Virginia Farm Bureau has served as the voice for the state’s agricultural community for nearly a century, with farmer members directing every policy stance the organization takes. The relationships these farmers build with legislators across rural and urban districts prove essential in advancing farming-related issues.
During the recent General Assembly session, Virginia Farm Bureau pursued numerous legislative priorities with mixed results. Many of their goals saw positive outcomes, though several matters remain in limbo due to the legislature’s adjournment without approving a state budget. As of mid-May 2026, Virginia’s General Assembly has yet to pass a new state budget, with discussions stalled over a proposed two-year spending plan. A special session is currently underway to resolve the deadlock before the new fiscal year begins in July.
SUCCESSFUL POLICY ACHIEVEMENTS
The organization secured several important victories for Virginia’s farming community. They successfully preserved the farmworker exemption from overtime requirements, protecting the economic viability of farming operations across the state. Additionally, they maintained exemptions for H-2A and H-2B workers from minimum wage requirements.
Virginia Farm Bureau also strengthened food labeling accuracy by securing requirements that products made from manufactured proteins cannot be labeled or marketed as animal-based foods. They established a producer-first definition of agrivoltaics and granted local governments authority to require solar canopies over parking lots, reducing pressure on agricultural and forest lands from solar development.
Other wins included giving localities authority to evaluate how data centers and other high energy use facilities affect water resources, agriculture, parks, historic sites, and forestland. The organization protected farmers’ ability to use biosolids while creating testing protocols and safeguards against dangerous PFAS levels.
Additional successes included preventing efforts to ban paraquat use by farmers, streamlining the kill permit process for farmers dealing with deer damage, and directing the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry to develop economic development plans for agriculture and forestry at the beginning of each new gubernatorial administration.
POLICY SETBACKS
Despite these victories, Virginia Farm Bureau faced several defeats during the legislative session. They failed to maintain the broad farmworker exemption from minimum wage requirements and saw reduced decision-making power for local governments when positioning utility-scale solar facilities through the creation of state standards for ordinances.
The organization also encountered increased employer mandates through establishment of higher minimum wages, paid family medical leave, and paid sick leave programs. Additionally, they were unsuccessful in creating a tax incentive program to attract sustainable aviation fuel manufacturers, which would have increased market opportunities for biomass from wood residuals or grain.
