October 29, 2026More Than 98,000 Animals Altered as Demand Surges and Clinics Warn Funding Gap Could Halt Progress By Jenny Dinsmore and Theresa Bruner, Advisory Committee Members, West Virginia Spay & Neuter Program (WVSNP) Charleston, W.Va. — In a state where rural geography, economic hardship, and limited veterinary access shape animal welfare, the West Virginia Spay Neuter Assistance Program (WVSNP) …
Op Ed: Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt Calls for Balance Between New Development and Farmland Protection
October 22, 2026Charleston, W.Va. —As Commissioner of Agriculture, I recognize the importance of economic development and respect the rights of private landowners to make decisions about how their property is used. However, we must also recognize that West Virginia’s productive farmland is a valuable and limited resource that will become increasingly important as we work to feed a growing population. …
Eight West Virginia Projects Awarded $360,000 in USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Funding
October 19, 2026Charleston, W.Va. — Eight West Virginia agribusinesses, organizations and agencies will share in over $360,000 in FY2026 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered through the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA). The USDA defines specialty crops as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, …
AGRICULTURAL SAMPLING SHOWS LOW-LEVEL FINDINGS AS AGENCIES CONTINUE PARKERSBURG FIRE CLEANUP
August 12, 2026 Charleston, W.Va. —The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) continues to coordinate with Peoples Cartage and other state and federal agencies as cleanup and remediation continue at the Camden Avenue site. WVDEP has issued an enforcement order requiring Peoples Cartage to develop and implement plans for site cleanup, characterization, and waste disposal; maintain stormwater controls to …
USDA Conducts 2026 Oral Rabies Vaccination Efforts Targeting Wildlife in Eastern United States
August 7, 2026Washington, D.C., July 31, 2026—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will begin its annual distribution of RABORAL V-RG®, an oral rabies vaccine (ORV) bait, in select areas in the eastern United States to prevent the spread of raccoon rabies into America’s heartland. To read more from the USDA, read this PDF.
Spotted Lanternfly Detected in Kanawha County
July 21, 2026Charleston, W.Va. —Kanawha County has now been added to the list of West Virginia counties where the invasive pest spotted lanternfly (SLF) has been detected. An infestation of SLF was detected in St. Albans near the intersection of W. Main Street and Strawberry Road. The United States Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) confirmed the …