TROUTVILLE—Virginia cattlemen raised concerns about new import announcements and other pressures affecting the beef industry during a Sept. 1 roundtable hosted by Gov. Abigail Spanberger at Williamson Farms in Botetourt County.
The discussion brought together cattle farmers, industry leaders and state officials to address mounting challenges, including foreign beef imports, limited processing capacity and the drought-induced hay shortage. Farmers said federal trade decisions and the threat of retaliatory tariffs from Canada have added uncertainty to an industry already managing higher costs for fuel, fertilizer, equipment and feed.
The roundtable came days before enactment of the Trump administration’s plan to flood the market with more than 660 million pounds of foreign-produced ground beef.
Washington County cattle farmer and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president Gene Copenhaver said cattle markets should be allowed to respond to supply and demand without artificial interference.
“Economics 101,” Copenhaver said. “High prices cure high prices.”
He said producers are focused on moving the industry forward while responding to consumer demand and rebuilding supply.
Virginia Farm Bureau Federation President Scott Sink said the commonwealth’s cattle farmers have continued to invest in their operations despite high input costs, processing plant closures, drought and recent market uncertainty.
“This season is a trifecta,” he said. “The frost and drought that impacted hay production, and now these market conditions.”
Despite the challenges, he said, cattlemen’s commitment to innovation and stewardship has helped drive record consumer demand for beef products.
To sustain the sector, Sink asked the governor to continue support for the Virginia Verified Beef program—part of a Virginia Verified Meat brand administered by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services that demonstrates to consumers that the product was bred, born, raised and processed in the state.
“This is especially helpful to smaller beef producers selling direct-to-consumer,” he noted.
Looking for the silver lining, Virginia Cattlemen’s Association executive director Brandon Reeves said about 60 cattle farmers have signed up for VVB since 2025, and the number is growing.
“If there’s one good thing from recent days, it’s all the outreach from producers asking about signing up for it,” he said.
Participants also discussed transportation efforts to help farmers move hay into drought-affected areas, and longer-term solutions that could improve resiliency for livestock operations. VFBF added a special drought resources section to its website so producers can more easily find available hay-coordination tools in one place.
Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier said the feedback gathered at the roundtable will help shape the commonwealth’s first Farm and Forest Prosperity Plan, a strategic roadmap intended to strengthen agriculture and forestry in Virginia.
-Virginia Farm Bureau
