23-132.10 - Agricultural survey.
§ 23-132.10. Agricultural survey.
There is authorized to be made under the direction and supervision of suchagricultural experiment station, a thorough and comprehensive agriculturalsurvey of the Commonwealth according to the most approved methods inpractice, or which may be devised, for the purpose of gathering facts andinformation in regard to existing agricultural conditions in Virginia, anddata upon which to base a study of agricultural economics and a constructiveprogram for the development of agriculture and agricultural resources, whichsurvey shall include matters pertaining to soils and soil fertility andmanagement; soil erosion and drainage problems affecting soil fertility andproductivity; the adaptation of various soil types, elevations and seasonableconditions to crops produced or which may suitably be produced; farm layoutand selection and arrangement of fields for the use of labor-savingmachinery, and economy and convenience in cultivation and farm operations;methods of cultivation, production and handling of crops, and general farmmanagement; the various crops produced on farms, their yield and gross valuecompared with the cost of production and courses of low yield; farm labor,its distribution and efficiency; labor incomes of the various classes of farmlabor; the relation of various farm products to public needs and local andgeneral supply and demand; farm incomes and sources; capital investment andreturn; distribution of capital investment; the character and extent of idlelands and their suitability for cultivation or other agricultural purposes inthe various localities and what, if any, profitable use may be made of themthrough the introduction of livestock or crops adapted to such soils, byindividuals or on a community plan, with notations of elevation, topography,temperatures and seasonal conditions as affecting fruit production, cotton orother crops; and any other information or studies which may seem advisable indetermining methods for the betterment of agricultural conditions and thedevelopment of agricultural resources of the Commonwealth.
It is contemplated that in making the foregoing survey that the agriculturalexperiment station will, and is hereby authorized to, work in conjunctionwith and cooperate with similar agencies of the federal government whenever asuitable and satisfactory arrangement can be made for such cooperation.
(1994, c. 433.)