RICHMOND, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issued the following news release: Drought conditions affected many of Virginia's agricultural producers in numerous localities and all parts of the state during the 2023 growing season. To provide assistance to affected producers, USDA Secretary Thomas Vilsack began designating Virginia counties as primary natural disaster areas in October of 2023 and continued through December. Producers within identif  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation issued the following news release: More than 35 acres have recently been added to two Virginia natural area preserves in Augusta County as part of a long-term, multimillion-dollar effort to restore the South Fork Shenandoah River watershed contaminated by mercury decades ago. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, which manages the state's natural area preserve system, acquired 26 acres of fo  more