The Virginia legislature has delegated control over land use decisions to local governments, including the authority for land use planning and zoning. State law calls for local planning commissions to prepare and recommend Comprehensive Plans to guide the physical development of territory in their jurisdictions. As such, decisions and plans vary widely between communities. Local governments must adopt Comprehensive Plans, review them, and potentially update them every five years. 

Agricultural and Forestal Districts are voluntary rural conservation areas reserved for farm and forest production. They promote the retention of working lands as an important economic and environmental resource. In exchange for enrollment, landowners receive use-value assessment and protections from eminent domain. 

Cost of Community Services studies compare revenues from major land uses with expenditures to provide them with public services. In Virginia as elsewhere, they find that residential development has a negative revenue-expense ratio, demanding more in services like schools and public safety than they contribute in revenue. On the other hand, agricultural and forestal lands – like other commercial land uses – contribute more to local coffers than they receive back in services.   

Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) programs protect farmland for farming forever. They achieve this by paying landowners to voluntarily restrict development on their properties and then protecting the land with an agricultural conservation easement—a voluntary and flexible legal agreement.   

In recent years, the renewable energy industry—and especially solar—has expanded greatly in Virginia. That growth appears poised to continue. Communities can take steps to ensure that any expansion of renewable energy facilities, such as solar arrays, occurs in a way that values and protects farmland while also supporting clean energy and economic opportunity. 

Transfer of development rights (TDR) programs are a growth management tool that combines planning and zoning to address community priorities. They create market incentives to shift development from designated “sending areas” – like areas designated for farmland protection – to “receiving areas” where increased development is preferred. They do this by compensating landowners who sell development rights in the sending areas and offering incentives to developers to build in receiving areas.

Local governments in Virginia can designate urban development areas to concentrate new growth in areas with adequate infrastructure. They promote transportation-efficient development and encourage local economic development. Urban Development Areas (UDAs) are voluntary, designated by local governments, identified in comprehensive plans, and reviewed every five years.  

To ensure a reliable supply of agricultural, horticultural, and forest products, as well as open space, Virginia law allows any county, city, or town which has adopted a land-use plan to assess four categories of eligible land at its current use value rather than its potential use for development. This approach recognizes the financial benefits of open space and rewards landowners for keeping their land in active agricultural production.

Zoning is the most widely used local land use regulation. Its purpose is to protect health, safety, and general welfare. It defines and regulates the “what, where, and how” of different land uses. Localities can pursue zoning to support farming and secure an agricultural land base. When zoning for agriculture, it is important to get input and buy-in from the farming community to ensure that ordinances are farm-friendly and support local agriculture.  

Virginia has several types of agricultural advisory boards, committees, and development officers to represent, advocate for, and support agriculture and rural economies. Some serve as full- or part-time county employees while others are volunteer boards and committees.  

Agriculture can be a tough business. State and local governments support a variety of programs to provide farmers with business assistance and marketing opportunities to support farm viability and strengthen agricultural economies. The Commonwealth has several programs that communities can leverage to create their own strategies, like establishing farmers markets or investing in processing and distribution infrastructure.  

Virginia’s Agricultural and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) fund is a discretionary, performance-based economic development incentive to support agribusiness development. It offers a series of grants to counties and municipalities to develop things like shared-use facilities. Local governments can take advantage of AFID grants to develop and expand businesses, invest in infrastructure to support agriculture, create jobs, and facilitate marketing opportunities, and create plans for agricultural economic development. 

Agritourism combines agricultural production with farm entertainment and/or education to diversify farm income and stimulate rural tourism. It can occur on a single farm, or it can be part of a larger economic development strategy.  

Community food and processing facilities—such as meat processing facilities, community kitchens, and more—protect health and safety while encouraging value-added processing, retail sales, and expanded market opportunities for Virginia grown food and agriculture products

Farm to School programs serve a broad purpose: they provide a steady, predictable outlet for farmers to sell their products; they put nutritious, locally grown food in the hands of children; and they help connect more children with food in meaningful ways. Virginia’s program promotes opportunities for schools, distributors, and growers to work together to increase the availability of and access to locally grown foods in school cafeterias and dining halls at all levels of education.   

The next generation of Virginia farmers struggle to gain access to affordable farmland. At the same time, aging farmers who want to see their land remain in agriculture may not have an identified heir or have up-to-date succession or estate plans. A handful of programs—some of which exist in Virginia, and some of which are used in other states—can help support both aspiring and retiring farmers. 

Right to farm laws protect farmers from baseless nuisance complaints and significant and unfair judgments, as long as these farms are following generally accepted or best management practices. Virginia’s Right-to-Farm Act applies to agricultural operations located in areas zoned as an agricultural district or classification who are in “substantial compliance” with laws and regulations and who follow best management practices. It also limits local governments from enacting zoning or other ordinances that unreasonably restrict or regulate farming unless the restrictions bear a relationship to the health, safety, and general welfare of its citizens. 

Zoning can have a significant impact on farm viability. Zoning ordinances define agricultural uses and determine what kinds of activities are allowed by right or are considered accessory (subordinate to agriculture but related) or ancillary (unrelated). They also determine when uses are conditional and/or require special permitting. Once defined, ordinances usually include performance standards to guide the appearance, intensity, scale, and scope of associated structures. Thus, what communities include in zoning ordinances can make or break a variety of on-farm economic opportunities, depending on local priorities. 

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed covers approximately 60 percent of Virginia’s land area. More than 80 counties, cities, and towns border its tidal waters. Fed by a multitude of rivers and streams that carry pollutants, the Bay has been on EPA’s “dirty waters” list for decades. The health of the Bay is important to millions of people across six states who live in its massive watershed. Farmers can work with their local soil and water conservation district to control nonpoint source pollution.  

Effective composting programs can divert organic materials—like leaves, manures, wood chips, and some food scraps—from landfills and provide a fertile amendment to soils. Composting occurs at many levels, from backyard piles to commercial facilities. Depending on the scale, several different Virginia policies and programs can influence the ways that communities can compost. 

Many programs and institutions offer training, advice, and resources for the agricultural community. But sometimes, farmers learn best from other farmers. Virginia has several different farmer mentor programs operating throughout the state that can help farmers adopt conservation practices and improve their bottom lines. 

Farmers can secure support from many different departments, initiatives, and offices. Sometimes, the support available can be difficult to navigate, and farmers may not know where to turn or who to ask for help. Resource sheets that list all the opportunities—and their associated contacts—for farmers in an area can reduce confusion and facilitate more effective engagement. 

Soil and Water Conservation Districts develop and implement programs to conserve soil and water resources, control erosion, and prevent pollution.  District staff help landowners with conservation planning and provide resources to farmers to adopt conservation practices. They promote conservation through outreach and education, providing technical expertise to communities as well as to landowners.  In partnership with their local SWCD, localities can allocate additional funding to help support local conservation priorities. 

The U.S. Census of Agriculture, conducted every five years, is a comprehensive collection of statistics about American agriculture. Produced by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, it communicates national-, state-, and local-level findings and is a tremendous resource for local leaders. Below are links to different collections of Census of Agriculture data. 

American Farmland Trust has an extensive collection of geospatial data to help people understand farmland loss and enhance farmland protection. 

Virginia Cooperative Extension has conducted a series of “Situation Analysis Reports” across the Commonwealth. Situation analysis reports provide context for understanding and addressing issues, problems, and needs. Local offices update them every 4-5 years. 

Many different organizations—from nonprofits and universities to trade groups and government commissions—can help support local governments that would like to plan for agriculture.