The West Virginia Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame is an incorporated, independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan foundation, devoted to honoring those West Virginians who have made outstanding contributions to the “establishment, development, advancement or improvement” of the agricultural and forestry industries in West Virginia and the nation.

A secondary purpose is the establishment and maintenance of an agricultural museum to preserve memorabilia and record the history of the industries.

The West Virginia Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame had its beginning in informal conversations between West Virginians who thought it desirable to honor their fellow citizens who had achieved national and international fame in agriculture. Mr. J. Kenton Lambert proposed a Hall of Fame at the annual meeting of the West Virginia Association of Fairs and Festivals in 1972 and again in January 1973 with the concurrence of Mr. Gus R. Douglass, Commissioner of Agriculture. On March 19, 1973, Mr. Lambert sent letters to all agricultural leaders in West Virginia suggesting a meeting to discuss the establishment of an Agricultural Hall of Fame. The response to the letters was enthusiastic and a meeting was held at Fairlea, W.Va. on August 22.

A committee was formed at that meeting and, under the able co-chairmanship of Mr. Lambert and Commissioner Douglass, significant progress was made. Meetings were held and ideas were committed to paper and distributed for evaluation. Finally, on April 30, 1974, after nearly two years of intensive discussions and three formal meetings, 28 agricultural organizations joined forces to charter the West Virginia Agricultural Hall of Fame Foundation.

During that time, an agricultural seal and motto were designed and adopted, memberships were actively solicited and two groups of honorees were nominated, elected and enshrined in a temporary Hall of Fame at the Jackson's Mill State 4-H Camp.

In 1976, the Board of Governors voted to include forestry into the Hall of Fame and to change the Hall of Fame name to the West Virginia Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame. They adopted a new seal to include forestry and selected Jackson's Mill in Lewis County as the permanent site for the Hall of Fame Museum. Later, the concept of regional museums was approved. A regional agricultural museum, under the directorship of Walden Roush, was established in Point Pleasant, Mason County, on October 11, 1980.

Board Members

2023 Officers

President
Jeremy McGill

First Vice President
Matt Wilson

Second Vice President
Ronnie Helmondollar

Treasurer (Acting)
Stephen Butler

Secretary
Becky Williams

Historian
L. Rudy Williams

Board of Directors

Barb McWhorter
Barbara Breshock
Clark Haynes
Jennifer Williams
Kent Leonhardt
Lanny Williamson
Paul Lewis
Robert Williams

Organization Members

Membership in the Hall of Fame is comprised of contributing and organization members. The former are those who make financial contributions to the foundation. The latter are representatives of the chartering organizations (and any that might he added) and voting members.

Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station, West Virginia University
Bureau of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education - Vocational Agriculture
College of Agriculture and Forestry Alumni Association
College of Agriculture and Forestry, West Virginia University
Cooperative Extension Service, West Virginia University
Epsilon Sigma Phi
Farm Service Agency
Natural Resources Conservation Service
National Christmas Tree Growers Association
Phi Upsilon Omicron, WV Lambda Chapter
State Fair of West Virginia, Inc.
West Virginia Association of ASCS County Office Employees
West Virginia Association of Extension 4-H Agents
West Virginia Association of Fairs and Festivals
West Virginia Association of Future Farmers of America
West Virginia Cattlemen's Association
West Virginia Chapter of the Society of American Foresters
West Virginia Chapter of the Soil Conservation Society of America
West Virginia County Agents Association
West Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association
West Virginia County Agents Association
West Virginia Department of Agriculture
West Virginia Division of Forestry
Sire Power
West Virginia Community Educational Outreach Service
West Virginia Farm Bureau
West Virginia Forestry Association
West Virginia Poultry Association
West Virginia Association of Conservation Districts
West Virginia State Grange
West Virginia State Horticulture Society
West Virginia Veterinary Medical Association
West Virginia Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association

Hall of Fame Members

1975

1976
2020

Mary Beth Adams (Forestry)
Dr. Elaine Bowen (Family Life)
Patricia R. Gruber (Family Life)
Joe A. Gumm (Agriculture)
Andrew Delmar Hopkins (Historic)
Terry Jones (Forestry)
Donald L. Michael (Agriculture)
Dr. Phillip I. Osborne (Agriculture)
William McClellan Ritter (Historic)
Jules August Viquesney (Historic)

2021

Larry S. Barger (Forestry)
Mark L. Double (Forestry)
Barry Lester Cook (Forestry)
Jean Field-Smith (Family Life)
Stacy A. Gartin (Agriculture)
Harry Hayward Huff (Agriculture)
Jeffrey D. Orndorff (Family Life)