This winter USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) released cash rental rates for irrigated and non-irrigated cropland and pastureland for Virginia counties and cities.

Starting a farmers market is a challenging task with numerous issues to be tackled and activities to sequence. While generating a customer and vendor base is clearly fundamental to the successful establishment of a farmers market, there are also key administrative foundations that should be established if the market is to get off on the right foot and have long-term viability.

WASHINGTON, June 1, 2004 - The U. S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will release final data from the 2002 Census of Agriculture for every county and state in the Nation.

WASHINGTON, Mar. 31, 2004-Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Marriott International, Inc. to enhance outreach efforts and expand sales outlets for agricultural commodities produced by minority farmers.

"This is a review of the agrciulture facts within Virginia.  There are more than 47,000 farms in Virginia.  The number of farms in the state has been steadily decreasing and in five decades the number has declined over 50%.   Average size of farms in the commonwealth is 181 acres and it covers approximately 8.1 million acres or about 32% of Virginia’s total land area. ."