With Virginia’s gubernatorial election just a few months away, agricultural officials on both sides of the aisle are pressuring both candidates to support the nation’s farm sector and support swift passage of a new, five-year Virginia farm bill.
Agriculture plays a major role in Virginia’s economy. Roughly 32 percent of the state’s land is committed to farming and more than a half-million jobs are directly linked to the farm sector. While farming has significantly declined since the 50s and 60s, it remains one of the state’s most important industries.
In addition, Virginia’s gubernatorial politics mandate a bipartisan approach to issues like agriculture. Virginia’s governors are elected to a single four-year term and are barred from serving consecutive terms. With governors not allowed to succeed themselves, the office experiences quite a bit of turnover, with Democrats and Republicans sharing power equally over the past decade.
Virginia’s agricultural pragmatism was most recently demonstrated at a meeting of the state’s farm bureau. Current Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore, appointed by Republican Governor Bob McDonnell, spoke of the upcoming election in only the broadest of terms, urging whoever the next governor is to do his best to strengthen the state’s farm sector and increase overseas agricultural exports.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer