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National Ag Day, Agriculture Literacy Week to be celebrated in March To recognize the significance and contributions of U.S. agriculture, National Ag Day will be celebrated March 19 during National Ag Week, March 17-23. The National Ag Day program encourages Americans to understand how food and fiber are produced; appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products; and value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy. In Virginia, county Farm Bureau women’s committees will mark the occasion by donating nonperishable food items and making monetary donations to regional food banks, food pantries and Ronald McDonald House charities across the state. Women’s committees, Farm Bureau members and other members of Virginia’s agricultural community also will participate in the third annual Agriculture Literacy Week that same week. This year’s Agriculture Literacy Week will feature the new children’s book Kelly’s Big Day, written by Tammy Maxey, senior education program coordinator for Virginia’s Agriculture in the Classroom program. The book is the second in AITC’s Farmer Ben series. Volunteers will read Kelly’s Big Day and other agriculture-related books to children in their communities’ elementary schools, preschools and day care facilities. “We’re hoping to build on the success of the previous two years and to have even more volunteers participate,” said Lynn Black, AITC education program coordinator. “It’s a great opportunity for those within the agricultural community to make connections with their local schools and to share agriculture’s story.”
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Virginia Farm Bureau News
Local foods conference will connect buyers and sellers Farmers will have the opportunity to network with buyers who are interested in locally grown foods during the second annual Local Food Networks Conference. The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 26 at Virginia Farm Bureau’s office in Goochland County. Conference details and registration information are being shared as they become available at VaFarmBureau.org/ Agriculture/LocalFoodNetworksConference. aspx. Scheduled workshops will include information on safe food handling and a panel of producers who will share how they have addressed food safety issues.
VaFarmBureau.org