Agriculture proves worth

By The Daily Progress

Published: October 5, 2008

We might not be an agricultural society any longer, but agriculture has a powerful impact on the state’s economy.

That’s important to remember as state and local lawmakers make policy decisions that, in turn, impact agriculture.
In 2006, farming and forestry generated more than $79 billion in economic activity and supported more than half a million jobs, according to a new study by the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. For every job in those two industries, another 1.5 jobs was created in related industries.

What’s more, the study didn’t even include agritourism or horse shows. It didn’t include recreational hunting and fishing, or commercial fishing. Billions more dollars in economic impact are estimated to be generated by these activities.
Farms and forests do more than add pastoral beauty to our countryside. They do more than provide habitat for animals and plants. They do more than heal ecosystems, as places where air can be cleansed and water purified.

Farms and forests provide necessary products for our homes and businesses — the food we eat, the wood that builds and furnishes our houses, and more.
Farms and forests may have won our appreciation. Farming and forestry deserve our respect.