Quick—how many farmers do you know?

Virginia Farm Bureau is respected among elected officials, because they know our message comes directly from farmers at the grassroots level. Your membership helps farmer members to be engaged with their communities and elected officials at all levels of government.

Farm Bureau members also take an active role in Virginia AgPAC, the organization’s nonpartisan political action committee.

Over the past several years, Farm Bureau’s members and staff have worked to bring about the following:

•  restoration of funding to programs like Virginia Cooperative Extension; cost-share programs for timberland reforestation and protecting water quality; the state meat inspection system and coyote damage assessment program; and soil and water conservation districts;

•  creation of the Virginia Agritourism Liability Act to limit liability of farmers trying to diversify their farming operations;

•  creation of a cabinet-level secretary of agriculture and forestry position;

•  generation of funds for the state’s Office of Farmland Preservation through Virginia’s agriculture license plate;

•  protection of personal property rights by closing loopholes in Virginia’s eminent domain laws;

•  creation of the Virginia Agricultural Vitality Program to help keep farming viable as the current generation of producers nears retirement; and

•  better definition of equine activities and participants to strengthen the Virginia Equine Liability Act.