The US state of Virginia is one that is increasingly pushing agriculture to the forefront of its ambitions, both domestically and overseas.
And with a plethora of fresh products on offer, from apples – the state is the sixth-largest producer of the fruit in the US – to sweet potatoes via nuts and salads, it is no wonder secretary of agriculture and forestry Todd Haymore enthuses over the progress made by the department in recent years when he speaks with Fruitnet.
'This is my second tour as secretary,' he told Fruitnet. 'Flash backwards to 2007, we had a lot of ideas of how to enhance the state's position in agriculture and forestry both domestically and globally. It's a US$52bn annual industry with about 300,000 jobs, covering every corner of the state, but for whatever reasons agriculture had been left out of the state's economic platform.
'However, in 2010 when governor McDonald was elected he integrated agriculture and forestry into the economic platform, with a strategic plan of enhancing domestic economic development for the segment and increasing exports. We set out to implement a number of global trade representatives to help fly the Virginia flag, in the areas with the most potential for growth.
'On the fresh side, no question apples and tomatoes are the biggest products in Virginia, we are largely known for being one of the leaders for both of these on the East Coast, certainly the mid-Atlantic range.' Haymore explained.
'We have a diversified apple crop, largely in the central to west Virginia range, with a number of growers,' he added. 'As far as exporters are concerned, we have three or four major ones who we work very closely with and help open doors for them – to places like Mexico, India and even Cuba in recent history.'
Stephanie Agee, director of the marketing and development division at the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, outlines her crucial role in bringing Virginian sellers, such as growers and exporters, together with potential buyers.
'The primary goal of my division of the agency, is to connect Virginia sellers in the food supply chain, such as producers, with buyers – locally in Virginia, domestic buyers, and on an international level as well as part of trade marketing missions,' explained Stephanie Agee, director of the marketing and development division at the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
'We're in the UK, Europe, Asia, we have representatives in many markets, Canada, Latin America – based in Mexico but covering the northern part of South America, India, China, and an employee in Hong Kong. We now have the resources to hire new representatives in South East Asia and in the Middle East, so the global marketplace is increasingly important for us – we've realised that it's increasingly important for our producers who we are committed to helping.
'With the secretary's assistance, we have been able to work towards going out and getting legislators in the state to provide us with more resources to keep looking for more new opportunities internationally,' she added.
The full interview will be printed in Eurofruit September
