Facing what our new Governor describes as a “massive deficit” in our state budget, I can’t help but notice that Medicaid and PEIA are among the primary causes. This raises an important question. What could we have done over the past few decades to reduce these expenses? The answer is simple – promote healthier outcomes through better diet and nutrition. …
16th Winter Blues Farmers Market Returns with Over 120 West Virginia Agribusinesses
Charleston – The Winter Blues Farmers Market returns for its 16th year on March 1 to the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center from noon to 5 p.m. The Market wraps up the annual West Virginia Small Farm Conference (Feb. 26 – March 1), sponsored by WVU Extension and the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA). More than 120 agribusinesses from …
WVDA Secures Legal Victory in Beekeeping Case
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) has achieved a major legal victory for farmers and beekeepers across the state. In November 2024, the WVDA intervened in the Kanawha County Circuit Court case Alex Urban v. City of South Charleston to defend the rights of West Virginians to engage in agricultural practices, including beekeeping. This effort was …
Poultry Exhibition and Sale Events Suspended in West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) is suspending all poultry exhibitions, shows, swaps, meets, and sales at flea markets or auction markets in response to the ongoing threat of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). This decision follows recent HPAI confirmations in commercial poultry operations in multiple surrounding states, as well as a confirmed case in a …
Mini Grants Provide Essential Support for Farmers Markets Statewide
Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) teamed up with the West Virginia Farmers Market Association (WVFMA) to offer the 2024 WVFMA Mini-Grant Program which helps fund needed improvements/upgrades to farmers markets across the state. The WVFMA received 43 applications from traditional farmers markets, mobile markets and on-farm stands totaling $194,000 in funding requests. This year, 14 …
West Virginia and Kentucky Partner to Tackle Food Insecurity in Border Counties
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) have established a cross-border cooperative agreement to aid food-insecure residents in Mingo County, WV, and select parts of Pike County, KY. This first-of-its-kind initiative will enable residents in these counties to access USDA Foods across state lines, providing expanded food resources and filling …