This year marks the 46th annual Excellence in Agriculture Awards banquet in celebration of National Ag Week, March 17 to 23. The banquet is held each year to recognize an individual, family or group for their accomplishments and contributions to the agricultural community.
This year, the Excellence in Agriculture Committee will recognize Tom and Anne Baker and their daughter, Amanda McCann, of Brookdale Farm with the 2012 Excellence in Agriculture Award. State Delegate Barry D. Knight will be recognized as the 2012 Friend of Agriculture.
The banquet will be held Thursday, March 21, at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, 1000 19th Street, Suite 1, at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. This year’s guest speaker will be Wayne Pryor, president and CEO of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and Affiliates.
For reservations, call 385-5775. Tickets are $30 per person.
The Virginia Beach Farmers Market will celebrate with “Fun on the Farm” on March 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a cooking demonstration by Chef Jacoby Ponder, live music by John Baldwin, pony rides, live animal displays, inflatable rides and other agriculture-related activities. The Agriculture Department will host agriculture-based reading programs in area schools
Join the Virginia Beach Agriculture Department in celebrating National Agriculture Week March 17 to 23. For more information, contact Becky Salmons at 385-5775 or bsalmons@vbgov.com.
American agriculture is responsible for providing the necessities of everyday life: food, fiber and fuel. The National Ag Day Program believes that every American should understand how these products are produced, value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy, appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products, and acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture industries. Agriculture is vital to our existence. The annual local economic impact of agriculture in Virginia Beach is more than $124.4 million.
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