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.  

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.