Todd Patterson Haymore was born and raised in Pittsylvania County, just outside of Danville. He is a graduate of George Washington High School in Danville, and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Richmond in 1991. He also earned an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2004. 

Commissioner Haymore’s career in public service began in 1990, when he served as a legislative intern for Virginia State Senator W. Onico Barker of the 19th District. From 1991 to 1995, he was a legislative assistant to U.S. Representative L.F. Payne of Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District, and served as communications director and legislative assistant until 1997. Haymore also served as Deputy Campaign Manager of Payne’s bid for Lt. Governor during 1997.

In 1998, he became Director of Corporate Communications for DIMON Incorporated (now Alliance One International) in Danville, and in 1999 became Director, External Affairs, for Universal Leaf North America, a subsidiary of Universal Leaf Tobacco Company, Inc. headquartered in Richmond, VA.  Subsequent positions at Universal Leaf Tobacco Company included: Assistant Vice President, External Affairs, 2002 – 2004; Corporate Director, External Affairs, 2004 to the present; and since 2006, Vice President of The Universal Leaf Foundation.

On June 29, 2007, Governor Timothy Kaine appointed Haymore as the 13^th Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, an agency that traces its roots back to 1877.