From the President’s desk
Farm Bureau continues working for farmers, ranchers in Delaware during pandemic
Effects from the COVID-19 pandemic has reached Delaware farmers and ranchers in ways we didn’t really grasp until the situation was upon us.
Between concerns like the visa process which was significantly impacted this year and workers on and off the field contracting the Coronavirus, our industry continues to work through the long-lasting effects of the pandemic.
Many of the agriculture workers who faced COVID-19 in their own lives were those who worked in meat-processing plants such as Perdue, Mountaire Farms or Allen Harim, all major employers in the state of Delaware. The decrease in workers due to the virus was compounded by a decrease in employees who needed to stay home and care for family members due to statewide shutdowns. To make matters worse, these businesses also faced a decrease in revenue due to the closure of schools, restaurants and other entities who often make bulk purchases from local companies.
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, estimat-
Delaware Farm Bureau News
Editor
Jennifer Antonik jenn.antonik@defb.org
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Delaware Farm Bureau
President Richard Wilkins
ing the country’s meat processing capacity after considering all of these factors leaves “a moving target.”
The good news is that we can recover from this situation and the food supply chain remains intact. Assistance from the government will become crucial as we move forward; support from the community will be just as important to our local farmers, ag professionals and entrepreneurs.
When the virus began to spread, we heard a panic sweep over the country. Consumers were worried about where their food and products would come from as stores shut down and Governor John Carney issued a state of emergency. Word of plants like Perdue shutting down due to positive cases within its facility didn’t seem to help the panic.
But farmers continued to say one thing: There is plenty of food. In celebration of just some of our local farmers, the Delaware Farm Bureau teamed up with iHeartMedia recently in a marketing campaign highlighting locally grown commodity crops as consumers head back to their favorite markets and grocery stores.
This partnership, granted to us with the help of a United States Department of Agriculture specialty crop block grant, has al-
lowed us to tap into technology we never dreamed possible while promoting our hard-working Farm Bureau members.
As a farmer, I understand how important a thriving business is to entrepreneurs. Consumers are simply not traveling around as much as they were before COVID-19 arrived in the United States, for personal and mandated reasons. In such a time, we’re glad to have the opportunity to celebrate our local farmers in a way that will hopefully bring them new consumers.
The marketing campaign features graphic ads of various sizes crafted by Delaware Farm Bureau staff and our new marketing intern, Hannah O’Hara, voice spots recorded by our members and the digital marketing expertise of iHeartMedia’s team. Together, we have created an agriculture-specific campaign that has already started making an impact in our state.
The campaign will run through much of this year and will begin again next year during the harvest season. We have highlighted lima beans, honey, strawberries and other crops with many more to come throughout the duration of the campaign.
Fun opportunities like this help the Farm Bureau engage with our current membership and possibly new members who want to join us in our mission to support farmers and ranchers to the best of our abilities.
Soon, we will be able to gather again in more normal conditions. Until then, we will continue to work for our farmers, ranchers and community. Stay safe, secure and healthy until we do meet again.
State Board of Directors
President Richard Wilkins
1st Vice President
Laura Hill
2nd Vice President
William Powers, Jr.
County Presidents
Kent: Jacob Urian
Sussex: Steve Breeding
New Castle: Stewart Ramsey
Young Farmers and Ranchers
State Chair: Teddy Bobola
Kent Chair: Michael Lynch
New Castle Chair: Travis Voshell
Women’s Committee
State Chair: Mary B. Gooden
Kent Chair: Rebecca Bobola
Sussex Chair: Constance Fox
New Castle Chair: June Unruh
Kent County Directors
Ted Bobola Jr.
Paul Cartanza Sr.
David Marvel
Sussex County Directors
Alan Bailey
Mark Davis
Herb Wright
New Castle County Directors
Bruce Patrick
Will Powers III
Ryan Greer
Hannah O’Hara chosen as Delaware Farm Bureau’s marketing intern
By Jennifer Antonik
The Delaware Farm Bureau is proud to announce Hannah O’Hara of Milford as its newest office member, a Luxury Brand Marketing and Management student at Susquehanna University.
As the marketing intern, she will be engaging members, improving marketing efforts and other needs as they arise. She has also started to administer the digital marketing campaign with Delaware Farm Bureau and iHeartMedia, including creating graphic advertisements and media spots, and updating the Website with current information.
“Marketing is connecting the consumer to the story of a brand or product. There is a lot of science combined with creativity that makes marketing very unique. Each product or brand uses a different strategy and makes any marketing job interesting,” O’Hara said.
She brings years of agriculture experience with her to help her best understand Delaware Farm Bureau members like her own family who has chickens and “a massive garden.” As a member herself, she knows the benefits of membership and volunteering within the statewide organization.
“I worked in the Farm Bureau Food Booth [at the Delaware State Fair] since I was eight and scrubbing tables. I also received a [DFB] scholarship in 2018 and would love to give back to the organization,” she said.
Her own agriculture involvement began when her family started their garden next to the farm of a fellow Delaware Farm Bureau member, Connie Fox.
“My background in agriculture started when I was really young when my dad wanted a garden and I saw the opportunity for a produce stand. I would sell my local fruits and vegetables to restaurants and grocery stores in Lewes and Milford. I joined 4-H and ventured in project areas such as Public Speaking, Archery, Horticulture and Photography. This connected me with a lot of farming families and allowed me to appreciate their
dedication,” O’Hara said. She eventually became the secretary for the statewide 4-H Teen Council. She also held the roles of president for the 4-H Kent County Jr. Council and vice president of the Delaware State Fair Junior Board. O’Hara has attended sev-
eral leadership conferences thanks to her roles and will speak at the national Lead365 in Orlando, FL, next year. She graduated from Sussex Technical High School as its senior class president, as well.
During her more than 10 years with the Houston Cardinals 4-H
Club, O’Hara earned the coveted Diamond Clover award, similar to the Boy Scout Eagle Award or Girl Scout Gold Award. Project Hopscotch, as her community project became known, involved the building of two hopscotch courses at the Milford Boys and Girls Club and E.I. Morris Early Childhood Center in Lincoln, creating a fun, interactive 4-H legacy in her hometown.
“The Delaware Farm Bureau staff is excited to have Hannah join our team this summer. We believe Hannah’s knowledge and creativity in marketing will benefit all Farm Bureau members on programs we are working on this summer including the Digital Marketing campaign of Delaware specialty crops,” Executive Director Joseph Poppiti said.
To find out more about the Delaware Farm Bureau, please visit us online at defb.org.
First responders in Delaware awarded with grain bin safety equipment, training
By Jennifer Antonik
First responders in Delaware will have more access to grain bin rescue tubes and training this year thanks to Nationwide Insurance and the Delaware Farm Bureau.
Nationwide’s seventh annual Nominate Your Fire Department Contest saw 41 winners this year, some of which included awardees for which their training and equipment was paid for by local farm bureaus. Of the awardees, two are from Delaware – Carlisle Fire Company in Milford and Odessa Fire Company.
Delaware Farm Bureau member and New Castle County Women’s Committee Chair June Unruh nominated the Odessa Fire Company for the award this year after hearing about the contest at a DEFB meeting.
“My husband and I are farmers and we have grain bins and a lot of the farmers, I think probably eight to 10 people in this immediate area, have grain bins. I just think it’s a real need to have something in place in case something happens. It makes me feel good as a farmer’s wife to know that we will have that available to us. And it’s just five miles up the road from where we live,” she said.
Unruh noted in her nomination that the closest grain bin rescue tube was in Harrington which is about 45 miles south of their family farm.
“That’s just too much time. These accidents happen quickly,” she said.
“If the grain shifts and you’re working in there, it only takes a few seconds before grain builds up around you,” Delaware Farm Bureau’s Sussex County Women’s Committee Chair Connie Fox said. She nominated Carlisle Fire Company in Milford for the award.
“If you’ve ever been to the beach and put your foot in the sand, you know your feet are heavy. When kids lay down and put sand all over your body, you can’t breathe. Grain does the same thing as sand. It puts pressure on you. You can’t breathe if you’re stuck. It takes less than 15 minutes,” she said of
the deadly accidents.
According to Purdue University, 70 percent of all grain bin entrapments occur on farms and 62 percent of all reported grain bin entrapments result in death.
Reports from United Press International found that “grain bin deaths spiked last year and in early 2020 due to last season’s wet harvest,” Nationwide’s press release regarding awardees stated.
“We began our Grain Bin Safety campaign in 2014 to support the agriculture community and put an end to avoidable deaths from individuals entering grain bins without recognizing the dangers and taking precautions,” said Brad Liggett, president of Nationwide Agribusiness. “Thanks to the generous and increasing support of our partners, I’m extremely proud to say that we’re providing more rescue tubes and training to first responders this year than we have ever before.”
Unruh took that importance to heart when she nominated Odessa Fire Company for this year’s award not just for her own family, but all of the farmers who live near their
farm while acknowledging that the Odessa Fire Company often helps in nearby municipalities, as well.
“I think, all farmers, they get in a hurry sometimes and they don’t always follow safety precautions and they get in an accident. It just makes me feel good. It should make them feel safe, too,” she said. “We’re farmers and we’ve been farming for a long time. Between his family and my family, we’ve been farming in the state of Delaware for nearly 200 years. Any kind of safety topic is my kind of cup of tea, keeping our farmers safe. We need them.”
As a farmer and member of Carlisle Fire Company’s Ladies Auxiliary, Fox feels the same passion for safety and knew her local first responders should have specialized training in case they ever encounter a grain bin accident.
Each of the 41 awardees will receive “four hours of training with a state-of-the-art grain entrapment simulator, which is loaded on a trailer and able to hold about 100 bushels of grain,” according to Nationwide.
The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety, or NECAS, will deliver the grain bin rescue tubes and training. Local training is expected to be scheduled this fall.
“Without that training, they would have to use some good old Yankee ingenuity to not get their own people caught,” she said.
“It’s as important as ever to be following proper safety precautions when entering a bin,” Liggett said. “Our goal is to continue these efforts until we can ensure every rural fire department has access to these critical rescue resources.”
Volunteer firefighter Makayla Parson helped demonstrate how the grain bin rescue tube works last year at the Harrington Fire Department after they received the award from Nationwide.
Delaware 4-H programs continue for the summer
By Jennifer Antonik
A pandemic won’t keep children in Delaware from learning about agriculture this summer.
Doug Crouse, state program leader for 4-H youth development at the University of Delaware’s Cooperative Extension, said their seasonal camps and other programming will be different this year, but as vibrant as ever.
“As you would imagine, the current situation from when we went remote in the middle of March has been quite different for us. That in person connection is just how we operate. But, in the middle of March, we had to change that. And we had to change it quickly,” he said.
As the situation evolved, groups like 4-H were told to cease in person programming – no camps, no after school programs and even no Delaware State Fair.
“But, at least here in Delaware, we didn’t want to use the word cancelled. I think there’s only been two things we’ve had to cancel, but everything else has gone on and continued,” Crouse explained.
Most of Delaware’s 4-H programs, including camps and after school events, have been converted to a virtual format. Camp counselors even organized supply bags for their campers so the activities could continue on while at home. And, with all things considered, Crouse said they decided to make all of the offerings free with the exception of a small fee for those supply bags.
Sessions via Zoom have included everything from mindfulness to wildlife training to record keeping and even annual contests like public speaking events that traditionally happen during the Delaware State Fair.
“I found my own self joining that [mindfulness] because you just need that 15 minutes to take a moment for yourself to relax and refresh yourself,” Crouse said. “We had people signing on from out of state who heard about this one. And school districts who were doing separate GEM, Get Experience in Mindfulness, sessions for just that district.”
Other online sessions held for Delaware 4-H participants have
Doug Crouse leads a group of 4-H youth with other adults during a recent virtual session.
included horticulture training, photography classes from a local expert and a virtual coding club. Some of the individual 4-H units have also moved online to continue their work as a group. Attendance for some programming, such as after school offerings, has dropped significantly, but others have increased as parents search for educational options for their students.
“I think the thing that I’m really seeing is that kids have signed on, they’re participating. In some cases, we’re having higher levels of kids that we would have in person. It’s just been tremendous to watch this summer. Now, I’m ready to get back to some normalcy, but it’s going to take some time,” he said. “One of the disadvantages that I see and I’ve known about and the state has known about, is that sometimes we have drops because kids cannot connect. The broadband out there, or they might not have a computer to connect… there is some inequity there. Not only are we seeing it in our operation planning, but schools saw this. Many students could not connect to their virtual programming. It’s not that those families don’t want to participate or don’t feel the need to participate, it’s that they don’t have the ability to. And it’s something we really need to develop as a state.”
APRIL
In spite of the challenges and an international pandemic, Delaware 4-H participants continue to con-
centrate on their skills thanks to dedicated volunteers and staff who think outside of the box.
“Our work is to reach the community with knowledge and information and that’s how Cooperative Extension has looked at it from the University level. We outreach
to the community and bring them various knowledge that can be used in their communities. We haven’t lost our vision and our purpose,” Crouse said. “It’s been worth it. Staff have done a tremendous job.”
Michelle Rodgers, associate dean in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and director of Delaware Cooperative Extension, said all of the Cooperative Extension staff has put forth creative steps to ensure the public remains informed in these trying times.
“Our Extension staff are committed, creative, and passionate about sharing education to help Delawareans, evidenced by their responsiveness to these new needs,” she said in an article released by the extension. “They are working harder than ever and innovating.” For more information on Delaware 4-H programs or other programs offered by the Cooperative Extension, visit them online at https://www.udel.edu/academics/ colleges/canr/cooperative-extension/.
Your Generations of Success
Delaware Farm Bureau explores new membership campaign
By Jennifer Antonik
Membership is crucial to an organization’s success, according to Bob Perhacs, a regional organization director with the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau covering the northeast corner of the state.
Perhacs shared some of his experience with Delaware Farm Bureau volunteers and staff members Monday, June 29, as they work to improve membership within their own organization.
Vibrant Farm Bureau memberships help bring in revenue for the state and county Farm Bureau’s which allows the staff and volunteers to advocate for farmers and their communities. It also brings in new volunteers, allowing the organization to run more efficiently, he said.
“And, you have to think about the legislative influence,” he added. “There’s a certain amount of clout and legitimacy because of the numbers your organization brings in.”
Perhacs, who is about to start his 14th membership campaign in Pennsylvania, said not only is his team of volunteers working hard throughout the year to gain new
members, they are succeeding.
Various incentives for the volunteers who run the campaign and ample information for their new members help keep the program running smoothly.
He spent a lot of time discussing how to identify prospective new members with the Delaware Farm Bureau volunteers, emphasizing a strong start to the campaign which could lead to a strong finish.
“I took the list of who could be a regular member to the local Nationwide agents. I asked them to review the list, maybe there’s some folks who fit in these categories,” he said. “We need to think about who comes to your farm and from what county. We need to look at commodity websites and other ag organizations you belong to, let’s cross reference those membership lists. We need to look at nonrenewal lists from previous years and review the current membership list – who should be a member that is not? See if anybody sticks out to you. And, we need to understand that not everybody you approach is going to want to join. You may have to visit three people before one joins. If somebody says
no to you this year, you have to go back next year. Or maybe someone else can go visit them in a month or so.”
To help drive the sale home, potential members should be met with information on the benefits of Farm Bureau membership, he added. Membership in the Delaware Farm Bureau includes discounts on farming equipment, painting supplies, workwear, travel benefits and more, although the staff and volunteers are exploring more locally sourced benefits.
“One of our counties in Pennsylvania has a list of 56 benefits,” he said. “Not every county is like that. But you could save a ton of money just by shopping local and being a member of the Farm Bureau.”
Along with information on membership benefits, his volunteer-based recruitment team also offer potential new members a snapshot of how much their local organization has benefited members in other ways including legislative achievements, county accomplishments and photos showing off what members have done over the past year in their area.
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“When you tell people that we’re fighting for them and we’re saving them money, maybe they’d be more apt to join,” he said of the concept, showing off a binder with all of this information which he gives to his recruitment volunteers.
“Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. In the binder, there’s a picture of that. If you show them a picture of a trip to DC, or the ag lab, a summer picnic, ag career day. . . You might be showing them something that’s going to spark their interest. They could see themselves doing that. And the binder keeps you on track. You can flip through it easily and you’re done. We’ve had a lot of success with his tool.”
Perhacs also identified possible objections to membership with the Delaware volunteers and asked them to roleplay a membership sales pitch for practice.
More volunteers will be needed as the Delaware Farm Bureau explores the idea of a new membership campaign, benefits and incentives. For more information, visit defb.org or call the office at 302697-3183.
For nearly a century, Farm Bureau members have joined together from coast to coast and become the Voice of Agriculture. Join Farm Bureau today to add your voice, while also gaining access to exclusive discounts on national brands, plus valued member benefits!
AFBF: Americans support COVID-19 aid to farmers, Trust remains high
Trust in America’s farmers and ranchers remains high amid the devastating blow delivered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new American Farm Bureau Federation poll shows 84% of Americans trust the nation’s farmers and the same overwhelming majority support financial assistance from the government for farmers struggling to keep from going under because of the pandemic.
“The results of the survey indicate a growing understanding of how important a stable food supply is to the health and well-being of our nation,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. “Shortages at grocery stores and other food supply chain shockwaves caused by the pandemic gave many people a new understanding of the crucial role of America’s farmers and ranchers and the importance of their survival through the COVID-19 economic storm. It is so heartening to know that through it all, the American people’s trust in farmers is unwavering.”
Many struggling farmers were left out of initial federal aid, and some who received assistance are still being hurt by COVID-19 losses. USDA estimates suggest the decline in commodity value alone for 2019, 2020 and 2021 production totals almost $50 billion. This does not include all of agriculture’s losses, which would be billions more.
When the pandemic prompted stay-at-home orders, the market for several crops disappeared almost overnight, causing prices paid to farmers to drop drastically. It came at a time when farmers were already facing economic challenges following two years
of trade wars. Farm bankruptcies for the 12-month period ending March 2020 increased 23% from the previous year and are expected to climb higher as a result of the pandemic.
Because the pandemic shockwaves continue to cause agricultural losses, the American Farm Bureau Federation is calling on lawmakers to address critical needs that still exist for farmers impacted by COVID-19.
More broadly, the poll also reveals that a majority of Americans, 59%, also believe the federal government should classify U.S. agriculture as a matter of national security to ensure a stable food supply.
Addressing agricultural labor shortages, ensuring farm and food worker safety, and protecting trade partnerships to stabilize agricultural markets are all part of prioritizing U.S. agriculture.
A more in-depth look at the survey can be found online at https://www.fb.org/files/AFBF_ June_2020_poll.pdf.
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall
Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year nominations wanted
Farmers are invited to submit nominations for the 2021 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year contest, with support from Purina. This is the third year of the contest, which celebrates farm dogs that work alongside farmers and ranchers to produce nutritious food for families and their pets across America.
The grand prize winner – Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year –will win a year’s worth of Purina dog food and $5,000 in prize money. The winner will be recognized at a Farm Dog of the Year award ceremony at the AFBF Convention in January. Up to four regional runners-up* will win $1,000 each in prize money.
According to scientific research insights provided by our partner Purina, living with pets can provide marked health benefits. For example, spending just 30 minutes with a dog has been proven to boost human levels of oxyto-
cin, which has been found to reduce stress, fight depression and create feelings of trust.
Desired attributes in the Farm Dog of the Year include helpfulness to the farmer and his/her family, playfulness and obedience.
The 2021 Farm Dog of the Year will also be featured in a video.
The profile of 2020 Farm Dog of the Year Flint can be viewed here.
Farm dog owners must be Farm Bureau members to enter their dogs in the competition. Applicants who are not Farm Bureau members can visit fb.org/join to learn about becoming a member.
Eligibility guidelines and submission requirements are available at https://fb.org/2021farmdog. Nominations, which include written responses to questions, still photos and a video (optional), must be received by Aug. 20, for consideration. This contest is sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Meet your farmer: Adrian Mobilia
By Jennifer Antonik
Adrian Mobilia and his wife Jessica have found their agricultural niche in southern Delaware.
The couple purchased a 26-acre farm in 2015 where they built Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery which continues to grow every year.
But their stories don't begin there. Both came from lifelong farming backgrounds. Mobilia is a fourth generation farmer from Pennsylvania; His wife grew up on a wheat farm in Western Kansas.
"I was born and raised in a little town called North East, Pennsylvania," he started to explain. "I grew up on a 200-acre fruit and vegetable farm. We had a very large yearround market."
His family grew grapes, cherries, peaches, apples and tomatoes among other crops. The experiences he learned on the farm as a child and into his young adult years would help him lead his own family to success after moving to Delaware.
"In about 1994, I was graduating from high school and went to Penn State for a horticulture degree. That's when E. coli hit. There was a farmer who would take all the apples from the ground, where woodchucks could get to them, mice and rats could bite them, or urinate and defecate on them, and we would use them for apple cider. This guy died from ecoli," Mobilia recalled. "The whole apple cider industry got turned upside down. The insurance guy came to us and said they would no longer insure us if we didn't pasteurize. And, if you do that, it's no longer cider, that's juice. So, we got out of the business and started making wine."
That was just the beginning.
"We started pressing grapes and selling grape juice to about 100 wineries all around the eastern seaboard," he said.
While the grape business was booming for the Mobilia's, their apples were taking a turn for the worst as farmers in their area began purchasing a Zeneca product, now Astrazeneca, called Abound.
The Mobilia's did not use the product, but their apples were affected due to microdrift as the product made its way to their property as the wind blew.
"It was the best thing ever for powdery, downy mildew. So grape growers everywhere were buying this. It was like the best thing since sliced bread. Everybody was buying it for their vineyards. Right about the same time, all of us with apple trees, they started to die. I was literally picking limbs off the trees and showing the college within three hours to try to figure out what was going on," he said.
Abound turned out to be deadly to apples thanks to phytotoxicity.
"That was the big thing in my college days. I took on Zeneca and lost," he said of the experience.
After a few years in the winery business and having completed his college degree, Mobilia was scouted by Cliffstar Corporation where he would travel the world to purchase fruit from farmers for private label fruit juices.
Nowadays, however, he enjoys a less traveled life as he works to grow Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery with his wife and crew.
Adrian Mobilia owns Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery in Frankford, Delaware.
"We typically have 200-300 people every Friday night and Satur- day, sans COVID," he said.
They host wine tastings to ensure their guests find the perfect wine for them before enjoying live music, food trucks and other offerings.
"Your first visit is a wine tasting. They get a tasting list, glass and pretzels. You can take notes and scientifically see the sugar content in our wines. The goal of the tasting is to give them a tasting in a controlled environment," he said.
As a company, they also try to give back to the community with donations and activities, he added.
"It's been really good, a lot of fun. We have a great staff. I like what
we do and we like to find a way to get involved in the community and give back what we can," he said.
Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery can be found online at www.saltedvines.com/behind-the-vines.html. Mobilia emphasized that visitors should check the website before coming to Salted Vines for up-todate COVID-19 protocols, but they are looking forward to enjoying the company of their guests as Delaware begins to re-open.
To discover volunteer opportunities with the Delaware Farm Bureau and make an impact in the community, call (302) 697-3183.
Diversifying your operation in the wake of COVID-19
When times are tight in agriculture, successful farmers and ranchers don't throw in the towel. You find a way to make things work, even if it means trying something completely new to sustain operational revenue.
That impulse to sustain your operation combined with the spike in demand for farm-direct meat, produce and other ag products spawned by the COVID-19 pandemic rightfully compelled a lot of growers to explore selling direct and managing more of their supply chain as ways to maintain revenue on operations adversely affected by the virus and the angst it’s created. Selling direct during the pandemic not only enabled some growers to make up for the short-term financial shortfall but also open new long-term revenue streams. Find your risk tolerance
New on-farm ventures like marketing meat directly to consumers or creating an agritourism attraction can create new revenue streams, but they can also open you up to new risk exposure. When diversifying your operation, a good starting point is acknowledging your tolerance for the types of risks
you may encounter in the process. Then, work with your Nationwide® farm-certified agent to determine what type of coverage you need to protect yourself from these risks based on your general risk preferences.
“People are considering how to meet the farm-direct demand, because it’s an opportunity to regain some revenue lost because of COVID-19,” according to Nationwide Associate Vice President for Agribusiness Underwriting Erin Cumings. “We have farmers of all types and sizes looking at new revenue streams for their operations. On smaller farms, it’s more about opportunities to be involved in the farm, like agritourism and buying direct, while on larger farms, it’s more about figuring out how to control more of the value chain.”
Determine the right policy option
The right farm or ranch policy can protect property and provide coverage from any new liabilities that accompany the diversification of an operation. The first step in finding which policy type and coverage level is right for you is to determine what will best meet your needs based on your risk tol-
erance—the level of risk you’re willing to endure—as well as the liability your business diversification will create. It’s a combination of introspection about your attitude toward risk, what you are willing and able to pay for liability protection, and analysis of the new risks of the ag business diversification you’d like to introduce to your operation.
“It’s really important to consider your property and any safeguards you need to protect yourself from personal liabilities and property damage,” Cumings said. “There are major differences between having a roadside fruit and vegetable stand at the end of your driveway and a youpick operation in which you have visitors directly on your farm.”
Confirm your new bottom line
Beyond a basic assessment of the additional risk you’re taking on in diversifying your farm or ranch with a new venture, it’s important to consider your revenue expectations and match them with the right insurance policy. As a rule of thumb, there’s a direct relationship between increasing risk and revenue potential, and realistic expectations for the latter will help ensure you’re enlisting adequate risk ex-
posure protection.
“Just like revenue increases with the amount of risk, so does insurance. If you plan to sell $10,000 worth of tomatoes, that’s a lot. But from a risk standpoint, it’s much less than selling $10,000 worth of meat direct from the farm,” Cumings said. “There are more food safety rules around meat, for example, so you’re taking on more risk.”
Work with the right partner
Endorsed coverage levels range in cost from an additional $100 added to an existing whole-farm policy to a broader specific policy to over the entire new venture. Policy costs vary based on the size and type of operation, Cumings said.
Adequate insurance coverage for a new farm business venture requires direct attention to your farm or ranch. Most Nationwide farm-certified agents have years of farm experience in different diversification options and the expertise to advise on the best insurance options for you. While COVID-19 may have hampered your farm revenue potential in the short term, long-term financial viability is possible with the right diversification tactics and risk exposure protection strategy.
Remembering farm safety during the pandemic
The 2019 growing season brought many challenges, including wet planting and harvest seasons.
The 2020 growing season has its challenges already with the global COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. As with other industries, the pandemic presents health and safety implications for agriculture.
According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, the average farm operator is about 58 years old, with 34 percent age 65 and older — an age group that seems to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19.
This highlights the importance of cross-training across a farm operation. Identify those who can take on responsibilities like fertilizing, planting or applying herbicides in the event that an operator would become ill. To protect everyone involved, stay informed on the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and
the local public health departments. Throughout this pandemic, keep in mind the youth on the farm. Children who would otherwise be in school or at day care now are likely at home. This provides many educational opportunities, but potentially exposes those youth to health and safety risks.
When youth are present on the farm, it is important for everyone to practice hand washing, to keep close tabs on young children and to be selective when involving them in chores or work tasks.
The stress of a planting season occurring during a pandemic, along with low commodity prices and limited commodity markets, can have an effect on a farmer’s overall health. If you or someone you know needs assistance, the Iowa Concern Hotline, a program of the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, is available 24/7 at no charge to assist rural and urban Iowans expe-
riencing legal, financial, stress and crisis/disaster challenges. It can be reached at 800-447-1985.
Access to personal protective equipment is limited. Some of the same PPE needed for health care providers like gloves, Tyvek suits, goggles/glasses, face shields and N95 respirators, is also needed for applying fertilizer and herbicides.
The need for N95 respirators is real because much of the grain stored last fall was stored at a high moisture content and could be out-of-condition and moldy. Fertilizers used in the spring, such as anhydrous ammonia, can pose significant hazards to the lungs, which is concerning when COVID-19 also can attack the lungs. Using proper PPE is important for many tasks. Lastly, it is also important to remember grain bin safety.
Following the 2019 harvest, there was a concerning spike in the number of grain entrapments and fatal-
ities nationally. Unfortunately, this is expected to continue as grain continues to be stored at a high moisture content awaiting marketing or feeding opportunities. Remember, if bin entry is necessary, it is a minimum of a two-person job — the person entering and an attendant. The power source to the auger must be locked-out and tagged-out. Air quality should be monitored for at least 19 percent oxygen. Anyone entering should be wearing a harness and be tied off. Remember to have an up-to-date first aid kit and fire extinguishers that are charged and available.
Article written by Dan Neenan, Director, National Education Center for Agricultural Safety. Nationwide, the No. 1 writer of farms and ranches in the U.S., partners with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety for its annual Grain Bin Safety Week and other farm safety initiatives.
