The Foundation for Agriculture, Innovation and Rural Sustainability will assist rural Virginians in developing and advancing their agricultural, economic and social interests to enhance their quality of life.

Virginia FAIRS, the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture, Innovation and Rural Sustainability, a 501 (c) (5) corporation organized in Virginia, is a Cooperative Development Center. With the assistance and cooperation from partners such as the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation (VFBF), the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), the Virginia Department of Business Assistance (VDBA) and Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE), Virginia FAIRS offers assistance to individuals, cooperatives, small businesses and other similar entities in rural areas to enable and assist cooperative and business development. Virginia FAIRS also works closely with USDA Rural Development.

The main goals of the Center are to facilitate and coordinate technical and financial assistance to provide traditional and innovative solutions that will allow farmers in Virginia to:

1. Explore and develop opportunities using existing production and market resources and risk management techniques;
2. Transition from traditional production and marketing into more financially rewarding agricultural enterprises;
3. Develop value-added and high-value agricultural product and enhanced market opportunities;
4. Address challenges facing farmer’s production and marketing resources;
5. Address issues affecting the sustainability of rural Virginia;
6. Establish a centralized resource for farmers to easily access cooperative development and value-added information; and,
7. Better utilize and coordinate the wide-ranging expertise available in Virginia and as such better facilitate and enhance current and future efforts and programs in these areas.