Agriculture reps to present resolution to state bureau

Several representatives from Pittsylvania County’s agriculture industry will head to Hot Springs this week for the 2008 Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention.

Tommy Motley, president of the Pittsylvania County Farm Bureau, said the local organization has drafted and submitted a resolution outlining its stands on several issues to present to the state bureau. The convention will be held Monday-Wednesday at The Homestead in Hot Springs.

The county bureau supports a study to determine whether uranium mining in Virginia would be safe, Motley said. However, a study would need to be specific about how it would affect agriculture in the county, he said.

“It’s (agriculture) the largest industry in the county,” Motley said, adding that he will attend the convention with Bob Harris, Jay Calhoun, Kevin Owen and Robert Mills.

The local bureau, recognizing the need for energy sources, also supports drilling offshore and in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Motley said. Other stances in the resolution signed by bureau members in October include opposition to a federal mandate requiring a certain level of ethanol in fuel, and support for widening the H2A guest-worker program to include the dairy industry. H2A would ease the risk of dairy farmers hiring illegal immigrants by requiring workers to show documentation proving they’re legal, Motley said.

“That’s got to be addressed,” he said.

The state bureau’s resolution committee will vote on resolutions from counties across Virginia, and decide whether each issue is a state or national issue, Motley said.

The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation has 147,000 members in 88 county farm bureaus and is the largest farmers’ advocacy group.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will address the bureau delegation Monday night.

Voting delegates will determine the Farm Bureau’s legislative agenda for 2009.

Contact John R. Crane at or (434) 791-7987.