Delaware Farm Bureau News
Local Farmers Feeding Your Family
County Farm Bureaus Hold Annual Meetings, Banquets
This year’s Kent County Farm Bureau Banquet was held on September 26, 2016, at the Felton Fire Hall in Felton, DE. Special guests Senator Tom Carper and Congressman John Carney spoke briefly to thank the Kent County farmers for their hard work every day.
The Dulin Brothers were named 2016 Kent County Farm Bureau Farm Family of the Year. The Dulin Brothers farm operation was started by Elwood and Gladys Dulin in the early 1920’s. In 1960, the farm operation was turned over to their three sons: S. Dulin, Sr., Norman E. Dulin and Donald Dulin, Sr., to form the Dulin Brothers. In 1980, the Dulin brothers brought in S. Lee Dulin, Jr., David Dulin and Donald Dulin, Jr., as partners. Three years ago, the operation changed from a partnership to Dulin Brothers LLC. Their operation is comprised of dairy with
325 head of cattle, a capacity of 150,000 pullets and 2,200 tillable acres of grain. The Dulin Brothers LLC is a family oriented farm with every member playing a vital part in the operation from picking beans and selling sweet corn to the delivery day of chickens.
Kent County Farm Bureau (KCFB) also awarded the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award to Cabinet Secretary of the Delaware Department of Transportation, Jennifer Cohan. Cohan was appointed in 2015 as only the third woman to lead the Delaware Department of Transportation after serving as the Director of the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles since 2007. Cohan worked sideby-side with farmers in updating Farm Truck legislation and the creation of “numbered” Farm Vehicle Tag legislation to replace the white “Farm Vehicle” tag. Additionally, Cohan agreed to donate the first 10 FV Tags to the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation. To date, FV 1 through 8 have been sold in auctions raising $32,900. This money supports the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation’s Ag Education Lab Program. She also launched a Farm Safety sign campaign and joined the Department of Agriculture in a public service announcement alerting drivers to slow down during the harvest season. Several digital signs were placed throughout the state last year and she has committed to do the same this year.
The Michael Wilkinson Nationwide Agency received the Top Member Recruitment Award for recruiting 34 members, Hannah Gardner and Maura West received academic scholarships and Ashley Hurd was named the 2016-2017
KCFB Youth Ambassador. Rate of Gain awards were presented to 4-H & FFA members Joshua Menard and Oliver Menard for sheep; Lena Berry and Drew Harris for swine; and Riley Buchman for goats.
KCFB Women’s Committee Chair Sandy Virdin & DFB Foun-
dation Chair Kitty Holtz presented proceeds from the Kent County’s Bounty Farm-to-Fork Dinner to the Food Bank of Delaware. The dinner, held on Aug. 27 on the Knutsen’s Dairy Farm in Harrington, taught guests the importance of eating and supporting local products. A check totaling $3,579.34 was presented to Chad Robinson, director of the Food Bank’s Milford location. See Banquets-Page 4
Kent County Farm Bureau Women's Committee Chair Sandy Virdin presents Ashley Hurd with the Youth Ambassador award for 2016-2017.
From the President's Desk
With fall harvest in full swing and looking forward to winding down the farm year, it is also a good time to look back at the year for Delaware Farm Bureau.
Delaware Farm Bureau had a voice and a place at the table for many discussions involving issues that would impact agriculture in Delaware. I am proud of the influence and value that Delaware Farm Bureau has had this year.
Delaware Farm Bureau members were very active in legislative issues this year—opposing an excessive minimum wage increase, opposing a proposed clean water tax, removing the SRA Maps and the Wildlife Action Plans from the updated Land Protection Act and opposing HSUS proposed legislation. Delaware Farm Bureau
supported full-funding for the Ag Lands Preservation Program and new Stormwater regulations. Our members engaged Legislators and they listened. All of these issues will continue to need monitoring and have our voice heard.
Through the Foundation, our mobile Ag Education Lab reached over 5,200 children this year teaching them the importance of agriculture. Plans are being made to launch a pilot program taking the Ag Lab to public elementary schools with science based projects.
Our County Farm Bureaus also give back to the community through various events and projects. New Castle County Farm Bureau raised the funds necessary for the Ministry of Caring to provide milk for children in need and a donation to the Neighborhood House through funds raised by the third Annual 5K Milk Run/Walk. Putting Book Barns in elementary schools throughout Delaware with
agriculture correct books was another project initiated by the New Castle County Farm Bureau. Kent County Farm Bureau had their second Farm to Fork dinner event showcasing foods grown in Kent County with donations going to the Food Bank of Delaware.
Our Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee collected 343 lbs. of food to donate to the Food Bank of Delaware. They also volunteered their time at the Food Bank sorting and packing boxes to be distributed. The Women’s Committee donated enough food to the Ronald McDonald Room at Bayhealth in Dover to supply them with needed items for a year. They also went to the Ronald McDonald House by the DuPont Children’s Hospital and cooked a meal for the residents there.
Delaware Farm Bureau continually supports youth in agriculture, providing $9,000 in scholarships, $9,000 in donations for the FFA, 4-H, Livestock Auction, and the
FFA Blue Jacket Bonanza program.
Delaware Farm Bureau has had a very busy and successful year promoting and protecting agriculture in Delaware. It is truly a grass roots organization.
The organization is strong because of you and your support and involvement in the issues. Thank you.
Delaware Farm Bureau President Kitty Holtz
Risk Management and Crop Insurance Alternatives for Specialty Crop Producers
The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) administers Federal crop insurance programs covering over $100 billion (in 2015) in crop liability across the U.S. and over $114 million in crop liability in Delaware. A wide variety of crops can be directly insured under existing Federal crop insurance programs. However, several other important specialty crops (e.g., watermelons, Christmas trees, grapes, livestock, etc.) do not have crop-specific insurance programs. Producers of crops that cannot be directly insured by existing crop insurance plans should be aware of three important risk management options that are available to them. These include: Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) insurance, RMA coverage requests (written agreements and requests for policy expansion), and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP).
Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP)
WFRP crop insurance first became available for the 2015 crop year. The policy was redesigned and introduced to replace the two previous whole farm pilot policy options – AGR and AGR-Lite. WFRP insurance can help specialty crop producers address a range of production and marketing risks that could cause below-average annual
farm revenue. This insurance plan is tailored for any farm with up to $8.5 million in insured revenue, including farms with specialty or organic commodities (both crops and livestock), or those marketing to local, regional, specialty, or direct markets. WFRP provides protection against the loss of insured revenue due to an unavoidable natural cause of loss during the insurance year and also provides carryover loss coverage if you are insured the following year.
WFRP insured revenue coverage is established based on farm financial information, including tax returns, farm history, and farm operation reports, so good recordkeeping is important. The policy has several features, including replant coverage, organic price options, potential adjustments for farm growth, and higher levels of coverage and subsidy for diversified farm operations. WFRP can work in conjunction with buy-up level Federal crop insurance policies when available, but WFRP also provides coverage for commodities produced on the farm that cannot be covered by traditional yield and revenue programs. Like other Federal Crop Insurance Programs, WFRP premiums are highly subsidized by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC). Producers interested in the WFRP Program should contact a crop in-
Corrections appearing in Print July/August 2016 Scholarships: Darren Foraker was incorrectly referred to as Ryan.
2016 Antique Tractor Pull Results were incorrectly listed. Corrections are as follows:
Class #1 Weight Class 3000-3500: Place 3: No Place- DQ due to weight, Class #2 Weight Class: 3501-4000: Place 1 Pull Length 229 ft 2.28 in, Place 2 Pull Length 221 ft 6.84 in, Class #4 Weight Class: 4501-5500: Place 2 Year 55 JD 60, Class #5 Weight Class: 5501-6500 Place 1 Pull Length 201 ft 10.2 in, Class #6 Weight Class: 65017500: Place 1 Pull Length 166 ft 0.84 in, Place 2 Pull Length 147 ft 6.72 in, Class #8-A Weight Class: 8501-10,500: Place 1 Make Cockshutt 1950, Class #13 Weight Class: 5501-6500: Place 1 Pull Length 236 ft 0.48 in, Place 2 Pull Length 202 ft 1.92 in, Place 3 Year 63, Pull Length 182 ft 3.36 in, Class #25-B Weight Class: 4501-5500, Class #26 Weight Class: 6501-7500, Class #27 Weight Class: 7501-8500: Name Lawerence Hayman, Class #28 Weight Class: 8501-10,500: Place 3 Pull Length 141 ft 10.2 in, Class #29 Weight Class: 10,501-11,500: Place 1 Pull Length 168 ft 7.8 in, Class #30 Weight Class: 11,501-12,500: Place 1 Pull Length 224 ft 2.88 in
surance agent for more information and full program details. A crop insurance agent locator is available on the RMA website at www. RMA.USDA.gov. The website also provides a WFRP premium calculator and additional details about all available Federal crop insurance programs.
Requests for Coverage
If an established crop insurance policy is not available in a particular state or county, producers have the option of requesting that their RMA Regional Office expand the program to their county the next crop year. They may also request coverage under a written agreement, a kind of individual policy which bases premium rates on data from other counties. Producers are required to have documented experience (i.e., production history) in growing the crop, or in growing an agronomically similar crop, to obtain the agreement, and written agreements must be allowed by the applicable policy. More information about requesting coverage can be found on the RMA website at http://www.rma.usda.gov/policies/.
NAP Coverage
In addition to the options mentioned above, the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) can provide assistance to producers of crops for which Federal crop
insurance is not available. NAP provides basic coverage equivalent to the catastrophic level risk protection plan of insurance coverage, which is based on the amount of loss that exceeds 50 percent of expected production at 55 percent of the average market price for the crop. In addition to basic coverage, the 2014 Farm Bill authorized higher levels of coverage (up to 65 percent) at 100 percent of the average market price for payment of additional premium. For more information about NAP, producers should contact their local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) office and review online resources at: www. fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/disaster-assistance-program/ noninsured-crop-disaster-assistance/index.
AgRAEIS conducts crop insurance education programs in partnership with USDA’s Risk Management Agency. For more information about risk management and Federal crop insurance programs please visit www.RMA. USDA.gov.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The Sussex County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting and Banquet was held at the Bridgeville Fire Hall on Saturday, October 1, 2016. Special guests included Congressman John Carney who spoke briefly to thank the Sussex County farmers for their hard work year in and year out. Each year Sussex County selects a Farm Family of the Year, a Distinguished Service to Agriculture award winner, Youth Ambassador, scholarship winners, Rate of Gain winners and the top Nationwide recruiter of new Sussex County Farm Bureau members.
This year the Guy Phillips Family was awarded as the 2016 Sussex County Farm Bureau Farm Family of the Year. Guy Phillips has been a member of the Delaware Farm Bureau since September 1, 1979, where he currently serves Sussex County Farm Bureau as a county director. He has been a state director and was Sussex County Farm Bureau President for six years. His love of farming began at the age of 4 when his grandfather bought him a pedal Farmall tractor for Christmas. Guy’s family moved to Georgetown in 1962 and he helped plow a family friend’s field from elementary school all through high school. In 1975, Guy graduated from the University of Delaware with a BS degree in Agriculture Education and in 1991 he purchased a farm after teaching at Laurel High School and Glasgow High School. In 1995, he made the decision to become a full-time farmer. He currently owns 300+ acres and operates two poultry houses.
Dale Ockels was named 2016 Distinguished Service to Agriculture award winner. Ockels was a member of the FFA at Seaford High School, when he started his farming career by renting a 30 acre farm at the age of 15. Currently, he and his two brothers, Gary and Dennis, operate the family farming operation tilling 4,000 acres of corn, soy-
beans and small grains and operate a poultry farm with a capacity of 135,000. Ockels formerly served on the National Pork Producers Council and was on the Delaware Nutrient Management Commission during its formation. Presently, he serves on the board of MidAtlantic Farm Credit, is a member of the Governor’s Council on Agriculture and the Sussex County Land Trust, serves as treasurer of the Sussex County Soil Conservation, and has been a director of the Sussex County Farm Bureau for many years.
The Scott Carey Agency was named the Nationwide Top Recruiter with 54 new members joining Sussex County Farm Bureau. The Carey agency has been providing farm, auto, home, commercial and life insurance to the people in Delaware for over 40 years. The Carey agency has been a strong supporter of DFB and is certainly no stranger to this award, as they have earned this award for seven of the last eight years.
Scholarships were awarded to Zakary Keeler, Amanda Ritter and Erryn Smith. Rate of Gain awards were presented to 4-H member Thomas Warren for sheep and swine.
In the last of the three county annual events, New Castle County Farm Bureau (NCCFB) held its annual dinner and meeting at the Townsend Fire Hall on October 10, 2016. President Stewart Ramsey opened the evening reviewing the year and all that had been accomplished and his hopes to do more in 2016. Ramsey presented proceeds totaling $13,377.80 to the Ministry of Caring and $3,377.80 to the Neighborhood House of Middletown, monies raised at this year’s fourth annual Milk Run in Middletown. The money will go towards helping those in need in New Castle County.
New Castle County Farm Bureau selected the Greer Family from Middletown, Delaware, as its 2016 Farm Family of the Year.
The Greer family purchased the farm on Dutch Neck Road in 1951. The original farm was 283 acres, of which 80 acres are marsh. The farm was purchased by William A. Greer and his wife, Mary Ann, from New Castle, Delaware. William and Ann had two sons, Charles (Charlie) and William Jr. (Bill), who both live on the farm today. More recently, Bill’s son, Ryan, has taken an active role in the farm. The Greer family has been a loyal Delaware Farm Bureau member for over 30 years.
Over the years the farm has seen a diversity of crop and livestock enterprises. The land has generally been planted with soybeans, wheat, barley, rye, and corn. Over the years, pumpkins and hay have also been grown on the ground. From 1980 to 1998, the Greer Family produced eggs in a commercial scale layer facility primarily managed by Bill. Most recently, Ryan and his Uncle Charles are building two commercial houses to produce organic broilers for Perdue Farms with nearly 80,000 bird capacity. They plan to be in production by the winter of 2016. Ryan has also started a small beef cow herd, raising animals from birth to slaughter weight.
Helen Sureda was awarded 2016 New Castle County Distinguished Service to Agriculture honors. Sureda has worked with the USDA Farm Service Agency since 2002. She has been dedicated to administering USDA/FSA Farm Programs for the producers in New Castle County. Sureda goes above and beyond to work with the producers to ensure they are signed up in a timely manner as well as make sure they have completed their paperwork correctly to be enrolled in the programs in which they choose to participate.
Scholarships were awarded this year to Mindy Cook, Ryan VanSant, Darren Foraker, Macie Willoughby, Jaclyn Harkins, and Rebecca Malone.
The Harry T. Insley Agency was the Nationwide Top Recruiter with 119 new members joining New Castle County Farm Bureau. The Insley Agency has been in the insurance business in various forms for over 28 years.
Kent County Farm Bureau Women's Committee Chair Sandy Virdin, KCFB President Jonathan Thompson and DFB President Kitty Holtz present a check from the second annual Kent County's Bounty Farm to Fork to the Food Bank of Delaware Director Chad Robinson.
Kent County Farm Bureau Director Charles Postles presents the KCFB 2016 Distinguished Service to Agriculture award to Cabinet Secretary of the Delaware Department of Transportation Jennifer Cohan.
Elected officials, along with DFB 1st Vice President Laura Hill and Sussex County Farm Bureau President Jesse Vanderwende present the SCFB 2016 Distinguished Service to Agriculture award to Dale Ockels.
Elected officials along with Sussex County Farm Bureau President Jesse Vanderwende present the SCFB 2016 Farm Family award to the Guy Phillips Family.
Kent County elected officials present the KCFB 2016 Farm Family award to the Dulin Brothers.
Elected officials present the NCCFB 2016 Farm Family of the Year award to the Greer Family.
New Castle County Farm Bureau President Stewart Ramsey presents Ministry of Caring's Priscilla Rakestraw with a plaque for the 5K Milk Run/Walk team winners.
County Farm Bureaus Honor Top Nationwide Recruiters
Every year, Kent, Sussex and New Castle county Farm Bureaus honor the top Nationwide agencies for recruitment at their respective banquets and this year was no different! Kent County Farm Bureau honored the Michael Wilkinson Agency from Smyrna. Sussex County Farm Bureau honored the Scott Carey Agency from Dagsboro. New Castle County Farm Bureau honored the Harry T. Insley agency from Newark.
Kent County Farm Bureau honored the Michael Wilkinson Agency at its banquet on September 26, 2016. Michael Wilkinson’s agency recruited 34 new members in 2016. Mike Wilkinson’s agency has earned this award in 2012 and 2015. They have been providing insurance and financial services to Delaware residents for 27 years. Their agency specializes in Farm, Business and various financial products. “We find by offering the Delaware Farm Bureau membership, we are able to establish and cultivate long-term relationships with our clients while providing many discounts for our insurance products,” he said.
Sussex County Farm Bureau honored the Scott Carey Agency at its banquet on October 1, 2016. Scott Carey’s agency recruited 53 new members in 2016. They have been the top membership writer for seven out of the last eight years. Carey Insurance has been serving the farm communities of Sussex and Worcester counties for 41 years. They share the importance of agriculture by promoting Delaware Farm Bureau memberships to their Nationwide members. Carey Insurance specializes in farm, commercial and long-term care insurance and is an Elite Farm Certified Agency.
Carey Insurance was founded in October of 1973 by James (Jim) E. Carey, Jr. Carey achieved many awards and became the number one
1999 Nationwide Agent in the Unit-
ed States. His son, Scott, joined the agency in June 1992 and became the owner in December 2011. Scott has continued the legacy by expanding to Berlin, Maryland, and remains a top-producing Nationwide Agency in the United States. In November 2011, his brother, Monty, joined the family business. Together, they strive to help people professionally and charitably to make the community a better place.
New Castle County Farm Bureau honored the Harry “T” Insley, Jr. Agency on October 10, 2016. Harry Insley, Jr.’s agency recruited 119 new members in 2016. They have been the top membership writer for the last three years. Insley Insurance has been working hard for 28 years with their total agency experience reaching beyond 100 years. T. Insley worked with farmers in his early years, specializing in vegetable and grain crops, “which further kindles my core belief in what the Delaware Farm Bureau stands for,” he said.
The Insley Agency specialized in their affinity relationships with local credit unions, who also have developed a strong relationship with farmers over the years. His sons, Brandon and Nicholas Insley, are also located in these branches to add a personal touch to their services. This allows them to serve the farming community with a wide variety of farm products and financial planning which serves to protect farm assets now and their legacy for the future. Continuing with their family values, T. Insley’s wife, Anna, is the office manager and his youngest son, Andrew, attends the University of Delaware and works in the main office part time.
“The Delaware Farm Bureau truly inspires us since this opportunity allows for us to go back to our roots in cultivating a relationship that Nationwide has established from its inception. We are entirely humbled and grateful to work hand-in-hand with the people
who make this country great. Thank you for being a part of the Insley Family, and with a passion born only from the heart of a farmer, we are excited to help the Delaware Farm Bureau grow with each year to come,” he said.
Castle
Nick
Unpredictable weather and loss of revenue due to price declines are risks that you can protect yourself from with crop insurance. Our experienced agents are here to make sure you have the right level of coverage for your individual needs, so that when the unexpected happens, you’re prepared. farmcreditcropinsurance.com
Above: Sussex County Farm Bureau President Jesse Vanderwende and Nationwide Senior Business Consultant Margie Chase present Scott Carey with the 2016 Sussex County Farm Bureau Nationwide Award. Scott Carey's Agency recruited 53 new members in 2016.
Left: New Castle County Farm Bureau President Stewart Ramsey presents Brandon and
Insley with the 2016 New
County Farm Bureau Nationwide Award. Harry Insley's agency recruited 119 new members in 2016.
Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility and EnSave Announce New Program for Delaware Farms
The Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility is pleased to announce the launch of the Energize Delaware Farm Program to help Delaware agricultural producers reduce their energy costs.
The program will offer energy audits to identify opportunities to save energy and money. Producers can then apply for a range of services including low-interest loans, grants for energy efficiency projects, free direct-installed lighting measures and solar renewable energy credit (SREC) purchases.
"This program offers something for every producer in Delaware by providing funding options for both energy efficiency and renewable energy,” says Tony DePrima, Executive Director of the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility.
“While some Delaware producers have already made great strides in reducing their energy use, there is still a great need for technical assistance and funding. By providing these services, we are helping these hard-working Delaware businesses position themselves for greater energy independence.”
The DESEU has selected EnSave, Inc., an energy efficiency consulting firm dedicated to pro-
A key part of the program will be connecting participants with programs that can provide additional funding-such as Delaware’s Green Energy Grant, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for America (REAP) and Environmental Quality Incentives (EQIP) Programs. This will leverage additional funds and maximize energy and cost saving opportunities available to the farm.
viding agricultural energy efficiency programs and energy audits, to implement the program. Many producers in the Delmarva peninsula are familiar with EnSave’s work, as the firm has completed over 300 audits in Maryland and Delaware since 2009.
“We are pleased to continue our long-standing relationships in Delaware by working with the Sustainable Energy Utility on this dynamic program,” says Craig Metz, EnSave CEO. “Delaware has a wonderfully close-knit agricultural community, and we are looking forward to working with these farms to save energy, save money, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The program is currently accepting applications on a firstcome, first-served basis. To apply for the program or to learn more,
call EnSave at (800) 732-1399, or visit http://www.energizedelaware. org/Energize-Delaware-Farm-Program/.
EnSave is a diversified energy and environmental services company specializing in turn-key program development and implementation. Since 1991, EnSave has designed and implemented energy efficiency programs for a variety of clients including state and federal agencies, investor-owned utilities, and rural electric cooperatives. Having focused heavily on the agricultural and food processing sectors, EnSave has developed a reputation as the leader in agricultural energy efficiency. Additionally, EnSave has a rapidly growing industrial energy auditing and sustainability consulting division.
Every second counts during a fire. Fire experts agree, people have as little as 2 minutes to escape a burning home before it’s too late to get out. In a matter of moments, a small flame can become a major fire, making it critical to be prepared and have an escape plan in place. A survey conducted by the American Red Cross shows only 26 percent of families have developed and practiced a home fire escape plan. Once a plan is developed, it is critical everyone in the home understands the plan; the best way to do this is by practicing the escape plan at least twice a year. Increase your chance of surviving a fire by ensuring you have working smoke detectors in place, building an escape plan, and then practicing the escape plan. The following are a few suggestions to help you develop an emergency escape plan.
Can You Do It Under 2 Minutes?
Draw a map of each level of your home and show all doors and windows. Find two ways to get out of each room. Make sure all doors and windows that lead outside open easily.
Consider escape ladders for sleeping areas on the second and third floors. Only purchase collapsible escape ladders evaluated by a recognized testing laboratory. Store them near the window where they will be used.
Choose an outside meeting place a safe distance in front of your home where everyone can meet after they’ve escaped. Make sure to mark the location of the meeting place on your escape plan.
Teach children how to escape on their own in case you cannot
help them. Plan for everyone in your home with special considerations for elderly or disabled individuals.
company’s emergency plans. You may wish to select an individual or team of individuals to lead and coordinate your emergency plan.
Practice your fire escape plan during the day and at nighttime.
Escape Planning for Your Business
An emergency escape plan is not required for all business, however, Occupations Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends building an emergency action plan to protect yourself, your employees, and your business during an emergency. OSHA suggest the following steps when developing such a plan.
Organize an Emergency Preparedness Procedures review with your employees to review your
Once a plan is developed, post evacuation procedures, including routes and exits, where they are easily accessible to all employees. Ensure all exits and routes are clearly marked and well lit, wide enough to accommodate the number of evacuating personnel and unobstructed and clear of debris at all times.
Conduct office evacuation exercises and drills. Designate a safe spot outside of the facility where employees can regroup, recover and conduct a head count. Once completed, evaluate how well the plan worked and if additional training or exercises are needed.
Hunting Lease Management Company Providing Income and Security to Land Parcel Owners
By Keith Brandt
We are looking for landowners who we can partner alongside to provide residual revenue on land they currently own while promoting long-term wildlife sustainability management on the property. The residual income is the product of our exclusive three, five, or tenyear contracts we offer landowners, which results in annual lease payments directly from Brandt Land Management, LLC to you while we source ethical hunters to safely enjoy hunting your property. We also address the common business practices that most landowners would have a hard time securing alone.
We learned very early on that many landowners are primarily concerned about the liability associated with hunters on their property. The scary fact is that many landowners do not recognize this
liability or falsely believe that some state law protects them from lawsuit, which is a problem compounded even more if a hunter pays to hunt. Unfortunately, proper legal and liability management are financially out-of-reach of most landowners. The costs associated to have professionally written legal documents and securing proper insurance may consume the entire income from a hunting lease if a landowner goes it alone. That is precisely why Brandt Land Management, LLC, helps ensure the liability is covered for the landowner (at our cost) and hunters are required to sign attorney-written hunting agreements and provide proof of hunter’s insurance prior to hunting. All hunters are required to pay security deposits to help reimburse landowners for any damages that may occur. We go even further by setting limits on the number of hunters that can be on the property
at any one time.
Brandt Land Management, LLC, traditionally puts up no trespassing signs along property boundaries to limit any trespassing and clearly mark for hunters the areas available for them to hunt. Staged parking areas are also decided upon with landowners so our hunters know where to park, and hunters are required to display parking passes on their vehicle’s dash with a visible phone number in case of emergency or if the vehicle needs to be moved.
Brandt Land Management, LLC, has grown into the hunting lease authority in multiple states already by doing all the things mentioned above, but our experience has shown that the first question landowners universally ask is, “What’s my land worth?” That’s really tough to answer because land isn’t universally the same.
Your land may have many different characteristics besides simple location that may make it desirable to hunters such as the mix of tillable, wooded, and/or pasture acres that hold deer, turkey, bear, waterfowl, upland game, etc. Huntability is also a huge factor, because a premium can be paid for land that is more readily accessible to hunt in changing weather conditions. “What’s my land worth?” is a question we’d like to help you answer.
Brandt Land Management, LLC, allows you the ability to know that your liability is covered, the wildlife is managed, and that your property is safe. This is all accomplished while maintaining a steady income stream for you and your family for years to come. Please contact me at (717) 839-4030 for a no-obligation quote on the value of the hunting rights on your property today.
Especially during planting and harvest seasons, more farm vehicles share roadways with other vehicles. That includes planters, sprayers, combines and other farm equipment moving from one field to another, and trucks and tractors transporting produce or farm supplies.
Sharing the road with motorists unfamiliar with large, slow-moving farm equipment makes for a very dangerous situation. According to the National Safety Council, accidents involving a farm vehicle are five times more likely to produce a fatality than any other type of motor vehicle accident.
Because the potential for accidents is high, we recommend you take the necessary precautions, including the preventative measures
10 Tips to Road Safety
to common farm-vehicle accidents, to keep yourself and others safe.
Common-sense tips for avoiding farm-vehicle accidents:
1. Clearly mark your vehicle. Make sure your vehicle and equipment are well marked with reflective tape, lights or flags, particularly if your equipment is oversized or extends beyond one lane of traffic.
2. Use your lights. Keep headlights, reflectors and turn signals clear of any dirt or debris that may have accumulated during work, and always use turn signals when turning and changing lanes. Consider installing magnetic, battery-operated lights that can be purchased relatively cheaply.
3. Install proper signage. Properly install slow moving vehicle (SMV) emblems so motorists around you are aware of the difference in speed between your vehicle and theirs.
4. Watch your mirrors. Always
use rearview and side mirrors so you know your position on the roadway, as well as that of other motorists. The mirrors will help make you aware of your vehicle's distance from the shoulder.
5. Secure your load. Equipment that is being towed must be secured and properly balanced. Double check that safety-hitch pins are securely fastened before getting on the road.
6. Take it slow. Drive slowly, especially when making turns or driving down steep inclines. Lower speeds will help you avoid a rollover.
7. Travel on less-busy roads. When possible, avoid highly traveled roads, especially during times when traffic is heaviest.
8. Keep passengers off of the equipment. Do not let passengers, especially children, ride anywhere on the vehicle except for inside the cabin.
9. Know your state laws and regulations. Stay informed of the latest codes and requirements in your state, as well as recommendations from the American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE) for equipment like vehicle markers.
10. Practice good maintenance. Always keep your vehicles and equipment well maintained and your farm equipment insurance and farm car insurance current.
Nationwide is leading the way to increase awareness among farmers and other equipment operators of the risks of moving farm equipment on rural roads and bring visibility to the safety procedures that can help keep themselves and their communities safe. Nationwide’s website RuralRoadSafety.com is dedicated to information, tools and resources to assist farmers and motorists in making balanced decisions and smart choices when traveling on rural roads.
Recipe Box
Sift flour and salt together, add to the potato mixture. Roll out 1 inch thickness on a floured board. Cut with biscuit cutter. Place on greased baking pan. Bake at 400 ° for 15-20 minutes. Makes 2 dozen biscuits.
-Kathleen Bergold, Kent County
Beat potatoes, shortening, and sugar together until blended. Dissolve baking soda in milk and add to potato mixture.
Submit your fresh recipes to heather.kline@defb.org to be featured on Facebook during Tempting Tuesday and #TasteTestThursday!
Margie Chase, Nationwide Senior Business Consultant
November 15 Sales Closing Date for Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) Program
Delaware producers are reminded that November 15, 2016, is the sales closing date for the Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) crop insurance program, administered by the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA). The PRF program is designed to give forage and livestock producers the ability to buy protection for losses of forage produced for haying and/or grazing using a rainfall index as the basis of insurance. Beginning in 2016, PRF program availability was expanded to include all 48 contiguous states, including Delaware. Full program information is available on RMA’s PRF web page (www.rma.usda. gov/policies/pasturerangeforage).
Producers can use an online tool (http://maps.agforceusa.com) to view historical rainfall index values and evaluate how PRF would have performed previously in their
area prior to making purchase decisions. Interested producers are encouraged to visit with their crop insurance agent to learn additional program details. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator (www. rma.usda.gov/tools/agent).
For more information about risk management and Federal crop insurance programs or to locate a licensed crop insurance agent, please visit www.RMA.USDA.gov.
Delaware Farm Bureau 7th Annual Ag in the Classroom Contest
Students in the 6th and 7th grade are eligible to participate!
Deadline: November 4, 2016
Prompt: With fewer and fewer people directly involved in farming and food production, it is critical to understand where your food is coming from and how it is produced. Choose a favorite meal that adheres to the five food group standards set in place on choosemyplate.gov and in a 500 word essay, describe your meal created from locally (Delaware) grown/produced items. Place emphasis on food items that are economically important to Delaware agriculture - fruit, vegetable, grain, protein, and dairy products are all good choices.
Prizes include:
Return Essays to Ag in the Classroom Essay Contest c/o Heather Kline 3457 S. DuPont Highway Camden, DE 19934
