Endless Summer Harvest was one of the stops during the most recent VALOR seminar. Owner and operator Mary Ellen Taylor treated the VALOR fellows to a tour of her hydroponic greenhouse operation, as well as a dinner fresh from her “fields” in Loudoun County. "Great chefs know that good food comes from farms.” – Mary… Continue reading Lettuce Take Another Look at Farming.
There is a widespread belief that it is us vs. them when it comes to the relationship between the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Agricultural Industry. I would submit that it doesn’t have to be that way. I recently had the opportunity along with the VALOR fellows to visit the EPA in… Continue reading U. S. Environmental Protection Agency vs. Agriculture… Inevitable? Maybe not.
My name is Brad Burbaugh and I will be the new Kelsey starting in the fall, so I wanted to take a minute to introduce myself. I came to Virginia Tech by way of Florida where I was a middle school Agricultural Teacher and FFA Advisor for 2 years and an Agricultural Extension Agent for the… Continue reading Howdy from Brad Burbaugh!
The support VALOR has received in the short time since we really got started has simply been tremendous. One of our greatest supporters, Farm Credit, has not only offered verbal endorsement and motivation, but has been host to a couple of events and networking opportunities to-date. Most recently, Dave Lawrence and Bette Brand of Farm Credit… Continue reading Not Just Another Day in Washington
As I sit in my office (folding table in my living room), kids running around, and I am frantically completing my assignments for my next VALOR session that starts tomorrow. Excited as the anticipation of what new experiences, people, and places we will see. What exercises does Megan and Kelsey have planned to challenge our… Continue reading A Time Keepers Nightmare
Looking back at our time spent in Richmond last session, numerous thought come to mind but what stands out is our time with Virginia's Governor Bob McDonnell. We had the honor to spend time with the Governor, his Chief of Staff Martin Kent, the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore, and the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture… Continue reading In Support of Agriculture
The members of the VALOR fellowship already know and understand the importance agriculture plays in the Virginia economy. However, as we sat around the table with Virginia’s Governor Bob McDonnell, his Chief of Staff Martin Kent, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore and Deputy Secretary Travis Hill, it was refreshing to hear that they… Continue reading Agriculture’s Known Importance
Every morning I wake up, prepare my coffee, and grab a bottle international French vanilla creamer to add to it. Little did I know that there is a strong chance that that creamer was probably made just minutes up the road in Mt. Crawford Virginia at WhiteWave Foods. As we toured their facility I told… Continue reading Every Morning
I would like to thank Christopher Tate and the staff of WhiteWave Foods in Mt. Crawford VA for a behind the scenes tour of their facility. What makes WhiteWave so successful is their continual commitment to their consumers through a verity of practices. One of such practice that helps them with consumer popularity is that… Continue reading A New Kind of Food Company
Recently I had a meeting with a fellow lobbyist and a question came up that I hear a lot these days. “How’s VALOR going?” I lost track how many times I have been asked that since we started the program last September. Don’t get me wrong, I welcome the question, it’s an easy one. The… Continue reading “How’s VALOR going?”
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