(RICHMOND, VA)—The Virginia Senate and House of Delegates have passed legislation to accelerate farmers’ adoption of key conservation practices to enable Virginia to meet Chesapeake Bay water quality goals by the end of 2025 (HB 1422 and SB704). This legislation will encourage more farmers to fence cattle out of permanent streams and implement nutrient management plans on cropland. It also establishes a stakeholder group to ensure progress on adopting conservation practices to reduce water pollution coming from agriculture by 2025.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Executive Director Peggy Sanner issued the following statement.
“The roadmap established here will enhance the long-term work by Virginia farmers to install farm conservation practices, the most cost-effective way to restore our waterways. These measures are essential to Virginia finally achieving its commitments to reduce pollution to rivers and streams by 2025 under the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint. Success will depend on strong and steady state investment in Virginia’s agricultural cost-share program to ensure farmers have the resources needed to get the job done.
“We thank Delegate Ken Plum and Senators Monty Mason and Emmett Hanger for their leadership in ensuring passage of this important legislation. We now look forward to Governor Northam signing the bill into law.”
