Virginia Agriculture Week | VDACS

Virginia Agriculture Week | VDACS
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Virginia Agriculture Week
Virginia Agriculture Week - 2026 Dates Coming Soon
Virginia Agriculture Week is a time to celebrate farmers, producers and the entire agricultural
community. Check back soon to learn more about Virginia Agriculture Week 2026.
Virginia Agriculture Week Photo Contest: April 27 – May 25, 2026
Do you appreciate Virginia agriculture? Do you have an eye for photography? Then submit your photos to
the Virginia Agriculture Photo Contest. The photo contest has several categories you may enter. Winners
will receive a Virginia's Finest gift basket (valued up to $100) and will be featured in the Virginia
Agriculture magazine.
Barnyard Personalities
Capture the unique spirit of our livestock animals in their natural environments. We are looking for
high-quality shots of cattle, poultry, swine, and other barnyard animals that showcase their daily
routines and individual personalities on the farm.
The Beauty of Virginia Landscapes
Celebrate the stunning beauty of Virginia’s diverse agricultural lands. Show us the visual harmony of the
Commonwealth—from sunrise over rolling Piedmont pastures to the geometric precision of coastal plain crops
to the lush greenery of urban rooftop gardens.
People & Traditions
We want to see the joy and connection people find in our industry. Submit your best shots of families at
a pumpkin patch, multiple generations working the fields together, or the quiet focus of someone picking
apples in a mountain orchard.
Innovation & Technology
Help us tell the story of 21st-century farming and the high-tech tools shaping the future of food. We are
looking for innovations like drones surveying fields, robotic milkers, advanced irrigation systems, and
sleek controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facilities.
Virginia Produce & Crops
Shift the lens toward the plants themselves and the raw beauty of what we grow. Show us the vibrant
colors of Virginia specialty crops—crisp peppers, dewy tomatoes, or the golden expanse of a wheat field
ready for harvest.
How to Enter Virginia Agriculture Week Photo Contest
Entering is easy! Take photos that best detail Virginia agriculture in the five categories above, then
submit your photos to
webmaster.vdacs@vdacs.virginia.gov
by
11:59
p.m. on May 25, 2026
.
When submitting your photo entry, you must include the following:
The category you wish to enter
A caption describing the photo
The date it was taken
Location where image was taken
Your name
E-mail
Telephone number
Photo Contest Rules
2026 Contest Rules
2026 VIRGINIA AGRICULTURE WEEK PHOTO CONTEST RULES
Eligibility:
This photo contest (Campaign) is open to residents of the
Commonwealth of Virginia who are at least 12 years or older at the time entry submission date.
Anyone under the age of 18 must have parental permission to enter the contest. Only amateur
photographers are eligible. Professional photographers are not eligible. Employees of the
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), its affiliates, subsidiaries,
advertising and promotion agencies, and suppliers, (collectively the “Employees”), and immediate
family members and/or those living in the same household of Employees are also eligible to
participate in the Campaign. The Campaign is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local
laws and regulations. Voids where prohibited.
Agreement to Rules:
By participating, the Contestant (“You”) agree to be
fully unconditionally bound by these Rules, and You represent and warrant that You meet the
eligibility requirements. In addition, you agree to accept the decisions of VDACS as final and
binding as it relates to the content of this Campaign.
Campaign Period:
All entries must be submitted via email
towebmaster.vdacs@vdacs.virginia.gov, beginning at 12:01 a.m. EST on April 27, 2026 and ending
at 11:59 p.m. EST on May 25, 2026. All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST on May 25,
2026, to be eligible to win.
How to Enter:
The Campaign can only be entered by submitting original
photography to webmaster.vdacs@vdacs.virginia.gov.
You may only submit an image that you
have taken yourself, and you must have all necessary rights to the photo submitted.
All photos must be in .jpeg format and at minimum 3 MB in size.
Include caption
information and the date and location the photo was taken, plus your name, email address and
phone number.
Please do not submit images that have been significantly altered.
Cropping an image and performing color adjustment is acceptable, however VDACS has the right to
reject any image it deems as overly altered. Photographs with watermarks, writing or symbols of
any kind will be rejected. The entry must fulfill all Campaign requirements, as specified, to be
eligible to win a prize. Entries that are incomplete or do not adhere to the rules or
specifications may be disqualified at the sole discretion of VDACS. If You use fraudulent
methods or otherwise attempt to circumvent the rules, your submission may be removed from
eligibility at the sole discretion of VDACS.
Prizes:
The Winner(s) of the Campaign (the “Winner”) will have their winning
photo included in the 2026 Virginia Agriculture magazine that is produced by VDACS. The Winners
will receive a Virginia’s Finest gift basket valued up to $100.00. No cash or other prize
substitution shall be permitted. The prize is non-transferable. No substitution of prize or
transfer/assignment of prize to others or request for the cash equivalent by Winner is
permitted. Acceptance of prize constitutes permission for VDACS to use Winner’s name, likeness,
and Campaign entry for purposes of promoting agriculture and trade in Virginia without further
compensation, unless prohibited by law.
Odds:
The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.
Winner Selection and Notification:
All entries that are submitted within the
defined Campaign period will be judged based on the following categories:
Barnyard Personalities
Capture the unique spirit of our livestock animals in their natural environments. We are
looking for high-quality shots of cattle, poultry, swine, and other barnyard animals that
showcase their daily routines and individual personalities on the farm.
The Beauty of Virginia Landscapes
Celebrate the stunning beauty of Virginia’s diverse agricultural lands. Show us the visual
harmony of the Commonwealth—from sunrise over rolling Piedmont pastures to the geometric
precision of coastal plain crops to the lush greenery of urban rooftop gardens.
People & Traditions
We want to see the joy and connection people find in our industry. Submit your best shots
of families at a pumpkin patch, multiple generations working the fields together, or the
quiet focus of someone picking apples in a mountain orchard.
Innovation & Technology
Help us tell the story of 21st-century farming and the high-tech tools shaping the future
of food. We are looking for innovations like drones surveying fields, robotic milkers,
advanced irrigation systems, and sleek controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facilities.
Virginia Produce & Crops
Shift the lens toward the plants themselves and the raw beauty of what we grow. Show us
the vibrant colors of Virginia specialty crops—crisp peppers, dewy tomatoes, or the golden
expanse of a wheat field ready for harvest.
Rights Granted by You:
By entering this photo Campaign, You understand and
agree that VDACS, anyone acting on behalf of VDACS, and VDACS’ licensees, successors, and
assigns, shall have the right, where permitted by law, to print, publish, broadcast, distribute,
and use in any media now known or hereafter developed, in perpetuity and throughout the World,
without limitation, your entry, name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness, image, statements
about the Campaign, and biographical information for news, publicity, information, trade,
advertising, public relations, and promotional purposes, without any further compensation,
notice, review, or consent.
By entering, you grant VDACS permission to use your photo in perpetuity in any medium, including
to edit, publish, distribute and republish it in any form.
If the photograph contains any material or elements that are not owned by You and/or which are
subject to the rights of third parties, and/or if any persons appear in the photograph, You are
responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the photograph, any and all releases and
consents necessary to permit the exhibition and use of the photograph in the manner set forth in
these Official Rules without additional compensation. If any person appearing in any photograph
is under the age of 18, then the signature of a parent or legal guardian is required on each
release. Upon VDACS’ request, each entrant must be prepared to provide (within seven (7)
business days of receipt of VDACS' request) a signed release from all persons who appear in the
photograph submitted, and/or from the owner of any private property that appears in the
photograph entry, authorizing VDACS and its licensees to reproduce, distribute, display, and
create derivative works of the entry in connection with the Contest and promotion of the
Contest, in any media now or hereafter known. Failure to provide such releases upon request may
result in disqualification at any time during the Contest and selection of an alternate winner.
By entering this Campaign, You present and warrant your entry as an original work of
authorship that was taken by You, and does not violate any third party’s proprietary or
intellectual property rights. If your entry infringes upon the intellectual property right of
another, You will be disqualified at the sole discretion of VDACS. If the content of your entry
is claimed to constitute infringement of any proprietary or intellectual proprietary rights of
any third party, You shall, at your sole expense, defend or settle against such claims. You
shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless VDACS from and against any suit, proceeding, claims,
liability, loss, damage, costs or expense, which VDACS may incur, suffer, or be required to pay
arising out of such infringement or suspected infringement of any third party’s right.
Terms & Conditions:
VDACS reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to
cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Campaign should virus, bug, non-authorized human
intervention, fraud, or other cause beyond VDACS’ control corrupt or affect the administration,
security, fairness, or proper conduct of the Campaign. In such case, VDACS may select the Winner
from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by
VDACS. VDACS reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who
tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Campaign or website
or violates these Terms & Conditions. Any attempt by an entrant to deliberately damage any
website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Campaign may be a violation of criminal and
civil laws. Should such attempt be made, VDACS reserves the right to fully seek damages
permitted by law.
Limitation of Liability:
By entering, You agree to release and hold harmless
VDACS and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, partners,
representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers, and directors from any
liability, illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, claim, or damage that may occur, directly
or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from: (i) such entrant’s participation in
the Campaign and/or his/her acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize or any portion
thereof; (ii) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to the malfunction of
any computer, cable, network, hardware, or software, or other mechanical equipment; (iii) the
unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions, telephone, or Internet service; (iv)
unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (v)
electronic or human error in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries.
Disputes:
THIS Campaign IS GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, WITHOUT RESPECT TO CONFLICT OF LAW DOCTRINES. As a condition of
participating in this Campaign, participant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be
resolved between the parties and causes of action arising out of or connected with this
Campaign, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action,
exclusively before a court located in Virginia having jurisdiction. Further, in any such
dispute, under no circumstances shall participant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby
waives all rights to, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, including reasonable
attorney’s fees, other than participant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. costs associated
with entering this Campaign). Participant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied
or increased.
Winners List:
To obtain a copy of the Winner’s name or a copy of these
Official Rules, mail your request along with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Virginia
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 102 Governor Street, Room 201, Richmond VA
23219 or email
webmaster.vdacs@vdacs.virginia.gov
.
Sponsor:
The Sponsor of the Campaign is the Virginia Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services, Communications Office, 102 Governor Street, Room 211,
Richmond VA 23219.
The Campaign hosted by VDACS and is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or
associated with Facebook, X, or Instagram.
Links:
Agriculture Map of Virginia
(PDF)
Visit a Virginia Farm for a Day
National Agriculture Day
What’s in Season Guide
(PDF)
Contact
Michael Wallace
Media Relations/Media Contact
Office of Communications
804-786-1904
michael.wallace@vdacs.virginia.gov