A group of six county farmers met for the first time that night as the Shenandoah County Agriculture Task Force, along with supervisors Dennis Morris (Dist. 5) and Jim Patrick (Dist. 2), county extension agent Bobby Clark, economic development head Susie Hill and John Hutchinson of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.

For the next 8 to 12 months, the task force will be studying the agriculture industry in Shenandoah County with the goal of developing a plan to strengthen and protect the industry.

“We want you to bring back some ideas, so think outside the box,” Morris told the newly-formed task force.

The task force members discussed concerns they have with their industry, ranging from the cost of land, the threat of encroaching development, the cost of production and the low profit margins and the lack of youth to take over for aging farmers.

While the group covered many wide-ranging issues, Patrick reminded them to consider day-to-day annoyances.

“Look at the things that nickel and dime you,” he said.

“The goal is to look at ways to sustain agriculture in the county,” Hill said earlier this week.

As of 2002, county farm receipts totaled $69 million, according to a census of agriculture. Those figures were produced by 549 full-time and 440 part-time farmers. The 549 full-time farmers includes retirees who picked up farming as a second career, according to Clark.

Agriculture is the No. 2 industry in the county, behind tourism, according to Morris.

The board of supervisors approved the creation of the task force, after the Shenandoah Resource Conservation and Development council approached the economic development office in late August.

The Resource Conservation and Development council is a program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The group, based in Verona, is providing a $3,700 grant to help pay for the task force.

The remainder of the project’s cost, estimated to cost $8,000, will come from the county through monetary grants and in-kind services, according to Hill.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the farmers met each other and learned about their mission on the task force. They also met figures who will help them gather information. Hill is the project manager and will help arrange everything for the task force.

Hutchinson brings expertise in preserving farmland, with his expertise in land preservation gained through protecting Valley battlefields with the battlefields foundation.

“I’ve worked with some of the other counties on protecting farmland,” he told the group.

Clark, as the area extension agent, is available to round up agriculture information and use his contact list to bring in experts.

Six farmers were at the meeting, and Morris said that three more would be added to the task force soon. Steve Baker, of Conicville, represents pork growers, while Edinburg’s Mike Dirting and Woodstock’s Charlie Williams represent beef farmers. Paul Fravel, of Strasburg, raises some cattle and works for Southern States. New Market’s Brent Eaton is a dairy farmer.

Brad Foster was chosen to chair the task force. He’s one of three owners of North Mountain Vineyard.

Morris said that the remaining three spots on the task force will be filled by people in other aspects of agriculture – such as poultry growers, orchard owners, organic farmers, females or even truckers who haul farm products.

Augusta County just finished a similar task force project in December, and it will serve as a reference point for the Shenandoah group.

Loudoun and Fauquier counties, along with Virginia Beach and Jefferson County, W.Va. have also gone through a similar process, Clark said.

He said typically these groups produce a few focused initiatives to act on.

“You don’t have to do a lot to have a great benefit,” he said. “If the committee members take it seriously ... it could be a tremendous benefit to agriculture in the county.”

For Foster, the new chairman of the task force, the program gives opportunity to raise awareness of farming issues and help farmers learn and improve their businesses.

“Everybody wants wants to keep the Shenandoah Valley green and make a living doing that,” he said. “I don’t think that’s unachievable.”

The group will meet initially on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 7 p.m.

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