Virginia farmers and agricultural professionals, we have an exciting opportunity to keep your finger on the pulse of cutting-edge agricultural research and innovation!
The Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (VT CALS) has launched a new monthly newsletter, VT CALS Research Monthly, designed to keep you informed about the latest developments in agricultural science and education.
What You’ll Discover in Each Issue
By subscribing, you’ll receive regular updates on:
Groundbreaking agricultural research and innovative solutions
Upcoming events, workshops and professional development opportunities
Remarkable achievements of VT CALS students and faculty
Community outreach initiatives and critical industry partnerships
Whether you’re a producer, educator or agricultural professional, these insights can help you stay ahead of the curve and connected to the latest advancements in our field. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to expand your knowledge and stay informed about the work happening at Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
The following is a statement from Virginia Farm Bureau President Scott Sink, regarding recent funding and staffing changes at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its affiliated agencies.
Virginia Farm Bureau has been actively following announcements from USDA related to availability of conservation funding to farmers, and staffing changes at the agency. We are engaging with USDA leadership, elected officials, and partners to advance Farm Bureau policy and priorities in this area.
Most recently, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced USDA will release certain funds for conservation program contracts that the agency entered into with farmers and ranchers.
We are thankful the administration recognized the importance of making good on the first tranche of agreements, and we look forward to future announcements about fulfilling previously signed contracts. The freezing of funds created uncertainty for farm families who have invested in projects and practices on their farms based on USDA contracts and financial commitment from the federal government. They need to know the government will hold up its end of the bargain.
Regarding staffing, reports are still coming in about staff reductions at USDA, which we know are causing concern in rural and farming communities. We support the goal of efficient government; however, we urge the administration to be strategic in how they address staffing. USDA staff play a critical role in both the safety and reliability of our food and other products. Vital USDA functions range from food inspectors and animal disease experts to loan officers and disaster recovery experts, and they all help ensure that we continue to have a safe and stable food supply.
Last week, I traveled to Washington with a delegation of farmers from Virginia and other mid-Atlantic states to meet with Secretary Rollins. We conveyed concerns over funding and staffing issues, discussed other concerns and opportunities facing farmers, and shared priorities we hope to see this administration tackle. We were pleased to hear from Secretary Rollins about her commitment to listening to farmers and tackling the industry’s challenges. We stand ready to work with her.
In 2025, we face the need for a new, modernized farm bill that ensures animal health in the face of growing disease pressure, expands global trade, and addresses other priority challenges. Virginia Farm Bureau stands ready to advocate on farmers’ behalf and to ensure the Virginia agriculture and forestry industries have the policies, tools, services and opportunities they need to be successful.
The General Assembly adjourned, sine die, on Saturday, February 22 after debating nearly 2,500 bills and reaching an agreement on amendments to the biennial budget. Legislators have sent just under 1,000 bills over to the Governor who has 30 days to sign, veto or amend legislation. The House and Senate will reconvene for “veto” session on April 2. There were several challenges legislators faced this year from water outages delaying the start of session, multiple snowstorms, to heavy debates on energy within the Commonwealth. And, now, it’s time for our final session update.
It’s the final stretch of the General Assembly 2025 session! As we enter Week Six the final bills from each chamber will move through committees and conferees will be named to work out the final agreements between each body’s bill versions. As the bill numbers have dwindled down, we have some updates below on those that moved over from the Senate to the House and vice versa.
There have been recent reports of increased U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol activity across the country and in Virginia. Agricultural employers are encouraged to act immediately to ensure your farm and employees are as prepared as possible for any immigration enforcement.
Employers who fail to comply with U.S. immigration laws and regulations may face fines, including I-9 violations up to $2,789 per form and undocumented worker violations up to $27,894 per worker. Employers could also face criminal charges and, if convicted, up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 for actions considered “harboring” or concealing undocumented workers
As you prepare, please consider the following resources:
Cornell University has several resources from their Ag Workforce Central. As part of the Ag Workforce Central Office Hour on January 9, 2025, Cornell hosted attorney Michael Sciotti from the law firm Barclay Damon LLP to discuss how employers can get into I-9 compliance and prepare for enforcement actions. Find the video and the presentation with links to resources at Ag Workforce Central.
Employers should have a list of all employees’ emergency contacts they can inform if the employee is detained or arrested. Likewise, all employees should have a farm contact so they can inform if they are detained or arrested by ICE.
Please take time to review the resources above and speak with your legal counsel to ensure you are complying with immigration and labor laws, appropriately train employees, and have a response plan in the event of an ICE audit or raid.
It’s Week Five of the General Assembly! Session’s “halftime” or Crossover occurred on Tuesday, where fewer than half of the introduced bills survived. The House and Senate chambers also approved their respective budgets this week. Next, each chamber will convene a committee of conference to work out any differences between the two bills. We expect budget conferees to be named by the middle of next week. Watch the video for key developments from this pivotal legislative week.
Plows and Politics 