Why Diversification Is Key for Virginia Farmer of the Year Steve Hopkins

Steve Hopkins is a sixth-generation farmer in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia. He has expanded and diversified Riverview Farms — named for the South End River that runs through the property — to allow his two sons to join the operation full time.

Watch Our Interview

Meet Steve Hopkins

Throughout his 29-year career as an Extension agent, Steve Hopkins nominated two farmers who were named Virginia’s Farmer of the Year by the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition. This year, he was the winner.

“I never thought I would be nominated. It probably means a little bit more to me having nominated the two operations I did and having the respect for those operations, and then going through the process as a nominator,” he said. “It’s just an honor to have my name nominated and then win Virginia and have the chance to compete at the Sunbelt Ag Expo.”

Hopkins farmed most of his life with his father and brother, then bought their shares in 2017. He and his wife, Cristi — also an Extension agent — began to expand and diversify the farm so their sons, Blake and Garrett, could join the operation full time.

The family has around 300 brood cows. They precondition the calves, retaining them for around 45 days after weaning so they are acclimated to dry feed and ready for the feedlot at sale time. “We try to add value to everything that we raise,” he said.

When Blake came back to the farm after graduating from Kansas State University, they began custom feeding 200-300 bulls per year, including around 160 for the Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association Culpeper bull test. 

Hopkins said this was a natural fit for Blake, who was on a national award-winning 4-H livestock judging team, earning him a scholarship to judge at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. He then finished his animal science degree at Kansas State University. Blake also markets the farm’s seedstock bulls.

When Garrett graduated from Virginia Tech with a crop and soil sciences degree, Hopkins added multiple turkey facilities for him to manage, holding a combined 150,000 birds. The turkey operation uses artificial intelligence-based technology to improve production efficiency by controlling humidity and other factors. “He can control the system on his phone or laptop, and it’s learning from itself. It’s almost like having another employee that’s there constantly controlling everything,” he said. Garrett also manages the farm’s hay and crop operations. 

The Hopkins family grows a rotation of corn, grass, and sorghum. Cattle manure and turkey litter are used as fertilizer, saving input costs. They plant cover crops on every acre and practice no-till on 95% of the fields. 

“It’s just part of farming and part of the care of the animals and the care of the land that we are given the gift of opportunity to farm,” Hopkins said. “We always want to leave it better than we found it.”

Episode Highlights

• Hopkins was named Virginia’s 2025 Farmer of the Year by the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition.
• He founded the Central Virginia Cattlemen Association in 1998.
• The operation includes 300 brood cows, custom bull feeding, and a growing turkey enterprise.
• Both of Hopkins’s sons play active roles on the farm: one leading cattle management and another focusing on turkeys and crops.
• Turkey houses use AI-driven AgriMesh systems to optimize efficiency and bird health.
• Diversification strategy reduces reliance on commodities and boosts profitability.
• Conservation efforts include no-till cropping, stream fencing, nutrient management, and storage facilities.
• Hopkins emphasizes land preservation as urban growth pressures farmland in Virginia.
• He draws on decades of experience as a Virginia Extension agent to mentor farmers.
• Hopkins advocates for local Extension programs as vital, unbiased resources for producers.

Links and Resources

Listen to the Podcast

Subscribe to 15 Minutes With a Farmer on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please rate and review us!