DICKENSON COUNTY, VA- The Dickenson and Wise County Board of Supervisors have each pledged $9,500 in FY2024 in continued support of the regional Coalfield Agricultural Center, located at 449 Agricultural Center, Clintwood, VA. The allocated funds will be utilized for capital improvements, maintenance and upkeep, and marketing efforts for the center.
The Coalfield Ag Center was established in 2009 in a regional effort to promote and improve agricultural education and marketing of agricultural products and livestock in Virginia’s Coalfield region. The center, owned by the Dickenson County Industrial Development Authority, is operated by the Coalfield Beef Cattle and Land Use Association.
“The Coalfield Ag Center has been a tremendous asset to the agricultural industry in Dickenson, Wise, and the surrounding counties,” said Brad Mullins, Extension Agent for the Dickenson County Virginia Cooperative Extension Office. “In the past decade, the Ag Center has been host to hundreds of events to promote the continuation of agriculture efforts in the community. We are pleased with the commitment and contribution from both Wise and Dickenson County in order to have the assets available to continue to maintain and improve our facility. Our goal is to continue to be a resource for those already in the agriculture industry, but we also hope to attract new interest from within the community.”
“The Dickenson County Board of Supervisors is proud to continue its partnership with Wise County in the promotion and utilization of the Coalfield Agricultural Center,” said Josh Evans, Dickenson County Board of Supervisors Chair. “This incredible facility allows our extension office to promote agricultural education opportunities for our students, provides a facility for farmers to learn new skills in adapting to ever changing ag markets, and serves as a place for our farmers to market their livestock. We are very proud of this facility and want to see it promoted fully."
“The Wise County Board of Supervisors is pleased to join Dickenson County in shared commitment to our regional agricultural community through continued financial support of the Coalfield Agricultural Center,” said J.H. Rivers, Wise County Board of Supervisors Chair. “The many educational services and commercial opportunities provided by the Coalfield Ag Center serve and sustain our farmers, their families, and the cultivation of our growing agricultural economy. We invite our community members to visit the center and take advantage of this wonderful asset.”
The Ag Center is host to many organizations, including the Coalfield Beef Cattle and Land Use Association, the Coalfield Sheep Association, the Lonesome Pine Beekeepers, the Lonesome Pine Soil and Water Conservation, the Cumberland Pine Mountain Trail Riders, Wise-Dickenson County Farm Bureau, the Dickenson County 4-H, the local Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter, local Girl Scout troops, local Extension fairs, and extension related educational programs.
“As our economic development efforts continue to strive for diversification of our local economy, we are pleased to partner with Wise County in support of the Coalfield Agricultural Center”, said Peggy Kiser, Dickenson County Board of Supervisors Vice-Chair. “Dickenson County has a long history in the agriculture industry and we recognize the value of supporting efforts to maintain and grow the sector in our region.”
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