November 13, 2019
October 03, 2019
Agricultural Grants to build fencing and improve pastures
Valley Farm Supply has all the products and items you need to improve your livestock or poultry operation. Let us help you select the best products at www.valleyfarmsupply.com
Pasture Improvement Grants
Grants of up to $2,500 are available for projects to help farms transition to pasture-based systems, expand animals’ access to well-managed pasture, and improve the quality of pasture. The online application deadline is 5pm CST on December 2, 2019.Â
Before you apply, please review the eligibility requirements below. To apply, complete an online application with information about your farm, proposed project, and project budget. You will also be asked to upload three color photographs that accurately depict the current state of your operation, including at least one of the animals the proposed project will benefit.
Please contact Larissa McKenna, FACT’s Humane Farming Program Director, with any questions after reviewing these guidelines.Â
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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR PASTURE GRANTS
1.   Farms must be located in the continental United States and be working, independent family farms. These are farms on which a family or individual owns the animals, is engaged in the day to day management of the farm and its animals, derives a share of livelihood from the farm, and produces a livestock product for sale. If you are selected to receive a grant you will be required to furnish a valid Schedule F form or comparable form from your most recent tax return; this document is not required at time of application. If you haven’t filed taxes for your farm in the past but expect to do so for 2019 before the grants are awarded in February 2020, please note this on your application.
2.   Projects must be designed to improve animal welfare by helping a farm transition to a pasture-based system, expand the animals’ access to well-managed pasture, and/or improve the quality of pasture.
3.   Proposed projects must impact at least one of these species: pigs, broiler chickens, laying hens, turkeys, sheep, dairy cows, beef cattle, and/or goats.
4.   Only one application per farm per year will be accepted. This means that farms should choose one grant category and may only submit one application total.
5.   All proposed projects must begin and be completed within the time frame of February 2020 through May 2021. Projects that are completed before February 2020 are not eligible for funding.
6.   If awarded a grant, farmers must agree to a scheduled farm visit(s) by FACT as well as flash photography and videos during the visit, and the use of the farm name/photos/video in FACT publications and websites.                             Â
7.   Farms must already raise animals (produce-only farms are not eligible). Projects involving a new species of animals on an existing livestock/poultry operation will be considered.
8.   Eligible expense categories include: materials, supplies, equipment, shipping/delivery costs, consultant/professional fees, travel, training, and hired labor costs.
9.   No funds will be awarded to:
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Farms that are in their first year of production or to non-profit organizations.
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The purchase of animals (with the exception of livestock guardian dogs), land, or recurring expenses such as animal feed.
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Projects related to the production of raw milk.
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Projects related to the slaughter, transportation, and/or processing of animals.
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Certification fees associated with animal welfare certification.
September 19, 2019
Special Savings for the Gallagher W110 Cattle Scale
Buy Here and Save on the best cattle scale system for smaller farms and ranches.
Save loads on the Gallagher W110 Digital Weigh System this month!
Looking for an easy-to-use digital weigh system for livestock and general-purpose weighing? Order today and get the great deal on the Gallagher W110 Weigh Scale System. The pack includes weigh scale indicator, mounting bracket and loadbars.
Check out our website today and take advantage of the savings!
September 19, 2019
Top Brands of Electric Fence Chargers to purchase
4 of the best electric fence chargers for your farm
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We have evaluated many brands of electric fence chargers and energizers for you. Our staff has extensively tested many brands and came up with a the four energizers you should consider purchasing when building an electric fence or adding to your Electric fence on your farm.
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- One of the best and most affordable fence charger is from Cyclopsfence.com. The Cyclops  is a very functional model that packs a whopping 8 joules of power. The Brute is available in two forms. The AC powered model or the DC/12 V battery model.
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The Cyclops brand of fence energizers are American made, affordable, and reliable. They’re available from two sources. www.Cyclopselectricfence.com and www.Cyclopsfence.com. These are great units and will work well on anyone’s farm.
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- Another reliable brand of fence charger is from Gallagher. Gallagher is very well-known for inventing the electric fence. The knowledge is unsurpassed and innovations in their products are constant. Gallagher offer several models from small pet and garden energizers all the way to very large ranch models. The largest model they make is the M10,000i which packs 100 Joules of shocking power. Models are offered in AC powered, battery powered, or solar powered units. A reliable all-purpose unit would be the Gallagher M800. It’s a very functional and reliable plug-in unit and is very popular in United States. If you’re looking for a battery powered unit Gallagher offers Dual Purpose models such as the MBS 200 which could be powered by mains, Battery, or solar power. A popular solar model great for smaller pastures would be the Gallagher S40. It’s affordable, reliable and built to last.
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All the Gallagher units are available from either www.Gallagherelectricfencing.com or www.Gallagherelectricfence.com Both of these suppliers offer very competitive pricing free shipping and excellent customer service.
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- Speedrite brand electric fence chargers are in excellent choice for many situations. Speedrite is made by Trutest from New Zealand. Speedrite offers the Unigizer electric fence charger. We have tested the speedrite 3000 unigizer and found it to be a very good fencer at 3 Joules of power. It offers an on/off switch, fast and slow speeds, and digital display. This is an affordable and durable Energizer and is available from speedritechargers.com
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- Patriot Brand Fence Chargers are another popular option. The patriot brand electric fence charger is made by trutest. Trutest is one of the largest manufacturers of electric fencing in the world. What sets patriot electric fence energizes apart is some of the models are dual powered, meaning they can operate on 110 V or 12 V battery. These units are not unserviceable, waterproof, and made extremely well for tough farm and ranch conditions. One of the best dual powered energizers available is the Patriot P20. it sells for under $150 and is available from patriotchargers.com. Patriot energizers offer a two year full replacement warranty. This brand of Energizer is certainly worth taking a look at.
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For more formation please visit one of the websites mentioned or www.ValleyFarmsupply.com for all the information you’ll need for the best products at the lowest prices with the faster shipping available.
June 26, 2019
Electric Fence Demo Day to be held in New Jersey
We recently purchased a large amount of Gallagher fencing  for our try before you buy fence lending program. Our program has been extremely popular and we are pleased to offer local farmers the opportunity to try new equipment. We are looking forward to our upcoming grazing demo day.  We want this day to be an opportunity for people to see the latest and most modern supplies offered.
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North Jersey Resource, Conservation, and Development (RC&D) Council is joining with local business and farmers to host a grazing demo day from 9am-12:30pm at Lima Family Farms in Hillsborough, NJ. We will be discussing temporary fencing, rotational grazing, and seeding with local farmers. To learn more about the conference visit www.northjerseyrcd.org/grazing.
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We hope you’ll join our estimated 50+ attendees by partnering as a sponsor. Your support of the conference will connect you to our growing community of farmers and agricultural educators .We are setting aside 30-45 minutes during the event for participants to meet and talk with sponsors. This is an opportunity to show case Gallagher fencing equipment and supplies, so attendees can take advantage of Gallagher electric fencing products and services.
June 05, 2019
How to design and build a Deer and Wildlife Feeder Fence
 Gallagher Feeder Protector Fence can control the unwanted thieves like raccoons, wild hogs and livestock, while allowing only the deer and turkey access to the feeders. All for less than the cost of wire panels! If you are planting supplemental food plots, the use of a Gallagher Food Plot Protector Fence will control ALL species until the crop is well established and at its optimum stage; then with a slight modification, the deer and/or turkeys are allowed in and all other critters are kept out. All for 1/4 the cost of a high fence and all portable and reusable for years!
Beginner's Workshop: Temporary Fence for Livestock by Brian Campbell, NRCS-Maryland
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More info click here:
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Date And Time
Wed, June 12, 2019
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM EDT
Location
Center for Maryland Agriculture
1114 Shawan Road
Cockeysville, MD 21030
May 13, 2019
FREE Pasture Walk | Gallagher Electric Fencing
A FREE Pasture Walk Series that will be held throughout the state. The focus of the series is two-fold: pasture management, as well as education concerning the Asian Longhorned Tick and its potential effects on the our Livestock Industry. These ticks can be found throughout the spring and summer months, and thrive in tall grasses under wet, humid conditions, meaning conditions are ripe for potential infestations.Â
Agenda
6:00 - 6:15pm Welcome and Introductions
6:15 - 7:00pm Dr. Megan Fritz: The Asian Longhorned Tick - What is it, What to look for on your
                         farm and What to do if you find them.
7:00 - 8:30pm Farm Tour and Pasture Walk
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For more information about this program, please visit our website: https://ansc.umd.edu/extension/beef-extension/pasture-walk-and-tick-education-series Â
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Please contact Racheal Slattery, Department of Animal and Avian Sciences at rslatt@umd.edu or 301-405-1392 with any questions, concerns or to register offline.
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Region |
Location |
Date |
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Southern Maryland – St. Mary’s County |
Beavan Farm 24790 Hurry Rd, Chaptico, MD 20621 |
Tues, May 21, 2019 |
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Central Maryland – Montgomery County |
Sunny Ridge Farms 5925 Damascus Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20882 |
Thurs, May 23, 2019 |
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Western Maryland – Washington County |
Piper Farm 5537 Sharpsburg Pike, Sharpsburg, MD 21782 |
Wed, May 29, 2019 |
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Western Maryland – Allegany County |
Robinette Farm 25400 Robinette Farm Lane, Flintstone, MD 21530 |
Wed, June 12, 2019 |
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Eastern Shore – Queen Anne’s County |
Wye Angus 2016 Carmichael Rd, Queenstown, MD 21658 |
Tues, June 18, 2019 |
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Northern MD – Baltimore County |
Roseda Black Angus Farm 15317 Carroll Rd, Monkton, MD 21111 |
Wed, June 26, 2019 |
May 11, 2019
Working animal Protection act passes
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Great photos of what a lightning strike will do to your electric fence... This is a easy way to protect your fence charger and electric fencing system.
For anyone wondering if that extra few dollars for a lightning diverter is a worthwhile investment.... Saved a $700 fencer and most likely prevented a shed fire...
Gallagher electric fence lightning diverter
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