2015 march/april - the communicator

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THE VOICE OF AGRICULTURE.The offi cal newspaper of the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation.

BRINGING NEWS TO N.H. FARM BUREAU FAMILIESBRINGING NEWS TO N.H. FARM BUREAU FAMILIESNew Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation PRSRT STD

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MAPLE GRADES HAVE CHANGED

Federal NewsFederal News

Vol. 37, No. 2 THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE N.H. FARM BUREAU FEDERATION MARCH/APRIL 2015

Fuller’s Sugarhouse is a Lancaster landmark. What started as a teenage dream has turned into a successful award winning business for Dave Fuller and his wife, Patt i (as seen in the photo above). Today maple enthusiasts visit the sugarhouse daily to sample syrup that has achieved high honors.

Sugaring Success in the North CountryABOVE PHOTO

SUGARING SUCCESS IN THE NORTH COUNTRY – page 21

HB 660 – Supports Irresponsible Farming Practices

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FUSION CONFERENCE

COMMUNICATORCOMMUNICATORTheThe

State NewsState News

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DOT FARM VEHICLE DAY

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DEFINING A FARM STAND Finding Solutions

HB 660 - SUPPORTS IRRESPONSIBLE FARMING – page 17

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96TH AFBF CONVENTION Young Farmer Perspective

By Rob JohnsonNHFBF Policy Director

Ag Day - March 18, 2015

Tell us how YOU are celebrating agriculture on Facebook.

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The New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation is follow-ing over 50 bills to one extent or another and has taken

position on only 16. Ten are supported by the Federation and six are being opposed. One bill in particular, which Farm Bureau is opposing, has caught the att ention of some and may require further explanation. HB 660, an act rela-tive to small farms and farm stands, is not being supported primarily because of the reduced regulation it off ers. Farm Bureau is opposing this proposed legislation after thorough review conducted by the Federation’s Government Aff airs Committ ee. There were approximately 50 Farm Bureau leaders, who reviewed and commented on the draft legisla-tion received last fall. Not one of these individuals voiced their support of this bill. Proclaimed the “Small Farm Protection Act of 2015,” HB 660 exempts “small farms” and farm stands from all laws pertaining to: “food inspection and licensing, includ-ing slaughter and processing,” workers’ compensation, minimum wage, labor – including children, weights and measures licensing and inspection, health and safety licens-ing and inspection, environmental licensing and inspection – including best management practices, and building codes. In addition, a “small farm” is defi ned in the legislation as “the production of food on land in this state the gross sales of which shall not exceed $100,000 in any calendar year.” Considering these variables, Farm Bureau opposes HB 660 because it removes all oversight and is irresponsible. It sends the wrong message, particularly to young and begin-ning farmers, regarding minimum food safety, just treat-ment of labor, and good business, resource, and husbandry practices. It also sends the wrong message to the public about our farms and farm products. We fi nd it concerning that there are farmers who believe they are entitled to the extent that they should not have to abide by any regulation.

Farmers, United: Skills, Inspiration, Outreach and Networking

The Communicator

On The Holmes FrontBy Jeff Holmes, New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation President

The Annual Convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation took place in San Diego,

California on January 9-13. There was no bet-ter place to escape the reality of our 2015 New Hampshire winter as the entire “Lower 48” was experiencing below normal temperatures. It was “only” 68 F the day we arrived but recovered nicely to the mid-70s during our stay. Despite gett ing some brief periods of useful rain in the previous month, the entire state is still in the midst of a long-term drought. In light of their situation few people complained that we had to endure one day of clouds and warm showers. The state Farm Bureau presidents typically have a group outing the fi rst evening at Conven-tion. This year we travelled to the Miramar Ma-rine Air Base for dinner. Miramar was formerly

a Navy installation and was the sett ing for the Tom Cruise movie “Top Gun.” The bar and offi -cers’ club were rec-ognizable to movie afi cionados. A day-time visit to the base would have been preferable to bett er view the ar-ray of aircraft on

the grounds, but each of the buses had a pilot come on board to wel-come us and tell us what they could about their training. The pilot on our bus fl ies one of the new tilt rotor helicop-ters and he explained its capabilities while point-ing out what could be seen via artifi cial lighting from the main gate to the offi cers’ club. They are a proud group of soldiers! The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture coordinates a number of fundraising events at Annual Convention all in support of building awareness for agricultural literacy. The climate this year allowed for a Foundation golf tournament. Of the 100-plus participants my ad hoc foursome fi nished out of the money this year but January golf in shorts and short sleeves can’t be a bad thing; and all for a good cause. The Foundation “Night Out” has become a popular activity for att endees. This year over 1000 convention goers boarded the Inspiration Hornblower for a nice meal and cruise around San Diego bay. As part of the program on the

boat, New Hampshire was one of the lucky three state Farm Bureaus to be awarded a “My American Farm” kiosk, which you will likely see at many ag-related events around the state. Du-pont Pioneer has been a title sponsor of the My American Farm (a computer game) and a critical supporter of the Foundation. The Flapjack Fundraiser is one of the longer running Foundation events. A pancake breakfast is served up to a couple thousand folks, and the Foundation Book of the Year is announced and author recognized. Jack Hanna was the guest speaker at the event and he showed many exotic animals on stage. There was also an online auc-tion to benefi t the Foundation that wrapped up during the Convention. The auction had many unique items including a signed Dale Earnhardt Jr. helmet and a Peyton Manning Broncos jersey – something that I’m sure drew much more inter-est from folks outside of New England! There were three general sessions during Convention this year. The fi rst session involved the “Parade of States” and the annual address of American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman. The Parade of States is the unoffi cial opening of the Convention and gives the oppor-tunity for the 50 state Farm Bureaus to present their state fl ag, which remains on display for the duration of the Convention. It is the eighth time I have had the privilege and honor of carrying our New Hampshire fl ag at the national Convention. The Parade of States is a bit of an organizational nightmare for staff but is a highlight for many state Presidents and will likely remain a part of future Conventions. The other two general sessions included speeches by Navy Seal, Rourke Denver and co-median, Jay Leno respectively. Mr. Denver is a veteran of over 200 Seal combat missions himself and now trains our warriors of the future. He had a part in the movie, Act of Valor and published a book in 2013 titled, Damn Few. His speech and book focus on the intense training that Navy Seals undergo. Att ention to detail, having mu-tual trust in your fellow Seal, and unbelievable physical fi tness are the keys to their preparation. Jay Leno was the keynote speaker and gave an extended version of his standard, “Tonight Show” stand-up routine. I happened to catch him a couple months back as a guest on “The Tonight Show” starring Jimmy Fallon and he repeated much of that material at our Convention. Not all of his material was appropriate for everyone in

the audience but most enjoyed him. There was a brief photo opportunity backstage and I did learn that he was from An-dover, Mass. originally. The daylong Delegate Session wrapped up the Con-vention for me as New Hamp-shire’s sole representative in the 350-member Delegation. A resolution submitt ed by New Hampshire dealing with NRCS, was approved and is now part

of the American Farm Bureau Federation policy book. The wide range of topics and commodi-ties addressed in national policy is eye-opening. Our national staff is impressive in their breadth of knowledge as they go about implementing the policy positions spelled out in the policy book. Many thanks go to Diane Clary for coor-dinating our trip and all members of the New Hampshire delegation for their part in making it a memorable Convention.

March/April 2015

INSIDEMarch/April 2015

Eye on Extension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Classifi eds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Plant Growers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Mighty Meats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation President Jeff Holmes, owner/operator of a dairy farm in Langdon.

NHFBF President Jeff Holmes at the American Farm Bureau Foun-dation of Agriculture Golf Classic benefi ting programs that educate teachers, students and non-farm public about today’s agriculture.

Keynote speaker and former Tonight Show host, Jay Leno with Jeff & Lisa Homes.

AFBF Delegates Session, working on sett ing public policy positions for 2015.

Farm Bureau - The Voice of N.H. Agriculture March/April 2015

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Northeast Northeast Farmers are Cautiously Farmers are Cautiously Optimistic but Concerned Optimistic but Concerned with with Regulatory Regulatory Burdens Burdens and Labor Availabilityand Labor AvailabilityFarm Credit East Releases Results of Northeast Producer Survey

Enfi eld, Conn. — Farm Credit East re-leased the fi ndings of a survey today indi-cating Northeast farm, fi shing and forestry producers are cautiously optimistic about their businesses going into 2015, but are concerned about a number of challenges, including compliance with governmental regulations. This survey asked Northeast producers to provide insight into their 2014 business results and perspectives on the year ahead. “Northeast agriculture continues to have unique opportunities, but producers are increasingly concerned with the burden of regulations,” said James Putnam, Farm Credit East chief business offi cer. “Agricul-ture is an economic engine in the Northeast – with continuing support from agribusi-ness and farm-friendly public policies, it will continue to grow and create more jobs and economic activity.” A cross section of 180 Northeast pro-ducers responded to this survey. Key re-sults included:

• 81% of respondents continue to be optimistic or cautiously optimistic for the future of their farming enterprise.

• In terms of gross farm income, 72% of producers experienced growth in 2014 as compared to 2013.

• Most respondents (67%) continue to see signifi cant cost infl ation in their business.

• The top three major business challeng-es Northeast producers anticipate in

2015 are compliance with regulations (state and federal combined), avail-ability of labor and fi nancial volatility.

• Survey respondents anticipate con-sumer buying habits to stay about the same as they have been in previ-ous years, with a cautious outlook on spending in 2015.

“In the Northeast we have thousands of farm businesses that are an integral part of our communities,” Putnam continued. “This survey indicated that farm owners are concerned with the availability of a stable labor supply and that the farm labor issue needs to be addressed.” In addition, survey respondents report-ed on their 2015 business plans and goals. Looking back at 2014, survey respondents reported on their business results and op-erating environment. This survey was conducted in De-cember 2014. The survey was open to any farm, fi shing or forestry producer operat-ing within the seven Northeast states of New York, New Jersey, Maine, Connecti-cut, Massachusett s, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. The survey was made avail-able on Farm Credit East’s website and so-cial media sites. Farm Credit East conduct-ed the survey in cooperation with the New York State Farm Viability Institute. To view the full report of Farm Credit East’s Pulse of Agriculture survey results, visit FarmCred-itEast.com.

The Communicator March/April 2015

Defi ning a farm stand by law sounds simple enough. Yet the subject is

being revisited again, by the Environ-ment and Agriculture Committ ee of the New Hampshire House of Representa-tives. The Committ ee has been chal-lenged to defi ne a farm stand, in a man-ner that encourages market access for local farmers, while meeting state and federal requirements for public health and food safety. The Committ ee took comments on HB 200 - defi ning a “farm stand,” at their fi rst public hearing for the 2015 legislative session on January 20. The issue stems from an innovative busi-ness, North Country Marketplace & Salvage in Colebrook. The store off ers

a one-stop local food shopping expe-rience, which benefi ts customers and farmers alike. In addition to being a pleasant shopping experience, it also positively impacts the regional econo-my. The business model involves rent-ing space to nearby farmers, who can showcase and sell their items. “Many farmers in CoÖs County live off the beaten track,” explained bill sponsor State Representative Rebecca Brown of Sugar Hill. “It [North Country Market-place] has become an important mar-ket for farmers in the area because they don’t have this kind of market access anywhere else.” During the 2014 legislative ses-sion, the Environment and Agriculture Committ ee worked on a similar bill HB 1382 - defi ning a “farm stand” and were unable to solve the problem. Even

though, Committ ee members toured the marketplace and studied through-out the summer, no concrete remedies were found nor keeping within the Department of Health and Human Ser-vices requirements for food safety and licensing. North Country Marketplace & Sal-vage has a retail license, but the owner has suggested a new classifi cation, a “managed farm marketplace,” which as proposed, would mean a farm stand showcasing multiple farms. Vendors would be able to sell as if they were selling from their farm stand. They could sell raw milk, uninspected poul-try meat and market up to $20,000 of homestead foods without a license. Rep. Brown suggested two meth-ods to address this problem. “The fi rst would be to change the law,” said Rep. Brown. “We could consider al-lowing homestead foods to be sold re-tail without a license up to the $20,000 limit. However, according to the Health and Human Services, we would not be in compliance with the Federal Food Code.” The second solution requires no law change but involves encouraging more farms to become licensed for re-tail sales. Rep. Brown recognizes the fi nancial and paperwork burden of li-censing for farmers, but questioned if the process could be streamlined and suggested a sliding scale to make it more cost-eff ective. Rep. Brown also discussed the issue of selling uninspected poultry meat. With no USDA poultry processing fa-cility in New Hampshire, producers are limited by federal law. They can butch-er up to 1,000 bird on the farm and sell directly to consumers and restaurants. “If we have a system that increases farm sales and meets Health and Hu-man Services requirements,” said Rep.

Brown, “then I don’t think we need to change the law, and we can work with Health and Human Services, the De-partment of Agriculture and farmers to come up with a solution.” Farm Bureau supports the concept of what is trying to be accomplished with HB 200 and is very much in favor of increasing farmers’ access to mar-kets. However, the legislation as pro-posed requires work and Farm Bureau opposes the legislation as writt en. Farm Bureau Policy Director Rob Johnson ad-dressed the Environment and Agricul-ture Committ ee during the hearing and thanked Rep. Brown for contacting him prior to the hearing. “The uninspected poultry is the main issue,” said John-son. “Farm Bureau is concerned with expanding regulations for uninspected poultry and questioned if New Hamp-shire would be within federal law.” After taking comments from eight members of the audience (4 opposed – 4 supported), the chair of the Environ-ment and Agriculture Committ ee, Bob Haefner closed the hearing. A few weeks following the hear-ing, the Environment and Agriculture Committ ee held a work session where they came to a resolution. They decided along with the guidance of Health and Human Services Food Safety personnel, to make no changes to the defi nition of a farm stand except to allow unlicensed homestead food to be sold up to the $20,000 limit. Uninspected poultry and raw milk will continue to be available for sale on farms or at farmers’ markets. Seventeen members of the Committ ee voted in favor of this resolution with one opposed during the March 2 Execu-tive Session. HB 200 was put on consent so it will pass with all other consent bills (unless pulled for debate) in the House of Rep-resentatives at a later date.

Story and Photo by Maureen Duff yNHFBF Communications Director

Finding Solutions to Defi ning

New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation Policy Director Robert Johnson, lobbying against HB 200 – defi ning a “farm stand.” Farm Bureau is very much in favor of increasing market access for farmers but opposed to the word-ing as presented at the January 20 public hearing before the Environment and Agriculture Committ ee.

a Farm Stand


Type

ROBERT & RACHAEL MILES JR.THEODORE & JILLIANNE GIRARDSTEPHEN COCHRANEMATTHEW HOLLANDALICIA PEDEMONTISARA GRAYBENJAMIN KINGKATELYN KOMISAREKJEFFREY A THURSTON LLCDONAL LOUGHERYCOLIN CAPELLEBRIAN TASSINARIIRINA HORODINCUDAVID ALDRICHCOLTON DOWJAMES MCGEOUGHBROWN/BARRY CARPENTRY LLCMADISON BENOITGEORGE BARKERJENNIFER ROYLUKE TAYLORGARY CRIPPSABBOTT FURNITUREDANA ARSENAULTCHRIS PORTERBEAU MOULTONMARK DILL & DAHLIA SAWTELLECYNTHIA BOGNOLOBRUCE D WORTHENGREG CHASSERAE MARIE DAVISRONALD M DAVIS JRWILLIAM & LINDA MARSTONDYLAN MCFUFFINROBERT HOELZELRAPLH & JANE BROWNELLJAMES & ELLEN PUTNAMERVA BARNES IICHARLES MEWKILLTROY T HALLDWIGHT & LAUREN BRADLEYGARY J ANDERSONSUE & GUY DOWNEYELIZABETH PERRYKERRY BENTONSANDRA & SEAN DONAHUEWILTON LYNDEBORO WINTER WANDERERSKENNETH C CWIKLA, JR

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WELCOME - NEW Members!(December December 6, 2014 - February 9, 20156, 2014 - February 9, 2015)

City Name

DARRELL LOUISFARM & FOREST EXPOMIKE BERTOLONEANDREW JELLIEGLEN PUTNAMVT FARM FAMILYSALLY GAYNOR-KNECHTLEANDRA PRITCHARDMIKE BERTOLONEANDREW BRODER

CALEB KIRBYWEBSITE

PETER BARACHPHIL FERDINANDOVALERIE ARMSTRONGSALLY GAYNOR-KNECHTBRUCE CILLEY

FARM & FOREST EXPOPETER BARACHSALLY GAYNOR-KNECHTSALLY GAYNOR-KNECHTJEFF HOLMESVALERIE ARMSTRONG

DARRELL LOUISSTEVE FOUNTAINSTEVE FOUNTAINSTEVE FOUNTAINSTEVE FOUNTAINTONY VISCUSISTEVE FOUNTAINTONY VISCUSI

GLEN PUTNAMGLEN PUTNAMTONY VISCUSIVALERIE ARMSTRONGSALLY GAYNOR-KNECHTSTEVE FOUNTAINANDREW JELLIETONY VISCUSIPETER BARACHSTEVE FOUNTAIN

STEVE FOUNTAIN

Solicitor

Moving Ag Trade Forward with TPA

U.S. agriculture exported more than $152 billion in products

last year alone, and there’s room for more growth yet. With Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) expected to take cen-ter stage on the legislative agenda this spring, farmers and ranchers are ready for trade agreements that create business and boost the American economy. TPA legislation isn’t new, but now is prime time for renewal. It fi rst passed in 1974 and has been critical to the suc-cess of important agreements for U.S. agriculture with South Korea, Colombia and Panama. We’re now ready to expand our markets even further with ambitious trade negotiations across the globe from Asia to Europe. But we need to stand fi rm and show other countries that we’re ready to act on fi nal off ers at the nego-tiating table. TPA creates an important partnership between the administration and Congress to move trade agreements forward. The U.S. economy loses out when trade agreements are crushed in the fi -nal hour by deal-killing amendments. We weaken our standing in the global marketplace, and hand economic leader-ship over to other countries. With TPA, the administration represents our best

interests before other countries without fl ying solo in negotiations. Congress and the administration must continue to shape and set priorities based on what they’re hearing directly from American businesses. This is where agriculture can con-tinue to take a leading role in shaping our trade agenda. Farmers and ranch-ers know the challenges we face in other markets, and it’s our job to get this mes-sage to policymakers. When we’re all on the same page in negotiations, the pro-cess moves swiftly as Congress can act on fi nal agreements with a straight up or down vote. Limiting access to American food just doesn’t make sense. Farmers and ranchers are ready to bring their goods to new markets, but high tariff s and non-scientifi c barriers place our exports at a disadvantage. Take the EU, for example. Last year the U.S. exported $12.7 billion in agricultural products to the EU, but we also imported $18.7 billion in agricul-tural products from the EU. These num-bers don’t mean we had less to sell: Our markets are simply more open while the EU continues to let politics rather than science dictate its trade restrictions. Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe, our trade with Japan is just a frac-tion of what it could be, largely because of price restrictions and high tariff s. American businesses rely on trade agreements to break down barriers and create a more balanced marketplace for all. But we must come to negotiations with a clear agenda and the authority to back it up. The U.S. is on the verge of completing one of our most ambitious trade agendas in decades. TPA is es-sential to completing these agreements, including the Trans Pacifi c Partnership with 11 other countries across the Asia/Pacifi c region and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the EU. TPA expired too long ago: Congress and the administration need to work to-gether to renew it before valuable trade relationships are spoiled.

Ag Agenda

By Bob Stallman, PresidentAmerican Farm Bureau Federation

The

RememberingRemembering

Saturday, March 28, 2015at 11:00 am

Highway View Farm100 River Road

Boscawen, NH 03303

DOT Farm Vehicle DayTh e Rules & Regulations

Join Merrimack County Farm Bureau for a workshop with the New Hampshire Deptartment of Transportation to learn

about rules and regulations pertaining to farm vehicles.

RSVP for lunch by emailing Todd Larocque at

[email protected] or call (603) 225-6396.

Friends of Farm BureauMargaret Heald of Troy – (Dec. 15, 1934 – Jan. 27, 2015) – Margaret was a member and secretary of Cheshire County Farm Bureau for 55 years. She would often att end national conferences along with her husband Ralph, to learn about the many ways of contributing to the farming community. Burial will take place in the family lot in Troy this spring and Cheshire Family Funer-al Home and Crematories of Swanzey is taking care of arrangements. Contri-butions to Mrs. Heald’s memory may be made to Trinitarian Congregational Church, P.O. Box 309, Troy, NH 03465 or to Troy Senior Citizens Club in care of Lorraine Hurt, 20 Taft Road, East Swanzey, NH 03446.

Martha Porter of Boscawen – (Feb. 14, 1948 – Feb. 14, 2015) – Martha along with her husband John Porter of 44 years was a member of the Farm Bureau for more than 25 years. Martha was an active member of her church, Trin-ity Baptist Church of Concord and was part of the team that opened Trinity Christian School. After the school open, she held a number of positions such as the school nurse, administrative assistant and bookkeeper. A funeral service was held on Feb. 26 where a large number of community members and fam-ily att ended in honor of Martha’s life. Contributions can be made to Trinity Christian School, 80 Clinton Street, Concord, NH 03301.

Fred McDonough of Newport – (Jan. 1, 1930 – Jan. 26, 2015) – Fred was a Farm Bureau member for over 25 years and was a farmer who spent his entire life working the land that remained in his family since 1780. During the 1940s, Fred was a dairy farmer and then transitioned to replacement heifers, beef and hay production in the 1960s. In eff ort to diversify the farm further, fruit pro-duction was added to the farm in 1980s. There will be no calling hours or ser-vices. Memorial donations are invited to be made to the New Hampshire Tim-berland Owners’ Association, 54 Portsmouth Street, Concord, NH 03301 or the American Heart Association of NH, 2 Wall Street, Manchester, NH 03101.

Bert Southwick of Northfi eld – (Sept. 25, 1923 – Feb. 1, 2015) – Bert was a member of Farm Bureau for over 20 years and was a Northfi eld icon. Featured in Yankee Magazine and by WMUR, Bert was well known for delivering eggs and vegetables to customers’ doorsteps by horse-and-buggy. At that time, he was likely the last man in the nation making deliveries by horse-and-buggy. There are no services planned at this time.

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Board of Directors

Executive CommitteePresident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff Holmes1st Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Denis Ward2nd Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dave Babson2nd Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tom McElroyTreasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Howard PearlPresident, Associated Women . . . . . . . Ruth ScrutonChair, Young Farmer Program . . . . . . .Amy Gowell Drogue

County Presidents

Belknap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom LockeCarroll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . Alan FredricksonCheshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beth HodgeCoos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joyce BradyGrafton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Henry AhernHillsboro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sean TromblyMerrimack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steve MacCleeryRockingham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phil FerdinandoStraff ord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bruce CilleySullivan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cassy Sullivan

Staff

Policy Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Johnson, IIAdministrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diane ClaryCommunications Director. . . . . . . . . . . . Maureen Duff yAdministrative Assistant. . . . . . . . . . Leandra Pritchard

New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation295 Sheep Davis Rd.Concord, NH 03301

Phone: 603-224-1934Fax: 603-228-8432

www.nhfarmbureau.org

NHFBF Standing Committee Chairs

Annual Meeting/Special Events: John McPhail, BowDairy: Beth Hodge, HindsdaleEquine: Julie Perron, Barrington Lee Sawyer, Jaff eryGovernment Aff airs: Chuck Souther, ConcordHealth Insurance Program: Dan Briggs, Deerfi eldHorticulture: Fruits & Vegetables Sub-Com: Seth Wilner, NewportOrnamentals Sub-Committ ee: Doug Cole, LoudonLivestock & Poultry: Erick Sawtelle, Lee Ernie Vose, WalpoleMembership: Beth Hodge, Hinsdale Sandy Salo, Marlow Policy Development: Denis Ward, MonroeProfi le Award: Ernie Vose, Walpole Young Farmer: Amy Gowell Drogue, Barnstead

The CommunicatorWhere NH Farmers Turn For News

[email protected]

The opinions expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the New Hampshire Farm Bureau. The Communicator is published six times a year, by New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation. Sub-scription comes with membership. It is received in the homes of over 3,000 NHFB members. Presorted standard postage paid at N. Haverhill, N.H. Deadlines for submissions, advertisements and calendar listings are the fi rst Friday of the month for the following month’s issue. For advertising information contact the NHFB offi ce at 224-1934.


Merrimack County FB Meets With State Representatives Story & Photos by Maureen Duff yNHFBF Communications Director

The Legislative Lun-cheon hosted by Mer-

rimack County Farm Bureau brought together members of the Environ-ment and Agriculture Committ ee and Merri-mack County Representa-tives. Political discussion over lunch provided an ideal venue for Farm Bu-reau members to discuss

happenings on their farm and proposed state legis-lation that Farm Bureau is watching. New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federa-tion Government Aff airs Committ ee Chair Chuck Souther led the discus-sion by engaging dialog with state representa-tives. He fi rst started dis-

cussing the census and noted that agriculture is alive and well in Mer-rimack County. Souther spoke of the increasing number of small farms and that there is optimism in the fruit industry. “Ap-ple growers are planting trees again,” said South-er. “The demand for local food is driving this new growth in planting.” Amidst the discus-sion, Souther talked about HB 372 - relative to certain private employ-ers under workers’ com-pensation. This proposed legislation is to provide an exemption from work-ers’ compensation for very small businesses engaged in farming. The cost of workers’ compen-sation is often a deterrent for small farmers, putt ing them at risk. HB 372 has been retained for study within the Environment and Agriculture Commit-tee as they are working on a way to ensure em-ployees are protected and employers have suitable coverage at an aff ordable rate. Multiple questions were asked by state rep-resentatives during the February 11 gathering, wanting to know more about the challenges farmers face. One inquiry was about selling local meat to restaurants. Miles Smith Farm owner and operator, Carol Soule of

Loudon has plenty of ex-perience in marketing her beef products and com-mented on the question. “It depends on the restau-rant,” she said. “There are only so many particular cuts on an animal and they are not always the most desirable. But some restaurants recognize that and are willing to work with local farmers.” Rep. Tara Sad noted that the Environment and Agriculture Commit-tee worked on passing HB 608, which permits in-state direct sale of un-inspected poultry and rabbits to licensed restau-rants. She also mentioned that the law is now going through the rulemaking process. Other issues dis-cussed were the high cost of electricity and labor. As well as HB 624 – rela-tive to animal care costs in animal cruelty cases. This proposed legislation is a hot ticket item that is being closely watched by Farm Bureau. It is Farm Bureau’s task to watch and re-spond to proposed legis-lation as it relates to ag-riculture. Events such as the Merrimack County Farm Bureau Legisla-tive Luncheon provide an opportunity to build relationships with policy-makers as well as educate and promote local food production.

Lunch served by the Merrimack County Farm Bureau was enjoyed by Chair of the Environment and Agriculture Committ ee for the House of Representa-tives Bob Haefner, along with other County legislators. The luncheon took place on February 11 in the conference room located at the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture Markets & Food.

Chuck Souther, the NHFBF Government Aff airs Committ ee Chair discussed various legislation aff ecting farmers in the Granite State. To his right, owner and operator of Miles Smith Farm, Carol Soule joined in on the discussion about marketing her meat products in and around Concord.

Plans Cease for USDA Poultry Processor

Members of the farm-ing community are

disappointed with the recent announcement to end plans for the USDA poultry processing plant in Concord. Last December the city of Concord Plan-ning Board approved a site plan application for

Fournier Foods after tak-ing numerous comments from area residents and thoroughly discussing ordinances to ensure city requirements were met. In a lett er to the com-munity dated January 7, 2015, Fournier Foods CEO Craig Fournier and Co-owner Omar Khudari

expressed their extreme disappointment and sad-ness in discontinuing their eff orts to build a nearly 5,500-square-foot plant at 52 Locke Road, just off of Exit 16 on In-terstate 93. According to the let-ter, Fournier Foods was hopeful that they would contribute to small-scale agriculture in New Hampshire. “While our motivation was not pure-ly fi nancial, the project still needed to make eco-nomic sense,” stated the lett er. “It recently be-came clear that the proj-ect would require a lot more capital with lower returns than what we were willing to accept.” The lett er also ad-dressed Fournier’s and Khudari’s concerns for New Hampshire farm-ers, who supported them from the beginning. “We

will endeavor to see if there is anything we can do for the farmers,” the lett er noted. “But we wanted to be forthright and share our decision as soon as we had made it.” In addition to higher than expected costs, oth-er contributing factors to the decision was the pro-longed application pro-cess and neighborhood opposition. New Hampshire Farm Bureau Young Farmer Vice Chair Amy Gowell Drogue of Cen-ter Barnstead was look-ing forward to using the facility and expanding her farming operation to include poultry meat products. “It’s unfortu-nate for New Hampshire farmers,” said Gowell Drogue. “But I’m still hopeful that a solution can be found in the near future.”

Story by Maureen Duff yNHFBF Communications Director


Carroll County Farm BureauA scholarship is awarded annually to a stu-dent from Carroll County. Students must be att ending a post-secondary institute and pursuing an interest in agriculture (includ-ing forestry, agriculture, environmental sci-ence or conservation). For application infor-mation contact Alan Fredrickson, the Carroll County Farm Bureau President at [email protected] or call 603-569-3137.

Cheshire County Farm BureauAn annual scholarship is available to Cheshire County Farm Bureau members or members of their immediate family. Preference will be given to students studying agriculture and to returning students. For application informa-tion contact Beth Hodge, the Cheshire Coun-ty Farm Bureau President at [email protected] or call 603- 336-7706 x 11.

Coös County Farm BureauScholarships are awarded annually to Coös County Farm Bureau members. The student’s family must have been a N.H. Farm Bureau member for the last three years. Scholarships are available to students graduating from any of the county’s high schools and further-ing their education in agriculture. For appli-cation information contact Joyce Brady, the Coös County President at 603-922-3305.

Grafton County Farm BureauScholarship(s) are awarded annually to a Grafton County resident. Students must have an agricultural background and be pur-suing a career in an agricultural related in-dustry. Applications are available at nhfarm-bureau.org or call Jeanne Ward, the Grafton County Secretary at 603-638-2282.

Hillsborough County Farm BureauThe Ben Holt Memorial Scholarship is award-ed annually to qualifying students from Hills-borough County. The scholarship is given to a graduating high school senior, undergraduate or continuing education student majoring in agriculture (including pre-veterinary). Prefer-ence is given to Farm Bureau members. For application information please contact, Sean Trombly, the Hillsborough County President at 603-673-4725 or at [email protected].

Merrimack County Farm BureauThe Trudy Gay Memorial Scholarship and the “Chip” McNamara Memorial Scholarship are awarded annually. The application is available online at nhfarmbureau.org or by contacting Todd Larocque, the Merrimack County Secre-tary at 603-225-6396 or email [email protected].

Rockingham County Farm BureauA scholarship is awarded annually to Rocking-ham County students with an interest in studies related to agriculture. To learn more visit nh-farmbureau.org or contact Heather Fernald, the Rockingham County Secretary at 603-679-1066.

Strafford County Farm BureauA scholarship is awarded annually. For appli-cation information please contact the Straff ord County Secretary Kelsey Brown at [email protected] or at 603-988-4202.

Sullivan County Farm BureauA scholarship is awarded annually to graduat-ing seniors who are Sullivan County Farm Bu-reau members or members of their immediate family (usually given to students returning for a second term). Preference is given to students studying agriculture or related programs. In-formation about the scholarship and applica-tion is available online at nhfarmbureau.org.

County Farm Bureau Scholarships

Applicants must be a resident of New Hampshire, and a gradu-

ate of an approved public/private high school with average or bett er grades. Additionally, they must demonstrate ac-ceptance of responsibility and fi nancial need. Applicants must be a full or part-time student at an institute of higher learning. Prefer-ence will be given to those enrolled in an agriculture related study. Applications are available at nhfarmbureau.org and must be submitt ed by April 1. Contact Diane Clary at 224-1934 for more information.

Abbie SargentMemorial Scholarship

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g. Prefer-an agriculture

mbureau.org and must

more information.

DEADLINE EXTENDED

Farmer and rancher delegates to the American Farm Bureau Fed-

eration’s 96th Annual Convention today approved resolutions that will provide the organization grassroots authority to ask Congress to fi nish many measures that remain unset-tled at the start of 2015. “Our delegates are the men and women growing the food and fi ber for our nation and much of the rest of the world every day,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “They have made great strides over the last de-cades in improving their environ-mental performance, in adopting cutt ing edge technologies and tak-ing actions to make sure they can pass their farms and ranches on to the next generation.” According to Stallman, howev-er, these same producers recognize that many of the challenges they face are derived from the federal government’s att empt to overreach in its regulation of land use. “This is particularly true with respect to improper application of federal water rules,” Stallman said. “Our members also want us to con-tinue our eff ort to secure a stable and reliable supply of agricultural labor.” Regarding other policy matt ers, delegates:• Reaffi rmed that farmers’ pro-

prietary data remain strictly the property of the farmer or ranch-er when submitt ed to third par-ties for analysis and processing;

• Agreed that farmers and ranch-ers must have the right to re-move their data permanently from the systems of agricultural technology providers. Members

feel especially strongly about this point given the exponential growth of agricultural data sys-tems and the double-digit pro-ductivity gains they have gener-ated in just a few short growing seasons;

• Opposed state eff orts to dictate out-of-state, farm-level produc-tion practices;

• Reaffi rmed support for produc-er-led and -approved checkoff programs;

• Reaffi rmed support for country-of-origin labeling provisions consistent with World Trade Organization rules;

• Called for a state-led, voluntary pollinator stewardship program to address concerns over recent declines in the populations of honey bees and butt erfl ies;

• Supported the production, pro-cessing, commercialization and use of industrial hemp;

• Called for an end to the Envi-ronmental Protection Agency’s att empts to require permits for farmers to repair erosion dam-age on their property;

• Opposed the current cap on ag-ricultural labor visas under the H2-B program; and

• Called for common-sense re-form in endangered species pro-tection legislation.

A total of 355 voting delegates rep-resenting every crop and livestock sector in the United States deliberat-ed on policies aff ecting farmers’ and ranchers’ productivity and profi t-ability. The policies approved at the convention will guide the nation’s largest general farm organization throughout 2015.

Source: AFBF

Delegates Set Public Policy Positions

More Than Half of Nation’s Dairy Producers Enroll in New Margin Protection Program

U.S. Department of Ag-riculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vil-

sack today announced that more than 23,000 of the nation’s dairy operations – over half of all dairy farms in Amer-ica – have enrolled in the new safety-net program created by the 2014 Farm Bill, known as the Margin Protection Program. The voluntary program pro-vides fi nancial assistance to participat-ing farmers when the margin – the dif-ference between the price of milk and feed costs – falls below the coverage level selected by the farmer. “Enrollment far exceeded our expectations in the fi rst year,” said Vilsack. “We’re pleased that so many dairy producers are taking advantage of the expanded protection. USDA conducted a lot of outreach to get the word out. When you compare the initial enrollment rate for the Margin Protection Program to the longstand-ing federal crop insurance program, where participation ranges from 30 percent to 80 percent depending on the crop, it’s clear that these outreach eff orts made a diff erence.” During the three months of the enrollment period, USDA conducted a robust education and outreach ef-fort to the nation’s dairy producers. The department held over 500 public meetings, sent out nearly 60,000 direct mailings, and conducted more than 400 demonstrations of the Web-based tool designed to help applicants to cal-culate their specifi c coverage needs. Unlike earlier dairy programs, the Margin Protection Program off ers

dairy producers a range of choices of protection that are best suited for their operation. Starting with basic cover-age for an administrative fee of $100, producers can select higher levels of coverage at aff ordable incremental premiums. More than half of appli-cants selected higher coverage beyond the basic level. Dairy producers interested in en-rolling in the Margin Protection Pro-gram for calendar year 2016 can regis-ter between July 1, 2015 and Sept. 30, 2015. To learn more about the Margin Protection Program, visit the Farm Service Agency (FSA) online at www.fsa.usda.gov or contact a local FSA of-fi ce at offi ces.usda.gov. The Margin Protection Program was made possible through the 2014 Farm Bill, which builds on historic eco-nomic gains in rural America over the past fi ve years, while achieving mean-ingful reform and billions of dollars in savings for the taxpayer. Since en-actment, USDA has made signifi cant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk man-agement tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, hous-ing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural Amer-ica. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.

Source: USDA


Eye on Extension

2014 Online Spotted Wing Drosophila Survey Open

UNH Cooperative Extension has opened an online survey of spott ed wing drosophila (SWD) damage on New Hampshire crops. If you were a 2014 commercial New Hampshire grower of any crops that SWD at-tacks, consider following this link and taking the survey. Extension specialists will use the survey results to understand losses and the techniques grow-ers used to plan programs for 2015, and support grant applications. Re-sponses are anonymous. Here’s the link: htt ps://unh.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_57jWdvynbpNVb6Z

Dig Your Garden Series Visions of planting season may keep gardeners warm this time of year, but if you want to learn the rules of gar-dening from the ground up, here’s your chance. Discover the ground rules of gardening in a workshop series be-ginning March 4, sponsored by UNH Cooperative Extension, Rockingham County Master Gardeners, the Massa-besic Audubon Center, and NOFA-New Hampshire. Ron Christie, UNH Cooperative Ex-tension agriculture program coordina-tor, will lead the series, taking garden-ers through every phase of the grow-ing season. There are 11 sessions from which gardeners can choose. The work-shops take place Saturday mornings and Wednesday nights at the Massabe-sic Audubon Center, 26 Audubon Way, Auburn. Each “Dig Your Garden” session is $7 per person or $12 per couple/family. Contact Ron Christie at [email protected] or (603) 679-5616 to register or for more information. The workshops run March through April, designed for both new and expe-rienced gardeners.

The entire series is as follows:• March 18, Containers and Raised

Bed Gardening, 7-9 p.m.• March 25, Pollinators: Good Bugs,

Bad Bugs & Pest Control, 7-9 p.m.• April 1, A Fungus Among Us - Pre-

venting Disease in your Garden, 7-9 p.m.

• April 4, Growing Blueberries, Rasp-berries and Strawberries, 9-12 p.m.

• April 8, Growing Veggies and Herbs, 7 -9 p.m.

• April 15, Growing Tomatoes, 7-9 p.m.• April 22, Season Extension, 7-9 p.m.

UNH Cooperative Extension Schedule of Fruit Pruning Demonstrations

The following fruit pruning dem-onstrations are sponsored by Exten-sion’s Fruit and Vegetable Team. All pruning demonstrations are outside, so be prepared for weather. There is a suggested donation for each event of $5.

March 21 – 10 am – noon, home of Jennifer & Lars Szsatko, 4 Leighton Corner Road, Straff ord.Contact: [email protected] or (603) 749-4445.

March 28 – 9 am – noon and again from 1 – 3 pm, King Street Vineyards – 25 King Street, Milford. Contact: [email protected] or (603) 641-6060.

March 28 – 10 am – noon, Kidder Point, 912 Pleasant Street, New Lon-don. Contact: [email protected] or (603) 796-2151.

April 3 – 5:30 – 7 pm, Brookdale Fruit Farm Packinghouse, 36 Broad Street, Hollis. Contact: [email protected] or (603) 641-6060.

April 4 – 10 am – noon, home of Al Nix Sr., 161 Plummer Hill Road, Bel-mont. Contact: [email protected] or (603) 749-4445.

April 8 – 4:30 pm – home of Joe and Joanne Majewski, Hilltop Drive, Rindge. Contact: [email protected] or (603) 352-4550.

April 11 – 10 am – noon, Chapin Farm, 326 Maple Street, Hopkinton, specifi c to pruning and grafting ap-ples. Contact: [email protected] or (603) 796-2151.

April 15 – 3:30 – 6 pm, Sunnycrest Farm, 59 High Range Road, Lon-donderry, specifi c to pruning and grafting apples. Contact: [email protected] or (603) 679-5616.

April 18 – 10 – noon, Lost Nation Orchard, Lost Nation Road, Lan-caster. Rehabbing abandoned apple orchard. Contact: [email protected].

April 20 – 3:30 – 5:30 pm, Saltbox Farm, 321 Portsmouth Avenue, Stratham. Contact: [email protected] or (603) 679-5616.

From UNH Cooperative Extension Reports

EyF

WALNUT GROVE FARM

EELECTRIC FENCE SYSTEMS

Crash says: “This fence keeps me safe!”

48 Cartland RoadLee, NH [email protected]

John & Laura Gund

By Dr. Deborah Boyd, DVM

One One of my goats is losing hair on her body. What disease of my goats is losing hair on her body. What disease should I be worried about and will my other goats be aff ected?should I be worried about and will my other goats be aff ected?

Hair loss is a common condition in small ruminants, but that’s not a

very diagnostic description. When fol-licles in the skin are damaged, hair will fall out. Equally important is the condi-tion of the skin, if it is crusty, thickened, or ulcerated that can be the root of the problem. It can have vesicles or ab-scesses, and appear completely normal where the hair is lost. Skin condition can help rule out causes, but the best way to determine the origin is to have your vet-erinarian perform diagnostic tests such as skin scrapings or biopsies. A culture can also be performed if bacteria, yeast or fungi are suspected. External parasites, such as lice and mites, are the most common cause of hair loss that I see in practice. Lice are more common in the winter when ani-mals are in close contact in barns or more crowded at feeders. There are two categories of lice—biting and sucking. Lice are species specifi c and are not con-tagious to other species of animals or people. Infected animals will be itchy and may lose hair from rubbing, but the skin will usually appear normal. Very severe infestations can lead to anemia and debilitation. Treatment is an inject-able Ivermectin product or a topical dip depending on whether the infection is caused by biting or sucking lice. Lice are very contagious but severe infections are seen in animals with an underlying illness. A condition called mange, caused by mites also results in hair loss. There are several types of mange—psorop-tic, chorioptic, sarcoptic, demodectic—caused by diff erent mites. The type of mange is diagnosed by the appearance of the mite under a microscope. Signs of mange include severely itchy skin with crusting and hair loss. Lesions can be found across the body but the diff erent types of mange are associated with spe-cifi c locations. Treatment depends on the type of mite but is similar to treat-

ment for lice. Mange can be passed from animal to animal but clinical signs may be present in only one animal in the herd. Again, underlying illness or im-mune suppression will lead to more se-vere clinical signs. Another possible cause of hair loss is ringworm, a fungal infection also called dermatophytosis. It is not very common in small ruminants but causes hair loss in circular lesions. Skin will have papules and crusts but may not always cause itching in small rumi-nants. Treatment is not very eff ective although topical iodine or antifungals may shorten the length of disease. Ring-worm is zoonotic and is transmissible to humans. Ringworm is transmitt ed by direct contact as well as through fomites such as clippers, boots, and barn wood. The fungus can survive in the environ-ment for a long time, making it a chal-lenge to control. Certain nutritional defi ciencies can aff ect the skin and may result in hair loss. Zinc and vitamin A are two of the nutritional defi ciencies that aff ect skin. Animals on a proper diet with access to minerals should not be at risk of nu-tritional problems, but blood tests can determine if the animals have adequate levels of vitamins and minerals. When in doubt, it is always a good idea to have your veterinarian examine your animal(s). A quick response to di-agnosing and treating a skin condition may prevent spread of a contagious pathogen through your animals.

Deborah Boyd (Stepp) received her bach-elor’s degree in biology from the University of Notre Dame and graduated from Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. Af-ter graduation she took a job at the Green Mountain Bovine Clinic in West Chester-fi eld where she works on large animals only.

If you have a question that you would like to “Ask the Vet” please email [email protected] or call (603) 224-1934.

ASKASK the Vetthe Vet

Sullivan County Farm Bureau is very excited about participating in the

Agriculture Literacy program. The pro-gram has been designed by Agriculture In The Classroom as a way to educate school children about how their food is produced. The book, Who Grew My Soup? writt en by Tom Darbyshire has been selected this year to introduce stu-dents about how soup ingredients are farmed. The book is great fun to read and targets students, pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. To ensure more agriculture gets into classrooms, we need volunteers to read, Who Grew My Soup? to students in nearby schools on Agriculture Literacy Day, March 18 or during the week of. However, Sullivan County Farm Bureau would like to get as much agriculture into schools as pos-sible and will encourage volunteers to keep reading, Who Grew My Soup? until the end of the school year. After volunteers are done reading, the book along with a 2015 Educator Resource Guide, will be donated to the school curtesy of Sullivan County Farm Bureau. Supporting lessons and activi-ties are also available online for teach-

ers to use during the school year and for many years to come. In addition to reading the book, some of our volunteers are planning in-teractive presentations. Some are bring-ing a basket of vegetables with the tops still on them, to show students what vegetables look like before being pro-cessed and sold in stores. Other engag-ing plans include providing vegetable seeds for students to plant and grow at home. The Agriculture Literacy program is intended for public and private schools. If you know a student going to a private school we would love to hear from you as well. It takes time to coordinate read-ings so please contact us as soon as you can to get things under way. Please help us make this a great experience for all students to talk about for years to come. Anyone who wishes to volunteer and join us in bringing agriculture into schools, please call Sandy Redlands at 542-8894 or email [email protected], or call Jozi Best at 304-9152. These two volunteers are diligently working together to keep things organized in pursuit of gett ing as much agriculture into schools as possible.

Sullivan County FB SeekingVolunteers to get Ag into the ClassroomBy Cassy SullivanSullivan County FB President


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Maple Producers Honored by NH Legislators Source: N.H. Maple Producers Association

James Fadden, Jr., along with his fa-ther, James, Sr. and his son James,

were honored Thursday, February 19, with separate proclamations from the New Hampshire Senate and House of Representatives. The Fadden fam-ily was recognized for their unprec-edented 7th win of the Lawrence A. Carlisle Memorial Trophy, awarded by the New Hampshire Maple Pro-ducers Association (NHMPA). In tribute to the Fad-den family, Senator Jeff W o o d b u r n a n n o u n c e d the procla-mation on the Senate fl oor followed by a ceremonial p r e s e n t a -tion by for-mer NHMPA President Pe-ter Thomson. In support of the Faddens, there were several NHMPA board members who joined the commemoration in the gal-lery. A second proclamation was is-sued to the Faddens by Speaker Jas-per in his offi ce, along with former Speaker Gene Chandler, other state representatives and maple entourag-es were also present. Governor Has-

san also congratulated the Faddens in a private gathering in the Executive Council chambers. James Fadden, Jr. of Fadden’s Sugar House in North Woodstock, N.H. was awarded the 2015 Carlisle Award on January 24, 2015 at the NHMPA annual meeting. The Fad-den family has won the award seven times for the fi nest quality maple syrup produced in New Hampshire.

Their syrup was select-ed as the best out of nine other e n t r a n t s chosen for the fi nal m a t c h u p . More infor-mation on the contest is available at nhmaple-producers.com. T h e L a w r e n c e A. Carlisle

Memorial Trophy is awarded annual-ly by the New Hampshire Maple Pro-ducers Association for excellence in maple syrup production. This award is to acknowledge and recognize outstanding service and devotion of Lawrence A. Carlisle to the welfare and development of the maple indus-try in New Hampshire.

Govern Hassan congratulated the Fadden family for their unprec-edented 7th win of the Lawrence A. Carlisle Memorial Trophy, awarded by the New Hampshire Maple Producers Association.

Initial Pesticide Certifi cation Training for Private, Commercial, and Those Looking to Receive General Use Permits

This educational program is de-signed to provide introductory

training so that New Hampshire growers may obtain the knowledge, skills and confi dence to take the state certifi cation exam and pass. This training is also to help individuals learn the safe practices of applying pesticides while producing a high quality crop and protecting them-selves and the environment. Training will be off ered in March and April of 2015. If you are looking for instruction for fi rst-time certifi ca-tion or if you would like to receive recertifi cation credits in 2015 to use or purchase restricted-use pesticides this training is for you. Training will be off ered at three

diff erent locations statewide in March and April of 2015.

The Nature Conservancy (Merrimack County)22 Bridge St, Concord, NHMarch 16 & 23 - 5:30-8:30 p.m.Testing: March 30 - 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Keene State College (Science Center Rm 102)March 19 & 26 - 5:30-8:30 p.m.Testing date: April 2 - 5:30-8:30 p.m.

UNH Cooperative Extension1930 Nursing Home Building, 1st Flr3855 Dartmouth College Hwy, Box 5North Haverhill, NH 03774-4909April 7 & 14 - 5:30-8:30 p.m.Testing date: April 21 - 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Advance registration is required for all and space is limited. Cost of the program is $50 per two night session. The testing is an additional fee of $20.00 (covers the application fee for the test) plus there is an additional $5.00 fee for the category. There are required study materials for initial training and the price ranges from $130.00 to $165.00 per set, depend-ing on category. The study materials need to be ordered before class begins and are available at the Education Center, 329 Mast Road, Goff stown, NH 03045. We can be reached by call-ing 351-3831 or 1-877-398-4769. Training combined with individ-ual study has the best track record in preparing someone to take the state pesticide license exams.

In the U.S., maple syrup is usually sold by grade

and color classifi cation. For example, Grade A Medium Amber, is known to be amber in color and rich in taste. Color is used because it has some general relation to the intensity of maple. However, inconsistencies between the grading sys-tems used in maple pro-ducing states, and Canada, cause some confusion. About 12 years ago, the International Maple Syrup Institute, whose volunteer members are maple syrup

stakeholders from the U.S. and Canada, established a committ ee to review exist-ing regulations. After thor-ough review the committ ee recommended establishing a more simplifi ed and uni-form description of grade names and nomenclature for pure maple syrup in both countries. The two key objectives were to elim-inate inconsistent grade names, and to emphasize the taste of the syrup by in-cluding fl avor descriptors. In 2013, the N.H. Ma-ple Producers Association

voted to adopt the pro-posed grade changes. As a result, in 2014 the N.H. Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food went through the rulemaking process and adopted the new grading system this past December. The N.H. Maple Prod-ucts Law and Rules pro-vide maple producers a one year transition period to apply the new grading system. Meaning, in 2015 when purchasing maple syrup consumers may see the old grading system, or the new grading system on containers. However by January 1, 2016, all ma-ple syrup produced in the Granite State must be la-beled with the new grading system. To assist maple pro-ducers with informing the consumers of the system, the Department worked with a local marketing company to create promo-tional items to be used at the point of sale. For more information about the new Maple Grad-ing System, please contact Jennifer Gornnert, Division of Regulatory Service, N.H. Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food at 271-2753 or [email protected].

Maple Grades Have ChangedBy Jennifer Gornnert, DirectorDivision of Regulatory Services


After 44 years at its current location at the University of New Hamp-

shire, the New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (NHVDL) soon will have a new-and-improved home on campus. Construction is set to begin soon on a modern facility that will bet-ter enable the NHVDL to provide essen-tial diagnostic services to the state’s ag-ricultural, veterinary, wildlife, and pub-lic health communities and enrich their contributions to the academic oppor-tunities for students in the university’s biomedical sciences and pre-veterinary medicine programs. “This new facility will provide improvements that will signifi cantly enhance our ability to safely and eff ec-tively aid in the detection and diagno-sis of various animal health issues that arise. With the growth in New Hamp-shire agriculture and the concern over emerging diseases the need for surveil-lance and diagnostic testing is essential

to maintain healthy herds and a safe food supply,” said Robert Gibson, managing director of the NHVDL. The NHVDL is an eff ective partner-ship that is co-funded and co-managed by the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food and the UNH College of Life Sciences and Ag-riculture. It has served the university and the state since 1970, working at the junction of animal health, public health, environmental health, and economic health. The lab provides accessible, timely and accurate diagnostic services for the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets, & Food, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, state and local law enforcement agencies, veterinar-ians, farmers, and other relevant state, regional, and federal agencies. The lab assists the New Hampshire

Commissioner of Agriculture and State Veterinarian in their eff orts to monitor and control important animal diseases. The lab also provides diagnostic ser-vices to hundreds of veterinarians from New Hampshire and New England who use the lab’s histopathology, microbiol-ogy, serology, and necropsy services for the diagnosis of animal diseases in pets, farm animals, wildlife, zoo and marine animals.

“We are excited about the long-needed ex-panded and improved lab facility. The new lab will enhance productiv-ity and expand capac-ity for handling larger livestock -- important for animal agriculture in the state. The new loca-

tion adjacent to the Thompson School will be a huge improvement for farm-ers and other users of the lab’s services. The greatly improved accessibility will likely result in increased use of the lab’s services, which will benefi t animal ag-riculture in the state and region,” said Lorraine Merrill, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Agri-culture, Markets & Food. The $2.5 million project will consist of a one-story, 6,500-square-foot facility located on the Durham campus near the Macfarlane Greenhouses at Main Street and North Drive. “This new facility would not have been possible without fi nancial support from several state and university stakeholders. In particular, NH Sen. Jim Rausch played a critical role in securing $500,000 in state fund-ing that helped make the new facility a reality,” Gibson said. The new facility is expected to be

completed in August 2015 and follows an extensive reorganization two years ago that has resulted in record revenues generated from service fees. “This new facility not only allows us to bett er serve the state and region, but it ensures that our students will have modern facilities in which to obtain hands-on experiential opportunities,” said Jon Wraith, dean of the UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture and direc-tor of the NH Agricultural Experiment Sta-tion. “There are many stakeholders who depend on the New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Whether they are a farmer, a veterinarian, a pet owner, or one of the more than 200 pre-vet and vet-tech students in our college, the lab has far reaching eff ects for them and the state.” The lab contributes to the teaching and advising of students seeking training in the biomedical sciences. NHVDL veteri-nary pathologists and staff are employees in the UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture and assist with the college’s Pre-Veterinary Medicine Program and Veterinary Technology Program. NHVDL veterinarians serve as advisors for pre-vet students in the program, and independent investigation courses are off ered for stu-dents who wish to gain experience in the lab. NHVDL services are made available through the cooperative support of the UNH College of Life Sciences and Agri-culture, the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station, and the New Hamp-shire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food. The New Hampshire Veterinary Medical Association has been a strong partner in the history and ongoing success of the NHVDL and provides support and advice to the lab via a standing advisory committ ee of the association.

UNH to Break Ground on New Facility for NH Veterinary Diagnostic Lab

Hopefully by the time this article and The Communicator goes to print we

will have seen a snow-free, sunny, 30 degree day! Much of January and all of February to this writing have been brutally tough on all of us. Whether it has been braving bitt er winds and be-low zero temps, straining muscles from shoveling out one snowstorm after an-other, or trying to navigate dangerously slick roads; this winter has taken its toll. However, the Straff ord County Farm Bureau Board and friends have put in a special weather request for Sun-day, March 8 for good weather for our Second Annual SCFB Fundraiser break-fast. Regardless of the weather outside, the warmth of friendship and neigh-borliness will be available in ample quantities in the Lee Grange. Breakfast includes scrambled eggs, a diverse ar-ray of pancakes, French toast, bacon, sausage, home fries, baked beans, farm fresh milk, locally tapped maple syrup, coff ee, juice and a few surprises. Al-though arrangements are still being worked on, we are expecting displays by 4-H members and live entertainment. You may recall that for our fi rst breakfast last March, we expected be-tween 60–80 att endees. We blew past that number by 8:30, one half hour after we started serving and reached approxi-mately 371 by noon when we turned off the grills. We are looking forward to building on last year’s success and hav-ing a great event. Proceeds of the SCFB Second An-nual Fundraising Breakfast will be used to support youth in agriculture. In ad-

dition to building our scholarship pro-gram, we are currently working on a matching grant program to support young people involved in and interest-ed in the fi eld of agriculture. Once the committ ee charged with sett ing this pro-gram up has completed the logistics, we will be accepting applications for these matching grants. Following the breakfast, on Thurs-day, March 12 the SCFB Board will be meeting at the Laroche Farm on 41 Ben-nett Road in Durham in the sugar shack on the Laroche Farm. As always, this meeting and tour is open to our mem-bers. Please plan to join us and learn more about the maple syrup production in our area. Our Thursday, April 9 meeting will be held at the Willey Pond Farm in Straf-ford. We will tour the farm and learn about the family’s operation. The board would like to thank Jef-frey Muelenbroek, co-owner of Stud-ley Flower Gardens, Rochester, for the wonderful tour and presentation of the history of this great business during our January 8 meeting. Unfortunately, our February meet-ing scheduled for the New England Butcher Shop in Center Barnstead fell victim to one of those winter storms. At this writing we are hoping to reschedule our visit with owners Russ and Kristi. If you are interested in learning more about any of our upcoming events, intending to att end one, or want to learn more about the benefi ts of membership in the Straff ord County Farm Bureau, please call me at 664-5597 or e-mail [email protected].

News From the Corn CribStraff ord County Farm BureauBy Bruce CilleyStraff ord County FB President

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The $2.5 million project will consist of one-story, 6,500-square-foot facility lo-cated on the Durham campus near the Macfarlane Greenhouses at Main Street and North Drive. The new facility will off er additional space and be confi gured with an effi cient, open-concept design that will allow for more collaboration, cross training and resource sharing. In addition, the college’s wildlife necropsy lab also will be relocated and merged with the NHVDL necropsy space.


FUSION: Farmers United

Skills, Inspiration, Outreach & Networking

February February 13-16, 2015, Nashville, Tenn.13-16, 2015, Nashville, Tenn.

The FUSION conference lived up to its title, and “fused” all three Farm

Bureau programs together. It was the fi rst leadership conference of its kind that brought Women Leadership, Young Farmers and Ranchers as well as Promotion and Education programs together to network, learn and inspire. And for me, it certainly succeeded in those goals. It was truly the strongest and most useful of any conference I’ve ever at-tended. The sessions and networking opportunities certainly built fresh un-derstanding and new “lightbulb” in-sights that enhanced our understand-ing and leadership abilities, while launching us forward united. The “Track Objectives” at the con-ference included Advocacy, Business, Collegiate, Communication, Educa-tion, Leadership, Rural Development and Technology. I primarily att end-ed Promotion and Education (P&E) workshops with the notion of acti-vating such a program here in New Hampshire. Roy Williams of Grafton

County shares this goal, so we careful-ly planned which sessions to cover in an eff ort to glean as much as possible from this learning opportunity. Both Roy and I arrived early on Friday, February 13 in the afternoon to att end the State Promotion & Educa-tion Coordinator Meeting. During this session, we learned that only seven states have an offi cial P&E program at this point, but many of the states

represented were in the process of or-ganizing, including Rhode Island. All had opportunities to relay their activi-ties, plans and challenges. Naturally though, each has unique circumstanc-es, as well as much in common. Throughout the conference, the importance of telling our stories was emphasized over and over as well as encouraging farmers to open their barn doors to make a diff erence for both ourselves and consumers. I had conversations with Chris Hoff man, chair of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) P&E Committ ee, in addition to listening to him (even questioning him) in breakout sessions. He was consistently very clear that he and AFBF were being very careful to make sure that in no way would P&E weaken nor replace nor diminish any Women’s Leadership program. After att ending many workshops at FUSION, it appears to me that New Hampshire can benefi t from a P&E Committ ee by focusing on one project at a time. Meanwhile, other programs

such as the Associated Women can also continue pursuing their goals and methods of promoting, educating and advocating. As a member and Vice Presi-dent of the Associated Women of the New Hampshire Farm Bureau, I also sought contacts with women leaders. To gain as much information as possible, I coordinated with the Associated

Women President Ruth Scruton on which sessions to att end. Highlights of the conference were the three keynote speakers, three men from entirely diff erent back-

grounds. They were superb at bringing almost out-of-breath laughter, holding your breath suspense, tears, headshak-ing nods, “yeahs” and “amens.” One of the never-to-forget parts was when we agreed, with hands in the air, and committ ed to never say nor think: #1 – “That’s not my job” and #2 – “I wish I had…” The underlining message was in order to make a diff erence and be a leader, it starts from within. Inspired, I took that message to heart and stepped up by deciding to tell my story online by using social media interaction. Shortly after FUSION, I created a Twit-ter account. I plan on connecting with Senators and members of Congress by this means. We were taught that staff on the hill pays att ention to those who they already know, through social me-dia and other forms of communica-tion. It is my hope that this online pres-ence will be an advantage in the future when dealing with crucial issues. It is impossible to do justice to the inspiration received from the gifted motivational speakers. Coinciden-tally, that is just it. They convinced us that each one of us is gifted, with tal-ents to share, to be / do / make some-thing really special. I hope to be able to convey that enthusiastic spirit with county Farm Bureaus, establish a P&E program and focus on moving the concept forward in a positive direc-tion. While in the midst of rescheduling fl ights out of the paralyzing icy condi-tions of Nashville, I shared my overall

thoughts of FUSION with a couple of our Young Farmers. I told them that if we all go home bett er people, deter-mined to discover and rediscover our own gifts, strengths, and even weak-nesses to improve ourselves — our

lives will be shinier examples. Wher-ever we are and wherever we go, we will ultimately improve our commu-nity and Farm Bureau as a whole. With that in mind, the conference was worth the investment.

By Jozi By Jozi BestBestVice President of the Vice President of the Associated Women of the NHFBF Associated Women of the NHFBF

The FUSION Conference brought together Young Farmers, Women Leadership and Promotion & Edu-cation programs, to inspire and develop att endees’ skills. Nine NHFBF members travelled to Nashville to advance their talents to be bett er and do bett er. Chris-tina Murdock (left to right in the photo above), Jay Pritchard, Leandra Pritchard and Jozi Best, exhibiting their FUSION enthusiasm!

Photo: Maureen Duff y

Keynote speaker, Keni Thomas expressed his pas-sion for his mission in life - bett ering the lives of others by motivating them to see their potential. He emphasized the importance of knowing what it means to be counted on and sett ing a positive ex-ample for others to follow.

Photo: Maureen Duff y

While dining out at the conference center, Jozi’s FU-SION skills shone through. After striking up a con-versation with Vanessa, the waitress (left), there was discussion about food production. The two agreed that food options are worth celebrating along with a reliable resource to aid in decisions.

Photo: Christina Murdock

Young Farmer Focus on FUSION

Nine members of the New Hampshire Farm Bureau at-

tended the FUSION Conference held in Nashville, Tenn. Represent-ing the Granite State was Roy Wil-liams, Glen Putnam, Ruth Scruton, Jozi Best, Zach Mason, Jay and Lean-dra Pritchard, Maureen Duff y and me. FUSION opened my eyes to the many facets of leadership. Conference training consisted of nu-merous breakout sessions and three inspirational speakers who shared their passion, comedy, and straight-up ways on how to bett er ourselves. I learned to become a bett er ag-ricultural advocate and how to build relationships with state and federal policymakers. In doing that, there was a focus on technology (i.e. blogs and social media) to get the good word out about farming and the im-portance of doing so. In addition, it was emphasized that the more posi-tive agricultural information there is online and in person, the bett er our

industry will be as a whole. I att ended a session called, “Navigating the Generation Gap,” which I found very interesting. For the fi rst time in history, four genera-tions are in the workplace together, each with unique values, motiva-tions and perspectives. In this in-formational session, I learned the worth of generational diff erences and to tap into the contributions of each age group in eff ort to benefi t everyone. FUSION emphasized the im-portance of improving ourselves by means of learning. The more educat-ed we are and the more we know, the bett er we will be. Not only will we be bett er people, but bett er lead-ers for our community and country. I learned a lot from att ending FUSION, including how incon-venient winter travel can be. But besides the snow and ice making travel diffi cult, FUSION was truly an inspirational experience!

By Christina MurdockBy Christina MurdockYoung Farmer member Young Farmer member

Christina Murdock and Jay Pritchard at the FUSION Conference general session.


New England institutions spend an estimated $1 billion

each year on food, according to a recent report by Farm to Institu-tion New England. That fi gure represents a signif-icant and largely untapped mar-ket for New Hampshire’s farmers and food producers. Selling to this market could create growth op-portunities and a more-diverse customer base for local food and agriculture businesses. Farm to Healthcare eff orts are gaining ground across the nation as food-service directors try to meet consumer demand for fresh, local, sustainably grown food. New Hampshire hospitals such as Dartmouth-Hitchcock are increas-ing the local food in their cafeteria off erings. Others, including Con-cord Hospital, go a step further by

also hosting on-site farmers’ mar-kets or employee Community Sup-ported Agriculture (CSA). Farmers and food producers who want to sell to institutional customers face two barriers. The fi rst is time. Identifying the food buyer in an organization, then con-necting with them in a way that helps them understand the pro-ducer’s business and production practices are time-consuming. The other barrier is pricing. The group-purchasing power of national food-service-manage-ment companies demands prices much lower than small farms and producers can meet. Yet, creative food service directors have freed up additional budget room with alternative solutions, such as cut-ting food waste costs and reevalu-ating menu options. So how can a small producer chip away at these barriers? One answer: Build relation-ships with institutional food buy-ers and chefs.

Bob Perkins, owner-operator of Autumn View Farm in Pitt sfi eld, seized an opportunity last year to connect with the food director at a nearby hospital. Bob completed the Farm to Healthcare questionnaire, a tool developed by the New Hamp-shire Community Loan Fund and Healthcare Without Harm to help connect producers with food-ser-vice buyers. Autumn View’s prod-ucts caught the eye of the Concord Hospital food director, who invit-ed Bob to contact him. During the 2014 growing sea-son, the farm and hospital tested their new relationship. Bob devel-oped a product list and handled delivery, invoicing and price ne-gotiations. Bob explained how the relationship developed over the growing season, from small quan-tities to larger quantities and more variety. The next steps in the pro-cess are to meet in the next month or so to set up planning for the fol-lowing season.

Local produce is now part of the food service menu at the Concord Hospital thanks to the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund and Healthcare Without Harm program. After completing a question-naire, Bob Perkins of Pitt sfi eld (left) was assisted by Charlene Ander-sen, the manager of business education with the Community Loan Fund to help make a worthwhile connection.

Good Food for Hospitals, Good Business for Farmers

Robots milking cows - there’s noth-ing quite like it. In fact it is prob-

ability one of the greatest engineering phenomenons of our time. Ten months ago Tullando Farm in Orford, N.H. invested in this tech-nology and the operators have been working with its sophisticated capa-bilities ever since. During a recent tour of the farm, the New Hamp-shire Young Farmers learned more about this type of precision farming. Third generation farmer, Nate Tullar showed the group around his fam-ily’s farm and discussed this cutt ing edge technology. Cows walk into the milking ma-chine on their own accord and the robots know what to do. Once the cow enters the parlor, a robotic arm swings down and starts brushing the teats, followed by a laser, which

reads the tag and identifi es the cow. All production information on that cow is then recorded. After scrub-bing and disinfecting is complete, the cups latch onto the teats and begin milking. It’s absolutely fascinating to watch the machines work! On average each cow is in the parlor for just over seven minutes and produces about 30 pounds. The robotic milkers record data on each individual cow, enabling Tullar to make precise herd management de-cisions by assessing production ef-fi ciencies. The computer can detect any abnormalities, check the cow’s health and off er an exact period of time when optimal insemination should take place. With eight milking machines, Tullando Farm is able to milk 450 Holsteins, which frees up at least

three workers. It may take time before automat-ed milking machines are the norm

on New Hampshire dairy farms. But watching this technology at work can captivate any audience.

Milking With RobotsStory & Photos by Maureen Duff yNHFBF Communications Director

By Charlene AndersenManager of Business Education, Community Loan Fund’s Business Finance team

Nate Tullar (blue jacket) of Tullando Farm in Orford, New Hampshire discussed the automated milking machine with fi ve Young Farmers (a Farm Bureau program for agricultural producers and enthusiasts between 16-35 years old) on March 1. The group watched the robots take on the job of milking approximately 450 Holsteins.

The walkthrough design (above photo) allows cows to freely walk into the unit. Once in the area, the cow is milked by the robotic system, which collects information on each individual cow. Data such as milk yield is gathered and is immediately available to view on a computer screen (inset) near the machine. Nate Tullar of Tullando Farm toured several diff erent farms across the country with robotic systems before making a decision to invest in eight Lely Astronaut machines. The comfortable Holstein herd can be viewed from a balcony above the robotic system (far right photo).


NeNew w England

SAVE the DATE!Saturday, July 11, 2015 Northwinds Farm North Stratford, N.H. Whose farm skills reign supreme? Find out at the New England Young Farmer Summer Games! Come one, come all New England Young Farmers! Put your skills to the test with some friendly competition. Join in on the fun and get your Games on! Events include the fol-lowing: hay bale toss, obstacle course, dizzy bat, and more!• Come as a team or by yourself• Pre-register with your T-shirt size• Teams of six people, two must

be women• Participants must be 16

years or older• Children under 16

years are welcome. There will be mu-tual babysitting, as well as junior events for kids.

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gsomee and fol-on! Events include the

toss, obstacle and more! by yourselfour T-shirt sizee, two must

be 16

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Find the most up-to-date information on the 2015 New England Summer Gamers on Facebook.

Young Farmers Donate to David’s House

Growing through ACTION, leading

through SERVICE — the New Hampshire Young Farmers (Farm Bureau program for agricultural producers and enthusi-asts 16-35 years old) put their mott o to work by selling raffl e tickets to benefi t David’s House. The group went and visited the House on March 1 and donated a $645 check to this amaz-ing home-away-from-home for families with sick children. There are 20 bedrooms that can be used by families with children receiving treatment through the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

David’s House came to be, after a boy named David Cyr went through a three-and-a-half year struggle with Acute Lymphatic Leu-kemia. He saw the need for such a residence for families to be together when children are in the hospital. Although Da-

vid passed away at age fi ve his family kept his dream alive and built the house. Since open-ing the doors to David’s House in 1986, nearly 13,000 families from 42 states and 25 countries have called David’s House their home-away-from-home.

Story & Photos by Maureen Duff yNHFBF Communications Director

The Fear of Running Out of FarmersBy Stewart TruelsenAFBF Focus on Agriculture - February 18, 2015

A demographic study of farming and ranching in Wyoming fore-

casts there will be no operators under the age of 35 by the year 2033. The study in Rangelands, a publication of the Society for Range Management, found that the average age of farmers has increased in every county in Wyo-ming since 1920, and will reach 60 by the year 2050. Based on these results, the authors predict a bleak farming fu-ture for Wyoming and the rest of the country where trends are similar. Believe it or not, the fear of not hav-ing enough farmers and ranchers has been around as long as the fi rst county Farm Bureau, founded a litt le over a hundred years ago in Broome County, New York. The concern back then was that too many young men were leaving the hard life of farming to seek gain-ful employment in the big cities. Farm Bureau was formed out of a desire to make farming more socially and fi nan-cially rewarding. The exodus from farms and ranch-es continued, however became far less worrisome because of mechanization and the tremendous increase in farm productivity. In fact, the pendulum swung the other way. During much of the 20th century there were too many people trying to make a living from farming, and too much land was in production. The aging of the farm workforce became noticeable in the 1950s and has continued relatively unabated ever since. The average age of farmers was

48.7 years in 1945, the fi rst year it was offi cially reported in the Census of Ag-riculture. The average age now is 58.3 years. The share of farmers age 65 and older was 14 percent in 1945: It is now 33 percent. Only 6 percent of farmers are under the age of 35. Do all these numbers spell big trouble for the nation’s agriculture? Not necessarily; the entire American workforce is aging. By the year 2020, 25 percent of the labor force will be over 55, up from 12 percent in 1990. Agriculture, real estate and education are the three employment categories with the highest number of workers over 55. An older agricultural work-force is nothing new, at least not in the last half century. Generally speaking, today’s 65-year-old is bett er educated, health-ier and more willing to extend their working years than seniors in the past. It seems fair to say that a 58-year-old farmer today is comparable to a 48-year-old farmer in 1945. According to the Stanford Center on Longevity, agriculture will need to rely on a larger share of older workers and use them as well to train young workers. The U.S. birth rate is projected to average 4.6 million per year from 2015 to 2060, that’s more than the peak year of the baby boom. American agriculture has a re-cruiting job to do, but it has never been in a bett er position to convince future generations to become farm-ers and ranchers.

For the past several years, agriculturalists have been told they need to share their story with the general public. But one social media specialist says it’s really about learning, sharing and connecting. Seanica Ott erby has more.

As the saying goes, it’s not about what you say, but what you do. Social media specialist Dan Toland says that’s the key for those in agriculture to connect with consumers.

It’s how you prove yourself. Be your authentic self, backup what you say with your actions online, and show that you authentically care, and that goes a long way.

Toland says it’s easy to see through facades online, so it’s very important for agriculturalists to be authentic. He says connecting through social media provides a learning opportunity.

Social media is quickly evolving. There’s no way that what we’re doing today is going to have the same eff ectiveness fi ve years down the road. So, it’s about constantly learning and having that att itude of there’s something new I can learn today, there’s something I can change, there’s something I can do to bett er connect with people using these platforms.

Toland says the Internet is more important today than ever before and is one good business practice.

Good businesses that tell their stories the right way online, that con-nect with their audience, are the ones that will keep moving ahead to being players in the future.

Seanica Ott erby, Washington.

Ott erby

Toland

Ott erby

Toland

Ott erby

Toland

Ott erby

Share, Learn & Connect Through Social MediaNewsline 2-24-15

Vice President of the Associated Women of the NHFBF Jozi Best, is passionate about educating people about agriculture and uses social media to do so. To intrigue or start conversa-tions with followers, Jozi takes photos with her smart phone of her farm animals, (as seen with the ewe and lamb in the photo to the left) and post them on Facebook. She will often use clever captions such as, “This litt le lamb knows where her food comes from…Do you?” Jozi recently joined Twitt er and plans on connecting with policymakers in this manner.

David’s House volunteer, Elizabeth Schelhorn (center) accepted a dona-tion of $645 from the New Hampshire Young Farmers (left to right), Brian Matarozzo, Christina Murdock, Amy Gowell Drogue, Leandra and Jay Pritchard. The Young Farmers raised funds for the purpose of donating to this home-away-from-home.


New Hampshire Discussion Meet Competitor Perspective

By Amy Gowell DrogueNHFBF Young Farmer Chair and state Discussion Meet Winner

Thomas Jeff erson once said that: “Ag-riculture is our wisest pursuit be-

cause it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happi-ness.” As a Founding Father, he knew agriculture was vital to a strong and vibrant nation. Jeff erson’s wise words are still true today and were evident at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 96th Annual Convention. As the winner of the New Hamp-shire Young Farmer Discussion Meet, I had the great honor of representing our state on a national level in San Diego, Calif. from January 9-14. I participated in the Discussion Meet and competed with fellow young Farm Bureau mem-bers from across the country. Discus-sion Meets are very challenging, yet it enables participants to fully engage all of their knowledge about agriculture. Young Farmers and Ranchers that com-pete in this competition should be very comfortable with public speaking and be able to cooperate with the opinions of others. State winners advance to the national competition and start with two rounds. The winner of each round then advances to the next level. Those who advance to the fi nal four compete and showcase their skills in a fi nal discus-sion. This year’s winner was Sean Ari-ans of Illinois. As the top contestant, Sean has a choice of either a 2015 Chev-rolet Silverado or a 2015 GMC Sierra, thanks to GM.

For me as a Young Farmer from New Hampshire, the Discussion Meet was a very educational experience. The fi rst Discussion Meet round that I par-ticipated in was about whether federal-ly owned lands should be transferred to private ownership or stay in government control. In this round, I had the honor of talking about the subject with a Young Farmer from Iowa, who advanced to the fi nal four. The second round I was in, the panel discussed whether or not there should be a national livestock in-surance program implemented into the farm bill. Although we had this ques-tion at the state competition, I found the discussion very diff erent at the national level. It was challenging to keep partici-pants on task with the subject at hand, since most wanted to discuss what they were fa-miliar with – crop insurance. As a competi-tor, it was my job to try and bring the sub-ject back on track, which was a bit frustrating. The New H a m p s h i r e Farmer Bureau

competed in all Young Farmer compe-titions. Achievement Award winners, Adam and Patricia Crete and Excellence in Agriculture award winner, Christina Murdock, DVM, proudly represented the Granite State. It is important that New Hampshire Young Farmers have the opportunity to compete against other states around the country. New Hampshire agriculture is extremely im-portant to our state and we have a lot to off er. As a Young Farmer, I felt very priv-ileged to experience the national compe-tition. However, at times I felt frustrated that most of the other competitors in the Discussion Meet did not actually farm. Agriculture has a very diff erent mean-ing to those who live it each day – 365

days a year. Moreover, I look for-ward to giving back to the New Hamp-shire Farm Bureau by working with next year’s Discus-sion Meet winner to prepare them for the 2016 American Farm Bureau Dis-cussion Meet. There was em-phasis on tradi-tion, perseverance and vision at the Conference that encouraged pride among farmers for

their contributions. With that in mind, I think Jeff erson would be proud of the farming community in its eff orts to strengthen our country.

96th AFBF Annual Convention

Amy Gowell Drogue represented New Hampshire in the AFBF Discussion Meet in San Diego.

Christina Murdock, DVM, presenting her Excellence in Agriculture presentation.

March/April 2015The Communicator

Barrett Hill Farm - MasonThe LeClairs - 878-4022 barrett [email protected] or visit our website barrethillfarm.comBeef, pork and lamb.

Beryl Mt. View Farm - Alstead John & Hazell Fuller - 835-6509USDA vacuumed packed Beefalo and grass fed on the farms in S. Acworth & Alstead.

Bonnie Brae Farms - PlymouthHenry Ahern - 536-3880 bonniebraefarms.comFarm-raised Red Deer venison, velvet antler, hard antler and hides. Also breeding stock. The deer are primarily grass and hay fed. USDA inspected.

Bokaja - Webster648-2520 or 470-6276Local turkeys - various sizes

Bo-Riggs Beef - SullivanTiff any & Dana Briggs - [email protected] Angus beef, from Bo-Riggs Catt le Company, we deliver in south-ern NH, now shipping UPS, monthly specials.

Coppal House Farm - LeeJohn & Carol Hutt on - [email protected] certifi ed pasture raised lamb and pork products. All cuts are fl ash frozen and vacuum sealed. Various cuts available at the farm stand, but special requests are fi lled when avail-able.

Diamond B Farm - New DurhamMeghan Bickford - 762-0190 or [email protected] natural, pasture raised beef, pork, chicken, turkey and eggs. Visit our website at htt p://www.bickfordsdia-mondbfarm.com for more information.

East Hill Farm - TroyDave Adams - [email protected], half, or individual cuts avail-able of pork, beef, lamb and goat.

Eccardt Farm Inc. - WashingtonGeorge, Sandy & Ryan Eccard495-3830 or [email protected] home grown grass fed, USDA certifi ed beef. We have an array of steak cuts and roasts all vacuum packed for longer freshness. Lamb & pork when available.

Elior Acres, LLC - BradfordDenise Renk - [email protected] or visit our website EliorAcres.comUSDA heritage pork and goat. Heri-tage Chocolate Turkey, Rouen Duck, and Buckeye Chicken.

Far View Farm - Langdon Marilyn Stuller - [email protected] - naturally raised on pasture. Icelandic lamb is naturally lean with a mild fl avor.

Fitch Farm - CornishJim and Sue Fitch - 675-9391 fi [email protected] fed Highland beef.

Green Bough Farm - N. HaverhillJustin Smith - [email protected] fed and fi nished highland beef. Pasture raised heritage hogs and pas-ture range chicken, heritage turkeys, ducks and geese.

Haines Hill Farm - WolfeboroCharles & Erica Horsken - [email protected] Angus/Herford cross beef, pork, chickens. Beef and pork by the whole animal, ½ or ¼, some cuts in-dividually and chop meat. Chickens sold individually. We will also cus-tom grow an animal for you. Beef and pork processed by a USDA approved butcher, Windham Butcher Shop, chickens processed by No View Farm.

Hazzard Acres Farm - Springfi eldDonna Abair - [email protected] Pork all born and raised here on the farm.

Hurd Farm LLC - HamptonSteven Hurd - [email protected] and pork as whole, halves or indi-vidual cuts. Whole chicken and eggs.

J₊F Farms Inc. - DerryMelissa Dolloff - [email protected] cuts of frozen beef.

Miles Smith Farm - LoudonBruce Dawson or Carole Soule783-5159Locally raised beef in retail packages with USDA labels.

Old Orchard Farm, LLC - MadburyGray Cornwell - 866-0464 or visit our website at oldorchard.farmFree range heritage turkeys.

Paradise Farm - LyndeboroughWayne & Adrienne Colsia - [email protected]% grass-fed beef, grass-fed lamb, pasture raised pork, free-range eggs, all natural goat milk

Partridge Meadow Farm - WestmorelandRichard & Susan Paul - 399-4876 [email protected] raised Belted Galloway beef.

Pinewoods Yankee Farm - LeeTina Fott ler & Erick Sawtelle 659-8106 or [email protected] fed beef. Belted Galloway and Angus crosses. Individual retail cuts and custom cut sides. Find us on Lo-cal Harvest and Facebook.

Remick Country Doctor Museum Farm - Tamworth

Sheena Harte - [email protected] ground beef, breakfast and sweet Italian sausage.

Rocky Knoll Farm - SurryMike & Kim Parrott - 352-2102kparrott @ne.rr.comProudly off ering all natural frozen beef, pork breakfast sausage, sweet Ital-ian sausage and hot Italian sausage.

Rocky Road Tunis Farm - BathDeb Robie - [email protected] Lamb.

Run Away Farm - OssippeeDave Babson - [email protected] raised beef. Fed grain, hay and grass only.

Shepherd’s Hut Market - GilfordJeff & Joyce Keyser - 527-1873 or 393-4696 or [email protected] ed USDA freezer lamb. Various cuts fresh frozen and vacuum sealed.

Stonehedge Farm - TamworthPeg DeLong - [email protected] - various cuts or groundMutt on - ground or stew meat

Song Away Farm – LoudonSteve & Kay Doyon731-0405 or emailFarm raised rabbit meat. Our rab-bits are born and raised on our

farm and are fed a varied diet of an organic barley, organic wheat and sunfl ower fodder, a high protein (18%) high fi ber alfalfa pellet and an unlimited amount of high qual-ity locally grown hay. All meat is vacuum sealed to maintain fresh-ness. Check out our website at son-gawayfarm.weebly.com and “Like Us” on Facebook.

Temple Mountain Beef - TempleMark Salisbury - 878-4290Beef by the side – cut and packaged to order.

Manning Hill Farm - WinchesterSarah Costa - 239-4397Grass fed heritage beef, pasture raised heritage pork, by the individual cut or in bulk-half and whole sides. Pasture rasied whole roasting chickens.

Northwinds Farm – N. StratfordScott and Heidi Mason603-922-8377 or email [email protected] inspected, vacuum packed beef, lamb and veal. Sold by the side or cut. Also available through the Barn Store of New England in Salisbury, NH.

Top of the Hill Farm - Wolfb oroAlan Fredrickson - [email protected] - pasture exposed and all natural by the piece, 1/4, 1/2 or whole

Trombly Gardens - Milford673-4725Beef, pork, lamb and chicken

Windy Hill Natural Beef-JacksonHank Peterson - 383-8917Beef - 1/4 or 1/2 for sale. Orders ac-cepted year-round for fall delivery.

Yankee Farmers’ Market - WarnerBrian & Keira Farmer - 456-2833 yankeefarmersmarket.comOff ering farm raised, all natural cer-tifi ed USDA buff alo, venison, elk, grass fed beef, lamb, chicken, turkey and pork.Our farm has an on farm store open year round, distributes to retail and wholesale acounts, off ering a wide variety of individual cuts

NHFBF Meat ListingNHFBF Meat ListingMighty Meats Mighty Meats

The NHFBF Meat Listing is a member benefi t. If you are a Farm Bureau member and would like your farm added here and on the Farm Bureau website please visit nhfarmbureau.org. Under “agriculture” on the naviga-tion bar, simply click on “meat list” and click on the “Join the List” butt on.

March/April 2015

A veteran farmer, in sharing his thoughts on the bill, summed it up well. He and his wife did not come from farm families and started their farm from scratch. He said that when they start-ed out they, “were lucky to have other farmers to look up to. We wanted to be like them; we in no way expected any special treatment, and got none, and it in no small way is the reason we have been successful.” He went on to say that, “I can imagine no greater way to stagnate agriculture than to lower the bar, and that is just what HB 660 would do.” To give an idea of the reach of the bill, according to the most recent USDA Census of Agriculture conducted in 2012, 4,391 farms were recorded in New Hampshire. A total of 264 had sales valued at $100,000 or greater, that’s six percent of New Hampshire farms. In addition, it means that at least 94 per-

cent of farms would be exempted from complying with the array of regulations covered by the bill. If the $100,000 fi gure was reduced to $50,000 as has been sug-gested, still at least 90 percent of farms would be exempted from regulation, as only 437 had sales exceeding $50,000. The percentages of exempted farms would in reality be even higher as cen-sus sales fi gures include sales of items not intended for human consumption such as ornamental crops and animal feed, which HB 660 excludes from the defi nition of food. Farm Bureau policy generally sup-ports minimizing regulation. We seek fl exibility in the law and feasible ways to meet acceptable safety and steward-ship standards. Farm Bureau does this in many ways - including urging state agencies to practice education over en-forcement wherever possible. We also do it through our work and support for numerous laws including: exemptions in food safety laws for farmers selling direct to consumers, labor laws which provide numerous exemptions for farm employers – including the children of employers where hazardous work is not being done, and in environmental statutes where we regularly work to

limit regulation on agricultural activi-ties provided best management prac-tices are followed. A good example of our current work in this area is HB 372, relative to certain private employers under workers’ com-pensation, an issue specifi cally included in HB 660. HB 372 was introduced at the request of Farm Bureau by Representa-tives Bob Haefner (R-Hudson) and Tara Sad (D-Walpole). The purpose of HB 372 is to fi nd a cost eff ec-tive means for very small farm enterpris-es to pay for work-ers’ compensation coverage. Under HB 660 employers would simply be exempt from providing any coverage. This would leave employees with no coverage for work injuries and farm em-ployers open to civil suits. Because of the complexities involved with the issue Farm Bureau requested, and the House Environment and Agriculture agreed to hold HB 372 for further study. This was done in order to fi nd an acceptable solution that works for both employees

and employers. It should also be noted that Farm Bureau is part of a business coalition formed to address broader is-sues surrounding the cost of workers’ compensation. The coalition supports SB 3, the Fair Medical Billing Act, which requires the Insurance Department to set rates for medical services provided under workers’ compensation. Farm Bureau is an organization made up of farmers from farms of many

varying sizes (big and small being rela-tive terms) we strive to ease regulations for all farmers where we deem it reason-able. Providing op-portunity for every-one wanting to farm is what we strive for, absolving farm-ers from any and all responsibility is not

what we are about. HB 660 simply goes beyond what we believe is necessary and reasonable. For weekly reports on Farm Bu-reau’s legislative work subscribe to the Friday Review by contacting the offi ce at 224-1934 or [email protected].

HB 660 – Supports Irresponsible Farming Practices

It sends the wrong message, particularly to young and beginning

farmers, regarding minimum food safety, just treatment of labor,

and good business, resource, and husbandry

practices.

- continued from front page

Be Careful What You Ask For…By Steve CrawfordState Veterinarian, NH Department of Agriculture, Markets, and FoodThis is an approximation of a talk Dr. Crawford gave to the Granite State Dairy Promotion annual meeting in February 2015.

Farmers farm because they want to. But the way they do it is (largely)

driven by what consumers want and will pay for and by what regulations require them to do. Agriculture is at a unique and challenging place. For years, we have lamented the lack of comprehension among the public about what, why, and how we do things to produce their food on the farm. But…be careful what you ask for. The public is very interested in these things now. Indeed, surveys confi rm positive public impressions of agricul-ture with most consumers in the state supportive of agriculture. This interest and support comes with the obliga-tion of everyone in agriculture to have clear conversations with our consum-ers about their questions and concerns. This can cause some great discomfort, can take a lot of time, and can occasion-ally lead to combative relationships. But it can also gain and solidify the sup-port that the public wants to have for agriculture. The public has strong opinions about agriculture. Without farmer par-ticipation, people may seek informa-tion to support their opinions rather than develop their opinions based on information. Worse yet, without farmer input, regulatory agencies and others may rely solely on assumptions and perception of risk by “the concerned public” rather than data to put policy, regulation, or papers (to aff ect policy and regulation) in writing. If we don’t take the time to educate the public, the things that consumers and the public want farms to do might become what regulations require them to do. I am asking each of you to be a bit more involved in this conversation. I often start mine with, “I live in the same community, same state, same en-vironment that you do. I am a father, husband, son, brother, neighbor. My loved ones and I eat and drink just like you. We have access to the same food and water sources as you. My loved ones and I suff er the same eff ects as

you when any of these causes harm. Protecting and safeguarding my loved ones comes before all else. I have the same concerns for my loved ones that you do for yours. I will not use or ad-vocate anything that I believe poses an unacceptable risk to my loved ones. I go to the farmers’ market; Sam’s Club; the grocery store; and my neighborhood market. I have a garden and occasion-ally I eat fast food. I believe everything in moderation is a prett y good way to live. You have a question about food or farming. Let’s talk about…” As farmers who talk to your con-sumers, you are all of these same things. And you can add one exceptionally im-portant thing that further bolsters your credibility – “I am a farmer who is pro-ducing your food.” Use your position and the respect it commands to contrib-ute to public discussions. These are a few of the ongoing dis-cussions in animal industry that are either regulations-say-you-will issues, consumers-want-to-know discussions, or may shift from the latt er to the for-mer if we don’t participate in the dis-cussion.

• New Hampshire still does area tu-berculosis (Tb) testing each year. We may be the only state that still does this. Regulations say that we shall maintain surveillance ade-quate to fi nd new cases early and to maintain disease freedom lest every catt le owner be subject to various new regulatory obligations. Mini-mum surveillance levels needed to maintain free status are far greater than we would achieve, as most states do, through slaughterhouse surveillance and export testing alone. USDA recognizes this and allows New England to be treated as a region for surveillance data col-lection. If we take away our own Tb testing program, this would mean we essentially rely on industries in other states to maintain our disease status.

• Every eight years updates and re-visions to our animal importation regulations, Agr 2100, are required. This process is just beginning for 2015. This and other animal health regulation is likely to get more chal-lenging as USDA roles change with the expectation that states will as-sume more of the responsibility for implementation and enforcement. Again, these are things-you-will-do, so input from livestock and poultry owners will help guide nec-essary improvements.

• Prudent antibiotic use is another subject that has been ubiquitous in recent times. No one can dispute that antibiotic use can contribute to antibiotic resistance. No one can dispute that any antibiotic use – in food animals, humans, household pets, horses, fi sh, fruit production – can contribute to antibiotic resis-tance. Any illness caused by antibi-otic-resistant bacteria is a dreadful thing. Dealing with a death would be unimaginable. Zero risk of such

illness or death is an unachievable standard, so it is necessary, and very uncomfortable, to understand that there will always be some ill-ness regardless of how discussions about antibiotic use and regulation move along. There is a legitimate public health concern and conver-sations should be open and rea-sonable. Among the most valuable pieces of information anyone can contribute to these discussions are denominators. Numbers can lack perspective without something to which you can relate their scale. You may not have all the answers – no one does – but hard questions are fair.

Farmers are among the busiest peo-ple around. Farmers are also among the most valuable participants in conversa-tions about agriculture. If you are not a participant in conversations that inter-est the public, you may just be the recip-ient of new policies and regulations the public believes are in your best interest. Be an active participant.


Cryptosporidium is a con-cern for farmer. It is a

microorganism that causes gastrointestinal illness in farm animals and people alike, and can create devastating herd health issues and economic adversity. Cryptosporidium was in the limelight in 1993 in Milwau-kee, Wisconsin when 400,000 people were sickened with diarrhea from the microor-ganism within a few days. Of those, 40,000 sought medical att ention, 4,000 were hospital-ized, and 69 died. Since then, there has been much debate within the medical and sci-entifi c communities as to the source of the infection. It was clear from early in the out-break that a water treatment facility had failed. However, it remains uncertain if the Cryp-tosporidium that was in the water supply (Lake Michigan) originated in sewage dumped into the lake, or washed into the lake from a nearby dairy farm. Back in 1993 we did not have the analytical tools nec-essary to determine the source of the contamination, today the technology of DNA se-quencing permits the identifi -cation of the source. So what is Cryptospo-ridium? It is a member of a large group of single-celled parasites known as “Apicom-plexa,” a single cell that has more similarity to the cells in your body than one celled or-ganisms like bacteria, yeast, or fungus, and basically no resemblance to a virus. For this reason, Apicomplexa are known as “protozoa,” and the vast majority of the ap-proximately 4,000 species are not medically signifi cant and only a few species cause much human misery and death. Apicomplexa are classifi ed as parasites, because they cannot grow and reproduce outside of their host (victim). Unlike most other dis-eases caused by Apicomplexa, Cryptosporidium does not need to cycle through a second spe-cies of host (such as mosqui-toes in the case of malaria) to complete its life cycle and reproduce. To leave one host (victim) and move to another

host, Cryptosporidium forms an environmentally highly resistant “spore” that is for-mally called an “oocyst” that passes out of the host in fecal material One species of Cryptospo-ridium, C. parvum, infects both

people and catt le, and it is this species that is, or should be, of particular concern to farmers. C. parvum infects almost ex-clusively calves less than two months old, along with hu-mans of any age, and it moves easily between calves and other calves or between calves and people by direct contact or by contact with contami-nated surfaces, equipment, or soil. C. parvum is so common that almost all dairy animals everywhere in the world carry evidence of past infection by C. parvum. C. parvum is known as a highly infective pathogen. By this, we mean that you can be-come sick if you ingest as few as two C. parvum oocysts. Infection can occur in oth-er ways. In one particularly well documented case, chil-dren visited a farm, but were not near any animals. Instead, they played in a sand bank near a creek. The children all became infected with C.

parvum. An investigation re-vealed that manure from the calf pens had been carried by rain runoff into the creek and the C. parvum had collected in the sand bar when the creek was full of rain runoff . The chance of becoming infected by C. parvum is very small if you observe good sanitation procedures. But you might want to think twice if you have visitors come to your farm, and develop a plan for insuring that they do not become sick. You may be as-sured that if they do, investi-gators from the CDC will be knocking on your door, and

your ability to continue “busi-ness as usual” may be inter-rupted by FDA sanctions and restrictions, depending upon the severity of the event. C. parvum is extremely re-sistant to all cleaning agents, disinfectants, and antibiotics that are safe to use without

special HazMat training, and also to many that are too toxic and hazardous to use any-where except in the research lab. This makes water purifi -cation diffi cult and problem-atic. As a result of this resis-tance, once you have an in-fected calf in a pen, the walls or fence around that pen, the soil under than pen, and any housing in that pen is con-taminated, and the only thing that will decontaminate it is time, dryness, and exposure to sunlight (but this may take many months, and is extreme-ly variable), or mechanical re-

moval of oocysts by pressure washing all the surfaces in the pen (hutch, fence, feeding equipment) and replacement of the soil. This may be one reason that calf ranches that systematically move their calf pens to ground not recently used, and pressure-wash their

calf hutches often have lower death rates than those calf ranches that have fi xed pens. There is one drug ap-proved for use against Crypto-sporidium, but its eff ectiveness is controversial at best, and the general consensus in the veterinary community is that the drug is not eff ective at all when administered to calves. Because of the extreme variability in its DNA, no vac-cines have so far been brought to market to protect calves or people from Cryptosporidium, but this may change as we im-prove our abilities to design and produce vaccine compo-nents using genetic engineer-ing. Due to the unique way in which Cryptosporidium infects the cells that form the lining of the intestine, combating an es-tablished Cryptosporidium in-fection with drugs appears to be unlikely until we achieve a much bett er understanding of the biochemistry of the inter-action between the host cell and the invasive Cryptosporidi-um organisms. Given that there are only a few research labs in the world that work on Crypto-sporidium, we may not have eff ective drugs against Cryp-tosporidium for many decades to come. Therefore, let’s hope as science evolves so does the chances of combating Crypto-sporidium improves as well.

Roy Williams is a Molecular and Cellular Biology Program doctor-ate student with the Department of Genetics, and Department of Biomedical Data Science at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College in Hanover. Roy’s background in dairy pro-duction inspired him to continue his formal education and conduct research in microbiology. He is also a member of the Grafton County Farm Bureau board.

By Roy WilliamsGrafton County FB board memberArticle condensed by Maureen Duff y

The illustration above (from the U.S. Center for Disease Control) shows the Cryptosporidium life cycle.

Cryptosporidium: This Seldom-Identifi ed Common Pathogen can Make you Sick and Kill Your Calves


FOR SALEFOR SALE: Makita Generator,G 4300L, several years old, but never used, $900 and a Fillrite fuel transfer hand pump, used very litt le, $60. Call Peter Renzelman of Al-stead at 603-313-4990 for more information.

FOR SALE: Local sheepskins in a variety of colors (black, gray and white) and sizes; ideal for chairs, rock-ers and rugs. Prices range from $55 to $105, based on size. Call 603-329-6363 in Hampstead for more information.

FOR SALE: Herd Dispersal - 12 Huacaya alpacas for sale. 8 female; 4 male. ARI Registered, $6000 or best rea-sonable off er, contact Tom at 603-267-5905 for more in-formation.

FOR SALE: Get ready for winter, with a set of four 14” steel wheels. They came off a Hyundai Accent. There’s not much life left on the tires - 185/65 R14. But if you want to mount snow tires on them, they will save you a lot of money every year! Asking $100 - call Mike at 603-344-6686, Canterbury.

FOR SALE: Old Ford Model A parts (front end, trans-mission, frame, radiators, no bodies), Buick wood spoke wheel rear end. Contact Charles Jaworski in Boscawen at 603-753-9547 for prices.

FOR SALE: 1987 GMC pickup truck, half-ton, 4-wheel drive, 350 automatic. Runs but needs work - $1000. Also, Chevy pickup truck for parts - $500 or best off er. Contact Charles Jaworski in Boscawen at 603-753-9547.

FOR SALE: Raw alpaca fi ber and roving - great for spinning - $1.50 oz. - $20 lb. - call 267-5905.

FOR SALE: Large concrete garden/yard statues, $100 each – peacock, raccoons, Rott weiler and wolf. Oak wood sled with heavy steel runners, $100 OBRO. Beautiful an-tique cookstove with water jacket in excellent condition, made in Somersworth Foundry, $850. Contact Sharon at Blessed Acres Farm by email farmerpatt [email protected] or call 603-652-7315.

FOR SALE: Farm on Sam Plummer Road in Milton, NH. A solidly built Gambrel with a new kitchen and bathrooms on 18 acres. Comes complete 24 x 36” newly roofed barn that has 3 rubber matt ed stalls with room for 3 more. Fruit trees and bushes. Six acre lot across the road. Plenty of room to get off the grid, trail ride, and grow your own. Price drastically reduced to $360,000. For more information: htt p://147samplummerrd.utour.me/ or call Brian Spielvogel, Keller Williams Coastal Re-alty at 603-923-8421.

FOR SALE: Round grass hay bales for sale 50 avail-able located in Sugar Hill, NH $35/bale bring your trailer and we will load. Also available 20 wrapped in plastic of winter rye $45/bale. Please email Rebecca for additional information.

FOR SALE: Att ention spinners, shepherds and 4-H-ers: Inexpensive alpacas for sale, starting at $100, with quan-tity discounts. Appropriate as fi ber animals, pets and/or fl ock guards. Females and males, some with show rib-bons, yearling to adult. Contoocook Alpaca, LLC, Hop-kinton, 746-3385

FOR SALE: Terrifi c opportunity, great location for tree farming on 105 acres in Sanbornton, N.H. Natural ponds and several buildings, needs TLC. Available for sale, lease, or swap. Call Alice at Choice Realty - 603-540-2273.

FOR SALE: Ag land in Gilmanton. 17 Ac in fi elds; two wells; building envelope for ag buildings; easy access; high visibility; farmstand potential. $64,900. NH Conser-vation Real Estate, 603-253-4999.

FOR SALE: Draft team harness biothane $1,200, single draft harness $800, two bridles draft $75 each, three col-lars (not sure of size) $65 each, two wooden skids $100 each. Contact Marilyn of Chester, NH via email at [email protected].

FOR SALE: We’re down-sizing our alpaca herd and

YOU can benefi t from that! We can put a small herd of 3-5 (including a fantastic herdsire) together for you or you can pick which one or two you’d like. We’re fl exible on the prices because we’re motivated to reduce the herd. Please check our website, htt p://www.alpacastreet.com/camelotalpacafarm.asp or call Carol at 603-267-8251.

FOR SALE: Antique Houghton road cart in excellent condition. It has always been stored inside. Asking $1000 or best off er please email Melissa at [email protected].

FOR SALE: 84.9 acres of pasture and woodlands with view of Connecticut River in Piermont, N.H. Frontage on Route 10 and River Road. Asking $159,500 and for more information please call Ron or Jim at 603-744-2686 or 603-455-5959.

FOR SALE: Stone Fork - 2003 Vreten S1350S 13 tines with 3.15” spacing, 53” wide. Lightly used, very good condi-tion. New $1795. Asking $1000 or best off er, call 603-756-3948 for photos and info. Ask for Paul or Virginia of Walpole, N.H.

FOR SALE : Post Hole Digger - 2003 Landpride #PD-25 with 3 augers (6”, 12” & 24”) incl. storage stand. Good condition, works well. New +/- $2000 asking $1000 or best off er. WALPOLE - Call 603-756-3948 for photos and info. Ask for Paul or Virginia

FREEFREE HORSE MANURE: Center Conway horse farm has manure to get rid of. Call Pete 603 682 3284

WANTED

WANTED – Plow truck for Winsdor Hills Camp and Retreat Center in Winsdor, N.H. Truck will be used mainly on camp property and does not need to pass in-spection. This non-profi t, Christian camp can provide tax deduction documents up to the full appraised value of the donation. A partial cash payment is available in ac-cordance with the overall condition of the vehicle. Call Dennis at 603-501-8338.

USED ELECTRIC HAY ELEVATOR: minimum size 16’ - please call Pete at 603-682-3284

HAY FIELDS: Looking for hay fi elds to cut and main-tain in the Belknap and Grafton counties. Contact Rick at 603-744-0719.

SEEKING TAPPABLE SUGAR MAPLE TREES to lease for the future in the Pitt sfi eld/Loudon/Gilman-ton area. Would like to have anywhere from 100 to 1000 taps with the option for vacuum collection. Vacuum is not a must but would be preferable. Property owner will be compensated with syrup or cash for taps. Price per tap depends on vacuum or gravity. Sugaring operation owned and operated by responsible tree farm and farm bureau members. Please contact Journey’s End Maple Farm at 603-435-5127.

HELP WANTEDHELP WANTED: Sanborn Mills Farm is seeking individu-als with a serious interest in developing the skills needed to produce food. The Sanborn Mills Farm Internship is a 12- to 16-week program. The target start date is early May and the target end date is late August or early September. One to two posi-tions are available for the summer of 2015. This is a full time internship, estimated at 40 hours per week with some weekend chore duties included. For details about the internships avail-able at Sanborn Mills Farm please visit sanbornmills.org/in-volve-yourself/internships/. Deadline for applying is Monday, March 16, 2015 (postmark deadline)

Please prepare an application packet that includes:1. A complete resume outlining your education and work experience.2. A writt en statement (maximum of one page) that out-lines:

• What you hope to gain and accomplish during the Internship.

NHFB’s Farmers’ Market is a free classifi ed ad service to all NHFB members. If you have something to sell, buy or trade, this is your place to get noticed. Ads can be emailed to [email protected] or faxed to 228-8432. Want more information? Call us at 224-1934.

Farmers’ Market Classifi edConnecting NHFB members with what they have to sell and what they want to buy.

• The specifi c skills and abilities you feel you will bring to the Internship.

3. Two lett ers of recommendation that speak to your character and commitment to sustainable farming.

If submitt ing electronically, please email as a combined PDF fi le no larger than 3MB to: [email protected] submitt ing as hard copy, please mail the complete packet by the postmarked deadline to: Tom McQuade, Farm Educator, Sanborn Mills Farm, 7097 Sanborn Rd, Loudon, NH 03307

HELP WANTED: Seeking an experienced farm-hand with the ability to do carpentary work and gen-eral maintenance around the farm on a part-time basis. Contact Joanne or Art of Pembroke, N.H. at 603-225-7024 for details.

SERVICESREAL ESTATE: MARKETING/SALES - BUYER REPRESENTATION – CONSULTING. Helping to keep farms farming. NH Conservation Real Es-tate; Tom Howard, Broker. 603-253-4999.

BOOKKEEPING SERVICES: Let us handle your pile of receipts. Accounts Payable/Receiv-able, QuickBooks, Financial Reports. Email [email protected] or call 603-598-6620.

BARNS & CUPOLAS, REBUILT, RE-PAIRED, REMOVED: Call Mike Kirwan at GHE Repair 603-817-8838. Fully insured - gherepair.com

ANNOUNCEMENTSHIVE HEALTHY 2015 - ADVANCED BEE-KEEPING CLASS - March 28 9 am–4:00 pm Jerimiah Smith Grange Hall, Lee Hook Rd. Lee NH, Course will cover: re-queening, reversinglaying workers, fi nding the queen, feeding for fl ow & supering, mites and much more! Cost: $50 per person for one day course. Send payment to: Wen-dy Booth, 37 Swan Drive, Nott ingham NH 03290 Call 603-557-7468 or email [email protected] to reserve A SPOT - HiveHealthy.com

HERB & GARDEN DAY 2015 – Sat. June 6 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. - McLane Audubon Center, Concord, N.H. Explore the power of plants with your com-munity. Learn more at nhherbalnetwork.word-press.com/herbday


Learn More about the NHPGA, visit NHPGA.org

How to Hire the Right Employees the First Time.

By Patrick McGuiness So you are in need of some new employees. You need them to start soon, as in now. There is work to be done and the hiring process takes too much time. Ok, STOP. Hiring the wrong employees quickly will cause you to spend tenfold the time dealing with them later. You know the employees I am talking about because you have them on staff currently. You spend more time deal-ing with the mistakes from one bad em-ployee than you do dealing with all of your good employees. Put a stop to this merry go round of bad hiring by putting a process in place. It is simple and can prevent headaches in the future by helping you hire competent, re-sponsible workers. Follow these steps and you will be on your way to solving many of your future employee related problems.

Patrick McGuiness

Take the time to set up the process. I know you are in a hurry, but if you need employees immediately, use a labor agen-cy. To truly hire the right people, force yourself to take the time to set up a hiring process. Write a good job description. Draft a job description that tells a little about what the job entails. Nobody wants to work in an unfriendly, not fun work environment, so don’t make your job description sound that way. Set a deadline for applications and list what materials the applicant should submit. Have an interview process. Work with an attorney or HR consultant to develop a set of questions to ask each candidate you are interviewing. Set a time limit for each of the interviews and stick closely to it. The idea is to create a level playing field for the candidates so they can be evaluated objec-tively. For the interview, come up with questions that will give you clues to the candidate’s abilities to perform well on the job you are hiring for.

Consider a simulation. It can be a good idea to include a simulation as a part of the job interview. Have the candidate perform a simple task that would be a part of what they would be doing for the job. It could be as simple as changing the spark plug on the cement saw, or having them show you how they would load/unload the truck. Just make sure it isn’t something that is going to injure them during the interview. Also, make sure you have everyone you inter-view do the same simulation so that you can accurately compare their abilities. What not to do. Do not hire someone that is very similar to you, unless of course the job you are hiring for is the same as yours. Look for skills and traits that will work well in the job being hired for. Do not assume that you will have an epiph-any when interviewing people. The process should be put in place so that you can ob-jectively evaluate and rank all of the candi-dates. Assuming you will ‘know it when you see it’ can leave you asking who was the best candidate after all the interviews have been completed and you haven’t had that ‘a-ha’ moment. Do not hire friends of current employees. Sure it is fine if you do this after the friend has gone through the same application pro-cess as all the other candidates and then ends up being the best suited for the job. However, do not simply rely on your cur-rent employee’s recommendation that their friend is a great worker. Chances are your employee is looking out for their friend’s interest more than they are looking out for your bottom line. Follow these steps and you will be on your way to setting up a great hiring process. It will eliminate headaches further down the road, and yield quality workers to improve your bottom line. This article provides general information on employment law matters and should not be relied upon as legal advice. A qualified attorney must analyze all relevant facts and apply the applicable law to any matter before legal advice can be given. Patrick McGuiness is a partner at Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC. His law practice focuses on assisting small busi-ness owners on a wide range of legal issues. He can be reached at [email protected]. If you would like more information regarding employment law or other legal matters, please contact Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC at 651-206-3203 or www.zmattorneys.com.

Join NHPGA Members in Supporting the

NH Horticultural Endowment Retailing the NHPGA’s

All Purpose Container Mix At your Farm Stand or

Garden Center will benefit the NH Horticulture Endowment.

The NHHE grants money annually to benefit horticultural research in New

Hampshire. For Information on carrying this

product, please contact: -Sun-Gro Horticulture (800) 732-8667 -J&F Farms (603) 437-0535 -Griffin Greenhouse Supply (800) 888-0054


in the in the North CountryNorth CountrySuccess

SugaringSugaringStory by Maureen Duff yStory by Maureen Duff yNHFBF Communications DirectorNHFBF Communications Director

After winning, “Best of Show” with their light amber in the North

American Maple Producers competi-tion and the New Hampshire Maple Producers Association’s Carlisle Trophy in 2002, the Fullers rightfully own their tagline – Best in New Hampshire, Best in the World. Reaching this rank from in-dustry experts has been a highlight for the Fullers but they like to credit the area with its great soil and pure water for growing superior trees. Most people never have the chance to make their dreams come true. But Dave along with Patt i made it hap-pen. “I’m living the dream,” Dave says proudly. “I get up every morning and think this is what I always wanted to do.” Inspired by studying maple pro-duction at White Mountains Regional High School, Dave had his fi rst com-mercial maple crop in 1973. He had 200 taps and buckets, producing 40 gallons of maple syrup. During that time, Dave recalls thinking: “What are we going to do with all this syrup?” Times have changed since Dave was 17 years old, with visions of a few hundred taps and hopes of sugar-ing full time. Patt i joined the quest for the best maple syrup after mar-rying Dave in 1974. At that time, their sugarhouse was a half mile in the woods and they were new-comers to the in-dustry. They were eager to learn and were always keen on respecting and listening to in-dustry elders. Now that Dave is one of those seasoned maple producers he is often asked questions. “They want his opinion,” said Patt i. “It’s an important part of learning the business, to respect the knowledge of others and to retain as much as you can.” Since their h u m -ble beginnings, the Fullers have ac-c o m -pl i shed a great deal. In 1997, the Full-

er’s Sugarhouse was built just off Route 3, and they started boiling in 1998. Patt i started working full-time making candy and taking on additional admin-istrative and fi nancial tasks at the sug-arhouse. Once everything was in place, Dave hung up his hammer in 2002, as a carpenter and to this day considers it his best move ever. It is season 42 for the Fullers and with each season there is change. Dave isn’t particularly fond of change but recognizes that as the industry evolves so must his business. “I don’t like change,” said Dave. “However, I’ve be-come more tolerant because the indus-try demands it. Every year we have to assess the need for new technology and equipment. For example, a new genera-tion spout may increase production by ten percent. Considering that, we need to analyze technology and determine if it makes economic sense.” Patt i used to think Dave’s requests for new equipment was just him want-ing a new toy. “I don’t have that philos-ophy anymore,” said Patt i. “I trust his judgment because he knows if the new technology will make a diff erence. My

job is to fi gure out how we can aff ord it.” The Fuller’s Sugarhouse business continues to grow and develop, and they are consider-ing adding 15,000 taps to their current 10,500, producing 4,000 gallons of syrup. But with that comes a chain reaction of increasing equipment and labor costs. And it’s tough to fi gure out if making these changes will be worth it. In eff ort to assess the company criti-cally and to aid in fi scal decisions, the Fullers work with a business coach once a month. “This service has been very helpful to us looking at the business in

a diff erent light,” said Dave. Dave and

Patt i decided long ago to keep their standards high and pride themselves on quality and service. But in order to do that over the years, they needed to seek help from others. It was an impor-tant lesson for Dave and Patt i to pass tasks on. “We hired a marketing com-pany this past year because we don’t

toot our own horn,” said Patt i. “They produced a video and a tagline – Best in New Hamp-

shire, Best in the World. Now we have people planning their vacations around visiting our sugarhouse. Having a mar-keting company brand our product has helped our business dramatically by in-creasing wholesale and retail sales.” Diversifi cation has been part of the Fullers’ ingredient for success. They do everything from selling maple equip-ment along with installations to wed-ding favors. Other areas of the business

off set and help dramatically when one is not doing as well as the other. They do private labels for restaurants and companies wanting to promote them-selves with maple syrup. In addition to the private labels, restaurant demand is also increasing. “With the local food movement we are

noticing more restaurants purchasing bulk syrup as well as an increase in the ingredient market,” said Dave. “Grano-

la companies and breweries are adding pure maple syrup to their products, which adds that local touch.” The Fullers are at a point where they are think-ing about retirement. “We are working on Patt i’s exit strat-egy,” said Dave. “While on the contrary, I would like to get back into the woods, I’ve been in the offi ce for quite a few years and I would like to get back to where it all be-gan.” Perhaps times are

changing again. But for these two veter-an maple producers the ride to success has been full of challenges, ingenuity and achievements.

ble beginnings, the Fullers have ac-c o m -pl i sheda greatdeal. In1997, theFull-

reaction of increasing equipment and labor costs. And it’s tough to fi gure out if making these changes will be worth it. In eff ort to assess the company criti-cally and to aid in fi scal decisions, theFullers work with a business coach oncea month. “This service has been very helpful to us looking at the business in

a diff erent light,” said Dave. Dave and

visiting our sugarhouse. Having a marketing company brand our product has helped our business dramatically by in-creasing wholesale and retail sales.” Diversifi cation has been part of the Fullers’ ingredient for success. They do everything from selling maple equip-ment along with installations to wed-ding favors. Other areas of the business

has been full of challenges, ingenuity and achievements.

Tis the season to have a drill in hand. Fuller’s Sugarhouse employee, Dan Tewksbury tapping trees in the North Country. Photo: Fuller’s Sugarhouse

Fuller’s Sugarhouse is easy to fi nd along Route 3 in Lancaster and is a common stop for maple syrup connoisseurs. For those looking for tubing or sugaring supplies, Dave has much to off er in the supply shop (right photo).

Dave & Patt i Fuller

- continued from front page- continued from front page


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The Annual Spring Literacy Pro-gram will launch on March 18, Na-

tional Agriculture Day, with Who Grew My Soup? by Tom Darbyshire. This delightful tale begins with a young boy questioning what his mother put in the vegetable soup, which ends up as an adventure to learn about the veg-etables and local agriculture. In the boy’s quest, he visits nearby farmers and gains an appreciation for how car-rots, tomatoes, corn, peas, and potatoes came to be part of his vegetable soup. New Hampshire Agriculture in

the Classroom has prepared an Edu-cator’s Resource Guide to accompany the book as a way to expand upon the lessons learned in the book. This year, we have condensed the lesson packet to just a few pages taking advantage of online resources making the guide easier to use, lowering the cost and perhaps creating less waste. The book lends itself to several diff erent educa-tional avenues, so we have included lessons and activities in a few diff erent areas. We address the crops themselves with a planting activity and a lesson

discussing what parts of the plant we actually eat. Another focus is on nutri-tion with MyPlate lessons helping stu-dents to explore the food groups and various health benefi ts. A third excit-ing area is where the foods are actually produced. Thanks to the Farm Bureau, we have cre-ated a MyPlate poster high-lighting New Hampshire farms where a commodity from each food group is produced. A blank tem-plate is included so classes can determine food sources within their own county. In order for the Annual Spring Literacy Program to be a success, we need vol-unteers from around the state to contact their local classrooms and arrange for a time to visit. Armed with a copy of the book and the Educator’s Resource Guide, the volunteer’s school visit typically begins by reading the book to the class and then perhaps leading a supplemental activity to enhance what was learned from the story. The books and the accompanying materials are available from New Hampshire Agri-culture in the Classroom for a $5.00 fee to cover the cost of the books. At the end of the visit, the book and the Edu-cator’s Resource Guide are donated to the classroom or the school library for future learning. If you are interested in helping out, please email us at [email protected] or stop by the Farm Bureau in Concord. There are numerous people and farms that make the Literacy Program possible and for that reason, Agricul-ture in the Classroom would like to ex-tend sincere thanks to Brookdale Fruit

Farm in Hollis and the 1780 Farm in Chesterfi eld for their support of this program. In other news, Agriculture in the Classroom has begun work on this

year’s School-to-Farm Days. Cart-er Hill Orchard in Concord will once again host Mer-

rimack County on May 14. Rocking-

ham and Straff ord County students will

be invited to visit UNH on June 2-4. We are still exploring the possibil-ity of adding Hillsboro and Carroll counties! For those of you not familiar with these events, area fourth grade students visit a

working farm to learn about its day-to-day operations. We supplement the learning experience by including a variety of other agricultural profes-sionals such as beekeepers, maple pro-ducers, dairy farmers, fi ber specialists, produce growers, soil conservationists, etc. There are stations designated for each topic where presenters off er dem-onstrations and mini-lessons on their area of expertise. The classes rotate through all of the stations spending about 15 minutes at each one. The day is a fantastic opportunity for students to learn more about their food and fi -ber systems while using agricultural concepts to bring real life meaning to many core curricula requirements. Last year, over 1,100 students bene-fi ted from these fi eld trips. With your help, we can increase that number for 2015. Please let us know if you are able to help out!

By Debbi Cox, NHAITC Coordinator

“Who Grew My Soup?” the 2015 Ag Lit-eracy book, volunteers are needed to par-ticipate in the Spring Literacy Program.

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AT LEAST HALF OF ALL THE GRAINS YOU EAT SHOULD BE WHOLE GRAINS.

Brookford Farm - Canterbury, NH brookfordfarm.com Luke & Catarina Mahoney

Catarina and Luke had been learning and practicing organic and biodynamic farming on a variety of farms in Russia, Germany and the United States. They met at a farm near St. Petersburg, Russia. At that farm they were exposed to many different aspects of agriculture and sustainable living.

MAKE HALF YOUR PLATE FRUITS.LaValley Farms - Suncook, NH

lavalleyfarms.com Chris & Danielle LaValley

purchased their farm and farmstand in 2006 at the age of 20 and have had many successful produce seasons. They pride themselves in selling only the freshest produce available. They grow the fruits and some vegetables. They sell their produce at their main farmstand in Hooksett. The LaValleys were the recipients of the 2012 New Hampshire Farm Bureau Young Farmer Achievement Award. The award is designed to acknowledge and celebrate those who make their living from the land.

The LaValleys remain true to their motto, “New Hampshire Grown - Period.”

MAKE HALF YOUR PLATE VEGETABLES.

Tracies Community Farm, LLCFitzwilliam, NH

traciesfarm.com Tracie Loock

In 1999, Tracie started growing vegetables in Sullivan

Horticulture at UNH to get hands on experience. In November of 2007 she found a land opportunity in Fitzwilliam. Fitzwilliam Green was looking for a farmer to buy 33 acres of land they wanted to keep in farming by putting a

Sandy Loam, which is prime agricultural soil, rare in New Hampshire. She worked with Fitzwilliam Green and the Monadnock Conservancy to put together an easement that would work for everyone.Tracie and her crew produce vegetables, herbs, and fruits grown with love and without the use of pesticides or chemicals. They use row covers to prevent pests and increase warmth, crop rotations to disturb pest and

disease cycles, cover crops to prevent soil erosion, capture nutrients, and harvest nutrients and organic matter, and compost and other organic fertilizers to feed the soil. The diversity of plants they grow helps prevent pest populations from building up.

PROTEIN IS AN ESSENTIAL BUILDING BLOCK FOR GROWTH.

Diamond B Farm New Durham, NH

bickfordsdiamondbfarm.com Robert & Robin Bickford

TRY TO GET 3 SERVINGS OF DAIRY EACH DAY.

Springvale Farms & Landaff Creamery, LLCLandaff, NH

landaffcreamery.com

Doug and Deb milk about 100 registered Holsteins on 300 acres on their Springvale Farm located in the Amonoosuc River Valley. They are second generation farmers. In 1989 they took over

a value added product that they could sell directly to the consumer. In 2008 they established Landaff Creamery LLC, an artisan cheese making facility where they

based on a traditional Welsh recipe Doug learned from Chris Duckett and Dr. Jemima Cordle at

Diamond B Farm is a family owned farm that has been in operation since 1763. The Diamond B is a continuously growing operation, being managed by Meghan Bickford. They produce beef, pork chickens, turkeys eggs and hay.They currently raise Belted Galloway and Angus cattle, and have a varying number of laying hens, and have a small pig operation. During the summer months they also raise broilers

and they have turkeys available for holiday dinners.

In January 2007, they moved to Brookford Farm in Rollinsford, New Hampshire. Later the Mahoneys found a permanent home for their farm in Canterbury, New Hampshire. In 2012, Brookford Farm moved its entire operation and staff to the new 613-acre site.

farm can grow a greater variety of food.

There are currently four generations of registered Belted Galloways residing at the Diamond B Farm. The herd consists of three different color Belties. Black Belties are the most common, followed by Dun (brown) and Silver.

Accompanying the Spring Literacy Program book, “Who Grew My Soup?” is a “MyPlate” poster that high-lights New Hampshire farms producing items from each food group. A blank template is provided for students to use as an exercise to determine where certain foods come from in their county.


What is Your Superpower?By Diane Clary, NHFBF Administrator

Everyone is good at something, and it may even be considered a

superpower! These powers or talents are part of what makes good leaders that are vital to the future of agricul-ture. Leaders come in many forms with various superpowers. Perhaps your talent is the ability to converse with anyone, putt ing them at ease by fi nding common ground. Or maybe you are creative and like to write, take photos and share your farming experiences with others. These are all leadership qualities important for Farm Bureau to thrive. Consider what your strengths are and how you can serve the farming community through your involve-ment in Farm Bureau. It doesn’t have

to be on a grand-scale, just a step in the right direction. As Lao Tzu, the great Chinese philosopher said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” People of all ages, and from all walks of life, share a common interest in food. In order to continue produc-ing food in a responsible and effi cient manner, it is vital that farmers share their knowledge about what it takes to grow safe, healthy food. Try chan-neling your superpowers by having open and honest conversations with your neighbor or anyone you meet along your way. Show them how passionate you are about what you do and why. Don’t hide your talents, showcase them by stepping up and using your superpowers for good.

“BE A HERO” MEMBERSHIP COMPETITIONPrizes Include:• GoPro Camera for the first

county to meet 5% quota goal

• GoPro Camera for the person who signs up the most members

• Enter to win a $50 Tractor Supply gift card for every member you sign upCompetition Ends June 30, 2015

Be a Hero:• Educate About Agriculture• Tell a Friend• Inspire New Members

Progress will be posted in the NHFB Offi ce, on Facebook & Twitter

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 6, 2015 – Chevrolet is excited to announce the ad-dition of Motor Trend’s 2015 Truck of the Year – the all-new Chevy Colorado – to the list of 80-plus Chevrolet, Buick and GMC vehicles that qualify for a $500 in-centive for eligible Farm Bureau mem-bers. In addition, the new GMC Canyon is now eligible. “Chevrolet is proud to partner with Farm Bureau with its long tradition of supporting American agriculture,” said Ashlee Jenkins, assistant retail advertis-ing manager for Chevrolet. “We are excit-ed to expand our off ering to bett er serve member needs.” Chevrolet is the most awarded car company of the year, and included in that award-winning line-up is the all-new Chevy Colorado. This game-chang-ing truck off ers Farm Bureau members the best highway gas fuel economy of any gas pickup – EPA estimated 27 MPG, available 4G LTE WiFi technology, most advanced available safety package of any midsize truck and the best pickup cover-age. The new GMC Canyon off ers the premium features and materials GMC customers have come to expect, com-bined with capability and versatility in a maneuverable, right-sized package. It off ers both power and effi ciency with an

available V6 with 305 horsepower with an EPA estimated 26 MPG highway fuel economy. With features like the Duralife brake rotors and electric power steering, the Canyon redefi nes the small truck. It was awarded Autoweek’s Best of the Best Truck for 2015. “Providing exclusive access to supe-rior, high-quality brands, programs and products is one of the many ways we strive to exceed member expectations,” American Farm Bureau Federation Presi-dent Bob Stallman said. The new Farm Bureau incentive may be stacked with other available in-market incentives, like Owner Loyalty or the GM Business Choice program. To take advantage of incentives avail-able for the purchase or lease of a quali-fying Chevrolet, Buick or GMC vehicle, members can visit fb verify.com/gm. Only customers who have been active mem-bers of a participating Farm Bureau for a minimum of 30 days will be eligible to re-ceive a certifi cate. Members can confi rm eligibility and print a required certifi cate by entering their membership number and zip code. The certifi cate should be taken to your dealership of choice and presented to the sales person. There is no limit to the numbers of certifi cates that a member may print or use, but certifi cates do expire after 60 days.

Get ready for show season with the Merrimack County Farm Bureau Vet Clinic for Certifi cate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) and licensed rabies immunization. This clinic is for cattle, sheep, goats, swine, equine, camelids (llamas and al-pacas), poultry and ratites participating in the New Hampshire shows or fairs. The CVI remains in force for the entire 2015 show season and rabies vaccines should be given at least 30 days before attending any fairs. Dr. Christian Mur-dock, DVM will administer all vaccines and providing CVI for the cost of a Farm Bureau membership. That’s right – a $145 value for a Farm Bureau membership! For details call Dr. Murdock at (603) 674-9753.

GET READY for 4-H Shows, County & State Fairs

Saturday, June 6 (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.)N.H. Farm Bureau 295 Sheep Davis Road, Concord, NH

Join Farm Bureau to take advantage of this great deal!

LIVESTOCK owners...take NOTE of this cost savings clinic

Vet Clinic forCVI & Licensed

Rabies

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WOW...that’s a $145

value!

Brought to you by the Merrimack County Farm Bureau

Chevrolet Expands Benefi t Offeringfor Eligible Farm Bureau Members

Farm Bureau - The Voice of N.H. AgricultureMarch/April 2015

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The Many The Many BENEFITSBENEFITS of Farm Bureau of Farm Bureau

Farm Bureau members receive a 10% discount on Carhartt apparel at Grainger The Barn Store in Salisbury and Osborne’s Agway locations in Hooksett and Concord. Present your membership card at checkout.

Health & dental insurance available for qualifying Farm Bureau members. Call NEEBCo, our

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Farm Family Special Rate Plans for NHFB MembersFarm Family Casualty Insurance Company off ers two special rate plans for NHFB members personal auto,

SFP-10® and Country Estate insurance!

The personal auto special rate plan will represent about a 5% savings on your Farm Family personal auto policy if it’s associated with an active NHFB membership. The SFP-10® and Country Estate special rate plan will aff ord about a 3% savings on your Farm Family farm policy if it’s associated with an active NHFB membership.

Please contact your local Farm Family agent for special rate plan informa-tion. To fi nd an agent in your area call:

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Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance Coverage provided with membership at no additional cost.• Base loss of life benefi t - $5,000• Yearly benefi t increase with on-time membership dues payment - $500

Call the NH Farm Bureau at 224-1934 to receive your prescription card.

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NHFB members receive $300-$500 off Farmall, Maxxum and more! Visit: fb advantage.com - Enter your membership ID number and zip code to print a certifi cate to use towards your next Case-IH purchase. Print before heading to your local dealer.

Special Insurance

Rates

All Farm Bureau Members are entitled to a minimum of 10% off everything at Grainger. And YES, Carhartt clothing is eligible for the FB discount!

There are just over 1,700 items available, ranging from sweatshirts to jackets to overalls and coveralls.

FREE Prescription Drug Card

For information call Joel Bretonat (603) 623-0561 or [email protected].

Life Line Screening can evaluate your risk for most critical – and often undiagnosed – healthcare conditions. Stroke, Vascular Disease and Heart Rhythm Package … $135 for NHFB members. Because you are a valued member of the New Hampshire Farm Bureau, call to make an appoint-ment today and receive a FREE Osteoporosis Risk Assessment.

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Save $5,000 a year on your taxes with AgriPlanNOW.

AgriPlanNOW is a Section 105 health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) that enables family farmers and other qualifi ed small business owners to deduct 100% of their medical expenses as a business expense. Each year, AgriPlanNOW clients average $5,000 or more in savings. How much could you save? Call toll-free at 855-591-0562 to learn more about this savings program or visit our website (bit.ly/VnGekt).

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Polaris Industries Inc., the leading manufacturer of off -road vehicles (ORVs), is proud to announce a partnership with the New Hampshire Farm Bu- reau Federation. This program grants Farm Bu-

reau members an incentivized $300 per unit discount on all Polaris Full Size Utility

& Sport Vehicles (UTV), $200 per unit on all Full Size All-Terrain Vehicles

(ATV) and $300 per unit on all GEM Electric Vehicles. To learn more about eligibility and to print your discount certifi cate, go to www.fb -verify.com/polaris.

rerrrrrrr au membersdiscoun

& Spoon all

(ATVEleabdv

2015 march/april - the communicator

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