CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Winter Blues Farmers Market is back for its 15th year and bigger than ever. The market takes place Saturday, February 24 from 1-6 p.m. at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. It is free for the public to attend. More than 100 vendors from across the state will be on hand selling products grown or sourced …
Avian Influenza Found in West Virginia Backyard Flock
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) has received confirmation for the presence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a backyard flock in Kanawha County. A field investigation with sampling followed by testing at WVDA’s Animal Health NAHLN lab in Moorefield provided suspect laboratory findings. The owner contacted WVDA Animal Health after rapid onset of illness …
Commissioner of Agriculture to Visit State FFA Chapters During National FFA Week Feb. 17-24
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Each year, FFA Chapters nationwide come together to celebrate National FFA Week, a time dedicated to showing the essence of FFA and its profound influence on members’ lives, and to highlight the importance of agriculture education in our classrooms. National FFA week runs from Feb. 17-24, 2024. In West Virginia, Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt will visit …
West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio Leaders Gather for Agriculture Roundtable
L-R: Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, WV Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt, Mountaintop Beverage CEO Jeff Sokal and Ohio Director of Agriculture Brian Baldridge. CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt and West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) staff recently held an Agriculture Roundtable with Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, Ohio Director of Agriculture Brian Baldridge, along …
WVDA Announces $184,000 in USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Funding
Charleston, W.Va. – Three West Virginia agriculture programs will share in more than $184,250 in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grants for Fiscal Year 2023. These grants will help the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) fund projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the State and support crop growers through marketing, education, and research. …
Spotted Lanternfly Detected in Taylor County
Charleston, W.Va. – Taylor County has now been added to the list of West Virginia counties where the invasive pest spotted lanternfly (SLF) has been detected. A single spotted lanternfly was found in a trap set by the WVDA in early August near Grafton. The United States Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) confirmed the finding. WVDA …