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Agriculture

USDA encourages food safety with back-to-school lunches

WASHINGTON — Back-to-school shopping usually means backpacks, notebooks and lunchboxes. But don’t forget to add food safety to the list. Young children, especially those under age five, are more likely to get seriously sick from foodborne illness. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is reminding parents, caregivers, and anyone packing school lunches to follow a few simple food safety steps. “As the school year begins, we want families to keep food safety top of mind,” said USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Administrator Dr. Justin Ransom. “Young children ...

Earn pesticide recertification credits at Extension workshop

UNIVERSITY PARK — A workshop hosted by Penn State Extension in Lancaster and Centre counties in September will offer an opportunity for pesticide applicators to earn recertification credits. In Lancaster County, “Field Crop Recertification School” will be Wednesday, Sept. 17 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Penn State’s Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center, 1446 Auction Rd., Manheim. The Centre County event will occur Wednesday, Sept. 24 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Penn State’s Snider Agricultural Arena, 889 E. Park Ave., State College. The workshop is ...

USDA announces $230M in food purchases for communities in need

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) intends to purchase up to $230 million in fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables from American farmers and producers to distribute to food banks and nutrition assistance programs across the country. These purchases are being made through Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935 and will assist producers and communities in need. Fiscal year to date, USDA has provided more than $924 million in purchases, all which benefit the charitable feeding network. This is one of many actions USDA has taken to support smaller scale family farmers ...

Green industry updates, pesticide credits offered via Penn State webinars

UNIVERSITY PARK — Green industry professionals have the chance to learn the latest information on pest, disease and weed management, and earn Pennsylvania pesticide recertification credits, by attending webinars hosted by Penn State Extension. The “Green Industry Update” series will include the following webinars: • “Woody Plants,” 1-2 p.m. Aug. 19. • “Core Training,” 1-2 p.m. Aug. 26. • “Turf,” 1-2 p.m. Sept. 2. • “Right-of-Way Plant Invaders,” 1-2 p.m. Sept. 9. Participants can earn pesticide applicator recertification credits in various ...

A step-by-step guide for growing rice

Many of us think of rice as a plant that grows in flooded fields, and that’s because the kind of rice we’re most familiar with — the long-grain, wetland variety called lowland rice — can be considered semi-aquatic, although it’s technically a grass. Lowland rice would be challenging to grow in a home garden, but another, less common variety can be cultivated more easily in typical backyard conditions. Duborskian rice, a Russian short-grained dryland, or “upland” rice, is a highly ornamental plant that can even be grown in containers, where its 2-foot-tall green and gold ...

Wild violets are having a great year

UNIVERSITY PARK — No growing season is without challenges, but this year is especially challenging with the rains and humidity that have been present. Weeds are having a great year, much to the chagrin of gardeners and farmers. Even with proper weed management tactics, soil moisture from ...