12/03/02
State budget cuts and staff reductions have cut significantly the level of technical expertise at government farm agencies. So the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and other private farm organizations are working to pick up the slack.
“I have 18 requests for a presentation on risk management from county Cooperative Extension agents in the next two months,” said Jonah Bowles, VFBF agricultural risk-management coordinator.
“It’s a partnership — we provide the technical expertise they no longer have.”
For the past four years, Farm Bureau has been helping to educate farmers on various technical issues such as using commodity markets wisely. The training typically takes place in community centers or Extension offices in the communities where farmers live and work. The USDA has budgeted $100,000 for such education efforts in 2003.
The current program Bowles is presenting includes an explanation of the 2002 farm bill and risk management techniques. An Extension agent presents several new elements in federal farm law, and Bowles tells farmers how to plan to sell for a profit, instead of taking whatever price is available when they sell their commodities.
In addition to the end of the peanut quota system, “several things are new with this farm bill,” Bowles said. “No. 1, you have to establish or confirm base acreage or yields, primarily for soybeans. Before, your soybean production was not tracked by the government for compensation programs, but now it is. There are different options available for establishing base acres for soybeans, so it’s up to the farmer to choose which is most advantageous to him.”
Staff at Virginia Cooperative Extension has been reduced by almost 50 percent in the past couple of years, and more staff reductions are possible next winter when the Virginia General Assembly decides how to shave another $800 million off the state budget for 2003-2004. If not for the federal education funding, private farm groups such as Farm Bureau and several county governments which are picking up the state’s share of agents’ salaries, Virginia farmers would be left out in the cold.
“It’s another reason for Farm Bureau to work together with other agencies to support our producers,” Bowles said. “We’re glad to do it.”
“Here in Virginia, in particular, we’re very, very fortunate that our farm organizations are willing to work together. There’s no competition, just coordination.”