In 2000, the Virginia General Assembly approved establishment of the Virginia Agricultural Vitality Program to address the issue of farmland loss and the challenges to agricultural profitability and farm and business transfer.

In 2001, the General Assembly created the Office of Farmland Preservation within the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, to oversee the Ag Vitality Program.

The program currently has two initiatives:

developing standards for local purchase of development rights programs; and

administering the Virginia FarmLink Program

The Office of Farmland Preservation also is charged with

recommending funding sources for PDRs;

providing assistance to farmers on farmland preservation issues; and

educating the public on the importance of farmland preservation.