News Release:

Farm Bureau will honor, educate members at convention

Virginia Farm Bureau Federation will recognize members of all ages for various distinctions Nov. 25–28 during its 2007 Annual Convention in Chantilly.

At the annual Family Night program on Nov. 26, the organization will name its 2008 Virginia Farm Bureau Ambassador and honor the winner of the 2007 Outstanding Young Agriculturalist Award.

At the Nov. 27 awards breakfast, winners of the annual Young Farmer Achievement Award and Excellence in Agriculture Award, sponsored by the VFBF Young Farmer Committee, will be recognized, as will the winner of the 2007 Warren Beach Award, which recognizes support for young farmers. The final round of the Young Farmer Discussion Meet also will be held Nov. 27. The competition simulates a committee-style discussion about a predetermined agricultural topic, with judging based on participants’ problem-solving and consensus-building skills.

Winners of this year’s Discussion Meet, Achievement Award and Excellence in Agriculture Award will compete on the national level in January at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual meeting in New Orleans.

The VFBF Farm Woman of the Year will be announced at the Nov. 27 Fellowship Luncheon. That designation is awarded based on a member’s contributions to her family farm operation, Farm Bureau, the agriculture industry and her community.

During a Nov. 27 banquet, Farm Bureau will present its annual Distinguished Service Awards, which recognize outstanding support for Virginia’s agriculture industry.

The overall theme for this year’s convention is “Feeding the World: Agriculture Matters.” Two educational conferences and a series of forums on Nov. 26 will offer ample opportunity for members to learn how much the industry indeed matters to the commonwealth and feeds the world.

Betty Wolanyk, AFBF director of education and research, will give an interactive presentation on “Addressing Misconceptions About Agriculture.”

Dean Merrilees of the Australian embassy will join Laurent Javaudin, representing the European Union, in a discussion of the developing 2007 Farm Bill.

Gov. Tim Kaine, who will speak on Nov. 27, leads the list of distinguished guests attending the convention. AFBF President Bob Stallman will deliver the keynote address, “Trade Matters to American Farmers,” at Monday’s opening luncheon. Earlier this year Stallman was appointed to the White House Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, the committee at the top of a multi-tiered system to advise the president and Congress on proposed trade agreements.

The VFBF annual convention is where voting delegates from each county Farm Bureau help shape the organization’s state and federal policy for the coming year. Delegates also will elect members of the VFBF board of directors.

With 148,000 members in 88 county Farm Bureaus, VFBF is Virginia’s largest farm organization. Farm Bureau is a non-governmental, nonpartisan, voluntary organization that supports its members through legislative lobbying, leadership programs, commodity marketing and risk management services, insurance products and other benefits.