Transportation

VFBF Policy

We support a state highway system that will facilitate the safe and efficient movement of goods and services throughout the state. We support increased state funding for improving safety and maintenance of farm to market roads with special emphasis on unsafe and inadequate bridges and signage for farm equipment. We oppose any unreasonable increase in the truck license fees and any increases in overweight fines.

Background

Virginia's farmers depend heavily on of all modes of transportation in the Commonwealth, especially highways, rail, and its ports.

When the Commonwealth makes investments in transportation, we should consider all of Virginia’s needs, both urban and rural, not only considering initial investments, but long term maintenance needs. In addition, we support allowing a locality to implement impact fees/growth tax or adequate public facilities ordinances on residential development to help share the cost of providing services for such development, regardless of zoning classifications. To be able to provide the infrastructure for the increased need must come prior to the pressure that will surely come from the increased population in the locality.

Our industry relies a great deal on the rail system and its ability to transport products from the delivery point. The industry continues to suffer the loss of shipping points such as grain elevators, and in turn ones with an adequate ability to ship via rail due to the lack of infrastructure, and/or rolling stock availability. Ironically, in the most abundant years, our producers suffer a “drought” of rolling stock which hinders the grain elevators ability to keep inventory moving. This then keeps the farmer from harvesting his crop in a timely fashion and in many cases looses their crop quality and quantity. The continued loss in the ability of our grain industry to utilize rail to transport products cause many more trucks to be used, causing more traffic and potential danger on our roads. Farm Bureau believes Virginia should consider expanding extensively its rail system, both passenger and freight systems. By improving these systems and providing incentives to users, we can drastically reduce and prevent increases in highway traffic.

Virginia’s ports are also used heavily by agriculture to ship livestock, as well as both raw and processed products. These ports provide vital gateways to both domestic and international markets. We also encourage consideration be given to the improvement to Virginia’s river transportation systems. The lumber industry alone would benefit from these improvements; they can still be utilized effectively in today’s market as they have been in the past.

Reasons for Position

We support a state highway system that will facilitate the safe and efficient movement of goods and services throughout the state.

Virginia's farmers depend heavily on of all modes of transportation.

The agriculture and forest industries continue to lose options in shipping due to the loss of rail shipping points.