Showing posts with label VDACS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label VDACS. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Governor McAuliffe Announces New Biotech Agricultural Export Deal to China

An SVG map of China with Beijing municipality ...
An SVG map of China with Beijing municipality highlighted (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
~ Richmond-based Agrivita Biogroup Developing Sales of Feed Additives for Dairy, Swine Industries; Business Furthers Virginia's Position in Fast Growing Ag-Bio Sector ~

BEIJING, CHINA – Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced as part of his trade and marketing mission to Asia that Agrivita Biogroup, Inc. (Agrivita) has reached new export deals of animal feed additives to Chinese importers.  Agrivita is a Richmond-based company that specializes in bio-science and animal nutrition, health, and performance with a focus on providing advanced and proven solutions for modern agriculture.  The agreement was facilitated during meetings at the VIV Beijing large animal feed exhibition trade show in September after Agrivita began exploring sales opportunities to China with the assistance of Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) international marketing and trade staff over the last year.

Speaking about the new trade agreement, Governor McAuliffe said, “I am thrilled to announce this export opportunity for Agrivita Biogroup.  Virginia’s aggressive international marketing and trade efforts are yielding new sales agreements and new business partners for the Commonwealth.  This is the type of deal I urged my agricultural development and marketing team to seek as we work to build a new Virginia economy.  Today’s win both furthers our position in Virginia’s growing bio-science sector and moves us closer to my goal of making the Commonwealth the East Coast Capital for agricultural and forestry product exports.”

Assisted by VDACS international marketing and trade staff, Agrivita secured new export business in China this year and next.  These new sales are important for the company that only recently navigated the challenging Chinese regulatory process.  Agrivita worked with VDACS in 2013 to successfully register its product in China and, earlier this year, shipped samples of its product to be used in feeding trials throughout the country.  The results of those trials showed increased milk production in dairy cattle, more efficient growth in poultry, and greater weight gain in swine production. 

VDACS international marketing and trade staff and the VDACS China trade representative continued supporting the company to overcome significant certification and regulatory issues and develop a marketing strategy to compete in a rapidly growing sector of the animal feed business in China.

“The new export sales for Agrivita Biogroup is a great example of how our international marketing and trade efforts work in a comprehensive way with large and small agricultural and forestry exporters to identify new market opportunities, make the right buyer introductions, and follow up with the necessary resources to develop a winning strategy,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore.  “Further, we’re particularly excited about the opportunity these new exports represent as agricultural biotechnology is a growing sub-sector of bio-science in Virginia that can be harnessed and poised for additional growth.”

“The long and intensive work we put into this project is finally paying dividends,” said Arunas Vanagas, President of Agrivita Biogroup, Inc.  “With a full team effort from everyone at Agrivita Biogroup’s Virginia- and China-based offices and continuous support from VDACS international marketing and trade staff, we have already set five distributors and in the near future are planning to add four more to cover all targeted provinces and animal sectors in China.  From the humble $400,000 in sales we made this year, our conservative projection for 2015 is well over $1.5 million. We are happy with our success and are looking forward to continued effective cooperation and support from VDACS.”

Today's announcement comes on the second leg of the Governor’s almost two-week trade and marketing mission to Japan, China, Hong Kong, and South Korea.  Over the eleven-day mission, Governor McAuliffe, First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe, Secretary Haymore, and VDACS international trade representatives are meeting with agribusinesses and importers to encourage more investment in Virginia and promote Virginia agricultural and forestry products. The delegation is also engaged in meetings organized by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Virginia Tourism Corporation to promote trade and investment in a wide array of sectors.

Agricultural and forestry exports from Virginia reached a record high of $2.85 billion in 2013.  China is Virginia’s largest export customer of agricultural and forestry products.  Last year, more than $580 million worth of product was exported to China.  Since 2010, agricultural and forestry exports from Virginia to China have increased by more than 200 percent.

According to a 2013 economic impact study conducted by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia, agriculture and forestry are two of Virginia’s largest industries with a combined economic impact of $70 billion annually.  Agriculture generates more than $52 billion per annum, while forestry induces over $17 billion.  The industries also provide more than 400,000 jobs in the Commonwealth. More information about the Weldon Cooper Center’s study can be found at http://www.coopercenter.org/node/2/publications/economic-impacts-agriculture-and-forestry-virginia-revised-2012.

According to a 2014 Battelle/BIO report, Virginia’s bio-science industry is thriving, with more than 26,500 industry jobs that spanned 1,451 business establishments in 2012.  The same study shows Virginia enjoyed double-digit employment gains from 2007 – 2012 in the agricultural feedstock and chemicals sub-sector, which involves industries that utilize biochemistry and biotechnology for producing everything from food to fuel.

Gloucester, Virginia Links and News
Because The Main Stream Media 
Won't Cover The Tough Issues


Friday, October 3, 2014

Governor McAuliffe Announces New Specialty Crop Grants for Virginia

Farmer plowing in Fahrenwalde, Mecklenburg-Vor...
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
~16 Projects Receive More Than $560,000 in USDA Funding; Grants Benefit Crops Including Apples, Grapes, Chestnuts, Christmas Trees, More~

RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced funding for sixteen agriculture-related projects aimed at promoting and enhancing the competitiveness of Virginia’s specialty crops and creating more economic opportunities.  The projects awarded grants resulted from a competitive process established by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service Specialty Crop Block Grant funds.  Specialty crops including apples, wine grapes, sprouts, chestnuts, strawberries, Christmas trees, and more will benefit from the grants. Other grants focus on food safety, protecting honey bees, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) implementation on small farms, marketing and education programs, food safety education, cover crops, nutrient cycling, and more. Grants range from $20,000 to $50,000 per applicant.

“These federal grants represent more than a half-million dollar investment in Virginia’s economy and will boost agricultural development and job creation, especially in our rural communities,” said Governor McAuliffe. “The innovative projects awarded grants will help enhance agriculture’s position as the Commonwealth's largest industry as we work with our private sector partners to build a new Virginia economy. I congratulate these individuals, educational institutions, and organizations for pursuing concepts that will help growers add value and enhance marketing opportunities across Virginia.”

The Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 authorized the USDA to provide funds to states to promote specialty crops including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and nursery crops. When considering grants for the USDA Specialty Crop Program, VDACS gave priority to projects that included the following activities:
·         Assisting farmers in transitioning into specialty, high-value agricultural initiatives that address the eligible specialty crops;
·         Increasing net farm income through high-value or value-added enterprises;
·         Finding new ways to market or to add value to specialty agricultural products; and
·         Developing pilot and demonstration programs in specialty agriculture that have the potential for transferability within rural Virginia.

“Today’s announcement is more good news for Virginia agriculture and helps bolster the Governor's efforts to keep agriculture and forestry at the forefront of his overall economic development strategic plans and his work to build a new Virginia economy,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore. “The projects and more than $560,000 in grants being awarded also highlight Virginia's diversified agricultural interests and the potential opportunities those interests provide across a broad geographical footprint."

VDACS awarded grants totaling $564,828.97 for the following projects:
·         Advancing Organic Apple Production in Virginia - Virginia Tech, Winchester AREC, Winchester, VA
·         Beneficial Bacterial Endophytes Improve Grape Vine Growth and Cold Tolerance to Strengthen the Virginia Wine Industry - Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, Danville, VA
·         Chestnut Production and Marketing Feasibility Study - Virginia Foundation for Agriculture, Innovation and Rural Sustainability (VA FAIRS), Richmond, VA
·         Cider Production from Virginia-grown Apples:  Development of Research-Based Fermentation Strategies - Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
·         Commonwealth Quality Alliance Education - Virginia Wineries Association, Richmond, VA
·         Cover Crops and Nutrient Cycling for Vegetable Production in Virginia - Virginia Tech, Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC), Painter, VA
·         Developing Organic and Integrated Management Strategies for Pest Control in Annual Strawberry Production -  Virginia Tech, Hampton Roads ARECVirginia Beach, VA
·         Development of Commercial Shelf-Stable Recipes for Specialty Crops - Virginia Food Works, Charlottesville, VA
·         Development of Soybean Varieties for Sprouts as a Profitable Vegetable Crop - Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
·         Enhancing Market Opportunities for Virginia’s Specialty Crops and Small to Mid-size Farms through a Ten Percent Marketing and Education Campaign - Virginia Food System Council, Richmond, VA
·         Genetically Improved Fraser Fir Seed Orchard - Mount Rogers Area Christmas Tree Growers AssociationWhitetop, VA
·         Increasing Capacity to Provide Comprehensive Fresh Produce Food Safety Education from Farm to Fork - Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
·         Low Cost Protection from Pesticide Damage for Honey Bee Colonies - Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Richmond, VA
·         Making Food Safety Certification Available and Affordable for Virginia Farmers - Appalachian Sustainable Development, Abingdon, VA
·         Multi-tiered Quality Assurance and Cost-share Program to Advance GAP Implementation on Small Farms - Local Food Hub,Charlottesville, VA
·         Transitioning Farms to Sustainable Practices for Economic Viability and Environmental Health - Arcadia Food, Alexandria, VA

According to a 2013 economic impact study conducted by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia, agriculture and forestry are two of Virginia’s largest industries with a combined economic impact of $70 billion annually.  Agriculture generates more than $52 billion per annum, while forestry induces over $17 billion.  The industries also provide more than 400,000 jobs in the Commonwealth. More information about the Weldon Cooper Center’s study can be found at 
http://www.coopercenter.org/node/2/publications/economic-impacts-agriculture-and-forestry-virginia-revised-2012.


Tuesday, February 25, 2014

USDA 2012 Census: Market Value of Production on Virginia Farms Up Almost $1 Billion

Logo of the U.S. National Agricultural Statist...
Logo of the U.S. National Agricultural Statistics Service, part of the Department of Agriculture. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
USDA 2012 Agriculture Census Provides a Snapshot of Agriculture in the U.S. and Virginia

RICHMOND - Virginia’s farms saw a dramatic increase in both the market value of production and the average value of products sold per farm according to the preliminary results of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2012 Census of Agriculture.  From 2007 to 2012, market value of production sold increased 29 percent to $3.8 billion while the average value of products sold per farm increased 33 percent to $81,540.  
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) announced today the first look at state and national data from the 2012 Ag Census. The preliminary results were provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). 
“It is terrific to see such a dramatic increase in the value of production coming off of Virginia’s farms in the last 5 years,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Agriculture is Virginia’s largest industry, and it is my administration’s priority to continue that growth through sound policies and aggressive economic development efforts. Increasing farm production puts people back to work in our rural communities and provides the commodities that feed our robust agribusinesses throughout the Commonwealth.” 
Virginia also showed a reversal in the loss of farm land in the Commonwealth with a gain of 3%, rising to 8.3 million acres of land held in farms.  While farm land has increased, the number of farms has decreased, meaning that farms are growing larger here in Virginia.  Farmers in Virginia are also continuing to age, now averaging 59.5 years, up from 58.2 years in 2007, and a full year older than the national average of 58.3 years. 
“As Secretary, I am fully committed to helping our farms generate more income through the development of markets both domestically and internationally,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore.  “The increased value of production being sold by Virginia’s farms is an indication that our efforts are making an impact.  The ability to generate greater value on the farm enables land to be kept in production rather than being converted to other uses.  However, we are not without difficulties here in Virginia.  We continue to lose farms at the same time that the average age of our farmers is increasing.  My secretariat will continue to focus on these challenges through farm retention programs in our Office of Farmland Preservation such as the Purchase of Development Rights, the Farm Link and Certified Farm Seeker programs. 
The preliminary 2012 Census data show the following key trends for Virginia. 
  • In 2012, the number of farms in Virginia totaled 46,036, down 3 percent (1,347 farms) from 47,383 farms in 2007
  • Land in farms, 8.3 million acres, was up 3 percent from 8.1 acres in 2007
  • The average size of farm in Virginia was 181 acres, compared to 171 acres in 2007
  • Market value of production sold was $3.8 billion, up 29 percent from $2.9 billion in 2007
  • The average value of products sold per farm was $81,540 compared to $61,334 in 2007
  • The average age of the principal farm operator was 59.5 years, compared to 58.2 years 2007
  •  There were 38,383 principal male operators and 7,653 principal female operators in 2012, compared to 39,537 male and 7,846 female in 2007 
At the national level, the 2012 Census reported little change in land in farms, a more diverse principal operator population and several historic changes in value of sales for U.S. agriculture producers from 2007 to 2012. 
Between 2007 and 2012, the amount of land in farms in the United States declined by less than one percent, from 922 million acres to 915 million. While continuing a downward trend, this is the third smallest decline between censuses since 1950 and is within the margin of error. 
According to the 2012 Census, principal farm operators are becoming older and more diverse. The average age of a principal farm operator was 58.3 years, up 1.2 years since 2007, and continuing a 30-year trend of steady increase. And, more minority-operated farms were also accounted for in 2012 than in 2007. 
The United States had 2.1 million farms, down 4.3 percent in 2012. In terms of farm size by acres, the decline continued a downward trend in mid-sized farms, while the smallest- and largest-size farms held steady. 
In 2012, the value of agriculture products sold totaled $394.6 billion, up 33 percent ($97.4 billion) from 2007. For only the second time in Census history, crop sales ($212.4 billion) exceeded livestock sales ($182.2 billion). 
“One of the most important takeaways to remember about the Census of Agriculture is that the information is used for decision-making by producers as well as all those who serve farmers, ranchers and rural communities – federal, state and local governments, agribusinesses, trade associations and many others,” said Herman Ellison, State Statistician for USDA. “When we look at the data for our state, we can all use it as a snapshot in time to see how Virginia agriculture is changing over time and how it compared to the rest of the country.” 
The release of the preliminary 2012 Census of Agriculture results is only a first look at the data and NASS will publish the final report this May. The 2012 Census was not conducted in a typical crop year, and drought had a major impact on U.S. agriculture, affecting crop yields, production and prices. NASS is still reviewing all 2012 Census items to the county level and therefore data is preliminary until published in the final report. 
Conducted since 1840, the Census of Agriculture accounts for all U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. When available in May, the final report will provide even more detailed information for Virginia, providing data on all farm operators and data down to the county level. The publication will also provide new insights into the agriculture industry reporting new or expanded data on internet access, regional food systems, biomass production, agro-forestry and equine. 
For more information about the Census, including access to the 2012 Census of Agriculture preliminary report and the full report when it is released in May, visitwww.agcensus.usda.gov
According to a 2013 economic impact study conducted by the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, agriculture and forestry are two of Virginia's largest industries, with a combined economic impact of $70 billion annually.  Agriculture generates more than $52 billion per annum, while forestry induces over $17 billion. The industries also provide more than 400,000 jobs in the Commonwealth.
Enhanced by Zemanta

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Governor McDonnell Announces Application Period Opening for Planning Grants from Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund

Governor of Virginia Bob McDonnell speaking at...
Governor of Virginia Bob McDonnell speaking at CPAC. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
~$250,000 Available to Encourage Local Planning Efforts Supporting Further Job Creation, Economic Development in Agriculture and Forestry~

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that applications are now being accepted for the Fiscal Year 2014 round of planning grants from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID).  The program, which encourages local governments to promote agriculture and forestry and incorporate the needs of these important industries into their economic development planning efforts, is part of the governor’s jobs-creation and economic development agenda.

“Over the course of my Administration, I have encouraged local governments to join me in focusing on creating jobs and opportunities for all Virginians,” said Governor McDonnell.  “Since agriculture and forestry are two of the Commonwealth’s largest industries and provide hundreds of thousands of jobs across the state, it is important that we support local and regional governments in their efforts to make these industries part of local governments’ plans for economic growth and prosperity.”

The competitive grant program allows individual localities to apply for up to $20,000 in matching funds, or up to $35,000 for multi-jurisdictional applications, to undertake efforts that support agriculture and forestry-based businesses.  These efforts might include developing a strategic plan for agriculture and forestry economic development, creating new local policies and zoning ordinances that better support these industries, or funding feasibility studies and predevelopment work for new facilities that bring significant and lasting benefits to the local agriculture and forestry sectors.

“We hoped the flexible funding the AFID planning grants program offers would generate a variety of innovative and thoughtful projects supporting the interests of the agriculture and forestry sectors, and we have not been disappointed.” said Todd Haymore, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry.  “The eleven projects awarded funding in the last round of AFID planning grants are helping to facilitate new ideas and plans for productive economic development opportunities within the Commonwealth’s diverse agricultural and forestry industries.  We expect the same quality of applications in this round, as well.”

Applications for the FY 2014 round of funding are due September 16, 2013, with award announcements expected in October.  Two virtual application workshops will be held.  The first workshop will be on July 30, and the second on August 21.  Both will be from 10 – 11 a.m.  Localities interested in applying for an AFID planning grant should first reach out to their local and/or regional agricultural and forestry community to discuss potential projects, as well as local economic development professionals and other key stakeholders.  A two-page program description and the required grant application are available at: http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/agribusiness/planning.shtml.  For additional information about the program and the application workshops, e-mail Stephen Versen, AFID program contact at the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) atstephen.versen@vdacs.virginia.gov

According to a 2013 economic impact study, agriculture and forestry are two of Virginia's largest industries, with a combined economic impact of $70 billion annually.  Agriculture generates more than $52 billion per annum, while forestry induces over $17 billion. The industries also provide more than 400,000 jobs in the Commonwealth.

About the Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund
The creation of the AFID was part of Governor McDonnell’s jobs-creation and economic development agenda during the 2012 session of the General Assembly.  Funded at $1 million in each year of the biennium, the AFID is broken into two categories with $750,000 going to large grants to assist local efforts in expanding current or attracting new agriculture and forestry processing facilities using Virginia-grown products
(http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/agribusiness/afid.shtml) and $250,000 dedicated to small grants to assist localities in improving local economic development efforts relating to agribusiness (http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/agribusiness/planning.shtml).
Enhanced by Zemanta