August 3 was a beautiful day to meet and talk with hundreds of attendees at the 2023 Virginia AG EXPO at Land of Promise Farms in Virginia Beach. As one of the largest gatherings in the Commonwealth’s agricultural industry, AG EXPO drew a sizeable crowd of farmers, industry leaders, state agencies, vendors, and attendees. All […]
Cutrell Farms is nearly a century old; a 3rd generation farmer, Heath Cutrell played with his trucks as a boy and dreamed of farming, following in the footsteps of his dad and uncle. While he was not able to join his father and uncle immediately in their 1,200-acre operation in Chesapeake, Va., he went out on […]
W. Lee Daniels, Emeritus Professor of Soil Environmental Science, Virginia Tech, wdaniels@vt.edu Over the next several decades, conversion of existing agricultural and forested landscapes into utility scale solar (USS) facilities will likely be the dominant land use change across rural landscapes in Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic. Total area affected by USS in Virginia, according to […]
The “Good Neighbor” brochure is a resource created by the VBC to provide information and resources for our farmers, landowners and anyone interested in biosolids. Farmers depend on the healthiness of their farm. So, when considering fertilizers, they want to make the best possible choices for their land. The VBC developed this brochure to answer basic […]
Soybeans are just now starting to sprout at VBC’s research plot at the Eastern Virginia Agricultural Research and Extension Center (EVAREC) in Warsaw. This project, looking at the impact of biosolids application and PFAS in soils, is part of a national PFAS study conducted by Dr. Ian Pepper of the University of Arizona. The plot is divided into three areas: […]
Calling all treatment plants, resource recovery facilities, and water pollution control plants! Do you have the best biosolids in Virginia? Please bring samples of your stabilized biosolids to Virginia Beach to enter the Second Annual WaterJAM Biosolids Beauty Contest! A panel of expert judges will judge both Class A and Class B categories for the […]
At a recent Virginia Water Environment Association (VWEA) education seminar on biosolids Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) Commissioner Joe Guthrie shared some of his perspectives on biosolids use in Virginia. Commissioner Guthrie’s agency oversees the distribution and marketing permits for Exceptional Quality (Class A) biosolids. He shared an agricultural perspective on biosolids and […]
The Virginia Biosolids Council has moved forward on coordinating a research project at the Eastern Virginia Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC) in Warsaw looking at the impact of biosolids application and PFAS in soils. This effort is designed to further the Council’s mission to fulfill the Code of Good Practice and provide farmers with […]
Earth Day is a celebration of our most valued resource, the Earth. Our organization is focused on responsibly producing biosolids for beneficial use and recycling that is protective of public health and the environment. It is one way we can enhance soil and our environment. This year’s theme is “Invest in our Planet”, a perspective […]
VBC members subscribe to a Code of Good Practice, which encourages them to go beyond the regulations. The Code encourages members to establish their own performance objectives that support the following goals: Protecting the environment Minimizing adverse social impacts Promoting education and awareness To that end, VBC has identified research on PFAS as a priority, […]