September 18, 2025CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) is urging livestock producers to take proactive steps as drought conditions continue to impact much of the state. To prevent long-term damage to pastureland, WVDA recommends confining cattle if feeding hay and reducing grazing pressure until rainfall improves conditions. Overgrazing during drought can weaken forage stands, making it …
August 7, 2025Carole Daniels – Randolph County Carole and her husband Ed own and operate Shady Grove Botanicals in Randolph County where they have been practicing sustainable forest farming since the 1990s. Their focus is on cultivating at-risk native medicinal herbs. Carole’s impact reaches far beyond her farm. In 2018, she and Ed began teaching youth how to grow medicinal …
July 17, 2025CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia University Parkersburg (WVUP) has been awarded funding through the West Virginia Department of Agriculture’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Program to expand its capacity to serve local farmers and strengthen the region’s food supply chain. The grant will be formally presented to WVU Parkersburg on Tuesday, June 24, at 9:00 a.m. at The …
July 2, 2025CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Mountain State Co-Op has been awarded funding through the West Virginia Department of Agriculture’s (WVDA) Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Program to expand cold storage, warehousing, and distribution capabilities, strengthening West Virginia’s regional food supply chain. A formal grant presentation will take place on Monday, July 7, at 2:00 p.m. at the Co-Op’s facility in …
June 18, 2025CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) has confirmed the presence of the Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) in Berkeley County, marking the first detection of the invasive pest in the state. Native to East Asia, the Box Tree Moth (BTM) feeds primarily on boxwood plants (Buxus species), a popular ornamental shrub widely used in …
June 18, 2025CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia University Parkersburg (WVUP) has been awarded funding through the West Virginia Department of Agriculture’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Program to expand its capacity to serve local farmers and strengthen the region’s food supply chain. The grant will be formally presented to WVU Parkersburg on Tuesday, June 24, at 9:00 a.m. at The …