Virginia's governor-elect pledges support for farmers and agribusiness sector
By Jeff Ishee December 15, 2025 - Virginia’s next gubernatorial inauguration will take place on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at the State Capitol in Richmond. Abigail Spanberger will be sworn in as Virginia’s 75th governor, becoming the first woman to hold the office. Governor-elect Spanberger has made agriculture and rural Virginia central to her platform, pledging strong support for farmers, producers, and agribusinesses. On December 3, the Richmond Times-Dispatch quoted h
Repurposed grain bins are turned into livable spaces
Source: VA Farm Bureau CULPEPER, VA — From chic commercial spaces to outdoor gazebos, ambitious designers and innovative farmers are breathing new life into old grain bins—reimagining their form and function in unexpected and cost-effective ways. Ryan Kearney, the general manager of Old House Vineyards in Culpeper, converted a grain silo into a multi-level family home. From a distance, the rustic exterior of his circular, cantilever home vanishes into the agricultural landsca
Maryland encourages farmers and landowners to plant trees
December 11 - Maryland is offering tree-planting incentives to support a range of agroforestry practices that integrate farming and forestry. These practices can help generate additional farm income, create healthier conditions for livestock and crops, and promote cleaner air and streams. Programs include: Conservation Buffer Initiative This program offers farmers attractive incentive payments to plant streamside buffers to improve the health of local streams and the Chesa
Many states are setting minimum wages above the federal level
Source: American Farm Bureau by Samantha Ayoub - Economist Washington, DC -- When minimum wages were first established in the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), agricultural workers were exempt. Over time, amendments to the rule brought groups of farmworkers under minimum wage laws until all agricultural workers were included in 1978. Yet, the federal minimum wage has not risen since the current $7.25 per hour was set in 2009. Thirty-one states and Puerto Rico have raised
Clemson animal health officials urge backyard flock owners to guard against avian flu during peak migration
Source: Clemson University December 8 - Clemson University animal health officials are urging owners of backyard poultry flocks and pet waterfowl to remain vigilant as peak migration season for waterfowl and other wild birds is underway in the Atlantic Flyway. Owners should isolate domestic birds from wild waterfowl and from ponds, lakes and other waters that wild birds may use. The reminder follows confirmation of the Eurasian strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HP
Penn State effort focused on the future of agriculture
Source: Penn State UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa . — An innovative interdisciplinary collaboration between Penn State’s Smeal College of Business and the College of Agricultural Sciences will focus on fostering innovation in food and agriculture. The 2026 Land Grant Startup Launch Competition is the brainchild of Travis Lesser, the director of Smeal’s Center for the Business of Sustainability, and Mark Gagnon, the Harbaugh Entrepreneur and Innovation Faculty Scholar in the College of
Kentucky students encouraged to apply for 2026 Kentucky Ag Athletes of the Year
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 21, 2025) – Kentucky student-athletes who are involved in agriculture are invited to apply for one of six scholarships and recognition as a 2026 Kentucky Ag Athlete of the Year. The program is a partnership of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA). Student-athletes must apply online by Dec. 31. Image credit KDA “The hard work it takes to be a successful athlete is the same type of work that
Farm Credit of the Virginias’ Chief Brand Officer Appointed Virginia Sec. of Agriculture & Forestry
Source: Farm Credit of the Virginias December 4, 2025 - Farm Credit of the Virginia s (FCV), an agricultural lending cooperative serving Virginia, West Virginia and western Maryland, proudly announces that Katie Frazier, chief brand officer, has been appointed by Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger as Virginia’s next Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry. Katie Frazier will be the next Sec. of Agriculture and Forestry in Virginia. Image Credit - Farm Credit of the Virginias F
Farmer sentiment jumps higher in November
Source: Purdue University WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — November brought the highest farmer sentiment reading since June, with the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer jumping 10 points from October to 139. The increase was driven primarily by producers’ more optimistic outlook for the future, as the Future Expectations Index climbed 15 points to 144, while the Current Conditions Index dipped 2 points to 128. November’s survey is the first conducted after the late-Octob
NC asks horse owners to be on lookout for signs of equine herpes
Source: NCDA&CS RALEIGH - State veterinary officials are asking horse owners in North Carolina to watch for symptoms of a highly contagious equine disease following diagnoses of multiple horses with Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy, the neurologic disease associated with Equine Herpes Virus. Cases were confirmed in early November by the Texas Animal Health Commission and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. Currently, there are no confirmed cases of EH
