McDonnell announces $1.2 million in Farmland Preservation Grants
Gov. Bob McDonnell announced on Tuesday the distribution of $1.2 million in farmland preservation grants from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to 13 Virginia localities.
This is a significant increase from the $100,000 available last fiscal year for state matching funds. Localities must use the grant monies to preserve farmland within their boundaries through local Purchase of Development Rights programs. PDR programs compensate landowners who permanently preserve their land by voluntarily placing a perpetual conservation easement on it. Continue reading “McDonnell announces $1.2 million in Farmland Preservation Grants” »
Farm Bureau: Seven farmwork-related deaths in Virginia in 2011
Seven lives were reported lost due to farmwork-related accidents in 2011—one more than in 2010.
Tractor overturns accounted for two deaths, tractor or other equipment runovers accounted for two more, and other tractor or equipment incidents resulted in three, according to unofficial statistics from Virginia Farm Bureau.
The organization had no record of 2011 farm deaths from incidents involving animals.
In the 17 years that Farm Bureau has tracked farm deaths and injuries, tractor incidents have accounted for most of the deaths and many injuries. Rollover protective structures and seat belts can help prevent deaths due to tractor overturns. Continue reading “Farm Bureau: Seven farmwork-related deaths in Virginia in 2011” »
Farm Link program seeks mentors
The good news is there are plenty of eager young farmers ready and willing to take a stab at making a living in agriculture.
The bad news is that land is limited and expensive, and opportunities to learn alongside a successful farmer are few and far between. The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers Committee would like to change that this year.
“I’m lucky; I started with my father. He basically took over from my grandfather, and that was a very abrupt change, because granddaddy kept all the reins,” said W.P. Johnson, a VFBF young farmer in Bedford County. “Dad has relinquished all but the financial side in our operation, but that’s OK with me, because I’m learning all the decisions on when to and when not to do something. That’s been a good mentoring situation for me,” said the hay, soybean and wheat producer. Continue reading “Farm Link program seeks mentors” »
Farm Bureau: 2011 a ‘decent year’ for farmers
This year has been a year of more ups than downs for Virginia farmers. Corn, soybeans,cattle and hog prices have all been good this year, despite a recent decline in some.
“Farmers received record-high prices for corn,” said Jonah Bowles, agricultural market analyst for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. The 52-week high for corn was $7.80 per bushel, and for soybeans it was $14.75.
“And prices paid for livestock were good, with farmers receiving as much as $150 per hundredweight for cattle this past year, but the record-high prices for corn have hurt them.” Continue reading “Farm Bureau: 2011 a ‘decent year’ for farmers” »
Virginia farm exports up in 2011
Virginia agricultural exports are up 5 percent from 2010, and that figure could increase even more before the end of the year, said Todd Haymore, Virginia’s secretary of agriculture and forestry.
Virginia shipped $2.24 billion worth of agriculture and forestry products in 2010, the state’s second-highest amount ever, Haymore told participants at the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation 2011 Annual Convention Nov. 30 in Norfolk.
“That’s great news, but there are trade barriers we continue to battle,” Haymore said, citing China’s ongoing ban on poultry shipped from Virginia and a ban on logs shipped from Virginia that was enacted earlier this year. He also noted restrictions in Cuba and exports to India that are limited due to high tariffs.
Fortunately, Haymore said, Gov. Bob McDonnell is committed to increasing Virginia’s agricultural and forestry exports. “He appreciates and supports agriculture, and his mindset is to buy local and sell global.”
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services already has an office in Hong Kong and recently opened trade offices in Shanghai and New Delhi. “By having boots on the ground, we can make progress,” Haymore said.
Recent trade missionsto China, Europe, India and Israel already are paying off for Virginia farmers.
Perdue Agribusiness ships soybeans to the Dandong port in northeast China. “Every time a boat launches, at least $20 million worth of soybeans is being shipped to China,” Haymore said. “This is a great opportunity for soybean growers in the state.”
He told Farm Bureau members that he will continue working to increase agricultural exports by retaining a market presence with established trade partners and pursuing growth opportunities in emerging markets.
Virginia: Apple harvest looks good
The weather in 2011 has been hard on many of Virginia’s agricultural crops, but the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says the outlook for the 2011 apple crop is very good. In early September, staff from VDACS’ Office of Sales and Market Development contacted growers representing the state’s major apple-growing areas and the reports are good. Growers indicated that the 2011 harvest should be normal, even if slightly off the five-year average in volume.
Apple trees experienced minimal damage from Hurricane Irene, although Tropical Storm Lee’s torrential rains delayed or interrupted the harvest for some of the earlier varieties because farmers couldn’t get into the fields. That added moisture should increase the size of varieties that are picked later, and the cooler temperatures at night will help the red-skinned apples achieve the bright red color that consumers prefer.
Growers are finished picking Ginger Golds and Galas and are actively packing and selling these varieties now. Harvest of Red and Golden Delicious is just starting in Northern Virginia; in the southwest part of the state the harvest is well underway. Harvest of Rome apples should begin 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. The state boasts more than 150 commercial growers. VDACS Marketing representatives canvassed the state and determined that apples are selling very well this year, and while some growers are expecting a smaller crop, they say the quality is very good. Virginia farmers produced between 5 and 5.25 million bushels of apples last year for markets in 15 states and more than 20 countries. This year’s harvest may be slightly less, depending on the weather between now and the end of harvest.
Adding to apple’s economic importance is the agritourism factor, the festivals and events that draw Virginians and tourists alike to apple-growing regions each fall. “People go to an apple farm to pick apples for several reasons,” said Matthew J. Lohr, VDACS Commissioner, “but chief among them is that they want to buy local products. Savvy consumers realize that local means fresher and fresher means more nutritious. They like to know the farmer who comes with their food and they like to keep their dollars in the community. But they also want to have fun, and there are few better places to do that in the fall than at a pick-your-own apple farm. While on the farm, consumers can enjoy hay rides, petting zoos, pony rides and shopping. They can buy baked goods, jellies, cider, plants, pumpkins, even fall decorations. In addition, there are a host of apple festivals around the state that may or may not take place on farms, and all of these enhance the local economies.”
Virginia producers expect improved yields in 2011
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced today that Virginia’s winter wheat yield is forecast at 72 bushels per acre compared with 51 bushels per acre a year earlier. Production is expected to total 18.7 million bushels which is up 129 percent from the previous year. Harvested acreage is up 100,000 acres from 2010 to 260,000 acres.
All estimates are based on surveys by the Virginia Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Services (NASS).
Corn yields are expected to be 116 bushels per acre, up 39 bushels per acre from last year. Production is estimated at 39.4 million bushels, up 90 percent from 2010. Harvested acres are estimated at 340,000.
Peanut producers expect to harvest 14,000 acres, a 4,000 acre decrease from the previous year. Yield is forecast at 3,300 pounds per acre, up 1,500 pounds from last year’s yield. Resulting production will be 46.2 million pounds, up 43 percent from 2010’s production.
Soybean producers currently expect to harvest 550,000 acres with an average yield of 35 bushels per acre, up nine bushels per acre from last year. Production is expected to total 19.3 million bushels, up 37 percent from last year.
Cotton yield is forecast to average 981 pounds per acre, up 249 pounds from last year’s 732 pounds per acre. If realized, production would be 233,000 bales, up 86 percent from last year. Producers expect to harvest 114,000 acres in 2011, up 39 percent from last year.
Flue tobacco producers currently expect yields to average 2,400 pounds, up 120 pounds from 2010. Production will total 44.4 million pounds from 18,500 acres.
Burley yields are expected to average 1,700 pounds, down 200 pounds from last year. Production is expected to total 3.4 million pounds, up 12 percent from 2010. Producers expect to harvest 2,000 acres, up 400 acres from the previous year.
Fire-cured tobacco yields are expected to average 1,800 pounds per acre, down 290 pounds from 2010. Production is expected to total 990,000 pounds, down 37 percent from 2010. Producers expect to harvest 550 acres in 2011, down 15 percent from last year.
Hay producers expect to harvest 70,000 acres of alfalfa hay with an average yield of 4.0 tons per acre. Production is expected to total 280,000 tons, up 52 percent from 2010. NASS expects 1.28 million acres of other hay to be harvested in Virginia. The yield for other hay is expected to average 2.10 tons per acre. Production is expected to total 2.69 million tons, up 34 percent from the previous year.
Barley yields averaged 83 bushels per acre, up 16 bushels per acre from last year. The resulting production will total 5.81 million bushels. Barley producers harvested 70,000 acres, which was up 22,000 acres from last year.
Nationally, wheat production is down one percent; corn is on track for the third largest production total and the fourth highest yield on record.
Nationwide all wheat production is expected to be down one percent from the July forecast.
All wheat production, at 2.08 billion bushels, is down one percent from the July forecast and down six percent from 2010. Based on August 1 conditions, the United States yield is forecast at 45.2 bushels per acre, up 0.6 bushel from last month but down 1.2 bushels from last year.
Winter wheat production is forecast at 1.50 billion bushels, up slightly from last month and up one percent from 2010. The United States yield is forecast at 46.3 bushels per acre, up 0.1 bushel from last month but down 0.5 bushel from last year. The area expected to be harvested for grain nationally totals 32.3 million acres, unchanged from last month but up two percent from last year.
Corn production is forecast at 12.9 billion bushels, up four percent from 2010. If realized, this will be the third largest production total on record for the United States. Based on conditions as of August 1, yields are expected to average 153.0 bushels per acre, up 0.2 bushel from 2010, and the fourth highest yield on record. U.S. acreage planted for all purposes is estimated at 92.3 million acres, unchanged from the June estimate. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 84.4 million acres, down less than one percent from June but up four percent from 2010.
Soybean production is forecast at 3.06 billion bushels, down eight percent from last year. Based on August 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 41.4 bushels per acre, down 2.1 bushels from last year. Area for harvest in the United States is forecast at 73.8 million acres, down less than one percent from June and down four percent from 2010. Planted area for the nation is estimated at 75.0 million acres, down fractionally from June.
All cotton production is forecast at 16.6 million 480-pound bales, down nine percent from last year’s 18.1 million bales. Yield is expected to average 822 pounds per harvested acre, up 10 pounds from last year. This harvested total includes 9.38 million acres of upland cotton and 287,500 acres of pima cotton.
Virginia: Corn, cotton, soybean yields down in 2010
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced today that many of Virginia’s major crops produced lower yields in 2010. Corn, soybeans, peanuts, cotton and hay yields were significantly lower than 2009.
Corn for grain yields averaged 67 bushels per acre, down 64 bushels from the previous year’s yield. Production is estimated at 20.8 million bushels, 52 percent below the 2009 production. Corn for grain harvested area was 310,000 acres, down 20,000 acres from last year. Corn silage harvested acreage totaled 155,000 acres, with an average yield of 12.5 tons per acre.
Soybean yields averaged 26 bushels per acre, down 11.0 bushels from last year. A total of 540,000 acres were harvested for grain, a decrease of 30,000 from last year’s soybean acreage. Soybean production is estimated at 14.0 million bushels, 33 percent less than last year’s production.
Virginia’s peanut producers harvested 18,000 acres, up 6,000 acres from 2009. Peanut yields averaged 1,800 pounds per acre, down 1,900 pounds per acre from last year’s record yield. Peanut production is estimated at 32.4 million pounds, down 27 percent from the 2009 production.
Cotton production is estimated at 117,000 bales, down 15 percent from 2009. The cotton yield forecast is 685 pounds per acre, down 367 pounds from last year’s yield. Producers harvested 82,000 acres in 2010, an increase of 19,000 acres from last year.
Flue-cured tobacco yields averaged 2,350 pounds per acre, up 10 pounds per acre from last year’s yield of 2,340. Virginia’s production is expected to total 41.1 million pounds, up slightly from last year. Burley tobacco yields averaged 1,900 pounds per acre, down 240 pounds from 2009. Fire-cured tobacco yields are estimated at 1,900 pounds per acre, down 100 pounds from last year. Burley production is estimated at 3.0 million pounds, down 29 percent from 2009. Fire-cured tobacco production is estimated at 1.2 million pounds, down 5 percent from last year.
All hay production in Virginia is estimated at 2.2 million tons, down 18 percent from last year. Alfalfa production is 184 thousand tons, down 32 percent from last year’s total. All other hay production is at 2.0 million tons, down 17 percent from last year.
Virginia wheat producers planted 280,000 acres of winter wheat, an increase of 100,000 acres from last year and an increase of 30,000 acres from 2 years ago.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Administration announces ag, forestry initiatives
Gov. Bob McDonnell will propose legislation to preserve working farm and forest lands with the goal of preserving 400,000 acres of open space as a key plank to his agriculture and forestry initiatives for 2011.
Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore unveiled McDonnell’s ag and forestry initiatives on Friday. In addition to the preservation plank, Haymore said legislation will also be introduced in accordance with a recommendation from the Governor’s Economic Development and Jobs Creation Commission to create a reimbursable tax credit program for the establishment or expansion of vineyards and wineries.
Another key item from the McDonnell platform is two new positions in the Agriculture Stewardship Act program to help farmers meet water-quality requirements in the Chesapeake Bay region and throughout the state while maintaining commercial viability.
“The governor has provided agriculture and forestry with several opportunities in the General Assembly to build on their status as Virginia’s top two industries in 2011,” Haymore said. “He has also made it clear that I am to continue to act as his and Virginia’s chief marketing and development officer for agriculture and forestry products both here and abroad. It is a mandate that I look forward to carrying it out with our private sector partners throughout 2011 and the remainder of the governor’s term.”
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Farm yields down, state agency says
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced Wednesday that Virginia’s farmers expect low yields in 2010. Based on conditions as of Oct. 1, Virginia’s corn yields are forecast to average 56 bushels per acre, down 75 bushels per acre from last year. If realized, production would be 17.9 million bushels, down 59 percent from 2009. Producers expect to harvest 320,000 acres for grain this year.
Virginia’s soybean yields are expected to be 24 bushels per acre, which is 13 bushels per acre less than last year. Production is estimated at 13.2 million bushels, down 37 percent from 2009. Harvested acres are at 550,000, down 20,000 acres from last year.
Alfalfa hay production is expected to be down 17 percent from last year to 225,000 tons. Alfalfa yield is expected to average 2.5 tons per acre, 0.50 of a ton per acre less than in 2009. The forecasted yield for other hay is 1.80 tons per acre. Other hay production is forecast at 2.16 million tons, down ten percent from 2009.
Cotton producers currently expect to harvest 82,000 acres with an average yield of 673 pounds per acre. Production is expected to total 115,000 bales, down 17 percent from last year.
Burley tobacco producers expect an average yield of 1,800 pounds per acre from 1,600 acres. Production is forecast at 2.88 million pounds, down 1.4 million pounds from last year. Flue-cured tobacco yield is forecast at 2,350 pounds per acre, up ten pounds from 2009. Production is estimated to be 41.1 million pounds, up slightly from last year. Fire-cured tobacco yield is forecast at 1,950 pounds per acre, down 50 pounds from the 2009 estimate. If realized, production would total 1.37 million pounds, up five percent from last year.
The forecasted peanut yield of 2,000 pounds per acre is down 1,700 pounds per acre from 2009. Production is forecast at 36 million pounds, down 19 percent from last year. As of October 4, harvesting activities had begun with six percent of the crop combined.
Apple production in Virginia is forecast at 225 million pounds, down 20 million pounds from last year. As of October 4, fall and winter apple harvest in Virginia was 60 percent completed.
Nationally, corn production is down four percent from the September forecast, soybean production is down two percent and cotton production is up slightly.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Governor announces specialty-crops funding
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell announced funding today for 18 agriculture-related projects which will promote and enhance the competitiveness of Virginia’s specialty crops. The projects resulted from the competitive grant process established by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) for the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service Specialty Crop Block Grant funds.
“These grants represent a half-million dollar investment in Virginia’s economy that will boost economic development and create jobs in agriculture, Virginia’s largest industry,” McDonnell said. “This is a diverse group of very innovative projects that include marketing, development, research and engineering projects, all of which are designed to increase the competitiveness of specialty agricultural crops in Virginia. I congratulate these individuals, educational institutions, and organizations for advancing ideas that will help growers add value and enhance market and job creation opportunities across Virginia.”
The Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 authorized the USDA to provide funds to the states to promote specialty crops including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and nursery crops. When considering grants for the USDA Specialty Crop Program, VDACS gave priority to projects that included the following activities: assisting farmers in transitioning into specialty, high value agricultural initiatives that address the eligible specialty crops; increasing net farm income through high-value or value-added enterprises; finding new ways to market or to add value to specialty agricultural products; and developing pilot and demonstration programs in specialty agriculture that have the potential for transferability within rural Virginia.
VDACS is awarding grants totaling $513,226.81, the largest amount ever for the block grant program, for the following projects:
- Specialty Crops Cooling and Packing, Kevin Semones, Southwest Virginia Farmers Market, Hillsville
- Handling and Use of Poultry Litter Incineration Ash Byproducts as Organic Fertilizer in Fresh Market Tomato Production, Jane Corson-Lassiter, Eastern Shore Resource Conservation and Development Council, Accomac
- Performance of a Novel Solar Greenhouse Prototype, Naraine Persaud, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
- Marketing Expansion Initiative Promoting Virginia Grown Christmas Trees, Jeff Miller, Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association, Christiansburg
- Increasing the Competitiveness of Virginia Specialty Crop and Disadvantaged Farmers through a Statewide Situational Assessment of the VA Farm-to-School Program, Matt Benson, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
- Educational Opportunities for Farm Direct Marketers and Farmers’ Markets, Cathy Belcher, Farmers Direct Marketing Association, Richmond
- Increasing the Competitiveness of Virginia Grown Strawberries , Gail Moody Milteer, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Franklin
- Beautiful Gardens Plant Breeder Workshop, Alexander Niemiera, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
- Increasing GAP Certification Readiness among Organic and Conventional Growers and Nutrition Knowledge and Consumption of Specialty Crops among Children and Adults in Southwest Virginia, Kathlyn Terry, Appalachian Sustainable Development, Abingdon
- Developing, Teaching and Promoting Sustainable and Organic Growing Practices at Maple Hill Educational Farm, Marisa Vrooman, Local Food Hub Inc., Scottsville
- High Resolution Vineyard Site Suitability Mapping, Peter Sforza, Virginia Vineyards Association, Clifford
- Organic Management of Pest Predation in Commercial Production of Summer Squash, Kevin Damian, Virginia Association for Biological Farmers, Louisa
- Working Capital Grant to Develop a Broad Based Website for the Promotion of Virginia Apples, Diane Kearns, Virginia Apple Growers Association, Charlottesville
- Connecting Southwest Virginia Farmers to Institutional Buyers through Local Food Processing and Preservation, Michal Burton, Sustain Floyd, Floyd
- Expanding Markets for Virginia’s Specialty Crops, Butch Nottingham, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Onley
- Improved Management of Harlequin Bug in Cole Crops, Thomas P. Kuhar, Virginia Tech, Painter
- Stink Bug Populations, Injury and Control on Primocane-bearing Caneberries, Douglas G. Pfeiffer, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
- Production and Marketing of High Tunnel Grown Ginger Roots In Virginia, Reza Rafie, Virginia State University, Petersburg
Agriculture is Virginia’s largest industry according to a 2008 economic impact study completed by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia. The industry has an economic impact of $55 billion annually and provides more than 357,000 jobs in the Commonwealth. Virginia is a national leader in the production of tomatoes, leaf tobacco, cotton, apples, wine, turkeys, grapes, peanuts, broilers, potatoes and cabbage. Virginia also ranks ninth among all states in terms of agricultural exports with more than $2.3 billion in 2009.
For more information on specialty crops in Virginia, visit VDACS’ website at www.vdacs.virginia.gov or contact VDACS’ Division of Marketing and Development at 804.786.3530.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Still losing farmland, but not as quickly
Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Good news for farming, sorta, kinda: The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reported today that loss of farmland to development appears to be slowing in the Commonwealth.
According to the recent numbers from the Farmland Information Center, between 1997 and 2002, Virginia lost 81,500 acres of agricultural land directly to developed uses. That loss of agricultural land slowed, however, to 60,800 acres between 2002 and 2007.
A similar trend occurred when looking at other rural lands as well. When looking at agricultural land, forestland and other rural lands combined, Virginia lost 274,900 acres directly to developed uses between 1997 and 2002, but only 206,700 acres between 2002 and 2007. Continue reading “Still losing farmland, but not as quickly” »
