In September, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced Andrew Smith as the Chief Deputy Director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation in addition to several other key administration appointments.

“I am continually encouraged by the work this administration has done to create a best-in-class government for Virginians,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “I’m excited to welcome these new additions to our team and look forward to their future contributions.”

Prior to this position, Smith was most recently the Associate Director of Governmental Relations with Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. Working with the organization since 2003, Smith handled a variety of legislative issues including transportation, local government, taxes, private property rights and eminent domain.

“I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to work for the farmers of Virginia at the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation for almost two decades,” said Smith. “I am excited about the opportunity of bringing that experience to a state agency that has an important partnership with the agricultural industry. I look forward to continuing to work together to tackle the challenges we face together.”

Smith also owns and operates a commercial hay farm in Hanover and Caroline Counties with his family. He currently serves on the Virginia FFA Foundation Board and also served on the State Board of Auctioneers. He was a member of the Inaugural Class of Virginia Agriculture Leaders Obtaining Results program (VALOR) and a graduate of the Sorensen Political Leaders Program Class of 2015. He has a B.S. in Dairy Science from Virginia Tech.

While Virginia Farm Bureau Federation AgPAC issues endorsements in state races, it does not endorse congressional candidates during federal election years. Instead, Virginia Farm Bureau sends a questionnaire to all candidates with questions regarding federal agriculture issues. To view the questionnaire and candidate responses, click on the button below.

Election Day is November 8, 2022. In-person early voting at your local registrar’s office runs from September 23, 2022 through November 5, 2022. Times vary by locality, so be sure to confirm details with your local office. Voting will also be available Saturday, October 29, 2022 and November 5, 2022 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The deadline to register to vote or update an existing voter registration is October 17, 2022 (voters may register after this date, through Election Day, and vote using a provisional ballot). The deadline to apply for a ballot to be mailed to you is October 28, 2022. For more information, visit the Virginia Department of Elections website.

Virginia Farm Bureau’s Governmental Relations department has seen a few changes during the past year, and we’re excited to help you get to know our new staff members.

Zach Jacobs is a Legislative Specialist on Virginia Farm Bureau’s Governmental Relations team. Prior to this role, he worked on agriculture, transportation, defense and energy policy for a few Congressmen and served as a Legislative Analyst at the U.S. Department of Agriculture under Secretary Sonny Perdue in Washington, D.C. Zach was a first-generation college student obtaining a B.S. in Agribusiness Management and National Security and Foreign Affairs from Virginia Tech in 2019 before receiving a Master of Strategic Communication from Liberty University in 2021. Zach is a former Virginia FFA State Officer and currently serves on the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Alumni Organization Board of Directors at Virginia Tech. He was born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley.

Tenille Nuckols is our new Social Media and Member Engagement Coordinator. She has a hybrid role working with the Governmental Relations and Communications departments where she manages Virginia Farm Bureau’s social media presence and member communications regarding legislative and regulatory issues. Prior to this role, she worked as the marketing manager for one of the leading commercial general contractors in Virginia. She is a Certified Professional Services Marketer. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Virginia Tech. Tenille grew up on a grain farm in Sussex County. Currently, she and her husband Taylor reside with their two children on Eastview Farm in Hanover County. The farm produces soybeans, hay, beef and formerly dairy.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is expanding the Imported Fire Ant Quarantine in December of 2022 to include the counties of Halifax, Charlotte, Lunenburg, Dinwiddie and Sussex. While the quarantine will not take place until the end of the year, VDACS is working hard to communicate with the impacted locality staff, industry groups, state agencies and other organizations who may be impacted by the quarantine.

In a recent letter from VDACS, the Commissioner shared the following information with us. VDACS conducted surveys that indicate imported fire ant populations have become established in those localities and the quarantine is necessary to prevent the artificial spread of this insect pest to uninfested areas of the Commonwealth. It is anticipated that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will also expand the federal Imported Fire Ant Quarantine which will restrict the interstate movement of regulated articles from these same Virginia localities.

Once established, the imported fire ant has the potential to spread to uninfested areas, either through natural means or through the artificial movement of infested articles. The quarantine is intended to prevent the artificial spread of this pest. Under provisions of the quarantine, regulated articles are prohibited from moving out of the quarantined area unless they are certified as free of imported fire ant.

Once the quarantine has been expanded, businesses located in the counties of Halifax, Charlotte, Lunenburg, Dinwiddie and Sussex that are shipping to locations outside of the quarantined area are required to follow the USDA-approved treatment and shipping options which are outlined in the Quarantine Treatments for Nursery Stock, Grass Sod, and Related Materials manual; the manual can be found on the USDA website. Businesses may enter into a compliance agreement with VDACS to facilitate shipping those regulated articles in accordance with the quarantine. Please see the map below of Virginia’s current Imported Fire Ant Quarantine and expansion of the new localities.