New Small Farm Resource Center Is Open For Business
The Virginia Small Farm Resource Center (SFRC) provides resources and information to small and beginning farmers in Virginia and around the globe.
In 2018, the Virginia Cooperative Extension Small Farm Outreach Program (SFOP) at VSU received funding from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development to begin building the Virginia SFRC, a web-based clearinghouse for information, resources and news that can improve the profitability and sustainability of the state’s small and beginning farmers. To achieve this goal, the Virginia SFRC team conducted focus groups throughout the Commonwealth to assess small farmers’ current challenges and identify common needs that would guide the Virginia SFRC website content and development. Visit the SFRC website or learn more about it.
Poll: Public Trusts Farmers And Their Sustainability Practices
Americans’ perception of U.S. farmers is overwhelmingly positive, and a sense of trust has increased in recent months. A new national public opinion poll from American Farm Bureau Federation shows more than half of the 2,200 adults surveyed have a positive view of farmers’ sustainability practices, and 88% of them trust farmers—a 4% increase from AFBF’s June 2020 poll.
The poll explored how Americans believe sustainability efforts on farms should be funded. Overall, the public agrees farmers shouldn’t be expected to bear the financial burden alone. Seventy percent said government incentives to encourage farmers to adopt additional sustainable agricultural practices would be effective. More than three-quarters of adults believe it is important for the government to fund science-based research and improve infrastructure that supports agriculture. Read more.
If having guests to your home, be sure that people follow the steps that everyone can take to make Thanksgiving safer. Other steps you can take include:
Have a small outdoor meal with family and friends who live in your community.
Limit the number of guests.
Have conversations with guests ahead of time to set expectations for celebrating together.
