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Agriculture and Consumer Services, Board of

Agriculture and Forestry

Purpose

The Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services is established as a policy board, within the meaning of § 2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government and may adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of this title.
The purpose of the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services is to promote the agricultural interests of the Commonwealth. The board advises the Governor on the state of the industry of agriculture and offers the Governor recommendations on action 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 industry of agriculture in the Commonwealth, 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, has oversight of the programs of the state’s commodity boards and commonwealth’s Farmers’ Market System, and receives periodic reports from these boards concerning their progress in promoting the industry of agriculture, has the authority to prescribe, adopt, and promulgate rules and regulations necessary to administer and enforce laws relating to agriculture, commerce, pesticide use, and the consumer, and is called upon from time to time by the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services for advice and support concerning the development of new agency programs, organizational changes, and other administrative matters.

Term

Four years; no more than two successive terms

Composition

The Board shall consist of (i) one member from each congressional district, at least eight of whom shall be currently practicing farmers, and (ii) two at-large members, one of whom shall be a structural commercial applicator of pesticides and one of whom shall be engaged in the commercial sale or application of agricultural pesticides; all members to be appointed by the Governor for a term of four years and confirmed by the General Assembly. The presidents of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and Virginia State University or their designees shall be ex officio members of the Board with voting privileges. All members of the Board shall be citizens of the Commonwealth. No member of the Board, except the ex officio members, shall be eligible for more than two successive terms; provided that persons appointed to fill vacancies may serve two additional successive terms after the terms of the vacancies they were appointed to fill have expired. All vacancies in the membership of the Board shall be filled by the Governor for the unexpired term.

Vacant Seats

The seat descriptions indicate if there is a specific requirement for that seat (a profession, consumer, someone who lives in a certain congressional district, etc.). If there is only a number listed (Seat 7), there is no specific criteria for that seat. A “citizen” seat requires someone who is not affiliated with that profession. If you're interested in any of these seats, please submit an application here.

Congressional District 8	1 seat
Total seats available: 1

Current Board Members

Ms Margaret Ann Smith

Congressional District 6 Membership expires on 6/30/2027

Raymond G. Keating

Congressional District 3 Membership expires on 6/30/2027

Keith Harris

Congressional District 1 Membership expires on 6/30/2027

Virginia P. Barnes

Structural Commercial Applicator of Pesticides Membership expires on 6/30/2028

Charles T Church

Professional in Commercial Sale or Application of Agricultural Pesticides Membership expires on 6/30/2028

Cecil Shell

Congressional District 5 Membership expires on 6/30/2029

Brantley Ivey

Congressional District 9 Membership expires on 6/30/2029

William Gwaltney

Congressional District 2 Membership expires on 6/30/2029

Renee Munasifi

Congressional District 11 Membership expires on 6/30/2029

Mrs. Brittany Faith Jones

Congressional District 4 Membership expires on 6/30/2029

Dr. Amanda Weakley-Scott

Congressional District 7 Membership expires on 6/30/2029

Tyler Wegmeyer

Congressional District 10 Membership expires on 6/30/2029