Spanberger declares emergency to help with hay shortfall
A roll of freshly baled hay is ready for sale on a farm near Hadensville in Goochland County.
RICHMOND — A statewide shortage of hay caused by the drought led Gov. Abigail Spanberger to declare a state of emergency to speed help to farmers and ranchers.
Spanberger issued an executive order to make it easier to ship hay to farmers by allowing truckers to haul wider loads than the standard 8-1/2 feet.
Her order also provides access to emergency funding and activates price gouging protections for farmers who need to buy hay to feed their animals through the winter.
Producers already had to feed hay for at least 30 days through the spring, when they prefer to let their livestock graze in their pastures.
The order allows state agencies to streamline support, implement emergency plans, and issue temporary regulatory waivers needed to expedite relief.
The drought has created a shortfall of about 500,000 tons of hay in Virginia fields, and means farmers and ranchers who grow hay to feed their livestock need to buy supplies from elsewhere. Statewide hay yields are down 35%, and in some places, down 70%, Virginia Cooperative Extension says.
“The drought has placed real pressure on livestock producers across Virginia,” Spanberger said.
“This waiver will help us move critical hay resources more quickly so farms can prepare for the months ahead, feed livestock, and sustain their operations,” she said.
Although drought conditions have improved in parts of the state, Spanberger said the impacts of the unusually long dry spell are still felt by farmers across Virginia.
While Spanberger’s order allows wide loads for hay shipments, gross and axle weight limits remain strictly in effect. Exemption for wider loads takes effect October 1 and remains in force for 30 days.
