On Monday, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans visited the Eastern Shore for a regional agriculture day. The events, led by the Virginia Farm Bureau, included a visit to Evans Farms, a roundtable at the Island House Restaurant & Marina, and a tour of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) Eastern Shore Laboratory.
Congresswoman Kiggans began her day with a tour of Evans Farms, a recent winner of the Virginia Clean Water Farm Award. While there, she discussed agriculture best practices and current conservation programs with the owners. In addition, the Congresswoman heard about the continued increase in prices impacting the agricultural community. The Congresswoman participated in an agricultural roundtable focused on aquaculture, agriculture markets, and critical farming programs with local farmers and members of the Virginia Farm Bureau. She heard from constituents about the upcoming farm bill deadline and initiatives of importance to them! The trip concluded with a tour of the VIMS Eastern Shore Laboratory facility and a briefing on how they serve the marine research community. They also included information about their investments in replenishing and growing a healthy ecosystem for the Eastern Shoreline and the Chesapeake Bay. Their world-class facilities and faculty allow them to be a leader in seafood and marine life research and development of best practices used around the United States and around the World!