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Home My WebLink AboutAGRICULTURAL RESERVE PROGRAM (ARP) & AGRICULTURE PORTFOLIO UPDATE City of Virginia Beach Department of Agriculture City Council Briefing City of Virginia Beach Department of Agriculture City Council Briefing David Trimmer, Director of Agriculture Jenny McPherson, Rural Community Coordinator October 13, 2026 Department of Agriculture To promote the growth and sustainability of the agricultural industry 2 Did you know Agriculture is Virginia Beach’s third largest industry? Did you know Agriculture is Virginia Beach’s third largest industry? 3 Agriculture in Virginia Beach Agriculture in Virginia Beach •Department of Agriculture collaborates with: o Virginia Cooperative Extension o Virginia Dare Soil & Water Conservation District •Agricultural Advisory Commission •City-owned Farmers Market •Land Use Value Assessment •Green Line (Service Boundary) •Agricultural Reserve Program (ARP) •Agritourism 4 Why Should the City Protect Farmland? Why Should the City Protect Farmland? •Preserve the agricultural industry and rural character of the city for future generations •Economic impact of agriculture in 2025 = $177.2 million o Crops, livestock and horses o 26,419 acres •Average five-year economic impact of agriculture = $171.4 million 5 Agricultural Reserve Program (ARP) is a Cost-Saving Measure Agricultural Reserve Program (ARP) is a Cost-Saving Measure •Preservation of open space and green infrastructure •Offset infrastructure costs of City services o Roads, Water and Sewer, Schools, Emergency Medical Services, Libraries, Parks and Recreation, and Solid Waste •Helps control recurrent flooding •Provides wildlife habitat 6 Benefits to the Landowner Benefits to the Landowner Development rights are sold while keeping full ownership of the land. •Farm it •Rent it •Sell it (with the ARP deed of easement attached) •Hunt on it •Cut timber •Reserve future building sites 7 Benefits to the Landowner Benefits to the Landowner •Attractive 25-year payment plan called an Installment Purchase Agreement (IPA) •Tax-free interest payments for 25 years •Payments can be used as the landowner wishes •Payments are processed on June 1 and December 1 •IPA may be transferred to family members •Farm transition or estate transfers •Compensate non-farming family member •IPA can be sold to another party for cash 8 Agricultural Reserve Program Agricultural Reserve Program The City enacted the Agricultural Lands Preservation Ordinance, which protects agricultural land south of the “Green Line.” •Council established the ARP on May 9, 1995 •Total acres enrolled to date – 11,358 •Total Development Rights acquired – 992 9 •Opened in 1976 – celebrating 50 years in 2026! •Year-round venue Farmers Market Farmers Market 10 Farmers Market Farmers Market •16 leasable spaces •Restaurant, produce, dairy, butcher, baker, seafood and specialty shops •Three full-time staff members 11 Farmers Market Farmers Market •Eight special events per year: March-June and September-December •Friday Night Hoedowns held April-October •Sponsors – 45 entities sponsor the whole year, seven sponsor-specific events •Special events for organizations or individuals 12 Farmers Market Farmers Market •Daily vendors spots for crafters and agricultural producers •Pop-up events – 1st Sunday Art Market and Plant Swap, plus three seasonal events •Pumpkins, produce and Christmas trees •Carnival 13 Farmers Market Farmers Market •Children’s Education program: PreK-fifth grade, 3,275 students •Agriculture in the Classroom summer workshop for area teachers 14 Farmers Market Farmers Market •Partnership with Virginia Beach Master Gardeners o Educational Gardens o Rain Barrel workshops •Partnership with 4-H o Country Cured Ham Project 15 Directional Sign Program Supports local farm stands with uniform signage. Directional Sign Program Supports local farm stands with uniform signage. Volunteer Program The City's Agriculture Department ranks sixth in Virginia Beach for volunteer numbers, with: •914 volunteers, the equivalent of 23 full-time employees. •47,471 hours served, a value of $1,651,524. 16 Horticulture and Urban Agriculture Programs Horticulture and Urban Agriculture Programs •Virginia Beach Master Gardener Program has over 230 members •Anything to do with ornamentals, lawns, gardens and urban agriculture •Pesticide Recertification Program for commercial businesses 17 Experiential hands-on learning, making the best better! ●11 Clubs ●Four of which are military ●Camping program 4-H Current Program Overview 4-H Current Program Overview 18 AgricultureExtension Agent Agriculture Extension Agent •Work primarily with commercial producers •We facilitate crop specific production focused meeting annually •Coordinate on-farm research with Universities •On call 24/7/365 to assist with troubleshooting, research dissemination, etc 19 Educating youth whenever the opportunity arises Educating youth whenever the opportunity arises 20 Agricultural Researc,h And Extension Centers (ARECs) V rg ni Agr·cu u al Expe ment S a ·oa Sheraandoah VaUey AREC SLBet.eS Tavern •Cattle •Forestry Alson H. Smith Jr.AREC W nchester •'htu::ut.ture •Pests •Hart1cultu re VIRGINIA AGRICULTURAL EXPEIRIMENT SlATION V I R G I N I A TECH Middleburr-g AREC Middleburg •Horses •Cattle •Env1ronme nt •Forestry •Blacksburg Southwest Viirginia AREC GladeSpri g •Af,jriculture •Forestry · Sheep. D1'sea�e •Env1ronrne nt hyno'lds, Homesmad Forest hsouN:es hs&aroh 1Centeli' C11tz •Forestry :South.em Piedmont AREC Blaoksto e •Cattle •Af,j ric ulture •D1sease •Pests •Env1r□nme nt •Harhcultu re Eastem ViFQinia AREC Warsaw •Af,j ric ulture Tidewa1lIerARSC •Af,j rte ulture •Swine Virginia VirginiaCooperativeExtension Virginia Tech. • Virginia Slate University Eastem Sllon ARE.C Painter •Agriculture •Disease ViFginia Seafood A.REC Hampton •Aquaculture •Microbtology •Training •Engineering Hampton Roads AREC Virginia Beach - Environment •Ha rhcuttu re -( t\ALt 21 Pest monitoring helps growers implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies. Pest monitoring helps growers implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies. 22 Timeline of Agriculture in VB Timeline of Agriculture in VB 29 acres in 2025 No cotton now 24,000 acres today 1643 Captain Adam Thoroughgood received a land patent for property that later became Bayville Farms. 1651 Isaac Murray and his three sons had a prosperous flax growing and processing business. 1700 John Akiss settled and farmed in the area that later became Birdneck Point. 1852 The first Agricultural Society Fair was held at Kempsville. 1899 More than 1,500 acres of strawberries were raised in PA County. 1900 Lynnhaven oysters reached their peak population. 1919 Cotton acreage in the county increased to 2,188 acres between 1919 and 1929. 1919 C.J. Burroughs founded Bayville Farms. 1921 Two of Virginia Beach's oldest restaurants, Tandom's Pine Tree Inn and Hurd's began as oyster houses. 1922 PA County ranked third in the state in the production of sweet potatoes with 266,000 bushels. 1937 Yoder Dairy opened on Princess Anne Road in Kempsville. 1937 The Princess Anne County Cooperative Farm Bureau was established. 1964 Farming was ranked with tourism as a top industry in Virginia Beach according to the Director of the Virginia Truck Station. 1968 James Hoggard had probably the largest grain farm in Virginia Beach. 1969 W.R. "Billy" Malbon Jr., the largest feeder of hogs on the East Coast, was name "Agriculture Man of the Year". 1970 62,000 acres were being farmed in the City, which ranked first among Virginia's subdivisions in the yield of corn, soybeans, and wheat. 1973 The agricultural industry in Virginia Beach contributed and estimated $101 million to the economy. 1976 The Virginia Beach Farmers Market opened. 1984 The first Pungo Strawberry Festival was held. 1986 Oystering was banned in the Lynnhaven River. 1997 Steers, hogs and lambs raised by VB-4-H members brought in a record $100,000 at the Virginia Beach 4-H Livestock Show & Sale Auction. 2000 Strange Crop Circles appeared in Robert W. White Jr.'s wheat field. 23 In the late 1970s, Virginia Beach had more hogs than people Equine is the most numerous animal species When we were kids, most truck crop farms grew acres of a few fruits and/or vegetables, serving small grocery stores, wholesalers and others. Fruit and vegetable farms grow fairly small amounts of a lot of different crops and sell them at retail The only animal production direct-to-consumer was the Princess Anne turkey We offer direct-to-consumer poultry, pork, and beef. Sheep and goats are also available for sale as whole animals to be processed off-farm. Agritourism – the word did not exist back then, even though we had a thriving you-pick market (which is agritourism) Agritourism is a component of most all fruit and vegetable farms in Virginia Beach 29 Restaurants have always been good partners with local farms, but it has grown a lot in recent years ThePhoto by PhotoAuthor is licensed THEN THEN NOW 24 Still today, 100% of our farms are family farms. Still today, 100% of our farms are family farms. 25 Acres by faction Acres by faction •Grain crops (including double crop acres) – 23,159 acres •Fruit and vegetables – 280 acres •Ornamentals and greenhouses – 249 acres •Pasture and hay – 2,769 acres 31 26 Agriculture in Virginia Beach Agriculture in Virginia Beach The Green Industry and pasture-based protein operations show the most recent growth according to USDA 2022 Agriculture Census in Virginia Beach. •245 producer •129 farms •179 acres – average farm size We have five farms recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia as Century Farms •Farmed more than 100 consecutive years by the same family 27 33 This is just a really cool picture!! This is just a really cool picture!! 28