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Last Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Glenn Youngkin and other members of the state government gathered at the McCormick farm in Raphine to sign two agriculture bills into law.
These laws, passed in the House of Delegates as Bill 1563 and in the Senate as Bill 1240, will extend sales tax exemptions to items used for indoor growing, or controlled environment agriculture, facilities.
The governor visited Raphine just after he gave the commencement address at Virginia Military Institute.
The location of the historic Cyrus Mc-Cormick farm, now part of the Virginia Tech Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Extension Center, led speakers to reflect on agricultural innovations, both past and future.
“In July of 1831, Cyrus rolled his reaper out of this blacksmith shop behind me,” said Gabriel Pent, the superintendent of the center.
“He took it down to a little field where there was some wheat still standing from that summer’s harvest, and cut it down with the reaper,” Pent said. “Such a thing at that time was incredible; it was equal to the work of six laborers.”
Pent was clear on the importance of innovation in agriculture, both then and now.
“I notice that as many people lament what we have lost since the industrialization of agriculture, not as many are willing to pick up a scythe and head into the fields on foot,” he said.
Virginia Sen. Mark Obenshain, from Harrisonburg, also spoke on the changes in agriculture and where the current bill fits in.
“Agriculture could not be more important to the area of Virginia that I represent, and could not be more important to the economy of Virginia,” he said, “But the face of agriculture is constantly changing, and this legislation that we are here today to witness the signing of is truly reflective of the changing face of agriculture in the commonwealth of Virginia.”
Controlled environment agriculture facilities are a newer innovation, part of this changing face of the agriculture industry, and the bill aims to reduce cost in hopes of drawing businesses to build here.
Youngkin also took the opportunity to reflect on the past as an integral part of the future.
“The spirit of innovation is woven right into the spirit of Virginia, and that’s why I’m so excited about the innovation that we’re seeing in the world of indoor farming, or controlled environment agriculture,” he said.
“The commonwealth of Virginia and America continue to need innovation, just like what we’ve seen here, at the McCormick farm, a launching pad for innovation for the world.”
Youngkin wants Virginia not just to participate, but to be a leader this area of innovation.
“When we have already the number one industry in Virginia being agriculture and we see a massive development like indoor farming, we should go get that, and it should be a cornerstone of the future of the broader agriculture industry in Virginia,” he said.
The tax exemptions these bills introduce are key in keeping Virginia competitive, he said.
“We have to be competitive with other states so that it is economically advantageous to come here, and the clear answer was an agricultural sales tax exemption,” said Youngkin.
“And that exemption can be used to support the use and development of all of the critical components that we use in indoor, controlled environment agriculture.”
Moving forward, the governor highlighted the importance of research for the state’s agriculture, saying that he introduced a budget amendment with more funding for research.
In September, Leesburg will host a conference, “The Great Indoors,” at which both academic and industry groups will be able to present research on controlled environment agriculture.
