The Agricultural Advisory Committee Chair, David Bosselman, spoke before the City Council at the Work Session on December 20, 2023 [Link to video], presenting the State of Agriculture in Suffolk. The Agricultural Advisory Committee consists of nine members from the agricultural community in Suffolk who are nominated by City Council members. The committee is all volunteers who give their time to provide feedback and input to the city regarding agricultural issues.
The City of Suffolk does not track its own statistics related to agriculture, but the Agricultural Advisory Committee was able to obtain data from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS). Even Governor Younkin has recently made note of the following facts:
- Virginia Agriculture creates more than $100 billion of annual economic impact
- Virginia Agriculture employs about 500,000 people
- 97% Virginia farms are family-owned
- Agriculture is Virginia’s #1 private industry
- There are 7.7 million acres of cropland in Virginia
- An acre of agricultural land in Virginia generates an average of $11,000 of economic impact annually
There are nearly 47,000 acres of Suffolk cropland. Based on the figures from the state, that generates roughly $462 million of direct and indirect economic impact for the City of Suffolk. It is clear that agriculture plays a major role in Suffolk’s economy.
According to Mr. Bosselman, the City of Suffolk does not have an Agricultural Department, despite it being specifically mentioned in the 1974 City Charter. It is unclear why this department was never created considering agriculture is such a huge part of Suffolk’s industry. Chesapeake and Virginia Beach both have Agricultural Departments, despite having less farmland. How can the city make informed decisions regarding agriculture and agricultural land if it doesn’t even have a department to track information and collect data?
As part of the State of Agriculture presentation to the City Council, the Agricultural Advisory Committee recommended that the City of Suffolk establish an Agricultural Department. Mr. Bosselman stated the need and benefits of having this department:
- It could bridge the gap between “growing” Suffolk and agricultural Suffolk
- It could serve in conjunction with the Virginia Cooperative Extension in Suffolk
- It could oversee the implementation of the many public and private preservation and conservation programs available to farmers.
- It could contribute to the formation of the agricultural aspects of the Comprehensive Plan
- It could manage the Suffolk Farmers Market with the goal of funding itself via this revenue (as is done in Virginia Beach)
Mr. Bossleman also discussed the loss of cropland in Suffolk. He stated there has been a loss of about 17% over the last 20 years. As Mr. Bosselman said in his parting words to City Council, “I find it quite ironic that we are here today, and I am trying to convince not only the city council, but all people, that are here to listen to me today, to preserve land that is growing food for us to eat, fiber for all of us to have clothes, and plants that clean carbon dioxide and impurities out of our air and provide oxygen for us to breathe.”
Mr. Bosselman should NOT have to plead the case for protecting agriculture in Suffolk. It is a major industry in the city and a way of life for many of its citizens. We all benefit from its continued existence in our city and everything our farmers produce. It is well past time for the City of Suffolk to create an Agricultural Department that can advocate for this essential industry and protect agriculture here for generations to come.
Relevant Links:
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
The Economic Impact of the Agriculture and Forest Industries in Virginia
Governor announces that agriculture and forestry are still Virginia’s most robust industries, despite pandemic setbacksVirginia Farm Bureau publication:
Virginia Farm Bureau publication: New report shows number of Virginia farms, farm acreage remained steady last year