In the News

WEYERS CAVE — Rep. Ben Cline and House committee chair Glenn "GT" Thompson of Pennsylvania visited Maple Springs Farm on Monday, July 17, and hosted a roundtable discussion to specifically address the 2024 Farm Bill — that will replace the 2019 Farm Bill that is set to expire in September — with an array of voices in Virginia agriculture.

Also in attendance was Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matt Lohr, Virginia Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Beth Green, Virginia Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources Travis Voyles, Commissioner of VDACS Joe Guthrie as well as two Rockingham County supervisors and multiple farmers.

The program started with a tour of the more than 200-year-old working cattle farm owned by Jeff Slaven and his family — which accounts for seven generations of prime production agriculture. Jeff Slaven recalled the day about six to eight weeks ago when a member of Cline's administration called the farm to see if it would be interested in hosting the roundtable.

Naturally, Jeff Slaven agreed and it just so happened that Cline was rolling down Interstate 81 at that very moment. Cline pulled off the Weyers Cave exit and he and Jeff Slaven hashed out the details of the event inside Jeff Slaven's workshop. Jeff Slaven noted that Cline continually made sure that every part of the planning wouldn't put a burden on the farm's daily operations.

"You don't understand," Jeff Slaven said to Cline. "These aren't burdens or inconveniences. These are opportunities."

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