VACo Education partnered with the Virginia Cooperative Extension on April 5-6 to host the 2016 Agritourism Conference at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center in Halifax County. The conference featured several sessions focused on fresh ideas on farm events such as weddings and music, social media, marketing, hospitality, regional networks, zoning and conservation, financing and legal structures, wineries and farm craft breweries, bed and breakfast, food and farm safety, farm workforce, and businesses planning. Special guests included Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore, Delegates Danny Marshall, who is Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and and Mary Rae Carter, Special Advisor for Rural Partnership. The conference had great representation from county supervisors, administrators and staff.
VACo Supervisors’ Certification Program two-part class session titled “Making a Governance Difference: The Role of Purpose Driven Policy, Deliberation and Decision Making” continues on April 22 in Albemarle County. The class will continue to examine legal principles established by the U.S. and Virginia Constitutions, the Dillon Rule, as well as other ordinances and regulations that influence policy making and decision making. Class participants explore how they can work effectively across boundaries as well as apply strategic thinking strategies and the six thinking hats methodology. This session has a record 19 supervisors participating.
For more information on the Supervisors’ Certification Program and any of VACo Education programs – contact Beau Blevins at bblevins@vaco.org.
VACo Contact: Beau Blevins