CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – During a visit to Charlottesville on Thursday, Gov. Abigail Spanberger and Secretary of Agriculture Katie Frazier offered a preview of the “Farm and Forestry Prosperity Plan” the Governor is expected to unveil on Dec. 1.
“I think it’s extraordinarily important for us to have a real clear, unified view of what agriculture brings to our communities,” Spanberger said following an event honoring Virginia women in agriculture at Eastwood Farm and Winery. “Agriculture is Virginia’s No. 1 private industry. Forestry is No. 3. And so frequently, that can be disconnected from other sectors of our economy, from our economic development effort. So, for me, ensuring that through the Farm and Forestry Prosperity Plan we are looking at all the levers that we, as an administration, can be pulling on to support agriculture, yes, but in doing so, we are actually supporting Virginia’s economy and rural and agriculture communities across the board.”
Spanberger and Frazier told the audience the plan would aim to help Virginia farmers with labor, costs and technology, while also assisting them in breaking into new markets…