Six students, ranging in age from 9-16, will serve as Honorary Commissioners of Agriculture for the Day during the State Fair of West Virginia, August 10-19.

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) sponsored the contest with the theme “Local Food: Why It Matters.” Each student entered an essay, video or photo presentation explaining the importance of locally grown food and how it impacts the state’s economy, environment and health.

Julianna Rexroad of Braxton County is one of the six selected students that have been selected. In 2016, 13-year-old Julianna participated in the 4-H heifer project. She showed her registered Limousin heifer at Junior Nationals. Julianna likes working with her grandpa on his 300-acre farm

“We wanted to provide a firsthand experience for students across the state to see what careers in agriculture look like. No better way to do that than to shadow my staff and myself during one our busiest times of the year,” stressed West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt. “We hope these students take away a new appreciation for our food system after this experience.”

The winners will spend the day with Commissioner Leonhardt and the WVDA staff. They’ll sit in on meetings and events, take a behind-the-scenes tour of the fair and will be featured in the September issue of the Market Bulletin.