Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agriculture is Virginia’s largest private industry, contributing $82 billion annual impact and provides for more than 381,000 jobs.

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As Virginia Agriculture Week winds down, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier and Deputy Secretary Ben Ro...
06/13/2026

As Virginia Agriculture Week winds down, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier and Deputy Secretary Ben Rowe visited Hark Vineyards in Albermarle County on Friday for a discussion with grape growers from across Virginia, whose vineyards were impacted by the devastating frost/freeze events this spring. Following an informative discussion, they traveled to the Shenandoah Valley Produce Auction in Dayton for the 2026 Virginia Dairy Expo. Secretary Frazier spoke on her priorities for the industry and Expo attendees enjoyed networking, plenty of cold milk and delicious Deere Horns Homemade Ice Cream. 🍦🐄 Virginia State Dairymen's Association

A great way to close out   is to visit your local farmers market! Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier an...
06/13/2026

A great way to close out is to visit your local farmers market!
Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier and other cabinet members and staff enjoyed On the Square VA Farmers Market this week, stocking up on Virginia Grown and Virginia’s Finest goodies.
Happy shopping!
Virginia Farmers Market Association

📸 Virginia Agriculture Week Photo Contest Winner! 🌾Congratulations to Marsha Harris, the winner of our People & Traditio...
06/12/2026

📸 Virginia Agriculture Week Photo Contest Winner! 🌾
Congratulations to Marsha Harris, the winner of our People & Traditions category! Her photo, "Checking Barley with Papa," perfectly captures a touching, multi-generational moment of passing down heritage in the field. 🌾❤️

A huge thank you to everyone who shared their love for Virginia agriculture through their submissions. Your creativity beautifully highlights the incredible people, products, and passion that keep our community growing.

Let’s keep celebrating Virginia’s farms, food, and flavors—this week and every week!

Governor of Virginia Abigail Spanberger and Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier celebrated Virginia Agri...
06/11/2026

Governor of Virginia Abigail Spanberger and Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier celebrated Virginia Agriculture Week with a visit to Copenhaver Brothers Farm — a sixth-generation, family-owned farm in Washington County. Following a brief tour, they hosted a collaborative roundtable discussion on the future of Virginia agriculture with local cattlemen, producers, and industry stakeholders.

Following the roundtable, the Governor and Secretary visited Highlands Dairy, a third-generation family-owned dairy farm in Glade Spring. In addition to viewing the milking process of the farm’s 600+ cows, the Governor led a milk toast to the farm and all Virginia dairy producers.

The day concluded with a visit to the 100th Virginia FFA State Convention in Blacksburg. Governor Spanberger delivered the evening’s keynote address, where she reflected on the national organization beginning in the Commonwealth and how the student organization provides agricultural education and leadership training.

Read more about the visit at https://ow.ly/Ebxt50ZaIHe Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Virginia State Dairymen's Association

Many farmers take proactive steps to preserve soil and water health – such as cover crops, streamside buffers, and rotat...
06/11/2026

Many farmers take proactive steps to preserve soil and water health – such as cover crops, streamside buffers, and rotational grazing – without accepting cost-share funding or reporting their efforts. If your farm operation is in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, please share your voluntary best management practices and help influence state planning. Please take this survey today as it closes on June 30 - https://vcuserl.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_enX1X0MetJJsWRE


Virginia Cooperative Extension Virginia Agribusiness Council Virginia Cattlemen's Association Virginia Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts (VASWCD) Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation U.S. Department of Agriculture Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Department of Forestry 4 the Soil

📸 Virginia Agriculture Week Photo Contest Winner! 🌾Congratulations to Kara Malcolm, the winner of our Beauty of Virginia...
06/11/2026

📸 Virginia Agriculture Week Photo Contest Winner! 🌾
Congratulations to Kara Malcolm, the winner of our Beauty of Virginia Landscapes category! Her photo, "Second Hill," perfectly captures the breathtaking, rolling green vistas that define the heart of Virginia's countryside. ⛰️🏡

A huge thank you to everyone who shared their love for Virginia agriculture through their submissions. Your creativity beautifully highlights the incredible people, products, and passion that keep our community growing.

Let’s keep celebrating Virginia’s farms, food, and flavors—this week and every week!

We love celebrating Virginia Agriculture Week with Governor of Virginia Abigail Spanberger and Secretary of Agriculture ...
06/10/2026

We love celebrating Virginia Agriculture Week with Governor of Virginia Abigail Spanberger and Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier 🚜 ❤ – check out those hats! We hope everyone takes a moment this week to buy local, visit a farm, or thank a farmer… and then do it again next week and all year round!



Read Gov. Spanberger's press release about Virginia Agriculture Week and the Farm & Forest Prosperity Plan here: https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/news-releases/2026/june-releases/name-1119398-en.html

📸 Virginia Agriculture Week Photo Contest Winner! 🌾Congratulations to Caroline Taylor, the winner of our Virginia Produc...
06/10/2026

📸 Virginia Agriculture Week Photo Contest Winner! 🌾
Congratulations to Caroline Taylor, the winner of our Virginia Produce & Crops category! Her photo, "Plump and Juicy Blueberries," perfectly captures a vibrant, delicious glimpse of summer harvests on a Virginia farm. 🫐✨

A huge thank you to everyone who shared their love for Virginia agriculture through their submissions. Your creativity beautifully highlights the incredible people, products, and passion that keep our community growing.

Let’s keep celebrating Virginia’s farms, food, and flavors—this week and every week!

It’s an exciting day for agriculture and forestry in the Commonwealth 🚜🌲At Pierce Farms LLC in Surry County, Governor of...
06/09/2026

It’s an exciting day for agriculture and forestry in the Commonwealth 🚜🌲
At Pierce Farms LLC in Surry County, Governor of Virginia Abigail Spanberger hosted a ceremonial signing of legislation to strengthen Virginia’s agriculture and forestry industries and launch the Commonwealth’s first-ever Farm & Forest Prosperity Plan.

The Virginia Farm & Forestry Prosperity Plan will create a strategic direction focused on the long-term viability of Virginia’s farms and working forests. This is an action plan, and it won’t just be formed in meeting rooms in Richmond. Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier and her team will be traveling the Commonwealth throughout this summer to speak directly to producers and industry stakeholders to shape a plan that truly supports the people at the heart of Virginia’s farm and forestry sectors.

We look forward to working together for the future of agriculture and forestry in the Commonwealth.

Virginia Department of Forestry

Virginia's dairy industry thrives because of dedicated individuals like Kim Martin of Catawba View Dairy, and we want to...
06/09/2026

Virginia's dairy industry thrives because of dedicated individuals like Kim Martin of Catawba View Dairy, and we want to share a special shout-out to her for her incredible service. Her outstanding service, along with the tireless work of all the women farmers across the Commonwealth, keeps our agricultural community strong and moving forward. Thank you, Kim, and thank you to every woman working hard on the farm every day.

June is Dairy Month and in celebrating that we want you to meet Kim Martin. Kim and her husband own and operate Catawba View Dairy, located in Fincastle. Our vision to start a dairy on his family’s farm came to fruition in 2017 and has been a rewarding and insightful journey. We milk around 100 cows and grow our own corn, small grain, and hay to feed our milking herd and young stock.

Prior to working our dairy I spent 14 years in the fresh produce business! I would spend my time selling homegrown fruits and vegetables on the Roanoke City Market. Presently, my daily routine consists of milking the cows twice a day, managing calf care, and all breeding and record keeping for our herd. I really enjoy studying on how to advance our herd health and productivity through genetics!

Pursuing a career in dairy has given me exciting opportunities and new connections to grow both personally and professionally in agriculture. The schedule and workload is not for everyone, but dairy is not just a job, it is a passion and a lifestyle.

The United Nations declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF 2026). The Year will spotlight the essential roles women play across agrifood systems, from production to trade, while often going unrecognized. Women farmers are central to food security, nutrition and economic resilience. IYWF 2026 will raise awareness and promote actions to close the gender gaps and improve women’s livelihoods worldwide.

Throughout the year, Botetourt County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee will be highlighting Women Farmers in our Community. We hope you enjoy!

Virginia Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Program
Botetourt County Farm Bureau
Virginia Farm Bureau Federation

Address

102 Governor Street
Richmond, VA
23219

Opening Hours

Monday 8:15am - 6pm
Tuesday 8:15am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:15am - 5pm
Thursday 8:15am - 5pm
Friday 8:15am - 5pm

Telephone

+18047863501

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