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RICHMOND, VA — Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced the award of a $34,910 Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund Planning Grant to Accomack County and Northampton County. The grant will fund a feasibility study of leveraging the aquaculture, agriculture and forestry industries located within the localities.
“The total economic impact of agriculture and forestry to Virginia’s economy is more than $105 billion and the state’s seafood industry adds another $1.1 billion,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “It is clear that these industries are vital to the Commonwealth’s economic success and that of Accomack and Northampton counties. Developing a regional strategy that supports the growth of these industries will help to energize commercial development and create new jobs on our Eastern Shore.”
“Congratulations to Accomack and Northampton counties on receiving this Governor’s AFID Planning Grant to conduct an aquaculture, agriculture and forestry feasibility study,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Lohr. “Highlighting new growth opportunities for these industries lays the groundwork for a stronger local economy and improved way of life for county residents and visitors.”
The Accomack - Northampton Planning Development Commission will use the AFID Planning Grant to conduct the feasibility study to strengthen its Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. The study will examine several goals highlighted within the localities’ current strategy, that focus on the agribusiness and food processing sector. These goals include:
- Support small farmers through a value-added fresh food marketing cooperative to aggregate and market locally produced aquaculture, produce, and viticulture through the use of an identifiable Eastern Shore brand.
- Support large scale farmers with wholesale production/marketing recommendations to add value to crops, aquaculture and forestry products grown on the Eastern Shore, while also creating value-added opportunities.
- With assistance from the Eastern Shore Community College Workforce Development and Training Center, explore equipping individuals with appropriate skills to work in the agribusiness, aqua-business, forestry and food processing cluster.
- Explore the economic sustainability of natural resources supporting agribusiness, forestry and food processing industries through an analysis of the current and future workforce.
- Develop localized strategies to encourage agricultural development and sustainability in line with the characteristics of the area and regional vision, to create a synchronized effort of tourism and economic development.
“The aquaculture, agriculture, and forestry sectors are vitally important to the Eastern Shores’s economy, so it is wise to include these industries in our Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy,” said Elaine Meil, Executive Director Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission. “Not only will this work help to grow these industries, it will also strengthen the counties in many different areas.”
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services administers the AFID Planning Grant program and accepts applications for the program on a rolling basis. Successful applications demonstrate a clear need, a proposed solution, and strong support from local government and the agriculture and forestry community. The AFID Planning Grant program requires a one-to-one match, however allowances for a reduced match are available for economically distressed localities. Interested localities should contact the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at (804) 786-6911 for more information.
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