may 2012 fbn

VirgniaFarm Bureau News May 2012

VaFarmBureau.org

Seafood marketing has shellfi sh-eating rays emerging as entrees

Departments7 In the Garden

9 Washington Watch

10 Viewing Virginia

25 Heart of the Home

29 Marketplace

Contents 16 Seafood marketing has shellfish-eating rays emerging as entrees Chesapeake Bay watermen and aquaculturists call cow-nosed rays a threat to their livelihoods. More and more consumers are starting to call them ‘supper.’

12 Local food conference examined distribution, school food The first Local Food Networks Conference featured workshops on marketing local products and included insights from school system buyers.

20 Different things motivate different generations, women told Participants at the annual Women’s Conference got information on how as many as four generations of volunteers can work together effectively.

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).

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 address is [email protected]. 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 non-payment or reader complaints about services or products. The publisher assumes no liability for products or services advertised.

Member: Virginia Press Association

editorial teamGreg Hicks Vice President, Communications

Pam Wiley Managing Editor

Kathy Dixon Sr. Staff Writer/Photographer

Sara Owens Staff Writer/Photographer

Bill Altice Graphic Designer

Maria La Lima Graphic Designer

Cathy Vanderhoff Advertising

On the CoverChip Dodson, a Northampton County clam producer, has seen first-hand the damage hungry rays can do to a shellfish bed (Photo by Kathy Dixon).

16

virginia farm bureau federationOfficers Wayne F. Pryor, PresidentEdward A. Scharer, Vice President

Board of Directorsdirector district countyEmily Edmondson 1 TazewellArchie B. Atwell 2 SmythEvelyn H. Janney 3 FloydGordon R. Metz 4 HenryStephen L. Saufley 5 RockinghamPeter A. Truban 6 ShenandoahThomas E. Graves 7 OrangeH. Carl Tinder Sr. 8 AlbemarleHenry E. Wood Jr. 9 BuckinghamRobert J. Mills Jr. 10 PittsylvaniaJ. M. Jenkins Jr. 11 LunenburgW. Ellis Walton 12 MiddlesexM. L. Everett Jr. 13 SouthamptonDavid L. Hickman 14 AccomackJanice R. Burton * HalifaxRobert Harris ** Pittsylvania

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

VirgniaFarm Bureau News

Volume 71, Number 3 May 2012

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publication scheduleProducer members will receive their next issue of Farm Bureau News in June. The magazine is published six times a year.

VirginiaFarmBureau.com may 2012 3

Having a rollover protective structure and wearing a seat belt can make all the difference when a tractor turns over—like this one did in a 2008 traffic accident. Operator Terry Cable of Cumberland County survived with a sprained back and neck.

U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (third from left) recently became the first Virginian in Congress to receive the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Golden Plow award for leadership and support of Farm Bureau policies. He is shown with (from left) Virginia Farm Bureau Federation President Wayne F. Pryor, Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Matt Lohr and AFBF President Bob Stallman.

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To keep up with rising costs, Virginia Farm Bureau has revised its financial incentive for retrofitted rollover protective structures on members’ older model tractors.

The ROPS incentive now offers $400 to members who add a factory-built ROPS and seat belt to tractors purchased without those features.

“We’ve eliminated the canopy incentive and refocused our efforts back on to the ROPS and seat belt,” said Jimmy Maass, Farm Bureau safety manager.

“Our goal is to help farmers stay safe while operating a tractor, and the best way to do that is to make sure it has a ROPS and seat belt installed. It’s really a great deal, because that’s less than $400 on average out of the farmer’s pocket for a ROPS.”

Participants must be Farm Bureau members and own the tractors being retrofitted, and the ROPS must be factory-built by an authorized manufacturer.

“There should be a small placard on the ROPS that says it was tested and meets safety standards,” Maass said. “If that information is not on the ROPS, it may not work properly in a rollover event, and because of that Farm Bureau will not offer the incentive for those.”

There are seven incentives left for 2012. Application forms are available through county Farm Bureau offices.

Revised ROPS incentive can help protect against rollover injuries

The American Farm Bureau Federation has honored Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-6th.) with its Golden Plow award, the highest recognition the organization bestows on members of Congress.

Goodlatte is the first Virginian in Congress to receive the award, which recognizes members of Congress for distinguished agricultural leadership and support of Farm Bureau policies.

AFBF President Bob Stallman and Virginia Farm Bureau Federation President Wayne F. Pryor presented the award during an April 13 Farm Bill Conservation Program Forum at Twin Oaks Farm in Rockingham County.

Since being elected in 1992, Goodlatte “has applied his common sense, expertise and determination to finding solutions to the challenges facing American agriculture,” Stallman said.

He said Goodlatte “continues to lead the fight against regulatory overreach. He is a champion for private forestry and has worked tirelessly to ensure farmers of all sizes have access to the conservation programs that assist them in maximizing their farms’ economic returns while contributing measurable results toward enhancing the environment.”

VFBF nominated Goodlatte for the award, in part for his work on federal farm policy and Chesapeake Bay-related legislation.

Goodlatte also has been active on other key agriculture issues, including an attempt to balance the United States’ desire to provide homeland security with a stable effective workforce for agriculture; and relief for poultry growers during avian influenza outbreaks.

“Bob is a clear and faithful friend to our industry, a devoted public servant and deserving of this award,” Pryor said.

Goodlatte is the current vice chairman and a past chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. He also serves on the House Committee on the Judiciary and Committee on Education and the Workforce.

“I am honored to receive the Golden Plow award,” Goodlatte said. “The agriculture industry has a significant impact on America’s economy and is at the center of many communities throughout the nation—including the 6th District. Farming and ranching are essential to our prosperity.”

Goodlatte receives American Farm Bureau’s Golden Plow award

4 Virginia Farm Bureau News VaFarmBureau.org

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Support Farm Bureau by taking action online

Helping to ensure Virginia Farm Bureau’s legislative successes is only a few keystrokes away.

With Internet access, you can participate in the organization’s grassroots lobbying efforts.

Get legislative updates and current news about issues affecting Virginia farming on the blog Plows & Politics at vfbplowsandpolitics.blogspot.com.

“We’re working on more online methods to get up-to-date information to our members quickly,” said Kelly Pruitt, governmental relations grassroots coordinator. “Sometimes issues come up unexpectedly, and we need our members to contact their legislators immediately.”

The Capitol Connections Action Center is an online network for producer members to get the latest updates on Farm Bureau policies. To start receiving automatic “Action Alerts” from the site, contact Pruitt at 804-290-1293 or [email protected].

“It’s much quicker for us to send an automated Action Alert and post on the blog than it is to send letters or individual emails out to our members,” Pruitt said.

Members also can use the Capitol Connection Action Center to view the latest Action Alerts and email their legislators.

The “Policy & Action” section of VaFarmBureau.org is another online resource where members can find the latest information on Farm Bureau’s critical issues, including talking points, articles and videos.

This November, Virginians will have the opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment to protect private property rights, thanks to Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s efforts in getting the bill passed.

“We can’t begin to say how pleased we are that this bill has passed the House and Senate for the second year in a row,” said Trey Davis, VFBF assistant director of governmental relations. “We are urging our members to vote for this constitutional amendment on Nov. 6 and to encourage their friends and neighbors to join them in voting for it as well.”

Farm Bureau members have been supporting a constitutional amendment for eminent domain reform for the past several years.

“The constitutional amendment will truly protect all Virginians from having their land taken and given to another private owner.” Davis said.

The Virginia constitution recognizes that some ‘takings’ are necessary for ‘public use.’ However, public use should be narrowly defined, and just compensation should be provided to an individual whose property is being taken, Davis said.

The bill, sponsored by Del. Robert Bell, R-Charlottesville, and Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, tightens the definition of public use and requires just compensation for owners whose property has been taken using eminent domain.

“It hasn’t been easy getting to this point, and I appreciate the bipartisan support that this amendment has seen,” Davis said. “We are confident that Virginians will recognize this as a way to protect all citizens’ private property rights from unfair takings under the guise of eminent domain.”

Additionally, Farm Bureau was instrumental in securing companion legislation that defines “lost profits” and “lost access” as factors in determining just compensation as part of the constitutional amendment.

In addition, Farm Bureau prevailed in defeating all legislation that would place unscientific animal husbandry practice restrictions on farmers, and bills that would have given human rights to animals.

Farm Bureau members also defended its policy positions regarding game laws. The organization supported legislation that designates coyotes and feral hogs as nuisance species, which means they can be hunted year-round, Monday through Saturday. Farm Bureau also has had a long-standing policy against allowing hunting on Sundays. The organization joined numerous other hunting, equine and recreational groups in successfully defeating all bills that would have allowed Sunday hunting.

Farm Bureau supported Gov. Bob McDonnell’s creation of the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund, which will

Constitutional amendment tops list of VFBF’s legislative victories

(Continued on page 6)

Now that the General Assembly has twice passed a proposed state constitutional amendment to prevent eminent domain abuse, the amendment will go before Virginia voters in November.

Farm Bureau blogs about legislative matters on Plows & Politics.


provide grants to localities that attract value-added or processing facilities that use Virginia-grown products.

The General Assembly adjourned without a state budget, and Farm Bureau continued to support funding for Virginia Cooperative Extension, local soil and water conservation districts, agriculture best management practices, the state coyote damage control program and other agriculture marketing programs.

Continued from page 5

Constitutional amendment

‘It hasn’t been easy getting to this point, and I appreciate the bipartisan support that this amendment has seen.’

>> TREY DAVIS VFBF assistant director of

governmental relations

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In the Garden

Mark Viette appears on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s monthly television program. Viette and his father operate the Andre Viette Farm and Nursery in Augusta County and have a live radio show broadcast by more than 60 mid-Atlantic stations each Saturday morning. They also are members of the Augusta County Farm Bureau. Andre Viette currently serves on the organization’s board of directors and on the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Ornamental Horticulture Advisory Committee, and Mark Viette is a former Augusta Farm Bureau board member.

To find the station nearest you that airs Real Virginia, or to view the show online, visit VaFarmBureau.org. Or view gardening segments from the show at SaveOurFood.org.

There’s no one Mother’s Day gift plant —and there are lots of good choices

Everybody’s mother has different tastes, and the plant-loving ones all have their particular favorites. But there’s one thing to remember no matter what your mom likes, said horticulturalist Mark Viette.

“When giving a plant as a gift,” he said, “be sure to choose one that will last a long time.”

If you want to give bright colors, the tropical hibiscus can be kept inside during the winter and outside when the temperature warms up. Yellow, orange or red gerbera daisies are another long-lasting option.

Hydrangeas are great inside or outside of the home, Viette said, but if you purchased a hydrangea from a greenhouse, it is best to keep it in a protected environment.

Orchids, he noted, have surpassed the poinsettia as the top-selling potted plant.

“That’s great, because unlike poinsettias, orchids can be purchased year- round,” Viette said.

Orchids bloom twice a year and should be kept in an area that reaches 40 percent to 60 percent relative humidity, with 50 percent being ideal.

“Orchids like high relative humidity with cooler nights and warmer days,” Viette said. “The leaves should have a purplish color or rosy tint. Be sure to buy an orchid that has plenty of buds.”

Another popular plant that enjoys similar growing conditions is the bromeliad. “Bromeliads are known for their beautiful color in the center of the leaves,” Viette said. “They like bright light and don’t need full sun.”

Bromeliads can be planted outside during the summertime. ph

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The American Farm Bureau Federation is endorsing legislation that would help protect farm families from federal estate tax levies when a farm owner dies.

Senate Bill 2242, called the Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act of 2012, is similar to H.R. 1259, which calls for permanently repealing the federal estate tax and generation-skipping transfer tax and locking in a $5 million lifetime gift tax exemption and 35 percent gift tax rate.

Estate taxes continue to be a problem for farmers, said AFBF President Bob Stallman in a letter to the sponsor of S. 2242. When estate taxes on an agricultural business exceed cash and other liquid assets, the tax can cripple a family-owned farm or ranch and hurt the rural communities and businesses that agriculture supports, Stallman explained.

“Farmers and ranchers across the nation support this legislation, because estate tax reform has been one of our priorities for years,” said Wilmer Stoneman, associate director of governmental relations for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. “If our

farmers want to pass their farms on to the next generation, they need this legislation. Without it, their heirs won’t be able to afford the taxes.”

The Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 set the estate tax exemption at $5 million per person, with a top tax rate of 35 percent for 2011 and 2012. Without Congressional action, in 2013 the estate tax exemption will shrink to $1 million per person, and the top rate will increase to 55 percent.

“This will strike a blow to farm and ranch operations trying to transition from one generation to the next,” Stallman said. “A $1 million exemption is not high enough to protect a typical farm or ranch able to support a family and, when coupled with a top rate of 55 percent, can be especially difficult for farm and ranch businesses.”

Stallman said the “on-again, off-again” nature of estate tax law makes it difficult for farmers and ranchers to engage in planning for the transfer of a family business.

The Private Property Rights Protection Act would prevent states from using eminent domain to take property for economic development.

Washington Watch

Federal efforts to protect property rights mirror Virginia’s

A s Virginia moves closer to a constitutional amendment to protect private property owners

from eminent domain abuse, Congress is considering similar legislation.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently approved the Private Property Rights Protection Act, H.R. 1443, which would prevent states from using eminent domain to take property for economic development and establish a private right of action for property owners if a state or local government violates the new rule. It also would limit federal funds to states where property is taken in violation of the law.

“The fact that our federal legislature is also taking steps to ensure landowners’ rights is very encouraging,” said Trey Davis, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation assistant director of governmental relations.

Virginia and American Farm Bureaus endorse estate tax reform

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Effective retirement and farm transition planning is further complicated by changes in the federal estate tax.


Viewing Virginia

More than 95 percent of U.S. exports to South Korea will become duty-free over the next five years, and all agricultural products will be duty-free by 2027.

Gov. Bob McDonnell announced on March 13 that the commonwealth exported a record $2.35 billion in agricultural products in 2011, an increase of more than 6 percent from 2010 and more than 2 percent from 2009.

McDonnell spoke during the opening lunch at the Governor’s Conference on Agricultural Trade.

“Agriculture and forestry are vitally important to economic growth in Virginia,” he said. “With more than one-quarter of farm cash receipts attributable to export sales, continuing to grow Virginia’s

A South Korean-United States free trade agreement that took effect March 15 and the Colombia-United States FTA that was approved last fall mark the beginning of a new chapter in foreign trade.

Gheewhan Kim, minister for economic affairs at the Korean embassy in Washington, said the new FTA begins a “trade highway without a toll gate.” Kim spoke March 13 at the Governor’s Conference on Agricultural Trade, calling the agreement “mutually beneficial.”

As soon as the FTA was enacted, two-thirds of U.S. agricultural products exported to South Korea became duty-free. More than 95 percent of U.S. exports will become duty-free over the next five years, and all agricultural products will be duty-free by 2027.

Gabriel Silva Lujan, Colombian ambassador to the United States, said the agreement with his country will help regain ground that the United States lost over the past six years while the FTA was being negotiated.

Colombia imported $5 million worth of Virginia agricultural products last year. The new FTA will eliminate 75 percent of the tariffs on agricultural products immediately and the rest within 15 years.

State’s agricultural exports reached record high in 2011

Free trade agreements expected to boost Va. agriculture exports

agribusiness exports is a priority for my administration. … Exports are key factors in keeping our economy moving forward, and they support jobs, from our farms to our outstanding air, land and sea ports.”

Virginia’s strong position in the global marketplace is due in part to its diversified portfolio of products and export markets. Top export products in 2011 included soybeans; poultry; wheat; pork; lumber and wood products; corn; animal feed; leaf tobacco; fats and oils; cotton; marine and aquaculture products; fresh vegetables; raw peanuts; hides and skins; processed foods and beverages, including wine.

Virginia’s other top export markets include Switzerland, $149 million; Egypt, $139 million; Tunisia, $66 million; Cuba, $65 million; Venezuela, $60 million; Indonesia, $57 million; Taiwan, $56 million; Vietnam, $52 million; Saudi Arabia,

$52 million; Hong Kong, $47 million; Jamaica, $47 million; Japan, $41 million; Ireland, $39, million; Turkey, $38 million; Brazil, $37 million; Mexico, $36 million; and the United Kingdom, $31 million.

The Governor’s Conference on Agricultural Trade was co-hosted by Farm Bureau, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Virginia Port Authority and Virginia Tech.

Wood products are among Virginia’s top ag exports.


Viewing Virginia

The Virginia Junior Livestock Expo will be held Oct. 11-14. All beef cattle, swine, sheep and meat goats will be exhibited at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds, and dairy animals will be exhibited at Virginia Tech.

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Farmers and farmers’ market customers have known for years that buying local foods builds relationships and boosts local economies.

New this spring is a challenge to every Virginian to commit to spending $10 a week to eat or purchase local foods, from the Virginia Food System Council. A 2008 economic impact study by Virginia Cooperative Extension estimated an annual return of $1.65 billion to local economies if Virginians spent at least $10 a week on local foods.

The study estimated a $10-a-week spending shift to local foods could add $50.6 million to the Charlottesville area economy. In the Roanoke Valley, it could add $65.2 million; in the Richmond area, $203 million; and in the Fredericksburg area, $15.4 million.

State fair’s youth livestock events move to Rockingham fair, Virginia Tech

Organizers of youth livestock events formerly held at the State Fair of Virginia say the show will go on this fall.

Virginia Cooperative Extension officials announced April 4 that most of the youth livestock events formerly held at the state fair will be held at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds Oct. 11-14. All beef cattle, swine, sheep and meat goats will be exhibited at the Harrisonburg venue, while dairy animals will be exhibited at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.

The Virginia Junior Livestock Expo will serve as the culminating activity for 4-H and FFA youth livestock projects.

In 2011, 445 youth exhibited more than 940 animals during the state fair.

Rockingham County is Virginia’s leading agricultural county, and the 111-acre Rockingham fairgrounds features an 81,000-square-foot barn complex, parking for more than 6,000 vehicles and an on-site campground for exhibitors.

Virginia Junior Livestock Expo details and entry forms will be posted on the Virginia Cooperative Extension website at ext.vt.edu as they become available.

Local food campaign kicks off; consumers challenged to spend $10 a week

The Virginia Food System Council is challenging consumers to spend $10 a week on locally grown foods and other farm products.

>> save the date

Local Food Networks Conference shared school insights, success stories

By Sara Owens

About 130 participants attended the first Local Food Networks Conference on Feb. 27 and 28 at Virginia Farm Bureau’s home office in Goochland County. The conference featured workshops on how to sell local foods to schools and how to better sell and market local food products.

Other topics addressed included new market demands, opportunities for market access, and how to price local foods and market with specific branding and packaging.

“The demand for fresh, locally grown food continues to strengthen,” said Chris Cook, Farm Bureau’s assistant director of rural development. “This conference provided Virginia producers with the opportunity to understand the barriers to entry and what it might take to participate in this fast-growing sector of the market.”


As interest in local foods has increased over the years in Virginia, so have the avenues that farmers can use to

distribute their products.While it’s not a perfect system, producers

have several options, including selling to a wholesaler or a food hub, selling at farmers’ markets and selling through community-supported agriculture operations.

Dan Budi, director of retail sales for the Ashland-based wholesaler Produce Source Partners, buys produce from about 45 farmers and sells it to schools, universities, large-scale convenience stores, grocery stores and restaurants.

He was among panelists who spoke Feb. 28 at the Local Food Networks Conference.

“We try to support our growers and buy as much locally grown food as we can,” Budi said.

Kevin Kirby of Kirby Farms in Hanover County has 300 acres of produce and wholesales most of his product to companies like Produce Source Partners. He said his family has been selling to Produce Source Partners since 1987, when it was Baker Brothers Produce.

“We’ve been with them a long time and appreciate their interest,” he said.

Kirby sells summer squash, tomatoes, bell peppers, greens, watermelons, eggplants, cucumbers, sweet potatoes and more to Produce Source Partners.

Budi said interest in locally grown foods continues to increase, and he’s interested in working with more farmers. He also is talking to grocers in Northern Virginia about expanding options in that region, where sourcing local foods can be more challenging.

In Charlottesville, the Local Food Hub helps distribute food for farmers and saves them time, said Alan Moore, the organization’s director of distribution.

“We saw that growers were spending so much of their time driving around and negotiating prices and filling out paperwork, so now we’re doing that for them,” Moore said. The food hub works with more than 50 farms and sells items

to schools, restaurants, grocery stores and hospitals.

Jim Saunders of Saunders Brothers in Nelson County works with the Local Food Hub to sell apples and peaches. He also works with other distributors and has a farm market. He said making connections is the key to selling farm products locally.

“You (farmers) should make all the connections that you can, and then use them,” he told conference participants.

Molly Harris created Fall Line Farms

in 2008 to help connect farmers with consumers who wanted locally grown foods. “I wanted to be able to help farmers take control of their prices and let them sell as much as they can with that money going straight to them,” she said.

Fall Line Farms expanded and is now part of Lulus Local Food, which has multiple online food hubs in Virginia. Harris said she is interested in further expansion.

“The demand … is overwhelming; it is just about getting the product out there.”

Distribution options expand for locally grown foods

“We try to support our growers and buy as much locally grown food as we can,” said Dan Budi (left), director of retail sales for the Ashland-based wholesaler Produce Source Partners. He’s shown examining greens grown by Kevin Kirby of Hanover County.

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School systems increase use of local foodsSchool nutrition directors across

Virginia have been actively seeking out more locally produced foods to serve

students.Lisa Landrum, Goochland County Public

Schools nutrition supervisor, said she first purchased locally grown foods in 2009. She shared her experiences at the Local Food Networks Conference.

“During National Agriculture Week in 2009, we brought in local foods, including sweet potatoes from Cullipher Farms” in Virginia Beach, Landrum said. “The farmer came to talk to the students about the sweet potatoes and farming, and the students just loved it.”

Goochland schools have continued to increase the amount of local foods purchased over the years and now serve a locally grown item daily. Those include apples, beef, cabbage, kale, lettuce, sweet potatoes, white potatoes and watermelon.

Some of the Goochland schools are growing their own foods as well. Students at Byrd Elementary School in Goochland have a garden and greenhouse where they grew lettuce and kale last year.

“The students ate it and loved it,” Landrum said. “I had parents call and tell me that their students were asking for kale! They told me they don’t personally like kale, but their kids now like it.”

The nutrition program staff at Randolph Elementary School in the county's Crozier area saves vegetable and fruit scraps for students to compost for their garden.

Landrum and school nutrition staff are always looking for ways to increase the amount of local foods served in their schools.

“Since we only have four school sites, it is easier for us because we have one delivery made to the middle and high school, and then I deliver food to the three

elementary schools,” Landrum said.For larger school systems, sourcing locally

grown foods can be more challenging. Richmond Public Schools serves 9,000 breakfasts and 15,000 lunches daily, said Susan Robeson, the school system’s nutrition director.

“We really only have $1.40 per meal to spend on lunches, so we are increasing the amount of our fresh, local foods but it’s tough,” Robeson said. “We need competitive prices and farmers who can work with the school system.”

Richmond schools introduced their first locally grown foods in 2011.

“We participated in Farm To School Week in 2011 and had sweet potatoes, collard greens and squash. We had farmers come speak to the students at an assembly, and staff dressed up as farmers,” Robeson said. “The children participated in activities all week long, and they were most excited to hear experiences from farm life.”

Robeson said most foods served in school cafeterias are reheated. At first, city school kitchens lacked knives sharp enough to cut through firmer vegetables, and in some instances staff weren’t sure how to prepare the new foods.

“We’re still learning,” she said. “We need to learn more about the growing season so we can offer what is in season on our menus at that time.”

The school system is not able to buy directly from farmers, for cost and volume reasons, but they do purchase what they can from Loving’s Produce Co. in Richmond. While Richmond schools feature fresh spinach salad daily, Robeson hopes to receive a grant that will put a salad bar in each cafeteria.

“It’s the right way to go,” she said. “We just need training and good prices to make it possible.”

Farmers interested in selling to wholesalers may want to consider becoming Good Agricultural Practices- and Good Handling Practices-certified.

GAP and GHP are U.S. Department of Agriculture audit verification programs that focus on best agricultural practices to verify that farms are producing and packers are handling and storing fruits and vegetables in the safest manner possible.

The programs are currently voluntary and divided into three sections, with GAP addressing farm practices; GHP concentrating on packing facilities, storage facilities and wholesale distribution centers; and Food Defense protocols utilized throughout.

Wholesaler Produce Source Partners in Hanover County, which is GHP-certified, offered GAP classes last year and this year for farmers.

“We feel it is the way of the future and will continue to offer these classes,” said Dan Budi, director of retail sales. “I think local foods will continue to be popular as long as it is deemed healthy, and one way to do that is to make sure our local farmers are GAP-certified.”

GAP & GHP certification


Frances Owens at Randolph Elementary School in Goochland County prepares salad for school lunches. Goochland school cafeterias serve students a locally grown food item daily, and the nutrition program staff at Randolph Elementary saves vegetable and fruit scraps for students to compost for the school garden.

CHESAPEAKE RAY: dinner or danger to Va. shellfish?

By Kathy Dixon

Chip Dodson, a Northampton County clam producer, recalled a time when he was pulling a cage of 3,000 clams out of the Chesapeake Bay.

“The bridle [harness around the cage] broke, and the clams fell into a pile at the bottom of the bay,” Dodson said. Since it was high tide, he left them there.

Two hours later when he went back to collect them, there were only 20 left. “The rays were in there going crazy; they were ravenous.”

Dodson said the cow-nosed rays, which he calls bull fish, are the “No. 1 enemy” of clam growers in the bay during the spring and summer.

Every spring, as the temperature in the Atlantic Ocean along Virginia’s coast warms, massive schools of rays glide into the Chesapeake Bay to give birth to their pups and then mate.

When they arrive, they are ravenous and need to refuel.“They’re an opportunistic species,” said Robert Fisher, fisheries/

seafood technology specialist with the Virginia Sea Grant Program at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. “Their mouth and jaw parts are engineered to crush hard-shell animals, so if they’re there, they’ll eat them.”

Fisher said the ray, also called the Chesapeake ray, has been villainized after state and federal agencies tried to restore the bay’s oyster population by seeding reefs with small oysters that rays quickly devoured.

Because of that, some say that the Chesapeake ray should be commercially fished. Right now the ray is a by-catch, meaning it’s caught only in nets set for other species.

But there is little documented evidence that the ray depletes the bay’s oysters and clams, said Fisher, who’s been studying the creature since 1990.

“I want to see the ray successfully marketed and utilized, but we have to fish it responsibly.”

The Virginia Marine Products Board is trying to develop a market for the Chesapeake ray as a food source. Mike Hutt, VMPB executive director, and Joseph Cardwell, seafood marketing specialist, have been promoting Chesapeake ray as a nutritious, edible fish to chefs, seafood distributors and grocery stores. It is starting to catch on. Cow-nosed rays, also called Chesapeake rays, currently are not fished in

the Chesapeake Bay; they are a by-catch of watermen who use nets to catch other species.

“ I want to see the ray successfully marketed and utilized, but we have to fish it responsibly.”

— Robert Fisher, Virginia Sea Grant Program fisheries/seafood technology specialist


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Northampton County clam producer Chip Dodson once witnessed Chesapeake rays devouring more than 2,500 of his clams in about two hours.

Restaurateur raves about rayAt Croc’s 19th Street Bistro in Virginia

Beach, co-owner Laura Habr said her customers have been enjoying Chesapeake Bay Ray Tacos for the past two years. She added them to the menu after she heard Dodson complain that the rays were hurting his clam harvest. Dodson's daughter, Laura Gray, sells clams at a summer farmers’ market Habr operates behind the restaurant.

Habr bought fried ray strips, and her chef came up with ray tacos. She added them to the menu, and they have “done extremely well.” Habr said people relish the idea of eating something that preys on shellfish in the bay, “and they taste good.”

Ray is tasty, nutritiousHutt said the ray takes on the flavors of

whatever it is cooked with. “It adheres to rubs, spices and marinades; the texture is more like veal or steak.”

And with 22 grams of protein and only 100 calories in a 4-ounce serving, the Chesapeake ray can be part of a healthy diet.

Grocery chain on the ray bandwagon

Wegmans Food Markets, headquartered in New York, has six stores in Northern Virginia and offers fresh Chesapeake ray filets when they are in season mid-May through September.

Wegmans holds cooking demonstrations and has displayed the ray alongside tuna for comparison. Both fish have red flesh and are meatier than other types of fish.

But ray costs considerably less than tuna, said Carl Salamone, Wegmans vice president of seafood merchandising.

“If there was a steady supply, we could sell more,” Salamone said.

That would require commercially fishing Chesapeake ray, which is likely to happen, Fisher said. He wants to ensure the species isn’t over-fished.

“The Chesapeake ray has been in our waters for thousands and thousands of years. We have to learn to manage around the ray-commercial shellfish interaction.”


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Wegmans Food Markets in Northern Virginia sell ray fillets (at right in fish case) each summer.

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Rays migrate into the Chesapeake Bay each spring. Rays in an aquarium environment feed on oysters.


Fried Ray StripsINGREDIENTS

24 Chesapeake ray strips, 3˝ long x ½˝ wide

2 eggs

¼ cup milk

2 cups plain white flour

2 cups Italian bread crumbs or your favorite

seafood breading

2 to 3 cups vegetable oil

DIRECTIONSCut ray into strips, cutting with the grain. Beat eggs and milk together in a bowl. Put flour in a separate bowl and do the same with the bread crumbs.

Heat oil to 375°. Dip the ray strips into the flour, then into the egg and milk mixture, and finally into the bread crumbs. Fry in heated oil until light brown.

Serve with tartar sauce or lemon juice.

Source: Virginia Marine Products Board

Chesapeake Ray FajitasINGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon lime juice

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1½ pounds Chesapeake ray fillets

1 cup red bell pepper strips

¼ cup julienned poblano pepper

1 cup onion strips

1 lime, cut in wedges

soft flour tortillas

sour cream, guacamole and/or salsa

1 tablespoon minced cilantro

DIRECTIONSCreate a marinade by combining 2 tablespoons garlic, cumin, lemon and lime juice and ¼ cup of vegetable oil.

Season the ray fillets with salt and pepper. Coat the fillets in the marinade, and let them sit for about an hour.

Heat a skillet to medium-high, and quickly sear the fillets on both sides, cooking them to medium. Remove the fillets.

Add the additional garlic to the pan, and sauté about 1 minute. Add the peppers and onions, and cook until they soften. Add the lime wedges, and heat through.

Slice the ray on the bias, across the grain of the meat, holding the knife at a 45° angle.

Make the cut thin, about 1/8˝to ¼˝ thick. Serve with soft flour tortillas and fajita condiments, and top with minced cilantro.

Source: Chef John T. Maxwell

Ray MarsalaINGREDIENTS

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided

4 4-ounce Chesapeake ray fillets

2 tablespoons canola oil1/3 cup minced shallots

2 teaspoons minced garlic

8-ounce package pre-sliced mushrooms

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme + additional thyme springs for garnish

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup Marsala wine or dry sherry

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONSPlace ¼ cup flour in a shallow dish. Dredge ray fillets in flour. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat the pan with oil, and add ray. Cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned.

Remove ray from the pan and keep warm in the oven.

Add shallots, garlic and mushrooms to the pan; sauté for 3 minutes or until the moisture evaporates. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon flour and chopped thyme to the pan, and cook for 1 minute, stirring well.

Combine the chicken broth and Marsala wine, stirring until smooth. Gradually add the broth mixture to the pan, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Return the ray to the pan, and cook 2 minutes, turning to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

Source: Shirley Estes, former executive director, Virginia Marine Products Board

Thai Green Curry RayINGREDIENTS

1 pound of Chesapeake ray, cut into thin strips, against the grain

1 tablespoon lemon grass

1 tablespoon olive oil

14-ounce can coconut milk

1½ cans light coconut milk

4 tablespoons green curry paste

½ tablespoon minced garlic

Prepared rice noodles or jasmine rice

cilantro and lime wedges for garnish

DIRECTIONSSauté ray in oil until cooked through. Set aside.

Sauté lemon grass and garlic in a little oil. Add coconut milk, curry and garlic. Lightly boil until slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Add ray to sauce.

Serve over rice noodles or jasmine rice. Garnish each serving with cilantro and a lime wedge.

Source: Chef Kelly Hunt, Wegmans

Poached Ray with Coconut Milk andJalapeñosINGREDIENTS

1 pound Chesapeake ray, skinned

1 cup coconut milk

1 ounce fresh thyme, chopped

¼ cup white wine

1 ounce minced jalapeño

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONSPreheat oven to 350°.

Combine coconut milk, thyme and white wine, and bring to a simmer. Set the fish in a shallow dish and add liquid. Cover and bake for 7 minutes.

Add salt, pepper and jalapeños before serving.

Source: Chef Jon Pasion, Wegmans

How can you cook ray? How can’t you cook it?Chesapeake ray takes on the flavors of foods and seasonings with which it is cooked. Here are a few recipes:


WOMEN’S CONFERENCE emphasizes

strengthening Farm Bureau and agriculture

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION women were challenged to help the four different generations involved in the organization work together to promote agriculture and Farm Bureau.

“This is the first time in history we’ve had four generations working together,” said Kyle Perry, American Farm Bureau Federation leadership development director. Perry led a workshop on “Gen-Flexing” in March during the VFBF Women’s Conference in Hot Springs.

And while most Farm Bureau leadership positions are held by groups called “matures” and “baby boomers,” all four generations are involved in Farm Bureau, Perry said. “That’s why we need to practice gen-flexing.”

Gen-flexing is treating others in ways that motivate their particular age groups. For example, matures—born between 1909 and 1945—are motivated by control and responsibility. Gen Xers—born between 1965 and 1979—are motivated by recognition and meeting personal objectives.

Matures “have a lot of institutional wisdom, and they want to share it,” Perry said. “It all boils down to communication and respecting other generations. Look at the differences as an opportunity.”

Another opportunity conference

participants learned about is gaining new Farm Bureau members by telling people about the importance of agriculture and how Farm Bureau supports farming.

“We used to rely on insurance to bring members in the door, but when they do that, there’s no passion for agriculture,” said Dee Cook, VFBF membership development specialist. She led a workshop titled “America’s Food Supply—Hope is Not a Strategy.”

“We’re a grassroots, membership-driven organization,” Cook said. “We should be getting members by telling them you want them to help ensure the future of farming by having them join Farm Bureau.”

She challenged the women to encourage people to join because they believe in supporting agriculture.

And when Farm Bureau women are challenged, they typically rise to the occasion, said Tammy Maxey, senior education programmer for Agriculture in the Classroom.

Maxey received donations for AITC during the conference. She said Farm Bureau women’s committees are the program’s largest contributors. Last year they donated more than $39,000, and by the end of this year’s conference, they had raised more than $37,000.

2 0 1 2 W O M E N ’ S C O N F E R E N C E

“We’re a grassroots,

membership-driven

organization. We

should be getting

members by telling

them you want them

to help ensure the

future of farming

by having them

join Farm Bureau.”

Dee Cook, VFBF membershipdevelopment specialist

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Women’s Conference

participants got information on

what motivates volunteers

from different generations and how to

help them all work together.


1. “My dad was Sussex County (Farm Bureau) president, and my husband

farms on the side and my friend Susan got me interested in joining

the Women’s Committee. This is my first Women’s Conference.”

2. “Doing things in the community—especially (in support of ) the Ag

in the Classroom program—is what keeps me involved. I’m a teacher, so

I see how effective it is.”

Jackie Roach, member (6 months)Greensville County Women’s Committee

1. “Our committee just started about three years ago, and I was one of

the first members. I was attending the county Farm Bureau’s annual

meeting and signed up that night. I had wanted to be part of a women’s

committee, so I was very excited.”

2. “I have a child, and I understand the importance of educating children about agriculture. That’s a lot of what

the Women’s Committee does.”

Dee Dee Morris, member (3 years),Amherst County Women’s Committee

1. “My in-laws have always been involved with Farm Bureau, and my

children have been involved with Farm Bureau programs and contests, so I joined the Women’s Committee.”

2. “I think it’s important to educate the public about farming, and the

Women’s Committee—through its work with Agriculture in the

Classroom and reading to children during Ag Literacy Week—does that.”

Kim Koontz, member (5 years)Rockingham County Women’s Committee

1. What got you involved with the Farm Bureau Women’s Program?

2. What keeps you involved?


1. “I was a Farm Bureau member and wanted to join the Women’s Committee and get involved. There were only two members when I joined, but now we’re up to seven.”

2. “I learn something every time I attend a conference or participate in a meeting.”

Jean Walden, member (6 years)Nansemond County Women’s Committee

1. “When the former chair of the Women’s Committee stepped down, I joined the committee. I’m a city girl from New York, and I wanted to find out everything about farming that I could.”

2. “Learning something at every meeting and event I go to.”

Gloria Capezza, chairman (member for 10 years) Prince Edward County Women’s Committee

1. “My friend, Kathryn Wilson, got me started with the Women’s Program.”

2. “The educational programs that the Women’s Committee sponsors, and making new friends.”

Susan Simonson, chairman (member for 12 years)Halifax County Women’s Committee



Lee County producer named VFBF 2012 Farm Woman of the Year

Ann Slemp of Lee County was named Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s 2012 Farm Woman of the Year March 24 during the VFBF Women’s Conference in Hot Springs.

Judging for the designation is based on participants’ contributions to family, home, farm business, community and Farm Bureau.

Slemp and her husband, Hop, raise beef cattle and feeder calves and grow hay, corn and a variety of produce. Her duties on the farm include bookkeeping; machinery maintenance; mowing, raking and baling hay; working with the cattle; gardening; and canning fruits and vegetables.

Slemp has served as president of Lee County Farm Bureau since 1981 and is a past chairman of that organization’s women’s committee. She also has been involved in her county’s 4-H program, Virginia’s Agriculture in the Classroom program and local Virginia Cooperative Extension activities.

She “not only has a great enthusiasm for farming but is also zealous in her desire to assist her fellow farmers and all of the citizens in Lee County,” said Charles Ingram, executive director of the Lee County Farm Service Agency, in a letter of recommendation for the Farm Bureau honor. “She has always been out front in looking out for the interests of local farmers.”

Slemp received $500 from the VFBF Women’s Committee.

Ann Slemp

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Virginia’s state FFA officers helped staff the Women’s Conference’s annual auction, which benefited Agriculture in the Classroom.

The sale of auction merchandise donated by county Farm Bureaus, their women’s committees and others raised about $7,000 for AITC.


Community outreach, education earn accolades for county women’s committees

Southwest District — state winnerThe Smyth County Women’s Committee sponsored an Eating Smart Festival at the Marion Regional Farmers’ Market. They created 11 booths related to food groups, portion sizes, nutrition, Virginia foods and Virginia Farm Bureau membership. More than 400 people attended the event.

Capital DistrictThe Powhatan County Women’s Committee created a soybean costume, which a committee member wore to visit elementary school classes, read a book about soybeans and explain the importance of that crop in Virginia.

Central DistrictThe Orange County Women’s Committee provided a summer enrichment class about agriculture for 120 third-, fourth- and fifth-graders at the Boys and Girls Club of Orange County.

Eastern DistrictThe King and Queen County Women’s Committee conducted a dairy farm tour for kindergarteners; it included milking a cow and feeding a calf.

Midwest DistrictThe Franklin County Women’s Committee partnered with a middle school art class to make a coloring book called What’s Growing in Franklin County.

Northern DistrictThe Prince William-Fairfax County Women’s Committee conducted a yearlong agriculture literacy campaign with 15 other community organizations.

Southeast DistrictThe Greensville County Women’s Committee created a district-wide cookbook to promote the use of Virginia foods.

Southside DistrictThe Brunswick County Women’s Committee created a 2011-2012 school calendar for teachers; it included daily agriculture facts that reinforce Virginia’s Standards of Learning.

Valley DistrictThe Augusta County Women’s Committee partnered with the Augusta County Rescue Squad and Virginia Farm Bureau safety staff to hold a safety day at the county fair.

Chairman’s AwardThe Wise-Dickenson County Women’s

Committee educated the general public about buying American food and collected food to donate to the Ronald McDonald House in Johnson City, Tenn.

Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Women’s Program participants were recognized for community outreach programs and for educating the public about agriculture during the Women’s Conference.

Winners of the district and state Outstanding Women’s Activity Awards were announced, along with the winner of the Chairman’s Award for the most-improved committee.

The awards recognize excellence among activities that promote agriculture, educate communities on the importance of the industry and recruit new committee members.

Augusta woman named Farm Bureau Ambassador

Taylor Fix of Augusta County was named 2012 Virginia Farm Bureau Ambassador on March 24.

The Blue Ridge Community College student will receive a $3,000 scholarship from VFBF and the organization’s Women’s Committee.

Fix is the daughter of Jarrett and Trish Fix of Craigsville. As Farm Bureau Ambassador, she will make public appearances and serve as an advocate for agriculture and Farm Bureau.

“With the population increasing dramatically and our society becoming

further removed from the farm every day, action is what we need,” Fix said. “Our industry needs more individuals that are prepared to present facts to our public

about what our industry is really about: providing a safe, healthy and abundant food supply for families around this great nation.”

After earning an associate degree from BRCC this spring, Fix will transfer to Virginia Tech and pursue degrees in animal science and agricultural and applied economics. Her eventual goal is to earn a master’s degree in cattle genetics. She didn’t grow up on a farm but said she has developed “a passion for agriculture,” participating in FFA and other agriculture-related clubs. She served as Virginia’s 2009-2010 FFA vice president, was selected as one of the national FFA’s 10 Collegiate Agricultural Ambassadors for 2011-2012, and was the 2011 Virginia Farm Bureau Ambassador runner-up.

This year’s runner-up, Lacey Koontz of Rockingham County, received $500 from the Women’s Committee.

Taylor Fix



HEALTH CARE and the FAMILY FARMBy Leah Gustafson

HEALTH CARE REFORM has been at the forefront of the news for quite some time. Health care spending is continually rising. Medicare is struggling and might not be sustainable in its present form. Democrats and Republicans are arguing over what changes should take place in a system that some Americans believe is broken.

What will the magic cure be for our health care system?For better or worse, the solution probably won’t come from a

highly politicized process in Washington. To ultimately change the state of our health care system, we might need to change ourselves.

We might need to change what foods we eat and where we get our food. And U.S. agriculture might be the lifeline we need to shock our health care system out of cardiac arrest.

Promoting the local food economy through the support of community farmers’ markets and other venues serves to encourage the production of healthy food—in contrast to highly processed, sugar-laden, nutritionally lacking products.

Community farmers’ markets, farm stands, pick-your-own operations and other retail locations benefit both the buyer and the health care system. The markets are helpful in building demand for a variety of foods. Variation in crops allows for better land usage.

It is just as important to see a benefit from the local production of animal proteins such as eggs, poultry, pork and beef. Purchasing these proteins from a local farmer allows the consumer to ask questions—and get straight answers—about how the animals were raised.

Let’s look at this another way. Fewer than 25 percent of Americans eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. We spend nearly $400 billion dollars a year on medical care related to heart disease and another $200 billion a year on treatments related to cancer, according to the National Health Care Association. If the availability and intake of fruits and vegetables and quality animal proteins increased, our health care system could see significant savings of more than $100 billion dollars from the reduction of heart disease and cancer alone. Everyone eating quality healthy foods could be enough to bring Medicare off life support.

To dramatically improve our health care, without further drowning the country in debt, we need to shift some focus to buying and promoting quality foods and supporting the farms that produce them. The quality of our health and cost of our health care will

depend on not just how we vote at the polls, but also on how we vote with our forks and spoons.

Leah Gustafson is a marketing specialist for Virginia Farm Bureau Health Care Consultants.


Heart of the Home

Kendra Bailey Morris appears each month on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s monthly television program, courtesy of Virginia Grown, a program of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Morris is an author and culinary instructor whose work appears in Better Homes and Gardens, Food Republic, Virginia Living, Chile Pepper and other publications and is a former food columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Her blog is at fatbackandfoiegras.blogspot.com.

‘ Stalk’ up on fresh asparagus this springThis combination of asparagus, feta

cheese and toasted walnuts can be served as a side dish or salad.

“It’s really, really easy, and asparagus is in season right now so you can buy it

fresh,” said Virginia cookbook author and food blogger Kendra Bailey Morris. She suggests looking for bright green spears and closed tips when buying asparagus.

Snap off the spears’ tough ends,

or cut them if they don’t snap easily. Asparagus can be stored in the refrigerator, standing in water like a bouquet of flowers.

Roasted Asparagus with Feta and WalnutsINGREDIENTS

¼ cup walnut pieces

one bunch of fresh asparagus, washed

and ends trimmed

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

3 ounces crumbled feta cheese

quality balsamic vinegar for drizzling

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325.° Place walnut pieces on a baking sheet in a single layer, and bake for about 10 minutes, making sure they are fragrant and brown but not overcooked. Remove toasted nuts from the oven to cool.

Increase oven temperature to 400.° On a large sheet pan, toss the asparagus with the olive oil, coating each piece well. Season with salt and pepper, and toss again. Spread asparagus in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Roast for 12-14 minutes, shaking the pan several times so the spears will cook evenly on all sides.

Remove the asparagus to a platter. Scatter feta over the spears, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Top with toasted walnuts and serve.

To find the station nearest you that airs Real Virginia, or to view the show online, visit VaFarmBureau.org. Or view cooking segments from the show at SaveOurFood.org.


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Agriculture photo contest entries are due June 30Virginia Farm Bureau Federation is accepting entries for its

annual agriculture-themed photo contest through June 30. The contest is open to the public.

Rules and entry forms are available at county Farm Bureau offices and online at VaFarmBureau.org/contests.

Entries can be in any of four categories: animals, landscapes/

rural life, people and structures/equipment. Participants’ work will be judged in three age categories: 6 to 10 years, 11 to 17 years and 18 or older. Both prints and digital entries will be accepted.

Photos will be judged on creativity and composition. State-level winners’ work will be recognized at the 2012 VFBF Annual Convention.

Photo contest entries like these from 2011 by (clockwise from top right) Mindy McCrosky of Washington County, Ann Harrell of Craig County and Alexandria Shelton of Nelson County are being accepted through June 30.

Farm Bureau to offer free child safety seat inspectionsIf you’ve ever struggled to install a child safety seat, you know it

can be a physical challenge.National surveys have shown that as many as 80 percent of all

child safety seats are improperly installed, according to Jimmy Maass, Virginia Farm Bureau safety manager.

“It’s important that the seat be installed correctly so that it will protect your child should you be involved in a crash,” Maass said. “According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, crashes are the leading cause of death for chil-dren between the ages of 3 and 14.”

As of March 1, the Virginia Farm Bureau home office at 12580 West Creek Parkway in Goochland County is an official Child Safety Seat Check Station. The Virginia Department of Health and NHTSA websites list sites where parents and care providers can ensure, at no cost, that their seats are installed properly.

Child seat owners can call the Farm Bureau safety staff at 804-290-1376 to schedule an appointment for their seats to be checked by a nationally-certified technician.

“Parents should bring the child that will use the seat if at all possible, and expect to spend between 20 and 30 minutes for each seat that’s inspected and installed,” Maass said. “We first check the seat to see if the parent installed it correctly and explain anything we might find. We then remove the seat, check for recalls or problems, then make sure the child fits properly in the seat. Finally we show the parent how to install the seat correctly and allow them to install it with our advice and assistance.”

In addition to checking seats at the Goochland office, “we’re also going to offer this service to county Farm Bureaus across the state if they’d like to have a free car seat check day in their area,” Maass said.


Volunteers reached 61,000 children during Agriculture Literacy Week AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM

www.agintheclass.org

AITC SUPPORTERSIn addition to many individuals who contributed, these organizations made contributions to the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Clasroom between Feb. 21 and April 16.

Leader Level ($1,000 to $9,999)• Amherst County Farm Bureau• Augusta County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee• Birdsong Peanuts• Botetourt County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee• Chesterfield County Farm Bureau• Chesterfield County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee• Floyd County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee• Greensville County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee• Halifax County Farm Bureau• Hanover County Farm Bureau• King William County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee• Lee County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee• Nottoway County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee• Powhatan County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee• Prince William-Fairfax Farm Bureau Women’s Committee• Shenandoah County Farm Bureau• Smyth County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee• Southampton County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee• Southeast United Dairy Industry Association• Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Women’s Program• Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association Inc.• Women of the Virginia Corn and Soybean Association

Builder Level ($500 to $999)The following groups made contributions at the Builder Level:

• Amelia County Farm Bureau• Greene County Farm Bureau• Henry County Farm Bureau• Highland-Bath County Farm Bureau• King George County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee• Midwest District Women’s Committee• Orange County Farm Bureau • Rockbridge County Farm Bureau• Russell County Farm Bureau• Valley District Women’s Committee• Virginia Agribusiness Council• Wythe County Farm Bureau

Find more information about AITC at AgInTheClass.org. Donations to the AITC program are always welcome and can be mailed to AITC, P.O. Box 27552, Richmond, VA 23261.

More than 1,800 volunteers read to 61,000 children statewide during Virginia’s second annual Agriculture Literacy Week, March 4-10.

Seventy-five of the state’s 88 county Farm Bureaus participated in the event, along with volunteers from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and other state agencies; Farm Credit of the Virginias; FFA; 4-H; and other parts of the agriculture community.

While visiting local schools, preschools and child-care facilities, they distributed more than 1,850 copies of From Our Fields … To You, Agriculture in the Classroom’s Farmer Ben Book of the Year, by Carroll County teacher and farmer Kellie Worrell.

“Spending this time reading agricultural books to children gave us an opportunity to share agriculture with them so they understand why it is so important in Virginia and right here in their community,” said Virginia Farm Bureau Federation President and AITC foundation board member Wayne F. Pryor, who read at Meadville Elementary School in Halifax County. “It also gave them the opportunity to ask questions about farming—and they typically are not shy about that at all.”

Virginia Secretary of Education Laura Fornash read to students at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School in Louisa County.

“Taking time to read about Virginia’s place in the agriculture community will provide a foundation for young people that will encourage the concepts of buying locally and healthy lifestyle choices, while reinforcing the importance of literacy,” Fornash said.

AITC Executive Director Karen Davis said having members of the agriculture community in classrooms is a great opportunity for teachers and students to learn about agriculture from those who know it best.

“The number of Farm Bureau volunteers, state agriculture organizations, officials and others who stepped forward to read to children in their communities was just amazing,” Davis said, “and the participating schools could not have been more welcoming.

“This was an event that was simply good for everyone involved, and we can’t wait for next year.”

Bette Brand, chief sales officer for Farm Credit of the Virginias and a member of the Agriculture in the Classroom board, was among more than 1,800 volunteers who read to children during Agriculture Literacy Week.


Marketplace

Dairy farming, Mother’s Day plants featured in May edition of Real Virginia What does it take to care for hundreds of dairy cattle every day of the year? Find out on the May edition

of Real Virginia. Plus Andy Hankins of Virginia Cooperative Extension will harvest asparagus; food writer Kendra Bailey Morris will prepare a goat cheese appetizer; and horticulturist Mark Viette highlights some great gift ideas for Mother’s Day or any special event. We’ll also learn how many farmers are picking up some extra cash while cleaning up their farmsteads.

Find out more on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s monthly television program.Real Virginia airs nationwide at 6:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month on RFD-TV, as well as

on 41 cable systems and five broadcast stations in Virginia. It’s also available online at VaFarmBureau.org.Check local cable listings, or visit VaFarmBureau.org for a list of participating stations.

Watch this!To view

Real Virginia, visit VaFarmBureau.org

Members of Virginia Farm Bureau are entitled to 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 on Page 30 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 2012 dues are paid.

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 Farm Bureau News (mailed to producer members only);

• July Cultivate (mailed to associate members only); and

• August Farm Bureau News (mailed to producer members only).

2012 magazine classified ad schedule and policies

If you want to advertise your farm stand, CSA or pick-your-own operation, your farm-related services, or special events on your farm, Virginia Farm Bureau’s online Marketplace is a good place to start.

Farm Bureau offers online classified advertising opportunities to help members promote and find farm products and events. Information on using the service to find farm-fresh foods and special events has been shared with associate members via Cultivate magazine.

Members can place free classified ads at VaFarmBureau.org/marketplace in the categories that currently appear in Virginia Farm Bureau News—crops, farm equipment, hay and straw, livestock and livestock equipment—as well as in the following categories:

• agritourism;

• agricultural event notices;

• agricultural services;

• community-supported agriculture;

• horses;

• nursery and greenhouse; and

• on-farm sales.

Internet-only ads will have a 45-word maximum and will expire on your membership expiration date. Only members with paid 2012 memberships will be able to place ads.

Place online Marketplace ads year-round!

Finding your member numberWhen placing your ad, be sure to include your Farm Bureau member number, which is on your membership card and also can be found

above your name on the mailing label of your copy of Farm Bureau News. All member numbers will be verified.


Marketplace

CROPSANTIQUE APPLE TREES – Summer Rambo, Wolf River, Virginia Beauty, Yellow Transparent. Over 100 different varieties available for planting. Catalog $3. Write: Urban Homestead, 818-A Cumberland Street, Bristol, VA 24201. 276-466-2931. www.OldVaApples.com

AZOMITE – Mineral supplement with over 70 trace elements. www.Azomite.com for Va. dealers. DF International 540-373-3276.

DEER AND RABBIT REPELLENT – $12.95 Makes 10 gallons. Safe, effective, long-lasting, guaranteed. www.repels.net. 540-586-6798.

FRUIT TREES – Apple, Pear, Pawpaw and Fig. Volume discount for quantity available. Named cultivars. 804-598-3856.

FARM EQUIPMENTFARMALL CUB TRACTOR – Also, several pieces farm implements. 276-956-3998.

FOR SALE – JCB Backhoe Perkins engine Extend A Hoe, good condition $9,500. 434-447-7925 after 5 pm.

FOR SALE – Logging pads, starting at $100. Call for more details. 804-586-7375.

FREE – Super A sickle bar mower, good condition, will help load, extra parts. 540-338-7445.

FRONT END LOADER – Fits, 2N, 8N, 9N, NAA, 600 Ford Tractor. Sandblasted, painted $900. 540-651-8414.

FRONTIER – 12-ft. offset disc harrow. Used once for about 15 hours, $6,500. 804-742-5247.

GOOSENECK CATTLE TRAILER – 16-ft. dual axle homemade, oak floor remainder steel, $1,400. 540-576-2547.

HAYBUSTER – Big Balebuster model 256 3pt. Fair condition runs good, asking $3,400. 540-832-3872.

IHC – TD14A bulldozer, circa 1950. Shed kept, storage 20-yrs., 250-hrs. on rebuilt engine, $4,000. 540-586-1813.

IRRIGATION PUMP – PTO Hale primer, Mattieson 4-in. pipe, 500-ft. with fittings. 757-636-7620.

LADDER – Fire dept. type, 20-ft., extra wide, folding, roof hooks, silo? Barn? $250 OBO. 804-740-2911.

LOAD – Quick att. Durman lehr, good condition, 925 with brackets. 804-779-3219.

MONTANA TRACTOR – T7074 2006 model, less than 100-hrs, skid steer loader $29,500. Call Ann 540-674-1107.

NEW TRACTOR TIRES – 14.9 24, $300. Call for details Richard Dryden 757-710-1152.

SHAVER – HD-8-H post driver with hydraulic leveling plate. Never assembled, changed my mind, $2,995. 276-699-1218.

SUPERIOR – Equipment trailer 8'6''x16' 12,000 GVW shed kept, excellent condition, low mileage, $2,300. 276-650-2953 Martinsville.

WANTED – Case Colt riding lawn tractor, equipment, parts. 646, 648 loader backhoe. 4-10 pm. 804-270-1604.

WANTED – Cutterbar mower for Allis Chalmers D-14 tractor, snap coupler hitch. 540-763-3670.

WANTED – Ear corn elevator, PTO power, 4-cycle or electric. IH 234 2-row corn picker. Call 434-352-2417.

LIVESTOCKANGUS BULLS – Calving ease, semen tested, excellent bloodlines, reasonably priced and good selection. Delivery available, C-Stock farm, Scottsville. Day 434-286-2743 after 7 p.m. 434-981-1397 or 434-286-2423.

ANGUS HEIFERS – Due to calve in September and October, fetal sexed. Elton Farm 804-443-2418.

BOARDING – Horses, top notch care and feed. Field board as low as $160. Fairfield 540-348-6209

CHAROLAIS BULLS – High quality and easy calving, veterinarian owned. $1,075 to $1,875. Abingdon, Va. 276-628-9543.

FOR SALE – Baby Guinea $2; baby Bantams $1. 434-332-5132.

LAMANCHAS – Quality bloodlines, grand champions, flashy colors. Moving sale, milk does $150, bucklings $125. 540-789-7746.

MADISON COUNTY – Raised all natural, 100% pastured, grain finished Angus, Angus x beef. Wholesale whole, 1/2, 1/4 sides. Retail by pound, select packs via USPS shipping. Purchases at farm call 540-923-4036. www.Ridersbackfieldfarmbeef.com.

MILKING DEVON CATTLE – Heifers, young bulls available for grass fed beef or dairy. Call evenings 276-237-2605.

REGISTERED – Black Angus seed stock; fall born; bulls and heifers; AI sire. Sammy Smith 434-664-8767.

REGISTERED – Texas Longhorns, steers and breeding stock for sale. www.lakecountrylonghorns.com. 757-460-2088.

SEASONED TRAIL HORSES – TWH, 14.3-H mare; 15.3-H gelding, very nice, $1,500 each. Blueridge, Va., [email protected], 540-977-6840.

LIVESTOCK EQUIPMENTDR. BUGGIE – Completely rebuilt all metal original, sanded, painted, completely functional, early 1900. 757-562-6796.

New claims app makes for a speedy process When you download the new Virginia Farm Bureau insurance claims app to your smartphone, you can start the process of submitting an auto claim as soon as you might need to.

The app is available on both Android and Apple platforms. You’ll be able to make calls, take photos, record details and begin the claims process with just a few touches.

Details are available at FarmBureauAdvantage.com/TheAdvantage/MobileApps.aspx.

Claims number ensures assistance ‘round the clockVirginia Farm Bureau insurance policyholders have a 24-hour

option for receiving live assistance when they need to report a claim.Calling 800-452-7714 will put you in touch with a trained

customer service professional who can collect all pertinent information, forward it to Farm Bureau claims staff and notify your Farm Bureau insurance agent.

For easy reference, the new toll-free number is at the bottom of every page of the Farm Bureau insurance website at FarmBureauAdvantage.com and all insurance-realted print communications.

When members call, they will be prompted to press 1 for auto glass claims and 2 for all other claims.


Marketplace

Important:We are not responsible for typographical errors or errors due to illegible handwriting (No refunds available). Classified ads carried in Virginia Farm Bureau News and Cultivate do not constitute an endorsement by Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and its affiliated companies and organizations. We reserve the right to edit or reject ads, including ads that represent a business in competition with the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company or any of our affiliated or affinity partners. We reserve the right to edit or reject any advertisement that makes reference to any particular political party or group, religious belief or denomination, race, creed, color or national origin.

Step 1Use the form below to provide contact information and the text for your ad.• Ads will be accepted from Farm Bureau

members only.• Classified ads are not transferable. • Please type or print.• Classified ads will not be accepted or

cancelled over the phone.

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

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

Step 4Your first ad of 15 words or less is free with your membership. Pricing for additional ads:1–15 words $10/ad16–30 words $20/adAdditional ads must be accompanied by a check (no cash) for each issue in which the ad is to appear.• Make check payable to: Virginia Farm Bureau.

• Ads longer than 30 words will not be accepted.

• We do not invoice for classified ads or provide proofs or tearsheets.

• Ads submitted without payment will be returned.

Step 5Mail your ad (and payment) to: Virginia Farm Bureau News / Cultivate Classifieds P.O. Box 27552 Richmond, VA 23261-7552Or place it via the Virginia Farm Bureau website at VaFarmBureau.org/marketplace.

DeadlinesAds and cancellations must be received (not mailed) by the following deadlines:Issue DeadlineMailed to producer members August June 29

Mailed to associate members July June 1

How to place your classified ad

One free 15-word ad per membership per year; 2012 dues must be paid before placing ad.

Moving?If your address or phone number has changed — or is about to —

don’t forget to contact your county Farm Bureau office to ensure that

your membership and subscription information stays current!

NAME: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

MEMBER NO.: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

COUNTY: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

CITY: _________________________________________________ STATE: ____________________________ ZIP:_____ _____________

DAYTIME PHONE NUMBER: _____________________________________________ EMAIL ADDRESS: _________________________

Ads will not be accepted without the information above.

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

1. ____________________________ 2. ____________________________ 3. _______________________________ 4. ______________________________ 5. __________________________________

6. ____________________________ 7. ____________________________ 8. _______________________________ 9. ______________________________ 10. _________________________________

11. ___________________________ 12. ___________________________ 13. _______________________________ 14. _____________________________ 15. _________________________________

ISSUE IN WHICH AD SHOULD RUN:

Category in which ad should run (select only one):

❑ Crops

❑ Farm Equipment

❑ Hay/Straw

❑ Livestock

❑ Livestock Equipment

No other categories available in magazines

❑ July (mailed to associate members)

❑ August (mailed to producer members)

❑ This is my one free 15-word ad for 2012.

❑ Please place my ad online in the VFB Marketplace (Ads expire with membership).

❑ Please place my ad in The Delmarva Farmer for 4 weeks at no additional cost to me.

( ) phone number

* Ad placement available for these issues only

❑ Payment enclosed: $_______________

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may 2012 fbn

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