News

West Virginia Agriculture Commissioner, Kent Leonhardt, was presented with two awards during the Commencement ceremonies at the Eastern Community and Technical College.

For the upcoming Primary Election, Kent Leonhardt has received endorsements from the WV Coal Association, Farm Bureau, Business and Industry Council, and West Virginians for Life.

A dozen Republican state agriculture commissioners have penned a letter to six U.S. megabanks, informing them that their push for ESG investing could wind up leading to price increases and may impact food availability.

Reported cases of Avian Influenza are surging across the country and in some of West Virginia’s surrounding states. Despite this, the Mountain State remains untouched by the virus as of Jan. 8.

Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt was invited as a VIP to the Epoch TV Red Carpet Premier of No Farmers, No Food - Will You Eat the Bugs documentary.

West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt was elected to a two-year term as Vice President of the Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA) for 2023-2024 on Monday, June 5th during the annual meeting of the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture (SASDA) in Montgomery, Alabama.

Mountaintop Beverage begins production in Morgantown

Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt released the following statement regarding his plans for the 2024 election.

After serving twenty years as Marine Corps Intelligence Officer and five years as the Commissioner of Agriculture, it’s easy to identify trends that have the potential to affect the security of the United States. One trend not being discussed enough is the current levels of stress on our food system. Despite our effort to instill resiliency through local agriculture, our leaders have been slow to act.

West Virginia Grown: Local Agriculture’s Impact and Outlook By Kent Leonhardt, West Virginia Agricultural Commissioner Agriculture has been a cornerstone of the U.S. economy since Pilgrims first arrived at Plymouth Rock. With some of the best farmland in the world, the United States is the second largest agriculture producer right behind China. Agriculture and related industries contribute over $1 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic product each year. In West Virginia, the impact of agricultural commodities is equally significant, accounting for $800 million annually to our economy. If timber products are included, that number jumps to nearly $5 billion. According to the latest U.S. Census of Agriculture, the Mountain State’s approximately 24,000 farm operations rank 25th in poultry and egg production, 27th in Christmas trees, 30th in fruits, tree nuts and berries, and 38th in cattle.

On September 22, at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, NASDA members elected a new slate of officers for the coming year. New York Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball will serve as NASDA’s 2021-2022 President and will host the 2022 NASDA Annual Meeting in Saratoga Springs, New York, on September 25-28, 2022. West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt, the Southern Region Director will serve as the Vice Chair of the Rural Development and Financial Security Committee.

West Virginians know what it means to help one another, especially when times get tough. This has been particularly true over the past year when we were forced to stay apart but were still able to keep our communities strong. Despite our best efforts, some of our most vulnerable West Virginians have been impacted especially hard during the pandemic. As our state and nation look towards economic recovery, we must move forward on a path that is fiscally responsible; that includes Democrats in the White House and Congress keeping their promise to low-income West Virginians. No new tax increases.

BIG news! I have been elected President of the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture. Wes Ward did an amazing job and I look forward to following in his footsteps.

As a fiscal conservative, I strongly believe government should strive to keep budgets in check, find efficiencies and use taxpayers’ money wisely in our efforts to keep tax burdens low.

By Megan Bsharah CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Nationally, there have been stories about some farmers having to throw away produce, milk and other crops during the Coronavirus pandemic. In West Virginia, some farmers are wondering what to do next. Lisa and John DuMars own The Garden Path farm in Tyler County, W.Va. “Without all of us, the food supply is really it’s critically damaged without small farmers," Lisa DuMars said. Their mission is to provide healthy, homegrown food to healthcare workers, schools and other members of their small community. But, the Coronavirus pandemic has left the DuMars wondering if they will be able to do just that. “Doctor’s prescribe produce to patients for a duration over the season to improve their health. So it’s food is medicine. So that’s a question. And we work with schools. And of course, schools being out." Around the country, some crops are going to waste as the supply and demand chain for food has drastically changed. Commissioner Kent Leonhardt of the W.Va. Department of Agriculture said grocery stores are having a hard time keeping stocked. “I've seen national averages of 30% of food being eaten by Americans was at restaurants," Leonhardt said. "And with the shut down of restaurants, that food supply chain is changed. It’s not getting to the grocery stores as quickly.” On the state level, the W.Va. Department of Agriculture is working to keep farmers afloat during the crisis. They are working to keep farmers' markets open, and they have employees surveying the needs of food banks across the state. “We’re making sure that we have a steady supply of food going out to the needy in the state of West Virginia, so no West Virginian goes hungry," Leonhardt said. For the DuMars, they will continue to grow crops as they cross their fingers hoping the crisis will end soon. “We are hopeful that people will have a new appreciation for sources of food that are available locally," DuMars said.

As the coronavirus outbreak continues, his agency has the responsibility of assuring safe food is getting where it needs to go.

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture has submitted the state's plan to regulate industrial hemp to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

According to the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, industrial hemp farmers in West Virginia more than quadrupled crop production in 2019 compared to the previous year.

With hunting season just around the corner, hundreds of thousands of hunters in West Virginia are preparing to head into the woods. Hunting, obvious to any native West Virginian, has always been an important part of our culture here in the Mountain State. Many do this for sport, to connect to our ancestors or teach a new generation where food really comes from.

One of the longest-running ceremonies in Parkersburg honored our nation’s fallen heroes. Veterans and families gathered for the 63rd annual Memorial Day ceremony at Sunset Memory Gardens Cemetery in south Parkersburg Saturday. This year, the cemetery unveiled its new Garden of Allegiance and Honor dedicated just for fallen veterans and their spouses.

The election is over, and to the victors go the spoils. To all who ran, thank you for putting your name on the ballot because you helped keep our democratic traditions alive. Each cycle everyday citizens, like those who just campaigned, step up and put their reputations on the line...