Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed an executive directive on Monday that orders the Secretary of Agriculture & Forestry to establish the “Virginia Wood Council.”

March 24, 2026, is National Agriculture Day! What is it, and why is it so important?

The application period for this season’s Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Infrastructure Grant program is now open, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said.

As a winter storm continues to impact rural Virginia communities, Franklin County emergency officials and residents are emphasizing the importance of advance preparation and community cooperation.

One year after Hurricane Helene ravaged River Ridge Farm in Grayson County, owner Charlotte Hanes continues to grapple with millions in damages.

Farmers in Grayson County bore the brunt of the damage, with an estimated $61 million in losses in that county alone.

Virginia has become the first state in the nation to roll out the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Recovery Block Grant Program, providing direct financial assistance to farmers and timber landowners affected by Hurricane Helene.

In rural communities, vocational options such as agriculture, welding, auto-body repair and healthcare are increasingly popular among students.

Inside the average poultry barn, there’s an invisible problem that’s costing farmers money and harming waterways. Chicken droppings release ammonia as bacteria decompose them. This pungent-smelling gas is harmful to both chickens and humans, and high levels can cause respiratory issues, conjunctivitis, and reduced egg production. MOVA created a filtration system that captures toxic ammonia from chicken waste before it escapes into the environment.

Corn earworms are one of the most economically harmful pests in North America, and they can quickly become resistant to common insecticides. However, researchers at Virginia Tech are testing a new method to curb the negative impact of the pest: utilizing a type of fungus.

Governor Youngkin signed two bills Friday, creating a grant program to attract veterinarians to rural Virginia, addressing the shortage in large animal care.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) has confirmed that a horse stabled at a private residence in Chesterfield, Virginia, has recently tested positive for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). The horse is currently quarantined on the property and does not pose a risk to other horses in the area.

Students in Franklin County skipped the bus and drove their tractors to school instead.

Farms across the country are closing at an alarming rate, with experts estimating that about 2,000 acres of farmland cease operations each year.

Randy Lacy, a longtime farmer in Wythe County, tragically died following an accident involving one of his cattle while attempting to load it into a trailer.

An infectious disease expert from the University of Virginia outlined how likely it is that you could get bird flu. Dr. Patrick Jackson said due to lack of surveillance, it's possible more cases have gone undetected, even in Virginia. He said those most at risk are in the agriculture industry and often lack access to healthcare or testing.

The summer sun is not letting up with temperatures hitting the high 90s. For us, it doesn’t feel too good, but it has for a local farm whose fruit has been loving this weather.

Cases of avian flu affecting cattle first started in Texas in late March after cows started showing some unusual symptoms, and after running some tests, veterinarians found the cattle were infected with avian influenza.

It's a first for the New River Valley, home to buildings repurposed for vertical farming.

You might think spending time on a farm is a peaceful escape, but for many farmers, it can be stressful, as they work to protect their crop.

Farmers say they have major cost concerns about bills moving through Virginia’s General Assembly.

A little girl in Blacksburg is looking to add old hens that farmers no longer want or need to her aging flock.

As wild fires spread across the area, farmers are growing concerned about keeping livestock safe.

There are thousands of farms across the Commonwealth and a government shutdown could affect each one of them.

A farm in Blacksburg makes getting fresh produce more accessible for the surrounding area.

Researchers from Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are working to combat Spotted Lanternflies with the help of canines and their citizen scientists.

The back and forth temperatures could lead to problems in crops.

Every great business idea starts by creating a solution to a problem, and that’s what Electric Iris owner Natalie Ashton is printing up.

A flock of commercial turkeys in Rockingham County, Virginia has tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza, according to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Resources.

Hundreds of thousands of people visit farms across the Commonwealth each year, and students are learning where their food comes from.

He spoke with local farmers and members of the agriculture community on Wednesday

CEA Summit East is designed to help advance the controlled environment agriculture industry through research, learning and networking.

The center helps entrepreneurs in the early stages of their businesses

Farming might not be a glamorous job for many, but simply put, we might not exist without the hardworking farm owners and laborers out there.

The first frost of the season killed 75% of Irvington Spring Farm's crop overnight.

Chickens are now legal to own in Covington after leaders passed an ordinance on Monday.

If scaled up nationally, the program could help producers reduce agricultural emissions by 55 percent and total emissions in the United States by 8 percent after 10 years.

Franklin County Agriculture Fair returns to Recreation Park

The future of agriculture is planting roots in Southside.

“If you see it, kill it”, How Spotted Lanternflies could create growing concern for Virginia's Agriculture

The state’s oldest agricultural fair opened its gates on Friday, celebrating 87 years of fair fun.

Despite the Russia-Ukraine conflict being thousands of miles away, the economic effects are being felt right here at home.

A Virginia Tech workshop is putting the spotlight on racial inequities in our food systems, from who is growing your food to how to access it. The Virginia Tech Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation and R.E.A.L. (Racial Equity in Agriculture Lab) are hosting “Building Racial Equity in the Food System: From Individual Anti-Racism to Dismantling Institutional Systems” Wednesday, March 31. Niewolny is the associate professor of Virginia Tech’s Department of Agriculture Leadership and Community Education as well as the director of Virginia Tech’s Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation. The workshop is building from the Racial Justice in the Food System series the center hosted in summer 2020.