Matt Lohr: Today’s FFA – making your grandfather proud
Recently I had the tremendous honor of attending Virginia’s 85th state FFA convention on the campus of Virginia Tech. What a wonderful opportunity to see more than 1,700 bright, eager and enthusiastic young agricultural leaders in action. As I sat there in Burruss Auditorium, I found myself reflecting back to my own days when I wore the familiar blue and gold jacket. It has been 27 years since I attended my first state convention as a rising eight grader. Although so much has changed within this fine organization over the years, it was refreshing to see the same spirit of excitement and optimism for our industry. FFA today is stronger than ever and agriculture’s future will be better because of it.
When I think back on my life, few things had a bigger impact on me than my FFA experiences. It was there that a whole world was introduced to me. I was raised on a farm in rural Virginia and had never really had an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone. I had a shy personality, traveled very little, worked a lot on the farm and developed a great appreciation for agriculture. After all, the farm I grew up on had been in my family for more than 100 years, so my roots to farming ran deep. I always knew as a child that I wanted to work in agriculture, but the FFA opened up a door that helped me see just how exciting and diverse agriculture could be.
When I attended my first state FFA convention back in 1984, I caught the FFA bug. It was my first trip to Blacksburg where my love of Virginia Tech began. I returned home as a 12-year-old telling my parents I would be a Hokie one day and years later it drove my mother crazy when I refused to apply to any other college except Virginia Tech.
It was on that first trip I watched state FFA officers speak on stage so eloquently. I saw members compete in events and contests, receive awards, give retiring addresses, and show their love of this organization. Something changed inside of me. I left that convention inspired and motivated. I wasn’t yet sure of what all FFA had to offer, but I knew I wanted to find out. And so began an eight year run filled with adventures and opportunities of a lifetime.
Throughout my FFA career, I had the amazing chance to travel to Japan as a 15 year old on a three week exchange program. I helped tear down the Berlin Wall in December of 1989 while touring Germany as a state FFA officer exchange student. Two years later as a national FFA officer I was walking the streets of Hong Kong and China on yet another international adventure. My travels led me to the Oval Office where I sat down at a table for a 30 minute conversation with President George H.W. Bush, discussing the future of agriculture. I saw the Northern Lights in Alaska, tasted the maple syrup harvest in Vermont, rode a bull in Wyoming and hiked the Grand Canyon in Arizona. I gave a retiring address to more than 25,000 students in Kansas City and even met my future wife from Kentucky at an FFA conference in Washington, D.C. FFA was very good to me indeed.
It all didn’t come easy for me however. I stumbled along the way and had my share of setbacks. I placed last in my first public speaking contest, was defeated in my first two attempts running for chapter office and never reached many of those early goals I set for myself. But the one thing FFA taught me was determination. I learned that when you don’t win, you must dust yourself off and try again. My FFA advisor used to say you always become better for trying and sometimes you learn bigger lessons coming in last place. It was those early setbacks that taught me those real lessons that have really helped me in life. Perseverance and determination are needed daily no matter what career you work in, especially working in agriculture!
Another experience I gained in FFA was the importance of serving others. Early on our FFA chapter was always involved in community service projects ranging from building park benches, painting the local community center, collecting toys for the needy at Christmas and picking up trash along the highway. I remember as a freshman delivering a box of toys to a needy family at Christmas and watching the mom cry out in joy. It left a lasting impression on me. This desire to serve has carried with me not only in my FFA career, but throughout my political career as well. Even today as Commissioner, I truly love looking for ways to serve those in our industry. Having a servant’s heart is something that truly makes our world a better place and these young FFA members are developing this trait at an early age.
Agriculture is such a diverse industry and today’s FFA organization is leading the way. I was amazed at the award winners I saw at this recent meeting and the type of projects they are involved in. Biotechnology, alternative energy, agritourism, sustainability, and environmental stewardship are all words used to describe today’s industry and we are recognizing these achievements in our FFA chapters. It is very exciting to see and it gives me confidence knowing the future will remain bright for generations to come.
At this recent session, they showed a 20 minute video on the history of our organization dating from the early 1920s to today. Wow! Not only has our industry changed and adapted over these past 85 years, but the FFA organization has as well. With more than 500,000 members nationwide leading the way, I left optimistic and excited for the future. I reflect fondly on what the FFA has meant to me and how it has prepared me in so many areas of my life. I would not change those experiences for the world. And yet I am just as happy for today’s young members because I know their lives will be impacted as well. If you want to be uplifted and energized for the future of our agricultural industry, I encourage you to attend a local or state FFA event and get to know these young leaders. I promise you that you will be just as impressed as I was. It may not be your grandfather’s organization, but I guarantee you your grandfather would be proud!
Matt Lohr is the commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Workshop to focus on farmland conservation
Commissioner of Agriculture Matt Lohr will open an evening workshop on farmland conservation to be held at Weyers Cave Community Center on Monday, May 16th at 7 p.m. Lohr will address efforts to meet Gov. Bob McDonnell’s goal of conserving 400,000 acres of land during his term.
To that end, various state agencies and private groups are working to help farmers throughout the commonwealth become better informed regarding their options for conserving land.
The intended audience for Monday’s workshop is landowners who are interested in understanding the voluntary tools, such as conservation easements, that are available for keeping their land intact and productive for future generations. The focus will be on “working lands”–farms and forests that are providing viable agricultural and forestal production.
“Limiting development through a conservation easement is not appropriate for all land or for all families” says workshop organizer John Eckman, executive director of the private nonprofit land trust, Valley Conservation Council. “But for people who want to see their land available for farming in the future, it is worth exploring.”
Conservation easements allow the land to stay in private ownership while permanently protecting important agricultural resources, including soils and forests. Both federal and state financial incentives are available for the donation of a conservation easement on qualifying land. Virginia is rare in offering a transferable tax credit for land conservation that can be sold for cash. “We have Valley farmers who have sold these tax credits to purchase the property next door or to buy equipment to expand their operations. Others have built a nest egg for retirement without having to sell off their land” says Eckman.
Speakers for the workshop include Lohr, Eckman, attorney Mark Botkin of the law firm BotkinRose PLC, and Laura Thurman, easement specialist with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. Details and directions are available at www.valleyconservation.org or by calling the Valley Conservation Council office at 540.886.3541
Matt Lohr: Virginia is for Horse Lovers
When many people think of Virginia, they think of horses. The images in their minds may range from red-coated riders chasing foxes across the fields to thoroughbred races. Personally, I think of Mister, Tommy and Magic, the horses my father-in-law keeps on his farm and the ones my son and daughter ride. From 4-H Pony Clubs to million dollar race horses, we have them all in Virginia, and we love them dearly.
You may know some of our more famous horses. Secretariat, the 1973 Triple Crown winner, and Misty of Chincoteague probably come to mind first, depending on whether you’re an adult or a third grader. Both of these horses have achieved the status of Legend, but they were once living, breathing animals on Virginia farms.
Secretariat is memorialized in photographs, video clips and a movie released last year. My daughter Caroline loves that movie. The foaling shed where he was born still stands at Meadow Farm in Caroline County. The farm is now the site of the State Fair of Virginia, but they have been careful to preserve the shed.
Misty’s memorials include a commemorative plaque and statue on Chincoteague Island on Virginia’s Eastern Shore and two horseshoe prints set in concrete at the Island Roxy Theater where the famous horse attended the 1962 movie premiere. But the real attraction on the island is Misty’s preserved and mounted body. Her body, along with that of her foal Stormy, is on display at the Beebe Ranch.
I have mixed feelings about the stiff, glassy-eyed body of Misty on display, but of course Misty is not the only horse to be stuffed and kept around the house. Roy Rogers did so with Trigger, but contrary to popular opinion, Robert E. Lee did not have his horse Traveller stuffed and mounted. For a time Traveller’s skeleton was on display at Washington and Lee University in Lexington. In 1971, the university ceremoniously interred his bones just outside the campus chapel in which Lee and his family are buried and marked the spot with a gravestone.
The Civil War yielded other famous horses: Stonewall Jackson’s Old Sorrel, Maj. Gen Jeb Stuart’s Virginia, Maj. Gen Fitzhugh Lee’s Nellie Gray and W.I. Rasin’s Beauregard, the mount Rasin rode to Appomattox. Perhaps a little less famous but also notable was Fleeter, the horse of Belle Boyd, famous Confederate spy.
Yes, we love our horses in Virginia. They add so much to our lives on a personal level, and they certainly have added to the history and legends of Virginia. When I look at the big picture, I see just how much they contribute to our state’s economic well-being, as well. A lot of people don’t think of horses as part of agriculture, but they are a very important part. In fact, they are Virginia’s 8th top agricultural commodity.
We recently announced that the horse industry in Virginia has an annual economic impact of $1.2 billion, according to a study released by the Weldon Cooper Center at the University of Virginia The equine industry’s influence is felt in all parts of the state and we see a very positive effect on jobs, recreation, tourism, retail sales and state and local taxation. The horse industry in Virginia generated $65.3 million in state and local taxes in 2010.
The largest areas of economic impact are in Northern Virginia with more than 1,600 horse-related jobs in Fauquier and Loudoun Counties alone. However, the largest employment impact in the state is in Rockbridge County—the location of the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington. If you’ve never been to an event at the Horse Center, I strongly encourage you to go. You’ll find something for every taste, from the dramatic Arabian Costume Class show or a freestyle dressage exhibition to mule and draft horse shows. I could see my daughter standing on the back of a horse and commanding it with her toes to jump through a ring of fire, so I think we’ll confine our visits to rodeos, team penning or carriage class events for now.
As you can surmise, both participants and visitors to these events bring economic activity with them, not to mention a lot of jaw-dropping fun. Hotel nights, gas purchases and meals are just part of the economic mix. Some 939,000 people attended 1,200 Virginia horse shows and competitions last year, generating $25 million in revenue. Out-of-state participants spent an average of $3,100 per event in Virginia. Many of these events have accompanying trade shows and horse owners can swipe a lot of credit cards to buy new tack, riding outfits or the current year’s horse calendar and an I Love Horses mug.
Even though we have horses on our farms, I was surprised to realize that Virginia horse owners spend $873 million annually on horse-related expenses, including feed and bedding, boarding, training, tack, capital improvements and labor. These expenses average $4,060 per horse. Maybe I was surprised because my father-in-law boards and trains his own horses and he is teaching my children to ride at no cost to me.
As important as this economic activity is, here’s the area where I really take my hat off to horses. Virginia has an estimated 215,000 equines and some 41,000 equine operations, and the growing number of farms with horses is offsetting a more significant decline in farms in general. According to the Census of Agriculture Statistics, while the number of farms in Virginia decreased between 1997 and 2007, the number of farms with horses actually increased from 10,972 to 13,520 during that same period. I’m not suggesting that horses are reversing the decline in farmland, but they are the only positive side of that equation that I am aware of. So for all horses do for us, I welcome them – visitors and residents alike – to the Commonwealth.
Note: The full equine economic impact study is available on the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center website, coopercenter.org/econ (click on link in the news and events section). Highlights of the survey can be found on the Virginia Horse Industry Board website, vhib.org.
Matthew J. Lohr is the commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Virginia apple harvest looks good despite drought
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reported on Monday that the outlook for the 2010 apple crop is very good.
The department has been in contact with growers representing the Southwest Virginia and the Central and the Northern Shenandoah Valley. With few exceptions, growers indicated that the 2010 harvest should be normal, and in some places, even excellent despite record heat and what is turning out to be a major drought.
The earliest apples were ready for harvest approximately a week earlier than usual, starting with Paula Red apples in July, followed in late July/early August by Ginger Golds and Galas. Favorites such as Red and Golden Delicious apples are harvested in September followed by Rome apples in early October, York apples in early to mid-October, Winesaps, Staymans and Granny Smith apples in mid-October, and then Fujis in late October or early November.
Many pick-your-own farms also offer heirloom and heritage varieties of apples.
“Apples are big business in Virginia,” said VDACS Commissioner Matt Lohr said, “and it was a great relief to hear that the harvest should be good this year despite the drought. Virginia is the sixth largest apple growing state in the nation with an estimated 18,000 acres of commercial apple production. In a normal year, we will produce between 5 million and 5.5 million bushels of apples.”
The unusually high temperatures this summer have slowed the apple growth and some of the earlier varieties may run slightly smaller than normal. The sugar content is up, however, and growers expect the apples to have a fantastic taste. The recent rains around the Commonwealth will help the later varieties reach their normal sizes. As the harvest moves later in the season, evening temperatures will begin to drop and that will give the apples the red color Virginia is known for. “In sum,” said Lohr, “Virginia is poised for another good apple harvest.”
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Special election set in 26th
Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Gov. Bob McDonnell has set the special election for the open seat in the 26th House District for June 15. Read more
Degner: ‘Best shot in years’ for Dems in 26th
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Kai Degner may be hitting one of those windows of opportunity that the universe seems to offer up every few hundred million years or so.
“We think this is the best shot in years to win the seat,” said Degner, the Harrisonburg mayor and presumptive Democratic Party nominee in the 26th House District. Read more
Matt Lohr: Saluting our safe, affordable and ample food supply
Posted by afp on May 14, 2012 · Leave a Comment
May 15, 2012, marks the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). At the time of its creation, President Abraham Lincoln directed the new Federal agency to acquire information through “practical and scientific experiments” as well as collect and propagate to the nation‘s agriculturists “new and valuable seeds and plants.” This was the first in a series of acts of Congress which helped to modernize and advance American agriculture, as well as provide a critical foundation for our overall economy. Read more
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