Agricultural Trade Conference to Address Challenges and Opportunities for Global Agricultural and Forestry Exports

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Virginia Tech will co-host the Virginia Agricultural Trade Conference on April 22 in Richmond, Virginia. The conference partners with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, the Port of Virginia, and the Office of the Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry.

The one-day event will bring together producers, agribusinesses, exporters, land-grant university leadership, government officials, policymakers, distinguished guests, and agriculture students.

The conference helps prepare the next generation of Virginia agriculture and forestry leaders and provides stakeholders with enriched discussions and insights into the issues and challenges the industry faces.

Agriculture is Virginia’s largest private industry, according to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Virginia Tech impacts Virginia’s agriculture industry by producing and disseminating relevant research at its Blacksburg campus and throughout the state at various Agricultural Research and Extension Centers and through Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Agenda:

• Trade and Domestic Policy Update - Seth Meyer, chief economist, USDA (invited)
• Trade Policy - Sandler, Travis & Rosenburg, P.A.
• Growing Virginia Agricultural Exports Panel - The Delong Co.
• Emerging Issues in Animal & Dairy Product Markets Panel - USDA-APHIS, U.S. Meat Export Federation, and Dairy Industry

“This year’s conference marks a decade-and-a-half of convening stakeholders from Virginia’s largest industry – agriculture and forestry – to advance trade partnerships and an understanding of the dynamics of the global agri-food economy,” said Mario Ferruzzi, Dean of Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

"The global economy plays a pivotal role in shaping Virginia's agriculture and forestry sectors," said Jason Grant, W.G. Wysor Professor of Agriculture and Director of the Virginia Tech Center for Agricultural Trade. "It’s a very important time for Virginia producers to be informed about potential shifts in the trade policy landscape and the conference provides a one-of-a-kind venue to engage in these discussions.”

This conference offers a valuable platform for participants to engage in meaningful discussions about the challenges and opportunities that shape these critical industries.