Agriculture

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has awarded the W.Va. Department of Agriculture $1.04 million for surveillance testing, new equipment, and researching contaminants in human and animal food. The department is one of only nine in the country to receiving this funding for chemistry development, according to Kent Leonhardt, Commissioner of Agriculture. “Department staff continues … Read more

As the remnants of Hurricane Laura batter the southern U.S., the West Virginia Department of Agriculture is warning farmers to be proactive in the face of coming weather. Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt says his office expects that high winds and heavy rain could hit the state sometime this weekend. “As our state braces for … Read more

Officials at the West Virginia Department of Agriculture are urging state residents not to plant foreign seeds following reports of unsolicited seeds being received in surrounding states. Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt said seeds could pose an environmental threat. “Like other states, we have been made aware of reports from people in West Virginia that … Read more

While the kind of hemp that’s grown in West Virginia does not contain the level of the psychoactive substance present in marijuana, it does contain some—sometimes a trace, sometimes more. A West Virginia University professor hopes to help farmers and growers better understand why this may be and how to keep levels low, which will … Read more

The sale or distribution of Japanese barberry, Berberis thunbergii DC, will be illegal in West Virginia beginning July 1, 2020, according to the state Department of Agriculture. During the 2018 regular legislative session, Japanese barberry was added to the West Virginia “noxious weeds” list as part of an effort to control the invasive plant. An … Read more

West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt is calling for the passage of the “New Markets for State Inspected Meat and Poultry Act” to combat local meat shortages. Passage of such legislation would allow for meats processed in state-inspected facilities to cross state lines, said Leonhardt, who sent a letter recommending its passage to West … Read more

As farmers’ markets in West Virginia open for the season, West Virginia University is providing recommendations to help market managers and vendors safely sell their products. Dee Singh-Knights, an agribusiness economics specialist with the university’s extension service, says precautions must be taken to keep customers and farmers safe. Under the West Virginia governor’s current stay-at-home … Read more

The Early White Half-Runner Bean, beloved across the northern U.S., originated in West Virginia among the hill farms of southern Calhoun County. Though it may have been brought to the mountains from Germany generations before, it was first identified here. Tom Hardman, chairman of Hardman’s Supply Co., says the story of the heirloom’s origin is … Read more

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture has received certification of approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the plan submitted regarding the regulation of industrial hemp. Approval for the plan means producers will continue to be regulated at the state level in lieu of federal oversight, according to W.Va. Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt. … Read more

Following the closure of all non-essential businesses in West Virginia, the state’s two food banks have ramped up efforts to feed the vulnerable, according to the state Department of Agriculture. While precautionary measures have been taken, both food banks continue operations to serve the needs of those facing hunger in all West Virginia counties, Commissioner … Read more