Newsroom Archive for 08/17, 2010

Todd Haymore, Virginia's Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, will speak in Danville next Tuesday, Aug. 24, at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.

Haymore, a native of Pittsylvania County, will talk on leadership and current issues in agriculture and forestry as part of the annual Southside Public Leadership Series sponsored by the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia and the Danville Register & Bee.

The 7 p.m. talk, which is free and open to the public, will be followed by a Sorensen reception from 8 to 8:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend both the talk and the reception and to participate in the question-and-answer period. The media is welcome and cordially invited to attend.

Todd Haymore became Virginia’s second Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry in January 2010, succeeding Robert S. Bloxom. In addition to serving in Governor Bob McDonnell’s Cabinet and his duties as the chief marketing and development officer of the state’s two largest industries, Haymore is responsible for two of the state’s most well known agencies, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF). He is also responsible for the Virginia Agricultural Council.

Prior to his appointment as Secretary, Haymore served as Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services from August 2007 to January 2010. The Department is responsible for over 60 laws and more than 70 regulations relating to consumer protection and the promotion of agriculture. The Virginia Department of Forestry protects almost 16 million acres of forest land from fire, insects and disease and manages 19 state forests and other state lands totaling approximately 58,000 acres for timber, recreation, water, research, wildlife and biodiversity. The agency’s mission is to protect and develop healthy, sustainable forest resources for Virginians.

Haymore was born and raised on his maternal grand-parent’s Pittsylvania County farm. He began his professional career as a legislative intern in Richmond to former Virginia State Senator Onico Barker (R-19th). From there, Haymore moved to Washington, D.C. to serve as a legislative assistant for former United States Rep. L.F Payne (D-5th). Haymore also served as the congressman’s communications director, as well as deputy campaign manager of Payne’s lieutenant gubernatorial bid. Following his work in Congress, Haymore worked in Danville for DIMON Incorporated, a leaf tobacco company that later merged with Standard Commercial Corporation to form Alliance One International. Haymore then joined Richmond-based Universal Leaf Tobacco Company. He served in various leadership positions from 1999-2007, concluding his time with the company as Corporate Director, External Affairs and Vice President of The Universal Leaf Foundation.

He graduated from George Washington High School in Danville, received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Richmond and his Masters of Business Administration Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). He is married to the former Margaret Cary Lewis and they have three children, Catharine Cole Haymore and Elizabeth Whichard Haymore (twins), and Lillian Bryan Haymore.