Glossary Entries beginning with V

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Glossary of Agricultural Production, Programs and Policy

4th Edition

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Value of production

Generally as applied to crops, the multiplying of production by the estimated season average price received by producers for that part of production actually sold. For fruits and vegetables, quantities not harvested due to low prices or other factors are not included in the calculations.

Value-added (agricultural) (product(s))

(1) Increasing the value of a good by further processing. Examples of value-added products include soybean meal and oil, frozen vegetables for retail consumption, and processed meats. (2) Under the Value-added Agricultural Product Marketing Development grants program, any agricultural commodityor product that (a) has undergone a change in physical state, (b) was produced in a manner that enhances the value of the agricultural commodity or product (as demonstrated through a business plan that shows the enhanced value), or (c) is physically segregated in a manner that results in the enhancement of the value of the agricultural commodity or product, and as a result, the customer base for the agricultural commodity or product has been expanded and a greater portion of the revenue derived from the marketing, processing, or physical segregation of the agricultural commodity or product is available to the producer of the commodity or product.
See Also:
agricultural commodity. commodity. further. marketing. processed. processing. producer.

Value-added Agricultural Product Marketing Development (grants) (program)

Authorized in the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 (Title II, Sec. 231) and amended by theFarm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Sec. 6401). The program encourages independent producers of agricultural commodities and products of agricultural commodities to further refine such products to increase their value to the end user of the product.
See Also:
Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000. Authorized. Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. program.

Value-added agriculture

A process of increasing the economic value and consumer appeal of an agricultural commodity. It is a production and marketing strategy that requires a better understanding of the rapidly changing food industry and food safety issues, alternative crops, and diversified skills, producer-owned cooperatives, and marketing savvy.
See Also:
agricultural commodity. food safety. marketing. process. producer.

Value-added intermediate (agricultural products)

For the BICO report, commodities such as wheat flour, vegetable oils, and hides and skins that receive some processing, but are generally not ready for final consumption. Wheat flour is further processed into noodles and bakery products, while vegetable oils are an ingredient in many processed foods. Slaughter animals are value-added intermediate products because they are range fed then finished with mixedfeeds, corn, and oilseed meal before they are processed further into meat cuts. See BICO report.
See Also:
BICO report. feeds. finished. further. meat. oilseed. processed. processing. range.

Value-added tax (VAT)

Taxes collected at each designated stage of production or marketing. Raw material costs used from earlier stages are subtracted from each subsequent selling price, and the tax is applied only to the value added. For example, the cost of wheat from a producer is subtracted from the miller's selling price in calculating the miller's value added. The European Union levies a tax on the amount by which processors or merchants increase the value of items they purchase. The EU charges a tax equivalent to the value added to imports and rebates value-added taxes on exports.
See Also:
EU. European Union. marketing. producer. value-added.

Value-based pricing

See Pricing grid(s).
See Also:
Pricing grid(s).

Vapor drift

See Pesticide drift.
See Also:
Pesticide drift.

Variable (import) levy(ies)

The difference between the price of a foreign product at the port and the official price at which competitive imports can be sold. Such levies are effectively a variable tax on imports or a variable subsidy to exports. Variable leviesare used by the European Union and Switzerland.
See Also:
competitive imports. European Union. subsidy.

Variable costs

(1) The portion of total cash production costs used for inputs needed to produce a specific yield of a specific crop. Variable costs typically include fertilizers, seed, pesticides, hired labor, fuel, repairs, and animal feed and drugs. (2) Costs that vary in the aggregate with a change in output of a farm. In the short run, there are both fixed and variable costs; in the long run, all costs are variable.
See Also:
farm. feed. output.

Variable stocking

The practice of allowing a variable number of animals on a fixed area of land during the time when grazing is allowed.
See Also:
grazing.

Variable-rate application technology

See Precision farming; precision agriculture.
See Also:
Precision farming; precision agriculture.

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD)

A variant form ofCreutzfeldt-Jakob disease believed to be caused by eating contaminated beef products from BSE-affected cattle. The variant form in the United Kingdom predominantly affected younger persons and had atypical clinical features, including prominent psychiatric or sensory symptoms early in the course of the illness, delayed onset of neurologic abnormalities, duration of illness of at least 6 months, and a diffusely abnormal non-diagnostic electroencephalogram.
See Also:
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Variety release

The release for public consumption of crop seeds as either public varieties, nonexclusive branded varieties, or licensed exclusive varieties. Releases may be made through public institutions, nonprofit foundations, or private companies or marketing agencies.
See Also:
marketing.

Variety(ies)

A group of strains or a single strain that can be differentiated from another group by its structural or functional characteristics.

Varroa mite

An external parasite that sucks blood out of developing and adult bees, thereby weakening or killing honeybees. No contamination of honey occurs.

Vascular wilt

Viral or bacterial disease that deprives the plant of water and nutrientsby blocking the passage through conductive tissue, thus causing the plant to droop, wilt, and die.
See Also:
plant.

Veal

Meat from a calf that weighs about 150 pounds. Those that are mainly milk-fed usually are less than three months old. The difference between veal and baby beef is based on the color of their meat, which is determined almost entirely by diet. Veal is pale pink and contains more cholesterol than beef.
See Also:
baby beef. beef. calf. meat.

Vector

A pathogen-carrying insect or animal.
See Also:
pathogen.

Vegetable matter

(1) Any material of plant origin found in wool fleece, such as burrs, stickers, chaff, and seed heads. (2) Organic material such as plants and algae.
See Also:
Organic. plant.

Vegetative controls

Nonpoint source pollution control practices that involve plants (vegetative cover) to reduce erosion and minimize the loss of pollutants.
See Also:
erosion. Nonpoint source pollution. vegetative cover.

Vegetative cover

Trees, perennial grasses, legumes, or shrubs with an expected life span of five years or more. See Permanent vegetative cover.
See Also:
perennial. Permanent vegetative cover.

Vegetative practice

A conservation practice that primarily involves the establishment or planting of a site-specific vegetative cover to conserve, protect from degradation, or improve soil, water, or related natural resources in the most cost-effective manner.
See Also:
conservation practice. degradation. related natural resources. soil. vegetative cover.

Verification trial(s)

A public exhibition of the implementation of research-based Extension recommendations in an actual field-scale farming environment for crops. Programgoals are (a) to optimize potential for profits, (b) to develop an on-farm database for use in economic analyses and computer-assisted management programs, (c) to aid researchers in identifying areas of production that require further study, (d) to improve or refine existing recommendations, (e) to increase the expertise of County Extension Agents in the specified commodity, and (f) to utilize and incorporate data and findings from theprogram into Extension educational programs at the county and state levels.
See Also:
commodity. Extension. farm. Program.

Vernal pool(s)

Typically, very small ephemeral water bodies (no inlets and outlets), usually forming in shallow depressions, that exist in the spring and fall and are home to small insect, plant, and animal life.
See Also:
plant.

Vertical cooperation

A marketing concept that theoretically allows independent producers to retain a substantial degree of ownership independence while achieving the perceived ability to meet consumer wants and needs and cost savings provided by vertical integration.
See Also:
marketing. vertical integration.

Vertical coordination

See Vertical cooperation.
See Also:
Vertical cooperation.

Vertical integration; vertically integrated

A form of market control under which a single organization controls, via ownership or contractual agreement, two or more adjacent stages of production, processing, or marketing of a commodity. For example, the modern, vertically integrated poultry firm consists of breeder flocks, hatcheries, feed milling and delivery, growout, assembly, processing plants, further processing plants, and delivery to buyers. Ancillary services, such as building and equipment supplies, fuel, and financing, are often affiliated with the operation.
See Also:
breeder. commodity. contract. delivery. feed. further processing. market. marketing. milling. poultry. processing.

Very large family farm(s)

Family farmswith sales of $500,000 or more.

Vesicular stomatitis

A viral disease of cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and horses, with symptoms similar to foot-and-mouth disease. Trade in infected animals is restricted.
See Also:
foot-and-mouth disease.

Vetch

A legume used primarily as a ground cover or as a green manure crop.
See Also:
cover. green manure. legume.

Veterinary Services (VS)

An Animal and Plant Health Inspection Serviceunit that protects the health of the nation's livestock and poultry resources by regulating the entry of imported animals and animal products. VS will take emergency action against foreign animal diseases, and with the states, operate eradication programs for domestic animal diseases. VS provides health certification for exported animals and animal products. VS also conducts diagnostic tests and issues licenses for veterinary biological products and manufacturers.
See Also:
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. foreign animal diseases. livestock. poultry. resources.

Veterinary Training Program

The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Sec. 10504) gives the USDA discretionary authority to establish a program to maintain a sufficient number of federal and state veterinarians who are well trained in recognition and diagnosis of endemic and exotic animal diseases.
See Also:
Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. program.

Veterinary biologics (biologicals)

See Biological products.
See Also:
Biological products.

Vigor

(1) See Heterosis. (2) For plants, active, healthy, well-balanced growth. (3) For seeds, the capacity for natural growth and survival.
See Also:
Heterosis.

Vinifera

Grapevine species of European origin. Members of this species are known for their ability to produce the finest grapes for wine. Also Vitis Vinifera.
See Also:
species. Vitis Vinifera.

Virgin timber

Timber from an original forest that has not been previously disturbed or influenced by human activity.

Virologist

One who studies viruses.

Virulence

Capacity of apathogen or insect to incite a disease or injury to the host.
See Also:
pathogen.

Virus-Serum-Toxin Act of 1913 (21 U.S.C. §§ 151 159)

Signed into law March 4, 1913, and amended by Sec.1768 of the Food Security Act of 1985 and the United States-Canada Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act of 1988. The Act prohibits the preparation and sale of worthless or harmful products for domestic animals and establishes licensing and import requirements. See Biological products.
See Also:
Biological products. Food Security Act of 1985. import. United States-Canada Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act of 1988.

Viticulture

The science and practice of growing grapes.

Vitis Vinifera

See Vinifera.
See Also:
Vinifera.

Vitreous

Translucent.

Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program

A voluntary, cooperative effort among producers,allied industry representatives, accredited veterinarians, state animal health officials, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The program provides participating producers with the opportunity to protect their sheep from scrapie and to enhance the marketability of their animals through certifying their origin in scrapie-free flocks. In addition, APHIS regulations restrict the interstate movement of sheep from scrapie-infected and source flocks.
See Also:
allied industry. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). program. scrapie.

Voluntary program

A program that allows producers to choose whether to participate without loss of market access. The cornerstone of current federal programs is that they are voluntary.
See Also:
market access. program.

Volunteer plant(s)

(1) A fruit, vegetable, or crop that springs up as a result of an unintentionally included seed or a previous year's planting.Also Rogue (plants). (2) Use of volunteer pilot slaughtering plants by the Food Safety and Inspection Serviceto test whether new government slaughterinspection procedures, applied in conjunction with plant Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Systemcontrols, can improve food safety and increase consumer protection.
See Also:
Food Safety and Inspection Service. inspection. Rogue (plants).

Vomitoxin(s)

A toxin produced by mold that grows on poor-quality grain (wheat, corn, or grain-by product). Also Deoxynivalenol or DON. See Fusarium.
See Also:
Deoxynivalenol. DON. Fusarium. grain. toxin.

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