The late Kathy Coffee was fondly remembered for her contributions to Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and the state’s agriculture industry during the recent VFBF Women’s Leadership Conference in Roanoke.

She had been posthumously honored as an Outstanding Woman in Agriculture during the organization’s annual convention last November. And this spring, the VFBF Women’s Leadership Committee planted a dogwood tree in Coffee’s honor at her family’s farm in Kenbridge.

The Outstanding Woman in Agriculture Award recognized Coffee’s legacy of service and advocacy. Coffee, who served as District 11 chair on the VFBF Women’s Leadership Committee, died of cancer in August 2023. She was a member of the Lunenburg County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee for more than 40 years.

“Kathy brought so much to the table with her knowledge, her devotion to the farming community and her extensive involvement with Farm Bureau,” said Faye Hundley, VFBF Women’s Leadership Committee chair. “She’d been a fixture in the women’s program for years and exemplified what it means to be a leading woman in agriculture. We will cherish her memory and draw inspiration from her work on agriculture’s behalf.”

Coffee and her husband, William, founded W.J. Coffee Farms in 1979, and they raised tobacco before transitioning into cattle and grain. They served on the VFBF Young Farmers Committee, and in 1988 they were named the VFBF Young Farmers of the Year.

Coffee’s advocacy for agriculture and farm families also earned her the recognition of VFBF Farm Woman of the Year in 1999. In addition to her work with Farm Bureau on the local and state levels, she was appointed by multiple Virginia governors over the last 20 years to serve on the Virginia Agricultural Council.


Participants in the Virginia Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Program support agriculture, the state’s largest industry, through educational efforts in their communities; local outreach projects; and advocacy for Farm Bureau policies.

With almost 135,000 members in 88 county Farm Bureaus, VFBF is Virginia’s largest farmers’ advocacy group. Farm Bureau is a non-governmental, nonpartisan, voluntary organization committed to supporting Virginia’s agriculture industry.

Contact Christy Murphy, women’s leadership program coordinator, at 804-584-6210.