Northam declares June 13-19 Virginia Agriculture Week

RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam has issued a proclamation declaring June 13–19 as Virginia Agriculture Week to recognize and celebrate the many contributions of the Commonwealth’s agricultural community. The Governor, First Lady, and Northam Administration officials will visit sites throughout Virginia to highlight the economic impact of the agriculture industry and the role of farmers and agribusinesses in providing safe, abundant, and affordable foods and products that are consumed in the Commonwealth, distributed across the country, and exported around the world.

“Agriculture has always been and will continue to be the foundation for growth and prosperity in rural and urban communities across the Commonwealth,” said Governor Northam. “As Virginia’s largest private industry, the agricultural sector contributes $70 billion to our economy each year and employs more than 334,000 Virginians. This Virginia Agriculture Week, we are proud to showcase the diversity of Virginia’s agriculture community and the hard work, innovation, and success of our farmers and agribusinesses.”

Special events throughout the week will include visits to a variety of farming operations, agriculture research and technology hubs, local food systems, and agribusinesses. The full 2021 Virginia Agriculture Week tour schedule can be found here.

With over 44,000 farms, Virginia has one of the most diverse agricultural sectors in the nation. The Commonwealth’s rich, varied agricultural landscape includes traditional farming and forestry operations, value-added processing, award-winning wineries and craft beverage production, urban agriculture, agritourism operations, and more.

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