2026 SESSION

ENROLLED

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 202

Commending Steve Hopkins.

Agreed to by the Senate, March 10, 2026

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 12, 2026

WHEREAS, Steve Hopkins, owner of Riverview Farms Cattle, LLC, in Louisa County, was named the Virginia Farmer of the Year by the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition in 2025; and

WHEREAS, today, Steve Hopkins owns and operates Riverview Farms Cattle alongside his wife and sons, who represent the seventh generation to manage the farm; and

WHEREAS, Steve Hopkins honed his abilities as a farmer by studying at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; and

WHEREAS, under Steve Hopkins' leadership, Riverview Farms Cattle grew from 60 cows on 300 acres to a multi-faceted livestock and cropping operation that spans 1,300 acres and raises approximately 150,000 turkeys annually in addition to its 300-head commercial cow herd; and

WHEREAS, Steve Hopkins has enhanced operations at Riverview Farms Cattle by utilizing precision agricultural tools and artificial intelligence-based technologies; and

WHEREAS, Steve Hopkins has served for three decades as a Virginia Cooperative Extension agent, helping his fellow farmers adopt methods and practices to improve the productivity and profitability of their farms; and

WHEREAS, Steve Hopkins has advanced the cattle industry in the Commonwealth as the founder of the Central Virginia Cattlemen Association and as a board member for various state and national organizations, including the National Cattlemen's Beef Association; and

WHEREAS, Steve Hopkins' efforts to promote sustainability were recognized by the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District in 2022 with its Clean Water Farm Award; and

WHEREAS, Steve Hopkins received the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition's prestigious honor in recognition of his leadership, innovation, and longstanding commitment to the growth and development of the Commonwealth's agricultural industry; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Steve Hopkins for being named the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition's 2025 Virginia Farmer of the Year; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Steve Hopkins as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for his contributions to the agricultural industry of the Commonwealth.