“J.G. Townsend, Jr. & Co. Provides Financial Boost for Open Space Preservation in Sussex County”

J.G. Townsend, Jr. & Co.’s Board of Directors gathered at their Georgetown offices to present a ceremonial check for $227,581.73 to Delaware’s Open Space Program.  On hand were (from left) John G. Townsend, IV, Bill Lingo, Paul Townsend, Bryce Lingo, John Lingo, Derrick Lingo, and Deputy Secretary of Agriculture E. Austin Short, who gratefully accepted the donation on behalf of the State of Delaware. (Not shown: Board member Eugene H. Bayard, Esq.)

The charitable gift of over $227,500 by Georgetown-based J.G. Townsend, Jr. & Co. to the State of Delaware Open Space Program will help fund future land preservation efforts in Sussex County. The donation fulfills its pledge to donate $1,050 per acre from the State of Delaware’s purchase of 216 acres of forestland from the firm that are now part of the 12,255-acre Redden State Forest. The purchase highlights the latest chapter in what has become a beneficial partnership between the public and private sectors: one of the existing Redden State Forest tracts is already named the J.G. Townsend Tract in honor of former Delaware Governor and U.S. Senator John G. Townsend – an important figure in the political and agricultural history of the First State.

“We are very grateful to the Board of Directors of J.G. Townsend, Jr. & Co. for allowing us to conserve this important forestland for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations of Delaware residents,” said Michael A. Valenti, Delaware’s State Forestry Administrator.

“This large donation to Delaware’s Open Space Preservation Fund will directly support our state’s conservation efforts in the immediate future. It’s also equally important to acknowledge the unfailing support of the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program, which has provided well over $14 million to help protect almost 3,000 acres as part of the Green Horizons Project,” Valenti added.

The 216-acre acquisition marks one of the latest phases in the Delaware Forest Service’s long-range effort to permanently protect working forests in Sussex County before they are converted to other uses.  The $1.54 million acquisition was purchased with $1.15 million from the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program and $385,000 from the state’s open space preservation fund. The forestland will be managed by the Delaware Forest Service for a variety of public benefits, including wildlife habitat, timber production, water quality, hunting, and recreational opportunities.

GREEN HORIZONS PROJECT: Completed Forest Legacy Tracts in Delaware as of December 31, 2012

DOVER – Former state Senate President Pro Tempore and Secretary of Finance Richard S. Cordrey was honored Wednesday for his 35 years in public service to the State of Delaware with the renaming of the state Department of Agriculture headquarters in his honor.

 Cordrey, a Millsboro-area farmer, is the longest-serving Senate President Pro Tempore in Delaware history, serving in that role for 20 years and as a senator for 24 years. Before being elected to the Senate, Cordrey served two years in the House of Representatives. He also served as Secretary of Finance after his retirement from the Senate.

 “Senator Cordrey’s long service to the people of Delaware is an example of true dedication,” said GovernorJack Markell. “His three decades in public office were spent tirelessly working for his constituents and the greater good of the State.”

 “Senator Cordrey has always been a strong voice for Delaware farmers,” said Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee. “He knows the land, having worked it since his childhood, and he knows the people, as a native son of Sussex County.”

 Senate Bill 249, which named the building after Cordrey, passed unanimously in both chambers during the last General Assembly Session.

 “He is a tremendous asset to our state,” said Rep. John Atkins, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and a primary sponsor of the bill. “I have known Senator Cordrey my entire life – my grandfather worked for his father, and continued to work for him. The contributions he has made to agriculture have been invaluable. I was very pleased to be able to sponsor this bill.”

 “When you look at everything Senator Cordrey has done, this is a fitting tribute,” said former Sen. George H. Bunting Jr., a primary sponsor of the bill. “He’s been around agriculture all his life and earned great respect in the agricultural and business communities and, of course, he was the longest-serving pro tem in the history of the Senate and was a great mentor to many of us. Working with his sons, he’s still active in the business community, so I was pleased to have been able to do that for him.”

 Senator Cordrey said the dedication was an immense honor. “If I had any choice of any building to have my name put upon, it would be this one right here,” he said. “I have had the two best jobs anyone has ever had in the world – being a legislator and being a farmer.”

 Senator Cordrey was born and raised in Millsboro, where he still lives. He graduated from Millsboro High School and Goldey-Beacom College, and after serving in the U.S. Army, returned to Millsboro, where he would own and operate R.S.C. Farms for more than 50 years.

 He met his wife, Mary Jane, at Goldey-Beacom, and they were married in 1953. The couple has two sons, Rick and Steve, who are owners of East Coast Garden Center and the Cordrey Center in Millsboro.

 Senator Cordrey was elected to the state House of Representatives in 1970 and the state Senate in 1972. He was chosen as Senate Majority Leader in 1974, and in 1976 began his record 20-year service as Senate President Pro Tempore. He also served on the Millsboro Town Council from 1965 to 1973. He retired from the Senate in 1996, and was selected by Gov. Ruth Ann Minner to serve as Secretary of Finance from 2005 to 2009.

Photos available for media use on Flickr.

DOVER – Former state Senate President Pro Tempore and Secretary of Finance Richard S. Cordrey was honored Wednesday for his 35 years in public service to the State of Delaware with the renaming of the state Department of Agriculture headquarters in his honor.

Cordrey, a Millsboro-area farmer, is the longest-serving Senate President Pro Tempore in Delaware history, serving in that role for 20 years and as a senator for 24 years. Before being elected to the Senate, Cordrey served two years in the House of Representatives. He also served as Secretary of Finance after his retirement from the Senate.

“Senator Cordrey’s long service to the people of Delaware is an example of true dedication,” said Governor Jack Markell. “His three decades in public office were spent tirelessly working for his constituents and the greater good of the State.”

“Senator Cordrey has always been a strong voice for Delaware farmers,” said Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee. “He knows the land, having worked it since his childhood, and he knows the people, as a native son of Sussex County.”

Senate Bill 249, which named the building after Cordrey, passed unanimously in both chambers during the last General Assembly Session.

“He is a tremendous asset to our state,” said Rep. John Atkins, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and a primary sponsor of the bill. “I have known Senator Cordrey my entire life – my grandfather worked for his father, and continued to work for him. The contributions he has made to agriculture have been invaluable. I was very pleased to be able to sponsor this bill.”

“When you look at everything Senator Cordrey has done, this is a fitting tribute,” said former Sen. George H. Bunting Jr., a primary sponsor of the bill. “He’s been around agriculture all his life and earned great respect in the agricultural and business communities and, of course, he was the longest-serving pro tem in the history of the Senate and was a great mentor to many of us. Working with his sons, he’s still active in the business community, so I was pleased to have been able to do that for him.”

Senator Cordrey said the dedication was an immense honor. “If I had any choice of any building to have my name put upon, it would be this one right here,” he said. “I have had the two best jobs anyone has ever had in the world – being a legislator and being a farmer.”

Senator Cordrey was born and raised in Millsboro, where he still lives. He graduated from Millsboro High School and Goldey-Beacom College, and after serving in the U.S. Army, returned to Millsboro, where he would own and operate R.S.C. Farms for more than 50 years.

He met his wife, Mary Jane, at Goldey-Beacom, and they were married in 1953. The couple has two sons, Rick and Steve, who are owners of East Coast Garden Center and the Cordrey Center in Millsboro.

Senator Cordrey was elected to the state House of Representatives in 1970 and the state Senate in 1972. He was chosen as Senate Majority Leader in 1974, and in 1976 began his record 20-year service as Senate President Pro Tempore. He also served on the Millsboro Town Council from 1965 to 1973. He retired from the Senate in 1996, and was selected by Gov. Ruth Ann Minner to serve as Secretary of Finance from 2005 to 2009.

Photos available for media use on Flickr.

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Contact:
Dan Shortridge
Chief of Community Relations
Delaware Department of Agriculture
302-698-4520

DOVER – Delaware’s farmers are being encouraged to complete the 2012 Census of Agriculture, a vitally important tool that helps agriculture advocates, policymakers and others make informed decisions about the future of agriculture.

For the first time, the Census will gather specific data about conservation techniques, including conservation tillage, cover crops and conservation easements, to show the impact of farmers’ positive environmental practices. That information is vital to telling the complete story of agriculture’s contributions, Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee said in urging farmers to complete the Census.

“The Census is critical to helping everyone understand the scale and strength of Delaware agriculture, and it is critical that farmers complete it,” said Kee, who recently recorded a public service announcement about the Census. “Farming is Delaware’s No. 1 industry, worth $8 billion, and the Census is the best tool to help us gather information about it. It is an important snapshot of our industry’s growth and successes.”

The Census, completed every five years, is conducted by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Forms are being mailed out now, and completed forms are due by Feb. 4, through the mail or online. Data from the Census will be released in early 2014, and can be analyzed on the state, county or zip code level.

The Census gathers information on farm operators, demographics, production practices, income, expenditures, land use and other topics. Policymakers, legislators and agribusiness vendors use the local data to serve farmers and rural communities, while farmers use the state and national data to improve marketing of their products. In the 2007 Census, 2,546 Delaware farmers reported $1.1 billion in sales.

“The Census remains the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural data for every county in the nation,” said Renee Picanso, director of NASS’s Census and Survey Division. “It’s a critical tool that gives farmers a voice to influence decisions that will shape the future of their community, industry and operation.”

The Census is also the source for such information as the number of female farmers, the number of people living on farms and the amount of farm sales made directly to consumers. The Census defines farms as operations that produce and sell, or have the potential to sell, at least $1,000 in agricultural products during 2012. Participation in the Census is required by law.

Census responses are confidential, and used only for data collection. Information about individual farms is not released.

Farmers can get more information and complete the Census online at http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/index.php.

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Media contacts:

For information about the Census of Agriculture, contact representatives of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Sue King, (202) 690-8122, or Krissy Young, (202) 690-8123.
For interviews with Secretary Kee about the importance of the Census, contact Dan Shortridge, Delaware Department of Agriculture, (302) 698-4520.
For Delaware-specific statistics from the 2007 Census, contact Chris Cadwallader, director of the NASS Delaware Field Office, (302) 698-4537.

DOVER – More than 40,000 empty pesticide containers were recycled in 2012 by the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s pesticide container recycling program, which works to get the jugs out of the waste stream.

More than 286,000 containers have been recycled since the initiative began in 1993, with interest in the program rising every year among growers and commercial pesticide applicators, said David Pyne, Pesticides Administrator for the Department of Agriculture.

“Farmers and pesticide applicators work hard to help the environment and be good stewards of our resources, and this is a way we can help them do just that,” Pyne said. “This program is an excellent example of a cooperative public-private partnership.”

Every ton of high-density polyethylene plastic that is recycled saves what amounts to 450 gallons of gasoline, according to the Ag Container Recycling Council.

The containers are collected April through October, and can be dropped off at the Sussex Conservation District maintenance yard near Georgetown on the third Thursday of those months, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. They are inspected for cleanliness – triple-rinsing or the equivalent – and labels should be removed, if not glued on.

The containers are baled and stored for shipment to a recycling plant where they are processed and the plastic reused for items including fenceposts, park benches, pallets and pilings. The plastic is not used in consumer packaging.

Farmers or commercial pesticide applicators with large quantities of containers – more than 100 jugs – should contact the Department to arrange on-site pickup.

To arrange a pickup or drop-off, contact Chris Wade at 302-698-4574 or Kenda Galipo at 302-698-4571.

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Contact:
Dan Shortridge
Chief of Community Relations
Delaware Department of Agriculture
(302) 698-4520