Feature: Virginia Farm Family Meeting Business Challenges Head On

March 29, 2012

America's farming and ranching families are constantly changing and evolving to stay competitive and meet the needs of their communities.

Jonathan and Amber Cavin, from Rose Hill, Va. are fourth generation farmers who have met these challenges head on and in the process have grown their family business. These young entrepreneurial farmers have made some major changes since finishing college and returning to their 1,000-acre farm.

For Jonathan's high school FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience Program, he and his sister started a greenhouse to begin transplants for their farm, which is also sold to their neighbors.

That has flourished into a major part of the business and has changed the direction of their farm. They still grow labor-intensive tobacco but have added broccoli, cabbage, peppers, pumpkins and green beans. Along with that they also raise beef cattle.

The Cavin's are big NASCAR fans. Jonathan is excited to be featured by Furniture Row Racing/Farm American.

"NASCAR has grown and is now followed around the world," said Jonathan, who will be watching this weekend's NASCAR action in Martinsville, Va. "It is a good platform to shed a positive light on American agriculture. With only two percent of the population involved in agriculture, this is a way for us to educate both the NASCAR fan and the consumer on who we are and what we produce to feed not only our family, but the world."

The Cavin's are also active in their community and with farm organizations. Both Jonathan and Amber participate in their church youth programs and Jonathan is the president of his community's youth football league.