Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Records of the Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, 2010-2021 (bulk 2018-2021). Accession 53495, State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Transferred on 7 January 2022 by the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, 1111 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23219.

Historical Information

Finally established in 2004, the eventual creation of the Agriculture and Forestry secretariat began with a 2001 gubernatorial campaign promise made by Governor Mark R. Warner to provide cabinet level representation for the agriculture and forestry industry. Further support for the creation of the secretariat came from the Governor's Agriculture Net Receipts Work Group, a task force created in 2003 by Governor Warner through the Secretary of Commerce and Trade. The goal of the task force was to determine strategies and recommendations for doubling the net profits of Virginia's agricultural sector between 2004 and 2014. Among the task force's recommendations was the creation of the, "Office of Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry to provide focus and emphasis in the development of the agriculture and forest industries." In 2004, the General Assembly of Virginia created the cabinet position of Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry with the passing of Senate Bill SB 543 and witnessed its codification through 2.2-203.3 of the Code of Virginia. Speaking at the appointment ceremony of the first Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, Governor Warner reiterated his commitment to, "support and expand our agriculture and forestry industries" and recalled his desire to, "make sure these very important sectors of Virginia's economy received a seat at my cabinet table."

The Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry is appointed by the Governor, confirmed by the General Assembly, and serves at the Governor's pleasure. It is the secretary's responsibility to oversee several agencies and other entities that formerly reported to the Office of the Secretary of Commerce and Trade. Among the agencies reporting to the Agriculture and Forestry secretariat are the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department of Forestry, the Virginia Agricultural Council, and the Virginia Marine Products Board. The Governor may assign or reassign agencies to and from the Agriculture and Forestry secretariat through the use of executive orders. The secretary's role in leading agencies within the Agriculture and Forestry secretariat is to provide guidance and direction, "in the conservation, protection, and development of Virginia's agricultural and forest resources and in protecting the Virginia Consumer."

Governor Northam appointed Bettina K. Ring to serve as Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, 2018-2022.

Scope and Content

Records, 2010-2021 (bulk 2018-2021), created and maintained by Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, Bettina K. Ring, and Deputy Secretary, Heidi Hertz, during the administration of Governor Ralph Northam (2018-2022). The records include bills, correspondence, itineraries, memorandum, reports, and other working papers.

Included is information on cannabis legislation, including bill outlines, correspondence, and reports, but the majority of the records are copies of the House (HB 2312) and Senate (SB 1406) bills. Included are files relating to trade missions to Cuba and Israel; decision briefs; AFID reports; and disaster designations. The bulk of the collection are the Gold Sheets (Governor Decision Requests), which include correspondence, memorandum on the decision along with signatures, finances, and reports. The decisions relate to the approval of AFID grants, regulations, trade missions, agreements with the US EPA, and establishment of committees, among others. Included are several Gold Sheets relating to hemp products and marijuana legislation.

The Governor's Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund is a discretionary, performance-based economic development incentive specifically for agriculture and forestry value-added or processing projects. The AFID program supports agribusinesses of all sizes including produce companies, dairy processors, meat and poultry processors, specialty food and beverage manufacturers, greenhouse operations, forest product manufacturers and more. The fund can also support aquaculture projects such as oyster production and nurseries producing native plants for stormwater BMPs. An AFID facility grant is awarded to a political subdivision for the benefit of the company, with the expectation that the grant is critical to the success of the new or expanding facility. The grant amount and terms are determined by the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry and approved by the Governor.

Also included are several files from the offices of Secretary Ring and Deputy Secretary Hertz. The files contain information on Colonial Downs, hemp production, Governor's Children's Cabinet and Nutrition and Food Security, Good Neighbor Agreement, Conference on Agricultural Trade, Historical Horse Racing, and Virginia Sentinel Landscapes.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged alphabetically by folder title.