Young Farmers seek help from state agency to ship produce across state lines

“We’d rather have the state come out and inspect farms instead of the federal government,” said Kyle Sturgis, a Northampton County vegetable producer and one of a dozen VFBF Young Farmers who visited the Virginia General Assembly Feb. 6. A focus of their discussions with legislators was SB 1195, sponsored by Sen. Richard Stuart, R-Montross. The bill would allow farmers subject to the produce rule to work with VDACS instead of the FDA to comply with the new rule. Even the FDA has requested that states carry out the rule; to date 41 other states have entered into agreements to do so. “VDACS understands our needs in Virginia, and the federal government is so far removed,” Sturgis said.