Virginia farm products show strong earnings and national rankings in 2024
Virginia agriculture remained a strong economic contributor in 2024 as farm cash receipts reached 4.55 billion dollars, according to newly released data from the United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service.
Total cash receipts included nearly 2.99 billion dollars from animals and animal products and about 1.57 billion dollars from crops. These figures show the continued strength of livestock, poultry, and crop production across the Commonwealth.
“Agriculture continues to be a strong economic driver for the Commonwealth, thanks to the hard work and dedication of Virginia farmers,” said Joseph Guthrie, Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “The variety of commodities in which the Commonwealth ranks nationally demonstrates the breadth of Virginia’s agricultural diversity.”
Broilers, or chickens raised for meat, ranked as Virginia’s highest-earning agricultural product in 2024, generating over 1.25 billion dollars. Cattle and calves followed with more than 712 million dollars in receipts. Miscellaneous crops, which include greenhouse production, nurseries, tomatoes, and potatoes, ranked third with nearly 483 million dollars.
Dairy products, mainly milk, brought in over 363 million dollars, while soybeans earned more than 260 million dollars. Turkeys and corn also remained major contributors, earning over 241 million dollars and 227 million dollars respectively.
Other important products included hay, chicken eggs, floriculture crops, apples, tobacco, wheat, hogs, peanuts, pumpkins, cottonseed, and trout. These commodities add stability to the farm economy and support a diverse production system.
Virginia also achieved strong national rankings. The state placed third in tobacco production value, fifth in apples, sixth in turkeys, eighth in peanuts, ninth in trout, and tenth in pumpkins and other animal products.
These results show that Virginia continues to be a dependable agricultural producer with a balanced mix of livestock, poultry, and crops. The strong performance in 2024 reflects steady market demand and the commitment of farm families to produce high-quality food and agricultural goods.
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