Virginia Tech Agricultural & Applied Economics

03/18/2026

👉Paraquat and Glyphosate: An Update and Outlook
Authors: Jennifer S. Friedel, Esq. and Henry Davenport, LUVA Fellow Virginia Tech, Dept. of Agricultural and Applied Economics

A must read ⤵️ https://southernagtoday.org/2026/02/05/paraquat-and-glyphosate-an-update-and-outlook/

Court dockets and regulatory desks are no stranger to pesticide legal challenges. Public concern about health and environmental implications, and what seems like an unceasing cycle of litigation, surrounds their use. At the federal and state levels, executive and legislative officials act to implement substantive changes.

Meanwhile, the judiciary wades through new and lingering claims by and against their manufacturers while recent major policy developments may give users and manufacturers an upper hand.

Authors: Jennifer S. Friedel, Esq. and Henry Davenport, LUVA Fellow Virginia Tech, Dept. of Agricultural and Applied Economics Court dockets and regulatory desks are no stranger to pesticide legal challenges. Public concern about health and environmental implications, and what seems like an unceasin...

03/11/2026

High school teachers are invited to nominate a student or team of students to participate in Virginia’s second virtual Entrepreneurship Lean Pitch Challenge. This statewide competition awards real seed money to assist student-entrepreneurs in starting a business. See all the details below.

QUESTIONS: Contact Cheryl Ayers, Ph.D., at [email protected]

High school teachers register by April 30th. https://vcee.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/vcee/eventRegistration.jsp?event=81&

Use the 3-Minute Lean Pitch PowerPoint template and rubric (required)
Template: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1yRXQ4GiysMdhzikSHXHTKwPW7q_eVLrw/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104561193330345590318&rtpof=true&sd=true

Rubric: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bqSKxJN8dwNbogBJ8bFXqG7B47gP1lDP578ByTDv3nE/edit?usp=sharing

Pass the Virginia Board-approved U.S. Entrepreneurship Certification Examination (preferred, not required) https://www.cteresource.org/resources/credentials/us-entrepreneurship-certification-examination/

Exam Resources Package includes self-study materials (optional) https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1sw3wozoUxbtH7h9K4OGo6ls_OCyXhqwY?usp=sharing

03/10/2026

This article concludes a series that has tackled tough questions about nutrient pollution from agriculture in the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers. 🔗 Read what the Bay Journal had to say and AAEC professor, Kurt Stephenson. https://www.bayjournal.com/ag-and-the-bay/a-better-chesapeake-bay-demands-a-realistic-look-at-farm-pollution/article_feefc9cd-2300-489c-98e0-28f0f78e783f.html

Pictured: Reducing water pollution from agriculture is a challenge throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Pennsylvania has more farms in its portion of the watershed than any other state in the region. Photo by Dave Harp.

03/07/2026

New Campus to Commonwealth article is now available! The Campus to Commonwealth (CC) article series from the Virginia Tech Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics highlights research that addresses food, financial, health, development, policy, environmental, and social needs in Virginia and beyond.

Faculty member Zhenshan Chen explores an important topic for communities across the state: Solar Farms and Property Values in Virginia: What Homeowners Need to Know.

📖 Read the full article here: https://aaec.vt.edu/extension/series.html

03/04/2026

The Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) supports Luther-Raper Scholarships of $2,000 to $2,500 annually.🧡 Dixie Watts Dalton serves on the selection committee, and pending Board approval, eleven VT AAEC students will receive a total of $23,500 for the 2026–2027 academic year from the VCC!!

👏 We look forward to seeing our AAEC students recognized for their hard work and achievements. Stay tuned for the official announcement!

The Foundation is the Council’s financial partner, supporting our educational programs. A 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization, VFC’s primary activity is to fund annual scholarships to agriculture students, primarily at Virginia’s two land grant universities: Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, as well as community college students planning careers in agriculture and forestry.

Dixie Watts Dalton is an Associate Professor of Practice in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Director of the Center for Economic Education at Virginia Tech, and OMALS - Virginia Tech Agribusiness Concentration Coordinator.

03/04/2026

Congratulations to our very own Jen Friedel, Associate Professor of Practice and Director of the VA Land Use-Value Assessment Program! 👏

Jen has been selected as one of the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' recipients of the 2026 Certificate of Teaching Excellence. This well-deserved recognition highlights her outstanding teaching and unwavering dedication to her students.
Being honored by her peers within the college reflects her commitment to fostering an engaging and impactful learning environment both inside and outside the classroom.

02/26/2026

The AAEC Student Ambassador Team is a group of exceptional students who serve as representatives for their major, the department, college, and university. Ambassadors build their leadership skills, interact with faculty, staff, prospective students, parents, and alumni, and learn creative ways to apply their knowledge while providing an essential service.

MEET STUDENT AMBASSADOR... Naomi Deibler

"I chose to major in agribusiness management because I grew up riding horses and working/volunteering on a couple of different farms. I hope to run my own business within the world of agriculture after graduating. I knew that CALS and AAEC were the best places to pursue my interests."

>> https://aaec.vt.edu/people/ambassadors.html

02/24/2026

AAEC actively engages with alumni and industry locally, regionally, statewide, nationally, and internationally. We are continually curating a list of alumni and stakeholders willing to share their expertise with students (in-person or virtually), enriching experiential learning opportunities in the classroom. Interested? Contact [email protected] for more details!

02/23/2026

Our 100% online Master of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Virginia Tech equips students to lead in business, financial services, technology, healthcare, agriculture, and other industries.

🎓 DID YOU KNOW - Virginia Tech’s online degree delivers the same high-quality education as our on-campus program… your diploma will reflect this, with no mention of “online.”

🔗 Learn more: https://onlinems.aaec.vt.edu
📩 Request a program guide: [email protected]

Our graduates have built careers with organizations such as:

ExxonMobil | Smithfield Foods | Economic Research Service | U.S. Department of Agriculture | Pinnacle Foods | U.S. Department of Defense | Conagra Brands | Global Aid Network USA | The Climate Corporation | Virginia Economic Development Partnership

02/20/2026

National Entrepreneurship Week >> Mario Ortez, Collegiate Assistant Professor of Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship and James A. and Renae C. Pearson Collegiate Faculty Fellow, discusses how the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics promotes entrepreneurship early in students’ careers. Check out our video by Mary Beth Collette.

02/19/2026

Experiential learning in action starts with YOU! Join us as we close out Giving Day at noon and rally together to open doors for students to learn beyond the classroom. Your support is why they can have internship opportunities, research projects with faculty and industry, global experiences, and more.

Let’s finish strong, celebrate the difference we’re making, and create even more life-changing experiences for our students. Any amount is appreciated beyond words 🔗 >> https://givingday.vt.edu/giving-day/107794/donate?des=732628&dept=107808

02/18/2026

✨ Save the Date — Our Next Virtual Training Is Coming Up! ✨

We’re excited to team up with the Virginia Tech Reynolds Homestead and Virginia Tech Agricultural & Applied Economics for our April session in the 2026 Virtual Training Series!

Join us for a practical and insightful conversation on preparing your farm and land to outlive you, blending both legal guidance and real‑world farming experience.
Our speaker, Jennifer Friedel, Associate Professor of Practice with Virginia Tech’s Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and Director of Virginia’s Land Use–Value Assessment Program (LUVA), will share tools and strategies to help landowners plan for long-term success.

📅 April 22
🕘 9:30–10:30 AM
💻 Virtual Training
💬 No cost & open to the public

If you’re a farmer, landowner, or planning for the next generation, this session is packed with valuable, actionable insight.

👉 Registration required — reserve your spot today!
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=hGiVYK0Q-kCGPU8yweOjeniEDChftO9DmHBwA3YBTGJUNzhCTjBTWVg3RzZLSDVEN0swNUtVWlVKOS4u