Main Sections

Vermont Farm Bureau-Agriculture’s Voice

Tuesday July 25, 2006

By Brian Bauer

    If you travel on Route 2, a few miles east of Richmond, Vermont, you come upon a white farm house with a large barn on the left side. Looking closely you will see a sign for the Vermont Farm Bureau of Vermont. The building is utilitarian with no pretense, just like the farmers and farms that it represents. They say: “Don't judge a book by its cover', very appropriate in this case.

The Bureau's Administrator is Tim Buskey. For those of us who have lived in Addison County, for some time, we remember Buskey as being part of WFAD radio and then later as chair of the Middlebury Select Board for a number of very positive years in the Town's history. Buskey and his wife Barbara now live in Addison, Vermont where he is Chair of that town's select board.  Buskey loves farming and farm families and it is for that reason and his many talents that he was chosen to direct the Farm Bureau in support of Vermont agriculture. Buskey brings to this position creativity, intuition, precision, vision, and a quest for innovative ways to promote agriculture. Buskey's positive outlook shows when asked about Vermont agriculture. He notes that the Vermont Brand is gold in the market place and actively sought by consumers.

There are 14 county Farm Bureaus in Vermont run in a semi-independent style. There is also the American Farm Bureau Federation which covers the entire country. Some may think that only farmers can belong to a Farm Bureau. .Today, any person can become a Farm Bureau member. There is a fee for joining, with each county varying a bit in cost. Services and discounts include: advocacy, farm supplies, health insurance, mail order pharmacy, telephone savings, travel and much, much more.

The Vermont Farm Bureau is a membership organization established in Vermont in 1915 for the purpose of uniting farm families to analyze their problems and formulate actions that would benefit the family farm. Belonging is a personal choice, regardless of background or occupation. Its policies are developed by the “grassroots” delegates from every Vermont county.

In terms of governmental affairs, the State Legislature relies on the Farm Bureau to help formulate agricultural policy around such issues as Act 250, property taxation, and tax exemptions for Ag business, Farm Bureau representatives meet with dignitaries from other countries to discuss common needs and their solutions(most recently with delegations from Mexico and France). Additionally, the Farm Bureau recently sat at the table where an 8.9 million dollar Grant for Dairy Farmers was established due to flooding and its associated crop loses and where low interest rate loans were made available to the Agricultural community to help compensate for losses.

The Farm Bureau has originated many helpful farm oriented projects including those that are educational in nature:

A. For those who might be visiting Vermont and for those of us who are not part of the Farm Community there exists an opportunity to “Experience the Real Vermont…..Visit a Family Farm”. Toll Free:  1-866-348-3276 or www.vtfarms.org

B. In the Fall of 2005, Buskey created a magazine called “Vermont Fences”, for members of the Vermont Farm Bureau. Each edition is filled with fabulous photographs, farm oriented real life biographical sketches, interviews, seasonally appropriate articles and outstanding farm recipes. A few recent article titles include: “You Have To Sit Down To Stir”, “Maple Magic” and “Partners In Farming”.

C. At the Richmond office a real treasure was found called the “Ag-Tivity Book!”. This should be made available to every child. In the introduction, Governor Douglas is quoted as saying “Vermont is a great place to discover the wonders of agriculture”. This booklet is a good vehicle for that. It is fun, easy to read and full of informative tidbits such as: it takes 36 apples to make a gallon of cider, cows have 4 parts to their stomachs- you have just one, wool clothes are cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and when first born, foals cannot eat grass because their legs are too long.

The Vermont Farm Bureau's approach harkens back to a time, missed by many today, when emphasis was placed more upon reliance on self, neighbors and friends in the good and not so good years. Today, fortunately, we can still hear that message through the Farm Bureau - Agriculture's Voice in Vermont.

Printer Friendly

Top

Advertisements

Search our Archives