In the first economic development announcement for Virginia’s industrial hemp industry. Gov. Ralph Northam announced Oct. 31 that the first commercial industrial hemp fiber processing facility in Virginia will locate in Wythe County. Vitality Farms, LLC, operating as Appalachian Biomass Processing, will invest $894,000, create 13 new jobs, and plans to purchase more than 6,000 tons of Virginia-grown industrial hemp over the next three years, at a value of more than $1 million.

Prince William Conservation Alliance will host a community discussion of some development alternatives: conservation easements, transfer of development rights and purchase of development rights with three speakers Sept. 30 at Guiseppe's Restaurant, 5120 Washington Street, in Haymarket beginning at 7 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.

Gainesville Supervisor Pete Candland reports that the Prince William County Planning Office has agreed to extend the public comment period, which was set to end Aug. 16, on the Rural Area Preservation Study after his office received requests from citizens for more time to review and submit comments.

This year’s crop is excellent: sweet, juicy and luscious with plenty to go around. Virginia peach season began officially on July 1 and the next several weeks will offer prime picking.

Prince William County (PWC) is hosting a Public Meeting for Stakeholders to share their perspectives regarding rural preservation in Prince William County. This session will focus specifically on creating a vision and implementing recommendations from the Rural Preservation Study, as the County seeks to address rural preservation.

Honey bees are invaluable to the health of the U.S. agricultural economy as they enable the production of at least 90 commercially grown crops in the nation. In Virginia, honeybees are essential pollinators for about one-third of the state’s fruit and vegetable crops. That is why Governor Ralph S. Northam declared June 17-23 as Virginia Pollinator Week. Without adequate pollination, Virginia could experience a significant reduction in its harvest of apples, alfalfa, berries,cucumbers, melons, squash, peaches and pumpkins.”

Governor Ralph Northam has issued a proclamation declaring the week of May 19–25, 2019 as Virginia Agriculture Week in the Commonwealth.

As you sit down to dinner this Agriculture Week, why not lift your glass in a Salute to Stick-To-Itiveness for those farmers who put food on your table day after day and year after year despite the weather, price drops, increased prices for seeds or fuel, labor shortages and changing public tastes.