RD2 - Annual Executive Summary on the Interim Activity and Work of the Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Board


    Executive Summary:
    During the six months ending 12/31/2005, the Virginia Tobacco Commission (the “Commission”) held two regular meetings, and eleven sub-committee meetings, during which the following grants were awarded:

    Technology – The Commission made awards of $33.0 million to 9 entities engaged in the installation of high-speed fiber networks in Southside and Southwest Virginia. Broadband deployment is the Commission’s largest single economic development effort, with aggregate grants to date totaling over $59.5 million among approximately eleven entities.

    Agriculture – The Agri-Business Committee approved 3 awards totaling $0.9 million to fund agricultural development projects in Virginia, which will be recommended to the Commission in early January. The majority of the funds will expand incentive programs to improve beef cattle genetics and handling facilities for beef cattle producers in 15 counties within the tobacco-dependent region.

    Economic Development – The Commission made 20 awards totaling $2.4 million to fund economic development projects in Southwest Virginia and 25 awards totaling $11.3 million for projects in Southside.

    Education – The Commission awarded $2.8 million to seven community colleges that serve the tobacco region for programs, facilities and scholarships. The Commission also committed $7.6 million to fund scholarship programs for baccalaureate and graduate degrees for the 2005/06 and 2006/07 school years.

    Special Projects – The Commission made 13 awards totaling $6.6 million to fund a variety of projects throughout the tobacco region. The largest ($1.7 million) is to fund the Cane Creek Centre Regional Industrial Park in Danville.


    In order to assess the impacts of its investments, the Commission has engaged:

    - Virginia Tech’s Center for Regional Strategies to study the impacts of the program that provides scholarships to tobacco region residents for baccalaureate and graduate degrees, and;

    - Two private consulting firms (one national and one in-state) to jointly study methods to assess the Commission’s investments in workforce development.

    Last, the Commission concluded a feasibility study for the location of a major automotive assembly plant in Southside or Southwest Virginia, and the results of that study are expected to be published in early 2006.