Virginia’s farming community was well-represented by the next generation of agricultural leaders at the recent American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers competitions in Salt Lake City, where Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers contestants competed for placement at the national level.

Goochland County young farmers Thomas and Rachel Henley took third place in the national Excellence in Agriculture Award competition. During a live presentation, they showcased their backgrounds, contributions, barriers and victories in agriculture.

The Excellence in Agriculture Award recognizes individuals and couples for involvement in supporting agriculture, leadership ability, and involvement and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations.

Thomas Henley works on his family’s multigenerational dairy and grain operations in Goochland County called Alvis Farms, where he and Rachel manage agritourism events, work on local land preservation programs and help others in agriculture.

They also represent their district on the VFBF Young Farmers Committee.

With personal accounts of challenges posed by urban sprawl, land availability and farm transition navigation, plus a combine fire that fueled a passion to strengthen regional agricultural safety, they shared the ups and downs of pursuing a farm livelihood. Eventually the Henleys increased consumer engagement with a bright idea in 2019—opening the family farm’s sunflower fields to the public, and creating a thriving agritourism operation on the outskirts of greater Richmond.

They’ve given back, with a track record of investing in community outreach, education and farm preservation advocacy. As development encroaches on already expensive farmland, they are working with state and national legislators, Virginia Farm Bureau and other organizations to financially support farmers struggling to acquire land.

“According to the American Farmland Trust, over 50% of nationally significant land is more likely to be converted by 2040,” said Rachel Henley, a Virginia Cooperative Extension agriculture agent and transition planning educator. “That’s highly productive soils and prime farmland, which is essential to providing food and fiber to not only our country, but also the world.”

The Henleys will receive a Case IH safe courtesy of Case IH; a $2,500 cash prize courtesy of American Ag; and $1,665 of Stanley Black & Decker merchandise courtesy of Stanley Black & Decker.


Virginia Farm Bureau Young Farmers comprise a wide range of individuals ages 18 to 35 who are interested in agriculture and want to support the state’s largest industry. The Young Farmers Program offers networking, leadership and professional development opportunities. Visit shorturl.at/hmtEO to learn more about the program.


Contact Kelly Roberts, VFBF special programs director, at 804-337-6194.