Celebrate Virginia Farmers and Buy Local During Virginia Agriculture Week

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A factual summary is pending editorial review. The complete official release is reproduced below with issuer attribution and a direct link to the original publication.

Official release

Source material from Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The wording below is the issuer’s statement.

News Release

June 08, 2026

Celebrate Virginia Farmers and Buy Local During Virginia Agriculture Week

Public encouraged to thank the Commonwealth’s farmers and purchase local agricultural products

Richmond, Va. –Governor Abigail Spanberger has proclaimed June 7 – 13 as

Virginia

Agriculture Week. This annual recognition celebrates the hard work of Virginia’s farmers,

highlights the

significant economic impact of the Commonwealth’s largest private industry, and encourages the public to

support the state’s agricultural producers by buying local Virginia Grown and Virginia’s Finest products

and enjoying agritourism opportunities.

“Virginia’s farmers and producers put food on our tables, fuel our communities, and power our economy,”

said Governor Abigail Spanberger. “This week and all year round, I encourage Virginians to join me in

celebrating the dedication and determination of these men, women, and families, and thanking them for all

that they do for our Commonwealth.”

Virginia’s agriculture industry has an annual economic impact of $82 billion and $43 billion in

value-added impact. The Commonwealth is home to approximately 38,600 farms on more than 7.2 million acres

of farmland. These farms produce a wide range of food and agricultural products, from livestock and dairy,

aquaculture, row crops, fruits and vegetables, to tobacco, wool and cotton, nursery plants, cut flowers,

Christmas trees and more.

“Through drought, freezes, and hurricanes, nothing stops a Virginia farmer,” said Secretary of

Agriculture

and Forestry Katie Frazier. “As our agricultural producers have struggled through multiple

challenges,

they continue to innovate within their operations and educate their customers and consumers about what it

takes to bring us the food on our plates and products on our shelves. I am proud to serve the farmers and

foresters of the Commonwealth, and I thank them and celebrate their successes.”

Virginia agricultural production is one of the most diverse in the nation with many of the state’s

commodities and products ranking in the top ten among all U.S. states. The Commonwealth ranks third

nationally for tobacco, fifth for apples, sixth for turkeys, eighth for peanuts, and ninth for trout and

tenth for pumpkins. Approximately 95 percent of Virginia farms are owned and operated by families, and

agriculture generates more than 381,000 jobs in the state.

“We’re fortunate in Virginia to have local access to high quality meats, poultry, seafood, milk and dairy

products, fruits and vegetables, wine, spirits, beer and more,” said Virginia Department of

Agriculture

and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Green. “We want to thank our farmers this week and

all year

round by enjoying the fruits of their labor, visiting their farms and farmstands and looking for local

products in the supermarket. I hope every resident of the Commonwealth will take some time over their next

meal or while driving through the state’s rolling fields to be thankful to the hardworking farmers that

make all of this possible.”

Consumers can identify locally grown and locally produced agricultural products by looking for Virginia

Grown and Virginia’s Finest logos on products ranging from produce to meats, snacks, sauces, craft

beverages, and more. Consumers can visit their local farmers market or roadside stand for some of the

freshest, best tasting food available, or find a local retailer by searching

https://vagrown.vdacs.virginia.gov Virginia’s Finest

specialty food and beverages can be searched at

https://vafinest.vdacs.virginia.gov/ .

Release text attributed to Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Consult the official publication for any subsequent corrections or updates.