Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is a Virginia state agency that administers the Virginia Pesticide Control Act, licensing pesticide businesses and certified applicators, enforcing product registration, and operating the Office of Pesticide Services educational platform for regulated industries, agricultural workers, homeowners, and educators across the Commonwealth.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1877
- HeadquartersRichmond, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services does
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is a state executive branch agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia, founded in 1877 and headquartered at 102 Governor Street, Richmond. It administers agricultural development, consumer protection, and regulatory programs through internal offices including the Office of Pesticide Services (OPS), Office of Plant Industry Services (OPIS), and Office of Veterinary Services (OVS). The agency's core function relevant to public-facing operations is enforcement of the Virginia Pesticide Control Act in coordination with the federal FIFRA framework, covering pesticide business licensing, applicator certification, product registration, marketplace inspections, complaint investigation, and civil penalty enforcement under Section 3.2-3943.
VDACS operates the vapesticidesafety.com educational platform, a comprehensive public resource providing pesticide safety, integrated pest management (IPM), pest identification, Worker Protection Standard (WPS) compliance, and pre-construction termite treatment guidance for homeowners, industry professionals, agricultural workers, builders, and K-12 audiences. The agency maintains weekly-updated public licensing and applicator databases, a searchable civil penalty database, and content partnerships with Virginia Tech Pesticide Programs (VTPP), Virginia Cooperative Extension, EPA, CDC, the National Pesticide Information Center, and industry associations such as VPMA and NPMA. Operational programs include the EPA-funded Bed Bug Outreach and Education Program and a pesticide disposal program that removed more than 62,000 pounds of unwanted pesticides and recycled nearly 167,000 pounds of plastic containers.
As a government entity, VDACS is funded through annual Virginia state budget appropriations rather than commercial revenue. The agency collects licensing and registration fees from pesticide businesses, applicators, and product registrants to support regulatory operations. Its customer base is the regulated Virginia public and industry: commercial pesticide applicators and businesses, agricultural employers and farm workers subject to WPS, retailers and distributors, builders, homeowners, and educators.
Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services
- Legal name
- Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
- Website
- https://vapesticidesafety.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1877
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is a Virginia state agency that administers the Virginia Pesticide Control Act, licensing pesticide businesses and certified applicators, enforcing product registration, and operating the Office of Pesticide Services educational platform for regulated industries, agricultural workers, homeowners, and educators across the Commonwealth.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Government Pesticide Regulatory Services
- NAICS
- Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150), Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (92615), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)
- SIC
- Agricultural Chemicals (2870)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pesticide & Agricultural Chemical Health Regulators (HLAJAFAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Regulatory Compliance, Licensing & Enforcement (Public Health) (HLAJAMAE), Environmental Protection Agencies & Environmental Health Departments (HLAJAFAA), Hazardous Chemicals & Toxic Substances Regulators (REACH/TSCA-style) (HLAJAFAF)
Keywords
Where Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Richmond
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Pesticide Business Licensing Fees: VDACS issues pesticide business licenses to commercial pesticide applicators, dealers, and distributors. Fees support regulatory operations and enforcement activities under the Virginia Pesticide Control Act.
- Pesticide Product Registration Fees: Virginia law requires all pesticides manufactured, distributed, sold, offered for sale, used or offered for use within the Commonwealth to be registered with VDACS. Registrants pay fees for state registration.
- Applicator Certification and Training Fees: Fees associated with commercial applicator certification exams, registered technician certifications, private applicator certifications, and government employee certifications. Recertification courses also generate fees.
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), through its Office of Pesticide Services, administers the Virginia Pesticide Control Act and related regulations under FIFRA. The agency issues pesticide business licenses, registers pesticide products distributed in Virginia, certifies commercial and private applicators, enforces the Worker Protection Standard for agricultural establishments, and maintains a public educational website on pesticide safety, integrated pest management, and pest identification. It also conducts marketplace inspections, investigates complaints, and issues civil penalties for non-compliance.
Product overview
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) operates the Office of Pesticide Services, which provides a comprehensive suite of regulatory and educational services focused on pesticide safety and integrated pest management. The primary digital offering is the Virginia Pesticide Safety Website, an educational portal serving homeowners, industry professionals, and children with resources on pest identification, pesticide safety, and compliance requirements. Supporting programs include the Bed Bug Outreach and Education Program, Pesticide Applicator Certification, Pesticide Business Licensing, and Agricultural Worker Protection Standard compliance assistance. The Office also provides access to product registration databases and technical guidance for pre-construction termite treatments and wood decay fungus management. This is a government regulatory and educational portfolio rather than a commercial software product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Virginia Pesticide Safety Website
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 62,000 pounds of unwanted pesticides removed from Virginia through the state program
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Virginia Tech - Pesticide Programs (VTPP)coreVirginia Tech Pesticide Programs develops pesticide training materials, certification prep courses, and online instruction in partnership with VDACS. VTPP produces the applicator training manuals required for Virginia pesticide certification and maintains training resources at vtpp.ext.vt.edu.
- Virginia Cooperative Extension Service (VCE)coreVDACS partners with Virginia Cooperative Extension to provide educational resources including learning modules on Integrated Pest Management and Plant Diseases for homeowners, agricultural education materials, and county-level compliance assistance through local extension agents.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)coreEPA provides federal pesticide regulatory framework through FIFRA. VDACS coordinates with EPA on bed bug outreach programs, Worker Protection Standard implementation, and pesticide safety education. EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs develops training materials and safety guidelines used by VDACS.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Office of Pesticide ProgramscoreThrough an EPA grant, VDACS OPS partnered with Dr. Dini Miller of Virginia Tech to develop bed bug educational videos, fact sheets, and presentations as part of a bed bug outreach and education project.
- Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative (PERC)majorPERC operates under a cooperative agreement between EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs and University of California Davis Extension in collaboration with Oregon State University. PERC aids EPA in developing pesticide education materials including WPS training resources, respiratory protection guides, and pesticide safety posters distributed by VDACS.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)majorVDACS shares CDC mosquito and vector-borne disease resources on the Virginia Pesticide Safety website including Zika Virus prevention information, West Nile Virus resources, and tick-borne disease prevention materials.
- Virginia Pest Management Association (VPMA)coreVPMA serves as the primary industry association for pest management professionals in Virginia. VDACS works with VPMA to distribute regulatory updates, training opportunities, and compliance information. VPMA offers the Master Technician Program and WDI Inspector Certification in coordination with VDACS requirements.
- Virginia Department of Health (VDH)majorVDH and VDACS coordinate on vector-borne disease prevention including shared mosquito control information, Zika Virus updates, and tick-borne disease resources. VDH's Environmental Health Services also administers food regulations relevant to pest management in food establishments.
- Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)majorDEQ administers the Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) general permit for pesticide discharges to surface waters. VDACS coordinates with DEQ onfumigation facility air permit exemptions and pesticide discharge requirements.
- National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC)majorNPIC provides objective, science-based information about pesticides to the public. VDACS references NPIC resources on the Virginia Pesticide Safety website for pest-specific information including bed bug, stink bug, and mosquito control guidance.
- National Pest Management Association (NPMA)majorNPMA provides pest management industry resources, educational videos, and research. VDACS links to NPMA resources including Pestworld for Kids, bed bug information, and industry publications on the Virginia Pesticide Safety website.
- Fairfax County Disease Carrying Insects ProgramminorFairfax County's DCIP program provides innovative educational resources including children's e-books about mosquitoes and ticks, Fight the Bite materials, and vector-borne disease prevention resources shared on the VDACS website.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: NCDA&CS Structural Pest Control and Pesticide Division licenses pesticide applicators and registers products in North Carolina. Operates a near-identical mandate to VDACS as a neighboring Southeastern state pesticide regulator.
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation - Pesticides Program: NYSDEC's Bureau of Pesticides Management administers the state's pesticide regulations, certifying applicators and registering products under a comparable statutory framework. Directly comparable in regulatory function and federal-state coordination model.
- Texas Department of Agriculture: Texas Department of Agriculture administers pesticide applicator licensing and product registration under the Texas Pesticide Law. A structurally analogous state-level pesticide regulator with comparable licensing, certification, and enforcement functions.
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: Florida's FDACS (note the identical agency name) houses an Agricultural Environmental Services division that regulates pesticides, licenses applicators, and conducts marketplace inspections. Highly comparable in scope, structure, and consumer-protection mission to VDACS.
- California Department of Pesticide Regulation: California's state pesticide regulator administers the nation's largest state pesticide program, licensing applicators, registering products, and enforcing worker safety standards. Directly comparable to VDACS Office of Pesticide Services in statutory mandate and program structure.
- Oregon Department of Agriculture - Pesticides Program: Oregon's ODA Pesticides Program administers applicator licensing, product registration, and enforcement under a parallel state pesticide regulatory structure. A direct state-peer in regulatory scope and FIFRA-implementation function.
Others
- Virginia Tech Pesticide Programs (VTPP): VTPP develops the pesticide applicator training manuals, certification prep courses, and learning modules that VDACS relies on. As a core academic and training partner, VTPP is functionally enabler of VDACS's certification program and adjacent in mission.
- National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC): NPIC provides objective, science-based pesticide information to the public and is referenced extensively on VDACS's website. Functions as a national information clearinghouse that complements VDACS's state-level education role.
- National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA): NASDA convenes and represents state agriculture departments including VDACS, coordinating on federal pesticide policy, training, and program funding. An ecosystem-level peer and policy intermediary rather than a direct operational competitor.
Broad incumbents
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Pesticide Programs: EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs sets the federal regulatory framework (FIFRA, WPS) under which VDACS operates. As the overarching federal incumbent, it shapes the scope, funding, and policy environment for state pesticide regulators.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services social profiles
Digital presenceVirginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
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Frequently asked questions about Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services
What does Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services do?
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), through its Office of Pesticide Services, administers the Virginia Pesticide Control Act and related regulations under FIFRA. The agency issues pesticide business licenses, registers pesticide products distributed in Virginia, certifies commercial and private applicators, enforces the Worker Protection Standard for agricultural establishments, and maintains a public educational website on pesticide safety, integrated pest management, and pest identification. It also conducts marketplace inspections, investigates complaints, and issues civil penalties for non-compliance.
Is Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services a public or private company?
Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services founded?
Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services was founded in 1877. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services based?
Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services is headquartered in Richmond, United States, in the North America region.
How does Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Pesticide Business Licensing Fees are the primary driver. The others are pesticide Product Registration Fees and applicator Certification and Training Fees.
Who are Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation - Pesticides Program, Texas Department of Agriculture, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, California Department of Pesticide Regulation and Oregon Department of Agriculture - Pesticides Program. Others are Virginia Tech Pesticide Programs (VTPP), National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) and National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Pesticide Programs is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services.
What industry is Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services in?
Virginia Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services's product category is Government Pesticide Regulatory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAFAG, Pesticide & Agricultural Chemical Health Regulators, with a secondary code of HLAJAMAE, Regulatory Compliance, Licensing & Enforcement (Public Health). Its NAICS code is 926150 and its SIC code is 2870.