2014 jan feb communicator

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NH Farm Bureau

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

BRINGING NEWS TO NH FARM BUREAU FAMILIES BRINGING NEWS TO NH FARM BUREAU FAMILIESNew Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation PRSRT STD

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FDA WILL RE-PROPOSE

Federal NewsFederal News

THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE NH FARM BUREAU FEDERATION JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 Vol. 36, No. 1

The future looks bright. New Hampshire livestock producers knew there was a demand for locally raised meat but didn’t have much choice when it came to processing facilities. The lack of infrastructure created a bott leneck situation for years, resulting in a stagnant livestock industry. Now, things are changing. Just over a year and a half ago, there was only one USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) inspected meat processor in New Hampshire. Today, there are four. This is a game changer for livestock producers and local meat connoisseurs. In the above photo, Brian Farmer of Yankee Farmer’s Market, LLC is one of New Hampshire’s major distributors of local meat.

Now That it’s Built — Let it Grow

ABOVE PHOTO

State NewsState News

Page 12

ANNUAL MEETING NOW THAT IT’S BUILT — LET IT GROW – page 19

Farmers Have a Full Plate in 2014

The old expression “The more things change, the more they stay the same,” is fi tt ing as we ring in the new year.

As we begin 2014, farmers are facing down many of the same legislative issues we were a year ago: farm bill, im-migration, waterways infrastructure, taxes and the list goes on. But, while on the surface it looks like not a heck of a lot was accomplished in the past year, in spite of what was a contentious political year, solid progress was made on sev-eral of Farm Bureau’s priority issues.

Moving the NeedleAs the popular Christmas/New Year song goes: “What have you done? Another year over, and a new one just be-gun,” I can’t help but look back at 2013 and think that Farm Bureau defi nitely moved the needle on our key issues. A farm bill will likely be completed early in the new year, the Senate and House passed a waterways bill and the labor issue progressed further than it has in its history. I daresay that the issues on our agenda moved as far, or farther, than those of any other policy advocacy organization. Further, Farm Bureau had a huge judicial win with the Lois Alt case. We joined Mrs. Alt in standing up to the Envi-ronmental Protection Agency when it threatened her with enormous fi nes for ordinary storm water runoff . Unfortu-nately, agriculture is increasingly going to have to use the judicial branch to stop agencies like EPA from overreaching and trying to make political hay by targeting farmers. And rest assured that Farm Bureau will keep working to protect farmers and ranchers on these important issues.

On the Horizon Looking ahead, farmers and ranchers will have a full plate in 2014. In addition to completing the farm bill and imple-menting a new fi ve-year law, passing waterways and port infrastructure legislation out of Congress and continuing our work on ag labor, a lot more work remains on other

Until New Year

Page 5

NO NEW FARM BILL

By Bob StallmanAFBF President

Page 11

WORKING TOGETHER

FARMERS HAVE A FULL PLATE IN 2014 – page 15

COMMUNICATORCOMMUNICATOR

FSMA Rules

AITC meets with National Grange

TheThe

Review

Page 17

NEW POLICY Approved by House of Delegates

Mark your calendar!February 7 & 8

The Communicator

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

An important birthday was celebrated in 2013 that deserves recognition for its past and

future impact on agriculture and open space in N.H. On July 1, 1973, the N.H. General Court en-acted RSA 79-A, the current use taxation law. The groundwork was actually done in the late 60s with passage of a constitutional amendment, proposi-tion to allow land to be taxed at its “current use value,” rather than “highest and best use value.” The simplicity and eff ectiveness of the concept has allowed the law to maintain its support over the years. The original rally cry to pass Proposition 7 in 1968 was emphatically endorsed by Farm Bu-reau and other like-minded organizations as part of the SPACE coalition (Statewide Program of Ac-tion to Conserve our Environment). The law was crafted to provide fair taxation of undeveloped farm and forestland as the Constitution now di-rected. Several other states enacted similar land taxation statutes during that time but N.H.’s ever growing dependence on the property tax to fund municipal services highlights its importance.

Year in year out, preserving and defending current use is one of N.H. Farm Bureau’s highest priorities. Recent years have seen some proposals to meld taxation of certain agricultural structures into the current use law. It has been NHFB’s incli-nation to keep farm building taxation issues sepa-rate from the current use program as it starts to get away from the basic objective of preserving open space. Overreach of program scope could easily lead to dwindling support. Some county Farm Bu-reaus have reached out to landowners with land in “current use” to inform them of Farm Bureau’s role in the creation of Current Use law and prom-ise to defend it into the future and keep land own-ership a possibility for as many residents as pos-sible. The dissolution of SPACE has left a void in terms of an organization explicitly tied to current use. Farm Bureau is just one of many groups wor-thy of support based on their advocacy of the pro-gram. The three-million acres enrolled in the pro-gram by some 27,000 landowners go a long way toward maintaining our landscape and traditional land uses. As we plunge headlong into 2014, all the best to one and all for a happy and healthy New Year!

Page 2 January/February 2014

INSIDEJanuary/February 2014

Plant Growers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Cooperative Extension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Classifi eds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Foodie Finds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

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New Hampshire Farm Bureau FederationBoard of Directors

Executive Committ eePresident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff Holmes

1st Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Denis Ward 2nd Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dave Babson 2nd Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tom McElroy Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Howard Pearl President, Associated Women . . . . . . . . . Naomi Scanlon Chair, Young Farmer Committ ee . . . . . . Valerie Drown

County PresidentsBelknap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom Locke

Carroll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alan Fredrickson Cheshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beth Hodge Coos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joyce Brady Grafton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Henry Ahern Hillsboro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sean Trombly Merrimack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steve MacCleery Rockingham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phil Ferdinando Straff ord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bruce Cilley Sullivan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cassy Sullivan

Staff Policy Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Johnson, II

Offi ce Administrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diane Clary Communications Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . Maureen Duff y Administrative Assistant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . LeeAnn Childress

New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation295 Sheep Davis Rd.Concord, NH 03301Phone: 603-224-1934

Fax: 603-228-8432www.nhfarmbureau.org

NHFB Standing Committ ee Chairs Annual Meeting/Special Events: John McPhail, Bow Dairy: Beth Hodge, Hindsdale Equine: Julie Perron, Barrington Lee Sawyer, Jaff ery Government Aff airs: Chuck Souther, Concord Health Insurance Program: Dan Briggs, Deerfi eld Horticulture: Fruits & Vegetables Sub-Com: Seth Wilner, Newport Ornamentals Sub-Committ ee: Doug Cole, Loudon Livestock & Poultry: Erick Sawtelle, Lee Ernie Vose, Walpole Membership: Beth Hodge, Hinsdale Sandy Salo, Marlow Policy Development: Denis Ward, Monroe Profi le Award: Ernie Vose, Walpole Young Farmer: Valerie Drown, Webster

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. Subscription comes with membership. It is received in the homes of over 3,000 NHFB members. Presorted standard postage paid at N. Haverhill, NH. 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.

Current UseNHFBF Support Continues

New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation President Jeff Holmes

In Memoriam

NHFBF President Jeff Holmes captured the above photo of the Washington Monument while visiting DC during the American Farm Bureau Federation resolutions meeting on December 18. The scaff olding is in the process of being removed from the monument as repairs from the earthquake of several years ago are done.

Farm Bureau lost a good friend and strong member

with the passing of Sabrina Matt eson on December 21. She lost her batt le with breast cancer and passed away at her home in Washington, DC. She is survived by her husband, Gary Matt eson; three sons: Tyler (Sarah) Matt eson, Myles Matt eson and Tucker Matt e-son; and one granddaughter, Aurelia. Sabrina and Gary had a greenhouse cut-fl ower busi-

ness in Epson, N.H. where they grew anemones for 25 years. Farm Bureau was a signifi -cant part of Sabrina’s life for over 30 years. While operating New England Anemones, Gary and Sabrina served on the American Farm Bureau Fed-eration’s national Young Farm-ers & Ranchers Committ ee (1986-1988). Sabrina’s involve-ment in Farm Bureau guided her to the position of informa-tion director at the state offi ce in Concord. During that time, she was the managing editor of the N.H. Farm Bureau’s news-paper, The Communicator and Young Farmer coordinator. In the winter of 2007, Sabrina moved to Washington, D.C. when she was hired by the American Farm Bureau Fed-eration as the director of rural aff airs and to be with her hus-band, Gary. She will be missed by her Farm Bureau family, ex-tending from New Hampshire to across the country. A memorial service was held in Epson at the New Rye Congregational Church on December 28. There will be a

second Memorial Service in Greensboro, Vt. over July 4th weekend at the Landon Lake House. This will be more of a celebration of Sabrina’s life, and a chance to revel in the rural town of Greensboro in holiday mode with the pa-rade, the Church chicken sup-per, and fi reworks all hap-pening on Saturday, July 5. Memorial contribu-tion may be made to either of the following: The New Rye Church (289 New Rye Road, Epsom, NH 03234), the church is where Sabrina directed Christmas pageants, sang in the choir, and gath-ered in Christian fellowship while living in Epsom. The Farmer Veteran Coalition (farmvetco.org) is a non-prof-it charitable organization that assists returning military vet-erans entering into farm busi-nesses or employment. Sa-brina had been very involved in making the Farmer Veteran Coalition an organization of national signifi cance, encour-aging participation of a wide variety of farm groups.

Sabrina Matteson

Farm Bureau - The Voice of NH Agriculture Page 3January/February 2014

Bedford, NH • 800.825.3252 • FarmCreditEast.comWhite River Junction, VT • 800.370.3276 • YankeeACA.com

Successful Tax Strategies

“ The Entwistles file returns for three entities, as well as nine personal returns. It gets complex during tax time. My goal is to help them use good strategies to succeed, including the use of prepayments, timing capital purchase decisions and/or transferring assets to the next generation.”

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“ As far as taxes are concerned, our business is complicated. Paul keeps us up to speed on tax law and lets us know about changes ahead of time so we can plan our year. He’s always looking out for our businesses’ best interest.”

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Paul VanDenburghSenior Farm Business Advisor

James EntwistleEntwistle Bros. Farm, LLC

For more information, call 800.562.2235 or your local branch office or watch our video on tax preparation services at FarmCreditEast.com/Taxes.

Farm Credit East Cares Donates $30,000 to Charitable Organizations throughout the NortheastEnfi eld, Conn. — Farm Credit East announced today that its Farm Credit East Cares Commu-nity Fund has donated $30,000 to various chari-table organizations throughout the Northeast, including food banks, agricultural community and youth organizations, charitable health and research organizations and various other not-for-profi t organizations. “We are pleased to be able to provide this support to our local communities and those in need,” said Bill Lipinski, CEO of Farm Credit East. “We started Farm Credit East Cares at the request of many of our employees who were looking for a way to support the farmers and ru-ral communities we serve. Two years later, we continue to be overwhelmed by their generosity and hope these donations can be used to bright-en the holidays for those less fortunate.” The donations were provided as part of Farm Credit East Cares, a charitable commu-nity fund established in 2011 after tragic storms swept through the Northeast late summer into fall. This fund was created as a way for Farm Credit East employees to work together to sup-port the farm community and charitable organi-zations that serve rural areas. Nearly $15,000 was raised through the con-tributions of Farm Credit East employees across the organization’s 19 branch offi ces during the past year. Farm Credit East matched all em-ployee contributions, allowing the Farm Credit East Cares Community Fund to provide $30,000 to local charitable eff orts. Donations were pro-vided to 32 various organizations, including food banks, 4H organizations, land conservation eff orts, disaster relief funds, the American Can-cer Society and the Ronald McDonald House, to name a few.

Senators Shaheen, Blunt and Representatives Courtney, Gibson, Kuster requested second draft of proposed rulemaking and additional public comment opportunities for farmers, stakeholders

Washington, DC — A successful bipartisan eff ort led by U.S. Sena-tors Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Representatives Joe Courtney (D-CT), Chris Gibson (R-NY) and Annie Kuster (D-NH), has resulted in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) planning to revise regulations and seek addi-tional comments from the public before fi nalizing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules. The FDA’s announcement comes less than a month after the lawmak-ers led a bipartisan coalition of 75 Republicans, Democrats and Inde-pendents expressing concern about the impact of proposed FDA rules on farmers and businesses, which re-proposing the regulations for public comment could help allevi-ate. “The FDA is making the right call,” Senator Shaheen said. “There are serious concerns that have been raised by farmers and consumers in my state and across the country that the FDA must consider before fi nalizing rules. Submitt ing a sec-ond draft of key aspects of these rules for public comment will allow farmers and other stakeholders to further inform the rulemaking pro-cess, which I hope will bett er pro-tect our national food supply while preventing the issuance of overly bur-densome or ambiguous regulations.”

“I’m pleased the FDA has agreed to issue a second draft of proposed rules and give farmers and businesses the opportunity to provide additional input,” Sena-tor Blunt said. “I thank Senator Shaheen and my colleagues in the House and Senate for their work to alleviate the impact of these bur-densome regulations on farm fami-lies in Missouri and nationwide.” “I am pleased to see that FDA is being responsive to the bipartisan feedback from lawmakers about the need to reexamine the proposed FSMA rules,” Congressman Gibson said. “FDA’s goal of guaranteeing produce safety is certainly admi-rable, but as the Representative of a district that relies on an agricul-ture-based economy, I am also con-cerned with ensuring fl exibility and practical implementation for our family farmers. It is encouraging to see FDA recognize this as well.” “I am pleased to see that the FDA has taken our input into ac-count, revised its proposals, and will seek further comment, so that Connecticut farmers have an ad-ditional opportunity to have their voices heard,” Congressman Court-ney said. “The FDA’s willingness to listen provides an avenue to pro-mote food safety rules that will not unduly burden Connecticut farms. I look forward to continuing this

work with my congressional col-leagues, state agricultural offi cials, and producers so that we can get these rules right for everyone.” “I’m very pleased that the FDA responded to our request and will seek additional input from New Hampshire farmers and stakehold-ers before issuing fi nal food safety rules,” Congresswoman Annie Kuster said. “It’s vital that farm-ers across the Granite State have a chance to raise concerns about the unintended and harmful conse-quences of these proposed rules.” In March, the FDA issued two proposed rules implementing FSMA, a 2011 law that overhauled food safety laws to increase the safety of our domestic food supply. These rules addressed preventive controls for human food and stan-dards for the growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of produce for human consumption. But as proposed, the 1,200-page rules have left food producers and proces-sors across the country concerned about a number of issues includ-ing those specifi cally surrounding facility compliance and environ-mental standards. The FDA’s an-nounced plan to re-propose key rule language will allow farmers and stakeholders to lend critical input toward the FDA-rulemaking process.

FDA Will Re-Propose Rules in Response to Concerns From Bipartisan Coalition of Lawmakers

To the left is an example of how a page in the book will look. Right now it is in the conceptual planning phase and changes are likely while being created. The Associated Women would like to encourage anyone with a century farm to contact them to make ar-rangements regarding pho-to and historical informa-tion submission.

The CommunicatorPage 4 January/February 2014

every farm has a story

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We are searching for farms that meet the following criteria:2016 will mark 100 years of New Hampshire Farm Bureau’s dedicated service to agriculture. The Associated

Women (AW) of NH Farm Bureau are celebrating this milestone with a publication, titled “New Hampshire Farms - Celebrating 100 years of NH Farm Bureau.” The intention of this book is to recognize and document all farms — 100 years or older through pictures and their stories.

Brought to you by the Associated Women of NH Farm Bureau

1. Farms that have been in continuous operation by the founding family for 100 years and more as of December 31st, 2016.

2. Farms that have been in continuous operation for 100 years and more but NOT by the same family as of December 31st, 2016.

TTTThhhlllcccaaawww wwwaaatttrrrtttttt

Pearl and Sons Farm, LLC, was established on Loudon Ridge Road, Loudon, Merrimack County, in the early 1880’s. Four generations, Leroy, Charles,

Cecil and Howard, farmed here, originally calling it Sunset Hill Farm for the beautiful views to the west. Earlier generations settled at Pearl’s Corner near Route 106.

The Pearls consistently produced maple syrup, hay, milk from a herd of Guernsey cattle, vegetables, hatching eggs, cord wood and timber. Charles Pearl was awarded a trophy in 1929 from Merrimack Farmers’ Exchange for potato production at 300 bushels per acre. These were wholesaled in Boston along with squash and pumpkins.

The Guernsey herd was bought by the state of New Hampshire in the 1950’s because of a positive TB test. The herd was replaced with Holsteins and milk was sold to Manchester Dairy, then Weeks’ Dairy and Crowley Foods until 1998.

Maple syrup was produced on four different sugar bushes with outlaying sap

Today, Howard makes syrup from 10,000 taps at a modern sap house on the Ridge. He also raises many acres of sweet corn, pumpkins and squash for local markets. Farming continues with an eye to a possible easement in the future.

Cecil and Eleanor Pearl were Merrimack County Farm Bureau members for many years. Howard has been a member for over 20 years, serves as NHFB Treasurer and as NH Maple Association Treasurer. He is on the Loudon Zoning Board of Adjustment, Vice President of the Speedway Childrens’ Charity and is on the New Hampshire Republican Committee. In 2000, he received the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Young Farmer Achievement Award for successful farming, Farm Bureau leadership and community involvement.

Merrimack CountyPearl and Sons Farm LLC

Please help us in this pursuit.

For additional information call the Farm Bureau offi ce at 603-224-1934 or email [email protected]


BENJAMIN AND KATE DULACKYLE AND MEGHAN AYERMATTHEW DESRUISSEAUSCOTT SMITHHEATHER C MCFARLANDJOHN LOWELLWILLIAM E COULTER, JRDANIEL J DUTILEFREDERICK G NORTONJIM WAREINGJON CADELANE NEVINSROBERT MOORE AND SILVANA RINALDIGREGORY AND KRISTEN STEELEWAYNE MOYNIHANDONNA M QUINNBRIAN TETROPATRICIA CRAGINRANDY GAUDETTERENEE SMITHSHANNON AND CHRISTOPHER MOHRKEITH HODGDONLORNA MEHTAPATRICIA MENTERRONALD BRESCIANIDONALD AND GLORIA HATFIELDJAMES MCGOFFWILLIAM STARCKDAVID AND KATHLEEN DANDURANDHAROLD LEONARD CUMMINGSMAGGIE PORTERCYLE FOYEEMMA LOOSIGIAN AND MICHAEL LAHANTRACY AND ROBERT SEARSDIANE LYMANKATHARINE KINGSTON & MICHAEL SOUKUPADRIANA CROSBYJOSEPH CAVALLETTOANTHONY F DROUINJONATHAN HAGAR

NEW LONDONNEW IPSWICHBROOKLINECORNISHCONCORDCENTER HARBORNORTHFIELDMEREDITHCANERBURYLOUDONHAMPTONLITTLETONLISBONLANCASTERDUMMERTEMPLEBEDFORDFREEDOMN. CONWAYCHARLESTOWNSOUTHOLDPORTSMOUTHNEW YORKCHARLESTOWNEPSONWHITEFIELDORFORDNEW HAMPTONCANTERBURYASHLANDCENTER SANDWICHCHOCORUABRENTWOODSANBORNTONGILFORDLISBONWARRENNEWPORTCONCORDNEWPORT

SFSFS

SSSFSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSFSSSSSSSSS

WELCOME - NEW Members!(October October 19 to December 12, 201319 to December 12, 2013)

City Name TypeTONY VISCUSIMIKE BERTOLONE

DARRELL LOUISMIKE BERTOLONESTEVE FOUNTAIN

DARRELL LOUISDARRELL LOUISSALLY GAYNOR-KNECHT

STEVE FOUNTAINPETER BARACHANDREW JELLIEMIKE BERTOLONETONY VISCUSITONY VISCUSIANDREW JELLIETONY VISCUSISALLY GAYNOR-KNECHTDARRELL LOUISPETER BARACHTONY VISCUSIPETER BARACH

PETER BARACHTONY VISCUSITONY VISCUSISTEVE FOUNTAIN

PETER BARACHANDREW JELLIE

ANDREW JELLIE

Solicitor

Please call the Farm Bureau offi ce at 224-1934 if you have had diffi culties with your Farm Bureau member number. There has been a computer software glitch when gen-erating numbers. Please check your num-ber, address and expiration date.

Give us a call!

Applicants must be a resident of New Hampshire, and a graduate of an approved public/private high

school with average or bett er grades. Additionally, they must demonstrate acceptance of responsibility and fi nancial need. Applicants must be a full or part-time student at an institute of higher learning. Preference will be given to those enrolled in an agriculture related study. Applications are available at nhfarmbureau.org and must be submitt ed by March 15 each year. Contact Diane Clary at 224-1934 for more information.

Abbie Sargent Memorial Scholarship

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dy. nd must be

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Article: Balance in the FieldThe Communicator, November/December 2013, Vol 35, No. 6

Correction regarding, the statement, “Roundup is not regulated; anyone can buy it and spray it.”

The intension of the statement was referring to residential use where there is no need for a license. As noted by the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food, in a lett er to the managing editor, Roundup is regulated. Per the lett er dated December 2, 2013, signed by Commissioner Lorraine Merrill and Di-rector, Division of Pesticide Control David Rousseau, “The product is registered as a pesticide with New Hampshire and anyone applying pesticides in conjunction with producing an agricultural commodity must be licensed as a private applica-tor. Pesticides are heavily regulated by the state of New Hampshire. Although certain products are available for residential use without the need for a license, the use of pesticides in conjunction with the production of an agricultural commodity, or when used on the property of another, requires a license.”

Communicator Correction

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The Tax Man Cometh: Year End Tax Tips

There are several things you can do to shift your tax burden from this

year to next. Why would you want to do this? Postponing taxes means you keep that money an extra year—money for fencing to enlarge a pasture, mate-rials to butt on up a hen house or buy breeding stock or seeds. Here are some tips to help you.

Income Encourage your customers to pay you in January. This reduces your 2013 in-come. Most customers will like this.

Expenses Pay as many bills as possible in Decem-ber to reduce your taxable income. If possible, stock up on feed and supplies. If you need farrier or vet services, book a December appointment or pay him or her in advance.

Depreciation of Big-Ticket Items If you make capital improvements such as a new tractor, barn, new fencing or a major piece of offi ce equipment buy it in December. If you fi nance it, you still can take that December purchase against your 2013 income. The IRS allows you to take these sorts of large expenses all at once or spread the cost over time. If you take it all at once it reduces your current tax—by a large amount. But if you’re in a lower tax bracket you may be wasting some of that expense. Consider depre-ciating it. Depreciation means you claim a portion of the cost against your taxes for a defi ned period, usually fi ve to sev-en years. Another approach is to claim a larger portion initially, then spread the remainder over time.

You have until the date of fi ling your taxes to decide how you want to claim this expense.

Personal DeductionsIf you itemize your personal deduc-tions—property taxes, medical expens-es, charitable contributions and so on—whenever possible, make payments in 2013. The reality is that the standard de-duction is generous enough so most people do bett er by not itemizing. If you are on the cusp of being able to item-ize you can pay your property taxes in January on alternate years. This may enable you to itemize on those years.

Looking AheadRetirement Planning. Conventional wisdom is to contribute as much as pos-sible into a 401(K), SEP or IRA. The idea is to reduce your taxable income now and pay at a lower rate later. Roth IRAs make sense if you expect a higher tax rate in retirement.

ExceptionsIf you expect your income to rise sharp-ly in 2014, do the opposite to maximize expenses. Pay bills in January, collect receivables in December, schedule pur-chases for 2014, itemize if possible and front load your depreciation.

A Final WordThese suggestions are general in nature. You need to look at your own situation. Consider seeking the advice of a good accountant or tax preparer or, if you do your own taxes, use your tax software to play around with diff erent scenarios.

By David Boughton, CPA

Farmers won’t be gett ing one thing they were asking for this Christmas,

but Mary Kay Thatcher, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s farm policy specialist said in Thursday’s Newsline that it looks like it could come early in the new year. “Unfortunately we’re going to talk about a 2014 farm bill instead of a 2012

or 2013, but I’m still very optimistic we’ll fi nish this by January,” Thatcher said. There’s just not time to get it through a conference committ ee before Congress goes home for the holidays. Because of that, Thatcher explained, the House has passed an extension of the current bill because it expires on December 31. But the Senate is unlikely to do the same.

Source: AFBF - Executive Newswatch - Friday, December 13, 2013No New Farm Bill Until the New Year


Learn More about the NHPGA, visit NHPGA.org

Greening the Grade

The Macfarlane Greenhouse Facility gets an A from an independent sustainability certification program.

The Macfarlane Greenhouse Facility at the Univer-sity of New Hampshire (UNH) has achieved a posi-tion within the highest-rated category (A) designat-ed by an independent sustainability certification company. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the Milieu Project Sierteelt (MPS) Group facilitates a greenhouse sustainability certification program that assesses energy, water, and fertilizer use; crop pro-tection methods; and waste management (including CO2) in commercial—and now research and teach-ing—greenhouses around the globe.

The Macfarlane Greenhouse Facility is one of five facilities operated by the New Hampshire Agricul-tural Experiment Station (NHAES) in the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture (COLSA) at UNH. Dean of COLSA and Director of NHAES Jon Wraith initiated UNH’s involvement with the MPS-ECAS certification program after learning about it from alumnus Doug Cole who owns DS Cole Grow-ers in Loudon—the first MPS-qualified commercial greenhouse in North America.

The Macfarlane Greenhouse Facility is the first re-search and teaching greenhouse in the world to par-ticipate in this international sustainability certifica-tion program. Such a partnership strengthens the University’s leadership role, setting the benchmark for responsible operations in agriculture and food research and teaching. UNH’s participation in MPS-ECAS’s certification program provides the green-house staff with immediate access to knowledge, innovation, and advice on quality assurance, the environment, and social issues in horticultural pro-duction. With this certification, the Macfarlane Greenhouse can proudly display the MPS logo, and the details of its sustainable practices will be availa-ble to growers and associations via MPS’s central database.

MPS records and analyzes a comprehensive list of information to categorize a participating greenhouse along a continuum with a letter grade of A, B, or C. While A is considered the most environmentally friendly, there is a range within each letter grade, leaving room for improvement even at the most advanced facility. This past September, Goudreault welcomed MPS-ECAS auditor Arthij van der Veer and, during the initial audit, gave him a tour of the operation. Accustomed to reviewing commercial facilities, van der Veer and MPS had adjusted their evaluation to accommodate the University’s re-search and teaching greenhouse. “Coming from the Netherlands where most universities have horticul-tural programs, I was pleasantly surprised by the practical influence of the Macfarlane Greenhouse,” said van der Veer. “This is a very good program that has already implemented a lot of sustainability prac-tices.” Van der Veer commended Goudreault on the greenhouse’s cleanliness, organization, and recy-cling practices in addition to recognizing its value in providing students with a venue for hands-on expe-rience with industry-relevant research.

Van der Veer & Goudreault in the Macfarlane Greenhouse Facility. Story & Photo by Victoria Courtland.

Wraith acknowledges the key efforts of Macfarlane Greenhouse Facility Manager David Goudreault and Greenhouse Technician Jonathan Ebba, NHAES Fac-ulty Fellow Anita Klein, grower Doug Cole, the UNH Facilities and Energy offices, and many others for their data gathering assistance that contributed to the audit’s positive outcome. “We had been keeping records for our own use of a portion of the multiple metrics used by MPS, and expanded these efforts to achieve the full suite of those when we decided to enroll,” says Wraith. “Arthij and others have been very accommodating in taking on what is for them an atypical greenhouse operation. Now we have a clear-er understanding of what more we can do to increase and solidify our score.”

Upon reviewing the informative results of the audit, Goudreault has made plans to work with his staff to further increase the sustainability of the greenhouse through modifications to its energy usage. “Given the age and structure of our facility, we have limited choices in what we can do to improve our energy consumption,” said Goudreault of the 25,000 square foot greenhouse facility built in the 1940’s. In addi-tion to improvements such as switching from flo-rescent fixtures to LED lighting, Goudreault will collaborate with Professor of Horticultural Technolo-gy Rene Gingras to implement a rainwater catchment system that uses gutters to transport water into a sub-merged tank. “We need to address all concerns about water quality,” says Goudreault about the student-centered project that takes into account the im-portance of filtering and monitoring water for pH, alkalinity, and impact on plant growth. Wraith noted that having achieved an MPS qualification has ampli-fied excitement about the responsible practices with-in the facility, and the resolve to do even better.

COLSA offers a wide spectrum of associates, bache-lor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in the life sci-ences, agriculture, and natural resources. NHAES, housed within the college, supports regionally and nationally relevant research and engagement related to sustainable agriculture and forest resources man-agement. Students have access to diverse teaching and research opportunities at our farms, dairies, and greenhouse facilities. COLSA’s renowned faculty combine teaching with a passion for research and public service. Their work to understand the nature of biological systems, manage and conserve natural resources, improve agricultural profitability and sus-tainability, enhance health and nutrition, and foster economic development has earned UNH nationwide recognition as a top-tier land, sea, and space grant university.

NHPGA Board Member, Linda Zukas, at-tends the Centenary Celebration.

NHPGA Participates in Centenary Celebration

The New Hampshire Plant Growers’ Association was represented at the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food Centenary Celebration on October 22nd. Held in Concord on the State House lawn, the celebration included exhibits, demonstrations, and activities involving the state’s many commodity and educational groups. A beautiful fall day allowed visi-tors to tour the outside displays and learn about the history of agriculture in New Hampshire. Speakers on topics concerning the history of agriculture in our state were enjoyed. The Department of Agriculture, Mar-kets & Food created an outstanding visual timeline of events leading to where the industry is today.

The NHPGA display included the trifold featuring information about membership benefits and the NHP-GA mission. In keeping with the theme of agricultural history in the state, there were several past issues of The Plantsman available for visitors to browse through. Covers of additional past issues were also included. Laminated NHPGA pages from recent Communicator issues illustrated recent activities.

This also afforded an opportunity to promote NHP-GA’s current focus and related activities. Membership packets were available and several were given out over the course of the day. The home page from the updat-ed website was prominently displayed and banner ad information was included as a handout. The Horticul-tural Endowment and Student Scholarship programs were highlighted as well. The board members who participated felt that the event increased our visibility to those in the legislature as well as the community as a whole.

Joint Winter Meeting

NHLA/NHPGA &

UNH Cooperative Extension

Wednesday, January 15th, 2014

Register at h p://www.nhfarmbureau.org/jointwinter_mee ng_registra on.htm

Agenda

8:00-9:30 Registration open/ Flex time for networking, visiting vendors and Table Topics

8:15 - 9:15 Table Topics - back by popular demand! Find a topic of interest to you, whether you’re a grow-er, landscaper, retailer or plant geek….informal, small group discussion allows you to share ideas with your peers and see what’s up in the industry. Drop in for a minute or stay for the duration.

9:30-10:45 Keynote Speaker sponsored by UNH Co-operative Extension through a grant from USDA Risk Management Agency

“ Positioning for the Future of the Green Industry Mar-ketplace” by Dr. Charlie Hall, Texas A&M University

11:00 – 12:00 Concurrent Sessions

Plant Disease Problems in 2013, and How to Prepare for 2014. Cheryl Smith, UNH Cooperative Extension Plant Health Specialist.

Mulch Issues - Supply, Sources, Practices and Quality Concerns. Bill Fonteno, NCSU.

12:00 - 1:00 Lunch/Visit with Vendors

1:00 Announcements

1:15-2:15 Concurrent Sessions

Greenhouse and Nursery Substrates. Bill Fonteno, NCSU.

Changing the Conversation on Ecological Design. Lisa Cowan, Studioverde.

2:20-3:20 Concurrent Sessions

Health Insurance Options in New Hampshire. NH Dept. of Insurance.

State and Federal Quarantine Pests: Updates, Changes, and Steps You Can Take. Piera Siegert, NH DAMF


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*$2,678 average savings represents the average amount of savings off of MSRP presented to members by Certified Dealers based on member-configured new vehicles for which a member requested a certificate between 06/07/12 and 09/27/12. Your actual savings may vary based on multiple factors including the vehicle you select, region, dealer, and applicable manufacturer incentives. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (“MSRP”) is determined by the manufacturer, and may not reflect the price at which vehicles are generally sold in the dealer’s trade area as not all vehicles are sold at MSRP. Each dealer sets its own pricing. Your actual purchase price is negotiated between you and the dealer.**GM incentive available to qualified FB members in most, but not all states. Offer available through 4/1/14, and valid toward the lease or purchase of new 2011, 2012, and 2013 Chevrolet, Buick and GMC models, excluding Chevrolet Volt. This offer is not available with some other offers, including private offers (for example, Owner Loyalty). Offer is available with GM Business Choice. Not valid on prior purchases. To be eligible, customers must be an active member of a participating state Farm Bureau for at least 60 consecutive days prior to date of vehicle delivery. Not available in all states. Program subject to change without notice. See dealer for complete details.

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Farm Bureau members receive a 10% discount on Carhartt apparel at Grainger The Barn Store in Salisbury and Osborne’s Agway loca-tions in Hook-sett and Con-cord. Present your member-ship card at checkout.

Health & dental in-surance available for qualifying Farm Bu-reau members. Call NEEBCo, our exclu-sive broker at (603) 228-1133 for more information.

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The Communicator January/February 2014Page 8


Bruce CilleyStrafford County FB President

News from the Corn CribStraff ord County Farm Bureau

Happy New Year and

best wishes for a very successful year for agricul-ture from your friends at the Straff ord Coun-ty Farm Bureau. As we wrap up 2013, I would like to take this oppor-tunity to thank our great Board

of Directors as well as our valuable vol-unteers who contributed of their time and talents over this past year. Their eff orts produced a very successful year that culminated in the Straff ord County Farm Bureau receiving the Shining Star Award for 2012-2013. Additionally, I received the President’s Award for 2012-2013. While I am humbled by and appreciative of the recognition, I also recognize that this would not have been possible without the support and con-tributions of our Board and members. Although we set and achieved a high bar for 2013, we are looking for-ward to continued success and new achievements in the upcoming year. We began with a strategy meeting at Horseshoes Plus, Inc. in December to map out our activities for 2014. As we celebrated the holidays with home-made soups (thank you Jackie for your contributions) and side dishes by our Board members, we reviewed our agen-da for the year ahead. Members from all over the county have off ered to host future meetings at their facility and as a result we have some very exciting fu-ture events with plenty of opportuni-ties to learn about innovative activities

in agriculture. For example, we will be visiting the new NH Veterinarian Diag-nostic Lab on the UNH campus in June right after they open the new facility. We will also be visiting the new Stuart Farm in Lee hosted by Commissioner of Agriculture Lorraine Merrill. Our calendar is fi lled with exciting visits such as these. Watch for News from the Corn Crib for future activities and please remember that our meetings and activities are open to all Straff ord County Farm Bureau members and their guests. On January 9 the Straff ord County Farm Bureau Board of Directors will hold our meeting at the Durham Police Dept., 86 Dover Road (Rt. 108) in Dur-ham hosted by the Durham Agricultur-al Commission at 6:30 p.m. On Thursday, February 13 our meeting will be hosted by the Dover Chapter of the Future Farmers of Amer-ica and held at the Dover High School at 6:30 p.m. Again, all of our meetings are free and open to Farm Bureau members and their guests. Please join us at one of our upcoming meetings. We are interested in hearing your thoughts and how your Board can bett er meet your needs as a member. Toward that end, if you are not on our email list, please send your email address along for inclusion. This is the most convenient way of lett ing our members know about events and ac-tivities in which they may be interested. You may send your email address di-rectly to my att ention at [email protected]. We look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming meetings. In the meantime, please accept our warmest wishes for a prosperous year ahead.

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Sullivan County Farm Bureau

(SCFB) is happy to announce this year’s offi cers as follows: President Cassy Sullivan, Vice -pres ident Jozi Best, Trea-surer Lisa Holm-es and Secretary Mary Woodman. As many of you know the offi cers

cannot do it all by themselves. There-fore, the members you voted in to serve as directors on the SCFB board are also very important. Just as the title indicates, they are in charge of directing and achieving SCFB goals. This year’s board of directors are as follows: (in no particular order) Steve Woodman, Robert Cunniff , Ron Simo-neau, Marilyn Stuller, Lori Cook, Jes-sica Warkentien, Seth Wilner, Sandy Redlands and Andy Jellie. One of our goals is ag-education. In order to accomplish this goal we will be working with Agriculture in the Classroom and participating in their Ag-Literacy program. We are

seeking volunteers to go to schools and read the book, Chickens (Down on the Farm) by Hannah Ray. The pur-pose is to teach children pre-kinder-garten to grade six about chickens. This is a very important project that students and teachers look forward to every year. To educate children about agriculture we need help and would appreciate assistance from our mem-bership. The SCFB board of directors meets every fourth Wednesday of the month (except on holidays). Please feel free to call Cassy Sullivan (603) 826-5089 if you are interested in att ending any of our events or volunteer for the Ag-Literacy program. There are a number of opportu-nities for anyone interested in Farm Bureau. We hope becoming involved will be one of your New Year’s resolu-tions! SCFB would like to welcome and thank all of our new and renewing members. We are a grassroots organi-zation and every member is important to us. Here’s to a happy and healthy New Year and we are looking forward to seeing everyone at Farm Bureau events throughout the year!

Cassy SullivanSullivan County FB President

Sullivan Sullivan CountyCounty Farm Bureau Farm Bureau HappeningsHappenings

SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 2014 Noon to 4:00 p.m.

CLINIC FOR CIV INSPECTION & LICENSED

RABIES IMMUNIZATION NH Farm Bureau

295 Sheep Davis Road, Concord, NH

A $145 VALUE for only the cost of a NHFB membership

The Merrimack Farm Bureau will be offering a clinic to obtain a Certifi cate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) and licensed rabies immunization. This clinic is for 4-H cattle, sheep, goats, swine, equine, camelids (llamas & alpacas), poultry and ratites participating in the New Hampshire fair/show 2014 season. CVI remain in force for the entire 2014 show season and rabies vaccines should be given at least 30 days before attending the fairs.

Charges will be waived for Farm Bureau members, otherwise veterinary service charges will apply.

Join Farm Bureau to take advantage of this great deal!

Transferring the Farm

Save the DATE!

March 6, 20147 p.m.

Farm Bureau offi ce, 295 Sheep Davis Rd, Concord

Learn about what is required to transfer the family farm to the next genera-tion. Merrimack County Farm Bureau will be hosting an informational ses-

sion on estate planning, which includes basic information on wills and trusts.

The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (www.fooddialogues.

com/about-usfra) urgently needs farmer and rancher respondents for a brief market research survey to help

identify ways to address people’s misconceptions about farming and ranching. The link to the survey is: htt ps://hrgisurvey.com/survey/html.pro?ID=710.

Source: AFBF Executive Newswatch, December 17, 2013

USFRA Seeking Farmer and Rancher Input

Farm Bureau - The Voice of NH Agriculture January/February 2014

Back in 1981 when Ag in the Class-room was established, Ken Mar-

shall with the New Hampshire Farm Bureau (NHFB) was appointed by the American Farm Bureau Federa-tion to manage the program. By the early 1980s many folks around the state knew that many students in the schools were becoming further and further removed from having a working knowledge of where their food, fi ber, and fuel came from. For those of us that grew up on a work-ing farm, that made no sense. When my family went on a very rare day trip to the White Mountains we visit-ed a litt le zoo. Among the animals in the pett ing zoo was a small Holstein heifer. I asked my dad why a heifer was there and he said not everyone knew what it was and had never been close to one. I thought he was kidding me but after having worked with hundreds of young people for the past several years it is very hard to hear that some kids have never touched an animal except for domes-tic dogs and cats. Over the years NHFB has con-tinued to house, provide technical assistance, fi nancial support and vol-unteers to help Ag in the Classroom succeed. In other states the program might be administered by Farm Bu-reau, Extension Service or some oth-er group but in New Hampshire we

have always been housed and main-ly fi nanced through NHFB mem-bers. A few years ago, N.H. Ag in the Classroom was adopted by the N.H. Department of Agriculture as a line item in their budget. However, with budgetary issues we never know from one year to the next if we will receive any monies from the state. We have one employee (the State Coordinator) who is respon-sible for promoting the overall pro-gram throughout the state. Grafton County has a part-time person that works just in Grafton County. Any-one can help by bringing a lesson or program to a local school, host a fi eld trip to your farm, donate or bid for items at our annual silent auction or simply stuff envelopes for our an-nual appeal. If you haven’t already contacted the state offi ce to help with this year’s Ag-Literacy program now is the time to do it. The National Ag in the Class-room website at www.agclassroom.org has lesson plans, web quests, and a huge amount of information available for anyone to use. Most of the plans and programs are free and downloadable. Designed by educa-tors from across the country lesson plans and programs are easy to use and very user friendly. Give it a try and help to educate the future con-sumers and voters of our state.

AITC Chalkboard AITC Chalkboard NotesNotes

Page 10

Ag in the Classroom - Then, now and in the futureBy Deb Robie, Grafton County AITC Coordinator

State Coordinator Announced

Debbi Cox of Derry has taken on the role of State Coordinator

for New Hampshire Agriculture in the Classroom (NHAITC). She comes to NHAITC with a strong back in equine, 4-H and FFA. Ten years ago Debbie be-came very active in FFA when her daughter started att ending Pinker-ton Academy. Since then she has specialized in areas of public speaking and food science. President of New Hampshire Ag in the Classroom Bob Spoerl, is pleased with the new hire. “Deb-bie stood out from the rest,” said Spoerl. “Her enthusiasm for ag-

education and experience with FFA makes her a good fi t for the position.” Debbie started on December 16 and is looking forward to her new career. “It is my goal to promote the program within the school sys-tem,” said Debbie. “The Agricul-tural Literacy program is my main focus right now and FARMO for Farm and Forest. I’m also looking forward to gett ing more people in-volved with Ag in the Classroom.” Please welcome Debbie to her new position. She is available at 315-4993 or email at [email protected].

AITC Coordinator Debbi Cox

The Communicator Page 11January/February 2014

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Working Together For a Bett er Future

You all made the N.H. Ag in the Class-room (NHAITC) silent auction a fan-

tastic success! With Farm Bureau members and others donating over 45 items ranging from a romantic weekend at a winery to hand-knit hats we made over $850 for our program. Donations are only half of the equation; I would also like to thank everyone who bid on items. With your help we will continue to bring fun and useful programs to young people around the state. The week after the N.H. Farm Bureau annual meeting, I along with Jozi Best, George Mayo from National Ag in the Classroom, and Willie Grenier from Maine Ag in the Classroom att ended the National Grange annual meeting in Manchester, N.H. This was a wonderful opportunity to show folks from all over the country what Ag in the Classroom is all about. We all spent three days networking with and showing them what we have to off er. Our two orga-nizations have many things in common. Just one of which is to help educate people of all ages. The opening charge in the Granges in-stillation ceremony is as follows: Since God placed man on earth agriculture has existed.

There is no occupation that precedes it, no order or association that can rank with the tillers of the soil. Before literature existed, before govern-ments were known, agriculture was the calling of man. And all the fruits of social progress since then grew from the brown soil. Agricultural toil-ers, therefore, “claim this precedence over royal dynasties and titles of nobility—that they repre-sent the oldest and the most indisputable lineage, and hold a patent that issues from the ancient gardens of Eden. A few years ago NHAITC started to build a relationship with the N.H. State Grange. We continue to work with them to spread the word about NHAITC. At the Na-tional Grange annual meeting we were able to establish connections with the leadership at the National Grange level and will broad-en our friendships and working relation-ships. They have volunteers looking to help educate students and we have the programs to do it. Farm Bureau and the Grange are a natu-ral fi t. With these friends working together the Ag in the Classroom message will be heard loud and clear. Call our state offi ce at 224-1934 or go on-line to www.agclassroom do see how you can help.

Agricultural Agricultural LiteracyLiteracy

For the last several years New Hampshire Ag in the Class-

room (NHAITC) has worked to educate children about farming, through the Agricultural Liter-acy program (a concept created through the Agriculture Council of America, the organizers of the Na-tional Ag Day). This year we will be read-ing the book, Chickens (Down on the Farm) by Hannah Ray. If you are inter-ested in edu-cating children about chick-ens by reading the book, we with NHAITC would greatly appreciate your eff orts. The Ag Literacy pro-gram runs from the fi rst of March through the end of April. The book is about chickens in general, with bright colors, fun facts and most importantly ac-curate information. It is age ap-propriate for pre-kindergarten to the sixth grade. We also provide lesson plans to go along with the book and ask that you donate it to the school library.

You may have noticed that I just said “you.” That’s because you volunteer to go to a local school and read the book. We have contact information for you; if you don’t have it, and you and the school arrange days and time that fi t your schedule. We also have let-

ters to give the school, either snail mail or elec-tronic, for an explana-tion of the program. It only takes a litt le while and you will be surprised at how in-terested the students and teachers are. If you hap-pen to know

about chickens you can add your own personal knowledge and “eggperiences.” NHAITC is very fortunate this year to have had some fi nan-cial sponsorship for this program from Pete and Gerry’s Organic Egg Farm in Monroe, NH. Please contact the NHAITC of-fi ce at 224-1934 to see how you can get involved.

By Deb Robie, Grafton County AITC Coordinator

Get Involved - Educate & Promote Ag!By Deb Robie, Grafton County AITC Coordinator

AITC Att ends National Grange Annual Meeting

Impressive Results for Granite State FFA at National Convention

The N.H. Vet Science team from Alvirne re-ceived gold and placed 9th in the country

with member Alyssa Miller fi nishing 8th indi-vidually. Teams fi nishing silver are as follows: Flo-riculture (Alvirne); Environmental & Natural Resources (Sugar River Valley); Job Interview (Dylan Sullivan of SST); Creed Speaking (Ryan Cox of Pinkerton); Forestry (Alvirne), Agri-sci-

ence Fair (Pembroke) and Dairy Showmanship (Heather Berlo of SST). There were many bronze teams and lots of silver and bronze individual winners. We also had two members receive their American FFA Degrees: Michelle Stover and So-phie LaRochelle (both of Winnisquam). Andy Andersen, retired agriculture teacher, received his Honorary American FFA Degree.

Farm Bureau - The Voice of NH AgriculturePage 12 January/February 2014

NH Farm Bureau Annual MeetingNovember 8, 2013, UNH - Durham

Associated Women - felt fl ower workshop

FFA/4-H Discussion Meet

State Young Farmer Discussion Meet

Farm Family Insurance Agents

President’s Award recipient Bruce Cilley with President Jeff Holmes

Young Farmer Pie Eating Competition

The Communicator Page 13January/February 2014

Young oung Farmers WinFarmers Win

Young Farmer award recipients and Discussion Meet winners received a monetary gift from the following fi nancial contributors: Everything-farms.com, Pete & Gerry’s Organic Eggs and Poulin Grain.

Special thanks to our Young Farmer supporters!

Winners of the Young Farmer Achievement

Award, Excellence in Ag-riculture, Discussion Meet and 4-H/FFA Discussion Meet competitions were an-nounced at the New Hamp-shire Farm Bureau Federation 98th Annual Meeting. Young Farmers from around the state competed for awards by demonstrating knowledge of and achievement in agricul-ture, as well as commitment to promoting the agriculture industry. Trevor Hardy of Hol-lis won the Achievement Award. Trevor is the sixth-generation to operate Brook-dale Fruit Farm, the largest wholesale grower in New Hampshire. As the state Achievement Award winner, Trevor receives an expense paid trip courtesy of the New Hampshire Farm Bureau to compete nationally at the American Farm Bureau Con-vention in San Antonio, TX this January. As well as the use of a Kubota M Series Util-ity Tractor for six months or 250 hours, thanks to Kubota Tractor Corporation and Pin-

nacleview Equipment in Wal-pole. The Achievement Award recognizes young farmers be-tween the ages of 18 to 35 who have excelled in their farm-ing operation and exhibit superior leadership abilities. Participants are evaluated on a combination of their agri-cultural operation’s growth, Farm Bureau and community leadership. Jill Dumont of Salisbury won the Excellence in Ag-riculture Award. Jill’s pas-sion for horses has led her to a career in dressage at Fos-ter Meadow in Boscawen, where she is able to share her knowledge and love for the art of dressage. As the win-ner of the Excellence in Ag-riculture award, Jill receives an expense paid trip courtesy of the New Hampshire Farm Bureau to compete nationally at the American Farm Bureau Convention in San Antonio, TX this January. The Excellence in Agri-culture award recognizes young farmers who do not derive the majority of their income from an agricultural

operation, but who actively contribute and grow through their involvement in agricul-ture, their leadership ability and participation in Farm Bu-reau and other organizations. Ray Conner of Pitt sfi eld won the state Young Farmer Discussion Meet. The compe-tition is designed to simulate a committ ee meeting where discussion and active partici-pation are expected. Partici-pants are evaluated on their ability to exchange ideas and information on a predeter-mined topic. Granite State FFA Vice President Erica Comeau of Derry, won the 4-H/FFA Dis-cussion Meet competition. The competition enables par-ticipants to build basic dis-cussion skills, develop a keen understanding of agricul-tural issues and explore how groups can pool knowledge to reach consensus and solve problems. Each winner received a monetary prize thanks to the following Young Farmer supporters: Everythingfarm.com, Pete & Gerry’s Organic Eggs, and Poulin Grain.

N.H. Young Farmer program Chair Valerie Drown (L) congratulates Erica Comeau of Derry on winning the 2013 4-H/FFA Discussion Meet.

Achievement Award winner Trevor Hardy of Hollis with State Representative Janice Gardner

Excellence in Agriculture award winner Jill Dumont of Salisbury with State Representative Scott Burns

Chair of the N.H. Young Farmer program Valerie Drown (L) congratulates Ray Conner of Pitt sfi eld on winning the 2013 Discussion Meet.

New Hampshire Farm Bureau Fed-eration (NHFBF) honored Chuck

and Diane Souther of Concord with the Profi le Award for outstanding ser-vice to New Hampshire agriculture

and rural life. The 72nd consecutive Pro-fi le Award was pre-sented at the NHFBF annual meeting ban-quet on November 8 at Huddleston Hall, University of New Hampshire, Durham. Chuck’s and Diane’s contributions to agri-culture are immense. Chuck has been a Farm Bureau mem-ber for over 20 years and has served on the Merrimack County Farm Bureau board and was vice presi-dent for three years. As an active Farm Bu-

reau member he has served on several committ ees, everything from, policy development, long range planning, legislative, nominating committ ee and

probably more than can be remem-bered. He also served and represent-ed the Granite State on the American Farm Bureau Natural & Environmen-tal Aff airs Committ ee. Chuck is also one of the founding directors of the New England Fruit Growers Council, a director of SPACE and director of the New England Apple Association. In addition to serving on committ ees and boards, Chuck frequently speaks on behalf of the New Hampshire farmer at Statehouse public hearings. Diane has also been active in the industry and has been a Farm Bu-reau member for over 20 years. Dur-ing that time she has been the state treasurer, served on the membership committ ee and was a Merrimack County Farm Bureau board member for eight years. In addition to Farm Bureau, Diane’s involvement in the farming community over the years includes the following: secretary/treasurer of the New Hampshire Fruit Growers Association, board member and chair of New Hampshire Agri-culture in the Classroom, director of

the New Hampshire Farm & Forest Exposition, board member and chair of New Hampshire Made, secretary of the Concord Farmers’ Market, trea-surer of the New Hampshire Farm-ers Market Association and member of the New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Develop-ment Advisory Council. When Chuck and Diane are not serving New Hampshire agri-culture, they farm. The couple have owned and operated Apple Hill Farm in Concord, since 1978. They grow ap-ples, peaches, blueberries, strawber-ries, and raspberries. Diane’s home-made jams, jellies and baked goods are signature items in and around Concord. Diane and Chuck are true advocates of agriculture and frequent-ly hold public tours and hosted the Merrimack County School to Farm day for many years. Chuck and Diane have truly impacted New Hampshire agricul-ture. The Profi le Award is Farm Bu-reau’s way of acknowledging and honoring their contributions.

Profi le Recipients Announced

Chuck and Diane Souther with NH Farm Bureau Federation President Jeff Holmes


Young Farmers Debbie & Jim Boyd celebrated the arrival of their baby girl Molly Louise on October 17, 2013.

Congratulations!

From your Young Farmer family


From UNH Cooperative Extension ReportsEye on Extension Keep Your Eyes Peeled for Signs of Emerald Ash Borer Winter is the perfect time of year to look for emerald ash borer (EAB) infesta-tions. “While the leaves are off the trees, look for signs of EAB infestations left by woodpecker marks,” says New Hamp-shire Forest Health Manager Kyle Lom-bard. Landowners are encouraged to “stay vigilant in tracking the spread of the pest.” Woodpecker activity on ash trees is a sign that there may be an EAB in-festation. The birds peck at the bark of trees, often stripping chunks off of the darker outer layers to search for insects underneath. Noticeable “blonding” or yellowing of the bark can result as lay-ers of lighter-colored bark underneath are revealed. “This time of year, those fresh, cream-colored wood pecks really stand out against the darker outer bark of the tree,” says Nate Siegert, a U.S. Forest Service entomologist. “In heavily in-fested ash trees, there will be a lot more bark removed and the signs will be more noticeable.” The UNH Cooperative Extension forestry and wildlife staff has been working with the Division of Forest and Lands and the U.S. Forest Service since the emerald ash borer was found in Concord in March. The adult emer-ald ash borer is dark metallic-green, one-half inch long, and one-eighth inch wide. Find more information about the emerald ash borer and other forest pests at www.nhbugs.org.

New List of Permitted Currants and Gooseberries AvailableThe New Hampshire Division of For-ests and Lands has revised the list of currants and gooseberries that can be planted in New Hampshire because of the risk posed by white pine blister rust. A fungus causes white pine blister rust, which damages white pine trees. Currants and gooseberries are also hosts for the disease, and an infection of white pine increases when they are planted in close proximity. “White pine is an important eco-nomic resource in New Hampshire and we want to protect it from possible in-fection from currants and gooseberries that carry this disease-causing fungus,” says UNH Cooperative Extension For-est Resources Specialist Karen Bennett . The new list of approved currant and gooseberry plants is available at www.nhbugs.org.

Old Rules, New Goals: Eco-Friendly GardeningRethink traditional gardening princi-ples and practices, and consider alterna-tives based on the latest horticultural re-search and environmental science dur-ing a seminar January 6 in Boscawen. UNH Cooperative Extension master gardener Ruth Axelrod will discuss a wide range of ideas gardeners can implement in their own landscape this spring at this free seminar. It takes place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Boscawen Municipal Complex, 116 North Main Street.

From Garbage to Gardening: Black GoldUNH Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Ruth Axelrod will talk about recycling botanical discards February 3 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Boscawen Municipal Complex, 116 North Main Street, Boscawen.Axelrod will discuss how to compost plants, leaves, vegetable, and fruit scraps from your kitchen and garden. This free seminar will show gardeners how to get started making their own high-grade fertilizer for their gardens.

Milk Sanitation Topic of Feb. 8 Workshop“Milk Sanitation” is the topic of the New Hampshire Dairy Goat Association workshop February 8 from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the New Hampshire Farm and Forest Exposition at the Center of New Hampshire in Manchester. This session will cover food safety and handling steps in the barn and in the kitchen to ensure a quality product. There will be a discussion about transi-tioning milking operations from a hob-by to a commercial dairy. UNH Cooperative Extension Food and Agriculture Field Specialist Dot Perkins will look at the farming side of making quality milk and Food and Agri-culture Specialist Catherine Violett e will discuss safe milk handling in the kitchen. The cost is $5 per family. The pro-ceeds go toward the conference and New Hampshire 4-H dairy goat activities. Dairy goat publications will also be for sale.

New Hampshire Direct Market-ing Conference for Farmers, Fishermen, and Forest-Based Businesses The New Hampshire Direct Market-ing Conference on February 18 will of-fer farmers, fi shermen and forest-based businesses tips and practical applica-tions that will help grow their enter-prises and expand the local food sys-tem. The conference takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Portsmouth Country Club in Greenland. Roberta MacDonald, senior vice president of marketing for Cabot Creamery, is the keynote speaker. The United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency and Farm Service Agency, the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food, Farm Credit East, and New Hampshire Sea Grant are confer-ence sponsors. The conference brochure can be downloaded from htt p://bit.ly/1cXvzzw. For more information, contact UNH Extension Field Special-ist Nada Haddad at (603) 679-5616 or e-mail [email protected].

SKRUNGLOO FARM, INC.

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINE MARCH 1, 2014

Skrungloo Farm, Inc. is a private foundation established in 1986, in order to provide direct aid, assistance, and/or services, to the

residents of, in order of priority, Sandwich, Center Harbor, Moultonboro, Carroll County, Belknap County, and then

the entire State of New Hampshire. This includes providing scholarships for individual residents to educate and better themselves in order to build

a stronger community.

Skrungloo Farm, Inc. is accepting applications for the 2014 Scholarship Program from students who are legal residents of the United States and

who reside in the State of New Hampshire. Students who are enrolling at an accredited postsecondary institution are eligible. Students may be

enrolling in a vocational school, technical school, a 2 or 4 year college or university. Applicants must demonstrate financial need, academic merit,

and other nonacademic factors such as community service, school activities and work experience.

TO BE CONSIDERED DURING THE UPCOMING SCHOLARSHIP

PERIOD, COMPLETED APPLICATIONS FROM STUDENTS MUST BE POST-MARKED NO LATER THAN MARCH 1, 2014

AND SUBMITTED TO:

SKRUNGLOO FARM, INC. Student Aid Program

c/o Bianco Professional Association Attorneys at Law 18 Centre Street

Concord, NH 03301

FOR MORE INFORMATION, OR TO RECEIVE A SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION, CONTACT

BIANCO PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION AT 225-7170 or 1-800-262-8112

or email request to: [email protected]

important issues. Tax reform and the federal budget will take center stage as we continue pushing for rational budget reforms and prioritized spending cuts to put America’s fi scal policy back on track. Instead of continually plunging off of one budget cliff and shooting down the rapids to the next, we must look for fair and balanced solutions. In doing so, we need to make real progress on in-dividual and business tax reforms that aff ect farmers’ and ranchers’ profi tabil-ity. This, too, will help bolster econom-ic recovery. Farmers and ranchers will continue to batt le perennial regulatory creep in 2014, particularly as it relates to waters of the U.S. Current proposed regula-tions that we know are under review completely ignore repeated U.S. Su-preme Court decisions that uphold congressional intent and deny EPA the right to create law on a regulatory whim. If these regulations are adopted

and enforced, farmers and ranchers can expect that nearly everything they do pertaining to water on their farms and ranches will be regulated by EPA. On a separate note, another year has passed and we are still awaiting Food and Drug Administration clar-ity on how various proposed food safety rules will aff ect farmers. With the complexity inherent in each of these rules, Farm Bureau is joining the call with other farm groups and state regulatory offi cials urging FDA to provide an adequate period of time to thoroughly review all of the “fi nal” proposals together in order to avoid unnecessary, and potentially unfair, regulatory requirements that do litt le to improve food safety. So, while we have a lot on the ho-rizon this coming year, Farm Bureau stands ready to take these challenges and opportunities head on. It’s time to clean our plate.

Farmers Have a Full Plate in 2014- continued from front page

It’s a Girl!

istock.com photo

Farm Bureau - The Voice of NH AgriculturePage 16 January/February 2014

FOR SALE

FOR SALE: Workall Tractor – Original Prototype – New engine (980 hours) 79 HP, front PTO (540) Cat I front 3 point hitch, front blade with rock blade, log forks, 45 de-gree angle plates, grapple, 8,000 lb. hydraulic winch with 4 chokers, with logging arch and cable winder, remove winch and log arch and mount homemade dump body with piston, 2 pair of h-patt ern studded chains, transport bucket with manure forks. Tire size – 11.2 x 24 ag tread with tubes. All hydrostatic drive to 4 wheel motors. In-cludes 20 hours of free service to buyer (in New England) see Web site – www.workall.com - $25,000. Call Maury Collins 603-847-3321.

FOR SALE: 1999 Dodge 3500 Cummings Diesel 4x4 du-ally, extended cab, 8 foot bed. 5th wheel hitch with spray in bedliner. Leather seats, well equipped. Only 114,000 miles. $11,495. Contact [email protected] or call 603-835-2490

FOR SALE: Reg. Limousin Bull; 2 1/2 years old; proven sire; calves on site. $2000 or B/O. Westmoreland,NH 399-7074.

FOR SALE : One 5 H.P. electric motor – came off Silo unloader, $450; One 2 H.P. electric motor – used on barn cleaner, $275; One 4’x8’ Leer Truck Cap – excellent condi-tion, $375 - Call 603-436-3990

FOR SALE: 1st stove---FCP Antique Cast Iron Parlor Stove 12” x 32” Very Good Condition---$2502nd stove---Lakewood Airtight Heavy Gauge Steel, Dual-Walled, Firebrick Lined, 8” x 32” New Blower Motor. Very Good Condition---$750 Call 603-747-3869 Bath, NH

FOR SALE: 10 KW PTO driven generator. Drummond generator a division of Detroit Diesel, needs a tractor with min 23HP, 10,000 watt 41.6 amps. Has 2 -120v out-lets and another outlet to hook up to your electrical ser-vice with 40 amp breaker. It comes with a 6’ telescoping PTO shaft. Unit is mounted on a pallet to move around easy. It sits on the ground att ached to the pallet making it easy to move. Rarely used $1,200 call 603-352-9380 we can email pictures if needed. Surry NH

FOR SALE: Truck Cap for small pickup truck. $350 or trade for haying equipment. Please contact Rick Wendell 603-744-0719.

FOR SALE: 1996 Playday two horse bumper trailer, maroon, rubber mats, extra panels, under storage, excel. cond., $1500. Firm Canterbury, NH 783-0335.

FOR SALE: 1926 – 5HP Witt e Type B one lunger gas engine with saw rig & wagon - $2,500 OBO Jeff erson, 603-586-4570

FOR SALE: Missouri Fox Trott ers, Geldings, Ages 5-10. Registered, Broke & Trained. Comfortable gaited Trail Horses. Phone 465-2672, Hollis, NH

FOR SALE: 253 Acre Farm in Hoosick Falls, NYCurrently Horse/Beef farm, House, Hay Barn, Sheds, Pas-ture, Hayfi elds, Mobile home rental, Organic potential. Just outside of village. Call Jane 603-847-9026

FOR SALE: Hay Kicker. New Holland model 70 me-chanical hay thrower. Fits NH 315 baler. Complete with

electronics. $550. We pick up hay with horses so do not need the kicker. 603-835-2490 or [email protected] Alstead, NH

FOR SALE: 4 Registered Ayrshire heifers 2 Jr Two yr Olds born 5/11 & 8/11, 1 Spring Yrlg born 5/12, 1 Summer Yrlg born 8/12 $1050 each. 1 Registered Charlois heifer born 2/12 $1200. 1 Red Angus heifer born 4/12 $875. 1 Registered Ayrshire Bull calf born 11/12 $400. Chester-fi eld, NH 209-8224

FOR SALE: Fertilizer spreader - 12 bag granular capaci-ty with three point hitch - PTO - $300 or OBO. Call 603-444-6076

FOR SALE: Western Trail Saddle & Tack Accessories Simcoe SIMCOE ‘BACK COUNTRY’ #452 padded West-ern Saddle in very good condition, no tooling. You can ride in this one all day ! With OVERNIGHT POMMEL PACK, and SEPARATE LEATHER SADDLE BAGS (Em-bossed Basket Patt ern) 3-inches wide x 10” deep, raw-hide lashings. Custom Wooden Saddle Stand with Shelf, Matching Bridle and curb bit, extra snaffl e bit, heavy winter blanket 68-inches, barback pad with full stirrups, Western Hat with hard shell inner-liner -- photos avail-able upon request --$650.00 or Best Off er - Contact Mal-colm Taylor at 603-968-3846 or [email protected]

FOR SALE: 1,000 gallon poly water tank. Good condi-tion. $500 -3 point hitch saw rig. $400 - 1986 Ford dump truck 30208 remanufactured motor. Never driven in win-ter. Good condition. $5000. Call Paul Allard in Milton, NH after 5 PM at 603-652-4291.

FARM FOR SALE: Lost Nation Farm, Lancaster, NH. Apple orchard, cider mill, hydro electric power, farm house, pond. 38.8 acres. See www.nhfarmforsale.net Call: 603-631-1888

WANTED

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 WANTED

AN OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME AWAITS YOU at our one of a kind, secluded 70 acre Central New Hamp-shire farm! Even though you will not want to leave the farm, Boston, The White Mountains and the Seacoast are all less than an hour and a half drive! We are seeking a hardworking, self-motivated, couple to temporarily take over and revitalize our small family farm operation in ex-change for beautiful private living space, farm food, farm income, experience and more! Due to family illness this past spring much of our farming venture has sadly been put on hold. A new business and family priorities still temporarily preclude our att ention to the farm. We milk a few cows, raise a few hogs, 1000+ meat chickens, layers, tend a quarter acre veggie garden, a 1 acre fi eld an half acre apple orchard, an expanding wine

FARM BUREAU CALENDAR

JanuaryJanuary 1

NEW YEAR’S DAY FB Office CLOSED

January 6ASSOCIATED WOMEN

FB Office - 10 AM

January 6GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

MEETINGFB Office - 6 PM

FebruaryFebruary 3

ASSOCIATED WOMENFB Office - 10 AM

February 20NHFBF BOARD MEETING

FB Office - 10:30 AM

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 e-mailed 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.

vineyard, and fruit beds. A new 3/4 acre hops yard will be planted spring of 2014. We use our Oxen, “Black and Tan” for fi eld and forest work and “Bear” the easy-going saddle horse likes a leisurely trail walk. At the end of a long day cool off in the pond or unwind in our own Nano-Brewery! Applicants over 18 are selected not based on race, gender, age or religious /lifestyle/politi-cal preferences, but on individual aptitude and compatibility. S teve Allman, Hidden Wonders Farm305 Baptist Hill Rd, Canterbury, NH 03224603 491 4539 [email protected]

SEEKING FULL TIME FARM MANAGER , year-round position, higher education pre-ferred, livestock experience required, opera-tion/maintenance of machinery, property man-agement. submit resume to [email protected] www.yankeefarmersmarket.com

SERVICES

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

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The New England Meat Conference will take place at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH on Friday, March 7, 2014 and Sat-urday, March 8, 2014. The goal of the New England Meat Conference is to enhance the production, processing, and marketing of sustainable, nutritious, humanely-raised, and delicious meat from New England farms and processors by providing educational and networking opportunities for meat produc-ers, processors and consumers.

newenglandmeatconference.org

WALNUT GROVE FARM

ELECTRIC FENCE SYSTEMS

Crash says: “This fence keeps me safe!”

48 Cartland RoadLee, NH [email protected]

John & Laura Gund


Friday, February 7, 2014 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, February 8, 20149 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Radisson Hotel700 Elm Street

Manchester, NH 03101

Admission price is $7 per person; age 16 and under admitt ed for free. Save $1 off the admission price by bringing 2 non-perishable food items to benefi t the

NH Food Bank.

Photo: Howard Pearl

“Celebrating NH’s Commitment to Agri-culture, Education & Forestry!”

2014 Farm & Forest Expo

Registration will be $10 per person which will include a ticket to the Expo if pre-registered by a

certain date.

At the Farm & Forest Expo Radisson Hotel700 Elm Street

Manchester NH 03101

the Farm & Forest Exp

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

University of New Hampshire, U.S. Department of Agriculture and N.H. counties cooperating.

2 0 1 4 Wo m e n I n A g r i c u l t u r e C o n f e r e n c e

When it becomes available, additional information can be

found at: extension.unh.edu/Agriculture

Risky Business: Tools for Success in Today’s Agriculture

February 7, 20141-4 p.m.

Questions? Email: [email protected]

At the 98th meeting of the NHFB House of Delegates

held Saturday, November 9 at Holloway Commons on the campus of UNH in Durham, the twenty-four elected county Farm Bureau delegates adopted the following new resolutions and changes to the existing poli-cy document. The underlined headings indicate the section of the policy document in which the new res-olutions were added or in which substantive changes to existing policy were made. The policy document guides the federation board of directors and staff in our advocacy work on behalf of Farm Bureau mem-bers. The complete document can be found on the NHFB web-site at nhfarmbureau.org.

Agricultural RepresentationLanguage in bold added to ex-isting policy

We encourage towns to estab-lish agricultural committ ees or commissions to assist local de-cision makers in land use, zon-ing, and other policy decisions that aff ect farming and food and fi ber production.

Cooperative ExtensionWe support 4-H programs that emphasize positive youth de-velopment, readiness for col-lege and professional careers in agricultural and natural re-source sciences.

DairyWe support adoption of the Dairy Security Act.

Delete from existing policy:We support federal dairy policy that balances supply with de-mand in order to pay farmers a fair price for their milk. Any supply management system must be mandatory and should be controlled by producers.Language in bold added to ex-isting policy:

Up until the new Farm Bill is approved, we urge the Milk In-come Loss Contract (MILC) be extended at reinstituted with pre-September 1, 2012 rules.

EducationChange existing policy as fol-lows:As UNH becomes less aff ord-able and with the intent of making a good college educa-tion more accessible to in-state students We urge the state to increase its contributions to UNH to place a priority on re-ducing tuition for in-state stu-dents.

EquineLanguage in bold replaces ex-isting policy We support horseback riding on designated trails on public land. We support equestrian use of DRED properties and other public lands as a listed use on designated trails and roadways.

Food Safety, Health and Public SafetyWe oppose the Food Safety Modernization Act.

Language in bold added to ex-isting policy:

The proposed Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules, released in January of 2013, do not refl ect the spirit of the Tester-Hagen Amend-ment, are not based on sound, demonstrated science and will signifi cantly harm and de-grade New Hampshire agri-culture if implemented, there-fore, we urge the Food and Drug Administration to enact rules that are consistent with FSMA as it was signed into law in 2011, with particular att en-tion to the provisions allowing for the regulations to be based on farm size, science and the cost of implementation.

We encourage an educational approach for food safety in-cluding educating farmers on safe production and handling practices, as well as educating consumers on safe handling and storage practices post pur-chase. Food safety should em-phasize consumer responsibil-ity as well as farmer responsi-bility.

In order to provide transpar-ency, testing the safety and nu-tritional quality of genetically modifi ed organisms should fol-low the scientifi c method and remain under the direction and control of the FDA for crops, and the USDA for animals, to detect any problems and main-tain confi dence of the public in the food supply.

Research should be done that would allow the state to de-clare a zone of concern when a EEE virus detection has been made.

We urge state agencies to work together to support the control of zoonotic diseases.

Farming OpportunityWe support a farmers’ right to adopt biotechnology and relat-ed farm practices.

ForestryEvery eff ort must be made to manage the Emerald Ash Borer.

Land UseData used in land use studies must be developed from within the aff ected area.

LivestockWe support a mandatory re-quirement for witnesses of ani-mal cruelty to report such cru-elty to proper local authorities within 48 hours of witnessing such cruelty, and to report the existence of any and all evi-dence, and to agree to maintain such evidence in its entirety, whole and unedited for 90 days.

Motor Vehicles Law and TransportationAll trucks registered as Farm or Agricultural should be exempt from the federal Uniform Com-mercial Code when traveling out of state the same way that they are exempt when travel-ing in state.

Product LabelingLabeling of genetically engi-neered products should be vol-untary and not mandatory.

State & County GovernmentCommodities produced with state or county tax dollars should not be competing with farmers in local markets by selling below local prevailing prices.

We support the NH Division of Motor Vehicles having a pub-lished phone number.

UNH College of Life Scienc-es & AgricultureWe strongly urge the admin-istration of UNH to recognize the integral importance of ag-riculture and foods to the state and region, and its central role within the University through COLSA.

Internal AffairsWe will convene a study group to review state and local road posting authority.

In Cooperative Extension’s centennial year we will ask UNH to reaffi rm its primary Land-Grant mission of provid-ing agricultural research and education to New Hampshire farmers.

New Policy Approved by House of DelegatesBy Rob JohnsonPolicy Director, NHFB


Beryl Mt. View Farm - Alstead-John & Hazell Fuller(603) 835-6509USDA vacuumed packed Beefalo and grass fed on the farms in S. Acworth & Alstead.

Bonnie Brae Farms - PlymouthHenry Ahern (603) 536-3880 www.bonniebraefarms.com/Farm-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 [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.

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

Eccardt Farm Inc. - WashingtonGeorge, Sandy & Ryan Eccard495-3830

[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.

Far View Farm - Langdon Marilyn [email protected] - Naturally raised on pasture, hormone and antibiotic free. Icelan-dic lamb is naturally lean with a mild fl avor.

Fitch Farm - CornishJim and Sue Fitch675-9391 fi [email protected] fed Highland beef.

Gelinas Farm - PembrokeJoanna Gelinas – [email protected] catt le, sides of 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.

Harrison’s Poultry Farm - CandiaFrank [email protected], guinea fowl, turkey, duck, goose, rabbit, liver and more.

Haines Hill Farm - WolfeboroCharles &Erica [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 ap-proved butcher, Windham Butcher Shop, chickens processed by No View Farm.

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

Hurd Farm LLC - HamptonSteven [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.

Manning Hill Farm - WinchesterSarah Costa 239-4397100% grass fed beef, and pasture raised pork.

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

Partridge Meadow Farm - WestmorelandRichard & Susan Paul399-4876 [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.

PT Farm - N. HaverhillPeter and Tara [email protected] feed about 175 head of steers and heifers as well as 200+ hogs. We pro-cess them at our own USDA plant. Nearly all our product is sold fresh daily. The largest volume goes to New England restaurants and the re-mainder is sold at our farm store.

Remick Country Doctor Museum Farm - Tamworth

Sheena [email protected] ground beef, break-fast 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 Italian sausage and hot Italian sau-sage. Fresh eggs.

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

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

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

Shepherd’s Hut Market - GilfordJeff & Joyce Keyser527-1873 or [email protected] ed USDA freezer lamb. Various cuts fresh frozen and vac-uum sealed.

Steele Farm - WonalancetHelen R Steele323-8687Farm raised lamb.

Temple Mountain Beef - TempleMark Salisbury878-4290Beef by the side – cut and packaged to order.

Top of the Hill Farm - Wolfb oroAlan Fredrickson569-3137Beef - pasture exposed and all natural by the piece, 1/4, 1/2 or [email protected]

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

Windy Hill Natural Beef-JacksonHank Peterson383-8917Beef - 1/4 or 1/2 for sale. Orders ac-cepted year-round for fall delivery.

Yankee Farmers’ Market - WarnerBrian & Keira Farmer456-2833yankeefarmersmarket.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

NHFB Meat ListingNHFB Meat ListingMighty Meats Mighty Meats

Buff alo Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

¼ cup olive oil2 medium onions, chopped½ medium green pepper, chopped2 medium carrots, chopped1 cup chopped mushrooms1 clove garlic, minced1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (or whole tomatoes crushed)2 cups vegetable broth1 teaspoon salt

Tomato Sauce

In a 10-inch skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onions, green pepper, carrots, mushrooms and garlic. Over medium heat, cook the vegetables uncovered for 15 minutes. Add the tomato paste, crushed to-matoes, vegetable broth, and salt and simmer for 2 hours, uncovered. When the sauce has simmered for about 1 hour, preheat oven to 375 de-grees and begin preparing the meatballs.

1 egg1/3 cup milk 1 cup fresh bread crumbs1 teaspoon salt½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper2 tablespoons chopped parsley1 teaspoon dried oregano1 pound buff alo hamburger meat

Meatballs

Lightly beat the egg in a medium-size bowl. Add milk, bread crumbs, salt, pep-per, parsley and oregano and mix well. Blend the meat into bread crumb mixture and fry a small piece in a small skillet to taste and adjust seasonings. Make twelve meatballs and bake on a sheet pan in the oven for about 15 min-utes (they do not have to be completely done). Add the meatballs to the sauce dur-ing its last 30 minutes of cooking time. Serve over pasta.

Source: New Hampshire, From Farm to Kitchen by Helen Brody


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Farmer sells as much local chicken, lamb, venison and buff alo as he can without compromising quality from his Warner farm store. His main focus is buff alo and has been raising them for over 23 years. He transports animals frequently to ensure he has enough meat to supply his store and online business. To get the job done, Brian uses fi ve diff erent processors (in and out-of-state) and is glad that there are more processors to choose from in the Granite State. “It gives the local guy a chance to get his animals in and they do not have to drive two to three hours,” mentioned Farmer. “Plus competition is good. If people are not happy with the results at one processor they can go to another.” Since opening the store in 1998, Brian has noticed a signifi cant increase in demand for local meats. “There are defi nitely more people looking for local meat than when I fi rst started. In general my customers are not confi dent with what is in the grocery stores,” mentioned Farmer. “They like to know where their food is coming from. They often make a special trip to come see the buff alo and talk to me directly.” More processors means, greater accessibility and reduced wait times, which has silenced past grumbles. “We are not hearing from producers, which is a good thing,” noted Commissioner of Agriculture, Markets and Food Lorraine Merrill. “We used to hear complaints that there weren’t enough meat processors in the state.” With more meat processors the results are positive on all accounts. Ray Conner of Evandale Farms in Pitt sfi eld is ecstatic about the recently established

USDA-inspected facility, The Local Butcher in Center Barnstead. “I’m so glad they are here,” said Conner. “Before, I was driving three hours to Vermont to get my hogs processed, and then driving back a week later to pick the meat up. The cost of gasoline, time and wear and tear on my vehicle really cut into any profi ts. Now, I drive 10 minutes and I’m able to build a relationship with my butcher.” Since The Local Butcher opened last September, the ease of accessing meat processing is more than suffi cient. As a result, Ray is planning on increasing her swine herd. “I feel confi dent that I can get my animals in to be processed, so I’m certain I can sell more,” Conner noted. About a year and a half ago the only, USDA–inspected processor was Lemay and Sons Beef in Goff stown. Owner, operator Rick LeMay was busy then and he is still busy. “Our regular clientele were scheduled two to three months out, there is a lighter schedule for the new year but it is diffi cult to say how it’s (additional meat processors) going to impact us,” said LeMay. “We are very fortunate to have been in business for 50 years and USDA-inspected for 35 years. Our success can be credited to our dedicated clientele.” Fifty years is a great achievement considering New Hampshire lost many of the processors when the state inspected program ended in 1977. Most were lost to economies of scale in the Midwest, as with most food production. However, with the recent local food movement, people are questioning this system.

In 2011 the legislature att empted to address the lack of processing in the state, by approving a state-run meat inspection program with no appropriation beyond $1. “The program was never funded so it never existed,” Commission Merrill pointed out. “At the time, the lack of USDA-inspected meat processors is what caused the bott leneck. Now, the pressure is reduced and we are seeing people taking advantage of the federal services and market needs being met.” To legally sell meat to restaurants, stores and at farmers’ markets, it must be processed in a USDA-inspected facility. These facilities have higher standards than custom slaughter plants, most meat processed in custom facilities are for hunters or for personal consumption and can’t be sold. After a fi re destroyed East Conway Beef & Pork in 2011 the owner, Darrell Robinson decided to rebuild to meet USDA specifi cations. Since opening as a USDA-inspected facility in November of 2012, business has been good. “We were booked solid in fall and have a full schedule into February,” said Robinson. “A good amount of business comes from Maine because there are few USDA-inspected processors there. To accommodate our clientele we built additional hanging space for beef and a USDA-certifi ed smoker.” The farming community is happy to hear business is good for processors. “Having four in the state is helping to reduce the bott leneck problem, but they are still busy,” Commissioner Merrill noted. “They need to be busy to stay in business, that’s good for all of us.” In June of 2012, PT Farm moved

across the border from St. Johnsbury, Vt. to a larger processing facility in North Haverhill. The establishment has been a welcome addition to the community especially for the nearby dairy, Hatchland Farm. “PT Farm is a real asset to the area,” said Hatchland Farm Manager Denis Ward. “For about a year now we have been crossbreeding a few of our Holstein cows with a Black Angus, for a beefi er animal. PT has provided us with a second outlet for the rest of our calves so we aren’t locked into one buyer. The competition is good for us.” To study infrastructure and demand for local meat, the Center for Rural Partnerships at Plymouth State University has developed a project called, Analyzing Meat Processing, Production and Market Demand in New Hampshire. Rachelle Lyons is the Agriculture and Environment Coordinator and is the person in charge of the project. “We are conducting research on relative capacity, producers, processors and market demand through a survey,” Lyons said. “The research is to determine market demand for local meat, alternative processing and how we can regrow and improve food security in New Hampshire. The survey will be available, early January and we are hopeful results will be accessible by June.” For additional information on the project, Lyons is available by calling 603-535-3270 or by email [email protected]. All indicators are predicting growth for the state’s livestock industry. Now that an infrastructure has been built, it is anticipated the farming community and marketplace will respond in a forward direction.

Now That it’s Built — Let it GrowBy Maureen Duff y, NHFBF Communications Director

continued from front page

Farm Bureau - The Voice of NH AgricultureJanuary/February 2014 Page 20

NH Farm Bureau Board of DirectorsNH Farm Bureau Board of Directors

PresidentJeff Holmes, LangdonHolmes Dairy [email protected]

First Vice PresidentDenis Ward, MonroeOld Homestead [email protected]

Second Vice PresidentDave Babson, OssipeeRun Away [email protected]

TreasurerHoward Pearl, LoudonPearl & Sons [email protected]

President Associated WomenNaomi Scanlon, CanterburyTwo Sisters’ [email protected]

Young Farmer ChairValerie Drown, [email protected]

Grafton County PresidentHenry Ahern, Jr.Bonnie Brae [email protected]

CoÖs County PresidentJoyce Brady, ColumbiaCJEJ Farm922-3305

Cheshire County PresidentBethany Hodge, HinsdaleEcho Farm 336-7706 x [email protected]

Carroll County PresidentAlan Fredrickson, WolfeboroTop of the Hill [email protected]

Belknap County PresidentTom Locke, [email protected]

Sullivan County PresidentCassy Sullivan, [email protected]

Strafford County PresidentBruce Cilley, BarringtonHorse Shoes [email protected]

Rockingham County PresidentPhilip Ferdinando, DerryJ&F [email protected]

Merrimack County PresidentStephen MacCleery, ChichesterS. E. MacCleery [email protected]

Hillsboro County PresidentSean Trombly, MilfordTrombly [email protected]

Second Vice PresidentThomas McElroy, NewtonNewton [email protected]

2014 jan feb communicator

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