What We Do
The Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry is the voice of the number one industry in Virginia. The agriculture and forestry industries annually contribute over $79 billion to the Commonwealth's economy and provide 10.3% of jobs in Virginia.
The Secretary oversees and provides policy guidance to two agencies- the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Virginia Department of Forestry. In addition to the agencies, the Secretary oversees the Virginia Agricultural Council and the Virginia Marine Products Board.
Latest News 
Governor Bob McDonnell announced today the recipients of fiscal year 2013 planning grants from the Governor's Agriculture & Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID). Eleven projects covering more than thirty localities have been awarded a total of $249,000 to support the growth of agricultural and forestry projects in the Commonwealth. The AFID planning grants program was developed to encourage local governments and regional organizations to analyze and plan strategically about how they can support and integrate agriculture and forestry-based industries into their communities' overall economic development efforts.
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Governor Bob McDonnell announced today as part of his trade and marketing mission to Asia that Montague Farms, a family-owned producer and exporter of specialty soybeans based in Center Cross, Virginia, reached a new agreement to supply food-grade soybeans to a customer in Japan. The specialty soybeans will be imported by Tokyo-based Sun-Tommy International Company and distributed to food processors in Japan. The soybeans will be used to make natto, a fermented breakfast food that is considered a traditional delicacy in Japan. Governor McDonnell met with executives of Montague Farms, Sun-Tommy, and a food processing company in Tokyo on Wednesday to thank Sun-Tommy for reaching an agreement with Montague and to discuss future export business from Virginia.
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Governor Bob McDonnell has issued a proclamation recognizing April 16, 2013 as Virginia Tech Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Virginia Tech Day of Remembrance Ceremony will take place tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. at the Capitol Square Bell Tower marking the 6th anniversary of the tragedy at Virginia Tech. Lieutenant Governor Bolling will lead the state ceremony. At 9:43 a.m. there will be an official moment of silence observed in the Commonwealth, followed by the ringing of the Capitol Square Bell Tower once for each victim of the tragedy.
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