Successful speaker

By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff

Jennifer Belcher claims a heritage of talkative women. The Rocky Gap native used her gift of gab to win first place in the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s annual Young Farmer Discussion Meet.
“I do like to talk,” Belcher said by phone Tuesday from her apartment in Alexandria. “Just ask my mother.”
Her mother, Melinda Belcher, is the fifth-generation owner and operator of a beef and dairy farm in Rocky Gap. Jennifer and her sister, Mary Beth Belcher, grew up working on the farm along with their dad, Jerry Belcher.
Jennifer Belcher was an active member of the Bland County 4-H program.
Her farming roots contributed to her involvement with the Virginia Farm Bureau, which led to entering the competition. Being an attorney didn’t hurt either.
Belcher is an associate with McDermott Will & Emery, a law firm in Washington, D.C. She is a graduate of Rocky Gap High School, Emory & Henry College and the law school at Washington & Lee.
While a college senior in 2001, Belcher was named Miss Virginia Farm Bureau. She spent a year working closely with the bureau and remained in contact.
“It’s such a great organization,” Belcher said. “The people are so friendly and they want people to stay in contact with them.”
The Virginia Farm Bureau is the state’s biggest farmers’ advocacy group with more than 150,000 members in 88 county Farm Bureaus. It is a non-governmental, voluntary organization committed to protecting Virginia’s farms and ensuring a locally grown food supply.
Cathy Vanderhoff, senior administrative assistant advertising coordinator for the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, noted the Discussion Meet is held each year at the bureau’s convention in Richmond. Using a pre-determined agricultural topic, she said, a committee-style discussion is held.
Participants are judged on their ability to build consensus and work toward solutions, Vanderhoff said. She reported this year’s final-round topic was how farmers can reach out to the public to make people more aware of and supportive of agriculture.
“I had worked with the Farm Bureau and watched people compete before,” Belcher said. “The timing worked out this year so that I could compete. The semi-finals were held this summer and were limited to young farmers ages 18 to 35.”
Following practice rounds, she said, four finalists qualified for the state competition Dec. 1 in Richmond. Belcher, Josh Stephens of Shenandoah County, Chris VanVlack of Loudon County and Jaime Stowe of Pittsylvania County competed.
“They were great competitors,” Belcher said. “I was really surprised I won. I thought Josh was going to win. He was really good. When his name was announced as first runner-up, I was even more shocked.”
The process, she said, included a one-minute statement from each member of the panel. That was followed by a 30-minute convention with the panel and ended with a one-minute closing statement, according to her.
“The goal behind the competition is problem solving,” Belcher added, “and the need to address the problem.”
She said she talked about the producers’ need to share with the public as much information as possible about farming to gain the public’s support. She suggested using the media, Web sites and other tools to educate people and encouraged Farm Bureau members to become part of the state’s Spokesfarmers’ program to connect with other industries.
As state level winner, Belcher was awarded a John Deere Gator utility vehicle, courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co. She also received $500, courtesy of Dodge; and another $500, courtesy of Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.
Belcher and Stephens will represent Virginia at the national competition in January 2010 at the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmer & Rancher Discussion Meet in Seattle, Wash. Belcher also won a free trip to the 2010 Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers Winter Expo in Alexandria.
Commenting on her farm experience, Belcher said, “You don’t appreciate it until you get away from it. It was not until I moved away that I realized how much I miss it. I learned the value of hard work early on. Mom always told us ‘hard work builds character.’ We told her when we were teens that we already had enough character. I’m proud of my background.”
Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 1-800-655-1406 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).