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Agriculture 2025: KING, JOHN
After multinational food company Pilgrim’s Pride announced it was closing a Hinton poultry processing plant in 2004 — constituting a major hit to the local economy — Shenandoah Valley turkey growers formed the Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative. The co-op employs 565 people and has 165 member-growers; 100% of VPGC’s profits go back to its growers. […]
Agriculture 2025: WIGNER, PRESTON D.
Wigner took the helm at Universal in October 2024, succeeding George C. Freeman, who retired after 16 years of running the world’s leading supplier of leaf tobacco. Wigner, who joined Universal in 2003, was appointed the agriproducts company’s senior vice president in 2023, as part of a succession planning process. Previously, he’d served as the […]
Agriculture 2025: SINK, SCOTT E.
The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation has new leadership for the first time in 18 years. During the December 2024 annual meeting, voting delegates picked Sink as the leader of the state’s largest farmers’ advocacy group after Wayne Pryor decided not to seek re-election at the end of his ninth term. Growing up on a multigenerational […]
Agriculture 2025: HEATWOLE, CORWIN
Sixth-generation chicken farmer Heatwole started his humane, sustainable and traceable chicken company in 2014. Originally named Shenandoah Valley Organic but rebranded as Farmer Focus in 2020, the company lets farmers own their flocks, make key decisions and receive fair compensation. Farmer Focus has more than 120 farming partners and more than 1,300 team members. In […]
Agriculture 2025: HOUFF, NEIL A.
Starting as a liquid fertilizer business on a Shenandoah family farm in 1975, Houff Corp. grew to provide a range of agricultural and industrial services, including agronomy, supply chain solutions, transloading and biosolids management. Houff, who earned an agriculture education degree from Virginia Tech, has been the corporation’s president since the early 1990s. In recent […]
Agriculture 2025: SMITH, SHANE
Smith became CEO and president of Smithfield Foods in 2021, just as the world’s largest pork product manufacturer and hog producer announced an end to slaughter operations in its hometown of Smithfield, the country’s self- proclaimed “ham capital.” In January, Smithfield launched its initial public offering of 26 million stock shares at $20 per share […]
Agriculture 2025: LOHR, MATTHEW J.
With a combined annual economic impact of more than $105 billion, agriculture and forestry provide more than 490,000 jobs in Virginia. Lohr’s office and its three agencies oversee these industries among other duties, including supporting rural economic development. Virginia’s secretary of agriculture and forestry since January 2022, Lohr previously served as a three-term state delegat[...]
Smithfield Foods to move 115 jobs to Virginia
Smithfield Foods announced Tuesday that it's bringing about 115 jobs to Virginia’s Tidewater region over the coming months.
Hubbard Peanut Co. names new CEO
Southampton County-based Hubbard Peanut Co. announced Tuesday that it has appointed Marshall Rabil as its new president and CEO.
Wisconsin co. breaks ground on $26M Portsmouth export facility
The DeLong Co. on Thursday broke ground on a $26 million agricultural export facility in Portsmouth that will prepare whole grains for shipment.
Despite bankruptcy, Plenty to finish Chesterfield vertical indoor farms
Despite filing for bankruptcy in March, Plenty Unlimited says it will be able to finish construction of its vertical indoor farm in Chesterfield County.
Companies sue over Valley medical marijuana permit
Seven businesses are suing Virginia over a disputed medical marijuana permit in the Shenandoah Valley region, citing violations of FOIA and VAPA laws.
