Virginia agriculture exports reached record-high $5.1 billion last year

Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Monday that Virginia’s agriculture and forestry exports reached a record high in 2022.

Data from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) reveals that the Commonwealth’s agriculture industry provides an impact of more than $82 billion to the state’s economy and more than 380,000 jobs. Exports in 2022 eclipsed the record set in 2021 by 25 percent.

In 2022, Virginia’s exports reached $5.1 billion. Youngkin said the data “provides a tremendous foundation to work from as I prepare to embark on my first international trade mission.”

Virginia’s top export destination is China, which purchased $1.45 billion in agricultural and forestry products last year.

In the top five are also Egypt, Taiwan, Venezuela and Canada.

The state’s top exports are soybeans and soybean meal, followed by pork, poultry and tobacco.

Youngkin will lead a trade mission to Taiwan, Japan and South Korea from April 24 through April 29, 2023.