Shenandoah Invests in Best-in-Class Agriculture Technology

Virginia's First Lady, Dorothy McAuliffe, joined other state leaders in Rockingham County on Monday to present a grant to a Valley business.

Shenandoah Growers, the organic herb production company, received a $100,000 grant at the event.

The money will help the company's investment of nearly $7 million dollars on its current facility.

The company estimates the grant will increase production and sales by $15 million dollars over the next three years and create 15 new jobs.

"To grow better products that represent Virginia well. We sell in half the United States so we have Virginia products that go as far as Wisconsin and Texas and Chicago. So, we're very proud of the fact that we put 'grown in Virginia' on our plants," said Timothy Heydon, the president of Shenandoah Growers.

Another $2 million will be used to relocate its headquarters and create new agricultural technology.

"Grow, looking to expand existing or recruiting of new business into the Commonwealth, in the Valley, explained Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore. "We're ready to work with you and we're ready to work with your county and local government officials to make it happen because you should be utilizing the assets that you have and the Shenandoah Valley just has incredible agricultural assets."

Part of the grant money will also go toward installing a new 78,000 square foot nursery greenhouse featuring state-of-the-art technology.

Virginia agriculture and forestry has an economic impact of $70 billion each year and the industry generate 400,000 jobs in the Commonwealth.