also served as a leader for her two sons’ elementary school PTA and spent eight years as commissioner of the Beaverdam Youth League. “That taught me how to deal with people and their complaints.

Thinking of how to say things diplomatically has helped in my job,” Murphy said with a laugh.

She also contributes news from Beaverdam, Doswell and Montpelier to the Ashland Herald-Progress’ weekly “Neighborhood Network” column.

That has helped get her name out in front of potential customers, Murphy said.

She attributes much of her success to the entire Hanover Farm Bureau sales team, which includes all of the office staff and Roller.

“I like to help people, and I treat the job as looking out for my customers, not selling them something,” Murphy said of her work at Farm Bureau. She is shown at her early 19th-century home that she and her husband helped restore.

PHOTOS BY KATHY DIXON

BY KATHY DIXON

VaFarmBureau.org / SEPTEMBER 2016

21

Virginia women among recent Communications Boot Camp grads

Faye Hundley of Essex County and Amy Johnson of Bedford County recently were among 14 farm and ranch women leaders who successfully completed the American Farm Bureau Federation Women's Communications Boot Camp.

The intensive three-day course featured sessions on working with the media, public speaking, testifying and messaging.

"It's a pleasure to see people who come in hungry for knowledge, hungry to do more and educate more for the future of agriculture," said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. "This organization grows and prospers because of its grassroots. Offering programs such as Women's Communications Boot Camp helps us create more advocates for Farm Bureau and agriculture."

Now in its 10th year, the Women’s Communications Boot Camp is open to all women who are Farm Bureau members and want to enhance their communication and leadership skills. The AFBF Women's Leadership Committee, in partnership with AFBF staff, hosts and provides training for participants.

For information on participating in the training, contact Angela Haskovec, senior program coordinator for the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Women’s Program, at 804-290-1031 or angela.haskovec@vafb.com.

Two county Farm Bureaus win grants for educational projects Carroll County and Smyth County Farm Bureaus have been awarded grants from the White-Reinhardt Fund for Education for projects that will teach children about agriculture.

The organizations competed with county and state Farm Bureaus across the nation for the grants, awarded annually by the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture and the American Farm Bureau Federation Women’s Leadership Committee.

White-Reinhardt mini-grant funding provides $500 to county or state Farm Bureaus to support new or existing projects that share information about agriculture.

The Carroll Farm Bureau has used its grant money for a barn tent with interior and exterior panels that provide interactive, hands-on, virtual agricultural experiences for children. The tent also features children’s books about agriculture and will be used at schools and events.

The Smyth Farm Bureau used its grant money for “Farm a Month” book bundles and lesson plans for members of its Women’s Committee to use in their community. Volunteers will visit classrooms each month to discuss a different agricultural commodity.

Farm Bureau communicators receive national recognition Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s communications staff recently won the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Best Advertising Campaign award for their work in 2015 to promote the State Fair of Virginia.

Awards for top Farm Bureau communications specialists were presented in June during the AFBF’s Strategic Policy, Advocacy, Resources and Communications conference.

Communications staff also won honorable mention for the fair’s public relations campaign and for Real Virginia, Farm Bureau’s weekly television program.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Ambassador program open to young adults who love agriculture Any young adult from a Virginia Farm Bureau member family with a passion for agriculture may apply to be the next Virginia Farm Bureau Ambassador.

The annual program is open to anyone 18 to 24 years old who wants to be a spokesperson for agriculture and represent Farm Bureau.Applications are being accepted through Dec. 31.

The state-level winner will be announced at the 2017 VFBF Spring Conference in March. The winner will receive a $3,000 scholarship from the VFBF Women’s Committee, and the first runner-up will receive $500.

The winner will make public appearances across the state as a representative of agriculture and Farm Bureau. For more information visit VaFarmBureau.org/Member-Programs/ Contests-Awards.

Lady Leader program available for Farm Bureau women Women with a passion about “Proudly Promoting Agriculture” can apply to be the next Virginia Farm Bureau Lady Leader.

The program recognizes women who can effectively articulate and share the values of today’s agriculture industry.

Interested individuals must submit an application by Dec. 31.

A cash award of $500, sponsored by Farm Credit, will be presented to the new Lady Leader, and travel expenses will be covered for pre-arranged speaking appearances the following year.

To be eligible, applicants must be female; at least 27 years old; a member in good standing of a county Farm Bureau in Virginia; able to give speeches promoting agriculture to any size group; and aware of key issues affecting agriculture. Farm Bureau employees are not eligible. Details are available at VaFarmBureau.org/ Member-Programs/Contests-Awards.

County Farm Bureaus awarded more than $153,000 in scholarships last year County Farm Bureaus across Virginia stepped up last year to help students in their communities meet their educational goals.

Sixty-two county Farm Bureaus awarded a total of $153,617 in scholarship money in 2015.

“The value of education and an educated population is not lost on county Farm Bureaus,” said Virginia Farm Bureau Federation President Wayne F. Pryor. “These scholarships are a direct investment in communities and in the future of agriculture and other key industries.”

Many county Farm Bureaus also contribute to other organizations’ scholarship funds.

Federation scholarships

Additionally, the VFBF Women’s Committee awarded a $3,000 scholarship to the state winner in the Virginia Farm Bureau Ambassador program. The first runner-up received a $500 scholarship.

The Women’s Committee and Young Farmers Committee awarded a $1,500 scholarship to the state winner in last

year’s Outstanding Young Agriculturalist youth recognition program. The first runner-up received a $500 scholarship.

Two winners and two runners-up in the VFBF Rural Health Essay Scholarship Contest received at total of $3,000 last year. That contest was sponsored by the VFBF Rural Health Advisory Committee and funded by the Farm Bureau Health Care Consultants Department.

State Fair scholarships

The State Fair of Virginia offers up to $70,000 in scholarships annually to winners in 4-H, FFA and vocational competitions and specific equine, fine arts and horticulture competitions. The fair scholarship program awarded $12,680 in new scholarships to 12 youth who exhibited beef cattle, sheep, meat goats and swine in the 2015 fair.

The Miss State Fair of Virginia Scholarship Program, an affiliate of the Miss Virginia program, awarded more than $1,500 in scholarship funds last year.

VFBF became full owner of the fair in 2013.

County Farm Bureaus that awarded scholarships in 2015 • Albemarle, $1,000

• Floyd, $4,000

• Montgomery, $5,000

• Alleghany, $3,000

• Fluvanna, $1,000

• Amelia, $1,000

• Franklin, $4,000

• Northumberland-Lancaster, $2,000

• Amherst, $2,500

• Frederick, $1,500

• Appomattox, $1,000

• Giles, $400

• Augusta, $1,000

• Gloucester-Mathews, $3,500

• Bedford, $4,200

• Goochland, $5,000

• Botetourt, $3,500

• Grayson, $400

• Buckingham, $500

• Greene, $3,500

• Campbell, $200

• Halifax, $2,500

• Caroline, $1,000

• Hanover, $8,000

• Carroll, $2,000

• Henrico, $5,250

• Charles City-James City-New KentYork, $13,670

• Henry, $1,000

• Chesterfield, $1,000

• Isle of Wight, $250

• Clarke, $1,000 • Craig, $500 • Culpeper, $1,000 • Cumberland, $3,995 • Dinwiddie, $3,900 • Essex, $1,000 • Fauquier, $6,250

• Highland-Bath, $1,100 • King and Queen, $1,500 • King George, $500 • King William, $3,500

• Patrick, $3,000 • Pittsylvania, $1,000 • Pulaski, $2,000 • Richmond, $6,000 • Roanoke, $500 • Rockbridge, $3,000 • Rockingham, $3,500 • Russell, $2,750 • Scott, $3,000 • Shenandoah, $1,550 • Smyth, $3,750 • Southampton, $500 • Spotsylvania, $2,000 • Stafford, $1,000 • Tazewell, $2,000

• Loudoun, $1,000

• Washington, $1,450

• Lunenburg, $1,000

• Westmoreland, $2,952

• Madison, $3,550 • Middlesex, $3,000

VaFarmBureau.org / SEPTEMBER 2016

23

For Your Benefit

Making travel plans?

Save on lodging costs with Choice Hotels benefit

The majority of wind-related insurance claims after a major storm involve roof damage.

Protect your home against potential hurricane damage The Atlantic hurricane season officially began June 1 and will run through Nov. 30.

Because wind and rain from hurricanes or tropical storms can cause significant damage to personal property, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety encourages property owners to strengthen the critical elements of their buildings to protect them from hurricane damage.

The roof is a building’s first line of defense against storms, making it one of the most vulnerable points on a home or commercial building.

Roof cover damage occurs in the vast majority of wind-related claims, and a compromised roof can allow high winds and wind-driven rain to enter a building.

“Roof damage is the most common claim we see after a hurricane,” said Sam Rooks, vice president of underwriting and policy services for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual 24

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Insurance Co., a member of IBHS. “Damaged roofs allow water to creep in and cause even more damage to a home.”

It is important to reinforce the roof well in advance of a hurricane watch.

Protecting all openings on a home or building from high winds and flying debris also is important. Failure of a large window or door can result in pressurization inside a building and the potential for damage.

Prepare surrounding property before a storm by limiting the sources of windborne debris. Secure any loose or weakened parts of fences, and trim trees and shrubbery. If a storm is imminent, remove objects such as flags, lawn furniture and bird feeders. Tie down anything like a grill or satellite dish that cannot be moved easily, Rooks said.

For additional tips on how to successfully protect your home, visit disastersafety.org/hurricane.

Your Farm Bureau membership gives you access to significant savings at thousands of hotels in North America.

Advance reservations are required, and blackout dates may apply.

The Choice Hotels International program offers a 20 percent discount for Farm Bureau members at more than 5,000 Cambria Suites, Clarion, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Econo Lodge, MainStay Suites, Quality, Rodeway Inn, Sleep Inn and Suburban locations.

To make your reservation, call 800258-2847 or visit choicehotels.com, and give your Virginia Farm Bureau ID number—available from your county Farm Bureau. Then be prepared to show your current Farm Bureau member card when you check in.

Member Deals Plus® now includes even more deals Farm Bureau members in Virginia now have access to hundreds of new discounts through the Member Deals Plus® benefit.

Member Deals Plus uses the nation’s largest private discount network to offer savings on meals, clothing, vehicle care and other goods and services. It uses “show your phone” mobile deals that can be accessed anywhere and redeemed from a smartphone at the point of sale or printed from a home computer.

Members can register online using the Member Deals Plus link at VaFarmBureau.org (Have your membership number at hand when registering).

When shopping, dining out or traveling, you can search for participating merchants you frequent, or search for all participating merchants in a specific ZIP code.

Member Deals Plus and Member deals plus are registered trademarks of Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.

Protect your assets, including your farm income

Members get 10% off at Farm Bureau warehouse open house In need of tires or parts for your car, truck or farm machinery? Farm Bureau members can save 10 percent on purchases from the Virginia Farm Bureau Service Corp. Products Division at its Sept. 30 open house.

Since 1965, the Products Division has provided farmers with a variety of quality supplies, through Farm Bureaucertified local dealers and the Farm Bureau warehouse in eastern Henrico County.

The open house will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the warehouse, 1541 Mary St. in Sandston. Refreshments will be available. Members can save on a variety of parts, including tires, batteries and oil and grease products.

They also can save on disk blades, plow parts, chisel teeth and parts for farm equipment and combines. The discount is available for all products, including baler twine and net wrap.

The 53,000-square-foot facility houses an inventory valued at $2.1 million. It serves about 400 dealers throughout Virginia, Maryland and half of North Carolina, as well as a handful in West Virginia and Delaware.

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

When structuring a farm insurance program, it’s important to protect assets such as your home, farm buildings, equipment and livestock.

It’s equally important to consider coverage to protect farm income should a loss occur that negatively impacts earnings.

“Loss of farm income is an exposure that should not be overlooked,” explained Scott DeNoon, farm product and underwriting manager for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. “It replaces lost earnings and pays for continuing expenses as the result of a covered loss to an insured building.”

For example, with farm income coverage, lost earnings created by a poultry house fire would be reimbursed along with continuing expenses such as mortgage payments, taxes and payroll until the house is rebuilt.

Farm income coverage is available from Farm Bureau for an additional premium under the farmowner program to address such an exposure.

“Any producer member with buildings that play a major role in producing income for a farm should consider making farm income coverage

Protecting farm income in the event of a loss can be as critical as protecting farm structures.

a part of their insurance program,” DeNoon said. He noted that dairy and poultry operations, along with wineries, are prime candidates for farm income coverage.

“The goal of farm income coverage is to make your farm whole should a covered event occur,” DeNoon said.

“Farm Bureau insurance agents can assist in tailoring an appropriate level of coverage specific to all types of farms.”

Contact your county Farm Bureau insurance agent for more information on this and other important farmowner coverage enhancements.

Got highway maintenance or right of way issues?

Contact VDOT Tree trimming, mowing, invasive plant control and cleaning ditches along statemaintained roads all can be major issues for farmers. Many can remember the day of knowing their local highway maintenance supervisor and being able to call that person and ask for something to be done.

A few years ago the Virginia Department of Transportation began using a centralized system that is making it easier for citizens to report problems.

The system has big advantages: 1. Reporting

is easier, whether you do it over the telephone at 800-367-ROAD (7623) or enter a request online at my.vdot.virginia.gov; and 2. Y ou can track the progress of your request. Be sure to save the reference number you will be given.

The system allows VDOT to see the specific needs in different parts of the state and monitor the progress of addressing those needs.

If you need potholes repaired, state highway rights of way cleared or other highway maintenance actions, call or go online and submit a request. This is the only way to correct your issue.

VaFarmBureau.org / SEPTEMBER 2016

25

In Memoriam

Evelyn F. John

Alvin W. Blaha

Evelyn F. John, former corporate secretary for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, died March 26.

Mrs. John, who was 85, served as VFBF corporate secretary from 1987 until she JOHN retired in 1990 after 40 years of service.

During that time she served six presidents and witnessed the formation of the Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. "It was legendary around here that, on the day or two immediately after the board of directors meeting, no one disturbed Mrs. John. She and her typewriter were composing the minutes,” recalled Jonathan S. Shouse, current VFBF corporate secretary. “Remember, there were no ‘delete’ keys on typewriters. I have spent time reading the old minute books for the Virginia Farm Bureau companies and the other official documents created during Evelyn’s 40 years at the Virginia Farm Bureau. They contain hundreds of typed pages without any errors.”

Mrs. John enjoyed volunteering at the Cedarfield retirement community, where she had resided for the past 20 years. She is survived by her daughter, Deborah C. Buchanan; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Alvin W. Blaha, president of Dinwiddie County Farm Bureau, died June 8.

Mr. Blaha, who was 76, served as Dinwiddie president for 16 years between 1989 and 2016. He also served on the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation AgPAC BLAHA board of trustees and was founder and coordinator of the regional Farm Bureau Legislative Appreciation Day. A lifelong farmer, he served as president of the Virginia Soybean Association and the Southern States Southside Cooperative.

He was a founder and served as board chairman of the Virginia Cotton Growers Association and served as chairman of the Virginia Cotton Board and the Dinwiddie County Extension Leadership Council. He also was a founding director and executive committee member of the United Soybean Board.

Mr. Blaha was a member of the Virginia Soybean Board, the Virginia Agribusiness Council board and the agricultural advisory committees of Reps. Randy Forbes and Norman Sisisky. He served as vice chairman of the Virginia State University College of Agriculture Advisory Council and was a member of the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean’s Advisory Committee and the Virginia Beginning Farmer & Rancher Coalition steering committee.

In addition, he served on the Dinwiddie County Planning Commission and the Appomattox River Soil & Water Conservation District board. He was a U.S. Army veteran and retired from Hercules Inc. with 34 years of service.

“Alvin was always a dedicated leader in the agriculture community and a strong advocate for agriculture education,” said M. L. Everett Jr., whose VFBF board district includes Dinwiddie. “With any opportunity he had to promote agriculture, whether it be through a board position or as part of a decision-making process, he was always there, and he never missed a meeting.”

Mr. Blaha is survived by his wife, Nina Atkinson Blaha; two children; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; two brothers; and a brother-in-law.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Dinwiddie County

Planting bulbs? Timing is important NOW: Planting bulbs for a springtime surprise Nothing screams “spring” like beautiful blooms from fallplanted bulbs.

According to horticulturalist Mark Viette of Augusta County, late September through November is the ideal time to plant spring-blooming bulbs.

Mix up the look of your yard and blooms by planting in different areas.

“Give the garden a natural look by planting en masse under trees and shrubs or even in the grass,” Viette said. “The blooms will be especially beautiful when planted in great drifts in a woodland setting. Steep slopes, rock walls and open meadows become a riot of early spring color with mass plantings of beautiful bulbs.”

Narcissus are deer- and vole-resistant and make great cut flowers too. Viette suggested also planting bulbs as a cluster in containers by the front door or on the porch, or as a border in front of a driveway or foundation shrubs.

Other suggestions for beautiful blooms: • Choose varieties that bloom very early, early, mid-season, late and very late. This helps guarantee color regardless of late freezes and other weather conditions, Viette said.

• Plant bulbs in large groups of five, 10, 25 or 50 of each variety for a “Wow!” effect.

• Amend the soil by adding organic matter such as peat moss, compost or aged pine bark, and adding bulb fertilizer. Good drainage is essential.

A rule of thumb for how deep to plant: • 8 inches deep and 3-10 inches apart for larger bulbs— those about 2 inches or more in diameter.

• 5 inches deep and 1-2 inches apart for smaller bulbs— those about 1 inch or smaller in diameter.

For a more formal look, plant bulbs in blocks of one or two colors and stick to tulip and hyacinth bulbs, Viette said.

For a stunning informal spring landscape, combine spring bulbs with early blooming perennials such as creeping phlox, bleeding heart and other dramatic-looking plants.

“Inter-plant bulbs with daylilies, hosta, ornamental grasses or other taller perennials, which will hide the bulb foliage once they are finished blooming,” Viette said. “Place taller bulbs in the middle portion of the flower bed.”

—AND LATER: Create indoor flower arrangements with bulbs For the months when it’s cold and dreary, bring brightness indoors by growing potted bulbs.

“Many people receive paperwhites or amaryllis during the holidays, and oxalis and hippeastrum also work well in potted indoor bulb arrangements,” said Becky Heath, owner of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs in Gloucester County.

Follow these steps to have beautiful indoor bulb

Massing bulbs in a grassy area or under trees creates a natural-looking effect.

arrangements: •W ater the bulbs well. “The dryness or wetness of the potting compost will determine how much to water,” Heath said. If the soil was moist when you planted the bulbs, two or three good waterings, one right after another, should suffice. If the potting mix was dry, place the pot in the kitchen sink, and pour water slowly over the soil. Let the pot sit in the water that runs out for at least 30 minutes.

•K eep the pot in a cool place—50 to 60 degrees—for about two weeks in a closet, garage, basement or attic. “You should see roots coming out of the pot at the end of the two weeks,” Heath said.

•P lace the pot in an area with extra light after those initial two weeks are up. Add light by using grow lights or supplemental, cool fluorescent lighting 1 foot above the pot. To have flowers sooner, use a heat mat or heating pad under the pot.

•W ater again when you see green shoots coming from the top of the bulbs, Heath said. “Once the shoots are about 6 inches long, water about twice a week or when the soil feels dry.”

•R emove paperwhites from the pot once they have bloomed. Keep hippeastrum and oxalis in the pot with the compost. Keep them watered and in a bright, sunny location so the leaves can photosynthesize, making next year’s bloom.

•P lace the bulbs in your garden or on the patio once the danger of frost has passed. They will continue to grow throughout the summer.

In early September, if you want to force hippeastrum again, take the pot and place it in a dark and dry location, and leave it until early November. Add fresh compost and start the process again. You also can leave the bulbs in the garden to become part of your summer landscape.

VaFarmBureau.org / SEPTEMBER 2016

27

Heart of the Home

Chicken is versatile and very

S

eptember is National Chicken Month, and in Virginia that’s something to cluck about.

Broiler chickens are the state’s top-ranked agricultural commodity in terms of cash receipts, and Virginia broiler production supports nearly 52,000 jobs and affords consumers worldwide an affordable and wholesome source of protein.

A skinless, boneless chicken breast has just 165 calories and contains less than 2 grams of fat.

It also packs 31 grams of protein and 4 percent of the daily recommended value of iron and has zero carbohydrates.

Chicken is versatile as well. It’s good roasted, baked, fried, tucked in sandwiches, chopped up in salads or scattered as a topping on pizzas. This tasty recipe from the National Chicken Council will have you crowing with delight.

Pulled Chicken Sliders with Mango BBQ Sauce INGREDIENTS FOR SLAW

¼ cup orange juice

half a large jicama (You can substitute green apple, celery or radishes)

6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

half a red pepper, chopped half a yellow pepper, chopped half a jalapeno pepper, chopped 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon lime juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon sugar ¼ teaspoon kosher salt INGREDIENTS FOR SAUCE

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small onion, diced 1 garlic clove, minced 1 teaspoon minced ginger ¾ cup tomato puree 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon brown sugar

28

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

¾ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 mango, pitted, peeled and diced 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 4 cups shredded rotisseriecooked chicken 12 small slider or dinner rolls

sugar, orange juice, vinegar, salt and Dijon mustard. Stir to combine, and heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add diced mango, stir and remove sauce from heat.

Pour into the bowl of the food processor, and puree until smooth. Return to the saucepan, and add cilantro.

Stir in the chicken, and heat through, about 4-5 minutes.

Serve on small rolls with slaw on top of the chicken or on the side. Serves 4.

DIRECTIONS

Make slaw by shredding jicama (or substitute) in a food processor fitted with the shredding blade. In a large bowl, combine jicama with the chopped peppers. Toss the vegetables with cilantro, vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, sugar and salt. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened.

Add ginger, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, brown

The light and crispy slaw and distinctive sauce complement cooked, shredded chicken on these sliders

Heart of the Home

Virginia Cooking chicken safely The National Chicken Council offers the following safety tips for preparing and storing chicken.

Before cooking: • Refrigerate raw chicken promptly. Never leave it on a countertop at room temperature.

• Packaged fresh chicken can be refrigerated in original wrappings in the coldest part of the refrigerator.

• Freeze uncooked chicken if it is not to be used within two days. When properly packaged, frozen chicken will last up to a year.

• Thaw chicken in the refrigerator—not on the countertop—or in cold water. It takes about 24 hours to thaw a 4-pound chicken in the refrigerator; cut-up parts take 3 to 9 hours.

• To thaw frozen chicken in cold water, place the meat in its original wrapper or a water-tight plastic bag in water. Change the water often. It takes about 2 hours to thaw a whole chicken.

• For quick thawing, use the microwave. Thawing times will vary.

• Always wash hands, countertops, cutting boards, knives and other utensils used to prepare raw chicken with soapy

water before they come in contact with other foods.

While cooking: • If barbecuing chicken outdoors, keep it refrigerated until ready to cook. Do not place cooked chicken on the same plate used to transport raw chicken to the grill.

• Always cook chicken to well-done, not medium or rare. If using a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 165 degrees.

• To visually check for doneness, pierce chicken with a fork; juices should run clear—not pink—when the fork is inserted with ease.

• The marinade in which raw chicken has been soaking should never be used on cooked chicken.

After cooking: • Cooked, cut-up chicken is at its best refrigerated for no longer than 2 days— whole cooked chicken can be stored for an additional day.

• If chicken is stuffed, remove the stuffing to a separate container before refrigerating.

VaFarmBureau.org / SEPTEMBER 2016

29

What you need to know about Medicare When you’re nearing retirement age, or if you’re 65 and still working, you may have questions about Medicare.

Medicare is health insurance for people who are age 65 or older, those who are under 65 and have certain disabilities, and anyone with end-stage renal disease.

The 51-year-old program provides health coverage for more than 50 million Americans.

“A lot of people, when nearing age 65, have questions about Medicare or are confused about the process. There are many pieces to the program and options to consider,” said Brett Denton, vice president of Health Care Consultants and Custom Health Care Inc. There are four types of Medicare: • Part A: Medicare Part A helps cover inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospice and home health care.

Generally there is no monthly premium if

you qualify and paid Medicare taxes while you were working.

• Part B: Medicare Part B helps cover medical services, like doctors, outpatient care and other medically necessary services, not covered by Part A. To receive Medicare Part B benefits, you must enroll and pay a monthly premium determined by your income, along with a deductible.

Many people purchase a supplemental insurance policy, such as a Medigap plan, to handle Part A and B coverage gaps.

• Part C: Medicare Advantage Plans, also known as Medicare Part C, are combination plans managed by Medicareapproved private insurance companies.

They typically are a combination of Part A and B, and sometimes Part D coverage, but cover medically necessary services.

These plans assign their own deductibles and coinsurance.

• Part D: Medicare Part D is prescription drug coverage that is available to everyone with Medicare. It is a separate plan provided by private Medicare-approved companies, and you must pay a monthly premium.

About three months before you become eligible for Medicare coverage, you will receive a questionnaire in the mail. Once you start using Medicare, you should schedule a free preventive visit with your doctor within the first 12 months to assess your current health status.

Setting up a medicare.gov account will give you access to your information and is an easy way to keep track of claims. To reach a Medicare coordinator of benefits contractor, call 800-999-1118.

Staff at your county Farm Bureau office also can assist you in obtaining a Medicare supplemental policy.

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Have questions about Medicare Supplements?

Call today!

Virginia Farm Bureau 1-800-229-7779 An authorized licensed insurance agent for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia, license number: 109534

This policy has exclusions, limitations and terms under which the policy may be continued in force or discontinued. For more information on benefits, please contact your agent or the health plan. Not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. Government or the federal Medicare program. The purpose of this communication is the solicitation of insurance. Contact will be made by an insurance agent or insurance company. 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.

AADVOTH006M(15)-VA 55681VASENABS 30

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Marketplace

CROPS DEER AND RABBIT REPELLENT – $13.95 makes 10 gallons.

Safe, effective, long-lasting, guaranteed. 540-464-1969.

FRUIT – Apples, peaches, produce, cider, wines, preserves, gifts. Johnson's Orchards Winery, Bedford, VA. danny@ iwineu.com. 540-586-3707.

FARM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE – One industrial tractor tire, 12-ply 16.9LX24, excellent condition, $300. Call 804-458-5744.

FOR SALE – 6-in. x 40-ft. grain auger, $895. Dunham-Lehr loader, 5-ft. bucket, $1,400. 434-441-0274.

FOR SALE – 900 new Holland forage harvester, 3-row narrow, $3,800. 1466 International tractor, $10,900. 434441-0274.

FOR SALE – Two forage wagons, New Holland, Kasten, shed kept. Excellent condition. $2,700 each. 434-944-0344.

JOHN DEERE – Corn chopper, 30-inch, 2-row corn head and grass head, $6,000. 540-239-5475.

LOOKING FOR – John Deere haybine 1217 or 1219 for used parts. 434-286-2397.

SALE – Fordson, $1,000. 8N plow cultivator, $2,500. Power King, $1,250. 1956 Case Vac, $2,500. 804-360-2240.

Hops, Virginia wines featured on Real Virginia Featured this month on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly television program: • As the craft beer industry grows in Virginia, so do opportunities to raise hops.

• There were 18 gold medal-winning entries in the State Fair of Virginia Commercial Wine Competition.

• Virginia’s new Century Forest program honors long-term timber owners.

Real Virginia airs nationwide at 3:30 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month

on RFD-TV on Dish Network and DirecTV, and on selected cable outlets around the state. 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.

TRACTOR – 1979 IH 140, disk, plows, cultivator, 5-foot mower, fast-hitch, 3-point hitch. $6,500. 804-633-5229.

TRACTOR FOR SALE – 1986 Ford 1310 19HP, 2WD, 1 owner, 825 hours. $4,500. 804-339-4653.

WANTED – 914 Ford Belly Mower for parts. 804-357-0165.

LIVESTOCK CHAROLAIS BULLS – High quality and easy calving.

Veterinarian owned. $1,500 to $3,500. Abingdon, VA. 276628-9543.

HORSE BOARDING – From full-care to self-care. Reasonable cost. New fences. Fairfield, VA. 540-348-6209.

FOR SALE – Registered A-2 Jersey Bull. 6-months. $1,000 OBO. 757-642-1019.

REGISTERED ANGUS – AI-bred females, cutting-edge EPDs, reasonably priced, Mossy Spring Angus. Blacksburg, VA. 540-641-0295.

ANGUS BULLS – Calving ease, semen tested, excellent bloodlines. Reasonably priced, good selection, delivery available. C-Stock Farm, Scottsville. Day 434-286-2743, after 7 p.m. 434-981-1397 or 434-286-2423.

PHONE SCAM:

Beware of demands for insurance payment by phone Virginia Farm Bureau members should be skeptical when receiving phone calls from anyone demanding payment for insurance coverage over the phone.

Recently, a Farm Bureau Insurance customer received a call from someone claiming to be a Farm Bureau representative. The caller asked for payment over the phone by credit card to keep an insurance policy in force.

“This was absolutely a scam phone call,” warned Darlene Wells, executive vice president and general manager of Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. “No one from

Farm Bureau would ever call and demand an insurance payment over the phone. If you receive a phone call from someone asking for payment, and they say they are from Farm Bureau, please hang up and do not give out any information. Then call your county Farm Bureau office directly to confirm the identity of the caller and the status of your policy.”

Wells added that members are always welcome to call or visit a county Farm Bureau office when they have insurancerelated questions.

VaFarmBureau.org / SEPTEMBER 2016

31

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

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