Governor Kaine details agriculture’s role in Virginia’s economy

Agriculture and forestry is Virginia’s largest industry, contributing $79 billion annually to Virginia’s economy, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said today.

Speaking at a news conference at the Nelson Farm in eastern Henrico County, Kaine said the industry has grown over the last 10 years from $47 billion, and now accounts for roughly 500,000 jobs, employing one out of every 10 Virginians.

Kaine made a push for state residents to spend $10 of their weekly grocery bills on Virginia-grown products, saying that would pump an additional $1.65 billion into the state’s economy.

The industry is not without threats, he said—most recently, the declaration of a disaster in the blue crab harvesting industry and the rapid pace of development across the state, which is consuming 23,000 acres of farmland and 44,000 acres of forest each year.