Everyone has had the opportunity to get to know West Virginia’s unofficial pandemic mascot, Babydog. The one-year-old English bulldog has loaned her cuteness to the Governor as part of his campaign to convince folks to get vaccinated against COVID. This marketing tool works because it pulls at the heart strings of something we are all too familiar with, a beloved …
Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt Congratulates First All-Female FFA Officer Team
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Commissioner Kent Leonhardt released the following statement after the election of the state’s first all-female FFA state officer team: “Congratulations to these young women who have made history in West Virginia. They should be proud that they are a part of a growing trend in agriculture as more and more women head up farms in the United …
WVDA, WVU Announce Pilot Project to Improve WV Beef Cattle
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) has announced a pilot project to help increase value of West Virginia cattle by improving cattle vigor prior to entering production channels. The project will examine available preconditioning methods, enhancing overall herd health, the use of electronic identification tags and utilizing a unified approach with producer engagement. The project is …
Signup for 2022 Gypsy Moth Suppression Program
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) is urging landowners to sign up for the 2022 Cooperative State-County-Landowner (CSCL) Gypsy Moth Suppression program. The program is focused on protecting the landowners’ forested acreage from devastating effects caused by the invasive gypsy moth. The sign-up period runs from July 1 until August 31, 2021. “West Virginia’s forests are …
2021 Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
JACKSON’S MILL, W.Va. – The West Virginia Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame (WVAFHF) will honor two years’ worth of inductees with a banquet on Saturday, July 24 at Jackson’s Mill. The 2020 banquet was canceled due to COVID-19, therefore, 2020 and 2021 inductees will be recognized this year. The reception will start at 4:00 p.m. with a dinner to …
Op Ed: Hosting SASDA Big News for West Virginia
Recently, I assumed the role of President of the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture (SASDA), an honor bestowed upon me by my peers. As part of my duties, we must plan the 2022 annual meeting, and of course, I saw this an opportunity to bring my colleagues right here to the Mountain State. Therefore, I am happy to …