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Agriculture

Bird flu cases on the rise in Pennsylvania

BELLEFONTE — Pennsylvania has given $13.5 million to hundreds of farmers over the past three years to help them pay for bird flu testing, recover lost revenue, and implement biosecurity measures. These are the tentpoles of the state’s special grant program helping farmers respond to the aggressive virus, which is known for devastating flocks and driving up consumer prices In 2025, avian influenza has so far been detected at commercial farms in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and Lehigh counties. It originates among wild birds, such as ducks and geese, who often show no ...

USDA to measure fruit, cranberry, berry production

HARRISBURG — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct its end of season surveys for the 2024 non-citrus tree fruit, cranberry and berry production. The surveys will collect information about acres, production, and prices from more than 2,500 growers in the northeastern region of the United States. “The information from these surveys directly impacts our regions’ fruit, berry, and cranberry growers in many positive ways,” said NASS northeastern regional director David Knopf. “Growers can use the survey results when ...

Six additional states enroll in USDA milk testing strategy for H5N1

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced an additional six states are enrolling in the National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS). This brings the total number of states testing under NMTS guidelines to 36 since the first round of states joined in early December. With the enrollment of six additional states, the NMTS will account for bulk milk tank samples from two-thirds of the nation’s dairy herds, or nearly three-quarters of the nation’s milk production. This data will further enhance understanding ...

Investment of $1.3 million to help strengthen agricultural workforce

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) recently announced a $1,325,699 investment in Penn State University’s Agricultural Workforce Development Project to continue Pennsylvania’s legacy as a national agriculture leader. The project, funded through the Farms & Agribusiness Workforce Engagement Grant initiative, aims to strengthen the Commonwealth’s agricultural workforce by increasing awareness of PA CareerLink® services, providing targeted technical assistance for employers in the agriculture sector and training stakeholders to address the ...

Master Gardeners host home gardening school

UNIVERSITY PARK — Penn State Extension Centre County Master Gardeners present World Wonders to Backyard Bliss: Planting Garden Inspiration March 22 from 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at Penn State’s Forest Resources Building, Park Avenue and Bigler Rd., State College. Amateur and experienced plant lovers can rub elbows, swap stories, and learn from Central PA gardeners at this year’s Home Gardening School. Keynote speaker Heather Andrews, two-time award winner of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Garden of Distinction, will kick off the day with a presentation on her travels ...

Pennsylvania dairy industry reaches ‘HPAI-free’ status

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s dairy industry has reached a critical “stage four” milestone granting HPAI-free status in the USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy, making Pennsylvania the first major U.S. dairy-producing state to achieve this status. The designation indicates that Pennsylvania’s milk supply has been tested adequately to rule out the presence of the virus in the state’s dairy cattle. This achievement is the result of months of collaboration among the Department of Agriculture and federal, industry, and academic partners. While Pennsylvania is the first major ...