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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.
Farm Credit of Virginias CEO to retire
Brad Cornelius will retire in late 2025 after leading Farm Credit of the Virginias for five years. He grew the cooperative's loan portfolio to $2.3B and 12,500 customer-owners.
Tariffs, policy shifts cloud economic outlook, Barkin says
Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin says U.S. economy looks solid by data, but tariff policies and uncertainty are clouding forecasts and business confidence.
Company behind Chesterfield indoor farm files for bankruptcy
Plenty Unlimited, a San Francisco-based agricultural technology company that counts tech billionaires Jeff Bezos and Eric Schmidt among its investors, has filed for bankruptcy but plans to continue operating its vertical strawberry farm in Chesterfield County throughout the restructuring, according to a company announcement. “This is a challenging time for the vertical farming industry and [[...]
