Matthew J. Lohr, 14th
Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
(VDACS), announced today that he will be leaving the agency in early December
to begin a new position as Director of the Farm Credit of the Virginias
Knowledge Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Lohr has been VDACS Commissioner
since his appointment by Governor Robert F. McDonnell in May 2010. He currently
serves as the President of the Southern Association of State Departments of
Agriculture, a post he will leave upon his departure from VDACS.
“Serving as the Commissioner of
VDACS has been an amazing honor and opportunity,” Lohr said. “I have enjoyed
assisting Governor McDonnell and Agriculture and Forestry Secretary Todd
Haymore in strengthening our Commonwealth’s number one industry. We have worked
tirelessly to assist producers, promote agriculture and increase its importance
and visibility all across the state. It
has been a wonderful experience championing an industry I care about so
passionately.”
The mission of the Farm Credit
Knowledge Center is to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and resources for
the betterment of all farmers through customer-focused programs that increase
and advance the knowledge base of the agricultural community. “Here I will have
the opportunity to build relationships and serve as a resource for young,
beginning, small, minority and veteran farmers, as well as the established
full-time producers,” Lohr said. “It's a very exciting opportunity and one that
will allow me to work from Harrisonburg and be at home much more for my two
young children.”
“Matt has led VDACS with
distinction and honor over the last three and one-half years and the agency is
a better place for his service,” said Secretary Haymore. “He’s been a great
partner in implementing the strategic plan behind the Governor’s decision to
integrate fully agriculture and forestry into the administration’s overall
economic development agenda. Our work
with the private sector on the Governor’s agenda has yielded much success and
Matt deserves credit for achieving those accomplishments. Indeed, his passion
for the promotion and betterment of Virginia agriculture is unmatched and I
know that he’ll bring the same passion to his new role with Farm Credit.”
Haymore noted that Governor
McDonnell will announce soon a VDACS leadership transition plan for the
remaining months of the administration.
Prior to coming to VDACS, Lohr
represented the 26th House District in the Virginia state legislature from 2005
to 2010. A lifelong farmer, Lohr and his family currently operate a 250 acre
farm that includes commercial poultry, beef, row crops and sweet corn.
Prior to coming to VDACS, Lohr
represented the 26th House District in the Virginia state legislature from 2005
to 2010. A lifelong farmer, Lohr and his family currently operate a 250 acre
farm that includes commercial poultry, beef, row crops and sweet corn.
A graduate of Virginia Tech,
Lohr was very involved in the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, winning the
American Farm Bureau “Excellence in Agriculture Award” in 2003. He also served several years as his county
Farm Bureau president and chaired both the Rockingham County Planning
Commission and School Board.
As a youth, Lohr was very
active in the FFA organization where he served as state president and national
vice president in the early 1990s.
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