Chuck's Chat-Welcome to November

Chuck’s Chat

Welcome to November!

Thank you to all who attended our annual meeting. Our fundraiser for Debbie Mahaffey was a huge success, as we were able to raise $4,000 for her. On behalf of the board, thank you to all those who graciously contributed.

Thank you to those who have either continued or have become first time benefit providers for Montgomery County Farm Bureau members. Watch our Facebook page or go to our website https://www.mgfarmbureau.org/ to see the complete list.

Speaking of member benefits, open enrollment time is here for the Kansas Farm Bureau Health Plan. It costs nothing to get a quote. Why not schedule an appointment with your local FBFS rep to see how you may be able to save yourself some hard-earned cash? There are many different plans to choose from, including dental, vision, and Medicare supplements. Don’t delay, operators are on duty, and our knowledgeable and friendly staff is eager and willing to help you. You may log onto to https://kfbhealthplans.com/ as well for more information.

November is when we start establishing committees for the coming year. You don't have to be a board member to get involved. Just contact the office if you'd like to help out. There are plenty of opportunities to go around: Policy, Membership, YF+R, and Scholarships, just to name a few.

And speaking of Young Farmers and Ranchers, we would really like to see this program grow in Montgomery County. If you know of someone between the ages of 18 and 35, and either are involved in agriculture or even have an interest, we’d love to visit with them.

Remember to turn back your clocks an hour Saturday night, November 5th. Don’t worry about the one in the car; it’ll be right in six months. And yes, it’s going to get dark an hour earlier. And no, I’m not getting up an hour earlier.

The U.S. government is warning of a big shortage of big birds this Thanksgiving. Because of this year's avian flu outbreaks, finding 20-pound turkeys in some regions of the country could be challenging, according to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. The bird flu has killed more than 8 million turkeys, according to the CDC. "Some of the turkeys that are being raised right now for Thanksgiving may not have the full amount of time to get to 20 pounds," Vilsack said. "I don't think you're going to have to worry about whether or not you can carve your turkey on Thanksgiving. It's going to be there, maybe smaller, but it'll be there." Meanwhile, turkey prices are up around 28% compared to this time last year, USDA data shows. The American Farm Bureau Federation's 37th annual Thanksgiving dinner cost survey will arrive in mid-November after its volunteer shoppers report about the prices they've seen around the country.

Don’t forget to vote. Remember not only the fallen, but the survivors and living heroes as well on Veterans’ Day. And be sure to give thanks to the farmers for your Thanksgiving bounty. Every day should be Thanksgiving…

Until next month,

Chuck Voelker