Matt Lohr

Matt Lohr
Matt Lohr
5th Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; January 15, 2022
Governor	Glenn Youngkin
Preceded by	Bettina Ring
Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service
	In office; December 5, 2018 – January 20, 2021
President	Donald Trump; Joe Biden
Leader	Sonny Perdue
Preceded by	Jason Weller
Succeeded by	Terry Cosby
Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
	In office; May 1, 2010 – December 13, 2013
Governor	Bob McDonnell
Preceded by	Todd Haymore
Succeeded by	Sandra Adams
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates; from the 26th district
	In office; January 11, 2006 – April 30, 2010
Preceded by	Glenn Weatherholtz
Succeeded by	Tony Wilt
Personal details
Born	August 28, 1971 (age 53); Harrisonburg, Virginia
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Andrea Lynch Lohr (1995–2011; her death);
Children	2
Residence	Broadway, Virginia
Alma mater	Virginia Tech
Occupation	farmer, politician, and motivational speaker

Matthew James Lohr (born August 28, 1971) is an American politician. On January 15, 2022 Lohr was sworn in by Governor Glenn Youngkin as Virginia's 5th Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry. In this role, he will serve in the governor's cabinet and oversee the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Virginia Department of Forestry, and the Virginia Racing Commission. December 3, 2018 he was appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue as the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service,^[2] he served until January 20, 2021. Lohr served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2006–2010, representing the 26th district in the Shenandoah Valley, made up of the city of Harrisonburg and part of Rockingham County. From May 1, 2010 until December 16, 2013, he served as the 14th Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services under Governor Robert F. McDonnell.^[update] From December 2013 until June 2017, Lohr worked for Farm Credit of the Virginias as director of the Knowledge Center. In this position he facilitated the sharing of knowledge and resources for the betterment of all farmers.

Lohr is a member of the Republican Party.^[3]^[4]

While in the House, Lohr served on the committees of Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources; Counties, Cities and Towns; and Finance.^[3] He also served as chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee. During his time in office, he was presented "Legislator of the Year" awards from the Virginia Career and Technical Education Association and the Virginia Economic Development Association. In 2003 he won the American Farm Bureau "Excellence in Agriculture" Award as well as numerous farming and environmental stewardship honors.

Electoral history

Date	Election	Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Virginia House of Delegates, 26th district
Nov 8, 2005^[5]	General	M J Lohr	Republican	8,545	53.58
		L L Fulk	Democratic	7,353	46.11
		Write Ins		50	0.31
		Glenn Weatherholtz retired; seat stayed Republican
Nov 6, 2007^[6]	General	Matthew J. "Matt" Lohr	Republican	8,166	71.07
		Carolyn W. Frank		3,269	28.45
		Write Ins		55	0.47
Nov 3, 2009^[7]	General	Matthew J. "Matt" Lohr	Republican	11,328	73.03
		A. Gene Hart, Jr.	Democratic	4,170	26.88
		Write Ins		12	0.07

Notes

^ "Obituaries: Andrea Lynch Lohr". Grandle Funeral Home, Inc.
^ Chase, Spencer (December 3, 2018). "Perdue Names Lohr New NRCS Chief". Agri-Pulse.
^ ^a ^b "Virginia House of Delegates; Session 2010; Lohr, Matthew J. (Matt)". Virginia House of Delegates. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
^ "Commissioner's Message". Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Archived from the original on 2006-10-28. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
^ "General Election- November 8, 2005". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
^ "November 6, 2007 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
^ "November 2009 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2013-05-29.

External links

"Matthew J Lohr". Virginia Public Access Project.
"Delegate Matt Lohr (R-Harrisonburg)". Richmond Sunlight.
"Election Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2013-04-29.

[1] "Obituaries: Andrea Lynch Lohr". Grandle Funeral Home, Inc.

[2] Chase, Spencer (December 3, 2018). "Perdue Names Lohr New NRCS Chief". Agri-Pulse.

[hod2010-3] "Virginia House of Delegates; Session 2010; Lohr, Matthew J. (Matt)". Virginia House of Delegates. Retrieved 2013-05-29.

[vda-4] "Commissioner's Message". Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Archived from the original on 2006-10-28. Retrieved 2013-05-29.

[sbe2005-5] "General Election- November 8, 2005". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved 2013-05-29.

[sbe2007-6] "November 6, 2007 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved 2013-05-29.

[sbe2009-7] "November 2009 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2013-05-29.

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