The annual event from Aug. 14 to 22 includes livestock and produce exhibits, home arts and crafts entries, thrill rides, live music, food, nightly entertainment, baby contest, rodeo, demolition derbies and much more. Through the years it has been a fun and educational attraction and this year will be no exception at the 66th annual fair, at the Fairgrounds, a mile north of Manassas on Va. Route 234.

It’s official. According to a proclamation by Governor Terence R. McAuliffe, Aug. 2-8 is Farmers’ Market Week in Virginia. In the proclamation, Governor McAuliffe says that farmers’ market in Virginia have grown dramatically, from 88 markets in 2006 to nearly 250 in 2015.

Governor Terence R. McAuliffe has proclaimed August as Peach Month in Virginia. In the proclamation, he reminds consumers that different varieties of peaches ripen at different times during the season, so there’s a plentiful supply of fruit throughout the summer months, with peak season in August.

"USDA is making every effort possible to get the word out about this new Farm Bill provision," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

The loan award program is designed to give assistance to veterinarians so they can fill shortages, help improve the health of livestock and ensure a safe food supply.

Owners of Old House Vineyards will open a new craft distillery called Old House Distillery on their family farm in Culpeper County, becoming one of only a few joint winery and distillery operations in Virginia.

Good Seed Inc. of Springfield, VA is recalling all packages of soybean sprouts and mung bean sprouts because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections to individuals with weakened immune systems.

At many farms, cool temperatures in late April delayed this year’s strawberry crop by a couple weeks. But these strawberries will be worth the wait, according to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS). Cooler conditions can help make the strawberries extra delicious. Many farms are expecting a bumper crop of berries this season.