2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26108219D

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 191

Offered February 27, 2026

Commending the River Basin Grand Winners of the Clean Water Farm Award.

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Patron—Lopez

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WHEREAS, the Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Soil and Water Conservation Districts provide farmers throughout the Commonwealth with education, technical assistance, and incentive programs to encourage nutrient reduction and water quality improvement; and

WHEREAS, the General Assembly passed legislation in 1998 to establish the Clean Water Farm Award Program, which is administered by the Department of Conservation and Recreation; and

WHEREAS, the Clean Water Farm Award Program furthers the Commonwealth's water quality goals by recognizing farmers actively engaged in implementing important conservation practices that control nutrients, sediment, and other agricultural nonpoint source pollutants; and

WHEREAS, the Soil and Water Conservation Districts selected local farms across the Commonwealth for recognition in 2025 as winners of the Clean Water Farm Award; and

WHEREAS, farms have been selected to represent the Commonwealth's major river basins and to recognize the exemplary efforts of such farms in implementing best management practices; and

WHEREAS, the 2025 winners are:

Kristy and Jacob Waller, Waller Dairy, Smyth County, for the Big Sandy-Upper Tennessee River Basin;

Mitchell “Delk” Batten, Batten Farms, Isle of Wight County, for the Chowan River Basin;

Tommy Davis, Davis Farms, Accomack County, for the Coastal Basin;

Todd Anderson, Albemarle and Fluvanna Counties, for the James River Basin;

Edwards Family, Edwards Farm, Carroll County, for the New-Yadkin River Basin;

Clarence and Margaret Gill, Clear View Farm, Fauquier County, for the Potomac River Basin;

Ronnie Russell and Evan Perry, Corbin Hall Farm, Middlesex County, for the Rappahannock River Basin;

Thad and Gayle Montgomery, Double M. Dairy, Franklin County, for the Roanoke River Basin;

Woodbine Farms, Frederick County, for the Shenandoah River Basin; and

Sam and W.D. Harris, Cherry Grove Farm Enterprises, Spotsylvania County, for the York River Basin; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend and congratulate the River Basin Grand Winners of the Clean Water Farm Award; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare copies of this resolution for presentation to the River Basin Grand Winners of the Clean Water Farm Award as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for their commitment to conserving the Commonwealth's natural resources and their outstanding conservation achievements.