By Charles Wilfong
West Virginia Farm Bureau President
The West Virginia Farm Bureau would like to recognize the farmers and poultry growers throughout the Potomac Highlands and Eastern Panhandle who have voluntarily committed themselves to conservation practices that have improved the quality of the Chesapeake Bay. These producers, small and large, have always been great stewards of the land. However, it’s their impressive actions that have made West Virginia a leader among states in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.
West Virginia signed the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement in 2014, joining Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and Washington, DC, in a commitment to restore the bay, its tributaries and the lands surrounding them. The goals within this agreement, including water quality improvement and farmland conservation, were set to be completed by 2025.
The counties in the Potomac Highlands and Eastern Panhandle fall within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and their economies revolve largely around agriculture, including raising beef cattle, corn silage, and other various crops. Agriculture production in the region also includes the raising of poultry, which is West Virginian’s largest agricultural commodity.
Because of the proactive nature of West Virginia’s agricultural producers, West Virginia has met 100 percent of its goal of reducing nitrogen pollution for 2025, 91 percent of its phosphorus reduction goal and 100 percent of sediment reduction goal – the best of any state within the watershed. This has been made possible thanks to producers implementing best management practices, developing nutrient management plans, rotating livestock, carefully overseeing soil health, utilizing riparian buffers to reduce runoff and adopting the latest agriculture technology.
These efforts not only benefit waterways and the environment, but they also support the sustainable agriculture that is vital for rural communities. Healthier soil and water yield more productive crops and livestock, create a greater resilience against extreme weather events and establish a strong foundation for West Virginia’s future in agriculture.
Thanks to these efforts in conservation, West Virginia is on track to meet the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load goal for 2025. While work continues to meet additional goals, these efforts illustrate that West Virginia’s farmers and poultry growers remain committed to clean water and responsible agriculture practices at the local level. It also highlights the effectiveness of utilizing resources and tools available through local conservation districts, state agencies and agricultural experts.
West Virginians have always known to be stewards of the land. The abundant, natural God-given beauty that surrounds one has instilled a love of the land and a sense of responsibility for how it is treated. No one takes this responsibility more seriously than the farmers who call Almost Heaven home.
The efforts of West Virginia’s agriculture community deserve to be celebrated. These strides set a precedent for the next generation. The West Virginia Farm Bureau appreciates the farmers and poultry growers across the Potomac Highlands and Eastern Panhandle for undertaking this task and for meeting these goals. These men and women have implemented positive changes that impacted the entire Chesapeake Bay Watershed. These continued practices will ensure West Virginia remains a leader in agriculture and an example of agricultural stewardship to neighboring states.
