Gov. Abigail Spanberger and members of her cabinet visited Harrisonburg and Rockingham County on Tuesday to announce economic development and transportation initiatives. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.
Under towering grain siloes in Linville, the governor, state and county legislators, and leaders of the Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative announced a $114 million expansion to the grower-owned turkey company, supported by about $2.3 million in state grants. The project includes building a two million cubic foot feed mill and is expected to create 146 new jobs.
The cooperative's president and general manager, John King, said this is a major development for their poultry farmers.
JOHN KING: Reliable, competitively-priced feed is one of the biggest factors in whether farms can grow, remain profitable, and be passed on to the next generation.
ABIGAIL SPANBERGER: Agriculture is the number one private industry in Virginia. It is the economic backbone of our commonwealth.
Gov. Abigail Spanberger told WMRA after the event that she has talked with poultry industry leaders about immigration policy – but that was primarily when she was serving on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, prior to the Trump administration's mass deportation campaign.
SPANBERGER: Now the worry exists across the industry that their workforce might face deportation, that there will be limitations on those who come via the H2A program, or importantly, that those who might face fear within the community that they might pull away from the workforce. … Reckless and confusing policies that seem to shift on a regular basis can have real, negative impacts.
Spanberger also visited Rocktown High School, overlooking the highway, to announce the $219 million Interstate 81 widening project scheduled to begin in Harrisonburg on Monday. She was joined by representatives from the Virginia Department of Transportation and Secretary of Transportation Nick Donohue.
NICK DONOHUE: There's work underway in Staunton. You probably saw the truck climbing lanes in Weyers Cave. We're now here in Harrisonburg – there's still work in Winchester, don't worry. … This is a really great project addressing one of the worst areas on 81.
He said widening would be conducted on the inner median, and sound walls would be erected, to minimize impacts on local residents. The project is slated for completion in 2032.
