Custom Fields
- County: Rockbridge
- Region: Lower Shenandoah valley
VFGC Board
The Virginia Forage and Grassland Council is comprised of people dedicated to forages and animal agriculture and their roles in Virginia’s quality of life. We are governed by 12 directors representing farmers and agribusiness and six non-voting technical advisors representing governmental and educational organizations.
Our membership elects Directors for three-year terms. Directors are limited to two consecutive terms. The Council president, secretary and treasurer are elected by the directors. Technical advisors are appointed for three-year terms by the directors. Officers, directors and technical advisors receive no financial compensation for their services.
Board of Directors is made up of 18 members in good standing including 12 elected members (6 industry and 6 producer), then 6 appointed directors serving as technical advisors.
President
Jon Repair
Farmer and Consultant
Home Rainbow Ridge Farm Glasgow VA 24555
Home Phone: 540-570-3221
Personal Email: jrepair3@gmail.com
Biography
Jon farms 950 acres of crop and pastureland including a cattle operation of 200 brood cows consisting of Purebred Angus and Herefords. I also consult in the areas of forage, pasture management, rotational grazing, and crop and livestock production.
Vice President
Charlie Wootton
Biography
Charlie is a native of Nottoway County. He graduated from VA Tech in 1972 with a degree in Agricultural Education. He is a former USAF pilot and has over 40 years’ experience raising beef cattle on the family farm. He is currently employed as Senior Conservation Specialist with the Piedmont Soil and Water Conservation District.
Secretary
Dennis Jones
Secretary
Home 375 Mountain View Road Pamplin VA 23958
Work Email: 58case.sc@gmail.com
Biography
Dennis retired in January 2014 after 34 years with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. He served in the positions of conversation technician, soil conservationist, and district conservationist. From 1994 to 2014 Dennis worked in the Farmville Field Office assisting many producers implement grazing and cropping systems that conserve soil and water resources and improve their farms. He is a certified MIG planner, certified nutrient management planner, and graduate of the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute. Dennis now divides his time between consulting with the Piedmont Soil and Water Conservation District, growing hops and grain for craft beer brewing, volunteering with the VFGC, Boy Scouts, 4H, and other local organizations.
Treasurer and Registered Agent
David Fiske
Treasurer and Registered Agent
Shenandoah Valley ARECVirginia Tech McCormick Farm
Home 128 McCormick Farm Circle Raphine VA 24472
Work Phone: (540) 377-2255
Cell Phone: (540) 280-1492
Work Email: dafiske@vt.edu
Biography
David is a native of Loudoun County, Virginia, David was raised on the family dairy farm near Aldie. He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a BS in Agriculture and an MS in Agricultural Economics. He currently serves as the Superintendent of the Virginia Tech Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Steeles Tavern, Virginia.
Industry Directors
6 elected by membership (Article IV Section 1a)
Marnie Caldwell
No Photo Available
Earnie Dodson
No Photo Available
Richard Fitzgerald
No Photo Available
Butch Johnson
No Photo Available
Brian Jones
No Photo Available
Producer Directors
6 elected by membership (Article IV Section 1a)>
Danny Boyer
No Photo Available
Patty Johnson
Biography
Patty spent the first few years of my life on what would now be called a subsistence farm, in south-central Pennsylvania. When my parents sold out, we moved to a small town in northwestern Ohio where I was active in 4H and FFA. After 4 years in the military, I took a job with a defense contractor, and eventually ended up in Culpeper, where I met and married a transplanted Kentucky tobacco farmer. Shortly after we married we purchased 100 acres and three cow-calf pairs, and started our beef business from there. We now have 6 kids, farm about 500 acres and manage our own cattle, and contract graze cattle for others. I no longer work for DoD, and now work full time running kids and running cows. We run mostly Red Angus cows, and have a few Murray Greys, which we direct market.
Jon Repair
Farmer and Consultant
Home Rainbow Ridge Farm Glasgow VA 24555
Home Phone: 540-570-3221
Personal Email: jrepair3@gmail.com
Biography
Jon farms 950 acres of crop and pastureland including a cattle operation of 200 brood cows consisting of Purebred Angus and Herefords. I also consult in the areas of forage, pasture management, rotational grazing, and crop and livestock production.
Charlie Wootton
Biography
Charlie is a native of Nottoway County. He graduated from VA Tech in 1972 with a degree in Agricultural Education. He is a former USAF pilot and has over 40 years’ experience raising beef cattle on the family farm. He is currently employed as Senior Conservation Specialist with the Piedmont Soil and Water Conservation District.
Technical Advisors
6 non-voting Directors – Agricultural Agency Representatives appointed by the Board)
Matt Booher
Virginia Cooperative Extension
Biography
Matt has a Master’s Degree in Forage Production from Colorado State University. He worked as an Agronomist in private industry prior to joining Extension in 2012, and has since focused on helping producers improve their forage production and make the best use of their forage resources.
J.B. Daniel
Personal Email: J.B.Daniel@va.usda.gov
Biography
J.B. Daniel, USDA-NRCS Grassland Agronomist, Farmville, VA. Mr. Daniel has a Master’s Degree in Crop Science from Virginia. He has worked in cooperative extension and is currently serving as statewide Grassland Agronomist for Virginia’s Natural Resource Conservation Service. Mr. Daniel works to promote the full and productive use of grasslands throughout Virginia by working with producers and agricultural professionals to implement improved grazing management and conservation practices.
Alston Horn
No Photo Available
Carrie Swanson
No Photo Available
Extension Agent
Albemarle County
Biography
Carrie is an Extension agent with Albemarle County and serves on the VFGC Board.
Educational Advisor Representatives
serves as counsel to the Board (appointed by the Board)
Dr. John Fike
Biography
Dr. John Fike, Forage Extension Specialist, Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Va Tech. Dr. Fike conducts research on forage and livestock production with a focus on silvopastures. He also has a large effort with growing bioenergy crops.
David Fiske
Treasurer and Registered Agent
Shenandoah Valley ARECVirginia Tech McCormick Farm
Home 128 McCormick Farm Circle Raphine VA 24472
Work Phone: (540) 377-2255
Cell Phone: (540) 280-1492
Work Email: dafiske@vt.edu
Biography
David is a native of Loudoun County, Virginia, David was raised on the family dairy farm near Aldie. He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a BS in Agriculture and an MS in Agricultural Economics. He currently serves as the Superintendent of the Virginia Tech Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Steeles Tavern, Virginia.
Dr. Gordon Groover
Extension Economist Farm Management
Virginia TechDepartment of Agricultural and Applied Economics
Biography
Dr. Groover has more than three decades of experience working in cooperative extension. His research and education programs have focused on helping producers answer the question “under what conditions is this a profitable choice?”
Dennis Jones
Secretary
Home 375 Mountain View Road Pamplin VA 23958
Work Email: 58case.sc@gmail.com
Biography
Dennis retired in January 2014 after 34 years with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. He served in the positions of conversation technician, soil conservationist, and district conservationist. From 1994 to 2014 Dennis worked in the Farmville Field Office assisting many producers implement grazing and cropping systems that conserve soil and water resources and improve their farms. He is a certified MIG planner, certified nutrient management planner, and graduate of the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute. Dennis now divides his time between consulting with the Piedmont Soil and Water Conservation District, growing hops and grain for craft beer brewing, volunteering with the VFGC, Boy Scouts, 4H, and other local organizations.
Dr. Vitalis Temu
No Photo Available
Dr. Chris Teutsch
Forage Extension Specialist
Virginia TechSouthern Piedmont AREC
Biography
Dr. Teutsch conducts applied forage research focusing on Virginia’s Southern Piedmont Region. The objective of both his research and extension program is to reduce the need for conserved forage (hay) by extending the grazing season.