Drought Emergency Declared; Hay Transport Waivers Take Effect Oct. 1
On September 16, Gov. Abigail Spanberger issued Executive Order 21 declaring a State of Emergency giving the state additional flexibility to respond to prolonged drought conditions and waiving restrictions on hay transportation. Beginning Oct. 1, permit application and fee requirements for carriers transporting over-width loads of hay will be waived. These waivers will be in effect for 30 days and are only effective in Virginia. For updates on hay resources and waiver-related information, please visit the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services webpage on Disaster Recovery. Resources for Virginia Farmers.
Helping farmers hit hard by the drought
Drought conditions in Virginia have resulted in delayed or cancelled planting of crops, and a mixed bag of harvest conditions.
As of Aug. 20, almost 50% of Virginia farmland is in moderate to severe drought.
Livestock farmers who are accustomed to grazing their animals during the summer and saving hay stocks for the winter, are running out of feed sources for their cattle. The traditional method for sustaining a herd through a drought is to feed extra stored forage to compensate for decreased forage production on pastures due to drought conditions. Hay availability is extremely low, and transportation costs are very high.
Virginia Farm Bureau is here to help!
Prince William-Fairfax County Farm Bureau President Stephanie Cornnell is helping connect Virginia livestock farmers who want to purchase hay with hay sellers. She also is helping coordinate transportation.
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