RICHMOND, Va. — The following may be attributed to Virginia Farm Bureau Federation President Wayne F. Pryor, a Goochland County hay and grain producer:
“Today’s repeal of the Waters of the United States rule is good news for farmers, who have faced a web of confusing and unclear rules related to our land-use decisions. Federal regulations shouldn’t be a game of ‘gotcha,’ and landowners should have fair warning about what activities are regulated and what landscape features are protected.
Virginia’s farmers want to preserve the natural resources on our farms for our children, and for their children. The commonwealth recognizes about 1,500 farms that have been in the same family for more than 100 years. We want to leave something of inherent and lasting value. Moreover, we want to leave behind more than a business; we want to leave a legacy.
That legacy includes clean water, and we look forward to a solution that is workable for our farms and our communities.
With 129,000 members in 88 county Farm Bureaus, VFBF is Virginia’s largest farmers’ advocacy group. Farm Bureau is a non-governmental, nonpartisan, voluntary organization committed to supporting Virginia’s agriculture industry. For more news and information visit vafb.com/newsroom.
–Virginia Farm Bureau Federation