Virginia 9th in Nation for Farm Exports and Aiming Higher

By Alice Kemp, Capital News Service Monday, March 21, 2011

RICHMOND – Despite facing a recession and drought in 2010, Virginia’s farmers exported $2.24 billion in crops, meat and other products last year, making the state No. 9 in the nation for agriculture export value.

Though the numbers are promising, Gov. Bob McDonnell wants to push for more. He hopes the commonwealth this year will eclipse its 2009 record of $2.3 billion in exports.

“We have an aggressive marketing agenda in 2011 and beyond to promote Virginia products globally,” McDonnell said in a press release issued during the third annual International Virginia Agricultural Trade Conference held last week in Norfolk.

The governor’s plan includes keeping strong markets in countries such as Canada, China and Japan as well as aggressively pursuing opportunities in India, Turkey and Mexico. Virginia also will continue developing export business in unconventional markets like Cuba and Venezuela.

Todd Haymore, the state’s secretary of agriculture and forestry, and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will lead the marketing efforts.

“Working with our growers, agribusinesses, exporters and partners in state government, the governor, VDACS staff and I are committed to growing our exports of agricultural and forestry products because they are so vital to Virginia’s economic vitality,” said Haymore, who was the keynote speaker for the trade conference.

So far this year, Virginia’s farm exports are running 2 percent above 2010 figures.

“In 2011, we forecast that Virginia is on course to exceed 2010 export levels and hopefully better our 2009 numbers if Mother Nature, the global economy and geo-political events cooperate,” Haymore said.

State officials say Virginia is able to stay competitive in the export market by keeping its products diversified. The top products this year were soybeans, grains (such as wheat and corn), pork, poultry, leaf tobacco, wood products and logs, fats and oils, cotton, seafood and aquaculture products, fresh vegetables and hides and skins.

Agriculture and forestry are Virginia’s two largest industries, providing about 500,000 jobs and an economic impact of $79 billion annually, according to a 2008 economic impact survey by Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia.

“Agriculture exports mean good jobs for our citizens,” McDonnell said.

In 2009, the state had 47,000 farms totaling 8 million acres. The average farm size is 170 acres.