The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is launching the new Virginia Produce Safety Grower Portal, a free online portal to assist fruit and vegetable growers operating in the Commonwealth to meet the requirements of the federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): Produce Safety Rule (21 CFR 112). The new online tool allows VDACS to quickly determine if a grower’s operation is subject to the federal requirement, or if they are exempt. The online portal allows growers to submit applications, update business information, obtain technical assistance, market to a variety of audiences, and apply for annual exemptions, if eligible.

“The Virginia Produce Safety Grower Portal allows Virginia produce farmers to update farm registration information, obtain educational data, and print a certificate of registration that features the newly designed Virginia Grown logo. Farm information will be shared with the Virginia Grown program as a way to integrate both the regulatory and marketing/promotions function of the agency,” said Joseph Guthrie, VDACS Commissioner.

Virginia produce growers can create an account to complete the registration process at producesafety.vdacs.virginia.gov. Farms and businesses will need to register one time initially and then verify their information at least annually.  Portal registration includes:

• Ability to print a registration certificate to market products locally.
• Automatic enrollment in Virginia Grown, a marketing program that promotes fresh, local products to consumers and industry buyers.
• Apply for an exemption (if eligible).
• Receive up-to-date produce safety information, educational and training resources, periodic newsletters and guidance.

Farms within Virginia that grow, harvest, pack or hold produce intended for human consumption and for sale are encouraged to utilize the online portal to register their business with the VDACS Produce Safety Program.  This registration process is intended to verify who is and who is not covered under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): Produce Safety Rule (21 CFR 112). This process also allows VDACS to provide valuable education, technical assistance, and information to regulated farms and businesses, exclude farms that are not required to comply with the rule, and prioritize federally required inspections for those operations that are not exempt.

The VDACS Produce Safety Program will issue exemption certifications based on eligibility as outlined in the Code of Federal Regulation Title 21. Since farm information may change from year to year, producers must update their information and reapply for an exemption annually (at least 30 days before the one-year expiration date). Exemption certificates expire one year following the issue date of the exemption.

Contact the VDACS Produce Safety Program with any questions or concerns at produce.safety@vdacs.virginia.gov or (804) 786-4003.

This project was supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award U18FD005901 totaling $3,408,835 with 100 percent funded by FDA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by FDA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) announces the official launch of the AgriStress Helpline for Virginia to provide the Commonwealth’s agricultural producers with mental health support. The helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and has interpretation services for 160 languages. Farmers can call or text 833-897-2474 to speak directly with a healthcare professional. Crisis specialists have access to a Virginia specific curated database of agricultural and health resources.

“The physical demands of farming, isolation, weather variability, fluctuating input cost and commodity prices can all impact mental health. Stigma and privacy concerns associated with obtaining mental health services may cause some producers to refuse to seek out these very important resources,” said Matthew Lohr, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry. “The AgriStress Helpline for Virginia is specifically geared to those in the state’s agricultural community who are seeking mental health support. A call or text to 833-897-2474 will put them in contact with trained professionals who can offer support and/or help find mental health resources in a specific area of the state.”

VDACS partnered with AgriSafe to launch the AgriStress Helpline for Virginia, which is supported by grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. VDACS received $500,000 in funding which will support a wide range of agricultural stress programming in addition to the AgriStress Helpline for Virginia. AgriSafe is a national 501c3 organization representing health and safety professionals who strive to reduce health disparities in the agricultural community.

“I am pleased that through our partnership with AgriSafe, we have a dedicated helpline for Virginia agricultural producers. In addition to being a free, confidential resource, this new helpline aids our efforts to promote mental health and stress awareness and broaden the availability of resources to reduce stress points in rural Virginia,” said Joseph Guthrie, Commissioner of VDACS. “Anyone who considers themselves part of Virginia’s agricultural community is encouraged to call or text 833-897-2474 any time they are in crisis. The helpline is staffed by mental health professionals who are trained to respond appropriately and specifically to agricultural communities with Virginia specific resources.”

In addition to the new helpline, VDACS is also collaborating with the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, Virginia Tech, AgrAbility Virginia, FARMVA, and other industry organizations, to offer trainings and other services to destigmatize and recognize the critical issue of stress among Virginia farmers.

The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) and the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) encourage landowners to make plans – now – for passing on their land to the next generation. The Generation NEXT program, a collaboration between VDOF and VCE, helps Virginia landowners make plans to keep forests intact, in forest, and in family.

To help landowners get started and clarify misconceptions about the legacy planning process, the Generation NEXT Program is hosting in-person and virtual workshops this summer and fall. The workshops, which will take place in South Boston, Galax and New Kent, serve as opportunities for family members to ask difficult questions, receive useful information, and get on the same page about their plans for the future.

Typically, these sessions are only in-person, but a virtual workshop has been added so dispersed families can also take advantage of these helpful resources and tools that make the planning process more accessible and manageable.

Workshop Information

Families pay a single fee to participate. Registration opens up six weeks prior to each workshop. Visit the VCE website for more information.

In-person:

• South Boston – Aug. 26-27
• Galax – Oct. 27
• New Kent County – Nov. 2

Virtual: (All virtual workshops take place from 3 to 5 p.m.)

• Sept. 7
• Sept. 8
• Sept. 14
• Sept. 15

“Many landowners are overwhelmed by the legacy planning process and assume that it primarily involves complicated estate planning with attorneys and accountants,” said VDOF Forestland Conservation Program Manager Karl Didier.  “The Generation NEXT program helps to ease estate planning and demonstrates how it’s just one part of the legacy planning process. Legacy planning is an ongoing process. Much like a forest changes over time, your plans will evolve. As priorities change or family dynamics shift, so should plans for your land.”

“One of the most important steps in legacy planning includes conversations between the landowner and the people who will steward their land after they’re gone,” said Generation NEXT Program Coordinator Karen Snape. “When unforeseen events occur before clearly established plans for your estate and land can be put in place, things can quickly become complicated for surviving family members. Having these conversations now is critical.”

A companion to the workshop series, the award-winning Legacy Planning: A Guide for Virginia Landowners publication, provides an overview of the nine major steps involved in developing a robust land legacy plan. It includes case studies from landowners throughout Virginia and guides landowners to tools and resources. The free publication is available on the Virginia Tech website or in print by request.

Changes have been made to Virginia’s spotted lanternfly (SLF) quarantine area that all farmers should be aware of, and plan to address as part of their operation. The SLF is a destructive agricultural pest that was first detected in Virginia in January 2018. It is an invasive planthopper that first showed up in the U.S. in Pennsylvania in 2014. The SLF can feed on over 100 plant species and is a known pest of grapes, maples, walnuts, cucumbers, peaches, hops, apples, basil and other important crops. The purpose of the quarantine area is to stop the human-assisted spread of the pest and to protect Virginia’s agriculture industry.

On July 8, 2022, VDACS’ Commissioner Guthrie expanded the Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine area to include the counties of Albemarle, Augusta, Carroll, Clarke, Frederick, Page, Prince William, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Warren and Wythe Counties, and the Cities of Buena Vista, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Lynchburg, Manassas, Manassas Park, Staunton, Waynesboro and Winchester.

Businesses in the quarantined area are required to complete a training ($6) and obtain a permit from VDACS and perform self-inspections on all regulated articles leaving the quarantined area to ensure that the articles do not contain any life stage of the spotted lanternfly.

Regulated articles are items considered to be a risk for the movement of spotted lanternfly to un-infested areas and include, but are not limited to:

• Any life stage of the spotted lanternfly;
• Live or dead trees; nursery stock; green lumber; firewood; logs; perennial plants; garden plants or produce; stumps; branches; mulch; or composted or un-composted chips, bark, or yard waste;
• Outdoor industrial or construction materials or equipment; concrete barriers or structures; stone, quarry material, ornamental stone, or concrete; or construction, landscaping, or remodeling waste;
• Shipping containers, such as wood crates or boxes;
• Outdoor household articles, including recreational vehicles; lawn tractors or mowers; grills; grill or furniture covers; tarps; mobile homes; tile; stone; deck boards; or
• Any equipment, trucks, or vehicles not stored indoors; any means of conveyance utilized for movement of an article; any vehicle; or any trailer, wagon.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will honor other state-issued Spotted Lanternfly permits. To obtain your Spotted Lanternfly permit through Virginia, you must submit proof that the Spotted Lanternfly Permit Training, or equivalent training, was completed along with the Spotted Lanternfly Permit Application.

Spotted Lanternfly Resources for Farmers & Foresters

• What is Spotted Lanternfly
• Spotted Lanternfly in Virginia
• Mosca Linterna con Manchas (Spotted Lanternfly) en Viñedos de Virginia (pdf)
• Alerta de plagas – Mosca linterna con manchas (Lycorma delicatula) (pdf)
• Look-A-Likes (pdf)
• How to Identify Tree of Heaven a Favorite Host of Spotted Lanternfly (pdf)
• Map of Spotted Lanternfly locations in the United States

Management & Treatment of Spotted Lanternfly

• General Treatment Information (pdf)
• Best Management Practices for Spotted Lanternfly in Yards and Landscapes (pdf)
• Homeowner Tips and Inspection Check Sheet (pdf)
• Best Management Practices for/in Vineyards (pdf)
• Best Management Practices for Businesses (pdf)
• How to Manage Tree of Heaven a Favorite Host of Spotted Lanternfly (pdf)

Training & Permitting

• Virginia Spotted Lanternfly Permit Brochure (pdf)
• Spotted Lanternfly Permit Training (cost $6)
• Spotted Lanternfly Permit Application (pdf)
• Sample Inspection Statement (pdf)
• List of Spotted Lanternfly Permit Holders (pdf)

VDACS SLF Contact
spottedlanternfly@vdacs.virginia.gov
804-786-3515

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly will folks need to get permitted once the area expands?

• The quarantine is effective now and businesses will need to be permitted prior to moving articles out of the quarantine. Begin the process of training and permitting as soon as feasible.

When/how will VDACS enforce permitting?

• VDACS performs regulatory follow-ups with businesses in the quarantined areas. This typically includes site visits, record requests (does the business have the permit? does the business have training records for their staff? is the business inspecting the articles prior to them leaving the quarantine?) and the VDACS staff member will verify this information. VDACS performs these throughout the year if they learn of a business not complying with the provisions of the quarantine, but during the late spring-fall, they are actively performing treatments and perform more of these permitting inspections in the fall-early spring. 

What are the consequences for not being permitted?

• The VA SLF Quarantine does not have fines associated with non-compliance, however if a business does not obtain a permit and is not following the quarantine, a VDACS staff member may stop the movement of all articles being moved. Additionally, if a business does not obtain a permit, and they are transporting articles to another state that does not have spotted lanternfly, they may be stopped from entry or fined, if that state has an exterior quarantine for spotted lanternfly.

Do I need a permit to move products within my county?

• If a business is only moving within a quarantined area, they are not required to obtain a permit. It’s only when they move articles outside of a quarantined area into non-quarantined areas that they would be required to obtain a permit. Businesses and individuals are still required to inspect articles and ensure they are free of spotted lanternfly life stages when moving within the quarantine.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is funded at a record high in this year’s budget and Virginia farmers can now implement buffers and wetland restoration at no cost. 

CREP is a partnership between the FSA and the Commonwealth of Virginia that aims to improve water quality and wildlife habitat. It offers financial incentives, cost-share and rental payments to farmers and landowners who voluntarily implement riparian forest buffers, grass and shrub buffers and wetland restoration. 

“There has never been a better time for producers to participate in CREP,” said Dr. Ronald M. Howell, Jr., FSA State Executive Director in Virginia. “It costs nothing for farmers to participate in this program now, which will provide their farms with ongoing revenue and other financial benefits. At the same time, the CREP practices promote richer, more fertile farmland and healthier livestock. It is a true win-win.” 

Previously, farmers had to cover a portion of the initial cost of establishing buffers and associated infrastructure, such as fencing and livestock watering systems, to enroll in CREP. This year, FSA and the state will pay 100% of eligible practice installation costs, including fencing and alternative watering systems. CREP will also continue to provide incentives and rental payments as well as other on-farm benefits for years to come. 

“It’s important to remember that CREP practices can also help make farms more efficient and therefore more profitable,” said Darryl Glover, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Deputy Director. “By removing poorly drained land from cultivation and reducing soil loss into adjacent streams, CREP practices can make farmers’ efforts and resources go further while also improving water quality.” 

The CREP contract period is 10-15 years. Enrollment can take place year-round as signups are ongoing. 

Interested farmers can reach out to their local USDA Farm Service Center to determine eligibility and apply. 

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration , USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.