What We Do
The Agriculture and Forestry Secretariat oversee the Virginia Racing Commission (VRC), the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), and the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF). Together, these agencies promote rural and economic development, support farmers and forest landowners, expand global markets for Virginia products, conserve farmland and working forests, protect the Chesapeake Bay, and strengthen food security across the Commonwealth. Learn more about the agencies.
Agriculture and Forestry Numbers for Virginia
The Secretariat of Agriculture and Forestry combined are Virginia's largest private sector industry. According to a 2022 economic impact study conducted by Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia, agriculture and forestry have a combined economic impact of over $105 billion annually. Agriculture generates more than $82.3 billion per annum, while forestry induces over $23.6 billion. The industries also provided nearly 490,295 jobs in the Commonwealth.
Agriculture and Forestry Priorities
Agriculture and forestry are the Commonwealth’s largest private industries, with a combined annual economic impact of over $105 billion, and the health of these industries affects communities around Virginia, especially in rural areas. This office and it's three agencies are committed to supporting rural economic development, preserving farmland and forestland across Virginia, and ensuring that all Virginians, especially those who are most vulnerable, have access to safe, healthy foods.
Documents:
Overview of the Governor's Agriculture & Forestry Industries Development Fund
The Economic impacts of Agriculture and Forestry Industries in Virginia 2022