BRIDGING THE GAPOctober 2018     |  Women's Committee News

Inside This Issue

TIME TO SHINE - 2

LEGISLATIVE CORNER - 4

ADVOCATING FOR AGRICULTURE - 3

State Chair Address: A Season of Change    The fall season has arrived with the hustle of crops being harvested, county fairs, annual meetings along with beautiful fall colors and a crisp chill of the night air.  During the past few months, I have traveled across the state to attend the district meetings.  I hope you enjoyed the meetings as much as I did.  The resounding message of speakers and tours reminded us to “Tell Our Story.”  This is so important when engaging with consumers, which directly ties into one of annual goals.  It was also refreshing to see the potential committee members that you invited and their excitement in joining a committee.  One of our other goals is to increase women’s committee 

Fondly,

IN AGRICULTURE

SAFETY TIPS & TOPICS - 4

Don't forget to enter into the 2018 Hay Bale Contest. Entries are due by November 1st and can be submitted to women@vafb.com. Registration forms are on the Virginia Farm Bureau website.

AITC UPDATE - 2

membership.  I am excited to say that there have been many new or re-generated committees forming across the state, along with individuals joining established committees.  Let’s keep up the good work – “Telling Your Story” and expanding your committee! I challenge each of you to create activities and share your talent to educate the consumer and the next generation. Fall can also represent a changing of the seasons for the political scene. Election season is upon us, with the mid-term elections taking place Tuesday, November 6th.  The election can be critical to our industry, so I encourage you to go vote for the candidate you feel will best represent you and the agriculture industry.  By getting to the polls and casting your vote, you are being an active and present voice for agriculture.  I look forward to seeing many of you at the upcoming Resolutions meeting and the Virginia Farm Bureau Annual Convention. Until then, embrace this season of change!

Bridging the Gap in Agriculture Page 2

Time To Shine: Southeast District     The Southeast District has had a busy few months engaging with the community. Nansemond County Farm Bureau delivered food and supplies collected from their annual meeting to the “For Kids” new facility in Suffolk, VA. Nansemond has held a food and supply drive benefiting For Kids every year since 2011. The district awarded four $250 scholarships to students with a focus in agriculture: Brittany Cobb, Taylor Cross, Lee Johnson and Hannah Reedy.      Brittany is majoring in Biology with a focus in Veterinary Technician studies currently at Richard Bland. Taylor is majoring in Agriculture and Environmental Technology at North Carolina State University, Lee is majoring in Agriculture, currently at Paul D. Camp Community College, but will be transferring to Virginia Tech next year. Hannah Reedy is at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh and plans to transfer to North Carolina State University in the fall to pursue a degree in Animal Nutrition.

Pictured above:  Jackie Roach, Greensville committee chair at our Annual Meeting with 50/50 winner Grace Harris.  The committee raised $156.00 to donate to AITC.

Agriculture in the Classroom: See You at Convention!      There will be several opportunities to engage with the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom at the 2018 Virginia Farm Bureau Annual Convention, happening November 26 - 29 at the Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs.      First, the AITC staff welcomes members and donors to attend the Opening Social on Monday night, where corporations are invited to a check presentation and supporters can hear an update of AITC activities from Foundation Board Chairman, Hobey Bauhan.      On Tuesday, all convention attendees are invited to participate in the "Drive 4 UR Community Event" happening outside the Homestead. For every test drive of a new vehicle, Ford will donate $20 to help connect children to agriculture, so be sure to sign up for a time slot at the Monday night social!      Finally, don't forget to participate in Tuesday night's Young Farmer Live & Silent Auction in the Commonwealth Ballroom. Proceeds from the event come back to benefit AITC. We can't wait to see you there!      

Pictured above: AITC Sr.Education Manager, TammyMaxey,  presenting a certificateto Margaret Ann Rigsby, from theCentral District meetingin September. Also pictured:Sarah Large, left and FayeHundley, right.

Mark Your Calendar  for Agriculture Literacy Week!Agriculture Literacy Week will be held

March 4-9, 2019. The "Book of the Year" will be revealed at the Virginia

Farm Bureau Annual Convention. Contact Agriculture in the Classroom

staff for more information: aitc@vafb.com or 804.290.1034.

Bridging the Gap in Agriculture Page  3

Advocates for Agriculture:  State Fair of Virginia     The VFBF Women’s Committee spent a day at the State Fair of Virginia assisting fair attendees with a virtual reality farm experience. FarmLife360 was designed as a partnership between Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. The virtual experience allows a person to feel like they are riding in a tractor planting soybeans, getting kissed by a cow or harvesting tobacco. These 360 degree videos, used on a smartphone or computer, give you a real-life farm experience through technology. The committee enjoyed this interaction and were advocates for agriculture by telling their story from participant questions. The committee is looking forward to volunteering next year.      To experience the virtual reality farms for yourself, visit Youtube.com and search "Farm Life 360."

Dates You Need to Know:

For more info: women@vafb.com or 804-290-1031

November 1:  Resolutions Meeting Hilton Short-Pump, Richmond

November 26-29: VA Farm Bureau

Annual Convention Omni Homestead, Hot Springs

January 12-16: American

Farm Bureau Annual Convention New Orleans

January 27-28: Legislative Day

General Assembly Bldg., Richmond

March 29-31: VFB Women’s Spring Conference Holiday Inn, Bristol

Pictured below bottom: Members of the state Women’s Committee came out to the State Fair to volunteer in the Farm Bureau booth. Pictured below top left: Committee members showed the fair goers virtual reality farm experiences using Farm Life 360 videos. Pictured below top right: Women's Committee chair, Faye Hundley, welcomed First Lady of Virginia, Pam Northam, Secretary of Agriculture, Bettina Ring, and Commissioner of VDACS, Jewel Bronaugh to the Farm Bureau booth as "friends of the farm."

Bridging the Gap in Agriculture Page 4

     There will be a briefing of the issues held the evening of January 27 and Legislative Day at the Capitol will be on January 28. This year the Virginia Farm Bureau Women's Committee will be handing out lunches to legislators outside of the Pocahontas Building, where the General Assembly offices are, in addition to visits with your legislators. Registration for the event will be available following the Virginia Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in November. 

Legislative Corner: Legislative Day 2019

The purpose of the Virginia Farm Bureau Women’s Program is to promote

agriculture and educate our communities on the

importance of the agriculture industry. 

For more information about these programs, contact:

women@vafb.com or 804-290-1031

Learn More:

Pictured above: Members across the state enjoyed posing for a "facebook post" during the district meetings. Thanks to all the hard work to the ladies who made these meetings happen!

     Agriculture ranks among the nation’s most hazardous industries. Per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 1.03 million youth under 20 years of age resided on farms in 2009, with about 519,000 youth performing farm work. In 2010, 476 farmers and farm workers died from a work-related injury, resulting in a fatality rate of 26.1 deaths per 100,000 workers. Tractor overturns were the leading cause of death for these farmers and farm workers. Here are a few safety tips from Michigan State University Extension to consider on your farm as producers prepare for the harvest season: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/fall_harvest_safety_tips

Safety Tips & Topics: Harvest Time

Caught on Candid Camera!