The Senate Rural Affairs Subcommittee voted unanimously to report Senate Bill 890, a measure that revises membership allocations on agricultural commodity boards to better align representation across the Commonwealth. Sen. Travis Hackworth presented the bill at the request of the Virginia Farm Bureau.

Hackworth said the bill adjusts the number and distribution of board positions to ensure balanced representation across producing regions. "It just moves around the numbers, some, to make sure that we're covering the places we need to cover," he said.

Witnesses representing agricultural trade groups testified in support. Martha Moore of the Virginia Farm Bureau said the organization supports the changes. Hobie Bowen of the Virginia Poultry Federation said the federation — speaking for the egg sector — was "excited to see such an excellent bill," and Brad Copenhaver of the Virginia Agribusiness Council also offered support.

The subcommittee recorded a roll-call vote of 5-0 to report the bill for further consideration in the Senate.