Governor Abigail Spanberger has awarded two Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID) Planning Grants to boost local agriculture and economic development in Dickenson County, the town of Clintwood, and the city of Waynesboro.
The grants aim to support local farmers, strengthen regional food systems, and foster agriculture-based economic growth. Governor Spanberger emphasized the importance of these investments, saying, “Virginia agriculture is the cornerstone of our economy. With the unprecedented challenges facing our farmers, we need to support local innovation and economic development now more than ever.”
Dickenson County and Clintwood will receive $35,000 for an agribusiness opportunity scan and a feasibility study for a Clintwood Community Kitchen, alongside another priority project such as a producer aggregation hub or agritourism. Meanwhile, the Waynesboro Economic Development Authority will use a $14,000 grant to evaluate a community kitchen within Vector Industries, building on a 2021 study that identified a need for such a facility in the central Shenandoah Valley.
Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier congratulated the recipients, noting that these grants will help identify market access, infrastructure, and supply-chain challenges. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) administers the AFID Planning Grant program, which requires a one-to-one match, with allowances for economically distressed localities.