Are you a “buzzy” bee?

Attention beekeepers – here is something that won’t “sting” your wallet!

Beginning January 1, 2013 registered beekeepers in Virginia are eligible to apply for the Beehive Grant Program.  The program allows for a $200 grant for each new hive purchased or materials and supplies purchased to construct a new hive. Just keep in mind, the law limits the grant to $2,400 per individual per calendar year.

This is a great opportunity for those of you who make “sweet honey” and need some extra money to help you out.  To learn more or apply for the grant yourself, visit the official website.  And happy beekeeping, to you! Buzzzz….

Frequently Asked Questions to a Lender

What's your rate? How much are closing costs? You got questions. We got answers! At Farm Credit, our loan officers meet with hundreds of customers a year who ask those exact questions. So, what's the answer to those questions you ask?

Q: What are your interest rates? A: It depends. This isn’t the answer most people want to hear, but it’s the most honest one. Before a loan officer can quote rates, they need to gather as much information as possible – amount of loan, loan type, desired terms, etc. There is a wide range of rate products that are available depending on your needs. It’s also important to remember that rates change daily (even several times a day for mortgages).

Q: How much are closing costs? A: It depends. Most closing cost fees are tied to the loan amount, and a purchase has more costs than a refinance. Some of the things that are included in the closing costs are: transfer tax, recording costs (we are exempt in MD), title work, initial escrow (to pay taxes and insurance), appraisal, daily interest (interest from settlement to the first payment) and origination fee.

Q: How much down payment is needed? A: It depends. There are many different products available that have a wide variety of down payment requirements. For farm loans, the general down payment is 20%. For residential mortgages, it can vary from 0% (depending on program qualifications) up to 20% (in order to avoid mortgage insurance). In general, the more down payment you have, the more likely for both approval and a great rate.

As you can see, the answer to many of these questions is often “it depends.” We look at every loan request as unique and individual. If you have other questions you'd like answered, leave a comment or email info@mafc.com. In the meantime, look for our next blog listing the 26 factors that go into quoting a rate.

Soy, corn and peanut crop acreage projected to increase this season in Virginia

This year's crops for soybeans, corn and peanuts are projected to consume more acreage as compared to last year, according to a press release distributed by the  Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Producers of soybeans are planning to drive up the amount of soybean plantings to 590,000 acres, which would be 30,000 acres more than last year's harvest. The data was gleaned from a survey conducted by the Virginia Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, which is a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The survey was administered on March 1.

Corn plantings are projected to encompass 500,000 acres, a climb of 10,000 from last year's crops. Growers of peanuts will plant 23,000 acres, which is 7,000 more acres as compared to last year.

But, despite the climbs of that produce, cotton crops will see a reduction in Virginia, an 18 percent decline as compared to last year's figures.

Nationwide, corn planting has gained 4 percent as compared to last year while soybean figures dropped 1 percent. Wheat plantings gained 3 percent and cotton plantings dropped 11 percent.

Virginia steps forward to support honeybee sustenance

The state of Virginia is doing its part to preserve the strength of the honeybee population in the state as the insect serves an important role in the agricultural industry, The Smith Mountain Eagle reports.

Though the U.S. Congress has not stamped approval on funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to monitor Colony Collapse Disorder, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Virginia Cooperative Extension offer beekeeping courses. Honeybees pollinate crops and concerns for the slimming population have been ongoing for about five years.

"The interest in beekeeping remains strong," apiarist Keith Tignor with VDACS told the news source. "We're seeing more and more local beekeeper associations; in fact, I helped start another one in Fluvanna County … At some of the classes we have had to turn away participants. And the number of hives seem to be stable right now."

CCD occurs when worker bees leave the hives in large numbers, which presents problems for the queen bee and the unborn bees.

Tracking down the missing bees is part of the problem as scientists are interested in knowing the exact reason why the bees abandon the hives.

U.S. ag secretary encourages young farmers, minority farmers at Virginia school

The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture recently visited a university in Virginia to speak about the need to get young farmers going in the industry.

Secretary Tom Vilsack was on the campus of Virginia State University in Ettrick and spoke about how he'd like more young people to pursue a career in farming, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

"We talked about the need to get young people engaged in opportunities in rural Virginia," he said. "We are seeing an increase in interest on the part of younger people in smaller-scale [farm] operations, which is why we put some focus on local and regional food systems."

The average age of a farmer in the U.S. is about 60, according to Vilsack, which is a number he is seeking to lower.

In addition to encouraging more people to get into the industry, Vilsack's choice of Virginia State University will likely help motivate minority farmers to get operations started as the school is a historically black university.

R.F. Turner, a goat farmer who saw the secretary speak, told the Progress Index that he believes Vilsack has a "very sincere commitment to diversity in agriculture."

Virginia wineries contribute $747 million yearly to state economy

The economy of Virginia collects nearly three-quarters of $1 billion per year from the state's wine industry, Governor Bob McDonnell said on Thursday in a press release.

The contribution of $747 million from the wine industry to the state economy represents an increase of 106 percent from figures collected during the most recent economic impact study, which was administered in 2005. The press release did not reference the status of loans for farm land.

"The Virginia wine industry has seen tremendous growth over last few years," the governor said. "From beautiful new wineries starting up to more and more retail outlets and restaurants adding our wines to their shelves and menus, the growth has been very evident even to the casual observer. However, this study clearly quantifies that growth with empirical data and shows the significant economic impact that the industry is having across the Commonwealth."

The governor also noted the state of Virginia is en route to becoming the top locale for tourism for wine and winery on the East Coast.

The economic study also indicated the wine industry provided full-time jobs for 4,753 people, which is up from the roughly 3,100 people when the study was administered in 2005.

International export conference set to benefit Virginia farming industry

Next month will see a conglomerate of government agencies, universities and an advocacy for farming merge efforts to assemble an international trade conference in Virginia, according to a press release.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, the Agricultural and Applied Economics Department of Virginia Tech and the Virginia Port Authority are slated to host the Governor's Conference on Agricultural Trade. The conference aims to assist companies that are embarking on an export supply program while also offering workshops regarding agricultural products' international trade.

"Virginia's agricultural exports are a very bright spot for our farmers and for Virginia's economy overall," said VDACS commissioner Matthew J. Lohr. "Every dollar of exports creates another $1.40 to $1.60 in supporting activities to process, package, finance and ship agricultural products."

Lohr cited North American, Asian, African and European nations as being the ones among the list of recipients of exports from Virginia.

The Washington Post reports Russia presently uses 29 Holstein bulls that were reared in Virginia and exported across the Atlantic last month. April will see 30 additional Holstein bulls exported to Russia.

The conference is scheduled for March 13 and 14 in Richmond.

Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show kicks off in Baltimore

The Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS) - which is known as The Masterpiece of Trade Shows - begins on January 11.

MANTS offers attendees a wide variety of potential purchases to choose from such as nursery stock, equipment (both light and heavy duty), furniture and many more industry and agricultural products.

The trade show began in the early 1970s in Willamsburg, Virginia, and has greatly increased in size in the past four decades. The event is now held in the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore.

Companies from all over the region attend the event and major industry players are on hand to buy items and see exhibits. According to the show's website, 35 percent of attendees are the owners of their operation.

However, MANTS offers a bit more than a standard trade show as a charity auction will be held and a number of major organizations - such as the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association - have their annual meetings at the event. In addition, a gala will take place on January 11 to raise funds for the VNA Horticulture Research Foundation.

The event will run from Wednesday, January 11, to Friday, January 13.

Quarantine approved for five Virginia counties, two cities

The Virginia Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services finalized a quarantine that targets walnut trees last Thursday at its meeting, according to a press release.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced the Thousand Cankers Disease Quarantine for five Virginia counties and two cities. Commissioner Matthew J. Lohr had established the quarantine this past July.

The quarantine is set to become permanent on January 2 of next year after it is published in the Virginia Register.

The effort drives at staving off the artificial dispersal of Thousand Canker Disease, which attacks walnut trees. A fungus is transmitted by the walnut twig beetle and it creates small cankers that develop beneath tree bark

The beetle passes the fungus while boring beneath the bark. Nutrients ultimately cannot be passed and the tree ultimately succumbs to the scourge. Trees die from the top down after having been infested for years prior to demonstrating symptoms.

The counties for which TCD was approved are Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, Goochland and Powhatan. Richmond and Colonial Heights are the cities.

Virginia governor declares December state Christmas Tree Month

Thursday is the first day of Virginia Christmas Tree Month, per the declaration of Governor Robert F. McDonnell.

According to a press release from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the governor and first lady of Virginia are observing the 150th commemoration of the Civil War with their decorations of the Executive Mansion.

Virginia began decorating trees in 1842 when a College of William and Mary professor first presented the German custom to Williamsburg. The trees were laced with popcorn, gilded nuts and lighted candles. By the time the Civil War began, the tradition was well entrenched in Virginia.

The McDonnells' Christmas tree is from Claybrooke Farms in Louisa County. Crazy Joe's Tree Farm in Culpeper is supplying the wreaths and Mill Farm Christmas Trees of Williamsburg is supplying the greenery.

Each of the three purveyors of Christmas goods is members of the Virginia Christmas Tree Association.

The Executive Mansion's Christmas tree and accompanying decorations will be open for public viewing during open houses on December 20 and 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., for which reservations are not required.

Virginia encourages local buying during holidays

Virginians need not leave the Old Dominion during the holiday season for their food and beverage purposes as the state is very well equipped to accommodate them from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day, according to a press release issued by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Virginia peanuts and snack foods produced by Virginia's Finest are perfect to snack on during parades, television specials during the holiday season and football games. Turkey, beef and ham developed in Virginia mesh very nicely with sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin and apples also grown in state for Christmas dinner.

"I think the most challenging part of farming is actually the marketing end of stuff," farmer Zachary Miller with Timbercreek Organics in Albemarle County told NBC29.com.

Supporting the effort to buy local aids municipal and state economies and helps sustain the agricultural industry. Boosting the state's economy by $55 billion per year and providing jobs to 357,000 people, agriculture is Virginia's biggest industry.

Additional ideas include purchasing Christmas trees grown on Virginia farms, oysters and clams from Virginia waters are perfect for New Year's Eve and Virginia vineyards produce many fine wines.

Virginia, Maryland governors aim to open Indian market to state farmers

Farmers in the Commonwealth of Virginia are poised to benefit from spade work performed by Governor Bob McDonnell in India, according to WHSV.

While on a two-week tour of India and Israel, the Republican leader secured additional shipments of Virginia exports to the subcontinent. Virginia poultry farmers view with optimism increased business opportunities to additional countries as well given that roughly one of every five chickens cultivated in the U.S. ends up being shipped overseas.

"You've got countries that are developing their middle classes that have more purchasing power, which will provide a positive opportunity for Virginia-raised poultry products to go into their markets," President Hobey Bauhan of the Virginia Poultry Federation told the news source. "It brings money back into the Commonwealth and to the farm."

India checks in at the 15th largest exporter for Virginia, an increase from the 24th spot the state held in 2008, according to the Washington Business Journal.

McDonnell is not the only mid-Atlantic governor with his eyes set on enhancing trade with India. Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley is scheduled to visit later this month through early December. The Democrat will be accompanied by roughly 100 business, education and elected leaders.

Virginia's workshops for advice on farms, forestland to continue next year

Official efforts to safeguard working farms and forest land in Virginia will continue next year, according to a state press release.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will continue the workshops and listening engagements it has been conducting this year. The topics of conversation circle around preserving forest and farmland and the sessions serve as a resource for individuals in need of advice and assistance.

"The land is our farmers' greatest asset, and often they have an emotional as well as an economic tie to the old home place," Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Matt Lohr said. "The tradition of passing down the land from generation to generation is getting harder and harder to maintain."

He also noted the sessions serve as a vehicle for better informing farmers of the options available to gain a clearer understanding on how best to preserve the land in regard to purposes for business, financial and estate planning. Information about farm credit can also be an important aspect of preserving farms.

The one-day workshops cost $5 in advance. For the next one, scheduled for December 13 at the Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex in Chatham, the registration fee will climb to $10 after December 10.