VIRGINIA PROPERTY OWNER RESOURCESGet Help  ·  +1 646 643 3790
VirginiaEminentDomainProperty Rights Resource
Introduction

Fields are systems, not squares

A transmission line or a road corridor can divide a field, interrupt irrigation, block equipment routes and leave awkward corners that cannot be farmed economically.

Virginia values the land taken and the damage to the residue. On a farm the residue question is usually about workability rather than about acres.

Quick answerAsk what the taking does to how the farm operates, not only how many acres it removes.
How it works

Documenting a farm claim

Map current operations

Field boundaries, routes, irrigation and drainage.

Overlay the proposed corridor

Where it falls and what it divides.

Identify unworkable areas

Remnants and blocked routes.

Record production history

Yields and income before the taking.

Value the residue as a farm

Not as generic acreage.

Property owner considerations

Agricultural specifics

•A remnant that cannot be worked economically is a loss even though it remains yours.
•Compaction and soil disturbance from construction can outlast the project.
•Permanent utility corridors restrict what may be planted or built for the life of the property.
•Have a licensed Virginia attorney review any easement affecting farm operations.
Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Is a farm valued differently?
The measure is the same. The evidence differs, because workability and production matter to value.
What about a field left in an odd shape?
Uneconomic remnants are a residue damage question and should be valued as such.
Can I farm under a transmission easement?
That depends on the easement terms. Read what is permitted before agreeing.

Work out how this applies to your property

Tell us what is happening and we will point you to the Virginia resources that fit your situation.

Get Help
Scroll to Top