Congressman Wittman Supports Farming in Nokesville

As Election Day draws near, state and local politicians are busy meeting with residents to discuss their constituents’ needs.

Friday afternoon, Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA-10th District) visited three area farms to get a better understanding of how their businesses operate, and showed his support to those who farm near cities and suburbs. Farm Bureau President-elect, Chris Corry, accompanied the Congressman, and together they discussed the concerns and needs of farmers in the Rural Crescent.

Yankey Farm, located at 13007 Vint Hill Road in Nokesville, is where the Rural Crescent meets suburbia. Across the road, black rooftops of the Braemar community peek over fences.

Jay Yankey, owner of the farm along with his wife, Sonja – is also the District Manager of Soil and Water Conservation. Yankey knows well the interplay between farms like his and neighborhoods like those nearby. This weekend alone, he estimates his farm will have seen 500-600 visitors. Over the course of a busy fall season, they can expect 5000-6000 people coming to pick pumpkins and buy local produce.

Congressman Wittman believes it is important to encourage residents who live outside the planned

communities on 10 or more acres to consider using at least part of their acreage for crop production. He’s enthusiastic about incentives that organizations such as the Prince William/Fairfax County Farm Bureau and the Virginia Department of Agriculture are offering to do just that.

“Mixed use are better for the county," Wittman said. "People aren’t limited by scale. If you want to start with a few acres, you can. You can bring together a number of small farms, and the area keeps its rural character.”

Corry pointed out that restaurants in D.C. and surrounding cities would like to tap more of the local market to bring fresh foods from the farm to the table. Right now, many of them are going much farther away to places like Mechanicsburg and points west.

In addition to mixed land use being good for those in the food industry who want fresh, local ingredients, it is a good situation for families who like to pick their own fruit and vegetables right off the vine. Because of businesses like The Yankey Farm, families need not travel an hour away to enjoy all of the benefits of rural living while still having the conveniences of suburban life.

Congressman Wittman himself grew up on a farm, so he’s familiar with the day to day operations. Earlier in the day, Wittman spoke with Paul House of Kettle Wind Farm on Bristow Road that focuses on turf grass production and Miller Dairy off of Parkgate where the House family has about 350 cows under production.

“It’s a good quality of life with the viewscapes the farms provide," Wittman said. " It’s the best use of property."

He went on to quote a study from the University of Wyoming, which found that having a balance between residential and farmland is good for the tax base as well. This is because the county pays more in services for residential use than it does per acre of farmland, and farmers benefit from more people to sustain their operations.

Congressman Wittman went on to enjoy the Friday night lights and some local school spirit at both Brentsville District High School and Patriot High School where football teams took on their opponents in home games.

Those interested in the Congressman Wittman's record and hopes for re-election, they can visit his website.

Congressman Wittman is running against Democratic candidate Norm Mosher, Green Party candidate Gail Parker and write-in candidate Chris Hailey on a reform platform. The election is scheduled for November 4, 2014.