Farm Bureau News
Celebrating 75 Years!
KCFB honors Hoober, Urians
Charles A. (Chuck) Hoober of Hoober Inc., and the Mark Urian family of Clayton were honored at the Kent County Farm Bureau annual banquet held Sept. 30 at Felton Fire Hall.
Chuck Hoober was the 2019 recipient of the KCFB Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award. State Rep. Charles Postles made the presentation.
Chuck grew up working in the family business. Through his high school and college days, Chuck worked in all areas of the business from parts to service to sales. He graduated from Messiah College in 1986, then worked in service management at the Intercourse, Pa., location.
In 1989, Chuck became the store manager for the Middletown, Del., location until he took on the role of corporate sales manager in 2006. When leadership of the company transitioned to the third generation in 2012, Chuck, Scott Hoober and their brother-in-law, Rod Lefever, became partners in managing the company. In 2018, Hoober Inc. brought in a new
president and CEO, Don Mikes, to lead the organization into the future. Chuck shifted his focus to the critical role of director of customer satisfaction.
Chuck serves on the Lancaster County Agricultural Council Board, Messiah College President’s Leadership Council, and is involved with the Cecil County, Md., and New Castle County Farm Bureaus. He also serves on the board of directors for Hoober Inc.
The Hoober family has been instrumental in bringing key products and innovations to Delaware farmers. For more than 30 years, Chuck has worked directly with farmers and brought their concerns, challenges and ideas to major manufacturers. He has helped these manufacturers with product
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Call to Convention
The Delaware State Farm Bureau Inc., at 3457 South DuPont Highway, Camden, Del. 19934, notifies all DFB members and our County Farm Bureaus of our annual Convention being held at the Modern Maturity Center, Dover, Del. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019.
The purpose of the Convention will be to elect officers, review management and financial reports, discuss policy, recognize achievements this year, updates from AFBF, and any other legal business at this Convention.
If you have been chosen as a delegate, please RSVP to Jan Cartanza at (302) 697-3183.
Richard Wilkins President
Local Farmers Feeding Your Family
At the Kent County Farm Bureau Banquet, Levy Court Commissioners Brooks Banta and Terry Pepper helped present a resolution to award winner Chuck Hoober, along with Commissioners Allan Angel, Eric Buckson and Glen Howell and County Administrator Michael Petit de Mange.
Jacob, Melissa, Mark and Sandy Urian accept the honor of KCFB Farm Family of the Year and a resolution from State Representatives Shannon Morris and Charles Postles Jr. at the Kent County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting and Banquet on September 30, 2019.
From the President’s desk ...
At the Kent County Farm Bureau annual dinner, where I took the podium for the first time as state president, I offered a few remarks on what Delaware Farm Bureau has done, what we’re doing and what we are going to do.
We have addressed ag literacy. Not enough of the general population knows much at all about how their food is produced. The P&E Committee and the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation currently have two projects to help teach children about agriculture.
Thanks to a USDA specialty crops grant administered through Delaware Department of Agriculture, we have been able to accelerate our Book Barn project and, within the next three years, it is our goal to have placed a Book Barn — a specially made set of
book shelves in the shape of a barn — in the library of every elementary school in the state. We also provide a set of about 20 agriculturally correct children’s books. As each Book Barn is presented to a school, one of the books is read in an assembly by a guest reader, which might be a farmer, political figure, even the governor of this great state.
Our new Program and Foundation Coordinator, Kali Voshell, has scheduled the mobile Ag Lab at several schools this fall. In 30-minute sessions with about 15 children at a time, she discusses careers in agriculture, how food gets from the farm to table, the five food groups and the importance of healthy eating, and how farming successes and failures affect the economy. Students get to feel the different types of soil we have in Delaware, and get to plant a seed in a cup to take home.
Thanks to a generous grant from the Longwood Foundation, the Ag Lab has been equipped with heat, air conditioning and a generator which will make it possible to extend use of the Ag Lab for several
more months of the year. Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit also has made two generous donations to the FBF Foundation earmarked for the Ag Lab. The Ag Lab has reached more than 10,000 children since going on the road.
Regarding legislation, we are happy that proponents of bills that may impact agriculture are reaching out to us. We wish that would increase!
We have had dialogue with proponents of the plastic bag ban, regulations addressing cruelty to dogs, and property maintenance codes.
We have worked vigorously to exempt farms selling direct to consumers and properties meeting the definition of a farm.
We have pushed back strongly on the minimum wage increase and the Clean Water for Delaware Act. The latter contains misleading statements and transfers control of existing programs to a relatively small “trust” dominated by government leaders. In its present shape, we cannot support the bill.
Delaware has been targeted by the “Fight for 15” movement in the minimum wage debate. Proponents end up harming the very people they want to help. Many economists warn that a minimum wage rate set at more than 50 to 60 percent of the median wage begins doing more economic harm than good. Delaware data shows that 60
percent of our median wage would be about $9.50, which is about what the minimum wage is now.
In a competitive market, anything that raises the price of labor will reduce the demand for it, and the first to lose their jobs will be the least skilled. Technology and automation will displace workers.
We will continue to dialogue and try to prevent those who claim to be progressive from forcing our industry and Delaware’s economy into recession.
Now, what can you do?
Delaware Farm Bureau has the potential to be one of the best in the nation. In our state we have the talent, the well-trained spokespeople who epitomize the Delaware Way.
If you believe that Delaware is an agricultural diamond…
If you believe that preserving an agricultural way of life has merit…
If you believe in the values of a rural community, raising children to have good ethics, caring for neighbors in need, following the Gold Rule…
Then help us to help you. Encourage your friends, relatives and neighbors to join Farm Bureau.
Volunteer a small amount of your time to an Issues Advisory Council, to a committee or a county board.
Together we are strong and Farm Bureau Proud.
Delaware Farm Bureau News Editor Carol Kinsley carol.kinsley@defb.org Graphics/Production Designer Heather Kline heather.kline@defb.org 302-697-3183
Delaware Farm Bureau News (ISSN 10770798), published in Camden, DE, bimonthly, by Delaware Farm Bureau. Production by Delaware Printing Company. Periodicals postage paid at Camden, DE and additional offices.
Business and Editorial Offices: 3457 S. DuPont Highway, Camden, DE 19934, 302-697-3183.
Any editorial material may be reproduced with credit to this publication.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Delaware Farm Bureau News at the office above.
Delaware Farm Bureau
President Richard Wilkins
Harvest message: Share the road
It is harvest time again. Farmers are in the fields harvesting corn and preparing fields for planting cover crops. Farm equipment and grain trucks have been and will be on the roadways at any time of day, sometimes until late at night and on weekends, too.
Motorists can help them be safe by paying attention and having a little patience. We know you’ve heard it before, but this reminder
could save a life.
Watch for slow moving vehicles on the road or pulling onto the roadway. That red triangle on the back is a warning to slow down.
Flashing orange or yellow lights or a pilot vehicle preceding or following equipment also serve to remind motorists that this equipment is moving very slowly. If you are driving 55 miles per hour and come upon a tractor that is moving
at 15 miles per hour, it only takes 5 seconds to close a gap the length of a football field between it and you. Do not assume a farmer is pulling to the right to let you pass. The farmer could be preparing to make a turn and needs just a few minutes of your patience while maneuvering his very large equipment into a field or farm lane. Watch for hand signals, turn signals or other signs that a slow moving vehicle is preparing to turn.
Shoulders may be soft, wet or steep and are often obstructed by mailboxes and road signs. Pulling off the road could cause the farm vehicle to tip.
Always use caution when passing. Do not pass unless you can see clearly ahead of both your vehicle and the one you will pass. Do
not pass if there is a curve or hill ahead. Do not pass in a “no passing zone” or within 100 feet of any intersection, railroad grade crossing, bridge, elevation structure or tunnel.
Watch for Delaware Farm Bureau’s safety signs on rural roads alerting you to slow down, and be alert for farmers working in the area.
Delaware Farm Bureau urges you to share the road this fall. Delaware farmers are working hard to feed not only you, but the world! Let’s keep road safety our No. 1 priority while traveling the roads this fall.
June Unruh, Chair
Delaware Farm Bureau P & E Committee’s “Rural Road Safety Campaign”
AFBF releases milk pricing proposal
The American Farm Bureau Federation on Oct. 2 released a proposal for the future of U.S. milk-pricing provisions and marketing-order reform. The recommendations aim to bring more democracy and a more equitable program for all dairy farmers.
The Farm Bureau Federal Milk Marketing Order Working Group recommendations are contained in the report “Priorities, Principles and Policy Considerations for FMMO Reform," available at: www.fb.org/files/AFBF_FMMO_ report_2019.pdf.
Invasive spotted lanternfly should be 'killed on sight'
Pennsylvania and Delaware are being invaded by the spotted lanternfly. The insect, Lycorma delicatula, was first discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014 and in Wilmington, Del., in 2017. It is native to China, Taiwan and Vietnam.
At the end of February 2019, the Delaware Department of Agriculture enacted a quarantine for this pest. As of Sept. 18, 2019, the spotted lanternfly quarantine has been expanded to include all of New Castle County north of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.
Spotted lanternfly is a plant hopper that attacks and feeds on up to 70 species of woody plants, including forests, ornamental trees, orchards, hops and grapes. It threatens Delaware’s agricultural industries, the environment and residential areas and has an impact on interstate commerce.
The insects feed on tender shoots and stems, excreting a fluid called “honeydew,” a thick, sugary substance that causes a sooty, black mold to form.
The spotted lanternfly has now entered into the adult and egg-laying stages of its life cycle. Egg-
laying continues until December. By then most adults will have died off. Until then, orders are to “kill on sight.”
The inch-long adults resemble a gray moth with spots, with a bit of red on their wings when spread.
DDA Plant Industries Administrator Jessica Inhof said the insects should be squashed immediately. Then take a photo and report the sighting to DDA on DDA’s dedicated spotted lanternfly webpage, de.gov/hitchhikerbug, or call the dedicated spotted lanternfly hotline at (302) 698-4632.
A pregnant female can lay several egg bundles containing from 30 to 50 eggs each, which will hatch in May. Unfortunately, egg masses can be laid on vehicles and goods being moved out of quarantine areas.
A quarantine means that any material or object that could harbor the pest cannot be moved without taking precautions to prevent the spread. Any person conducting business for a commercial business, a municipality or a government agency that requires movement of any regulated item within
or from the quarantine area must have a permit, available through the DDA spotted lanternfly website. To obtain a permit, a designated individual from an organization must receive training and pass an online test to demonstrate a working knowledge and understanding of the pest and quarantine requirements.
Training of other employees, inCONTINUED ON PAGE 6
Make plans now for AFBF Convention
The American Farm Bureau Federation is the nation’s largest general farm organization with over 6 million member families in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. The Annual Convention is an opportunity for members across the nation to come together for business, educational and networking opportunities. During this meeting, delegates from Farm Bureaus across the nation will adopt policies for the coming year and elect leadership to guide these policies forward.
The 101st AFBF Annual Convention & Trade Show will be held Jan. 17 through 22, 2020, in Austin, Texas.
The AFBF Annual Convention offers a preview into the future of agriculture. Members will be able to participate in thought-provoking and controversial educational workshops, learn about the latest in precision agriculture and technology, learn information that can be used in everyday life, and experience what’s coming next in agriculture.
Attending the AFBF Annual Convention provides unfettered access to Farm Bureau and industry leaders, subject matter experts and corporate partners. Don’t miss your chance to look beyond the horizon at the future of agriculture,
sharpen your skills and help set the agenda in Washington.
Full Farm Bureau member registration includes the following opportunities:
• Trade Show
• General Sessions
• Featured Workshops
• Educational Workshops
• YF&R Competitive Events
• Foundation Silent Auction Also available for additional purchase:
• Foundation Flapjack Fundraiser
• Leadership Luncheon
• Foundation Night Out at Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater
• Tours of Texas sites venues
Links
• Convention Highlights –https://annualconvention.fb.org
• Schedule of Events https://annualconvention.fb.org/scheduleof-events
• AFBF Annual Convention & Trade Show https://annualconvention.fb.org/trade-show
• AFB Foundation Events https://annualconvention.fb.org/ flapjack-fundraiser
• AFBF Leadership Luncheon https://annualconvention.fb.org/ leadership-luncheon
• Texas Tours https://annualconvention.fb.org/texas-tours
Explore beautiful Austin, Texas, site of the AFBF Convention in January. Photo by Carlos Delgado on Unsplash.
Young farmers seek land to buy through DDA loan program
Are you thinking of retiring — truly retiring — and selling your farm? There are well-qualified young farmers in Delaware who are looking for farms to purchase.
Robert Garey, chair of the Aglands Foundation Board of Trustees, said there are at least four young farmers who have recently made application to the Young Farmer Loan Program, which is part of the Delaware Agricultural Lands (Aglands) Preservation Program.They’ve been approved for a 30-year, no-interest loan to purchase farmland in Delaware, Garey said.
“At our last board meeting,” Garey said, “I tried to direct attention to aged farmers with land but no one to carry on the farming tradition. A lot of those farmers don’t want anything to happen to their land after they’re gone. They want a young person with the same values to care for the land.
"Some farmers say, ‘Let me live here until the Lord calls me home,’” Garey continued.
Deputy Ag Secretary Austin Short, director of the program, said the Aglands Preservation program and the Young Farmers
Program does not require that the owner live on the farm, so having someone else live in an existing house, such as the former owner, is permissible. Those details have to be worked out between buyer and seller.
One incentive for farmers concerned about what happens to their land is that farms in the program are placed into a permanent preservation easement after the sale.
The property must contain at least 15 tillable acres zoned for agricultural use, which must not be enrolled in a conservation easement at the time of purchase. However, it should already be in an Agricultural Preservation District.
A second incentive is that there is no realty transfer tax for land purchased through the Young Farmers Program.
To date, 35 young farmers have received $8 million in loans to purchase over 2,700 acres of land.
Applicants must be Delaware citizens between the ages of 18 and 40 with a net worth not exceeding $300,000, and must have at least three years of farming experience. Joint applications by spouses or siblings are allowed; however, all
Master Deer Hunters ready to help cull deer population
If your farm is being overrun by deer, help is available. The Delaware Farm Bureau is piloting a new program, partnering qualified and ethical Master Hunters with land owners to provide effective wildlife management.
applicants must meet the criteria and their combined net worth cannot exceed $300,000. The applicant must not already own more than twice the amount of tillable acres that he/she wishes to purchase with this farm.
The loan is for up to 70 percent of the appraised value of the farm’s development rights, not to exceed $500,000. Most applicants need another (commercial) loan to purchase the farm. The Young Farmer loan typically provides approximately 50 percent of the purchase price. The primary lender can verify the applicant is credit worthy through their usual loan process – thus DDA staff does not have to analyze credit risk.
The commercial loan is the primary loan. It is repaid first and then the Young Farmer loan is repaid, at no interest. The applicant has 30 years to repay the Young Farmer loan.
At the time of application, the applicant submits a fully executed sales contract, a loan eligibility letter from a commercial lender (for the balance of the purchase price), and a farm (business) plan.
The Aglands Foundation Board only accepts loan applications when funding is available.
“We have money on hold, set aside for this program,” said Garey, “so the buyer does not have to wait a year for the next round.”
Short said, “We are accepting applications on a continuous basis (as long as funding remains), so as soon as we receive a Young Farmer application we can begin the process to make the loan and the applicant can purchase the farm. We provide the Young Farmer loan at the time of settlement.”
Sept. 30 was the deadline for Round 24 for the Aglands Preservation Program. Short noted that 110 farms were selected in Round 23. “We have $10 million in state funds and should receive funding from USDA NRCS as well as matching funds from the county governments,” he added.
For more information on the loan program, visit https://agriculture.delaware.gov/agland-preservation-planning/young-farmers-program/ or call Austin Short at DDA, (302) 698-4500.
Farmers who are experiencing excessive crop damage may contact Todd DeCapua at (302) 384-3553.
The Division of Fish and Wildlife offers three programs designed to assist farmers in Delaware, depending on the severity of their deer damage problem. Each of these programs are designed to help reduce the local deer population through an increased harvest of antlerless deer in an effort to reduce associated crop damage. For information on the Deer Damage Assistance Program, Severe Deer Damage Assistance Program and Extreme Deer Damage Assistance Program, visit the DFW’s website at www.dnrec. delaware.gov/fw/Hunting/Pages/DeerDamageAssistance.aspx or call (302)735-3600.
Through the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, experienced hunters undergo more training and meet other requirements to become Master Hunters. In addition to advanced hunter education courses, applicants submit to a criminal history check, showing a clean record, before certification. The Master Hunter Program currently has more than 220 certified hunters statewide in Delaware and works with the farmer on an individual basis to see how the program can help with their deer management needs.
WOTUS repeal welcomed
The Sept. 12 repeal of the 2015 Waters of the United States rule is welcomed by farmers, who have faced a web of confusing and unclear rules related to land-use decisions.
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said, “Farmers and ranchers share the goal of ensuring clean water, but the 2015 Waters of the United States rule was unreasonable and unworkable. It made conservation more difficult and created huge liabilities for farmers.
“No regulation is perfect, and no rule can accommodate every concern, but the 2015 rule was especially egregious. We are relieved to put it behind us. We are now working to ensure a fair and reasonable substitute that protects our water and our ability to work and care for the land. Farm Bureau’s multi-year effort to raise awareness of overreaching provisions was powered by thousands of our members who joined with an array of allies to achieve this victory for clear rules to ensure clean water.”
Delaware Farm Bureau President Richard Wilkins said, “Farmers were the first environmentalists; we work hard to protect our natural resources. We live on our farms and value clean water and clean air. We look forward to a new rule that will be clear about what activities are regulated and what landscape features are protected so that we are not caught unaware as we go about our farming activities.”
Don Parrish, AFBF senior director of regulatory relations, on AFBF Newsline said the repeal means we will revert back to the rules that existed before 2015 as a new rule is developed that “provides clarity and really draws a line on the landscape. On one side of the line, the waters are important enough that the federal government should regulate. On the other side of that line, states should regulate.”
Parrish added hope that the new rule would take a common sense approach to regulating water, one that “allows farmers to continue
Invasive spotted lanternfly ...
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 spection of vehicle and products, and removal of living stages of spotted lanternfly must be completed. The permit demonstrates the individual understands how to identify the pest and can ensure the items transported are not carrying the insect.
Regulated articles include:
• Any living life stage of the spotted lanternfly
• Landscaping, remodeling or construction materials
• Firewood of any species
• Packing materials (e.g. wood crates, boxes)
• All plants and plant parts including all live and dead trees, perennial and annual plants, and mulch
• Outdoor household articles like RVs, lawnmowers, chairs, grills, tarps, tile, stone, deckboards, and other vehicles not stored indoors.
There is a glimmer of hope. As reported in scientific proceedings at www.pnas.org/content/116/19/9178, scientists have identified two native fungal pathogens causing fatal diseases in spotted lanternfly. Scientists are being
to farm and improve the productivity of their land and do the kind of things that it’s going to take to pass farmland down from generation to generation.”
The Waters Advocacy Coalition, a broad coalition of organizations advocating for clean water and clear rules, thanked EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers for repealing the problematic 2015 WOTUS rule, which it said “vastly and unclearly expanded the definition of ‘Waters of the United
States’ beyond the limits imposed by Congress and affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court.”
The 2015 WOTUS rule, according to the Coaltion, “granted the federal government nearly unlimited authority to regulate any low spot where rainwater collects.”
The group also is encouraging the administration to finalize a new rule that protects the nation’s waters and provides clear rules for states, farmers, ranchers and small businesses to follow.
Goal: A Book Barn for every school
Thanks to a USDA specialty crops grant administered through Delaware Department of Agriculture, the Promotion & Education Committee of Delaware Farm Bureau has been able to accelerate its Book Barn project. The Specialty Crop Block Grant made possible the purchase of a dozen “ag correct” books about vegetable, fruit and horticultural crops for some 100 elementary schools in Delaware. It also provided funding for materials for FFA volunteers to build the wooden book cases, which are shaped like a barn. Within the next three years, it is DFB’s goal to have placed a Book Barn placed in the library of every elementary school in the state.
As each Book Barn is presented to a school, one of the books is read in an assembly by a guest reader, which might be a farmer, political figure, even the governor of this great state. To volunteer to speak, call Heather Kline at the DFB office, 302-697-3183.
To arrange a Book Barn presentation, school principals may call the same number. The 2019-2020 schedule so far, is as follows:
Nellie Stokes (Caesar Rodney)
cautious, however, since an increase in these pathogens — even if native to the area — might also have an effect on native species. Meanwhile, there are a few other things that can be done.
• Remove the preferred host, Ailanthus altissima, or “tree of heaven.” Cutting it down may not be enough. Consider consulting a landscape professional who can help you remove it for good.
• Eliminate egg masses. Scrape them into a bag or container with a putty knife and fill with isopropyl alcohol or hand sanitizer.
• Trap the nymphs: In the spring and summer, wrap a band of sticky tape or reversed duct tape around tree trunks where you’ve spotted the lanternfly nymphs. The nymphs will get stuck on the trap and never further their development. To avoid small birds or mammals getting stuck to the tape, reduce its width or consider caging it in wire.
• Consider an insecticidal treatment plan, but understand that insecticides currently in use do not specifically target the spotted lanternfly and may also harm beneficial insects.
Oct. 18, 10:35 a.m.
Downes (Newark) Oct. 28, 1:35 p.m.
Jennie Smith (Newark) Oct 29, 11 a.m.
Eisenburg (New Castle) Nov 13, 10:30 a.m.
Castle Hills (New Castle) Nov. 18, 9 a.m.
Newark Charter (Newark) Dec. 5 10:30 a.m.
Baltz (Wilmington)
Dec 18, 10:35 a.m.
Southern (New Castle) Jan 21, 1:45 p.m.
Showell (Indian River) Feb. 5, 1:30 p.m.
Heritage (Red Clay) Mar. 8, 1:30 p.m.
Thurgood Marshall (Newark) June 1
DFB members get discount on pet insurance
Did you know that Nationwide offers pet insurance for dogs and cats, and members of Delaware Farm Bureau get a discount on the premium? The discount is available to all members, not just those who are farmers.
There are two types of reimbursement plans: percentage of invoice, with which you get back a percentage of what you paid your vet, and a benefit schedule, with which reimbursement is capped at a set amount for each condition, regardless of the actual treatment cost.
There are three kinds of coverage: Whole Pet with Wellness, Major Medical and Pet Wellness.
Pet Wellness covers wellness ex-
ams, vaccinations and flea/heartworm prevention.
Major Medical covers exams, lab tests, X-rays, prescriptions, surgeries and hospitalization, chronic conditions and some hereditary conditions (waiting period applies).
Whole Pet with Wellness covers all of the above, with no waiting period, and more.
Nationwide’s Whole Pet with Wellness cover common things like exam fees as well as the uncommon things.
Get more information at https:// www.petinsurance.com or get a quote for your pet at http://www. petinsurance.com/affiliates/DEFarmBureau_npr.
KCFB honors Hoober, Urians...
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improvements and innovations geared to help maximize farmers’ productivity and produce enough food to feed the world. Hoober Inc., and Chuck specifically, has served a valuable role in that part of the food chain. His involvement in Farm Bureaus, Ag Councils, field days, clinics, community events, agricultural fairs, shows and meetings helps bridge the important gap from the farmer’s needs to the farm machinery that is produced to serve those needs.
Chuck lives in Elkton, Md. He and his wife, Diane, have three children — Eric and daughter-inlaw Natalie, Rachel and son-inlaw Alex, and Marisa. Chuck’s faith is also a very critical part of his life; he actively attends The Town Church in Middletown, Del.
The Urians were named KCFB 2019 Farm Family of the Year. Paul Cartanza made the presentation, taking the Urians by surprise. Mark’s parents, Charles and Mary Urian, bought a farm outside of Clayton, Del., in the summer of 1962 to pursue their dream of farming. They built a new house there for themselves and their four children — Jane, Betty, Charlotte and Charles Mark. Charlie put in a large garden and planted corn and soybeans on the farm the following spring. He farmed on evenings, weekends and vacations while continuing to work at what was then Clements Supply Company in Clayton. They later had a small herd of beef cattle as well.
After Charlie's sudden death in April 1976, the family chipped in as much as they could, but they ended up leasing the ground after young Mark farmed it for his last two years of high school. After a
few years, Mark married Sandy and soon a new generation of Urians would grow up on the farm — Jacob, Amanda and Rebecca. Mark worked for various employers over the years including Shadybrook Farms, Hoober and Atlantic Tractor, while running the farm on his spare time.
Mark and Sandy have both had health setbacks over the last couple of years, but with the help of Jacob they continue to run the farm. They grow corn and soybeans and have added some hay production as well. Jacob and his wife, Melissa, are currently working to grow the beef operation. Jacob has been diligently working to pick up more ground the last few years and helps his uncle farming whenever possible.
Mark and Sandy have done their job as farm parents to raise their children to love God, agriculture and life! All three children have been involved in 4H, FFA and Farm Bureau. Amanda is raising her own family in Nebraska on her husband’s family farm, and Rebecca expects to move back to the family farm soon. Mark and Sandy still strive to be active in Farm Bureau, Smyrna FFA Alumni, The Grange, and various groups at Townsend Free Will Baptist Church.
Mary Urian, who helped start this family farming legacy, turned 100 years old this year and still lives at the edge of the family farm.
In his president’s remarks, Jacob Urian, who is serving his first year as KCFB President, encouraged other Farm Bureau members to step up and take a new role — to join a committee or a task force, to volunteer with the Ag Lab or do something as simple as recruiting a new member.
“Without our whole group working together, we would not have been able to accomplish what we’ve done in the last 75 years,” Urian said.
Ted Bobola Sr. presented checks to the FFA and 4-H, accepted on behalf on those organizations, respectively, by Abby Edwards and Miranda Garey.
Cash prizes and certificates also were presented to the Kent County winners of the Delaware Farm Bu-
reau Rate of Gain Contest: 4-Her Aiden Garey, son of Ashton and Susan Garey of Harrington, won for both his market lamb and his hog; Regan Walter, daughter of John and Wendy Walter of Felton, won for her 4-H goat. In the FFA categories, winners were Addyson Stewart, daughter of Steven and Carrie Stewart of Felton, for her lamb, and Olivia Gaines, daughter of John and Kim Gaines of Cam-
Abby Edwards and Miranda Garey accepted checks from KCFB given to the FFA and 4-H, respectively.
KCFB Women's Chair Sandy Virdin introduced County Ambassador Dylynn Cubbage of Hartly.
Let's celebrate 75 years of Delaware Farm Bureau!
Delaware Farm Bureau is planning an extraordinary celebration to culminate its 75th year. The diamond anniversary banquet will be held Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Del-One Center of Del Tech's Terry Campus, 100 Campus Drive, Dover, beginning with a reception at 5 p.m.
A delicious meal will be served, featuring foods grown in Delaware. State awards recognizing Farm Family of the Year and Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award winner will be given, but speeches will be held to a minimum. The festivities will continue until 11 p.m. with dancing and music by the Clifford Keith band.
We salute all of our major sponsors, shown below, and all those who have given in memory or in honor of someone special.
For information on sponsorships, including a memorial or honorarium for a family member, or to reserve tickets, please call the DFB office at (302) 697-3183.
Renewable Fuel action crucial for farm economy
The EPA on Oct. 4 announced a series of actions designed to ensure the future of the Renewable Fuel Standard.
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented, “Farm Bureau is pleased the Administration is returning integrity to the Renewable Fuel Standard while ensuring the policy will continue to provide economic opportunities in rural America.
“Today’s actions put us on a path toward greater ethanol use in nearly all vehicles now on the road and recognize the loss in demand caused by small refinery waivers. Today’s proposal will also encourage increased biofuel infrastructure through the federal budget process.
“It’s no secret we face a difficult farm economy, so this announcement comes at a crucial moment in time. Farmers across the nation applaud this decision.”
AFBF launches market futures prices web feature
American Farm Bureau Federation has launched a new section on the Voice of Agriculture website that features commodity market futures prices for grains, oilseeds, livestock, dairy and soft products such as cotton, sugar and orange juice.
All market prices on the website are for reference only. The prices are on at least a 10-minute delay and should not be used for trading purposes. AFBF launched the site to help members better understand market trends and make well-informed business decisions.
The new feature includes commodity futures market prices for multiple contract months. Users can interact with the data to view the price history of commodities and will be able to review daily price changes.
The new webpage complements ongoing efforts to launch a new member benefits program in 2019 designed to help farmers and ranchers manage commodity price risk. Visit www.fb.org/market-prices.
KCFB honors Hoober, Urians...
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den, for both her hog and her goat.
Sen. Tom Carper appeared briefly on his way back from Iowa.
He quoted Matthew 25: 35, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.” To the farmers in the audience he said, “You feed us. Thank you.”
Rep. Lisa Blunt-Rochester, who said she had been the first person from Delaware in 120 years to serve on the House Ag Committee, commented, “We got the farm bill done because I heard from
A wreath was placed at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Sept. 30, in honor of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s centennial. Representing AFBF at the ceremony are President Zippy Duvall and Vice President Scott VanderWal. Several state presidents also attended in observance of this special occasion
Family Farmer Relief Act ups Chapter 12 debt limit
President Trump recently signed the Family Farmer Relief Act of 2019, a measure that raises the Chapter 12 debt limit from $4.1 million to $10 million.
you that it was so important.” She now serves on the Energy Committee. The Congresswoman frequently checked her bids in the silent auction, determined to win a bushel of pole lima beans, which she succeeded in doing.
John Thomas, retiring board member, was honored with a plaque. David Marvel Jr. was elected for a three-year term to the State Board, representing Kent County. Nine men were elected as county directors for two years and delegates were chosen for the State Convention on Dec. 3.
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said, “Farm Bureau is appreciative that the Family Farmer Relief Act of 2019 is now law. This law relieves some of the uncertainty farmers are facing due to export market disruptions, weather events and declining farm income. It will help family farmers reorganize after falling on hard times by increasing the debt limit for relief eligibility under the Chapter 12 bankruptcy code.
“While this is a sobering reflection of the current state of the agricultural economy, we are grateful to Congress, the President and his administration for their prioritization of reforming our current bankruptcy laws,” Duvall said.
Rate of Gain Contest winners were, from left, Addyson Stewart, Aiden Garey, Olivia Gaines and Regan Walter.
Jacob Urian, left, Kent County Farm Bureau president, presented a plaque to retiring board member John Thomas.
Rep. Lisa Blunt-Rochester was successful in bidding at the silent auction for a bushel of pole lima beans.
Meet your farmer: Stewart Ramsey
Stewart Ramsey is the fifth generation to operate Ramsey Farm, located between Brandywine Creek and the Pennsylvania State Line north of Wilmington. He has significant help from his wife, Wendy; his son, Carl; his sister, Jane, and his brother-in-law, John. His mother, Jane, also helped before her death, and cousins help,
too, on occasion.
The largest share of their operation occurs on what was owned by the Ramsey family from 1860 through 1986, at which time all but 2 acres, the house and garage, was sold to a conservation organization. The land has since become part of the First State National Historical Park.
About the same time as the sale, Ramsey got his bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering from the University of Delaware and went to Pennsylvania with his father, where they milked cows.
“I decided to come back, get my master’s degree and start farming on my own,” he said. He has rented the home farm since about 1990.
Ramsey said he had to start all over, since the entire farm and all its equipment had been sold. He added that his grandfather, born in the late 1890s, would shake his head at all the equipment farmers use today.
He also had to change crops. He explained, “It was obvious to me that we would not be able do things the way they had done historically. Corn, soybeans and a small livestock herd were not a viable enterprise for me. We started growing pumpkins immediately for pick-your own and agritourism.”
Within two years, the family added a corn maze, then hay rides, bonfires and school tours. In October, several thousand students of all ages visit the farm for educational programs, a hayride and to pick a pumpkin.
“Now we do all those things plus offering corporate bonding/ team-building, parties and weddings. We host a mountain bike race and 5Ks.”
The farm also produces hay for sale to the local horse industry. In
Deeming corn and soybeans "not a viable enterprise" for him,
2013 the farm totaled roughly 120 acres across all crops and more than doubled in size in 2014. The Ramseys also now have a small equine boarding facility. Ramsey’s wife, who has worked in information technology in the pharmaceutical area and now works with a small consulting company, takes care of the equine boarding logistics. “A barn was offered to me, so we added equine to our portfolio of things we do,” Ramsey added. The farm hosts trail rides, offering miles of trails on about 10,000 contiguous acres of preserved land.
Deer are a significant problem and cannot be hunted because the land is a national park. They’ve challenged the sweet corn, pumpkins and alfalfa hay. “It’s un-
Ramsey turned to agritourism.
With the help of his wife, Wendy, and son, Carl, Stewart Ramsey continues a 150-year family tradition of farming in northern Delaware.
Ramsey
Long-Term Care options can protect you, your family and your farm operation
Long-term care: what does it mean to you? Do you think of the consequences like the stresses placed on family caretakers or the changes to your lifestyle that may result? How will your farm or ranch operation be impacted by your need for care? Many believe long-term care (LTC) planning is too expensive or too complicated, or that it’s something they’ll never use. Improving your understanding may help you better protect what matters most.
What is long-term care & how much does it cost?
It’s an event that needs to be planned for to help you live as independently and safely as possible when you can no longer do
so on your own.
Most of us would prefer to receive care in our homes, in familiar surroundings and with our families. The good news is that “home health care” is what just over half of us needing care will receive. Another 20 percent of us will likely receive care in an assisted living facility, and about 3 in 10 of us will need care in a nursing home.1 Each has varying costs and they can certainly be substantial. Today, the average annual expense of a home health aide is $49,192 and in the next 20 years, that is expected to grow to $88,846.2
Long-term care options
Recently, the variety of LTC coverage options has increased even as the number of providers offering coverage has shrunk. Combination products that provide an LTC benefit along with life insurance coverage have become more available and more popular. They’re designed to protect your premiums paid by providing a benefit even if the LTC benefit is not used.
Minimizing the consequences
The consequences of not planning for a long-term care event can be costly. The time is now to decide which options are best for
Meet your farmer: Stewart Ramsey...
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
believable how much they eat. They’re more a challenge to get under control than most people realize. I’m sure glad deer don’t eat hay rides!”
Ramsey is a senior principal in IHSMarkit’s Agricultural Forecasting and Consulting Service. He has spent his professional career applying his knowledge of farming and his formal education to help large companies plan their business for the future. This work has allowed him to learn about agriculture in other parts of the country and around the world. He is passionate about telling agriculture’s very positive story about continuous improvement and the use of technology to make food affordable, plentiful and safe.
Ramsey admitted he is quick to get on a soapbox. That’s one reason he is involved with Delaware Farm Bureau. He has been a member since 1995. He soon became a New Castle County Board member and has served as secretary/treasurer since 2001 and is now president also.
“I have no problem talking in front of folks about the impor-
tance of agriculture, our values, and sharing the good story that farmers in our state and nation have in terms of stewardship, sustainability and the environment — what we do and the investments we make to make food safe and keep our water clean. We don’t apply fertilizer or chemical pesticides haphazardly. They’re very expensive. They’re used when needed, when it makes sense and there’s an economic benefit.
“I care about our ability to feed the world. We have a responsibility to try to produce economically viable food that is also affordable. We must be careful not to take sound production technologies out of the hands of farmers because of the philosophies of others.”
In 2007, he was appointed chair of the Delaware Farm Bureau Agricultural Education Committee, chair of DFB’s Ag in the Classroom Program. He has served as the public relations chair at the county and state levels since about 2010. He is a member of the board of directors of the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation.
Ramsey has served as co-chair of the Milk Run, a joint effort of
you, your family and your business.
What you can do
Join us as your Farm Bureau brings LTC specialists from Nationwide to answer your questions and show you how you can obtain estimates for receiving care in your local community. Register for one of our online webinars at www.nationwide.com/dfb or call Nationwide for help at 855-9639636.
1Share of LTCI Claims Starting with Nursing Care Falls: AALTCI”, ThinkAdvisor, Allison Bell –April 20, 2018
the Foundation and New Castle County Farm Bureau which has generated nearly $75,000 to benefit two charities: the Ministry of Caring’s Milk for Children Fund and the Neighborhood House Inc.
His farm holds annual food drives to collect food and money to help provide for the Food Bank of Delaware, Lutheran Community Services and The Ministry of Caring. He plants 2 acres of sweet corn each year to donate to them.
Ramsey is a regular volunteer at the Delaware Envirothon which brings teams of the top high school students in the state together each year to test their knowledge of environmental impacts on the land.
He has served on the University of Delaware Agricultural Alumni Board and is a past president of the Ag Alumni Association. He received a distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Delaware College of Agriculture. He and the farm were awarded the 2013 State of Delaware – Governor's Conservation Award for Agriculture in New Castle County. That same year the Ramseys were named Delaware Farm Bureau Farm Family of the Year.
2Compare Long Term Care Costs Across the United States,” Genworth, www.genworth.com/ about-us/industry-expertise/costof-care.html (2017). Median cost of semi-private room based on 2017 survey conducted by CareScout covering 400 regions across the U.S.; 20-year projection based on 3 percent annual inflation.
This material is not a recommendation to buy, sell, hold or rollover any asset, adopt an investment strategy, retain a specific investment manager or use a particular account type. It does not take into account the specific investment objectives, tax and financial condition, or particular needs of any specific person. Investors should work with their financial professional to discuss their specific situation. Federal income tax laws are complex and subject to change. The information in this paper is based on current interpretations of the law and is not guaranteed. Neither Nationwide, nor its employees, its agents, brokers or registered representatives gives legal or tax advice. You should consult an attorney or competent tax professional for answers to specific tax questions as they apply to your situation.
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