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Small Wood lots Seen
As Important Factor
How important are small woodland owners? There are about 15 million acres of woodland in Virginia. Only 20% is owned by industry and government. The remaining 80% is owned by small, private landowners. The wood products industry is the largest employer in Virginia. It employs 26% of all industrial employees, or 85,000 workers. The value of timber products on stumpage and manufacturing approximates $900 million dollars per year. If this industry is to continue, the small woodland owner must manage his woodlands. At present, pine, timber is being cut 15% faster than it is growing. Reforestation of cutover lands is below the acreage cut each year and site conversion is also lagging behind. The forest industries are here now. They do not have to be lured here as other industries have been. However, if they cannot get the raw material they need, then they must move elsewhere. This will mean an increase in tree planting, reforestation, site e o n * e tsiofltV' improvement and improvec cutting practices on all the smal woodlands.
Livestock Report
Virginia’s Commission of the Industry of Agriculture today announced the release of its livestock industry report, which projects an average increase of livestock income of almost 70 pei cent by 1980. This report is the first release in a series of task force reports resulting from Governor Godwin’s request that the commission make a comprehensive study of what the future holds for Virginia agriculture.
According to R. S. Ellis, IV, of Mount Rush, Virginia, who chaired the livestock task force, this report gives information from the present to 1980, and includes the following highlights:
* Farm units will continue to become larger.
* Individual producers will market larger volumes of livestock at one time.
"‘Small farm operations will continue, but only as a supplement to off-farm income.
* All livestock (cattle, sheep and hogs) will be tailored to new consumer demand concepts.
* Sheep farming will tend to become a separate enterprise rather than a supplement to cattle or other farm operations.
* Home slaughter of hogs has virtually ceased, giving way to large-scale commercial production. .
The three-volume report covering the beef cattle, sheep and swine industries marks the
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