Virginia Agriculture 2024
In partnership with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
As the state’s slogan says, Virginia is for lovers – including lovers of the land. As the state’s largest industry by a generous margin, there is no doubt that agriculture is extremely important for Virginia. The adaptability and efforts of food producers are crucial to keeping the state’s economy steady.
Agriculture in Virginia provides an economic impact of $105 billion per year. Agriculture and forestry provides more than 490,000 jobs in the Commonwealth. The state’s 41,500 farms spread across 7.7 million acres and have an average farm size of 186 acres. Virginia farms grow and raise commodities including apples, turkeys, marine products, tobacco, peanuts and broilers. All of these place Virginia within the top 10 for production nationally.
Virginia agriculture also includes agricultural education, agritourism, agribusiness, innovation and research, new technology and much more. These sectors are important to keep the industry thriving. Despite the recent challenges that the country continues to face, Virginia’s agriculture industry has a strong record of success and is poised for prosperity.