From the President’s desk
Own your farming story, report suspicious activity
As farmers, we encounter all kinds of unique problems. COVID, of course, brought with it many new and unusual situations we had to overcome. Recently, some of us have encountered a different problem — suspicious activity on our farms.
We were first alerted to reports of this by the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension who said unknown vehicles have been spotted at farms all over the lower Eastern Shore including in Pittsville, Willards, Berlin, Princess Anne and Salisbury. These could be individual incidents, or it could be connected to activists at work on the Delmarva Peninsula.
The Delaware Farm Bureau has also heard reports of suspicious phone calls to farms in Delaware, taking note to mention in depth questions asked by the callers about the farmers' livestock.
This is a very concerning de-
Delaware Farm Bureau News
Editor Jennifer Antonik jenn.antonik@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.
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Any editorial material may be reproduced with credit to this publication.
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velopment and we would urge our members to reach out if they, too, have encountered suspicious activity. The Animal Agriculture Alliance may also be very helpful in navigating these types of situations.
Suspicious activity on our farms is dangerous for a number of reasons. Aside from possible threats to the safety of our families and workers, it also creates safety concerns for our livestock and the produce we work so hard to provide. We also want to be sure to tell our own farming stories and not let others offer a misconstrued narrative of how we care for our land and animals.
We don't know for sure whether or not this activity was the work of activists on Delmarva. But there is one thing I know for a fact — owning our individual farming stories is crucial to helping the public understand how their food winds up on their dinner plates every night.
It's important to the Farm Bureau that we help you tell your stories for this reason. We frequently share local farming stories and/or pictures on our social media platforms, for example. Every piece of outreach to our community helps share an ag accurate picture of the hard work that can easily be seen all over Delmarva.
On our social media pages, we have recently featured our scholarship awardees, the mobile ag lab on the move to visit with students
in Delaware, Farm Bureau activism at work and images from local farms such as Marvelous Produce in Seaford.
Recent outreach to local media, as an example, has included stories on irrigation and rural road safety, encouraging farmers and the public alike to be mindful of each other while on the road.
Soon, we will have the opportunity to celebrate some of our local farming stories at our upcoming county and statewide banquets, highlighting awardees for outstanding service in the agricultural community. This, too, will be shared with our media connections.
It is an honor to watch so many of our local farming adventures thrive in the First State. Owning our farming stories is just one way to help preserve our industry.
Check out our calendar for specific information regarding your local banquet and let us know if you'll be able to attend.
If you would like to share what you've been working on at your farm with pictures or video, please feel free to send us a message on Facebook or Instagram.
For more information on membership or upcoming events, or to let us know you've encountered suspicious activity on your farm, visit www.defb.org or call our office at (302)-697-3183. Stay strong. Stay well. Stay Farm Bureau Proud.
State Board of Directors
President
Richard Wilkins
1st Vice President
Laura Hill
2nd Vice President
William Powers, Jr
County Presidents
Kent: James Minner
Sussex: Steve Breeding
New Castle: Stewart Ramsey
Young Farmers & Ranchers
State Chair: Mollie Lynch
Kent Chair: Michael Lynch
Sussex Chair: Jordan Betts
New Castle Chair: Abel Elwell
Women’s Committee
State Chair: Mary B Gooden
Kent Chair: Rebecca Bobo la
Sussex Chair: Constance Fox
New Castle Chair: June Unruh
Kent County Directors
Bruce Dempsey
David Marvel
Ted Bobola Jr.
Sussex County Directors
Alan Bailey
Mark Davis
New Castle County Directors
Bruce Patrick
Will Powers, III
Ryan Greer
Delaware Farm Bureau President Richard Wilkins
Annual Lace Up for Ag Literacy 5K Walk/Run planned
By Jennifer Antonik Delaware Farm Bureau
Young Delawareans filled the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation's mobile ag lab this summer, eager and ready to learn about agriculture and how it helps shape our meals and products.
Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation Coordinator Kali Voshell said programs like these promoting ag literacy need funding to continue its work.
Last year, the Foundation held its inaugural Lace Up for Ag 5K Run/Walk in Dover, raising more than $10,000 to be used in programs like the ag lab and other activities.
"The money goes to the Foundation to further our outreach to the community and schools in Delaware," Voshell said.
She added that she hopes this year's event raises as much as possible.
The event will be held Saturday, Oct. 22 at Buffalo Wild Wings in Dover with registration beginning at 8 a.m. The race itself will start at 9 a.m. and will travel along the scenic St. Jones River Greenway Trail.
Registration is $25 for each participant until Saturday, Oct. 15 and $30 each after that date and on day of event.
Along with individual awards for participants, the team with the most participants will also be awarded.
That team will receive a $200 gift certificate to the National Ag in the Classroom store to be presented to the school/education organization, FFA chapter or 4-H group of the team's choosing.
Last year's awardees were the Delaware Farm Bureau's own Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee.
Individual awards for runners include overall male, female, and master’s winners and awards for the top three male/female runners in 10-year age groups starting with 10 and under through 70 and over. 5K walk awards were given to the top five male/female finishers.
The biggest award, of course, goes to the students in Delaware who have a chance to learn about agriculture thanks to programs like the mobile ag lab which is funded, in part, through events like the Lace Up for Ag Literacy 5K Walk/ Run.
"Ag Literacy is important because we want consumers to understand not just where their food comes from but who grows it and how it is grown," Voshell said.
"We have spent the entire summer traveling the state doing visits to various summer camps
including Boys and Girls Clubs and daycares. Students learn the importance of healthy eating and where their food comes from. They can milk Della the Cow and learn about different Delaware soils. They also get to plant a seed to take home with them," she added.
The mobile ag lab is available for class visits during the school year, as well.
To register for the Lace Up for Ag Literacy 5K Walk/Run, scan the QR code below or visit trisportsevents.com.
Sponsorships benefitting the Foundation are still available. For more information, email Kali Voshell at kali.voshell@defb.org or call the state office at 302-6973183.
Other upcoming events hosted by the Delaware Farm Bureau can be found online at defb.org.
DEFB enjoys Delaware State Fair fun
U.S. Senator Chris Coons sips a milkshake with Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse at the Food Booth during the fair.
Bo Dov won the Lima Bean Guessing Competition with the closest guess without going over — 1,462. There were 1,493 lima beans in the jar. Thank you to Del-One Federal Credit Union for donating the prize!
DEFB Executive Director Don Clifton poses for a photo during a cooking demonstration in the Commodities Building at the Delaware State Fair.
Bethany Knutsen was announced as a Young Farmers & Ranchers Scholarship Awardee this year.
Two children enjoy a new activity at the DEFB's information booth. This interactive ag accurate quiz was funded by a grant to help raise awareness of agricultural activity in Delaware.
Summertime revs up with excitement
The Young Farmers & Ranchers' Annual Antique Tractor Pull Contest brings visitors from several states to the fair each year, raising needed funds for scholarships and other activities.
Young Farmers & Ranchers' statewide Chair Mollie Lynch participates in the pig kissing contest, raising funds for the Delaware 4-H Foundation's Junior Exhibitors Scholarship.
Showcasing agriculture in Delaware through photos
By Mikayla Paul Delaware Farm Bureau
Calling all amateur photographers! Capture Delaware agriculture in action through your lens!
The Delaware Farm Bureau Promotion and Education Committee’s 2022 Annual Photo Contest is winding down, but there is still time to submit your photos in the contest! The 2022 Annual Photo Contest launched on May 1, 2022, and photo submissions will be accepted through October 31, 2022.
The Annual Photo Contest is a great way to get members to go outside and experience the natural beauty of Delaware agriculture. Each year, we receive more and
more photo entries, which we love to share and promote on our Facebook page!
The top 4 winners will receive a monetary prize - 1st Place- $200; 2nd Place - $150; 3rd Place - $100; 4th Place - $50 - and their photos will be displayed in the Delaware Farm Bureau State Office and in the Delaware Agriculture Museum for a whole year! We also award Honorable Mention certificates to those who placed 5th through 10th place.
For more information, and to submit your photos, visit https:// defb.org/. Deadline to enter in the 2022 Annual Photo Contest is October 31, 2022.
Celebrate National Farmers Day on Wed.,
By Jennifer Antonik Delaware Farm Bureau
The fall season is a chance for farmers to savor the waning daylight hours by harvesting their crops before winter.
But for others, it's a chance to appreciate this hard work and celebrate local farmers.
National Farmers Day, honored this year on Wed., Oct. 12, is a great opportunity for family members, friends, colleagues and consumers to celebrate and support local farmers.
Consider these opportunities
• Buy fruits, vegetables, honey, meats and other products from a farmers market or a local farm store.
• Eat food that is in season.
• Join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).
• Take a tour of a local farm.
• Harvest your own produce by visiting a U-Pick farm.
• Support agritourism and experience a farm first-hand.
• Share and engage with a local farmers' social media.
• Invite farmers, others who may be professionally engaged in the agricultural industry and consumers to join the Delaware Farm Bureau.
Oct. 12
For more information about the Delaware Farm Bureau, visit online at www.defb.org.
By Jennifer Antonik Delaware Farm Bureau
Rural road safety key when traveling Rural Road Safety
Fall means more than pumpkin spice and everything nice — it also means harvest season in Delaware.
Motorists have started seeing not only busses filled with students traveling along rural roads, but farm equipment, too, as farmers start to harvest their crops.
June Unruh of the Delaware Farm Bureau said harvest might be occurring even earlier this year than traditionally expected.
"Seeing how dry it's been, I can tell you the harvest is going to be early. I think people just need to be on the lookout for an earlier time than they might normally see farm equipment on the road," Unruh said.
Rural road safety is a passion for Unruh who said she hopes motorists and farmers alike consider it important, as well.
"Farmers and motorists have to pay attention to one another and respect each other. I think respect is a big key," she said.
With the support of the Delaware
Farm Bureau behind her, Unruh has worked for years to advocate for rural road safety in Delaware, including its schools. Thanks to her work and the help of others, the state recently added several questions on the driver's test that include rural road safety information. The Motor Vehicle Dept. also has rural road safety brochures available at each of its locations.
Along with learning about rural road safety, Unruh said respect and slowing down while driving is crucial to sharing the road.
She said farm equipment should be labeled with a triangular safety sign on the back of the equipment, making these vehicles easier to identify.
Farmers who may feel they need assistance moving equipment from field-to-field can contact the Delaware State Police for escorts, according to Senior Corporal Leonardo DeMalto.
"Off-duty Troopers are permitted to work extra-duty (or “special duty”) assignments that have been authorized and approved by the
Delaware State Police. These assignments can and do include escorts for oversized trucks and other equipment transports. The cost to have the Trooper(s) work these assignments are the responsibility of the person or business requesting such services," Cpl. DeMalto said.
Those interested in hiring a Trooper should contact “Jobs4Blue” at 877-425-8330. Jobs4Blue currently serves as the DSP's Special Duty Coordinator. Farmers can also visit online at https://dsp.delaware.gov/hireoff-d.uty-trooper/
DEFB Executive Director Don Clifton has experience using the “Jobs4Blue” DSP off duty escort.
“After several instances of near disaster moving equipment on Coastal Highway, we started using the service. It was more than worth the minimal cost. It was convenient and the officer was glad to help us," he said.
For more information on the Delaware Farm Bureau, visit www. defb.org.
A poem by
June Unruh Delaware Farm Bureau
Our country roads are fun to travel Scenic, but narrow, and curvy they go Through small towns and farmland, too
Oh, here comes a big green tractor Do I pass or does it matter? Is there enough room for both of us? Oh, I should have waited, now I’m stuck!
If I had waited and let the farmer pass We’d both be on our way to start the day
To do our jobs, to fulfill our duties
Just a few minutes really does matter
Please show respect for the job they do Working hard both day and night
Our farmers feed us and the world, too
So let’s share the road Be courteous to each other Your life and the farmer’s life Really does matter!
Farmers urged to keep irrigation water off roadways
The Delaware Farm Bureau is urging farmers to take extra care during this time of intensive crop irrigation to avoid allowing their irrigation systems to spray on roadways.
“All of us are focusing on finishing off the most productive crops we possibly can. We want to encourage everyone to be good neighbors and considerate. One of the ways we, as farmers, can do that is to try our best to ensure our irrigation systems do not spray on Delaware roadways,” Delaware Farm Bureau President Richard Wilkins said.
Safety hazards which arise from water on the road could include hydroplaning and traffic accidents due to slippery roads. Roads can quickly become slipperier than expected when the water from rain or an irrigation system mixes with the oils on the road. This is especially hazardous at night and for motorcyclists traveling the roadways. Delaware Farm Bureau Executive Director Don Clifton added, “I have often been surprised by a sudden
burst of water on my windshield at night, but am unconcerned because I quickly know what happened, understanding how irrigation works. We can only imagine how disconcerting it can be to someone who may not recognize the circumstances. They might react in very unfortunate ways.”
The Delaware State Police reported 3,554 traffic accidents in 2021 from wet roadways, 19 of which included fatalities. Delaware’s Annual Traffic Statistical Report from 2021 prepared by the Delaware State Police and Delaware’s Information and Analysis Center goes on to state that 2,303 accidents occurred in rainy conditions, 10 of which included fatalities.
“With regards to the use of irrigation systems in Delaware, the Delaware State Police would encourage all farmers to be mindful of motorists traveling on roadways that are adjacent to their irrigated fields and crops. Wet roadways and windshields create hazards for motorists in vehicles and on motorcycles, leading to additional accidents,”
Delaware State Police spokesperson Senior Corporal Leonard DeMalto said.
But the hazards don’t end with traffic accidents.
Another unintended concern could result from water on the roads - damage to the road itself.
The pooling water that inevitably rests along roadsides or embankments can, overtime, weaken the base of the road. This can also happen as water seeps into cracks in the road, weakening those spots.
The Delaware Farm Bureau can be found online at www.defb.org.
Farm safety, volunteer firefighting with Dan Neenan
The following information is provided by Nationwide®, the #1 farm and ranch insurer in the U.S.*
Dan Neenan became a volunteer firefighter in 1991 and quickly saw something that would become a huge part of his career. First responders in small towns like his often didn’t have the training and equipment they needed to save lives on the farm.
So he set out to change that. Now more than 30 years later, Neenan embodies how and why to be a volunteer firefighter. He’s a paramedic specialist and firefighter II with the Epworth and Centralia/Peosta, Iowa, fire departments. He’s also the director of the National Educational Center for Ag Safety (NECAS) that provides valuable resources like grain bin rescue tubes to rural first responders. And through a close partnership with Nationwide, he’s been able to deliver what he saw lacking when he first started fighting fires and saving lives.
. Hands-on training for firefighters and farmers
A huge part of Neenan’s work at NECAS is providing training for rural firefighters and farmers. Much of his instruction is handson and involves simulating some of the most hazardous working conditions and settings on and around farms.
“We develop hands-on training programs like our grain bin safety training that involves a state-of-the-art grain entrapment simulator to conduct entrapment and rescue simulations. Farmers and firefighters are alike in that they don’t want to sit and listen to somebody talk for 8 hours,” Neenan said. “They want to go out and get their hands dirty. And do something.”
What Neenan’s work means to farm communities
In the almost 20 years since beginning these programs and simulators, Neenan said it’s not always easy to gauge his success. But with around 10,000 first respond-
ers having completed training, it’s clear he’s leading a team that’s making a big difference. And saving lives.“From the safety side, it’s really hard to count an incident that didn’t happen,” he said.
“From the rescue side, it’s a different story. Thirty-two departments have completed our grain bin safety training and have gone on to rescue someone in a bin.”
Neenan has led lifesaving efforts. But he’s quick to point out he’s no hero. To him, he’s just one member of a larger team — including Nationwide —who has made a lifesaving difference in farm towns around the country. It’s part of why he is a volunteer firefighter.
“If you look at the partnership we have with Nationwide and all the partners who have come together to donate or help make something like Grain Bin Safety Week happen, do I play a part in it? Yes. Am I the only reason? I don’t think so,” Neenan said. “It takes a team to do that. Just like a fire department."
Visit AgInsightCenter.com for more expert tips and information from Nationwide.
*A.M. Best Market Share Report 2020.
The information was obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and its employees make no guarantee of results and assume no liability in connection with any training, materials, suggestions or information provided. It is the user’s responsibility to confirm compliance with any applicable local, state or federal regulations. Information obtained from or via Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company should not be used as the basis for legal advice or other advice but should be confirmed with alternative sources. Nationwide, the Nationwide N and Eagle, and Nationwide is on your side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2021 Nationwide
Member recalls Nationwide involvement in farm case
When Laura and Roland Hill of Lewes, Del. faced a potentially crippling situation, Nationwide was there to help them through it all.
The Hill’s operate a 1,600-acre Deerfield Farm in Lewes, Del. The family installed an irrigation system on the farm to help improve production. However, it malfunctioned within its first year of operation. The irrigation system ended up spraying a neighboring farm, hitting a trailer in the process.
The neighboring farmers were not pleased and took their concerns to the property owner who worked with the Hill’s to navigate
the situation in 2015. In 2018, the irrigation system sprayed the other farm property and trailer again when the irrigation company had visited the farm to service the machinery and left it on without telling the Hill’s.
Once again, the neighboring farmers were upset. At this time, they were interested in refurbishing their more than 20-year-old trailer and needed to replace the roof. They quickly uncovered water damage. The Hill’s called Nationwide for help.
Ultimately, the claim was denied and processed in the Hill’s favor as the neighboring farmer could not prove that the water
damage was caused by the two irrigation incidents on the Hill’s farm instead of the effects of normal wear, tear and weather.
“We turned to Nationwide for this. They came out to look at the trailer, talk to the owner and had her submit a claim. They denied it. The owner could not prove that it was our doing, she had no contractor's estimate, there were a lot of details that made Nationwide say no,” Mrs. Hill said. “The owner was irate. She threatened to get her own lawyer. She was just not happy with the process, but we were because we felt Nationwide was thorough in their investigation. At the end,
Nationwide called me to let me know what the end result was and laid out the steps of what we were to do if she did get a lawyer. The whole process is what we were pleased with.”
She said they have been Nationwide clients since 2011 and are glad they made the switch.
“We switched because there was a big snow storm years ago. It did damage to our chicken houses, so we submitted a claim to our insurance company at the time. But the end result was that they upped our deductible, lowered our coverage, our premiums went sky high and so that’s when we switched,” she said. “We have been very pleased
Dan Neenan
