Virginia Farm Bureau Members Appointed to VDACS Board of Directors

Governor McDonnell has announced the following appointments to the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services:

• Shelley S. Butler Barlow of Suffolk, Assistant Farm Manager of Cotton Plains Farm, Inc.
• L. Wayne Kirby of Mechanicsville, self-employed Grain Producer
• John R. Marker of Winchester, Orchardist at Marker-Miller Orchards
• Mark A. McCann of Newport, Professor of Animal and Poultry Sciences at Virginia Tech
• Robert J. Mills, Jr.* of Callands, Managing Partner of M-C Cattle Company
• Steve W. Sturgis* of Eastville, Farmer and Owner of Tri-S Farms, Inc.
• Luther Kirk Wiles, III* of Clifton, Founder and Owner of Paradise Springs Winery

* denotes reappointment

All of the above are Virginia Farm Bureau Federation members.

The Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services has fifteen members. The Board consists of one member from each of the 11 congressional district, at least eight of whom are currently working farmers, and two at-large members, one of whom is a structural commercial applicator of pesticides and one of whom is engaged in the commercial sale or application of agricultural pesticides. The presidents of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and Virginia State University or their designees are ex officio members of the Board with voting privileges. A full term of appointment is four years. Except for those who are initially appointed to fill an un-expired term, each citizen member is eligible to serve no more than two successive terms. In addition to its other duties, the Board now promulgates regulations to certify pesticide applicators, register pesticide products and issue pesticide business licenses in order to protect individuals and the environment through the safe and effective control of pests that adversely affect health, crops, structures and domestic animals.

The Board:

• Promotes the agricultural interest of Virginia,
• Has the power to receive and hold in trust donations made for the advancement of agricultural interests and to administer such trusts,
• Advises the governor on the state of the industry of agriculture and offers the governor recommendations on actions to be taken to promote the industry's development,
• Works with members of the agricultural community and with federal and state agencies to develop and implement programs that will provide for a strong and viable Virginia agriculture,
• Receives annual reports from the state's commodity boards concerning their progress in promoting the industry,
• Has the authority to prescribe, adopt and promulgate rules and regulations necessary to administer and enforce laws relating to agriculture, commerce and the consumer,
• Is called upon by the commissioner from time to time to give advice and support concerning the development of new agency programs, organizational changes and other administrative matters,
• Represents the broad interests of the public for the development of a strong industry of agriculture and efficient and responsive programs for serving and protecting the consumer.

The board holds four to five regular business meetings a year. With the exception of the July meeting, which is usually held in a different area of the state each year, the board meetings are conducted in the Richmond offices of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Additional meetings required for public hearings, planning, and new member orientation are held as needed. Public hearings are normally held in conjunction with regular business meetings. (Please note that you must select Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services on the Commonwealth Regulatory Town Hall in order to view Board meeting notices and minutes on that web site. See meetings for schedules and locations).