West Virginia Market Bulletin: History, Publisher, Content and Staff
Profile updated November 2026
The West Virginia Market Bulletin has been published by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture since 1916, when James H. Stewart was commissioner. It mixes free classified ads for livestock, hay, equipment and farms with department news, recipes, beekeeping and veterinary advice, and a letter from the commissioner. In January 2026 it marked its 110th volume with a redesign and an expansion to 16 pages.
| Founded | 1916, under Commissioner James H. Stewart |
|---|---|
| Publisher | West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) |
| Volume | Volume 110 in January 2026 |
| Format | Monthly, 8.5 x 11 inches, 16 pages after the 2026 redesign |
| Cost | Free to West Virginians in print or electronically |
| Editor | Jennifer Smith Poling |
| Official website | Agriculture.WV.gov |
History of West Virginia Market Bulletin
Commissioner James H. Stewart's department began the Market Bulletin in 1916 as a newsletter for farmers and anyone interested in farming. Its free classified ads quickly became the most popular feature, letting mountain farmers find buyers for livestock, equipment, farms and plants without a dealer.
The Bulletin's format changed several times. It first appeared in an oversized format similar to Life or Look magazine, was shrunk to a compact booklet to save on postage, and later moved to its familiar 8.5 by 11 inch size of about 12 pages. In the 1960s and 1970s it became an important source of practical information for back-to-the-land homesteaders.
For its 110th volume in January 2026, Commissioner Kent A. Leonhardt announced a redesign and an expansion to 16 pages, reflecting on more than 100 years of the Bulletin.
West Virginia Market Bulletin Today
The January 2026 issue carried news of a multi-state agriculture compact, the Winter Blues Farmers Market, the Veterans and Heroes to Agriculture pitch competition, Mountain State Maple Days, a look back at the State Fair centennial, a West Virginia Grown member profile, a women-in-agriculture feature on a rabbit meat farm, a 4-H spotlight and a lamb chop recipe.
Program notices covered spongy moth control, apiary statistics, USDA cattle and sheep surveys and equine herpesvirus guidance. Subscriptions are available in print and electronically, and the Bulletin is posted on the WVDA website.
What West Virginia Market Bulletin Is Publishing Now
Free classifieds
Livestock, apiary and hay sales, equipment, farms, plants and jobs, plus farm meetings and stock sales. Autos, construction and lawn equipment, parts and appliances are excluded, and only AKC-recognized dogs are accepted.
Commissioner's message and agency news
The commissioner's letter, West Virginia Grown, animal and plant health, and department programs and job openings.
Farming know-how and recipes
Articles on farming techniques, beekeeping and veterinary topics, planting schedules and a recipe in most issues.
West Virginia Market Bulletin Editors and Staff
The January 2026 masthead lists:
- Kent A. Leonhardt - Commissioner of Agriculture
- Amie Minor-Richard - Deputy Commissioner
- Beth Southern - Communications Director
- Jennifer Smith Poling - Editor
- Brooke Francke - Designer
- Carrie McCracken - Contributor
Ads and subscriptions: marketbulletin@wvda.us, per the Bulletin's masthead.
Who Reads West Virginia Market Bulletin
Readers are West Virginia cattle and sheep farmers, beekeepers, maple producers, hay growers, homesteaders and rural families across a mountainous state where most farms are small. Beef cattle, poultry and hay lead the state's agriculture, and the Bulletin's mix of classifieds and practical advice suits the part-time and family operations that dominate. Nationally, 95% of U.S. farms are family farms, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture.
Bulletin readers have been trading hay, honeybees and goats across the hollows for 110 years, usually with a good story attached. farm.FM turns stories like those into farm satire and farm humor, with ranch humor for the cattle farms along the ridges. Its farm jokes are best read during sugaring season while the sap boils.
Readers who want the full experience can pair the jokes with Tractor Tunes, the country music for farmers that farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, plays between stories. This author page is a fine starting point.
West Virginia Market Bulletin Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- WVDA: Market Bulletin, January 2026 - the redesigned 110th-volume issue.
- e-WV, the West Virginia Encyclopedia: Market Bulletin - history of the Bulletin.
- West Virginia Department of Agriculture: Divisions - the publishing agency's programs.
- USDA NASS: 2022 Census of Agriculture - national family farm data.
- USDA NASS Quick Stats - West Virginia livestock and crop statistics.
West Virginia Market Bulletin FAQ
When did the West Virginia Market Bulletin start?
In 1916, under Agriculture Commissioner James H. Stewart.
Is the West Virginia Market Bulletin free?
Yes, West Virginians can request a free copy, and it is posted online.
What can't be advertised?
Autos, construction and lawn equipment, parts and appliances; dogs must be AKC-recognized breeds.
Who edits the Market Bulletin?
Jennifer Smith Poling is editor and Beth Southern is WVDA communications director.
At 110 volumes and counting, the West Virginia Market Bulletin is still the mountain state's farm swap meet and kitchen-table newsletter in one.