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Agriculture

USDA blocks additional specialty sugar imports

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in alignment with Secretary Rollins’ Farmers First policies, announced no additional imports of specialty sugars beyond what U.S. international obligations dictate. “Production agriculture has seen devastating impacts from natural disasters, Biden-era policies, and extraordinary increases to cost of production,” said Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Alexander Vaden. “Worse, a trade landscape that, over the last four years, favored foreign competitors over America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers, lead to what is ...

Trump secures victory for American poultry producers

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced American poultry producers will have greater market access to Namibia, which will now accept fresh, frozen and chilled poultry exports from the United States. The Trump Administration continues to break down non-tariff barriers and defend current market access for farmers and ranchers. “President Trump is renegotiating the status quo of bad trade deals that have left behind American farmers and ranchers for far too long. Our agriculture is the best in the world, and under President Trump’s leadership, we are providing ...

USDA announces phased reopening of southern ports for livestock trade

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins recently announced risk-based port re-openings for cattle, bison and equines from Mexico beginning in July. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), following extensive collaboration between USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) experts and their counterparts in Mexico to increase New World Screwworm (NWS) surveillance, detection and eradication efforts, began with a phased reopening of the southern ports starting with Douglas, Arizona. Progress has been made in several critical areas since the ports were ...

PestWatch webpage provides updates to vegetable growers

UNIVERSITY PARK — Penn State Extension now publishes the PestWatch Report, a weekly online report that provides sweet-corn growers with statewide pest trap counts and timely management recommendations. Heather Grab, assistant professor of vegetable entomology in Penn State’s College of ...

Pennsylvania youth participate in 4-H Animal Judging Day

UNIVERSITY PARK — Youth from across Pennsylvania’s 4-H program recently participated in the annual 4-H Animal Judging Day, held on Penn State’s University Park campus. The event hosted 260 youth, ages 10-18, who showcased their skills in various animal judging events. These included dairy, horse and livestock, which featured swine, sheep and beef cattle. “Judging contests are an important part of our overall focus in the 4-H program on life-skill development,” said Kirsten Dubbs, Penn State Extension 4-H animal science program specialist. “Youths are learning how to learn ...

July is National Ice Cream Month

I scream, you scream, we all Scream for ice cream. If you haven’t guessed it yet, July is National Ice Cream Month. It’s a perfect time to cool off with a scoop of your favorite flavor. Hi, my name is Noah Lewis, and I’m a Juniata County Dairy Ambassador. As the summer ...