Metro Business asked Matt Lohr, Virginia's agriculture commissioner, about why farmland preservation is a priority for the state:
"The success of the Jamestown colony 400 years ago was due to one thing: agriculture.
"Agriculture remains Virginia's largest industry today, with an annual economic impact of $55 billion.
"Well-managed farm and forest lands produce jobs, foods and goods to sell in the global marketplace. They also create environmental benefits and tax revenues, while requiring little or no public services in return.
"Unfortunately, Virginia loses about 100,000 acres of working land from production each year.
"Competition for land remains strong, and addressing this is a priority for our agency.
"Our Office of Farmland Preservation works with established, beginning and would-be farmers to keep these valuable lands in agricultural production.
"We have established several programs to permanently protect farmland, and we host workshops across the state to educate our farmers about their options.
"Anyone interested in preserving working farm and forest lands should visit our website or the Department of Forestry's for more information."
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