11/23/2009   5:15 am

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (301)

Mission Statement

We promote the economic growth and development of Virginia agriculture, provide consumer protection, and encourage environmental stewardship.

Vision Statement

We envision VDACS as a nationally and internationally recognized agricultural development, marketing, consumer protection, animal health, and environmental organization that achieves world class customer service and results for the citizens of the Commonwealth; is a model agency known for the quality leadership of our people and excellence in agency operations; uses strategic planning and management along with partnering with clients to provide the highest quality, innovative services to the Virginia agriculture and agribusiness industry, consumers and all citizens; and promotes the highest standards of competency, ethics, fairness and respect in all aspects of work and employment for VDACS staff in order to attract and retain a highly effective work force.

Service Performance and Productivity

• Summary of current service performance
  VDACS is achieving its mission within the parameters of the resources that are available. VDACS has been able to achieve this service level by streamlining the organization, reducing levels of supervision, utilizing technology, partnering with industry and consumer groups, pursuing and obtaining federal grant resources and the outstanding productivity of a highly skilled and experienced work force.
• Summary of current productivity
  VDACS is providing increased services with fewer employees and resources than in past decades as a result of increased productivity. We continue to serve more customers with fewer employees and resources than were available ten to twenty years ago, as our maximum employment level decreased by 23% (from 701 positions in 1991 to 538 today). The percentage increases to a 27% reduction in staff to support our historical customer base prior to the merger of the Department of Charitable Gaming into VDACS in 2008. The agency’s customer base in many program areas increases while these resources continue to decline. A significant change in the way we provide services has also been made to accommodate the global economy in which the Commonwealth’s agricultural industry operates. Specific examples of customer growth follow:
  •The agency now has specific resources devoted to homeland security as it relates to the food and dairy supply.
  •The Division of Marketing’s efforts to bring Virginia producers together with buyers has expanded to such markets as Latin America, Europe and the Pacific Rim.
  •Outbreaks of animal diseases around the world, such as avian influenza and mad cow disease, increases testing and surveillance required by staff.
  •Animal welfare work and activities with citizens, animal control agencies and animal cruelty cases is increasing without additional revenue to devote to this effort.
  •The number of charitable organizations, credit services businesses, health spas, and other companies served by our Consumer Affairs Office continue to grow.
  •The number of stations and businesses with multiple gasoline pumps has dramatically increased the workload of our weights and measures inspectors.
  •The number and diversity of food manufacturers, warehouses and retail food stores continues to increase, increasing the population of businesses to inspect.
  •The Division of Charitable Gaming has added additional services such as; statewide game training sessions on a bi-annual basis, more comprehensive audit reviews to provide recommendations to organizations for enhancing their revenue, stricter enforcement of the charitable gaming rules and regulations, and sought the necessary technology for our clients to file required financial reports electronically.

Initiatives, Rankings and Customer Trends

• Summary of Major Initiatives and Related Progress
  Among the notable achievements are:
  • $50.9 million of new capital investment in Virginia’s agribusiness sector; during the last two years
  • establishing recognition with consumers and the agency’s client groups with the Virginia Grown and Virginia’s Finest brand identity programs;
  • successfully partnering with Virginia Tech, Virginia State, Virginia Cooperative Extension and Virginia Farm Bureau to provide risk management training and education to Virginia producers in order to assist them in remaining profitable and competitive in a global economy and marketplace;
  •providing new specialty agricultural development workshops throughout the Commonwealth to assist producers moving to this sector of agriculture or beginning in agriculture;
  •opening a new Office of Farmland Preservation to provide technical assistance and to administer state matching funds for local Purchase of Development Rights Programs;
  •utilizing federal grant and agency funds to install a card reader access system in our five Regional Labs and Offices, thereby increasing security;
  •constructing a new regional laboratory and office complex in Harrisonburg with Biosecurity Level III capability;
  •utilizing small, woman or minority-owned businesses for 50% of all discretionary annual spend;
  •performing approximately 450 RT-PCR tests to support the national surveillance program to detect the Asian strain of highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza in wild birds;
  •participating in USDA surveillance for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) – Mad Cow Disease;
  •monitoring the international and interstate import and export of animals including 338,967 cattle, 21,800 horses, 88,161 swine, and over 200,000 sheep, small animals, birds and exotic animals through testing programs;
  •launching the Virginia Dangerous Dog Registry;
  • conducting about 490,000 laboratory tests annually in the five regional laboratories to support Virginia’s animal industries;
  •maintaining Virginia’s TB free status, Brucellosis free status and Psuedo rabies free status for cattle and swine which is a significant economic advantage for Virginia agriculture;
  •investigating 775 consumer complaints alleging violations of Virginia Food Laws;
  •ensuring the safety of more than three million pounds of meat and poultry products with no food-borne illness traced to product inspected;
  •conducting over 60,000 inspectional activities each year of food, dairy and meat and poultry establishments to insure a safe and wholesome food supply;
  •recovering $1.39 million in refunds and other values for consumers through the investigation of consumer complaints, voluntary settlements, and court judgments;
  •receiving, processing, investigating, or mediating 4,432 consumer complaints;
  •inspecting and registering 360 nurseries comprising 10,488 acres and 1,648 establishments selling retail nursery stock;
  •providing a listing of 41 contacts in the Virginia Pollinator Program on our website to assist farmers in need of honeybees for pollination of crops;
  •inspecting over 4,300 apiary colonies for disease and overall health of the honeybees to maintain adequate pollination for crops and to meet interstate movement requirements;
  •enhancing marketability of $1.3 billion of poultry, eggs, grains, fruits, vegetables and peanuts through grading, inspection, and quality certification services;
  •assisting Virginia Apple Growers in marketing their apples to Mexico;
  •responding to clients’ increase need for grain marketing inspection services due to a 41% increase in grain exports and a 45% increase for soybean meal;
  •assisting Virginia producers in the marketing of over 200,000 head of livestock, adding over $7 million to the value of livestock for those producers;
  •assisting Virginia-based companies in exporting more than $100 million worth of wood products to European customer markets;
  • the establishment of a full-time position for Continuity of Operations Planning within the Office of Emergency Services;
  •holding two Incident Command System table top exercises to train employees and test the agency’s preparedness to handle animal disease outbreaks.
  •with the passage of HB 1998 (2007 General Assembly) – Electronic Pull-tabs – the agency will be working with a vendor for assistance in developing the necessary changes to the current charitable gaming regulations and supplier regulations. This action will also require approval by the Charitable Gaming Board and involve the Administrative Process Act that requires following the regulatory process for changes to these regulations.
• Summary of Virginia's Ranking
  VDACS is recognized by industry and consumer partners as an effective and efficient organization. The agency is extremely diverse; therefore, it is difficult to assess and compare agency operations and programs with other state departments of agriculture who may have different responsibilities, programs, and levels of resources. VDACS has a strong national and regional presence through the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture and the Southern U.S. Trade Association.
• Summary of Customer Trends and Coverage
  The agriculture and agribusiness industries are changing rapidly. These Virginia industries must operate and compete in a global economy. Prices are established in the world market place for a vast array of commodities and products. Competition and costs are driving many in the industry out of business. Still others are finding opportunities and niches for new products and new markets. The latest agriculture census shows that in Virginia the number of small farms and large farms are growing but we are losing medium size farms. We are also losing farmland at a rapid pace as development pressures continue to result in the conversion of farm land to housing and commercial activities.
  
  The Division of Charitable Gaming expects the total number of qualified organizations to remain fairly stable for the next fiscal year. However, with the implementation of HB 1998 – Electronic Pull-tabs – and the final approval of the gaming regulations for organizations and suppliers; this could potentially increase the request for permitting both organizations and suppliers.
  
  Analysis of Impact of Aging Population:
  During fiscal year 2007, changes in current programs and services provided by VDACS have had a minimal impact on seniors and adults with disabilities. While all VDACS programs and services are designed to serve all citizens, an analysis of VDACS programs and services revealed that only the Division of Marketing and Division of Consumer Protection provide direct services to seniors. For example, VDACS Division of Marketing staff has partnered with the Virginia Department for the Aging and local Area Agencies on Aging to implement the USDA grant funded Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). The program targets low income senior citizens in eleven Virginia counties and seven cities who meet the criteria of 175% below poverty who with $40.00 worth of seasonal food check allotments can purchase locally produced fresh fruits, vegetables and cut herbs from 143 farmer vendors. The 2007 USDA grant is $365,075. VDACS's responsibility is to certify Virginia farmers to participate in the program by determining that applicants produce sufficient quantities of product to exchange for senior food checks.
  
  Other examples of VDACS services to seniors that are being provided by the Division of Consumer Protection include the following:
  
  1. Virginia Department for the Aging: The Virginia Department for the Aging (VDA) is a charter member of the Consumer Affairs Advisory Committee. This committees members communicate the views and interests of Virginians on issues related to the agencys consumer education and fraud prevention programs. Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) staff interacts frequently with counselors at the Center for Elder Rights, which is housed in VDA.
  
  2. Virginia Department of Social Services, Division of Community and Volunteer Services: OCA staff routinely partners with DSS to provide educational sessions at retirement communities and events aimed at seniors.
  
  3. TRIAD: TRIAD is a cooperative effort between the Office of the Attorney General, local law enforcement and senior groups that is designed to educate and assist senior citizens on issues of crime and fraud. OCA is a frequent participant at regional and statewide TRIAD events.
  
  The programs and services provided by VDACS do not require the clustering of clients by age groups or disability. Rather, all VDACS programs and services are available to all individuals regardless of age or disability. The aging of the population and adults with disabilities will have no significant impact on VDACS's ability to continue providing these services.
  
  VDACS maintains demographic data on employee age and tenure and recognizes a trend in the aging of the agency's workforce. Numerous staff members have considerable years of experience and expertise in specialized programs such as animal health and welfare, plant protection, pesticides, consumer protection, marketing, economic development, policy, finance, budgeting, information systems, and human resources.
  
  We are facing the challenge of losing many of our long-tenured staff in key positions to retirement between now and fiscal year 2008. Currently approximately 84 employees are eligible to retire and an additional 80 will be eligible within the next 5 years. VDACS median years of service, excluding prior service and purchased service, is 15.3 and the Statewide median is 8.3. The agency's median age as of June 30, 2007 is 51. Approximately 238 employees are age 50 and over; approximately 100 employees have more than 25 years of state service. This state service does not include additional purchased service or prior service.
  
  With the potential loss of so many long-term employees with institutional knowledge, documentation of processes and procedures is critical to provide historical information and resource material. Mentoring, coaching and cross training are increasingly more important. Traditional training programs are used with enhanced methods such as developmental assignments, cross training assignments, temporary duties, and language and cultural sensitivity training. Where possible, mentoring programs that hire a replacement employee prior to a current employee retiring are implemented and provide long-term cost savings. Computer training will continue to be critical as the world of technology becomes more and more fast-paced and complicated.
  
  VDACS will continue our organizational commitment to policies and programs designed to improve the quality of an employee's work and personal life. A web-based exit interview survey is in place and provides information to assist HR staff in reviewing trends and patterns of turnover. We continue to enhance the quality of work life by providing a workplace that is an encouraging, challenging, safe and motivating environment. We help employees mesh home and life needs with workplace requirements by using wellness programs, leave, volunteerism, telecommuting, flexible work schedules, home-based offices, compressed work weeks and part-time work. Continued use of human resource management flexibility, pay practices and benefits are also needed to retain a quality workforce.

Future Direction, Expectations, and Priorities

• Summary of Future Direction and Expectations
  The threat of animal disease, plant diseases and pests, food safety and Homeland Security have been exacerbated by the global economy. The opportunities for the spread of diseases, pests and terrorism have increased worldwide due to travel and international movement of people, animals, etc.
  
  Consumer Protection requirements are also increasing rapidly. The number of regulatory inspections of food retailers, processors, weights and measures devices, etc. continues to grow as new stores, gasoline retailers, businesses, etc. are built to serve an expanding population and development. The internet and identity theft issues have also created consumer fraud opportunities. Local governments have closed Consumer Affairs offices and weights and measures programs and turned those responsibilities over to VDACS creating additional workload. Lastly, population growth is simply creating more demand for Consumer Protection services.
• Summary of Potential Impediments to Achievement
  The changes in Virginia agriculture, Homeland Security issues and the increase in Consumer Protection demands will severely challenge VDACS. Staffing and resource limitations will, by necessity, force the agency to be selective in setting priorities and objectives. International marketing, farmland preservation, niche and specialty crop marketing and small farmer assistance will be priorities. Other areas and issues may not be served or services will be limited. Animal disease, plant disease and pests will be another priority. Other routine programs will again not be served or reduced.
  
  Homeland Security and emergency planning and prevention of animal diseases, plant diseases, plant pests, food safety and terrorism issues will challenge the agency to fulfill its role in these areas due to resource limitations. Some of these are new and evolving responsibilities for which VDACS has received no additional resources.
  
  The level of customer service and operational efficiency and effectiveness which has been a hallmark of VDACS can be expected to erode over the next few years. Without an infusion of resources, VDACS will need to prioritize services and focus the existing resources on the priority areas. The agency is pursuing federal grants in areas where they are available, developing and expanding partnering relationships with USDA, State and local agencies, industry and consumers to maintain service levels. However, the complexities and level of demand for services is very likely to out pace VDACS’ ability to provide quality services. Further, with nearly 38% of the agency workforce eligible for retirement in the next five years, VDACS will likely suffer productivity losses as these highly skilled and experienced employees leave the agency.

Statutory Authority

Title 3.1 of the Code of Virginia establishes the powers for the Commissioner, the Board of Agriculture & Consumer Services, the Divisions and Program Areas within the Department, and other entities related to the promotion of agricultural interests and providing consumer protection.

Section 3.1-4 directs the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services to advise the Governor on the state of the agricultural industry and to work closely with all agencies concerned with rural resources development.

Section 3.1-14 requires the Commissioner to see to the proper execution of the laws relating to the subject of his agency. This section also requires the Commissioner to investigate and promote subjects relating to the improvement of agriculture.

Title 3.1 and other titles establish responsibilities for the promulgation of regulations and the Commissioner’s duties for administering these regulations.

The Virginia Administrative Process Act (Sections 9-6.14:1 et seq.) establishes specific requirements that the Department must follow in reviewing and making regulations. Although not considered as mandates, agency public participation guidelines adopted as required by the APA affect the process for making regulations.

The Virginia Register Act (Sections 9-6.15 et seq.) establishes requirements relating to the public availability of information about state agency regulations. State agencies must file information concerning regulations with the Registrar of Regulations for publication in the Virginia Register of Regulations and the Virginia Administrative Code.

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Sections 2.1-340 et seq.) establishes requirements concerning the disclosure of records held by the Department that are requested by the public. This Act also establishes requirements concerning the conduct of board meetings. Based on the requirements of this Act, the Department has adopted certain policies relating to the conduct of board meetings and the disclosure of records that affect the agency’s handling of requests from the public for access to records.

The FOIA (Section 2.1-343) also establishes requirements concerning public notification of meetings. State agencies, boards, etc., are required to provide notice of public meetings. Normally this notice is provided by publication of the meeting information in the Virginia Register of Regulations. Currently there are twenty boards associated with the Department that hold at least one meeting a year for which such notice must be provided.

Several state laws that create different boards, foundations and councils make the Commissioner a member of trustee with certain duties and responsibilities. Some of these include the following: Sheep Industry Board (Section 3.1-1075), Virginia Charity Food Assistance Advisory Board (Section 3.1-1105), Virginia Agricultural Council (Section 3.1-22.4), Chippokes Plantation Farm Foundation (Section 3.1-22.8), Virginia Equine Center Foundation (Section 3.1-22.33), Virginia Horse Industry Board (Section 3.1-22.49), Radiation Advisory Board (Section 32.1-233), State Certified Seed Board (Section 3.1-276), and Plant Pollination Advisory Board (Section 3.1-610.25).

The Agricultural Stewardship Act (Sections 10.1-559.1 et seq.) establishes requirements concerning the Commissioner’s handling of complaints received about water pollution involving agricultural activities, the investigation of these complaints, the approval of plans to correct any pollution problems, assurance that such plans are implemented in accordance with a timetable established by the Act, and the publication of an annual report on the handling of complaints.

The Virginia Personnel Act and related federal and state regulations and policies affecting personnel matters establish requirements that the Department must fulfill in the management of human resources.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) is mandated by federal and state laws regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or physical ability. The federal and state laws and executive orders listed below guarantee these rights. This list is not all-inclusive, but rather documentation of key mandates which govern personnel matters.

-Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.
-The Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972
-Equal Pay Act of 1963
-Higher Education Act of 1972, as amended.
-Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended.
-Executive Order 11246 as amended by Executive Order 11375
-Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
-Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978
-Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
-Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
-Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures of 1978
-Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Amendments Contract Work Hours and Safety
-Family and Medical Leave Act

State laws, policies and procedures affecting printing and the publication of materials impact the Department. Some of the special mandates relating to VDACS publications include the following: § 3.1-400 requires the Commissioner to publish reports summarizing all judgments, decrees and court orders rendered under the Virginia Food Act and the results of analyses of food samples; and § 3.1-710 requires VDACS to publish notices of certain license revocations.

Title 2.1 of the Code of Virginia which relates to the administration of state agencies. Other mandates are contained in Chapter 935 of the 1999 Virginia Acts of Assembly and policies established by the central agencies of state government.

Chapter 723 (Item 68 and Item 767, F1 and F2) approved May 3, 1991 authorized the Department of General Services to assess a rental charge to occupants of buildings it controls, operates and maintains.

Chapters 3.1-432 through 3.1-461 establish the State Milk Commission and provide for its composition and authority.

Executive Order 65 issued April 1, 2004 states: “In accordance with the duties and responsibilities assigned in the Plan, the head of each designated state department or agency shall appoint a lead and at least one alternate Emergency Coordination Officer for the agency.”

§3.1-14 (A)(2) Charges the Commissioner with…”the dissemination of information relative to the advantages of soil, climate, healthfulness and markets of this Commonwealth, and to resources and industrial opportunities offered in the Commonwealth…”

§3.1-18.9 through 3.1-18.12 Establishes the Office of Farmland Preservation; Farm Link program and sets the powers, duties, and reporting requirements of these programs.

§3.1-73.6 through 3.1-73.8 Establishes the Aquaculture Development Act including the Aquaculture Advisory Board; and sets the powers and duties of the Act and the meeting requirements of the Board.

Section 58.1-3239 of the Code of Virginia, which relates to special tax assessment of land for preservation purposes, establishes the State Land Evaluation Advisory Council, which includes the Commissioner and certain other state officials.

Section 58.1-3240 establishes the duties of the Commissioner for providing uniform standards to localities for determining whether real estate qualifies as being devoted to agricultural use for the purposes of tax assessment. The current standards make the Commissioner responsible for interpreting these standards at the request of local commissioners of revenue.

Several state laws that create different boards, foundations and councils make the Commissioner a member of trustee with certain duties and responsibilities. Some of these include the following: Chippokes Plantation Farm Foundation (Section 3.1-22.8), Virginia Equine Center Foundation (Section 3.1-22.33), Radiation Advisory Board (Section 32.1-233), State Certified Seed Board (Section 3.1-276), and Plant Pollination Advisory Board (Section 3.1-610.25).

The Agricultural Stewardship Act (Sections 10.1-559.1 et seq.) establishes requirements concerning the Commissioner’s handling of complaints received about water pollution involving agricultural activities, the investigation of these complaints, the approval of plans to correct any pollution problems, assurance that such plans are implemented in accordance with a timetable established by the Act, and the publication of an annual report on the handling of complaints.

Chapter 3 of Title 3.1 of the Code of Virginia (Code) authorizes the Commissioner of VDACS to establish mechanisms by which to receive complaints and related inquiries from consumers involving violations or alleged violations of any law designed to protect the integrity of consumer transactions in the Commonwealth.

Chapter 5 of Title 57 of the Code provides for the regulation of charitable solicitations in Virginia.

Chapter 17 of Title 59.1 of the Code gives authority to the Commissioner to inquire into possible violations of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act (Act). The Act delineates 41 various misrepresentations and deceptions as prohibited practices that are violations if committed by a supplier in connection with a consumer transaction. It also provides for the enforcement of 26 other consumer protection laws by declaring violations of those statutes as prohibited practices.

Chapter 44 of Title 59.1 of the Code gives authority to the Commissioner to inquire into possible violations of the Virginia Telephone Privacy Protection Act.

Chapter 7 of Title 61.1 of the Code, relating to Handling and Sale of Burley Tobacco.

Chapter 19.1 of Title 62.1 of the Code, Cleaning Agents.

Chapter 13 Article 6 of Title 3.1 of the Code of Virginia (Code) authorizes the Commissioner of VDACS to conduct survey, eradication and suppression measures for plant pests determined to be new or injurious and authorizes the establishment of quarantines.

Chapter 13 Article 7 of Title 3.1 of the Code provides for annual inspection of all Virginia plant nurseries; authorizes the stop sale of nursery stock or articles suspected of being infested or infected with plant pests; and provides for the inspection and certification of plants or plant products to allow pest-free sale or movement.

Chapter 17.2 of Title 3.1 of the Code authorizes the Commissioner to survey for weeds not widely distributed in Virginia and when an infestation exists within the Commonwealth, he may request the Board to declare the weed to be noxious; the Board may establish quarantines to prevent the movement or sale of noxious weeds; and the Commissioner shall conduct eradication or suppression of noxious weeds to prevent their dissemination in the Commonwealth.

Chapter 22.1 of Title 3.1 of the Code mandates inspection of bee colonies suspected of being infected with disease and requires eradication or control of such disease; mandates inspection and certification of colonies offered for sale and colonies to be transported interstate when requested; and promotes the science of beekeeping to ensure an adequate supply of pollinators.

Chapter 39 of Title 3.1 of the Code authorizes the Commissioner to take actions necessary to conserve, protect, restore or propagate endangered or threatened species of plants and insects; allows controlled harvest of a species listed as threatened when the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services has determined that its abundance in the Commonwealth justifies such harvest; and prohibits the removal, possession, transport, and sale of threatened or endangered species other than from a person’s own land.

7 U.S.C. § 136 et seq., the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), establishes national requirements for the registration, sale, use and distribution of pesticides, as well as the certification of pesticide applicators.

Chapter 14.1 of Title 3.1 of the Code of Virginia (Code), the Virginia Pesticide Control Act, provides for the regulation of pesticides in the Commonwealth.

Chapter 35 and 35.1 of Title 3.1 of the Code of Virginia (Code) authorizes the Commissioner of VDACS to establish an inspection and testing program designed to remove inaccurate weighing and measuring devices from the marketplace, assure the accurate measurement of packaged commodities, verify if item pricing by point-of-sales systems using bar codes and scanners are correct, and regulate business practices. The Commissioner is responsible for the investigation of complaints made to him concerning violations.

Chapter 12 of Title 59.1 of the Code authorizes the Commissioner to conduct an inspection and testing program designed to protect the consumer and end user of petroleum products against inferior quality products. The Commissioner is responsible for the investigation of complaints made to him concerning violations.

Chapter 2.2 of Title 59.1 of the Code authorizes the Commissioner to require each petroleum refiner to file a list of retail outlets operated by such refiner and require each franchise dealer to file a listing of any retail outlets operated by such franchise dealer, and to keep such lists current.

Chapter 26, Articles 2 and 5, of Title 3.1 of the Code authorizes the Commissioner to license and bond certain individuals involved in the commission based sales of agricultural commodities. The Commissioner is responsible for the investigation of complaints made to him concerning violations.

Chapter 36 of Title 3.1 of the Code provides for the regulation of individuals acting as Public Weighmasters.

Chapter 7 of Title 61.1 of the Code gives authority to the Commissioner to administer and enforce this law governing the sales of burley tobacco.

Chapter 19.1 of Title 62.1 of the Code authorizes the Commissioner to seize any cleaning agent held for sale or distribution which contains phosphorus in violation of this chapter.

Chapter 10.1, of Title 3.1 of the Code authorizes the Commissioner to inspect, test, and regulate all fertilizers distributed in the state.

Chapter 11.1, of Title 3.1 of the code authorizes the Commissioner to inspect, test, and regulate all liming materials distributed in the state.

Chapter 16, Article 1, of Title 3.1 of the Code authorizes the Commissioner to inspect, test, and regulate all seed distributed in the state.

Chapter 28.1, of Title 3.1 of the Code authorizes the Commissioner to inspect, test, and regulate all commercial feed distributed in the state.

Chapter 29, of Title 3.1 of the Code authorizes the Commissioner to inspect, test, and regulate all animal remedies distributed in the state.

Chapter 26, Article 3, of Title 3.1 of the Code authorizes the Commissioner to license and bond certain individuals involved in the commission based sales of agricultural commodities.

§§3.1-685 through 3.1-691 of the Code of Virginia authorizes the Division of Marketing and its activities in general, which include the administration of the Food Distribution Program and cooperation with USDA, to administer this program in Virginia.

§§ 3.1-722.16 through 3.1-722.28 Dealers in Grain Products

§§ 3.1-348.1 through 3.1-348.6 Grain Handlers

§§3.1-685 through 3.1-691 Sale of Farm Produce, In General

§§3.1-285 through 3.1-296 Virginia Seed Potato Inspection Law and Seed Potato Board

§§3.1-991 through 3.1-1010 Controlled Atmosphere Storage of Apples and Peaches

§§3.1-611 through 3.1-617 Apple Grading, Packing and Marking

§§3.1-28 through 3.1-31 Certification of Agricultural Products in General
§§3.1-337 through 3.1-348 Grades, Marks and Brands Generally, General Provisions

§§ 3.1-685 through 3.1-691 mandates the marketing services of the Division of Marketing, which include the marketing programs conducted through the commodity boards.

§ 3.1-6.1 mandates limitations on the diversion of dedicated funds for the Boards.

Each of the sixteen commodity boards is mandated by a separate law, but each has the same purposes, which are market development and/or promotion, research and education. Additionally, the Virginia Sheep Board mandate includes predator control. The specific sections of the Code of Virginia are:

§§ 3.1-22.53 through 3.1-22.77, the Virginia Horse Industry Board Act;
§§ 3.1-308 through 3.1-318, the Virginia Dark Fired Tobacco Board;
§§ 3.1-319 through 3.1-335, the Virginia Bright Flue-Cured Tobacco Board;
§§ 3.1-618 through 3.1-636.12, the Virginia Apple Board;
§§ 3.1-647 through 3.1-665, the Virginia Peanut Board;
§§ 3.1-684.1 through 3.1-684.19, the Virginia Soybean Board;
§§ 3.1-684.20 through 3.1-684.40, the Irish Potato Board;
§§ 3.1-684.41 through 3.1-684.58, the Virginia Small Grains Board;
§§ 3.1-684.59 through 3.1-684.64, the Virginia Marine Products Board;
§§ 3.1-763.6 through 3.1-763.12, the Virginia Pork Industry Board;
§§ 3.1-796.11:1 through 3.1-796.11:10, the Virginia Egg Board;
§§ 3.1-796.12 through 3.1-796.28, the Virginia Cattle Industry Board;
§§ 3.1-1031 through 3.1-1049, the Virginia Corn Board;
§§ 3.1-1064.1 through 3.1-1064.7, the Virginia Wine Board;
§§ 3.1-1065 through 3.1-1079, the Virginia Sheep Industry Board;
§§ 3.1-1081 through 3.1-1103, the Virginia Cotton Board

§§ 3.1-685 through 3.1-691 mandates the marketing services of the Division of Marketing, which include all components of this activity.

§§ 3.1-741.2 mandates the Equine Breeder Incentive Program

§§3.1-73.1 through 3.1-73.5 mandates the Farmers’ Market System

§§ 3.1-420 through 3-1-424 mandate the inspection of dairy facilities.

§§ 3.1-530.1 through 3.1-530.9 mandate the administration and enforcement of regulations adopted pursuant to this article.

§§ 3.1-531 through 3.1-545 mandate the inspection of certain milkfat testing equipment.

§§ 3.1-562.1 through 3.1-562.10 mandate the administration and enforcement of regulations adopted relative to the regulation of ice cream and similar products.

§§ 3.1-563 through 3.1-571 mandate the licensing of creameries, plants and stations.

Title 3.1, Chapter 30, Article 4.1, Virginia Meat and Poultry Products Inspection Act.

Title 3.1 of the Code of Virginia (1950) as amended, Chapter 20 of the Virginia Food Law.

Title 3.1, Chapter 27.4 of the Comprehensive Animal Laws

§3.1-796.67:2 authorizes the State Veterinarian to inspect animal shelters, pounds, boarding establishments, kennels, pet shops, dealers, exhibitors, or groomers to provide proper care and protection of animals.

§3.1-796.104:1 mandates the State Veterinarian approve training for basic training for animal control officers and continuing education.

Title 3.1, Chapter 27 Livestock and Poultry, Article 1.

§3.1-723 mandates the establishment of the Office of the State Veterinarian and his assistants and §§3.1-724 through 3.1-741.1 mandates the State Veterinarian to protect domestic animals and poultry from disease.

Title 3.1, Chapter 27 Livestock and Poultry, Section 3.1-725 mandates the operation of a laboratory system for the diagnosis of diseases of livestock and poultry as well as for other purposes which may be determined by the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Specific sections of the Code of Virginia, Title 3.1, relating to agency programs are listed in each Service Area.

Charitable Gaming's statutory authority is provided in §18.2-340.15, et. Seq., Code of Virginia; §18.2-340.18 outlines the powers and duties of the Division while §18.2-340.19 defines the Charitable Gaming Board as a policy board that provides advice and promulgates regulations and rules for the Division to administer the audit, enforcement, and license functions. The Division is further governed by the charitable gaming rules and regulations (11 VAC 15.22) and the supplier rules and regulations (11 VAC 15.31).

Customers

Anticipated Changes To Agency Customer Base

Globalization of the world economy will continue to dictate changes that impact clients.

Because of attrition (retirement) of potentially as much as 50% of existing farmers in the next 10-15 years, the number of potential customers will decline. However, because of the increasingly larger scale and capital intensity of agribusinesses, the productivity and size of the individual customers served will likely increase resulting in an increased demand for technical business development services.

As with agriculture in general, over time there has been and will continue to be fewer traditional livestock producers, but this has been more than offset by an increase in law enforcement work (animal control agencies), food safety (USDA, FDA, ODF, OMPS), exotic and companion animals, Virginia Department of Health (arbovirus surveillance) and non-traditional livestock producers (camelids, goats, aquaculture).

As the population grows and consumer trends continue to move towards ready-to-eat and value-added food products it is anticipated that the retail sector's focus on food service will grow at a fairly consistent rate. Non-traditional retail food stores specific to the needs of diverse ethnic groups will continue to proliferate.

The number of licensed dairy producers will continue to decline in future years. Dairy producers continue to go out of business due to retirements, conversions of farmland to other uses through urban sprawl, and an inability to produce milk in a profitable manner. In the last ten years there has been a 10.7% decrease in the number of licensed producers. Despite producer losses milk production is expected to continue in quantities adequate to meet demand.

The number of dairy cooperative associations will continue at approximately the same level.

The number of licensed dairy processors and distributors will remain approximately the same with a direction of modest increases anticipated. In the last ten years there has been a 37.04% increase in licensees. However, this trend has slowed in the last few years. The number of licensees directly impacts the population that is monitored through reporting, auditing and investigations.

The number of grade "A" dairy farms is expected to continue to decline at the rate of about 26 farms per year as dairymen exit the business, selling their milk cows to other dairymen to expand their herds. The size and complexity of dairy farms is expected to continue to increase which will maintain Virginia's historical milk production of about two billion pounds annually.

Consumer complaints relating to food and dietary supplements will increase as a well informed public continues to focus on food safety and health issues.

Specialty crop and agritourism enterprises are expected to grow.

Partners

Products and Services

• Description of the Agency's Products and/or Services:
  Executive Direction and philosophy for the operation of the Department.
  
  Support the direction of the Governor’s Office and the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry.
  
  Respond to requests for information from legislative offices and citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
  
  Strategic Planning. (Council on Virginia’s Future)
  
  Jobs created in the agribusiness industry; increased investment and income opportunities in agriculture by assisting Virginia firms with expansion or recruiting new firms to the state.
  
  Publications, news releases, print media, and broadcast media to increase public awareness of agency programs and services.
  
  Agency internet site – creation and maintenance.
  
  Review and promulgation of state regulations pertaining to agriculture and consumer protection to meet the requirements of the Administrative Process Act.
  
  Responds to citizens requests to the agency for information under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
  
  Process and respond to complaints to the agency under the Agricultural Stewardship Act.
  
  Build, maintain, and protect agency offices and laboratories.
  
  Emergency Response Training and Exercises: Training and exercises are coordinated for VDACS staff to enhance response to emergencies and disasters of all kinds. Examples of training and exercise topics include:
  • National Incident Management System
  • Incident Command System
  • Emergency Operations Center (VDACS responsibilities, and Task Management System)
  • Food Borne Illness Outbreak Response
  • Highly Contagious Livestock or Poultry Disease Outbreak Response
  • Plant Pest Outbreak Response
  
  Emergency Response Plans: Plans are coordinated and revised to respond to agency emergency responsibilities to provide:
  •Nutrition Assistance for Sheltered Virginians,
  • Animal/Zoonotic Disease, or Plant Pest Infestation Response, and
  • Food Safety and Food Security Services.
  
  Establish and manage an annual milk production supply system that meets the need of fluid milk product demand of citizens in controlled markets.
  
  Establish and announce advanced monthly producer prices for delivered milk production. A monthly price for non-fluid milk products is also established and announced.
  
  License all processors, distributors, producer-distributors, and retailers marketing fluid milk products into Virginia controlled markets.
  
  License producers who will produce and deliver raw milk to licensed processors supplying fluid milk products into Virginia controlled markets. Account for licensed producer’s production.
  
  Agriculture Product Promotion Services
  
  Assists Virginia exporters in marketing their products overseas.
  
  Assist agricultural and forest products producers, food processors, and industry organizations by initiating sales leads and participating and representing agricultural industries during trade shows, implementing retail and consumer promotions.
  
  Virginia Farmers Market System services small to medium size produce growers with state-owned shipping point market facilities for four state regions.
  
  Provides a complete and integrated marketing program for the livestock industry.
  
  Collect daily information on Virginia prices of agricultural commodities and publish and communicate this information through a number of medians.
  
  Publish unbiased, third party reports and analyses that assist agricultural producers.
  
  Marketing/market development activities.
  
  Inspection and official certification of product quality, according to USDA or Virginia grade standards, of the following:
  • Fruits & Vegetables
  • Peanuts
  • Grain
  • Poultry
  • Livestock
  
  Inspect grain testing equipment for accuracy.
  
  Provide marketing and technical assistance to grain producers.
  
  Plan and conduct grain grading workshops annually for growers, producers and processors.
  
  The Food Distribution Program manages the distribution of USDA donated foods to all eligible outlets in the state.
  
  Distribute USDA donated foods to eligible outlets in the state.
  
  Divert USDA foods for emergency use after disasters or terrorism relief to assist state recovery operations.
  
  The Regional Animal Health Laboratory System offers diagnostic services to individual livestock and poultry producers, veterinary practitioners, and companion animal owners.
  
  The VDACS laboratories also provides regulatory testing (brucellosis, Swine Pseudorabies, Johne’s disease, Equine infectious anemia, etc.) so that producers can comply with state, federal and international requirements for sale or movement of animals and animal products.
  
  Regulatory testing is performed in support of the program in the Office of Dairy and Foods that permits interstate shipment of milk produced in Virginia and assures an unadulterated milk supply.
  
  Inspect livestock markets for compliance with sanitation requirements and records.
  
  Monitor health certificates, both issued and for imported livestock.
  
  Monitor equine events.
  
  Accredit new veterinarians to assure they are knowledgeable of state laws and regulations.
  
  Provides information for local governing bodies in regards to Companion Animal Laws and animal welfare.
  
  Assist animal control officers in investigations.
  
  Provides technical expertise in the training/certification of animal control officers.
  
  Inspect livestock markets to assure compliance with animal welfare laws.
  
  Inspect animal pounds and shelters annually.
  
  Investigate complaints of animal care and/or cruelty.
  
  Enforces the Virginia Food Laws to protect the health and safety of every citizen in Virginia who consumes food products by ensuring that these foods are safe, wholesome, properly labeled and fit for human consumption.
  
  Inspections of food manufacturing, food processing, food storage and retail food sales facilities for compliance with the Virginia Food Laws as well as all associated regulations .
  
  Inspections of establishments that manufacture, store or sell dietary supplements to ensure sanitary conditions in those establishments as well as to affirm that dietary supplements reviewed are safe and properly labeled.
  
  Investigation of consumer complaints relating to sanitation of food establishments and suspect food products purchased or consumed are investigated on an annual basis.
  
  Addressing possible food contamination arising from fires, floods, hurricanes, power outages, truck wrecks and terrorist events when and where the need arises.
  
  Inspection and enforcement of the Virginia Food Laws and associated regulations addressing sanitary conditions and practices are conducted within food establishments throughout the Commonwealth to ensure that food products are properly handled, processed, packaged, stored and transported.
  
  Investigate consumer complaints relating to alleged food-borne illness, adulteration of food products, labeling and advertising concerns, and establishment sanitation concerns.
  
  Evaluations of the adequacy of food security measures within food establishments are performed on a continuous basis. Education and consultations regarding any needed enhancements of food security plans in place are provided when and where appropriate.
  
  The meat and poultry inspection program protects the safety of citizens in Virginia consuming meat products by ensuring the production of safe, wholesome, and truthfully labeled meat and poultry products, as well as humane treatment of the animals that are slaughtered.
  
  Ante and post mortem inspection is performed on all animals presented for slaughter at inspected facilities. This inspection is required if the resulting product will be offered for sale.
  
  Both slaughter and processing plants must have acceptable written plans for sanitation and processing of products. The acceptability of the written plans, the ability of the plant operator to follow the written plan and the condition of the facilities are all subject to continuing inspection.
  
  Technical assistance is provided to persons wanting to enter the meat and poultry industry to help acquaint them with the legal requirements.
  
  Dairy Services protects the health and safety of every citizen in Virginia who consumes dairy food by ensuring that milk, ice cream and frozen desserts, cheese, butter and other dairy products are safe, wholesome, and fit for human consumption.
  
  Issuing permits necessary to operate a dairy farm or dairy processing plant; frozen dessert manufacturers (in and out of state) and retail frozen dessert shops and mobile units.
  
  Provide direct services to clients by assisting them in identifying corrective actions necessary to comply with milk and dairy product quality standards.
  
  Uniform inspection and enforcement activities are conducted on facilities statewide to ensure milk and dairy products are properly handled, processed, packaged, stored and transported in a safe manner and to ensure a level playing field on which businesses may compete.
  
  Provide advice and assistance to dairy farmers, milk plants and dairy product processors to foster the quality of their products and their ultimate success. Provide a uniform regulatory environment and level playing field on which businesses may compete.
  
  Inspection and testing of commercial feed, animal remedies, fertilizer and liming materials.
  
  Administration of the Virginia Seed Law.
  
  Preventing the establishment of or retarding the spread of designated nuisance or injurious pests, or the introduction of new pests, using environmentally sound practices.
  
  Reducing the effects of nuisance and injurious pests (insects, plant diseases, and weeds) on the environment and their impact on consumers.
  
  Enhancing the marketability of Virginia's agricultural commodities through pest-free certification of products for interstate and international trade.
  
  Protecting existing plant and insect populations considered threatened or endangered.
  
  Promoting the science of beekeeping to ensure Virginia's growers of a continuing supply of healthy, managed pollinators.
  
  Regulatory Pest Control.
  
  Pest-free Certification.
  
  Plant Pest Assistance & Education.
  
  Threatened/Endangered Species provides registration of Virginia ginseng dealers and inspects/certifies ginseng to allow its sale and export. Reviews projects to ensure protection of state or federal threatened or endangered plant and insect species found in Virginia.
  
  Apiary Inspection .
  
  Protects consumers from fraud, deception, and illegal practices in the marketplace.
  
  Consumer counseling.
  
  Complaint referral and investigation related to the advertisement, sale, or lease of goods and services that are intended for personal, family or household use and consumer complaints regarding unfair, deceptive or illegal business practices.
  
  Alternative dispute resolution.
  
  Regulatory oversight of charitable solicitations, credit services businesses, extended service contracts, health spas, membership campgrounds, sellers of legal services plans, and travel clubs.
  
  Inspection and testing of weighing and measuring devices.
  
  Enforcement of motor fuel quality standards.
  
  Calibration of measurement standards used by government and industry within the Commonwealth.
  
  Inspection and testing of weighing and measuring devices.
  
  Enforcement of motor fuel quality standards.
  
  Calibration of measurement standards.
  
  Registration of retail petroleum locations for protection from franchise encroachment.
  
  Regulatory oversight of the production, sale and use of pesticides in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
  
  Certifies individuals wishing to become pesticide applicators.
  
  Registration of Pesticides.
  
  Licenses pesticide businesses in order to ensure the proper sale, distribution, and application pesticides.
  
  Develops training and recertification courses for pesticide applicators.
  
  Charitable Gaming Licensing
  
  Charitable Gaming Management Training
  
  Charitable Gaming Inspections
  
  Enforcement & Investigations of Charitable Gaming Activities
  
  Charitable Gaming Audits
• Factors Impacting Agency Products and/or Services:
  The number of dairy producers continues to decline annually placing stress on the availability of raw milk production to meet consumer demand. Declining milk production in the Southeast places stress on the Northeast and upper Midwest producers to supply milk production to processors in that region. Virginia is a net milk exporting state and the Southeast is the primary region that receives those exports.
  
  The current national dairy marketing structure and environment, as well as that in Virginia, is experiencing rapid and dynamic changes through both vertical and horizontal integration. These changes place stress on the ability of the Milk Commission to ensure that an effective regulatory structure is in place to supervise and control all aspects of the production, processing and marketing of milk.
  
  An expanding industry will impact the ability of the Food Safety and Security Program to provide a safe and wholesome food supply.
  
  An increasingly diverse food industry will require additional and on-going training to ensure that Food Safety Specialists are knowledgeable regarding a wide array of products and processes.
  
  Adoption of the model Food and Drug Administration Food Code will require a period of adjustment for the food industry as well as Food Safety Specialists.
  
  Increased emphasis on food security will require that Food Safety Specialists spend more time, energy, and effort focusing on food security issues, which will significantly increase inspection time and lead to a decrease in inspection frequency.
  
  Changing consumer demand impacts the demand for advice and assistance, especially in frozen desserts, as frozen yogurt has been replaced by ice cream shops mixing candy and other treats into ice cream for customers to enjoy.
  
  Expansion of farmstead cheese making places great demands for advice and assistance on the Dairy Services Program.
  
  Replacing existing personnel as they leave or retire is difficult. State salaries are insufficient to lure new employees into inspector positions when compared to salaries in the food and dairy industry in general.
  
  Implementation of the changes to the charitable gaming rules and regulations to comply with statutory changes.
• Anticipated Changes in Products or Services:
  Because of increased trade requirements, regulatory tests are becoming more important, and more varied (e.g. the establishment of a Johne’s control program).
  
  Agency developing a system to record training history of Animal Control Officers.
  
  Agency developing mandatory requirements for basic Animal Control Officer training.
  
  The total demand for Food Safety and Security Program products and services is expected to continue to increase.
  
  Certification and accreditation of VDACS laboratories will be necessary to meet international standards, rapidly detect plant and animal diseases and keep Virginia competitive in the marketplace.
  
  The demand for customer services by Charitable Gaming staff is anticipated to increase upon completion of the revised charitable gaming rules and regulations from the passage of HB 1998 (2007 General Assembly).

Finance

• Financial Overview:
  VDACS funding comes from general funds (52%), user fees (18%), Commodity Grading Fees (10%), Commodity Board checkoff fees (7%) and federal funds (13%).
• Financial Breakdown:

  	FY 2009			FY 2010
  	General Fund	Nongeneral Fund		General Fund	Nongeneral Fund
  Base Budget	$32,209,456	$28,252,732		$32,705,436	$28,252,732
  Change To Base	$0	$0		$0	$0
  Agency Total	$32,209,456	$28,252,732		$32,705,436	$28,252,732

  This financial summary is computed from information entered in the service area plans.

Human Resources

• Overview
  As of July 1, 2007, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) had an authorized MEL of 510 with 450.5 filled and 59.5 vacant positions. In addition to the FTE’s, VDACS also employed 93 seasonal and wage employees.
  
  VDACS is organized into four divisions consisting of the Division of Animal and Food Industry Services, Division of Consumer Protection, Division of Charitable Gaming, and the Division of Marketing. The Commissioner's Office is comprised of the Offices of Administrative and Financial Services; Policy, Planning and Research; Agribusiness Development Services, Human Resources; Communication and Promotion; Internal Audit; Milk Commission; and Emergency Management.
  
  The agency’s staff works in and out of its eight field offices; five regional diagnostic animal health laboratories located in Warrenton, Lynchburg, Ivor, Harrisonburg, and Wytheville; an international office in Hong Kong; and the VDACS headquarters in Richmond. The Richmond area has the largest concentration of VDACS employees with 44% working out of the central office, Consolidated Laboratories, or their home base. Approximately 7% work in the Tidewater area; 6% in Southside Virginia area; 3% in the Northern Virginia area; 3% in the Roanoke area; 2% in the Southwest Virginia area; 1% in the Charlottesville area and 1% in the Winchester area. The remaining 33% are working out of their homes throughout the state, outside the state and in Hong Kong.
  
  VDACS workforce is comprised of seven employee categories, as established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). These classifications are official/administrator, professional, technician, paraprofessional, office/clerical, skilled craft worker, and service/maintenance. VDACS uses 64 role codes with the largest population (79) in the Environmental Specialist I role code. The next highest populated role codes are Administrative and Office Specialist III (54), Agricultural Specialist IV (51), and Compliance Safety Officer III (44). The majority of the employees in the Environmental Specialist I and Compliance Safety Officer III work out of their home offices.
  
  The Department of Charitable Gaming was merged with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services effective July 1, 2008. Therefore, its 30 authorized positions are not included in the Human Resource Level numbers below, nor in the discussion above. This information will be updated when the next update is due.
• Human Resource Levels

  Effective Date	7/1/2008
  Total Authorized Position level	538
  Vacant Positions	-69
  Current Employment Level	469.0
  Non-Classified (Filled)	3
  Full-Time Classified (Filled)	465		breakout of Current Employment Level
  Part-Time Classified (Filled)	1
  Faculty (Filled)	0
  Wage	93
  Contract Employees	4
  Total Human Resource Level	566.0		= Current Employment Level + Wage and Contract Employees

• Factors Impacting HR
  Aging Workforce: VDACS is facing the challenge of losing many of our long-tenured staff to retirement between now and fiscal year 2009. Approximately 30% of our current employees will be eligible for an unreduced retirement by FY09. Additionally, many of our current wage employees are former retirees who may not choose to continue working. This will result in a great loss of institutional knowledge, skills and experience. The agency’s median age as of July 1, 2007 is 51. Approximately 243 employees are age 50 and over; approximately 120 employees have over 25 years of state service which includes additional purchased service and service converted from sick leave.
  
  Staff Retention: With an anticipated increase in turnover due to retirements, VDACS continues to explore avenues to improve staff retention. The issue of job satisfaction involves many factors, however VDACS’ ability to attract, recruit, and retain a qualified workforce is adversely impacted by agency salaries that are not competitive. In most cases, VDACS salaries are not market competitive when compared to the private sector, federal government and local government. This is particularly true for positions based in the Northern Virginia area. The lack of funding for the performance management system has an impact on employee morale and our ability to retain younger workers. Additional funds for incentives such as recruitment bonuses, retention bonuses and performance bonuses are needed.
  
  Homeland Security Issues: With the additional workload as a result of homeland security issues, VDACS also needs to attract and retain employees with specialized skills and knowledge in food and dairy science, public health, veterinary medicine, microbiology, biology, pesticides, plant pathology, entomology, emergency preparedness, and law enforcement. Funds must be available to provide specialized training to keep up with the latest developments and technologies.
  
  Constant demand for additional services with less staff: Since 1991, VDACS’ maximum employment level has been reduced from 701 FTE’s to 538 FTE’s. Organizational units have been streamlined to the extent that there is very little back up for employees who are out on extended leave or for positions that are vacant.
• Anticipated HR Changes
  Unfunded legislative requirements and mandates continue to drain agency resources. Changes in federal and state laws and regulations have the potential to change agency responsibilities and the continued downsizing of the federal government will potentially shift additional responsibilities to state agencies. Employee workloads are expected to increase without the benefit of increased resources.
  
  USDA is placing increased regulatory demand on VDACS to handle plant and animal health and disease issues. Homeland security programs are also increasing our workload and require intensified emergency preparedness and response capability as well as enhanced public information/education efforts.
  
  VDACS has the potential to lose up to one-third of its workforce over the next five years. Additional funds are necessary to provide technical, communication and management training. If the economy continues to improve, we may have difficulty in finding staff to work in the program areas given the salary levels we can afford. The projected retirements or loss of employees in technical and professional areas has the potential to create a shortage of expertise in critical areas. Resources are needed to provide creative outreach recruitment and retention incentives.

Information Technology

• Narrative overview of the current state of IT in the agency:
  The agency's current computer environment consists of an obsolete IBM 9221 Model 150 mainframe computer running legacy applications using the Oracle version 7.3.3 Data Base Management System, and the related 7.0 development tools; a Sun Solaris Unix environment running the Oracle 9i DBMS, the Oracle 9g development tools, and the Oracle application server, to which environment the legacy applications are being converted; a Novell Netware network with GroupWise email; a Windows environment running a vendor-supplied Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS); and a vendor-supplied hardware/software environment running the vendor-provided Electronic Document Management System (EDMS). Agency Application Development staff have reengineered and enhanced approximately 80% of the legacy Oracle applications. We are in the project planning stages of a new Animal Health Reporting System. E-government capabilities are being provided where applicable.
  
  DACS has 34 major application areas, nine of which are still legacy applications running on the mainframe computer. Nineteen applications are converted off the mainframe computer and are running on a 9i Platform. These applications were converted by our applications development staff. Two applications are 3-Tier converted, but the database is not yet moved. The remaining four applications will be discontinued or merged with other applications.
  
  DACS is working with VITA and System Automation, a VITA contractor, to convert and reengineer some of the larger applications off the mainframe. This software appears to be an affordable solution. Systems Automation demonstrated their software to agency executives and managers. A subsequent meeting between Systems Automation and selected managers and application users was held to discuss whether or not this application can be used to convert from the mainframe while enhancing business processes. During fiscal year 2006-2007, this group of agency managers met to determine if this solution would fit their business needs. Several program areas are interested in pursuing this project as a front office solution to issue registrations and permits. The work group determined that this was not the best solution as an electronic tool for the inspection staff who work in the field with our customers. WimWam was identified as a potential sole source vendor who could provide the appropriate field inspectin functionality.
  
  System Automation and WimWam are discussing a partnership to meet our needs. Applications for which this will be a conversion and reengineering solution include: Pesticide Management, Food Inspection, Weights and Measures Service Agency and Technicians, Motor fuel, Feed, Fertilizer and Lime. The System Automation and Winwam projects are in implementation as project plans and charters were approved by VITA PMD. This project will result in developing more web-enabled applications for our employees and our customers.
  
  VDACS' network currently supports approximately 500 employees using services for email, virus protection, automatic virus definition updates, file sharing services, print services, Internet services and database connectivity. VDACS' servers currently reside at the Chesterfield Enterprise Service Center, connecting to the Oliver Hill Building via the VITA/NG maintained network. Our network and equipment is property of the VITA / Northrop Grumman partnership and the partnership is responsible for their operation. Approximately 250 employees in regional laboratories, field offices, and at-home offices connect to the agency network via Covanet frame-relay, DSL, Cable, Dial-up, and cooperative efforts with other government entities.
  
  Of the 550 computers at VDACS, approximately 250 are notebooks or tablets, mainly used in the field for tracking a variety of inspections, investigations, performing research, accessing VDACS/USDA database applications and communicating via email with VDACS, federal organizations and trade organizations.
• Narrative description of the factors impacting agency IT:
  Primary constraints continue to be lack of funding and lack of staff availability. Staff time to support current applications and changes needed by program areas leaves minimal time for conversion efforts. Additionally, we find it extremely difficult to fill vacant application development positions with the required Oracle experience.
  
  Over the last biennium, Information Systems staff spent a significant amount of time working with our Finance Office and program areas to convert the Financial System (FINSYS), Budget System (BUDSYS), Revenue Management and Consolidated Commodities applications to the three-tier environment. FINSYS feeds the Commonwealth Accounting and Reporting System (CARS) with expenditure data. Permits and personnel applications were also converted and migrated to the three-tier environment.
  
  VITA transition activities have significantly increased the amount of staff resources necessary to meet the new VITA requirements in policies, standards and procedures. The partnership with Northrop Grumman provides VITA with many additional staff to forward new policies and procedures for agencies to follow. However, agency staff levels have not increased to meet the additional demands made by the partnership. Additionally, delays in receiving project proposal for projects that are in scope to VITA were a major problem in fiscal year 2006-07.
• Describe any anticipated or desired changes to agency IT:
  All agency employees will have access to all information technology network services.
  
  Increasing agency productivity by enhancing technology capabilities and e-government initiative, especially in the areas of permitting and licensing services.
  
  Provide the inspector staffs with the electronic tools for reporting to management and providing reports to customers to enhance productivity and customer service. This will improve business processes. DACS will also expand network services to additional field staff so that more reporting will be accomplished electronically.
  
  Responding to growth and demand for services caused by consumer and industry demand and growth in the number of regulated entities and needs for assistance (Food Safety, Marketing, Veterinary Services, Consumer Affairs, Product and Industry Standards, Laboratory Services, Plant and Pest Services).
  
  DACS will finish updating its legacy mainframe applications to current technologies. The outdated mainframe will be retired.
  
  DACS will investigate the Commonwealth's Content Management System.
  
  Increased compliance with new VITA standards providing increased security, standardization, and project management within the agency and within the Commonwealth.
  
  There are currently no major or non-major information technology projects anticipated for 2008-10.
• IT Current Services:

  	Cost - Year 1		Cost - Year 2
  	General Fund	Non-general Fund	General Fund	Non-general Fund
  Projected FY2010 VITA Service Fees	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Changes (+/-) to VITA Infrastructure	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Estimated VITA Infrastruture	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Specialized Infrastructure	$35,000	$0	$35,000	$0
  Agency IT Staff	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Non-agency IT Staff	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Other Application Costs	$573,814	$203,523	$573,814	$203,523
  Agency IT Current Services	$608,814	$203,523	$608,814	$203,523

  Comments:
  [Nothing entered]
• Proposed IT Investments

  	Cost - Year 1		Cost - Year 2
  	General Fund	Non-general Fund	General Fund	Non-general Fund
  Major IT Projects	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Non-major IT Projects From $100,000 - $1 Milliona Total Cost	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Non-major IT Projects Below $100,000 Total Cost	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Major IT Procurements - Stand-alone	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Non-major IT Procurements - Stand-alone	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Total Proposed IT Investments	$0	$0	$0	$0

• Projected Total IT Budget

  	Cost - Year 1		Cost - Year 2
  	General Fund	Non-general Fund	General Fund	Non-general Fund
  Agency IT Current Services	$608,814	$203,523	$608,814	$203,523
  Total Proposed IT Investments	$0	$0	$0	$0
  Agency Projected Total IT Budget	$608,814	$203,523	$608,814	$203,523

Capital

• Current State of Capital Investments:
  DACS owns sixteen office, laboratory and farmers' market facilities at twelve locations across the Commonwealth. Addtionally, the Agency leases twelve office, laboratory and storage facilities.
  
  DACS must maintain a fleet of trucks and other vehicles not available from the State Motor Pool for its inspection and grading activities. Livestock Marketing and Weights and Measures inspection are examples of two program areas that require special vehicles to perform their activities.
  
  The Commonwealth invested approximately $12 million planning and constructing farmers' market facilities in Accomack, Carroll, Southampton and Westmoreland Counties. These markets are operated by private sector or local government entities via a contract with DACS. The Commonwealth is responsible for repair and replacement of building systems including refrigeration equipment, fire suppression and alarm system water supply systems, paving and structural systems. The Department's maintenance budget does not contain sufficient funding to address the projected repair needs. Traditionally, the Commonwealth's Maintenance Reserve Program has not provided sufficient funding to maintain these markets. These markets are between seven and thirteen years old and are beginning to require costly repairs. During the FY 2006-2008 biennium, the agency did receive sufficient maintenance reserve funding. This level of maintenance reserve funding is needed in the 2008-2010 to properly maintain these aging markets and older office buildings on the Eastern Shore.
  
  The agency's larger animal diagnostic laboratories (Warrenton, Wytheville, Lynchburg, Harrisonburg) need full time trades technicians to address daily facility maintenance issues. Due to the size and complexity of these facilities, a full time technician is needed to handle electrical, mechanical, and janitorial problems and workload. The agency does not have FTEs available to meet this need, therefore wage employees are hired to fill the void. Constant turnover of wage employees leads to high administrative costs to find various maintenance engineers and janitorial staff to fill the void and to constantly hire and train new employees. The employees we hire are generally trained by us only to leave for full time jobs.
  
  The agency is currently constructing a new office and laboratory in Harrisonburg, VA. Construction started (notice to proceed) March 6, 2006. Substantial completion is scheduled for October 2007. The construction project included site acquisition, construction of a 13,800 square foot regional laboratory facility, 11,800 square foot regional office building, 470 square foot maintenance building and installation of associated equipment.
  
  The animal diagnostic laboratories have animal waste incinerators. The incinerators require constant repair due to their age. The agency will install a new large capacity, 600 pound per hour incinerator at our new Harrisonburg Laboratory. The Wytheville Laboratory is scheduled for a new 300 pound per hour capacity incinerator replacement. The incinerators are necessary to properly dispose of animal waste; however, they are costly to operate from an energy prospective.
• Factors Impacting Capital Investments:
  As with most state entities, funding is not sufficient to properly maintain our captial assets. Maintenance costs are usually deferred to future years.
  
  The agency requested VPBA funds for 2008-10 to build a Marketing & Inspection Office on the EasternShore. The project was funded by the 2008 General Assembly. The proposed facility will replace agency offices now located in two separate facilities that are in need of major renovation and/or replacement. Renovations needed included roofing, heating and air conditioning, and electrical systems. Current office space is inadequate for assigned staff and no conference and training space is available. The office will be located with the farmers' market on the Eastern Shore. This project has been an agency capital budget priority since 1990-92.
  
  The agency requested VPBA funds for 2010-12 to expand and renovate the Ivor Regional Laboratory and Office. Project would include a new necropsy lab with built-in cooler space and a new animal waste incinerator. Three thousand square feet of office space would consolidate offices and eliminate lease space in Franklin, VA. The present necropsy room and cooler are too small to accommodate large animals.
  
  The agency requested VPBA funds for 2008-10 to build a seafood facility on the Eastern Shore. This project was funded by the 2008 General Assembly. The seafood processing and storage facility will be used to market, handle, store, and freeze seafood. This project will increase the value and marketing of fish and/or finfish currently harvested from the waters surrounding this area.
  
  The agency requested VPBA funds for 2010-12 to acquire land and construct a large volume calibration facility and an equipment storage building. This facility would be used to provide official and unbiased calibration of the equipment that is used to measure the accuracy of motor fuel dispensing units (tanker trucks). The equipment currently used in the calibration of large volume provers is between 20 and 33 years old and lack consistent accuracy. The present makeshift facility (VDOT Fulton facility in Richmond) lacks the environmental controls necessary to maintain testing accuracy within National Institute of Standards and Technology standards.
  
  The agency requested VPBA funds for 2010-12 to build and relocate the Warrenton Regional Office. The proposed project will include site studies, planning and construction of a 6,000 square foot office building at the site of the regional diagnostic laboratory in Warrenton, Virginia. The existing regional office facility is on a valuable commercial site that can be sold after construction of the new facility to offset approximately 70% of the project cost. Construction of the new facility will allow consolidation of all agency functions in the Warrenton Region at one location resulting in better access and service to clients and more efficient building operation and maintenance.
• Capital Investments Alignment:
  Agency facilities are maintained and protected at acceptable standards and operational down-time is virtually non-existent.
  
  The five animal diagnostic laboratories are located strategically around Virginia to meet the needs of producers, veterinarian practitioners, farmers, agribusinesses, and meat and poultry companies. Necropsies and pathology, serology, diagnostic bacteriology and dairy bacteriology test are performed to diagnose animal diseases and to protect the food and dairy supply. These locations are: Ivor, Wytheville, Warrenton, Harrisonburg, and Lynchburg. The new Harrisonburg Laboratory scheduled for completion October 2007 will be capable of testing at Bio-Security Level III.
  
  Offices in the laboratories, or at the same location, make it possible for employees in the Divisions of Marketing, Consumer Protection and Animal and Food Industry Services to service the agency's clients at and near those locations. Staff in these locations, in addition to laboratory staff, include: fruit and vegetable, livestock, and poultry graders; veterinary services staff; marketing staff; food, dairy, and meat and poultry inspectors; market news reporters; nursery inspectors, etc.
  
  Office locations are also in Suffolk, Franklin, on the Eastern Shore, and Roanoke. These smaller offices house a variety of employees to serve our customers and meet our mission in those areas.
  
  The farmers' markets provide a means for local farmers and producers to package, market and ship their crops. Products are hydro cooled (if appropriate), graded, boxed, and cooled. Farmers are able to join with other growers to develop a shipment large enough to sell to grocery chains. Independently, these farmers would not have enough product to gain access to these markets.

Goal 1

Promoting the growth, profitability and continued viability of Virginia’s agriculture industry provides opportunities for business advancement and economic development. Increasing the profitability of Virginia agriculture also provides an opportunity to protect and conserve our natural resources. This goal aligns with the economic long-term objective as well as the long-term objective on natural, historic, and cultural resources.

• Be a national leader in the preservation and enhancement of our economy.
• Protect, conserve and wisely develop our natural, historical and cultural resources.

Goal 2

An integrated system of food safety inspection and testing is implemented to ensure that Virginia continues to have high food safety standards. These standards enable the public to enjoy quality, safe and wholesome food that enhances the well being of Virginia citizens, the environment and the economy. This goal aligns with the Council’s goals on health and family and public safety.

• Be a national leader in the preservation and enhancement of our economy.
• Protect the public’s safety and security, ensuring a fair and effective system of justice and providing a prepared response to emergencies and disasters of all kinds.

Goal 3

By providing agricultural and consumer protection services that support economic growth, meet consumer needs and encourage environmental stewardship, the department promotes a balanced and reasonable approach to regulations, which protects the public’s interest and supports economic growth. These efforts continue to advance Virginia’s objective of being a national leader in the enhancement of our economy and engaging and informing citizens to ensure we serve their interests.

• Be a national leader in the preservation and enhancement of our economy.
• Engage and inform citizens to ensure we serve their interests.

Goal 4

Through the integration and maintenance of new technology and e-government applications, streamlined work processes and procedures, and training, the department is able to operate more efficiently and enhance service levels both internally and externally, while making the most prudent use of tax dollars. This aligns with Virginia’s commitment to remaining the best managed state in the nation.

• Be recognized as the best-managed state in the nation.

Goal 5

By instituting measures that improve our emergency response capacity, the department is able to help minimize the impact to citizens and reduce economic losses to Virginia businesses. Providing services that help to protect public safety and security will improve the quality of life for all Virginians. This goal aligns with the public safety and economic goals of the Council on Virginia’s Future.

• Elevate the levels of educational preparedness and attainment of our citizens.
• Be a national leader in the preservation and enhancement of our economy.
• Protect the public’s safety and security, ensuring a fair and effective system of justice and providing a prepared response to emergencies and disasters of all kinds.

Goal 6

This goal ensures compliance with federal and state regulations, policies and procedures for Commonwealth preparedness, as well as guidelines promulgated by the Assistant to the Governor for Commonwealth Preparedness, in collaboration with the Governor's Cabinet, the Commonwealth Preparedness Working Group, the Department of Planning and Budget and the Council on Virginia's Future. The goal supports achievement of the Commonwealth's statewide goal of protecting the public's safety and security, ensuring a fair and effective system of justice and providing a prepared response to emergencies and disasters of all kinds.

• Elevate the levels of educational preparedness and attainment of our citizens.
• Be a national leader in the preservation and enhancement of our economy.
• Protect the public’s safety and security, ensuring a fair and effective system of justice and providing a prepared response to emergencies and disasters of all kinds.

• We will be prepared to act in the interest of the citizens of the Commonwealth and its infrastructure during emergency situations by actively planning and training both as an agency and as individuals.
  Objective Strategies

  • The agency Emergency Coordination Officer will stay in continuous communication with the Office of Commonwealth Preparedness and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.
  • At least one training session, one test or one exercise of the COOP Plan will be conducted annually through June 30, 2010.

  Objective Measures

  • We will assess our ageny's COOP and determine an assessment score that reflects the percentage of 24 COOP requirements that our agency has completed.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Measure Baseline Value:

    Date:

    Measure Baseline Description: 2007 COOP Assessment Results (% out of 100)

    Measure Target Value:

    Date:

    Measure Target Description: Minimum of 75% or, if at 75%, increase the average by 5% each year.

    Data Source and Calculation: The COOP Assessment Review is a 24-component assessment tool that helps measure the viability of a COOP Plan. Assessment conducted in coordination with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.

11/23/2009   5:15 am

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (301)

Distribution of USDA Donated Food (301 457 08)

The Food Distribution Program manages the distribution of USDA donated foods to all eligible outlets in the state.

This activity performs the following activities:
•Approves non-school outlets for participation
•Orders USDA foods based on USDA foods offered, school food requests or clients served
•Arranges transportation and storage, maintains accountability of USDA foods
•Ensures that USDA donated food usage is in accordance with federal regulations. The staff provides technical assistance in program operation and promotes Virginia products to recipient agencies and commercial distributors. This office also diverts USDA foods in emergencies for disaster relief, including potential terrorist attacks, to assist state recovery operations.

Currently, there are three components to this activity which are interrelated and generate economies of scale because they utilize the same personnel and a single commercial distribution system:

The largest component to Virginia citizens is USDA foods for school lunches. The program benefits state taxpayers by reducing the cost of school meals by 17.5 cents each. Virginia schools serve 101.1 million meals annually. This component provides the initial shelf stable food resources for state recovery operations from disasters or emergencies including terrorist attacks. In the event of state emergencies, disasters, or terrorist attacks, VDACS can also coordinate the diversion of USDA foods from a variety of sources.

The second component is The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). VDACS distributes foods donated by USDA to seven regional food banks for subsequent distribution to low income households. VDACS also distributes TEFAP foods to eligible soup kitchens/congregate feeding sites in Virginia.

The third component is the distribution of USDA foods to public and private nonprofit institutions. USDA foods provided to state and local penal institutions reduce the food cost burden to the economic benefit of Virginia taxpayers.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  None
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  If vending machines operating on school grounds are further restricted, potentially our contract distributors that offer a full line of goods for sale as well as the distribution of USDA commodities could benefit by increased sales to our customers. It is still too early to predict the sales value or likelihood of this happening until USDA determines the fate of vending machines in schools.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Distribute USDA donated foods to eligible outlets in the state.
  • Approve non-school outlets for participation.
  • Order USDA foods based on clients served, USDA foods offered and school food requests.
  • Arrange transportation/storage, & maintain accountability of USDA foods.
  • Divert USDA foods for emergency use after disasters or terrorism relief to assist state recovery operations.
  • Ensure that USDA donated food usage is in accordance with federal regulations.
  • Award state contracts to commercial food distributors to receive, store and distribute USDA foods to outlets specified by VDACS.
  • Expand opportunities for Virginia’s producers and processors in the marketing of agricultural products to schools and institutions.

• Increase the value of USDA donated food distributed to eligible recipient agencies in order to maximize the nutritional benefits for Virginia citizens.
  Objective Description
  This objective provides for improved nutritional health and well being of the Commonwealth's school children; improved food security and nutrition assistance to needy citizens and economic benefits to agricultural producers, processors and distributors. The program provides a viable mechanism for food assistance to citizens in the event of a state of emergency resulting from natural or man made disasters.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: Enhance opportunities for the growth, profitability and continued viability of the Virginia agriculture industry.
    Comment: Distribution of USDA donated foods supports, Enhancing Economic Development, especially the objective to expand opportunities in the marketing of agricultural products to schools and institutions. Last year, USDA purchased $12.9 million worth of products from Virginia agricultural firms for delivery to food assistance program outlets. In addition to those direct beneficiaries that receive USDA foods, agriculture producers are served when commodity prices are stabilized by USDA purchases of foods allowing sufficient return on investment to maintain production. This objective also aligns with the long term objective toward healthy lives and strong and resilient families.
  Objective Strategies
  • Offer, allocate and distribute USDA-donated foods to eligible recipient agencies in order to enhance sales of Virginia products through June 30, 2010.
  • Make trade calls to schools and institutions to increase the use of Virginia food products through June 30, 2010.
  • Expand marketing activity with institutional buyers in Virginia, increase Virginia market share through June 30, 2010.
  • Provide consistent support for expanding USDA/DOD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program with public schools through June 30, 2010.
  • Maintain working relationships with commercial distributors to enhance food distribution programs through June 30, 2010.
  Objective Measures
  • Percentage of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) donated food distributed within the state per federal guidelines.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Maintain

    Measure Baseline Value:

    100

    Date:

    Measure Baseline Description: Distributed 100% of all donated food allocated to Virginia in FY07.

    Measure Target Value:

    100

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: Maintain 100% of distribution of USDA food allocated to Virginia.

    Data Source and Calculation: USDA database

11/23/2009   5:15 am

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (301)

Animal Disease Prevention and Control (301 531 01)

A statewide veterinary medicine regulatory program which prevents, contains, and eradicates infectious and contagious diseases of Virginia’s livestock and poultry populations in order to enhance their national and international marketability and to increase the profit potential for the animal agriculture industry.

Services include:

Health tests and certification to assure that livestock and poultry are free of diseases when they are sold or shipped.

Analyzing the state’s livestock population through continuous monitoring and testing at livestock markets and shows.

Coordination of animal and poultry disease eradication programs.

Investigations of drug residue cases and tracebacks associated with suspect animals.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  Changing personnel in management positions.
  
  Loss of personnel due to resignations and time required to fill open positions.
  
  Increased demand for time to respond to citizen concerns about animal welfare and animal cruelty without a subsequent increase in staff.
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  Live Bird Market operations may require additional time for regulatory inspections.
  
  Increased amount of time required for emergency preparedness and disease planning without subsequent increase in staff.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Customer assistance: consult with producers on animal health issues; assist veterinarians participating in the Virginia Johne’s Disease Control and Prevention Program.
  • Inspection and enforcement: inspect livestock markets for compliance with sanitation requirements and records; perform garbage inspections to assure proper disposal of garbage and eliminate the risk of feeding to swine; conduct dealer inspections; monitor health certificates, both issued and for imported livestock; monitor equine events; monitor brucellosis and tuberculosis test results; assist with follow-up testing when necessary for brucellosis and tuberculosis.
  • Accreditation/Certification: accredit new veterinarians to assure they are knowledgeable of state laws and regulations; certify veterinarians for participation in the Voluntary Johne’s Program.

• Protect and enhance the economic viability of Virginia's agriculture industries through the prevention and management of foreign and emerging animal diseases of economic and public health significance.
  Objective Description
  To protect and promote Virginia's animal and poultry industries by conducting livestock market and sales inspections, reviewing and issuing animal health certificates, conducting investigations and tracebacks, issuing quarantines and eradication notices, maintaining Virginia's Tuberculosis, Brucellosis and Pseudorabies free status, enforcing livestock and poultry regulations and entry requirements on a continuous basis. The program must be proactive as well as maintain ongoing activities to assure that animal diseases are not introduced into the Commonwealth that could have a negative economic impact. Plans must be in place to minimize the economic impact of an introduced disease or natural disasters that may occur.
  Objective Strategies
  • The State Veterinarian will continue to work with various sectors in the livestock industry to develop and implement a voluntary animal identification and premise registration program in Virginia, contingent on funding for such a program, through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will continue to review and improve the Highly Contagious Livestock and Poultry Disease Emergency Operations Plan and the Avian Influenza Rapid Response Plan, and to exercise strategic portions of the plans, including exercises utilizing GIS maps and quarantine enforcement with law enforcement officers, through June 30, 2010.
  • The State Veterinarian will evaluate the quality of the producer information available through livestock market and registered cattle dealers and develop a plan to track cattle marketed through Virginia livestock markets and registered cattle dealers depending on available funding through June 30, 2010.
  • The State Veterinarian will develop a protocol for livestock market and livestock dealer animal tracing for use in responses to regulatory program or foreign animal diseases through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will train veterinarians through the USDA Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostician Course through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will conduct joint VDACS, VMRCVM staff and veterinary practitioner training and a foreign animal disease exercise by June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will participate in the Virginia Poultry Disease Task Force and the Delmarva Poultry Industry Emergency Disease Task Force as well as seek to maintain a strong working relationship with poultry producers throughout Virginia through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will provide technical and professional information to the VDACS Emergency Services Coordinator to assist in the development of an emergency response plan to address the needs of individuals with household pets and service animals in the event of a disaster through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will develop an Emergency Operations Plan for Highly Contagious Equine Diseases by June 30, 2010.
  • The State Veterinarian will participate on the State Animal Response Team board of directors to develop and implement plans for state and local volunteer responses to animal emergencies through June 30, 2010.
  Objective Measures
  • Number of livestock premises registered through the animal identification program in Virginia.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Measure Baseline Value:

    2142

    Date:

    6/30/2007

    Measure Baseline Description: 2142 livestock premises were registered in FY 2007.

    Measure Target Value:

    10500

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: Register 10500 livestock premises in Virginia by June 30, 2010.

    Data Source and Calculation: Premises registration through the National Animal Identification System.

• Protect and enhance the economic viability of Virginia's agriculture industries through the prevention and management of foreign and emerging animal and poultry diseases of economic and public health significance.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: Provide agricultural and consumer protection services that support economic growth, meet consumer needs, and encourage environmental stewardship.
  Objective Strategies
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will train, certify or recertify additional staff and field veterinarians through other USDA courses on Brucellosis Epidemiology, Tuberculosis Epidemiology, Johne's Disease, Scrapie, Live Bird Market System, Generic Data Base,and Animal Identification as these courses are made available by the USDA through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services and the Office of Laboratory Services will coordinate with the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries on diseases of mutual concern through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will expand training and information exchange for regional veterinary supervisors and selected staff by conducting quarterly regional meetings through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will work with USDA and Virginia Cooperative Extension to educate beef and dairy producers on the need for and the benefit of participation in the Virginia Johne's Disease Control Program through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will cooperate with the Office of Laboratory Services, VDACS Livestock Marketing, the Virginia Cattlemen's Association, Virginia Dairymen's Association, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech Animal Science and Dairy Science departments, and Virginia Cooperative Extension to explore the development of a voluntary Bovine Virus Diarrhea Monitoring and Control programs through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will support livestock marketing by inspecting, monitoring, auditing and disinfecting livestock markets; by monitoring livestock dealers, records and registrations; by maintaining the Cattle Brand Registration program; by monitoring for humane handling of livestock at livestock markets; and by ensuring compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will ensure compliance with state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to animal movement, animal transport and disease control by inspecting and/or monitoring equine events, county and state fairs, shows, exhibitions, sales and other animal gatherings through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will participate in all state and federal programs, and ensure compliance with all federal and state laws and regulations to maintain Virginia's Tuberculosis-free, Brucellosis-free and Pseudorabies-free status through June 30, 2010
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will support Virginia's poultry industry and reduce the potential for highly contagious poultry diseases by inspecting, monitoring, testing and auditing the commercial and non-commercial poultry flocks in the state; by participating in the National Poultry Improvement Plan, the Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza program, the Live Bird Market System program; by issuing importation permits and monitoring the importation of eggs and poultry into the state; by inspecting feed and farm stores for the presence and sale of poultry through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will work to prevent the incursion of Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) by inspecting quarantine facilities, by monitoring testing for the causative organism and by monitoring quarantines placed on horses imported into Virginia from countries known to have CEM through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will promote programs and ensure compliance with federal and state laws and regulations that help control diseases of economic concern to Virginia's animal agriculture such as Scrapie, Johne's Disease, Equine Infectious Anemia, Avian Influenza, Pullorum, Fowl Typhoid and other infectious or contagious diseases as they may occur through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will monitor and conduct investigations into violations of state import and export regulations and monitor, approve and conduct investigations into violations of the issuance of Certificates of Veterinary Inspections through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will conduct the orientation training for private practitioners to allow them to become federally accredited to do regulatory animal disease testing and to write Certificates of Veterinary Inspection through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will conduct Market Cattle Investigations, drug residue violation investigations, and other animal health and animal welfare investigations as authorized by state and federal laws and regulations through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will approve and monitor the use of veterinary biologicals and veterinary vaccines in Virginia through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will inspect restaurants, nursing homes, schools, airports and other garbage generating facilities to ensure compliance with the State and federal garbage feeding laws through June 30, 2010.
  Objective Measures
  • Maintain Virgina's Tuberculosis-, Brucellosis- and Pseudorabies-free status
    Measure Class:

    Governor's Key

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Maintain

    Key Summary: We will maintain Virgina's Tuberculosis-, Brucellosis- and Pseudorabies-free status.

    Measure Baseline Value:

    100

    Date:

    6/30/2007

    Measure Baseline Description: Disease-free status maintained in FY2007.

    Measure Target Value:

    100

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: Disease-free status. (100%)

    Data Source and Calculation: Monitor through surveillance of livestock population and laboratory tests.

• Prevent the rapid spread of transmissible disease in Virginia’s livestock and poultry populations by enhancing disease surveillance capabilities.
  Objective Description
  2 VAC 5-30 Rules and Regulations Pertaining to the Reporting Requirements for Contagious and Infectious Diseases of Livestock and Poultry in Virginia requires regular reporting on the occurrence of certain diseases to the Office of the State Veterinarian. The old system of paper reports has been inadequate, and an effort is being made to implement an internet-based disease reporting system for veterinary practitioners.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: Provide services that prevent or minimize the impact of emergency agricultural infestations, animal disease outbreaks, foodborne illness outbreaks, and natural and manmade disasters.
    Comment: Aligns with long term objective #7 - Protects the public's safety and security, ensuring a fair and effective system of justice and providing a prepared response to emergencies and disasters of all kinds.
  Objective Strategies
  • Promote use of online disease reporting system to private veterinary practitioners through June 30, 2010.
  Objective Measures
  • Number of private veterinary practitioners utilizing the online disease reporting system.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Output

    Measure Frequency:

    Quarterly

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Frequency Comment: Once disease reporting system is established, reports will be available.

    Measure Baseline Value:

    84

    Date:

    6/30/2006

    Measure Baseline Description: The baseline for FY 06 is 84.

    Measure Target Value:

    105

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: Increase participation by 25 percent each year.

    Data Source and Calculation: Online access to disease reporting system will allow for data calculation, including number of users, and compliance with reporting requirement.

11/23/2009   5:15 am

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (301)

Diagnostic Services (301 531 02)

The Regional Animal Health Laboratory System (RAHLS) consists of five regional animal health laboratories geographically distributed around the Commonwealth such that all potential clients are within two to three hours of at least one facility.

Diagnostic services provides necropsy (animal autopsy), diagnostic microbiology, dairy microbiology, parasitology, serology, molecular testing, histopathology and food safety testing.

Customer service is enhanced by each facility being staffed with professional personnel to provide the highest quality of veterinary laboratory diagnostic services directly to the client.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  Submissions are generated by the livestock and poultry producers and their veterinarians, so the volume of submissions is somewhat variable, depending on the overall animal agriculture economy.
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  As the types of diagnostic testing available become more varied and sophisticated (e.g. molecular or “DNA” testing), the value of such testing also rises to producers.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Animal Diagnostic Testing Services: The RAHLS offers diagnostic services to individual livestock and poultry producers, veterinary practitioners, and companion animal owners. Some of these services are not available on a routine basis from any other source. Virginia livestock and poultry producers benefit by having convenient, economical, expert advice on contagious diseases which can lead to losses through death and/or reduced productivity of animals. Non-agricultural residents of the Commonwealth benefit from the rapid diagnosis and control of diseases that can be transmitted to humans such as E. coli, Salmonellosis, Brucellosis and Campylobacteriosis. In cooperation with the Department of Consolidated Laboratory Services (the human health counterpart to the RAHLS), the RAHLS facilitates the diagnosis of rabies by removing heads from suspect animals.
  • Animal Regulatory Program Testing Services: The VDACS RAHLS also provides regulatory testing (brucellosis, Swine Pseudorabies, Johne’s disease, Equine infectious anemia, etc.) so that producers can comply with state, federal and international requirements for sale or movement of animals and animal products. These tests perform an important surveillance function in the control of economically significant animal diseases and public health threats such as Exotic Newcastle Disease, Avian Influenza, West Nile virus, Bovine Tuberculosis, brucellosis and pseudorabies. Because of increased trade requirements, these tests are becoming more important, and more varied (e.g. the establishment of a Johne’s control program).
  • Food Safety Testing Services: Regulatory testing is performed in support of the program in the Office of Dairy & Foods that permits interstate shipment of milk produced in Virginia and assures an unadulterated milk supply. Testing services are provided for the Office of Meat & Poultry Services generic E. coli standard, required in state inspected processing plants. Additional testing services are performed for the Office of Food Safety & Security and the Office of Meat & Poultry Services to certify water supplies. Because of current heightened concerns, food safety testing work is increasing in type and volume.

• Protect and enhance the economic viability of Virginia's animal agriculture industries by provided accurate, timely and accountable testing services for diseases of economic and public health significance.
  Objective Description
  The mission of the VDACS Animal Health Laboratory System to provide quality diagnostic and regulatory testing of specimens from animals, raw foods and limited environmental origin to the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia in a timely manner and at reasonable cost. These testing services provide assistance to producers, regulatory offices, and private veterinarians in diagnosing disease problems, are a vital link in the monitoring and surveillance for both animal and human diseases of regulatory concern (e.g. Brucellosis, Tuberculosis, Salmonella, E. coli) and provide certification of animals and their products necessary for interstate and international export.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: Provide services that prevent or minimize the impact of emergency agricultural infestations, animal disease outbreaks, foodborne illness outbreaks, and natural and manmade disasters.
    Comment: Aligns with long term objective # 7 – Protects the public’s safety and security, ensuring a fair and effective system of justice and providing a prepared response to emergencies and disasters of all kinds.
  Objective Strategies
  • Operate the five Regional Animal Health Laboratories.
  • Aid in the prevention and control of livestock and poultry diseases for Virginia’s animal industries by adding at least one new testing service per year through June 30, 2010.
  • Aid in the prevention and control of livestock and poultry diseases for Virginia's animal industries by meeting requirements and applying for accreditation by the American Association of Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) by June 30, 2009.
  • Continue the implementation of a state-wide Quality Control Program for the regional animal health laboratory system in accordance with the AAVLD's Essential Requirements for an Accredited Laboratory Guidelines by completing level III documents (individuals laboratory standard operating procedures) through June 30,2010.
  • Work with vendors to integrate the Veterinary Laboratory Information Management System (VLMS) with at least two existing automated testing methods through June 30, 2010.
  Objective Measures
  • Test turnaround time.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Output

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Measure Baseline Value:

    5.17

    Date:

    6/30/2007

    Measure Baseline Description: Average turnaround time in FY07 was 5.17 days.

    Measure Target Value:

    5.1

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: Test turnaround time will be 5.1 days or less for each year of the biennium.

    Data Source and Calculation: Test data taken from the OLS laboratory information management system (LIMS), which records, stores and tabulates all laboratory submission data.

11/23/2009   5:15 am

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (301)

Animal Welfare (301 531 04)

Products and services include:
-A statewide program that promotes the proper care, husbandry and treatment of animals in Virginia;
-Conducts unannounced inspections of the 109 municipal pound and 22 private shelter facilities in the Commonwealth; and
-Provides information and professional assistance on a statewide basis to diverse animal interest groups (e.g. agriculture industries, companion animal industries, wildlife and humane interest groups, etc.).

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  -Changing personnel in management positions.
  -Loss of personnel due to resignations and time required to fill open positions.
  -Changing status of animal pounds/shelters related to construction of new facilities, merging of animal facilities of local governing bodies, and complex contractual relationships between animal control entities.
  -Unpredictable and often overwhelming requests for records under the Freedom Of Information Act and animal cruelty complaints/concerns from citizens and welfare groups.
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  -Agency developing a system to record training history of Animal Control Officers.
  -Agency advising the Virginia Department of Emergency Management on suitability of pet friendly emergency shelter facilities.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Customer assistance: provide information to livestock markets on animal welfare and humane handling; provide information for local governing bodies regarding the Comprehensive Animal Laws and animal welfare; assist Animal Control Officers in investigations and offer technical advice regarding animal care; consult individuals with complaints relating to animal care and welfare laws; provide technical expertise to entities that train/certify Animal Control Officers.
  • Inspection and enforcement: inspect livestock markets to ensure compliance with animal welfare laws; inspect animal pounds and shelters annually; maintain training records for Animal Control Officers; review plans for animal pound and shelter facilities; assist local Animal Control Officers with their investigations of complaints of animal care and/or cruelty; develop new training standards for Animal Control Officers and approve basic and continuing education courses for Animal Control Officers; establish approved methods and chemicals for humane euthanasia of animals; establish approved methods and chemicals for immobilization of animals.

• Strengthen compliance with Virginia’s Comprehensive Animal Laws, prevent cruelty to animals and promote humane care and treatment of animals.
  Objective Description
  Strengthen compliance with Virginia’s Comprehensive Animal Laws, prevent cruelty to animals and promote humane care and treatment of animals by conducting at least one inspection of each of the 131 animal pound and shelter facilities and develop Animal Control Officer training standards. Inspections conducted by one staff member serving as the pound/shelter inspector allows inspections to be conducted in a timely fashion without interruption. New training standards improve education of Animal Control Officers and thereby enhances capabilities to efficiently enforce animal laws for the welfare of Virginia’s animal populations.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: Provide agricultural and consumer protection services that support economic growth, meet consumer needs, and encourage environmental stewardship.
    Comment: Aligns with long term objective # 7 – Protects the public’s safety and security, ensuring a fair and effective system of justice and providing a prepared response to emergencies and disasters of all kinds.
  Objective Strategies
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will provide technical advice and expertise to Animal Control Officers on an as needed basis through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will employ an inspector to conduct pound and shelter inspections, will monitor remediation of deficiencies, and will enforce compliance with Virginia's Comprehensive Animal Laws by working with local officials and by assessing civil penalties when appropriate through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will cooperate with criminal justice academies and other training entities in the Commonwealth to approve training for Animal Control Officers through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will provide localities with guidance on and offer euthanasia certification classes to Animal Control Officers through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will work closely with the localities to ensure data entry of a dangerous dog into the Virginia Dangerous Dog Registry through June 30, 2010.
  • The Office of Veterinary Services will revise and publish in the Virginia Register of Regulations, the Pound and Shelter Civil Penalty Matrix that will be used by the State Veterinarian to assess civil penalties for violations of the Comprehensive Animal Laws through June 30, 2010.
  Objective Measures
  • Pound and shelter inspections.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Measure Baseline Value:

    164

    Date:

    6/30/2006

    Measure Baseline Description: 164 inspections in FY06.

    Measure Target Value:

    150

    Date:

    6/30/2009

    Measure Target Description: 150 inspections per year.

    Data Source and Calculation: Pound and shelter inspection reports.

11/23/2009   5:15 am

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (301)

Grading and Certification of Virginia Products (301 532 01)

This activity provides a grading system that identifies product quality and condition, which is essential for effective and efficient marketing to occur. This program uniformly applies grade standards and specifications of quality that are accepted, understood and utilized by both buyers and sellers worldwide. The agency operates under agreements with the United States Department of Agriculture to provide commodity grading, inspection and official certification services. In addition, this activity is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Virginia Controlled Atmosphere Storage Law for apples and the Virginia Seed Potato Law.

The major service is inspection and official certification of product quality, according to USDA or Virginia grade standards, of fresh fruits, vegetables, peanuts, processed fruits and vegetables, grain, poultry, eggs, livestock, and other miscellaneous commodities for producers, shippers, processors, buyers, marketers, and other financially interested parties who request and pay for the service when needed. Other services include providing the official documentation required for export and official documentation required in settling claims or in legal proceedings.

Along with buyers and sellers who request grading services, all Virginia agriculture stands to benefit from the agency offering these services because industry constantly assesses the added value of graded versus non-graded products. Prices of non-graded products benefit from market value established by graded products. Commodity industries that support and request these voluntary services are aware of the importance of and the need to continue the services as a basis for fair and equitable payments. Trust in the agency's grading allows buyers to make bids through electronic auctions or otherwise buy without the necessity to travel to see the commodity. This attracts more buyers for more competitive bidding. Grading provides an incentive to produce higher quality products.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  [Nothing entered]
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  Despite decline in the total number of farms in Virginia, the Commodity Grading Programs need to continue to develop Certification Services that are more customized to meet the specific product needs of producers, food manufacturers, the food service industry, and food retailers, with the consumer demanding new and a wider variety of grade and quality certifications.
  
  Some of the new programs already on the horizon included certification for the following:
  •Good Agriculture Practices (GAP)
  •Country of origin labeling (COOL)
  •Identity Preservation/Verification Program
  •Food Security
  •Humane handling
  
  These new services will result in growing demand from both large and small producers as grocery chains and eventually consumers will demand these certifications before they purchase.
  
  In grain, a new trend of shipping grain and soybean products in ocean-going containers, which Virginia has a great excess supply of, has begun revolutionizing grain shipments and has created an extensive new challenge for supplying services to this key sector of Virginia’s agricultural economy.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Inspection and official certification of product quality, according to USDA or Virginia grade standards, of the following: fresh fruits, vegetables, peanuts, processed fruits and vegetables, grain, poultry, eggs, livestock, and other miscellaneous commodities.

• Increase the value of Virginia agricultural and forestry products marketed with assistance and collaboration from VDACS (Division of Marketing).
  Objective Description
  Effective marketing programs will maintain and expand current markets for Virginia food, agricultural and forestry products. By monitoring a consistent measure of the annual value of food, agricultural and forestry products; this value should increase due to expanded volume or enhanced increased value of Virginia products.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: Enhance opportunities for the growth, profitability and continued viability of the Virginia agriculture industry.
    Comment: By maintaining and enhancing the profitability of Virginia food, agricultural and forest products producers, this will contribute to a solid and growing agricultural economy in Virginia. This aligns with the long term objective to be a national leader in the preservation and enhancement of our economy.
  Objective Strategies
  • Meet clients’ requests for services by maintaining management and certified technical staff in five comprehensive commodity inspection programs through June 30, 2010. (Poultry and Egg, Grain, Fruit and Vegetable, Peanut and Livestock).
  • For each graded commodity, conduct an annual review of current fee structures to analyze both the fiscal health of commodity grading programs as well as the impact of current fees on the competitiveness of the graded commodities.
  • Provide GAP/GHP (Good Agricultural Practices/Good Handling Practices) information and training, relating to the USDA audit matrix, to Virginia’s fruit and vegetable industry through June 30, 2008.
  • Provide continued education to producers, 4-H, and FFA members regarding USDA quality grades and their relationship to market and industry trends and demands through June 30, 2010.
  • Annually assist in the development of exhibit material and participate in industry trade shows, conferences and field days through June 30, 2010.
  Objective Measures
  • Economic value of products inspected, graded and certified by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Measure Baseline Value:

    1.6

    Date:

    Measure Baseline Description: Five year rolling average is currently $1.6 Billion.

    Measure Target Value:

    1.63

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: Two percent increase each year from the five year average.

    Data Source and Calculation: Commodity Service inspection reports

11/23/2009   5:15 am

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (301)

Milk Marketing Regulation (301 532 04)

This service area creates and administers regulations that foster an orderly state milk-marketing environment to provide for a constantly available supply of milk production dedicated to fluid milk product for use by citizens in controlled markets.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  The number of dairy producers continues to decline annually placing stress on the availability of raw milk production to meet consumer demand. Declining milk production in the Southeast places stress on the Northeast and upper Midwest producers to supply milk production to processors in that region. Virginia is a net exporting state and the Southeast is the primary region that receives those exports.
  
  The continued increase in specialty fluid milk products results in the need to license processors and their distributor customers who market these products in Virginia controlled markets.
  
  The availability of individuals with the technical knowledge of the dairy industry business practices, pricing of dairy production and utilization, and accounting principles is declining rapidly. With anticipated retirements successful recruitment of staff will be difficult. Extensive and costly training will be required of new employees.
  
  The current national dairy marketing structure and environment, as well as that in Virginia, is experiencing rapid and dynamic changes through both vertical and horizontal integration. These changes place stress on the ability of the Milk Commission to ensure that an effective regulatory structure is in place to supervise and control all aspects of the production, processing and marketing of milk.
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  None
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Establish and manage an annual milk production supply system that meets the need of fluid milk product demand of citizens in controlled markets.
  • Establish and announce advanced monthly producer prices for delivered milk production. A monthly price for non-fluid milk products is also established and announced.
  • Review, audit and apply established milk accounting standards to licensed distributors monthly reports of receipts and utilization to calculate and communicate producer delivery values.
  • Review, analyze and audit distributors monthly reports from distributor records to ascertain correctness and the need for adjustments. Examine licensee records and business practices for compliance to regulations.
  • Investigate all complaints regarding compliance to regulations.
  • License all processors, distributors, producer-distributors, and retailers marketing fluid milk products into Virginia controlled markets.
  • License producers who will produce and deliver raw milk to licensed processors supplying fluid milk products into Virginia controlled markets. Account for licensed producer’s production.

• Maintain a system that supports an orderly state milk market to promote the production of a supply of competitively priced fluid milk that satisfies Virginia consumer demand.
  Objective Description
  The provision of an adequate and constant supply of fluid milk products, a vital and healthy food source, to the citizens of the Commonwealth promotes public welfare and health.
  Objective Strategies
  • Enhance staff skill levels through formal and in-house training which support and maintain the Commission’s operational activities that provide for an orderly milk market.
  • Increase the efficiency of informational flow between customers and the Commission by encouraging the use of technology.
  • Provide continuous assistance and training to customers on regulatory requirements to improve compliance.
  Objective Measures
  • Percentage of producer milk target deliveries utilized in fluid milk products in Virginia controlled markets
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Maintain

    Measure Baseline Value:

    102.79

    Date:

    6/30/2006

    Measure Baseline Description: The five-year rolling average at the end of FY 2006 is 102.79

    Measure Target Value:

    100

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: Maintain producer raw mil target deliveries at levels equal to 100 percent of fluid milk production utilized in controlled markets, but no greater than 100 percent.

    Data Source and Calculation: This measure is calculated from information derived from monthly processor reports of recorded utilization summary. The summary details the assignment of targeted supply to be produced and delivered, the amount of milk received, and the utilizatin of the deliveries as fluid milk products. The sufficiency of total deliveries is calculated as a percentage of the total fluid milk product utilized from those deliveries.

11/23/2009   5:15 am

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (301)

Marketing Research (301 532 05)

Marketing Research includes the Virginia Market News and the Virginia Agricultural Statistics Services.

Virginia Market News Service collects and disseminates daily market prices and analyses to Virginia agricultural producers, processors, handlers, general agribusinesses, agriculture financial community, print and broadcast media, marketers, commercial market news services, consumers and USDA. These unbiased, third party reports assist each business and individual in making accurate, reliable sales and purchasing decisions. Virginia Market News Service operates under a cooperative agreement with USDA AMS Market News.

Virginia Agricultural Statistics Service issues official state forecasts and estimates of crops, livestock, poultry, dairy, prices, labor and other related items in cooperation with the USDA-National Statistics Service. This cooperative series of reports helps maintain an orderly association among the outputs, supply, and marketing sectors in Virginia’s agricultural community. The Virginia Agricultural Statistics Service is a joint cooperative federal and state program.

With the highly competitive global food and forest products arena, consistent market research and reporting is critical to better anticipate market shifts, enhance market segmentation from competitors, and position Virginia sources as preferred suppliers.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  [Nothing entered]
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  Anticipated changes include staying updated with the variety of delivery mechanisms required to reach customers and clients, and the ever-changing nature of Virginia agriculture both in terms of products and customer needs. Greater diversification of Virginia agriculture in terms both in terms of customers and clients enhances the need for more customized market research services.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Collect daily information on Virginia prices of agricultural commodities.
  • Publish unbiased, third party reports and analyses that assist agricultural producers.
  • Assess current and future markets for Virginia products.

• Enhance the viability of Virginia agriculture by maintaining consistent market research programs to obtain current agricultural production statistics, price information, and market trends.
  Objective Description
  Reporting on current market trends and prices and anticipating future market shifts is critical to the survival of Virginia agriculture in the future. Competition for market share comes from around the corner and around the world and producers must have unbiased, reliable information and market analysis to position their enterprises for both the near and longer terms.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: Enhance opportunities for the growth, profitability and continued viability of the Virginia agriculture industry.
    Comment: This objective aligns with the overall objectives to promote the economic development of Virginia agriculture and forestry. This aligns with the long term objective to be a national leader in the preservation and enhancement of our economy.
  Objective Strategies
  • Collect, analyze, and disseminate marketing information on livestock, grain, poultry, fruit, vegetables, peanuts, cotton, oilseeds, tobacco, hay and aquaculture using network reporting systems through June 30, 2010.
  • Conduct surveys using statistically defensible methods to obtain information needed by commodity groups and specialists through June 30, 2010.
  • Maintain USDA certification and training of Livestock staff to collect and analyze livestock market information through June 30, 2010.
  Objective Measures
  • Percentage of completed responses to industry and media requests.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Output

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Maintain

    Measure Baseline Value:

    100

    Date:

    6/30/2007

    Measure Baseline Description: In FY 2007, Market News responded to 100% of the requests for market information from the media and industry.

    Measure Target Value:

    100

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: Maintain FY 2007 baseline.

    Data Source and Calculation: Number of customers subscribing to reports of their choice via fax, mail, E-mail or by calling a toll-free number, distribution of Virginia Agricultural Statistics Service annual report.

11/23/2009   5:15 am

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (301)

Market Virginia Agricultural and Forestry Products Nationally and Internationally (301 532 06)

This service area locates, develops, maintains and expands local, regional and global markets for Virginia food, agricultural and forest products. Functions within the service area are separated between domestic, international and livestock marketing.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  [Nothing entered]
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  [Nothing entered]
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Sales and Marketing services assist agricultural and forest products producers, food processors, and industry organizations by initiating sales leads (throughout the Eastern U.S. and Canada) and production area tours, developing new markets and packaging requirements, completing market analysis, participating and representing agricultural industries during trade shows, implementing retail and consumer promotions, distributing marketing information during presentations, providing administrative support to Commodity Boards, assisting with organic certification procedures, and assisting the Departments of Health and Aging with their agricultural related consumer oriented grants. Activities cover conventional and organically produced products. Virginia Farmers Market System services small to medium size produce growers with state-owned shipping point market facilities for four state regions. Each market facility provides produce growers with a central point for delivery of recently harvested product, which is co-mingled, graded, packed and cooled to meet retail grocery and institutional buyer specifications.
  • Livestock Marketing Services provides a complete and integrated marketing program for the livestock industry. These services include a comprehensive market development and promotion program, market information and analysis, and official quality grade evaluation of live animals.
  • International Marketing service assists Virginia exporters in marketing their products overseas by organizing foreign trade missions, hosting buyer missions, participating in trade shows and by monitoring trade policy issues. Through offices in Richmond, and Hong Kong, and a network of local consultants in Europe and Latin America, valuable in-country assistance is provided to Virginia exporters.
  • Strategic market research to expand existing markets for existing products; find or create new markets for existing products. Agriculture Product Promotion Services includes advertising, trade show management, literature development, consumer and retail promotions.

• Increase the value of Virginia food, agricultural and forestry products in the domestic and international marketplace through marketing services provided to producers and processors.
  Objective Description
  Effective marketing programs will maintain and expand current markets for Virginia food, agricultural and forestry products. By monitoring a consistent measure of the annual value of food, agricultural and forestry products; this value should increase due to expanded volume or enhanced increased value of Virginia products.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: Enhance opportunities for the growth, profitability and continued viability of the Virginia agriculture industry.
    Comment: This aligns with the long term objective to be a national leader in the preservation and enhancement of our economy, and secondarily inspires and supports Virginians toward healthy lives through increasing the supply and recognition of fresh, local, top quality food and beverage products.
  Objective Strategies
  • Monitor, search and apply for additional grant funding primarily through USDA programs, e.g. Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program, Specialty Crop Block Grant, Risk Management Agency, Foreign Agricultural Service Cooperators, and others as announced through June 30, 2010.
  • Develop, submit and implement projects for USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program as notifications are published through June 30, 2010.
  • Continue to expand and enhance the VDACS Marketing website to draw more traffic and offer a more user-friendly format for all clients through June 30, 2010.
  • Provide oversight on the policy and operation of shipping point markets in the Virginia Farmers' Market System through June 30, 2010.
  • Monitor federal and private sources of business risk management programs and expertise that are available to Virginia agricultural producers. Ensure that VDACS staff is conversant in these programs and communicates their availability through June 30, 2010.
  • Continue and strengthen cooperation with Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and the Farm Service Agency/Virginia to expand the array and outreach of risk management education programs through June 30, 2010.
  • Create and implement market development strategies for longer term marketing opportunities to include India, Russia and the Middle East. Activities will include hosting at least three reverse trade missions from those regions and two missions from Virginia to meet with potential buyers by June 30, 2010.
  • Increase marketing activity and exposure in the aggressive growth markets of China and Southeast Asia for Virginia exports. Activities will include participation in at least one trade show per fiscal year in China and traveling as a part of a mission in one or more countries of Southeast Asia by June 30, 2010. One buyer mission from China will be hosted in Virginia to meet with Virginia producers and exporters no later than June 30, 2010.
  • Increase market share in Europe for Virginia wood products through June 30, 2010.
  • Create and implement a comprehensive marketing program in Canada to include Virginia seafood, wood, produce and nursery stock through June 30, 2010.
  • Improve and expand marketing presence and sales in Latin America, in particular, Mexico though June 30, 2010.
  • Create and implement market development strategies that will increase usage of locally-produced farm products by restaurants to include tours for restaurant owners and chefs by June 30, 2010.
  • Expand marketing activities into the Northern Virginia market to include joining at least two local chefs associations, participating in one major trade show, and increasing consumer oriented advertising at major farmer's markets and food retailers by June 30, 2010.
  • Expand and enhance the growth and development of Virginia's agritourism enterprises and initiatives through workshops and conferences conducted in cooperation with Extension, Virginia Tourism Corporation and personnel from Virginia Tech by June 30, 2010.
  • Expand and enhance the growth and development of retail farmers markets in Virginia to include developing a manual for starting a farmers market and conducting a survey to develop a profile of the markets and their economic impact by June 20, 2010.
  • Increase producer exposure to alternative marketing options, including direct marketing, organics and farmers markets; that have the potential of enhancing farm viability through June 30, 2010.
  • Increase awareness of the quality and diversity of Virginia agricultural products through promotional activities, publicity, trade show participation and special events. This will include participating in consumer-related events under the Virginia Grown umbrella.
  • Continue and expand promotion of the "Virginia's Finest" trademark to include oriented regional advertising campaigns involving newspapers, magazines, TV and Internet by June 30, 2008.
  • Continue and expand the "Virginia Grown" program to increase awareness among consumers of locally produced farm products by initiating TV, radio, newspaper and magazine advertising as well as implementing promotional activities with major food retailers by June 30, 2008.
  • Expand the Virginia/Carolinas joint peanut promotion marketing program to include designing a display to be used during industry related trade shows and assist in the development of a consumer oriented brochure to be placed in all Virginia welcome centers by June 30, 2010.
  • Conduct trade calls and production area tours with prospective buyers, wholesalers, brokers and grocery chains, as well as respond to requests for marketing assistance from Virginia producers of food, agricultural and forestry products through June 30, 2010.
  • Partner with appropriate state agencies (Dept. for the Aging and Dept. of Health) to expand federal food aid programs with retail farmers markets, i.e. the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition program and the Women Infant and Children's Farmers Market Nutrition Programs through June 30, 2010.
  • Continue support for transition within the Virginia tobacco industry through June 30, 2010.
  • Provide continued assistance and management of the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association Beautiful Gardens(TM) plant introduction program for the purpose of providing Virginia producers with increased opportunities for the production and sale of plants grown in Virginia through June 30, 2010.
  • Provide guidance to the wine industry in the establishment and operation of a nonprofit, nonstick corporation that will provide wholesale wine distribution services for Virginia farm wineries.
  • Provide staff support to the Farm to School Task Force as a plan is developed to implement a farm to school program in Virginia resulting from Senate Joint Resolution No. 347.
  • Maintain customer contacts with cattle feedlot operators and buyers in Midwestern and Northern states and assure their continued level of participation in Virginia livestock auctions through June 30, 2010.
  • Develop new livestock promotion programs based on research and analysis of regions of the United States that have increased supplies of byproduct feeds due to increased ethanol and soy diesel production through June 30, 2010.
  • Increase small livestock producer's exposure to cooperative marketing options by partnering with existing or new local livestock marketing groups through June 30, 2010.
  • Provide assistance to State Breed Associations & groups by targeting and expanding the growth and development of "Breed Influence" feeder cattle sales through June 30, 2010.
  Objective Measures
  • The economic value of products inspected, graded and certified, the sales values of marine, nursery, and wine products, as well as export values of all Virginia agricultural and forestry products.
    Measure Class:

    Governor's Key

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Key Summary: We will increase the economic value of products inspected, graded and certified, the sales values of marine, nursery, and wine products, as well as export values of all Virginia agricultural and forestry products by 2% each yr. from the 5 yr. rolling avg.

    Measure Baseline Value:

    2.292

    Date:

    6/30/2007

    Measure Baseline Description: Five-year rolling average in FY 07 was $2.292 billion.

    Measure Target Value:

    2.34

    Date:

    6/30/2008

    Measure Target Description: Two percent increase each year from the five year average.

    Data Source and Calculation: Commodity service inspection reports

11/23/2009   5:15 am

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (301)

Agricultural Commodity Boards (301 532 08)

This service area provides administrative oversight to 16 commodity boards, all of which are supervisory boards that serve the producers of apples, peanuts, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, soybeans, corn, small grains, marine products, wine, pork, eggs, cattle, dark fired tobacco, bright flue-cured tobacco, sheep, horses and cotton. The mission of the boards is to provide short and long term growth for their respective industries through strategic investment in research, marketing and education programs. The supervisory boards were established when each industry requested legislation that enabled a producer referendum on the question of whether to establish the board and collect an assessment to fund the board. Fifteen boards are totally self-supporting through these assessments.

The self-assessment concept of the boards provides funding for market development and/or promotion projects, research and education for the individual commodities. Each board has separate legislation with various limitations on assessment fund expenditures.

The sixteenth board, the Virginia Wine Board, operates on General Fund Appropriations linked to the liter tax on wine. Funds expended by the Wine Board are used for wine marketing, education, as well as enology and viticulture research.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  [Nothing entered]
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  With reduced funding caused by decreased commodity production in some sectors, commodity boards will have to re-prioritize program initiatives in order to continue effectiveness. Boards will have to reconsider state contributions to national commodity program efforts versus continuing in-state programs.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Marketing/market development activities: product placement, sales calls/leads, special event planning and execution, sales seminar planning and execution, national and international trade show participation, special promotions planning and execution, media, public and customer relations, promotional brochure/directory development and distribution, and industry and producer relations efforts and events.
  • Research: commodity production improvement techniques, disease eradication, value-added product development, commodity transportation and handling, market research (manufacturing industry and consumer use/trends/preferences).
  • Education: producer, first handlers, wholesalers, distributors and consumers.

• Improve the operations of individual commodity boards and expand integrated, multi-commodity marketing promotions.
  Objective Description
  Assist commodity industry producers in seeking methods to better manage operations and risks, and ensure compliance with state regulations. Coordinate, integrate and target state and national commodity board programs in order to strengthen commodity marketing, research and education successes.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: Enhance opportunities for the growth, profitability and continued viability of the Virginia agriculture industry.
    Comment: This aligns with the long term objective to be a national leader in the preservation and enhancement of our economy.
  Objective Strategies
  • Maintain and enhance working relationships with Virginia commodity boards to include multi-commodity promotions through June 30, 2010.
  • Provide marketing and administrative support to 16 agricultural commodity boards to assist in accomplishing their programs, promotion, education and research through June 30, 2010.
  Objective Measures
  • Number of integrated commodity promotion and programming opportunities and events each fiscal year.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Output

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Measure Baseline Value:

    1

    Date:

    6/30/2005

    Measure Baseline Description: One ongoing, multi-commodity activity in FY05.

    Measure Target Value:

    2

    Date:

    6/30/2010

    Measure Target Description: Two multi-commodity activities each year.

    Data Source and Calculation: Commodity board projects recorded in board minutes

11/23/2009   5:15 am

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (301)

Agribusiness Development Services and Farmland Preservation (301 532 09)

Economic Development of the Agricultural Sector and Preservation of the State’s Agricultural Resources.

• Factors Impacting the Products and/or Services:
  Overall economic conditions for business growth, trade and development.
  
  Market demand for products.
  
  Supply and production level of commodities and agricultural-based products.
  
  Changing demographics of constituents.
  
  Discontinuation and modifications of federal government agricultural support programs.
  
  Financial security and stability of agricultural businesses.
  
  Changing development pressures on agricultural resource base.
• Anticipated Changes to the Products and/or Services
  Expanded and increased business development activities in specialized agribusiness including high value and value-added business ventures.
  
  Expanded and increased farmland preservation and farm transition activities.
• Listing of Products and/or Services
  • Marketing and promotional activities to showcase Virginia as an exceptional site for development of agricultural business so as to support 20 companies in their decisions to locate, expand, or remain in the state each biennium.
  • Target for special development efforts those sectors of Virginia agriculture, which show the best prospects for investment and employment growth over the next biennium.
  • Target the tobacco producing areas as a priority for agribusiness development initiatives through the referral of three leads over the next biennium.
  • Target two specific commodity based sectors, which are competitively challenged, as a priority for value-added or high-value added initiatives over the next biennium.
  • Provide technical assistance to localities on infrastructure and site development for agribusiness.
  • Provide technical assistance in the development and implementation of farmland preservation strategies.
  • Provide funding and support for high value specialty agriculture research and commercialization projects.
  • Allocate state matching funds to local PDR programs.
  • Establish and maintain a Farm Link database.
  • Partner with other organizations to develop and disseminate farm transition information.

• Increase the level of capital investment in agribusiness for the period 2008-2010.
  Objective Description
  Agribusiness expansion, recruitment and retention.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: Enhance opportunities for the growth, profitability and continued viability of the Virginia agriculture industry.
  Objective Strategies
  • Market and promote Virginia as an exceptional site for development of agricultural business so as to support 20 companies in their decisions to locate, expand, or remain in the state each biennium.
  • Target for special development efforts those specific sectors of Virginia agriculture, which show the best prospects for investment and employment growth over the next biennium.
  • Target the tobacco producing areas as a priority for agribusiness development initiatives through the referral of three leads over the next biennium.
  • Target two specific commodity based sectors, which are competitively challenged, as a priority for value-added or high-value added initiatives over the next biennium.
  • Explore new opportunities for federal funding as a result of the new farm bill.
  Objective Measures
  • Amount of capital investment in agribusinesses.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Measure Baseline Value:

    12.78

    Date:

    6/30/2008

    Measure Baseline Description: $12.78 M for FY 2007

    Measure Target Value:

    10

    Date:

    6/30/2009

    Measure Target Description: $10 M per year

    Data Source and Calculation: Summation of investment results as derived from internal tracking system.

• Market and promote Virginia as an exceptional site for development of specialty agricultural business in their decisions to locate, expand, or remain in the state.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: Enhance opportunities for the growth, profitability and continued viability of the Virginia agriculture industry.
  Objective Strategies
  • Conduct comprehensive outreach programs to disseminate the results of research and on-farm pilot projects.
  • Provide funding and support for on-farm pilot projects as a result of successful specialty agriculture research.
  • Provide research funding and support for new products, technologies, and processes through the Specialty Agriculture Research Grants program.
  • To promote development and commercialization of specialty agricultural businesses and technologies through management and support for 20 projects for the period 2008-10.
  • Explore new opportunities for federal funding as a result of the new farm bill.
  Objective Measures
  • Number of specialty agribusiness clients managed by Agribusiness Development Services staff.
    Measure Class:

    Other

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Maintain

    Measure Baseline Value:

    20

    Date:

    6/30/2008

    Measure Baseline Description: 20 expected in 2006-08.

    Measure Target Value:

    20

    Date:

    6/30/2009

    Measure Target Description: 20 for 2008-10 biennium.

    Data Source and Calculation: Data is taken from Governor's Working Paper, List of ADS clients: Primary Business Prospects

• Increase the amount of permanently preserved working farms and forest land in Virginia.
  Objective Description
  Assistance with the development of local farmland preservation programs, and allocation of state PDR matching funds.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: Enhance opportunities for the growth, profitability and continued viability of the Virginia agriculture industry.
  Objective Strategies
  • Provide technical assistance to localities through the Office of Farmland Preservation in the development and implementation of farmland preservation programs and strategies.
  • Support the development of ten new local PDR programs by 2010.
  • Allocate state matching funds to local PDR programs.
  • Conduct comprehensive outreach programs to educate farmers and the general public.
  • Coordinate efforts with allied organizations and agencies involved in land conservation.
  • Request increased resources to implement a state funding match for local farmland preservation programs.
  • Explore new opportunities for federal funding as a result of the new farm bill.
  Objective Measures
  • Number of acres of farmland preserved by local purchase of development rights programs.
    Measure Class:

    Governor's Key

    Measure Type:

    Outcome

    Measure Frequency:

    Annual

    Preferred Trend:

    Up

    Key Summary: We will increase to 32,000 acres the number of acres of farmland held in agricultural easement by local purchase of development rights programs by 2010.

    Measure Baseline Value:

    17600

    Date:

    1/1/2007

    Measure Baseline Description: 17,600 acres preserved as of January 2007.

    Measure Target Value:

    32000

    Date:

    6/30/2009

    Measure Target Description: 32,000 acres by 2010.

    Data Source and Calculation: Annual survey of local PDR programs conducted by American Farmland Trust (AFT) and Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS).

• Increase the number of successful farm transitions from existing farmers to beginning and active farmers.
  Objective Description
  Assistance with the development and delivery of farm business transition efforts.
  Alignment to Agency Goals
  • Agency Goal: Enhance opportunities for the growth, profitability and continued viability of the Virginia agriculture industry.
  Objective Strategies
  • Enlist the assistance of allied organizations (such as Virginia Farm Bureau and Virginia Cooperative Extension) in the recruitment of potential farmers/land owners to the Farm Link database.
  • Maintain the Farm Link database and continue to add new functions that better facilitate farm transitions.
  • Partner with allied organizations to disseminate information concerning strategies for successful transitions.
  • Request resources to provide better technical assistance to facilitate farm business transition and succession.