stepping down in 2019. She offi cially retired in 2024 aſt er serving as treasurer for fi ve years. T roughout her service, she found ways to ensure the strength and longevity of agricultural health in Culpeper. “It all starts in the county. We ultimately
become the voice of agriculture, and we have to do it as a group. T e Farm Bureau is a great place to have that voice and advocacy, socializing with people that have a common interest.” Culpeper’s growth has shed light on the
evolving realities of agriculture within the community as it moves forward. “Prime farmland is prime for lots of
Savannah Smith, CCFB Young Farmer Chairman.
SAVANNAH SMITH “I am in a unique situation…I came up
in the agriculture world when there were not a lot of women in any of those kinds of roles,” Williamson said. “T ere were many times where I was the youngest person in the room, and also the only woman in the room.” Williamson served as the local Farm Bureau’s president for over 25 years,
reasons. It is also oſt en prime residential development land. While there are still areas for the small farms, we need to be careful and not have all of our good farmland taken over by developments.” According to Williamson, while the best
tools for preserving farmland currently are conservation easements, there may still be problems funding the farm. Equipment and seed are costly, making it diffi cult for farms to become self-suffi cient and thrive. To ensure accessible land for farmers,
tax benefi ts that help them retain their land must remain in place and innovative strategies for supporting agricultural sustainability must be explored.
Culpeper Young Farmers T e future of agriculture will be shaped
by those who are willing to work hard and remain committed to its traditions. Savannah Smith of Culpeper has accepted
that challenge, becoming the Culpeper County Farm Bureau Young Farmer Chairman while serving as vice president of the Farm Bureau board of directors. “We work on local issues with our
Farm Bureau board of directors, and we are working on ways to put ourselves more into the community,” Smith said. Smith grew up deeply involved in 4-H,
inspired by her father, a fourth-generation dairy farmer. She began by raising dairy steers before owning her herd of Hereford cattle. Aſt er graduating high school, where she was also active in Future Farmers of America, Smith sought out an opportunity to stay connected to her love of and passion for farming.
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