Resources - Heart of Virginia

Heart of Virginia Buy Fresh Buy Local utilizes a network of organizations and agencies to support the education and development of consumers, farmers, and food buyers. Take a look at the FREE resources below:

For Consumers
For Producers
For Restaurants and Retailers

For Consumers

Virginia Master Gardeners – Extension Master Gardeners are trained volunteer educators. They work within their local communities to encourage and promote environmentally sound horticulture practices through sustainable landscape management education and training.

As an educational outreach component of Virginia Cooperative Extension, the Master Gardener program brings the resources of Virginia’s land-grant universities – Virginia Tech and Virginia State University – to the people of the commonwealth. All volunteers are trained and have at least 50 hours of horticultural classes and return at least 50 hours of volunteer community service through their local Extension office.

Virginia Grown – The Virginia Grown program is a marketing tool promoting fresh, local products to consumers and has a proven tract record for increasing visibility, developing additional media attention and enhancing marketing opportunities for Virginia Grown products. The resources listed below are available for you to display and use on all your marketing materials including flyers, Web sites, advertising and menus. Show your support for Virginia Agriculture, the Commonwealth’s #1 industry, by proudly displaying the Virginia Grown logo and directing your customers to the freshest and highest quality products around.

Virginia’s Finest – The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) introduced the Virginia’s Finest® Trademark Program to enhance the economic opportunities and success of Virginia’s specialty food companies, processors and agriculture producers. The classic Virginia’s Finest® trademark identifies, differentiates and promotes top-quality Virginia agriculture and specialty food and beverage products. Buyers and consumers have grown to recognize the blue and red “VA check mark” logo and know they are purchasing top quality Virginia-produced and processed products, including: • Meats • Cheeses • Soups • Seafood • Peanuts • Pasta • Baked Goods • Snacks • Chocolates/Confections • Condiments/Dressings • Sauces • Beverages

Virginia Fresh Produce Safety – This website is intended to provide information about the efforts of the Virginia Fresh Produce Food Safety Team, as well as timely and science-based resources geared to reducing fresh produce contamination risks, beginning at the farm level, progressing through the market-place to the final end-user, the consumer.

Eat Smart with Virginia Cooperative Extension Recipes – Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Farmers Market recipe collection showcases Virginia grown produce with nutrient-dense, low-cost, and healthy recipes that are quick and easy to prepare. You will also learn how to select the best quality fruits and vegetables as well as information on proper storage and food safety for each produce item. For more recipe ideas, visit eatsmartmovemoreva.org/recipes.

Virginia is for Farm to Table Lovers – Virginia Tourism Corporation has assembled a list of all of Farm to Table Restaurants and local food events across the Commonwealth. Visit their site to read more about where to find the freshest, locally sourced food and drinks.

For Producers

Virginia Cooperative Extension – Extension brings information, education, and knowledge to you — wherever you live in the commonwealth.

Virginia Small Farm Outreach Program – The Small Farm Outreach Program (SFOP), a part of Cooperative Extension at Virginia State University, educates and empowers small, limited-resource, socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers to own, operate and sustain farms and ranches independently with agricultural training programs that improve farm management skills and quality of life.

Virginia Beginning Farmer & Rancher Coalition – The long-term goal of the Virginia Beginning Farmer & Rancher Coalition (VBFRC) is to improve opportunities for beginning farmers and ranchers to establish and sustain viable agricultural operations and communities in Virginia. To reach these goal, VBFRC supports the development and enhancement of whole farm planning curriculum and training, online resources, social networking, and farmer mentoring.

Virginia MarketMaker – The MarketMaker portal is the largest and most in-depth database for the agricultural industry. The portal provides a simple search tool to connect buyers, farmers/ranchers, fisheries, farmers markets, processors/packers, wineries, restaurants and more.

Virginia Farm to Table – This website and blog is devoted to strengthening connections from the farm to the table and enhancing Virginia’s overall food system. The Virginia Farm to Table Plan and Initiative is a collaborative effort of Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia State University, University of Virginia, the Virginia Food System Council and partner organizations, for strengthening Virginia’s economic future and food system from the farm to the table.

Virginia SARE – Virginia Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) is a professional development program sponsored by the Southern Region SARE and co-coordinated by Virginia Tech and Virginia State University. SARE works together to deliver a professional development program that enhances the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of the state with a focus on our state’s most pressing issues, such as soil health and regional food systems.

Virginia Food Innovation Program – The Food Innovations Program goal is to provide the assistance needed for Virginia’s food processing industry to produce high quality, safe, and innovative food products. We strive to increase the awareness of Virginia’s food producers to matters of food safety, pertinent food regulations, and general concerns associated with starting a food business.

Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services – Established in 1877, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) promotes the economic growth and development of Virginia agriculture, provides consumer protection and encourages environmental stewardship. VDACS is Organized into Five Units:

For Restaurants & Retailers

Virginia MarketMaker – MarketMaker is a national network of states that connect farmers and fishermen with food retailers, grocery stores, processors, caterers, chefs, and consumers. It is an ever-growing partnership of Land Grant Universities, Departments of Agriculture, and food and agricultural organizations investing in a coordinated effort to build a virtual infrastructure that brings healthier, fresher, and more flavorful food to the average consumer.

Virginia is for Lovers – Virginia Tourism Corporation is the home for the Commonwealth’s tourism industry. This site contains a wealth of information and assistance for the full spectrum of Virginia’s travel businesses. Be sure to visit their page for Farm to Table Dining and Events as well as Virginia Green, the state’s initiative to encourage green practices in all aspects of our tourism industry.