Agricultural and Forestal Economic Development Advisory Board

Purpose of the Board:
The purpose of the Agricultural and Forestal Economic Development Advisory Board shall be to serve as the advisory body for the Essex County Agriculture Development Program, whose mission is to develop and implement a continuing plan to sustain and enhance the rural economy. For the purposes of this Board, the agricultural community shall encompass farm and forest land.

Duties of the Board:

  1. Serve as a liaison between the Board of Supervisors and the citizens of the agricultural and forestal communities.
  2. The Board shall make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors concerning issues of importance to the rural/agricultural community, and to that end, shall have the duty to research and make recommendations concerning the needs and interests of the rural/agricultural community.
  3. Support programs that enable the preservation of farm and forest land, agricultural infrastructure and the industry of agriculture in Essex County.
  4. Work to educate the non-farming public about the importance of agriculture in Essex County.
  5. Advise and alert local, state and federal elected officials serving Essex County on issues of importance to the agricultural and forestal industry in Essex County.
  6. The Agricultural and Forestal Economic Development Advisory Board shall have no authority to enter into any contract or incur any obligation binding the County of Essex.

Board Meetings:
Meetings will be held at 7:00 PM in the Beale Annex Conference Room at 202 South Church Lane, Tappahannock, VA 22560.

Advisory Board Members and Terms
Member Name District First Appointed Term Expires
Barry Bates North District 07/14/2015 12/31/2026
Steven Peter Central District 02/09/2016 12/31/2023
Page Ball Tappahannock District 07/14/2015 12/31/2026 
Jay Hundley At-Large 07/14/2015 12/31/2023
Jeff Brooks At-Large 07/14/2016 12/31/2023
Robert Waring, Jr. At-Large 05/01/2022 12/31/2025
Dorothy Miller South 07/09/2020

06/30/2026