Specialty Crop Grant Applications Being Accepted(2/17/2022)-The application and guidelines for the 2022 round of Virginia’s portion of the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program can be found on VDACS’ website: https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/sales-specialty-crop-competitive-grant-program.shtml The guidelines can be found here. Please note that the major difference between this year’s application and last is the section on Performance Measures / Outcomes. About the Specialty Crop Block Grant The… Continue reading Specialty Crop Grant Applications Being Accepted
Complete the Commercial Grape Report(10/14/2021)-EVERY GRAPE COUNTS! If you control or manage a vineyard in Virginia, check your email now for the online, easy-to-complete Virginia 2021 Commercial Grape Report. The streamlined survey, which is essential to helping promote our wine industry, is split into two parts this year – a vineyard report on acreage and a crush pad report… Continue reading Complete the Commercial Grape Report
New Laws Take Effect July 1, 2021(7/21/2021)-New Laws Take Effect July 1 (vpap.org) This winter, the Virginia legislature approved more than 600 new laws. Below is a summary of about two dozen of the most high profile new laws that take effect on July 1. Alcohol Alcohol To Go from Restaurants HB 1879SB1299 In light of COVID-19, restaurants are allowed to… Continue reading New Laws Take Effect July 1, 2021
VT Bottling Bulletin(4/18/2021)-Brief Bottling Bulletin Dr. Beth Chang, Enology Extension Specialist, Virginia Cooperative Extension Greetings! Are you bottling? Will you be shortly? Then this is the bulletin for you! We’ve started receiving some (always welcome) questions, and a few instances of post-bottling refermentation have also been communicated. To help address these queries, several reliable resources are listed… Continue reading VT Bottling Bulletin
US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR LAUNCHES INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON AGRICULTURAL ISSUE(3/26/2021)-News Release: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20210325 US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR LAUNCHES INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON EDUCATION, OUTREACH, ENFORCEMENT IN NATION’S AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY WASHINGTON, DC – Throughout the pandemic, farmworkers have remained on the job throughout the nation despite potential exposures to feed Americans and support U.S. exports. As the U.S. Department of Labor recognizes National Farmworker Awareness Week March 25-31, the department’s… Continue reading US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR LAUNCHES INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON AGRICULTURAL ISSUE
Governors Cup Featured in Food & Wine(3/4/2021)-Virginia Launches Its ‘First Wine Trail’ of Top-Rated Wineries The Gold Medal Wine Trail points people towards the state’s best wines. By Mike Pomranz March 03, 2021 Virginia may not be the first state Americans think of when they think of wine, but for any wine lover willing to look beyond the West Coast, Virginia… Continue reading Governors Cup Featured in Food & Wine