By Michelle Smith

Last week, W.E. Kellum Seafood hosted an event at its facility in Weems, bringing Abigail Spanberger into the circle with local watermen, oyster shuckers and processors, business owners, and representatives from water stewardship organizations and agencies.

Spanberger, formerly a congresswoman, is now running for Virginia governor.

“We were just interested in educating her on the seafood industry in Virginia and what we mean to the economy, the jobs, the history, and the culture of the Northern Neck,” Tommy Kellum said, explaining the motive behind the event.

Business & Employment

With Virginia’s seafood sector estimated to generate over $1 billion annually, Kellum emphasized that, in the Northern Neck alone, oyster-related commerce generates approximately $100 million, supporting thousands of jobs. He said his operation employs about 200 people across the Bay, including harvesters, plant personnel, truck drivers, office staff, and sales representatives.

A point of frustration, Kellum told Spanberger, is the misconception about jobs in the seafood industry. “There’s a lot of stigma attached — that what’s offered are menial, low-paying jobs,” he said. As Spanberger toured the shucking area, Kellum noted that was one of the jobs where this misconception lies. With base pay and volume incentives, he said many of those workers are earning $25–$30 an hour.

“These are good-paying, year-round, dependable jobs,” Kellum noted. He pointed out that they’ve been in business for 78 years and don’t do layoffs.

When Spanberger asked a worker in the packing area how long he’d worked there, he told her nine years. He said he’s from the area and loves everything about the job — from the people to the environment he works in.

A guest worker from Mexico said he started working for Kellum over 20 years ago. He described the job as a great opportunity for him that has since been extended to two of his family members.

Immigration

Kellum’s operation is staffed by a mixture of American and H-2B visa workers. The impact of federal immigration policy on the industry’s workforce was another topic he discussed with Spanberger. According to Kellum, the guest workers, who come for nine months each year, are complementary but essential.

“They supplement about three American jobs for every one of them that we have. You saw the amount of oysters that’s entailed. So, without them, we wouldn’t be able to get the processing done,” he said.

Environment & Sustainability

Asked about the top issue facing the industry, Kellum said, “Water quality is huge for us.”

During the tour, he showed Spanberger a mountain of empty oyster shells. Every one of those oysters was touched by at least two people, he explained — once by an oysterman who makes sure it’s legal, and then by at least one other worker for shucking or otherwise, he said emphasizing the human detail involved.

“Sometimes I have to look at that pile and think about the work that we’re getting done out there. We’re one of the few industries where our byproduct is our sustainability for the future,” Kellum told Spanberger, noting that all shells go back into oyster beds.

“The oysters we grow and the crabs and fish that we produce all rely on clean, healthy water to survive,” Kellum stressed, underscoring the need for sustainable practices and constructive engagement with agencies like the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

He said the lines of communication are currently open with those stakeholder agencies, and businesses like his have to be able to work with all administrations because “it’s not a partisan issue. It’s a Virginia issue that the industry relies on.”

The Message Lands

The message appeared to resonate with Spanberger. Speaking to those in attendance, she recognized the seafood industry as a driver of the economy, a source of livelihood for families, and a part of the history of local communities. She acknowledged oysters as a tourist draw and said oysters are “putting Virginia on the map” as a brand now served in fancy restaurants.

Spanberger further acknowledged the challenges and the need to get policies right. “The failed immigration policy on the federal level impacts Virginia because small, family-owned companies may not be able to get the employees they need on their apple orchards through the H-2A program or in a facility like this with H-2B.”

“So having the conversations that put the impact here, I think, sometimes takes out the, yay or nay, pro or con, for or against [debates] that exist at the national level,” she added.

Spanberger believes her experience in Washington, including her tenure on the Agriculture Committee, positions her to be an asset to rural Virginia and to businesses like Kellum’s.

“I know what exists. I worked on that policy — everything from food security programs to the farm bill, to conservation policy that can be a major influx of dollars to communities like ours,” she said.

She committed to leverage her knowledge of federal programs to make sure the Commonwealth “aggressively” pursues federal funding if elected. “I know what dollars we allocated to support infrastructure in small communities…those are programs that I worked on, and I know what should be coming home to Virginia.”