Virginia panel backs bill requiring a farm and forest prosperity plan each gubernatorial term

The House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources subcommittee on Thursday voted to report HB 512, legislation that would require the secretary of agriculture and forestry to prepare a comprehensive Virginia Farm and Forest Prosperity Plan at the beginning of each gubernatorial administration.

Delegate Kimberly Pope Adams, the bill’s patron, told the subcommittee the measure is designed to “promote continuity and accountability” by compiling existing programs and policies into a single, reportable plan and by requiring a progress report to the governor and to the chairs of the relevant House and Senate committees by Dec. 1 of the first year.

Adams said the plan would focus on economic prosperity, diversification and growth in agriculture and forestry and would direct the secretary to "coordinate with representatives of agriculture and forestry organizations, members of the agribusiness community, and other stakeholders they deem necessary in developing the plan." She offered a line amendment to add that coordination language; the amendment was adopted.

Deputy Secretary Benro, representing Secretary Frazier and the administration, said the office supports HB 512 as amended and pointed to existing executive directives. "We do have some charges from the administration like Executive Order 5 which charges us with, reporting on our plans to increase exports from agriculture and forestry industries in the first 60 days of the administration," he said, adding that codifying a single, accountable plan would give stakeholders and the General Assembly a clear, reportable framework to grow markets and respond to current industry challenges.

Industry groups uniformly supported the bill during public comment. Matt Wells of the Virginia Forestry Association said forestry contributes about $21,000,000,000 in economic value and supports roughly 108,000 jobs annually in the Commonwealth, and called HB 512 a "great opportunity" to set a forward-looking marker for administrations and the industry. Other witnesses — including representatives of the Virginia Agribusiness Council, the Virginia Cattlemen's Association, Virginia Farm Bureau, Virginia Grain Producers, Virginia Forest Products Association and the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association — said the legislation would improve cross-agency coordination and provide measurable targets for markets and export growth.

Supporters described the legislation as a planning and accountability tool rather than an expansion of regulatory authority. Adams and administration officials said the bill compiles existing responsibilities into a single, actionable plan and requires reporting back to the legislature so progress can be tracked.

The subcommittee voted to report HB 512 as amended by a tally of 10 to nothing. The bill will now be considered by the full committee.