Virginia Evergreen Winter 2018

Volume 8, Issue 1

Winter 2018

Inside this Issue: Respond to Census of Ag − 2 From the President – 3 MANTS Volunteers ‒ 3 Governor Tree/ Wreath Presentation Photos ‒ 5 Social Media Key to Promotion Campaign ‒ 7 New ‘Farm Use’ Laws ‒ 9 VCTGA@ State Fair – 10 No Cancer Link to Monsanto Weedkiller − 11 Bettina Ring New Secretary of Ag/Forestry – 11 WOTUS ‒ 12 Virginia Ag Economic Impact ‒ 12 Permit Fees Dues ‒ 13 Boxwood Blight Update – 13 Bees & Polllinators – 15 VCTGA Strategic Plan 2020 – 16 Tree Promotion Board – 18 Advertisers Alpha Nurseries ‒ 4 Bosch’s Countryview Nursery – 6 Tim Mitchell’s Yule Stand System ‒ 6 Tree Teck ‒ 15 Farm Credit ‒ 17 Riverside Enterprises ‒ 19 Kelco ‒ 19 VA Conservation Assistance Program – 19 Wagoner’s Fraser Knoll ‒ 24

SAVE THE DATE! August 9-11, 2018, VCTGA Annual Conference (l-r) Henry Houston, Rainey Houston, Samuel Houston, Catherine Houston, John Paul Houston, John Houston (with wreath), Basil Gooden, Secretary of Ag & Forestry; Governor Terry McAuliffe; Mellissa Goodman, Rodney Richardson, Sandy Adams, Commissioner of Ag; Betinna Ring, State Forester.

Free National Marketing Promotional Signs, Banners and Facebook posts See pages 9, 10, 18

ITS CHRISTM S KEEP IT RE L . COM

Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association Inc. 383 Coal Hollow Rd. Christiansburg, VA 24073-6721 & Social Media Grant Updates Greg Lemmer Editor in Chief - Jeff Miller Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association Inc. 383 Coal Hollow Rd Christiansburg, VA 24073-6721 PH: 540-382-7310 Fax: 540-382-2716 secretary@VirginiaChrist- masTrees.org www.VirginiaChristmasTreees.org Coordinating and Coordinating Editors Contributing and Coordinating Editors Membership Paris Rasnic Technical Support & Production John Carroll & Kyle P er Mount Rogers Report Jackie Davis, President, MRCTGA Pathology & Dise se Norman Dart Pests Eric Day VDACS Support & Updates Danny Neel Marketing, Promotion, Membership Paris Rasnic Technical Support & Production John Carroll & Kyle Peer Mount Rogers Report Jackie Davis, President, MRCTGA Pathology & Disease Norman Dart Pests Eric Day VDACS Support & Updates Danny Neel Dave Robishaw Marketing, Promotion, & Social Media Sue Bostic Grant Updates Greg Lemmer Editor in Chief - Jeff Miller

As you know, it’s the only source of uniform, comprehensive and impartial agricultural data for every county in the nation. Census data are widely used, often relied on when developing the Farm Bill and other farm policy, and when making decisions about dis- aster relief, community planning, technology development, and more. The VCTGA counts on having this kind of data from the Census of Agriculture and NASS data. The more responses they have, the more accurate and complete the data will be; we want all farms represented. Data from the Census help:  Shape programs and initiatives that benefit young and beginning farmers;  Expand access to resources that help women, veteran and minority farmers;  And help farmers diversify into new markets, including local and regional food systems, specialty crops and organic production;  Helps support grant requests and acting on legislative/regulatory issues that affect your business

PH: 540-382-7310 Fax: 540-382-2716

secretary@VirginiaChristmasTrees.org www.VirginiaChristmasTrees.org

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2018

2 |

Page 2 

VCTGA News Journal – Winter 2018 

throughout the Mansion. Again, ku- dos to both John and Ronnie for be- ing excellent representatives of the Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association. Elsewhere in this edi- tion of the Journal you will find pho- tos taken at the event. In other VCTGA news, the Board of Directors had been hard at work working to implement aspects of the strategic planning session that was held in September 2017. Several work groups have been formed to look at areas of the VCTGA mission to determine how to further increase the value of your membership dollar. Those areas include association man- agement, communications, member- ship recruitment, member education and research beneficial to both the re- tail and wholesale segments of the in- dustry. Included in all these discus- sions will be ways to make your farm even more successful through new and different offerings that will help drive traffic and sales. Work will continue through the Spring. We hope to be able to report some of the results at the 2018 Annual Meeting. And speaking of the 2018 Annual Meeting, while we haven’t decided on a location at this point, please mark your calendars tentatively for either the first or second week of Au- gust. Last year’s meeting was well at- tended and very educational and we hope to have the 2018 meeting equally as informative and produc- tive for our members. Thank you.

From the President

Good day everyone. As this is being written we have finished the first two weeks of the 2017 Christmas selling and by many accounts, sales have in- creased by double digits. Several farms in Central Virginia and the Northern Piedmont have indicated they were closing early or limiting sales to their remaining precut trees. We will anxiously await a post sea- son report from the Christmas Tree Promotion Board and the National Christmas Tree Association for a broader analysis of the season as to what was driving this apparent up- swing in sales. But all in all, it seems that, despite the tight market condi- tions for trees, sales at most farms in Virginia were up. CONGRATULA- TIONS TO ALL! The VCTGA was once again honored to present the Christmas tree and wreaths to the Governor’s mansion in Richmond. There was a large gather- ing of folks at the Mansion on No- vember 21 st for the presentation. Congratulations to Ronnie Richard- son for hauling in a beautiful 14-foot Fraser Fir to grace the main ballroom in the Governor’s home. It was quite a sight to see as it was being un- loaded. More congratulations are in order for John Houston of Sweet Providence Farm in Floyd for pre- senting the Governor with a healthy supply of wreaths for decorations

Jeff Gregson, VCTGA President, and Governor Terry McAuliffe, at the

tree/wreath presentation at the Governor's Mansion

Special Thanks to these MANTS Trade Show Volunteers!!! Greg Miller for providing a B&B Fir Christmas tree and wreath for the VDACS/VCTGA exhibit, shipping, and returning the VCTGA displays. Jeff Miller for setting up the display Also THANKS to VDACS Marketing staff Danny Neel and Keith Long for staffing the exhibit during the 3-day show with over 11,000 attendees!

Thanks!

Jeff Gregson, President VCTGA 2016-18 Bees and Trees Farm, Elkwood, VA

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2018 VCT ews Journal – Winter 2018 

| 3 Page 3 

ALPHA NURSERIES, INC 3737 –65 TH ST. HOLLAND, MI 49423

Fall 2017- Spring 2018

Phone: 269 - 857-7804 Fax: 269 857-8162 Email: info@alphanurseries.com Find us on the web at: www.alphanurseries.com

Spruce

Pine, Other Evergreens

Per Per

Per Per

Species

Size Age 100 1000

Species

Size Age 100 1000

Colorado Bl. Spruce

White Pine

9-15" 2-0 10-18" 2-1

$41 $215 $88 $550 $112 $700 $160 $1,000 $42 $220 $90 $560 $128 $800 $168 $1,050 $41 $215 $87 $540 $136 $850

7-10"

2-0

$45 $235 $55 $290 $106 $660 $192 $1,200 $39 $205 $87 $545 $110 $690 $143 $895

10-16" 3-0 10-18" 2-1 18-24" 2-2

Picea pungens 'glauca'

Pinus strobus

Kaibab, San Juan 12-18" 2-2 *

Lake States

Misty Blue *

18-24" 2-2 *

* - Add $75/1000

Norway Spruce

Red Pine

10-18" 2-0 14-20" 2-1 16-24" 2-2 24-36" 2-2 10-18" 2-0 12-18" 2-1 20-30" 2-2

7-10" 8-14" 8-16"

2-0 2-1 2-2

Picea abies

Pinus resinosa

Lake States

Lake States

16-24" 2-3

White Spruce

Austrian Pine

4-7"

2-0 2-0

$32 $170 $41 $220

7-10"

Picea glauca

Lake States

Scotch Pine

6-10"

2-0

$32 $165 $41 $215

Serbian Spruce

9-15" 2-1 12-24" 2-2

$94 $590 $132 $825

10-18" 2-0

Pinus sylvestris

Scots Highland, Guadarrama, French, East Anglia

Picea omorika

Germany Black Hills Spruce

Ponderosa Pine

7-14" 2-1 14-20" 2-2

$100 $625 $136 $850

6-12"

2-0

$47 $245

Picea glauca 'densata'

Pinus ponderosa

Black Hills, SD

Black Hills N.F.

Fir

American Larch

12-18" 2-0 18-30" 2-0 30-42" 2-0

$86 $540 $113 $710 $142 $885

Fraser Fir

7-12" P+1 10-14" P+2

$116 $725 $156 $975

Larix laricina

Ontario

Abies fraseri

Roan Mountain

Green Giant Arb's

7-14" RC+1 $164 $1,025

Balsam Fir

6-12" P+1 8-12" P+2

$100 $625 $122 $765 $148 $925 $61 $320 $92 $575 $132 $825

Thuja plicata 'Green Giant'

Ontario

Abies balsamea

Nova Scotia, Lake States 12-16" P+2

White Cedar

8-15" 2-0, 3-0 $51 $270

Concolor Fir

10-15" 2-0 8-14" 2-1 10-18" 2-2

8-14"

2-1

$99 $620 $168 $1,050

Thuja occidentalis

Michigan

18-24" 2-2

Abies concolor

San Isabel, Cibola

Write today for complete price list! Note: Other evergreen species available. In addition, we grow 200 species of broadleaves. 25% deposit due with order. Thank you for your consideration! Jeff Busscher, Manager

Canaan Fir

8-14" P+1 8-16" P+2

$122 $760 $148 $925

Abies balsamea var. phanerolipsis

West Virginia

Douglas Fir:

10-18" 2-0 10-18" 2-1

$41 $215 $88 $550 $134 $835

Pseudotsuga menziesii glauca

Lincoln, Rio Grande 20-30" 2-2

Korean Fir:

8-14" P+2

$136 $850

Abies koreana

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2018

4 |

Scenes from the VCTGA Tree and Wreath Presentation to the Governor

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2018

| 5

10785 84th Avenue • Allendale, Michigan 49401 Phone: (616) 892-4090 • Fax: (616) 892-4290 Email: brian@boschsnursery.com www.boschsnursery.com

Wholesale Price List for 2018 Quality Seedlings & Transplants

Per 100

Per 1,000

Per 100

Per 1,000

Per 100

Per 1,000

Age

Size

Rate

Rate

Age

Size

Rate

Rate

Age

Size

Rate

Rate

FRASER FIR (2-2, PL+2) (2-2, PL+2) (P+2, P+3) BALSAM FIR (2-1, P+1) (2-2, P+2) (P+2, P+3) CANAAN FIR (2-1, P+1) (P+2) (P+2, P+3)

WHITE SPRUCE - Lake States (2-0, 3-0) 9-15”

WHITE PINE - Lake States (2-0, 3-0) 6-12”

8-15” 10-18” 12-22”

$135.00 $145.00 $155.00

$830.00 $880.00 $950.00

$50.00 $100.00 $125.00

$210.00 $675.00 $775.00

$55.00 $95.00 $110.00

$250.00 $595.00 $695.00

(2-1)

12-18” 15-24”

(2-1)

6-12” 10-16” 12-18”

(2-1, 2-2)

(2-1, 3-1)

(2-2)

$135

XXX

NORWAY SPRUCE - Lake States (2-0, 3-0) 9-15”

SCOTCH PINE - Scothighland + French (2-0, 3-0) 9-15” $55.00

8-14” 10-18” 12-22”

$95.00 $125.00 $135.00

$610.00 $810.00 $850.00

$50.00 $110.00 $125.00

$210.00 $675.00 $775.00

(2-1)

12-18” 15-24”

$250.00

(2-1, 2-2)

WHITE CEDAR (2-0, 3-0)

BLACKHILL SPRUCE (2-0) 5-12”

6-12” 8-15” 15-24”

$55.00 $95.00 $145.00

$275.00 $610.00

8-14” 10-18” 12-22”

$115.00 $145.00 $155.00

$725.00 $890.00 $950.00

$55.00 $110.00 $135.00 $160.00

$250.00 $690.00 $850.00

(2-1) (2-2)

(2-1, 2-2)

10-15” 10-18” 15-24”

XXX ARBORvITAE - *EMERALD, *GREEN GIANT, TECHNY & DARK GREEN (RC+1) 6-12” $140.00 $890.00 *(P+1) 8-14” $165.00 XXX

(2-2) (2-2)

XXX

DOUGLAS FIR - Lincoln (2-0, 3-0) 9-15”

SERBIAN SPRUCE (2-0)

$55.00 $100.00

$250.00 $630.00

8-14” 8-15” 12-18”

$60.00 $105.00 $135.00

$295.00 $650.00 $850.00

(2-1)

8-14”

(2-1) (2-1)

CONCOLOR FIR (2-0)

For complete list please write or call us. Brian Bosch / Owner

5-12” 8-14” 10-15”

$55.00 $110.00 $115.00

$250.00 $680.00

AUSTRIAN PINE (2-0)

(2-1, P+1) (P+1)

6-14”

$55.00

$250.00

$725.00 COLORADO BLUE SPRUCE - San Juan & Kiabab (2-0, 3-0) 9-15” $50.00 $210.00 (2-1, P+1) 10-16” $100.00 $630.00 (2-2, P+2) 12-18” $135.00 $850.00 (P+2, P+3) 15-24” $160.00 XXX

RED PINE - Lake States (2-0, 3-0) 6-14”

$55.00

$250.00

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2018

6 |

Social Media a Key Component in 2017 Christmas Tree Promotion Campaign Success Social Media a Key Component in 2017 Christmas Tree Promotion Campaign Success

Facebook Focus for Campaign The team determined that Facebook would be the primary vehicle for sharing new campaign content due to its popularity with consumers and relative familiarity with growers. The campaign chose to feature Christmas tree growers on their own farms, talk- ing about what it means to be a Christmas tree grower. Using humor and sentiment, these attractive videos shared the three key messages and were very well-receive by the indus- try and consumers alike.

This tremendous reach was made possible in two ways; by growers and industry friends organically sharing the campaign content and through paid engagement. All campaign vid- eos can be viewed on the campaign Facebook page; www.face- book.com/ItsChristmasKeepItReal/ Media Outreach The campaign reached out to tradi- tional and on-line media sources us- ing three opportunities; our campaign Infographic, Christmas tree lighting ceremonies and a satellite media tour. An attractive Infographic , dispelling common myths about reach Christ- mas trees, with an accompanying press release was sent to both tradi- tional and on-line media outlets. Early results show strong media in- terest with 143 million impressions. Christmas Tree Lighting Events in four cities provided the backdrop for media outreach and interviews with Christmas tree growers at each loca- tion. In St. Louis, Sacramento, Port- land (OR), and Boston – the cam- paign team engaged with event goers with a game and prizes, but more im- portantly secured many media inter- views for our grower spokespersons. Total impressions from the inter- views and stories generated reached 46 million. The Satellite Media Tour provided a platform to schedule 31 television and radio interviews in a four-hour window. Guest spokesperson, Joe Washington, was joined by Christ- mas tree grower Steve VanderWeide in a studio in Atlanta. From that loca- tion they shared the three key mes- sages of the campaign with media outlets across the US; creating 10.8 million impressions.

Article note: This article was written in mid-December. References to number of video views and consumer reach are based on information available as of December 11.

As all Christmas tree growers can at- test, holiday 2017 was quite a push! While growers dealt with supply is- sues and trucking challenges due to hurricane and other weather issues around the country, the Christmas Tree Promotion Board dove into its second full-scale promotional cam- paign. With the long-term goal of increasing demand for fresh-cut Christmas trees, the CTPB continued with the cam- paign theme; It’s Christmas. Keep it Real . CTPB staff, along with Promo- tion Committee Chair, Mark Arkills, took on the role of overseeing and di- recting campaign components. CTPB once again engaged advertising agency, Concept Farm and bolstered the creative team with the addition of public relations firm, Fleishman Hil- lard. This teammet in the early spring to develop a strategy and budget. First, the team developed and agreed on an overarching statement and three key messages that would be in- cluded in all campaign materials: A real Christmas tree is a choice you can be proud of.  Growing, using, and recycling real Christmas trees is good for the environment.  Buying real Christmas trees pro- vides business for farmers.  Selecting a real Christmas tree makes memories for families and friends.

3 reasons, So Many to Choose From, Real vs. Artificial - Facebook users gave campaign videos a big “thumbs up” with more than 3 million views of the Grower Videos!

“I was totally blown away by the quality of these videos,” commented Phil Hunter of The Wreath Works in Port Orchard, Washington. “They to- tally exceeded my expectations. We shared them on our Facebook page and our customers told us how much they enjoyed them. I am thrilled with the end product!” Apparently, consumers liked the vid- eos as well. The campaign racked up more than 3 million video views by December 11!

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2018

| 7

VCTGA News Journal – Winter 2018 

Page 7 

time and then shared their tree search experience with their readers. Blog- gers were also enlisted to help raise the awareness of the Trees for Troops program, with partial CTPB funding, those stories included real tree mes- sages. Check out one of the blogger posts here: https://liagrif- fith.com/our-team-visit-to-the- christmas-tree-farm-video/ More Results to Come As exciting as these early reach num- bers are, they are just that; early! More complete and conclusive num- bers will become available in late January. The Christmas Tree Promo- tion Board will be making presenta- tions at most state and regional win- ter meetings during the first three months of 2018. This will include a brief “highlight” video of the cam- paign, as well as an opportunity for questions with an CTPB staff or board member. The video will also be posted to the CTPB website and growers will be notified when the video is ready to view. It’s Christmas. Keep it Real. * http://www.chicagotribune.com/enter- tainment/tv/ct-hallmark-channel-is- booming-in-the-age-of-trump- 20170821-story.html Marsha Gray, Industry Communications and Program Director, CTPB A real Christmas tree is a choice you can be proud of. Growing, using, and recycling real Christmas trees is good for the en- vironment.  For every real Christmas tree harvested, one new tree is planted.  Artificial trees are manufac- tured; real trees are grown.  Research shows that the natural tree is much friendlier to the en- vironment when compared to an

The campaign also included a na- tional TV integration with The Real , an hour-long daily daytime talk show airing on FOX Television stations and in national syndication, reaching an audience of more than 1.1 million viewers per day. The partnership in- cluded two TV segments featuring campaign messaging, which aired on December 1 and December 8. The second segment included a beautiful, fresh tree on the studio set. In addi- tion, the digital and social media ex- tensions included website content, e- mail newsletters and social media on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, reaching their audience of more than 3 million social followers.

Television The campaign included a bit of tele- vision into the mix of the promotion with the Hallmark Channel and syn- dicated television talk show; The Real .

Bloggers with a strong following of young families were chosen to share campaign messaging. Bloggers and On-line Influencers As another avenue for the campaign messages, CTPB engaged five, fam- ily-focused bloggers with large fol- lowings. All five of these influencers were matched with the families fea- tured in our grower videos. In most cases, the bloggers visited the farms on the day the videos were shot; inte- grating the video shoot and farm ex- perience all in one fun day. Our blog- gers wrote about their experiences meeting the grower families and shared their recently acquired Christ- mas tree farming knowledge; with a focus on the environmental benefits of real Christmas trees. Each blogger then visited the farms at tree harvest

The Hallmark Channel , with its in- credibly popular Christmas movie features, was a natural fit for the cam- paign. With a very modest budget, the campaign secured a package of 36, 15-second spots on the Hallmark Channel during the Countdown to Christmas event, between November 27-December 3. 15-second versions of three popular grower videos were created for this project. According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, Hallmark averaged 1.1 million view- ers during prime time during the 2016 holiday season *. Actual reach numbers won’t be available for the Hallmark Channel until January of 2018.

8 | Page 8 

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2018 VCTGA News Journal – Winter 2018 

artificial tree, which has three times the amount of impact on climate change and resource de- pletion when compared to a real tree. 1  Real Christmas trees are biode- gradable; they can be recycled or reused for mulch.  Most artificial Christmas trees are thrown away seven to ten years after they’re purchased and will then sit in a landfill lit- erally for centuries. Buying real Christmas trees pro- vides business for farmers.  Real Christmas Trees are a real crop, farmer-planted and hand-har- vested specifically for people to en- joy.  100% of real Christmas trees sold in the U.S. are grown in North America (naturally). Selecting a real Christmas tree makes memories for families and friends.  The hunt for a Christmas tree creates an experience that can’t be manufactured.  Everything from the scent to the search is an experience that no artifi- cial tree can replace. Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of an Artifi- cial Christmas Tree and a Natural Christmas Tree ; Ellipsos, Montreal, Quebec, 2009; pages 6 & 8.

“The General Assembly changed the penalty structure for second and sub- sequent offenses to a rigid $250 fine,” Smith said. As before, the law allows for a fine of up to $250 for a first offense. The change requires that the second or subsequent viola- tion be punishable by a $250 fine. Farm Bureau offers its members re- sources to clarify what qualifies as a farm use vehicle, as well as a form to make it easy to keep a list of farm lo- cations in a vehicle. These resources can be found at https://www.vafb.com/membership- at-work/farmers-in-action/legisla- tive/resources June 29, 2017 / Virginia Farm Bureau Plows And Politics, Andrew Smith, Sr. Assistant Director

News - Amendments to ‘Farm Use’ Laws Took Effect July 1 Changes to existing laws regulating unlicensed farm vehicles on Vir- ginia’s highways went into effect July 1.

Virginia lawmakers created what’s called the “farm use” designation for farmers who use unlicensed vehicles for specific purposes such as planting and harvesting crops and transporting farm products to market. Most farm- ers show the designation by using a special farm use placard on their ve- hicles. Andrew Smith, senior assistant direc- tor of governmental relations for Vir- ginia Farm Bureau Federation, em- phasized how important it is for valid users of farm use tags to understand two changes in the laws this year so they can be in compliance. “One amendment allows farm use vehicles to go a little farther, a dis- tance of up to 75 miles . Previously, the law allowed travel up to 50 miles,” Smith explained. In addition, the updated law now re- quires operators to be prepared to supply the location of their farm or farms to law enforcement officials. Any officer may request the address of the lands used by a vehicle’s owner for agricultural purposes or, if the address is not known, the real property parcel identification number of the land. The other law that will take effect in July stiffens penalties in an attempt to reduce abuse of current farm use pol- icies and guidelines.

Save The Date! August 9-11, 2018 VCTGA Annual Conference and Farm Tour

s Journal – Winter 2018 

| 9 Page 9 

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2018

VCTGA at the State Fair of Virginia VCTGA at the State Fair of Virginia VCTGA at the State Fair of Virginia

Thanks to these VCTGA Members for helping set up and staff the exhibit! John and Virginia Carroll Jeff Gregson Thanks to these VCTGA Members for helping set up and staff the exhibit! John and Virginia Carroll Jeff Gregson John and Virginia Carroll Jeff Gregson

Ron and Lorraine Hoke Greg and Janet Lemmer Jeff Miller Marie McGhee, ------ Ron and Lorraine Hoke Greg and Janet Lemmer Jeff Miller Marie McGhee, ------

Ron and Lorraine Hoke Greg and Janet Lemmer Jeff Miller Marie McGee

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2018 VCTGA News Journal – Winter 2018  VCTGA News Journal – Winter 2018  Other hanges based on customer eedback included VIP parking, a farm-to-table event and a new special events tent which housed th gia t pumpkin and watermelon weigh-in, State Fair of Virginia Records Second-Highest Attendance Since 2009 State Fair of Virginia Entrance dur- ing the day The State Fair of Vir- ginia’s 2017 attendance was nearly 250,000, the second-highest since the fair moved to The Meadow Event Park in 2009. “Our carnival and food gross sales were both records for the State Fair,” explained Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe, the fair’s vice president of opera- tions. “Our new layouts were a suc- cess, and it was a very smooth opera- tional fair.” This year in Harvest Landing, the Kidway children’s amusement fea- ture was moved to a spacious asphalt area in response to fairgoers who said the previous gravel area became muddy after rain and made maneu- vering strollers a challenge. The larger Midway Madness was relo- cated to the Festival Loop area, which gave customers a much shorter walking distance and better access to rides, food concessions and other en- tertainment. Other changes based on customer feedback included VIP parking, a farm-to-table event and a new special events tent which housed the giant pumpkin and watermelon weigh-in, State Fair of Virginia Records Second-H gh st Attendance Since 2009 State Fair of Virginia Entrance du ing the day Th St te Fair of Vir- ginia’s 2017 atte ance wa n arly 250,000, the second-highest since the fai moved to The Meadow Event Park in 2009. “Our carnival and food gross s les were both reco ds for the State Fair,” explained Marlen Pi rson-J lliffe, he fair’s vice president of opera tions. “Our new layouts were a suc cess, and it was a very smooth opera- tional fair.” This year n Harvest Landi g, the Kidway children’s amusement fe - ture was m ved a spacious asph lt ar a in response to fairgoers who said the previous gravel area became muddy after rain nd made maneu- vering strollers a challenge. The l rger Midway Madness was relo- cated to the Festival Loop a ea, hich ave customers a much shorter walking dista and better acc ss to rides, food concessions and other en- tertainment.

Other changes based on customer feedback included VIP parking, a farm-to-table event and a new special events tent which housed the giant pumpkin and watermelon weigh-in, the Miss State Fair of Virginia pag- eant and the first-ever Blue Ribbon Craft Beer Festival. “We listen to feedback from our cus- tomers and try to be as responsive as we can,” noted Pierson-Jolliffe. She said the changes this year contributed to the fair’s success. Also helping with the high attend- ance numbers was a lack of rain this year. “We had 10 days of nearly perfect weather, and our positive changes to the property made it an even better environment for our fairgoers,” noted Greg Hicks, vice president of com- munications for the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, which became full owner of the fair in 2013. “We are already looking forward to the 2018 fair, which runs from Sept. 28 to Oct. 7,” Hicks said. “There will be even more positive changes as we continue to listen to our customers.” Other hanges based on customer eedback included VIP parking, a farm-to-table event and a new special events tent which housed th gia t pumpkin and w termelon weigh-in, the Miss State Fair of Virginia pag- eant and the first-ever Blue Ribbon Craft Beer Festival. “W listen to feed ack from our cus- tomers and try to b as responsive as we can,” noted Pierson-Jolliffe. She said the changes this year contributed to the fair’s success. Also helping ith the high ttend- ance numbers was a lack of rain this year. “We had 10 days f n arly perfect w ather, and our positive cha g s to the property made it an even be t r environment for our fairgoers,” n ted Greg H ck , vice president of com- m nications for the Virginia F rm Bureau Federation, which became full owner of the fair in 2013. “We are already looki g orward to the 2018 fair, which runs from Sept. 28 to Oct. 7,” Hicks said. “There will be even m re positive changes as we continue to listen to our customers.”

State Fair of Virginia Records Sec- ond-Highest Attendance Since 2009 State Fair of Virginia Entrance dur- ing the day The State Fair of Vir- ginia’s 2017 attendance was nearly 250,000, the second-highest since the fair moved to The Meadow Event Park in 2009. “Our carnival and food gross sales were both records for the State Fair,” explained Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe, the fair’s vice president of opera- tions. “Our new layouts were a suc- cess, and it was a very smooth opera- tional fair.” This year in Harvest Landing, the Kidway children’s amusement fea- ture was moved to a spacious asphalt area in response to fairgoers who said the previous gravel area became muddy after rain and made maneu- vering strollers a challenge. The larger Midway Madness was relo- cated to the Festival Loop area, which gave customers a much shorter walking distance and better access to rides, food concessions and other en- tertainment. State Fair of Virginia Records Sec- ond-Highest Attendance Since 2009 State Fair of Virginia Entrance du ing the day Th St te Fair of Vir- ginia’s 2017 atte ance wa n arly 250,000, the second-highest since the fai moved to The Meadow Event Park in 2009. “Our carnival and food gross s les were both reco ds for the State Fair,” explained Marlen Pi rson-J lliffe, he fair’s vice president of opera tions. “Our new layouts were a suc cess, and it was a very smooth opera- tional fair.” This year n Harvest Landi g, the Kidway children’s amusement fe - ture was m ved a spacious asph lt ar a in response to fairgoers who said the previous gravel area became muddy after rain nd made maneu- vering strollers a challenge. The l rger Midway Madness was relo- cated to the Festival Loop a ea, hich ave customers a much shorter walking dista and better acc ss to rides, food concessions and other en- tertainment.

10 |

Page 10  Page 10 

am keenly aware of the unique chal- lenges facing those Virginians who proudly make it their livelihoods,” said Governor-elect Ralph Northam. “If we want to ensure the responsible stewardship of our historic and natu- ral resources and continue our eco- nomic growth, we need leaders who are understanding of the necessary balance between both. I am confident the team I am naming today will do just that.” Bettina Ring, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring was appointed State Forester by Governor Terry McAuliffe in 2014. Prior to that, Ms. Ring served as Senior Vice President of Family Forests at the American Forest Foundation where she was re- sponsible for overseeing the Ameri- can Tree Farm System®, the largest and oldest sustainable woodland pro- gram in America, supporting more than 80,000 family forest owners col- lectively managing 27 million acres of certified woodlands. Ms. Ring has a long history in the conservation and forestry sectors, having spent 14 years at the Virginia Department of Forestry, departing the agency in 2001 as Deputy State Forester. In her role, Ms. Ring was responsible for operations, and helped to develop and implement a new mission, vision and strategic plan for the department. In the years following her Depart- ment of Forestry service, Ms. Ring held various leadership positions within nonprofit organizations focus- ing on natural resources management and conservation, including the Col- orado Coalition of Land Trusts, The Wilderness Land Trust and the Bay Area Open Space Council. Ring holds a Bachelor’s degree in Forestry and Wildlife from Virginia Tech and a Master’s degree in Business Ad- ministration from James Madison University. Contact: Ofirah Yheskel, Press@gov-elect.virginia.gov

the Miss State Fair of Virginia pag- eant and the first-ever Blue Ribbon Craft Beer Festival. “We listen to feedback from our cus- tomers and try to be as responsive as we can,” noted Pierson-Jolliffe. She said the changes this year contributed to the fair’s success. Also helping with the high attend- ance numbers was a lack of rain this year. “We had 10 days of nearly perfect weather, and our positive changes to the property made it an even better environment for our fairgoers,” noted Greg Hicks, vice president of com- munications for the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, which became full owner of the fair in 2013. “We are already looking forward to the 2018 fair, which runs from Sept. 28 to Oct. 7,” Hicks said. “There will be even more positive changes as we continue to listen to our customers.” October 26, 2017 / Virginia Farm Bureau Plows and Politics Large U.S. Farm Study Finds No Cancer Link to Monsanto Weedkiller A large long-term study on the use of the weedkiller glyphosate by agricultural workers has found no firm link between exposure to the pesticide and cancer, sci- entists said this month. The findings are likely to affect legal pro- ceedings in the United States against Monsanto, the maker of Roundup, in which more than 180 plaintiffs are claim- ing that exposure to the pesticide gave them cancer - allegations that Monsanto denies. The findings may also influence a crucial decision due by the end of the year on whether glyphosate should be relicensed for sale across the European Union. EU countries had been due to vote on the is- sue last week but again failed to agree to a proposal for a five-year extension.

The EU decision has been delayed for more than a year after the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer reviewed glyphosate in 2015 and concluded it was "probably carcinogenic" to humans. Other bodies, such as the European Food Safety Au- thority, have concluded that glyphosate is safe to use. The new research is part of the Agricultural Health Study, which has been tracking the health of tens of thou- sands of agricultural workers, farmers and their families in Iowa and North Car- olina. Since the early 1990s, it has gathered and analyzed detailed information on the health of participants and their families, and their use of pesticides, including glyphosate. David Spiegelhalter, a professor at Brit- ain's Cambridge University who has no link to the research, said the findings were from a "large and careful study" and showed "no significant relationship be- tween glyphosate use and any cancer." Click here for the complete article. Or http://wapo.st/2yiKKUg Bettina Ring Appointed Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry

Photo Bettina Ring

RICHMOND - Governor-elect Ralph Northam today announced his selec- tions for Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry. Bettina Ring will become Virginia’s next Secretary of Agricul- ture and Forestry. “Agriculture and forestry make up two of Virginia’s largest industries, and as a native of the Eastern Shore I

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2018 VCTGA News Journal – Winter 2018 

| 11 Page 11 

economic impacts tended to be some- what more geographically concen- trated in the Southside region and communities with pulp and paper mills such as Alleghany County and Covington City. The total economic impact of agricul- ture and forestry-related industry ex- ports is approximately 47,000 jobs, $4.6 billion in value-added, and nearly $9 billion in total output. One in nine Virginia farm jobs can be at- tributed to these international ex- ports. Results drawn from other recent stud- ies indicate that Virginia agritourism and forest recreation are important components of the state’s tourism spending and economic impact, ac- counting for millions of visitors and billions of dollars of tourism-related spending and economic impact each year. Agriculture and forestry landscapes provide substantial environmental and other societal benefits. Forests improve air and water quality, miti- gate flood vulnerability, provide wildlife habitat, and aid biodiversity. Rural landscapes provide scenic amenities that contribute to the qual- ity of life. The value of air and water environmental services provided by farmland and forestland likely amounts to at least several billion dollars each year. Agriculture The total impact of agriculture-re- lated industries was approximately $70 billion in total industry output, 334,300 jobs, and $36.2 billion in value-added. Forestry The forestry sector had a total impact of over $21 billion in total industry output, approximately Terance J Rephann, Ph.D., May 2017, Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, University of Virginia

Waters of the United States Rule

Economic Impact of Virginia’s Ag The Economic Impact of Virginia’s Agriculture and Forest Industries STUDY HIGHLIGHTS The total economic impact of agricul- ture and forestry-related industries in Virginia was over $91 billion in total industry output in 2015, the base year used for this study. The total employ- ment impact was 442,260 employees, representing 8.7 percent of total state employment. The total value-added impact was $45.5 billion, which made up 9.5 percent of state gross do- mestic product. Every job created in agriculture and forestry-related industries re- sults in another 1.7 jobs in the Vir- ginia economy. Every dollar gener- ated in value-added results in an- other $1.15 value-added in the Vir- ginia economy. The impacts of agriculture and for- estry-related industries are felt throughout Virginia’s economy. The largest effects are in the directly af- fected agriculture, forestry, and man- ufacturing industries. However, agri- culture and forestry stimulate activity elsewhere in the economy through the effects of industry purchases and subsequent rounds of indirect and in- duced spending. Through these cu- mulative effects, agriculture and for- estry-related industries affect every sector. Every Virginia locality is touched by agriculture and forestry indus- tries . Total employment impacts ex- ceeded 1,000 jobs for sixty-two lo- calities. Agricultural economic im- pacts were geographically diffuse. The largest clusters of agricultural- related industry employment impact were located in the Shenandoah Val- ley, Northern Virginia, and Central Virginia. The largest forestry-related

NALP is pleased that today EPA and the US Army Corps of Engi- neers released a proposed rule to rescind the Obama Administra- tion’s Clean Water Rule, also known as the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule. The proposed rule would also re-cod- ify the regulatory text that existed prior to 2015. According to EPA and the Corps, this proposed rule is in- tended to provide certainty during an interim period while the agencies work to craft a “substantive re-evalu- ation of the definition of ‘waters of the United States.’" The agencies in- tend for the proposed rule to be “im- plemented in accordance with Su- preme Court decisions, agency guid- ance, and longstanding practice,” ac- cording to an EPA press release. Today’s proposal follows Presiden- tial Trump’s February Executive Or- der on "Restoring the Rule of Law, Federalism, and Economic Growth by Reviewing the 'Waters of the United States' Rule," which states that it is in the national interest to pro- tect our nation’s navigable waters from pollution, while also promoting economic growth and minimizing regulatory uncertainty. NALP opposed the 2015 WOTUS rule because of the regulatory uncer- tainties and liabilities that it created for our members. The rule expanded the scope of waters subject to federal regulation and permit. National Association of Landscape Professionals, Herndon, VA 20170, 800-395-2522

Page 12 

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2018 VCTGA News Journal – Winter 2018 

12 |

one's county. However, if the disease has been identified in one's neighbor- hood, then there is a heightened risk of local spread of the disease.

Nursery Permit Fee Now Due

Update on the Boxwood Blight situation in Virginia Recommendations for minimizing disease introduction and spread

If you grow, buy or sell nursery stock or B&B Christmas trees, this is for you Notice: The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) recently mailed invoices for payment of the 2017 annual nursery permit fee. This is a reminder that per- mit fees are due to VDACS by Decem- ber 31, 2016. If you did not receive the 2017 invoice, please contact VDACS’ Office of Plant Industry Services at (804) 786-3515 or email Ms. Shawn Morton at shawn.morton@vdacs.virginia.gov . Fees are $25 for nursery dealers and $75, plus $1.50 for each acre over 50, for nursery stock growers. Checks must be made payable to “Treasurer of Virginia.” The permit fee was initially approved by the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association in 1987, then the Virginia Nurserymen’s Association. VDACS Nursery Inspection Fees - 6/27/87 - A VNA study committee rec- ommended that the fees be set at a flat rate of $75.00 for everyone plus an ad- ditional fee of $1.50 per acre for any acreage over 50 acres. The VDAC has recommended a $50.00 flat fee plus $1.00 per acre with a max- imum fee of $250.00 per nursery. They are planning to send a survey to all reg- istered nurseries in the state on this subject in July. Danny Shreckhise motioned that the Board support the VDAC recommen- dation, if the VDAC did not accept the VNA proposal, and suggested that a Dealer fee be set at $25.00 per estab- lishment. The Board approved.) Danny Shreckhise motioned that the Board support the VDAC recommendation and suggested that a Dealer fee be set at $25.00 per establishment. The Board approved. Provided by Jeff Miller

According to records of the Vir- ginia Boxwood Blight Task Force, to date boxwood blight has been di- agnosed in over 70 locations and approximately 30 counties in Vir- ginia. There are likely additional un- documented incidences of the dis- ease, for example, if no sample was submitted for diagnosis through Vir- ginia Cooperative Extension or the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Although boxwood blight has been diagnosed in many counties in Virginia, there is no indication that it is widespread throughout any Virginia county. This is not unexpected, based on the cur- rent understanding of the biology of the boxwood blight pathogen. Box- wood blight is typically initially in- troduced into a new location on in- fected boxwood or other susceptible plants (e.g. pachysandra and sweet box).

After the initial introduction of boxwood blight-infected boxwood (or pachysandra or sweet box) into a location, neighborhood boxwood plantings are at risk for boxwood blight. There are a number of means by which the sticky spores of the fun- gal pathogen can move through a neighborhood. For example, they can be spread via contaminated pruning tools, spray hoses, equipment, vehi- cles, clothing, shoes, or infested leaves spread by leaf blowers. Wild- life (including birds), insects, domes- tic animals or humans that have been in contact with the spores may also move the infective spores through a neighborhood. Movement of the pathogen by many of these means has been documented in locations in Vir- ginia. To safeguard Virginia boxwood plantings and production, we call for community awareness and ef- forts to avoid accidental introduc- tion of boxwood blight into new lo- cations and prevent local spread of boxwood blight: Specifically, we recommend and stress the following:  Purchase boxwood, pachysandra and sweet box only from a nursery that is listed as a member of the Boxwood Blight Cleanli- ness Program and/or from a re- tailer who sells only boxwood produced by nurseries in the Boxwood Blight Cleanliness Program.

Do You Grow or Use Boxwood in Holiday Greenery? Holiday greenery containing in- fected boxwood can also introduce the disease into a new location. However, boxwood blight is not spread long-distance via wind cur- rents. Therefore, one need not panic even if the disease has been found in

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2018 VCTGA News Journal – Winter 2018 

Page 13 

| 13

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2018 VCTGA News Journal – Winter 2018  is an unfortunate reality that box- wood blight can be spread by spores and microsclerotia and these propa- gules can be carried on and by almost anything between sites if they are not washed and sanitized. Hoses are a good example of a tool that might be overlooked as a potential carrier. I cannot over emphasize to folks the importance of sanitation when work- ing with boxwood in landscapes. Folks need to wash and sanitize all tools and equipment, hoses, boots, anything that touches boxwood or touches the ground around boxwood during landscape maintenance be- tween sites. Remember; once the dis- ease is spread to a site we have found it is very hard to eradicate. Even traces of inoculum can result in se- vere disease expression during wet years due to repeating disease cycles. Boxwood are used in a variety of ways in the landscape. We see that compact shrubs of the ‘American’ and ‘English’ boxwood and some re- lated hybrids are very prone to devel- oping severe defoliation from box- wood blight due to their compact crowns. Plants in the shade are also more prone to developing severe de- foliation. Much of this relates to mi- crosite and leaf wetness period. We have yet to see what boxwood blight may have in store for larger speci- mens of ‘American boxwood’ at Vir- ginia’s historical sites which can have stems with diameters 6 inches and greater. The most severe defolia- tion we have observed is in the lower crowns of boxwood. One theory is larger diameter specimens in which the lower crowns have been pruned by man or nature may allow these older specimens to maintain healthy upper crowns due to more airflow and drier microsite higher up off the ground. A lot remains to be seen. I am very hopeful that over time we will adapt to this disease; keeping older specimens around when deemed ap- propriate, redesigning gardens to re- duce leaf wetness periods, applying

 Landscape contractors should at all times be equipped with a san- itation “kit” for disinfesting tools and equipment and take precau- tions to avoid moving spores on clothing, boots, hoses, vehicles, etc. Specific recommendations for effective sanitation methods are detailed on the Virginia Box- wood Blight Task Force website (under the “Sanitizers” tab).  Landscape companies should en- sure their staff are familiar with the symptoms of boxwood blight so that they can recognize the disease in the landscape. Lami- nated wallet cards with images of symptoms of boxwood blight and information on the Virginia Box- wood Blight Task Force website are available through your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. Resources: the Virginia Boxwood Blight Task Force website and Best Management Practices Refer to the Virginia Boxwood Blight Task Force website for further information on boxwood blight. We recom- mend that you familiarize your- self with the appropriate Best Management Practice (BMP) for your situation. The BMPs are available on the website as PDFs. From: Virginia Boxwood Blight Task Force Date: Tips - Only you can help prevent boxwood blight! It is that time of year where we begin hearing about and discovering box- wood blight expressing itself on plants in nurseries and landscapes. Already a few cases at retail nurseries this fall associated with nursery stock shipped in from out of state. One newer twist for 2017 is Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension is re- porting cases in the landscape where the disease was likely spread by pruning tools and other equipment. It

 If boxwood blight is suspected, immediately contact your local Extension office, which can sub- mit a sample for confirmatory di- agnosis. Where boxwood blight is confirmed, it is strongly rec- ommended to immediately re- move and double bag all diseased plants and fallen leaves as well as contaminated soil underneath the planting. The bagged waste should be removed to a desig- nated landfill to mitigate disease spread to other boxwood in the landscape and other properties nearby. • Employ only landscape professionals who are aware of how boxwood blight spreads, since boxwood blight can be in- troduced to properties through landscape maintenance activi- ties. The fungal spores and fallen diseased leaves can be moved on tools, boots, tarps, hoses, cloth- ing and vehicles. Landscape pro- fessionals should have a stringent sanitation plan in place to decon- taminate tools, equipment, vehi- cles, clothing, shoes, etc. be- tween landscape locations and other practices that minimize the chance to move the disease through landscaping activities. • Adhere to best management practices outlined for boxwood blight, which are detailed in PDFs available at the Virginia Boxwood Blight Task Force website. Additional Precautions for Landscape Professionals:  Landscape professionals are strongly advised to walk through a site before beginning work. This is to identify any potential boxwood blight problems and/or risks. We have heard anecdotal reports from landscape profes- sionals of both serious equipment contamination issues and spread of the disease by unexpected en- counters of the disease in a land- scape.

Page 14 

14 |

well timed applications of protectant fungicides, and installing more re- sistant species and cultivars of box- wood overtime. While I have great hope based on all the research find- ings and field observations over the past several years, this is not a time to let our guard down. Please continue do your part to control the spread. Only you can help prevent the spread of boxwood blight. Virginia Tech Best Management Guides for Boxwood Blight: https://ext.vt.edu/agriculture/com- mercial-horticulture/boxwood- blight.html Norman Dart, VDACS State Plant Pathologist. 10/10/17 Pollinator Habitat Video Hi, just

Good News for U.S. Honey Bees

Save The Date! August 9-11, 2018 VCTGA Annual Conference and Farm Tour

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the latest results of its honey bee health survey, and the results are pos- itive! Overall, honey bee numbers look to have increased 3% and col- ony loss declined about 27%, which are both compared to this time last year. Varroa mite is still listed as the pri- mary threat to colonies, with over 40% of hives reporting infesta- tions. Other factors contributing to colony loss include stress by pesti- cides (13%), mites and pests other than Varroa (12%), and diseases (4.3%). Bad weather, poor nutrition, insufficient forage, and other various reasons were also listed (6.6%). Loss from what has historically been referred to as colony collapse disor-

wanted to let you all know that we released a new polli- nator habi- tat video last week. We’d ap- preciate if you could please

der (CCD) was included in the surveys as well and is also de- creasing. CCD has been de- fined by little to no build-up of dead bees in the hive, rapid loss of adult honey bees despite the presence of the queen and food reserves, ab- sence of rob- bing of the food reserves, and bee loss not at- tributed to Var- roa or Nosema (fungal dis- ease). Jill Calabro, PhD

Ad – Tree Teck

share this with list-serves, on a web site or Facebook page, and other contacts to help build public awareness. https://youtu.be/xvLxhOseOU4 Carol A. Heiser, Education Section Manager Habitat Education Coordinator Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries 7870 Villa Park Drive, Suite 400 Henrico, VA 23228 Ph 804-367-6989 Fax 804-367-0262 Carol.Heiser@dgif.virginia.gov www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/habitat

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Winter 2018 VCTGA News Journal – Winter 2018 

| 15 Page 15