One Cool Virginia Grown Corn Maze

Peanut Food Safety Workshop

The Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (VDACS) will sponsor a Peanut Food Safety Workshop this September 29 and 30, 2009 at the Tidewater Agriculture Research & Extension Center in Suffolk, Virginia. Please call (757) 569-1100 for additional details and registration information.

Virginia's Finest to Participate in State Fair

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) will host a Virginia's Finest pavilion at the upcoming State Fair of Virginia. The Virginia's Finest companies that will be participating in the pavilion during the State Fair include:

Thursday, Sept. 24 - Saturday, Sept. 26
Millcroft Farms, Stanley, Virginia
Virginia Heat, Richmond, Virginia
Rowena's, Norfolk, Virginia
Sabrosa Foods, Inc., Hampton, Virginia

Sunday, Sept. 27 - Tuesday, Sept. 29
Don's Best Sauce, Ridgeway, Virginia
Spice Rack Chocolates, Fredericksburg, Virginia
The Good Earth Peanut Co., Skippers, Virginia
Cinnamon Cafe'/Original Brunswick Stew, Lawrenceville, Virginia

Wednesday, Sept. 30 - Friday, Oct. 2
Jody's Popcorn, Virgina Beach, Virginia
Landovel Farm, Fork Union, Virginia
Croftburn Farm Meats LLC, Culpeper, Virginia
Mary's Cakery and Candy Kitchen, King George, Virginia

Saturday, Oct. 3- Sunday, Oct. 4
Virginia Diner, Wakefield, Virginia
Nouvel, LLC, Williamsburg, Virginia
The Williamsburg Chocolatier, Inc., Williamsburg
Bloody's By Buz, Oakton, Virginia

Virginia Farmers Markets Ranked Among Best in the Nation

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is pleased to announce that six Virginia farmers markets were ranked in the Top 20 in “American’s Favorite Farmers Market Contest” sponsored by the American Farmland Trust (AFT).

AFT announced the results Saturday, August 8, which was the last day of National Farmers Market Week. More than 800 markets signed up to participate in the contest. Voters could vote for their favorite market in one of three categories, small, medium or large. Markets are categorized by the number of vendors at each. A small market has 30 vendors or less; medium markets support 31 to 55 vendors and large markets are those with more than 55 vendors.

Among medium markets, Williamsburg ranked number one nationwide. Historic Roanoke came in at number seven, Yorktown at number eight and Goochland at number 19. In the small category, Fairfax ranked number three and Virginia Beach ranked sixth.

New Virginia Grown Web Site

The Virginia Grown web site, www.virginiagrown.com, has recently been updated to make it much more user friendly. The site now allows consumers to search by product and geographic area. The new site also contains a great mapping feature so consumers can easily find how to get to local farms, farmers' markets, roadside stands, etc.

Virginia Grown Strawberries

Virginia's Finest Program Celebrates 20 Years

The Virginia's Finest Trademark Program is proud to celebrate 20 years of excellence, promoting the development of Virginia agriculture and specialty food products. Virginia's Finest highlights top quality Virginia-produced and processed products, including produce, meats, seafood, nuts, snacks, candy and many other gourmet foods and beverages.

The Virginia's Finest Program is one of the most highly regarded marketing vehicles in the Commonwealth. It gives Virginia companies that have earned this trademark distinction of quality an advantage in the marketplace. Consumers recognize the familiar Virginia's Finest "checkmark" and trust that Virginia's Finest products have been deemed the best of the best. The Virginia's Finest Trademark Program was introduced to the world in 1989 and has grown to more than 1,000 participating agricultural, food, and beverage companies.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is highlighting the trademark program and products throughout this anniversary year. For example, the Virginia Pavilion at the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade’s Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City on June 28 to 30 will give more than a dozen Virginia's Finest companies the opportunity to present their products to one of the largest international markets of retailers, restaurants, groceries, and gift and gourmet stores. September will be designated as Virginia's Finest month and VDACS is hosting a Virginia’s Finest Pavilion at the State Fair of Virginia when it premieres at its new location at the Meadow Event Park in Doswell on September 24 through October 4. For more information on Virginia's Finest and to explore the Virginia’s Finest directory, visit http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/vafinest/index.shtml