Jefferson County Agriculture & Natural Resources

Abundant with Agricultural Diversity

Jefferson County is home to farmers that produce grains, livestock, fruit, vegetables, and everything in between. Agriculture here is diverse thanks to good land, nearby markets, and a rich history of agriculture production. No matter the size of the operation, what is produced, or years of experience, Jefferson County Extension is your local connection to help you put knowledge to work.

Jefferson County Profile, 2017 USDA Census of Agriculture

• Population: 55,713
• Number of Farms: 607
• Land in Farms: 66,113 acres
• Market Value of Products Sold: $28,654,000
• Top Commodities: milk, grains, corn, wheat

Buying Local

The entire Eastern Panhandle offers a wide variety of ways to source local food to feed your family. Refer to our farm guide for an updated list of farms in Berkeley, Morgan, and Jefferson counties that sell direct to consumer, as well as area farmers markets and their days and hours of operation. 

If you own a farm and wish to be included in this list, contact the Jefferson County office. 

Download a printable Eastern Panhandle Farm Guide

Jefferson County Ag News

Beef Quality Assurance

The Eastern Panhandle will host a Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training on Wednesday, February 14 from from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Location for the program will be:

WVU Kearneysville Tree Fruit Research, Education, and Outreach Center
67 Apple Harvest Lane
Kearneysville, WV 25430

Ag Winter Dinner Meetings at Kearneysville Tree Fruit Research Center

The Agriculture Education Winter Dinner Meeting Series returns in 2024, with two topics for livestock producers being held at the Kearneysville Tree Fruit Research Center.

Thursday, January 11, 2024
Dr. Darin Matlick, WVU Extension Veterinarian, will be speaking on Dystocia & Tick Management

Tuesday, March 5, 2024
Greg Halich, Associate Extension Professor at University of Kentucky, will be speaking on  Bale Grazing as a simple, cheap, effective way to winter cattle.

Both programs will be held at the Kearneysville Tree Fruit Research Center. The meal will begin at  6:30 p.m., with the educational program to follow at 7 p.m. Pesticide credits are available.

Gardening Workshop in Martinsburg, WV on March 2, 2024

Join the Berkeley-Jefferson WVU Extension Master Gardener Association for a morning of gardening workshops to kick off the 2024 growing season. This year, the program will include nine sessions to choose from, with topics geared towards beginner gardeners, intermediate gardeners, and advanced gardeners. 

Date: Saturday, March 2, 2024

Farm Financial Analysis

Join us on January 13, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. for an Educational Dinner Meeting at the Kearneysville Tree Fruit Research Center.

This meeting will feature Brian Wickline, Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent. The presentation will focus on Farm Financial Analysis.

Agriculture News for Jefferson County

Upcoming EPA changes and how they will affect pesticide use in agriculture

The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) governs the registration, distribution, sale and use of pesticides in the U.S. FIFRA gives to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the authority to regulate pesticide enforcement. However, the EPA must meet obligations under other acts, including the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (Figure 1). 

The ESA is overseen by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The ESA establishes protections for fish, wildlife and plants that are listed as threatened or endangered and provides for adding and removing species from the list of threatened and endangered species, and preparing and implementing plans for their recovery. The ESA also provides for interagency cooperation and for issuing permits for otherwise prohibited activities, provides for cooperation with states and implements the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna. 

Lease Recommendations for Land Owner & Tenants

Ben Goff, WVU Extension Agent in Mason and Putnam counties, offers recommendations for landowners and tenants who want to prepare for the upcoming farming season and work to minimize their respective risks.

Goff covers a variety of tips for farmers and landowners regarding farm leases, including:

Register for 2021 Pasture Management Certificate Training

The Pasture Management Certificate Training is offered as part of Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College Agricultural Innovation Workforce Trainings & Certifications. 

Instructed by Kevin Shaffer, Ed Rayburn and Ben Goff from WVU Extension, this certification will teach farmers how they can improve sustainability to their operation by improving their pasture management so there is more available forage year-round. 

Lawn, Gardening & Pests News for Jefferson County

Join the Winter/Spring 2025 Master Gardener Training

WVU Extension Master Gardener training, which used to be offered through in-person courses organized by WVU Extension offices around the state, will once again be available online via Zoom sessions. 

WVU Extension will continue offering online Master Gardener training classes for late winter/spring 2025 term, beginning on January 9 through May 15. Classes will be held every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. 

AgAlert! Boxwood Blight

Boxwood blight is a fungal disease that affects one of West Virginia's most popular landscape shrubs.

Boxwood blights are a fungal disease that can be fatal if no measures are taken to manage the disease at the early stage of infection and symptom appearance. There are two different fungal pathogens involved with blights – Volutella buxi  and Calonectria pseudonaviculata.

Join the Winter/Spring 2024 Master Gardener Training

WVU Extension Master Gardener training, which used to be offered through in-person courses organized by WVU Extension offices around the state, will once again be available online via Zoom sessions. 

WVU Extension will continue offering online Master Gardener training classes for late winter/spring 2024 term, beginning on January 11 through May 2. Classes will be held every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. 

Natural Resources News for Jefferson County

Register for White Oak in West Virginia Webinar

Join us as we dive into the opportunities and challenges related to sustaining and harvesting white oak trees in West Virginia.

Tuesday, February 2

Register for West Virginia Woodland Stewards Seminar

Join us as we dive into a variety of educational topics and learn more about how we can be better stewards of West Virginia's woodlands.

Tuesday, February 9

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