RICHMOND—The future of Virginia agriculture is in good hands, though available farmland and financing are beyond reach for many beginning farmers.

Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers are advocating for expanded availability of farmland, attention to transition planning, streamlined financing and preservation measures to keep acreage in production. Young Farmers competition winners shared their perspectives with the VFBF board of directors in October, ahead of the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers & Ranchers competitions in January.

Thomas and Rachel Henley of Alvis Farms in Goochland County won the VFBF Excellence in Agriculture Award for agricultural advocacy and Farm Bureau involvement. They help with the family’s multi-generational farm and agritourism operation among other off-farm jobs, and serve on their county Farm Bureau board and the VFBF Young Farmers state committee.

Farm transition planning is deserving of more awareness, especially on the East Coast, Rachel said. She recently was elected to the International Farm Transition Network board and trains industry specialists in succession planning.

“Farm transition, succession planning and estate planning are often thought of as the same thing,” Rachel explained. “They’re related, but different. For continuation of farmland to be owned by family members, you just need an estate plan. If there’s a farm family business you want to transition to the next generation, you really need a succession or transition plan.”

Meanwhile, suburban sprawl increasingly consumes good farmland. The Henleys have tried to buy property, purchase land from conservation easements and take over for retiring farmers.

“But we can’t compete with development or solar facilities,” Thomas said.

The Henleys are focused on building relationships with lawmakers, urging greater farmland preservation.

The VFBF Young Farmers Achievement Award recognizes full-time agriculturalists for farm accomplishments, management decisions and business development, and was awarded to Adam Davis of Halifax County, who also serves on his local Farm Bureau board and the VFBF Young Farmers state committee.

Though the opportunity to work the family farm dissolved, Davis still leaned into his calling.

“I acquired 60 acres of rented land,” he recalled. “As years went on, I beat the bushes for every piece of land I could find. And I try to leave each tract better than I found it.”

Now he farms about 700 acres of row crops, manages grasslands, and runs a cow-calf operation.

“Availability to capital and land are the two biggest hurdles,” he said. “If I want to buy a farm, it’s a minimum 20% down unless you go through a government program. And for any decent-size farm, you’re talking about a tremendous down payment. Any help on the capital side, or ideas to alleviate that pressure on young farmers, would be the best thing.”

Media: Contact Kelly Roberts, VFBF director of special programs, at 804-837-6194.