Va Dept Of Agriculture

What Va Dept Of Agriculture does

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is a state government agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia, established in 1877 and headquartered at 102 Governor Street in Richmond within the Oliver W. Hill Building on the State Capitol grounds. The agency is organized into five divisions — the Commissioner's Office, Animal & Food Industry Services, Commodity Services, Consumer Protection, and Marketing & Development — providing regulatory oversight, licensing, inspection, marketing, and consumer protection services to Virginia's farmers, agribusinesses, charitable organizations, and consumers. It is governed by the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services (authorized by the General Assembly in 1888) and led since January 17, 2026 by Commissioner Charles Green, the agency's 19th commissioner.

VDACS operates a portfolio of government services and programs including a network of four Regional Animal Health Laboratories (RAHLS) offering regulatory and diagnostic testing (bacteriology, serology, virology, parasitology, pathology, molecular testing); agricultural commodity inspection and grading for meat, poultry, dairy, and produce; pesticide product registration and applicator certification; charitable gaming and solicitation regulation; and the daily Market News Service operating for over 100 years. Its marketing and development arm runs Virginia Grown, Virginia's Finest, Virginia Farm to School, the Century Farm/Forest recognition programs (1,610 designated Century Farms), and the Virginia Food Access Investment Fund Grants. Digital platforms include the WebGrants application portal, a 24/7 Laboratory Information Management System (managed by Trace First, Inc.), and the Evoke online charitable registration platform.

VDACS's revenue mechanics are predominantly non-commercial: it is funded primarily through Commonwealth of Virginia appropriations, supplemented by licensing and permit fees (charitable organization registration $10–$500, charitable gaming permits, pesticide business licenses, CFA certification $30) and federal pass-through disaster relief such as the Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant Program supporting Hurricane Helene recovery across 27 Virginia localities. The agency maintains no commercial sales motion; instead it operates a community-led and regulatory go-to-market through direct agency services, field offices, partner organizations (Virginia Cooperative Extension, USDA Farm Service Agency, Virginia Department of Forestry), and a global network of international trade representatives covering China, Canada, the UK, Taiwan, and Belgium.

Name

Va Dept Of Agriculture

Legal name

Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Website

https://vdacs.virginia.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1877

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VDACS is a Virginia state government agency, established in 1877, that provides agricultural regulatory oversight, food safety inspection, animal health diagnostics, pesticide certification, marketing programs, and disaster relief to Virginia's farmers, agribusinesses, and consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Agricultural Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Carbon Market MRV (Offsets/Projects: Verra/Gold Standard/ART; registry reporting) (EUAHADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial & Energy MRV (Facilities, Renewables, Methane, Process Emissions) (EUABACAI), Permanence, Reversal & Buffer Pool Analytics (Risk Scoring, Monitoring, Claims) (EUABACAL)

Keywords

• Agricultural regulation services
• Food safety inspection
• Pesticide regulation
• Agricultural marketing programs
• Consumer protection services

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Appropriations: VDACS is a state government agency primarily funded through Commonwealth of Virginia appropriations and budgets.
2. Licensing and Registration Fees: Fees for various licenses and registrations including charitable gaming permits ($100-$500), pesticide business licenses, applicator certifications, and food business registrations.
3. Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant Program: Federal disaster relief funding distributed to eligible producers and timber owners impacted by Hurricane Helene across 27 Virginia localities.
4. Procurement Services: VDACS maintains procurement opportunities through the eVA electronic procurement system for contractors and vendors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

VDACS is a state government agency that delivers regulatory oversight, licensing, inspection, consumer protection, and marketing services to Virginia's agricultural sector. Its core offerings include animal health diagnostic laboratory testing across four regional labs, agricultural commodity and food inspection and grading, pesticide applicator certification and product registration, charitable gaming and solicitation regulation, marketing programs (Virginia's Finest, Virginia Grown, Farm to School), daily market news reporting, and disaster relief grants such as the Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant for Hurricane Helene recovery.

Product overview

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is a government agency organized into five divisions offering regulatory oversight, consumer protection, and economic development services for Virginia agriculture. The portfolio includes disaster relief programs (Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant), animal health laboratory and inspection services, agricultural commodity inspection and grading, market news dissemination, pesticide regulation, and marketing programs (Virginia's Finest, Virginia Grown, Farm to School). VDACS operates digital platforms including WebGrants for grant applications, Laboratory Information Management System for 24/7 case access, and Evoke Platform for charitable registration. Key programs include the Virginia Century Farm recognition, Certified Fertilizer Applicator certification, charitable gaming regulation, and food access investment grants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Virginia Grown: Marketing program for locally grown Virginia agricultural products
• Virginia's Finest

Products and services

• Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant Program

Quantifiable outcome

• $82.3 billion annual economic impact generated by Virginia agriculture industry
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Virginia Department of ForestrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for the Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant Program providing disaster assistance to producers and timber owners impacted by Hurricane Helene. The partnership combines VDACS agricultural expertise with the Department of Forestry's timber and forest land management capabilities.
• Virginia Cooperative ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for the Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant Program. Extension provides agricultural expertise, outreach, and technical assistance to farmers across Virginia localities impacted by natural disasters.
• USDA Farm Service AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner for agricultural programs providing disaster assistance, farm loans, and conservation programs to Virginia farmers. VDACS refers farmers to FSA for federal program information and eligibility determination.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal conservation partner providing technical and financial assistance for farmland preservation and environmental stewardship programs benefiting Virginia agriculture.
• Virginia Department of Education, Office of School and Community Nutrition ProgramscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Virginia Farm to School Program and Crunch Heard 'Round the Commonwealth event. VDOE-SCNP collaborates with VDACS to connect schools with local farmers and promote healthy eating.
• USDA Patrick Leahy Farm to School ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal program supporting Virginia's farm to school initiatives. VDACS participates in the national farm to school network providing federal resources and support for local school nutrition programs.
• FARMVA (Farm Mediation Virginia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing credit counseling free of charge for agricultural producers. FARMVA offers mediation services to resolve disputes between producers and lenders or other agencies, with funding support from VDACS.
• AgriSafeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization partnering with VDACS to provide mental health resources for Virginia farmers through AgriStress Helpline (1-833-897-2474), FarmResponse training, and Cultivating a Healthy Mind curriculum.
• Virginia Tech/AgrAbilityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Virginia Tech and Virginia Cooperative Extension offering training, events, and Farm Safety, Health and Wellness Toolkit for farmers and farm families.
• Virginia Farm BureauminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agricultural organization maintaining links to mental health resources for farmers, with coordination through VDACS farmer stress partnerships programs.
• Virginia Tech Animal Laboratory Services (ViTALS)coreTechnology or IntegrationJoint quarterly publication Virginia Animal Diagnostics newsletter with Virginia Regional Animal Health Laboratory System (RAHLS). ViTALS is a veterinary diagnostic laboratory collaborating on animal health diagnostics and information sharing.
• Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, University of VirginiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership producing the annual Economic Impact of Virginia's Agriculture and Forest Industries study providing comprehensive data on agriculture's contribution to Virginia's economy.
• Virginia Agricultural CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCouncil established by the Virginia General Assembly to provide financing mechanism for agricultural research, education and services. VDACS oversees the council's activities and programs.
• Virginia Agricultural Commodity BoardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple commodity boards enhancing sale of Virginia farm commodities through market development, promotional, educational and research programs. VDACS provides administrative oversight and coordination.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS): Federal counterpart to VDACS's animal and plant health regulatory functions, including diagnostic laboratory standards, animal disease surveillance (avian influenza, screwworm), and interstate movement regulation. Not a direct competitor but the federal agency whose standards, funding, and program coordination frame much of VDACS's regulatory activity.

Direct peers

• Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture: Mid-Atlantic peer state agency responsible for animal health, plant industry, food safety, and marketing programs serving Pennsylvania's diverse agricultural base. Highly comparable in size, structure, and program mix to VDACS.
• North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: Virginia's direct regional counterpart in the same legal category — a state department of agriculture and consumer services with parallel regulatory, inspection, and marketing divisions. The current VDACS Commissioner, Charles Green, previously worked in international trade for NCDA&CS, underscoring the structural similarity of mandates, services, and operational models between the two agencies.
• Ohio Department of Agriculture: State-level department of agriculture providing animal health, plant health, food safety, and consumer protection services. Comparable to VDACS in regulatory mandate, division structure, and service model.
• Texas Department of Agriculture: A peer state-level department of agriculture that delivers the same regulatory, marketing, and consumer protection functions for a much larger agricultural economy. Comparable in scope and structure (commodity boards, field offices, lab services) but operating at a substantially larger scale, making it a relevant benchmark for VDACS's operational footprint.
• New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets: State department responsible for food safety inspection, animal and plant health, agricultural licensing, and marketing programs across New York's farm economy. Closely comparable in scope and structure to VDACS.
• California Department of Food and Agriculture: State department offering the same core menu — inspection, marketing, plant health, animal health labs, consumer protection — across California's much larger agricultural economy. Directly comparable as a peer state agency with analogous statutory authority, division structure, and lab network.
• Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: Sister state department with the same name and statutory mission profile (agriculture plus consumer services), making it the closest naming and scope peer. Operates a comparable combination of regulatory, licensing, and consumer protection functions across a major agricultural economy.

Others

• Virginia Department of Forestry: Sister state agency with overlapping jurisdiction on timber-related disaster recovery, forestry incentives, and conservation programming. Co-administers programs like the Virginia Century Forest designation with VDACS, providing a natural jurisdictional peer for forestry-adjacent services.
• Virginia Cooperative Extension: Partner organization that delivers farmer-facing outreach and education services that complement VDACS's regulatory and marketing programs. Listed as a strategic partner on the Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant Program and is integral to VDACS's farmer support ecosystem rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vaagriculture
• Facebookfacebook.com/VaAgriculture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/va-dept-of-agriculture
• Instagraminstagram.com/va_agriculture

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Va Dept Of Agriculture