Farm Tours Sow Relationship Seeds with Viginia Policymakers

To better connect urban and suburban lawmakers with the people and places that sustain Virginia agriculture, Virginia Farm Bureau hosts a series of farm tours and roundtables. In 2025, the organization’s three regional events involved a total of 14 legislators, seven of whom were represented by key staff who engage directly with farmers.

The tours and roundtables were designed to do more than educate legislators on the economic, cultural and environmental importance of the state’s farming, ranching and agritourism – though that was a priority. They were also a way to build relationships that foster informed, balanced policy decisions and strengthen Farm Bureau’s role as a trusted resource for agricultural issues.

Each event was strategically located to highlight different sectors of Virginia agriculture, from row crops and livestock to specialty crops and agritourism.

Volunteer engagement was key to the program’s success. Virginia Farm Bureau staff worked closely with county Farm Bureau volunteer leaders to coordinate logistics, recruit farmer participants and prepare briefing materials. In total more than 20 volunteer leaders served as hosts, storytellers and policy advocates.

The results of a follow-up survey of the lawmakers and staff who participated were overwhelmingly positive, with all the participants reporting an increased knowledge of Virginia farmers’ experiences, as well as a better understanding of Farm Bureau members’ needs. For 78% of the lawmakers and staff it was their first time on the tour.

State Awards of Excellence

Virginia Farm Bureau’s farm tours and roundtables for lawmakers were recognized with a 2026 Award of Excellence in the Advocacy category. The award was presented at the 2026 American Farm Bureau Convention in January in Anaheim.