Virginia Farms

Many descendents of these early farmers retained their agricultural roots and continued to farm the land of their fathers before them. There are now a number of farms which have been in the same families for generations. Recognition for the contribution to agriculture by these farms has now been provided by the Virginia Century Farm Program, with a certificate signed by the Governor and Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. To receive recognition for the award, each Virginia Farm must have been farmed by the same family for a minimum of 100 successive years and the person currently farming the property must be a descendent of the original owner and actually live and work on the premises.

There are two other criteria to enable recognition being given to a Virginia farm: it must either be used in silviculture or gross a minimum annual income in excess of $2,500. Silviculture relates to forestry regeneration and is the planned planting of trees to provide quality wooded areas for commercial purposes. While many of the older farming families are well-established and continue to farm their land, following generations on the same farm, many farms have been left to run down as it has become more difficult to make a satisfactory living through just agriculture alone. The Virginia Farm Bureau is aware of the need to promote agriculture among the younger generation of farmers and provides events to support and encourage the younger farmers to remain on a Virginia farm inherited from earlier generations of their families.

Virginia Farm Bureau has arranged a Federal Legislative Day to be held on 27th January 2009, an annual event which allows farmers from Virginia to meet delegates and senators who represent their state. This meeting will enable farmers to make known their views in time for the Virginia Farm Bureau to include their legislative priorities in the agenda for the General Assembly for 2009. One of the issues the Virginia Farm Bureau consider to be particular important is how to attract future students into large animal veterinary practice. The Legislative Day for 2009 has chosen the theme 'Plant it Forward'. Following through with this theme, the book written by Chuck Leavell, 'The Tree Farmer', which won the Inaugural Book of the Year 2008, is to be donated to various schools in the area.