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Agriculture

Small-group sheep, goat producer gatherings planned

UNIVERSITY PARK — Penn State Extension will host small-group gatherings at two locations in April for sheep and goat producers to network and discuss industry needs. These informal, educational meetings will focus on local small-ruminant production and future programming. One meeting will be April 2 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Mercer County office of Penn State Extension, 463 North Perry Hwy., Mercer. The second meeting will be April 23 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Bedford County office of Penn State Extension, 120 W. John St., Bedford. Both sessions are open to producers at ...

Pa. invests nearly $6.7M to protect farms

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania is investing $6,699,378 to purchase development rights for 1,837 acres on 19 farms in 16 counties, protecting them from future residential or commercial development. These joint investments by state and local government ensure that Pennsylvania farmers will have the prime-quality land they need to continue supporting families, communities, and jobs. “Food security is national security,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “Farmers face fierce competition from developers seeking to buy their land, and saving that land to produce food is one of ...

Master Gardeners annual plant sale set for May 10

REEDSVILLE — Penn State Master Gardeners of the Juniata Valley will hold their annual plant sale on Saturday, May 10, 2025 from 9 a.m. to noon. The event will be held at Mifflin County Airport, 547 Airport Rd., Reedsville. The sale will include perennials, annuals, vegetables, herbs and native pollinator plants. There will be kids’ activities and displays. Penn State Master Gardeners will be on site to answer questions.

Rollins initiates public-private partnership to reduce fire risk

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is embarking on a new era of effectiveness as we continue to move away from the status quo. Secretary Rollins, along with USDA Forest Service Chief Randy Moore and Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) CEO Mark Emmerson, announced a $75 million Stewardship Agreement for the construction and maintenance of strategically placed fuel breaks on national forests in California and Oregon. This investment significantly expands upon unprecedented efforts to create a network of ...

USDA-NASS releases agriculture update

The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is the primary statistical agency for USDA. Each year NASS publishes over 400 reports based on data collected from farmers across the Northeast and the U.S. If you receive a survey from NASS and need assistance, please call the NASS Northeastern Regional field office at 1-(800) 498-1518. Become a crop weather reporter If you are knowledgeable about crops across your county and have Internet access, you qualify to be a weekly crop reporter. It only takes about 10-15 minutes each week to alert USDA of the crop situation in your ...

Two Juniata 4-H members attend National Congress

MIFFLINTOWN — The National 4-H Congress is an annual event that dates back more than a century, bringing together the top 4-H members from around the country to celebrate their achievements, develop leadership skills, and foster a sense of community. And the Juniata Valley was well represented. Two Juniata County 4-H members had the honor of attending the prestigious National 4-H Congress held recently in Atlanta, Ga. Morgan Imes, of Honey Grove and daughter of Lyndon V. Imes and Heather Imes, and Jamie Walters, of Doylesburg, Franklin County, and daughter of Mike and Katie ...