By Elizabeth Beggins
American Farmland Trust (AFT) has released a new statewide resource to help Virginia’s communities protect farmland and support a thriving agricultural future. The Planning for Agriculture in Virginia Toolkit is an online collection of guidance materials, fact sheets, success stories, and resources designed to help local leaders, land use planners, the farming community, and advocates strengthen farm viability, guide growth, protect and conserve farmland for future generations.
The stakes are high: Virginia converted more than 340,000 acres of farmland to development between 2001 and 2016. Without new planning approaches, another 800,000 acres could be lost by 2040. AFT’s Toolkit responds to this urgent trend by equipping communities with tools rooted in Virginia law and planning practice, and grounded in real-life examples from across the commonwealth.
Developed with the input of more than 40 stakeholders including local officials, conservationists, planners, and farmers the Toolkit covers core topics such as comprehensive planning, farm-focused economic development, and support for conservation districts. The resource is designed to help localities integrate agriculture more fully into planning, policy, and community investment.