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Agriculture

Speakers announced for 2025 Agricultural Outlook Forum

WASHINGTON — The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the addition of two prominent speakers to the agenda for the 101st Agricultural Outlook Forum, “Meeting Tomorrow’s Challenges, Today,” scheduled for Feb. 27-28, 2025. Jeff Schmid, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, will address the Forum with a plenary speech on the morning of Feb. 27. His remarks will focus on his outlook for the macroeconomy and monetary policy based on his perspective as the Federal Reserve’s leader for the Tenth District, a region that covers much of ...

Investment of $1.13B for local food programs

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a $1.13 billion investment to support local and regional food systems, building upon the Department’s previous investments in the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement (LFPA) and Local Food for Schools (LFS) programs. This round of funding, announced on Oct. 1, will allow states, territories, and federally recognized Tribes to purchase wholesome, locally produced foods for distribution within their communities to emergency food providers, schools, and child care centers. Those interested in applying ...

Appreciate your food, farmers at Christmas

Christmas. A season of hot cocoa, presents under the tree, and delicious food at the dinner table with friends and family. My name is Kera Bentz. I am a dairy ambassador on the Juniata Dairy Promotional Court. Christmas time is one of my favorite times to be on the dairy court and you might be wondering why? The Juniata Dairy Promotional Court is committed to educating and supporting the dairy industry, but not only that. We also commit our time showing our appreciation and giving back to our dairy farmers. A little tradition we have is our yearly pizza party. Every family on the ...

Conservation District offers farm plan development help

MIDDLEBURG — Any Snyder County farmer interested in having necessary plans to follow PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulations can apply with the Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) to help pay for development or update of a manure management plan (MMP), nutrient management plan (NMP), agricultural erosion and sedimentation (Ag. E&S) plan, and/or NRCS style conservation plan. All farms are required to develop and implement a written plan that covers their operation under the current regulations to maintain compliance. This will also help farmers thinking ...

NASS survey results measure milk production in Northeast

HARRISBURG — Thousands of milk producers across the country will receive surveys from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) as the agency collects information for the 2025 Milk Production reports. “The dairy industry is an important component of the Northeast’s agriculture, and it is crucial for us to have accurate data about this key sector,” said Dave Knopf, regional director of the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office. NASS conducts the Milk Production survey in the region every January, April, July and October. The survey ...

Bee, honey production to be measured

HARRISBURG — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will contact beekeepers during the Bee and Honey Production, Disposition, and Income Inquiry to gather information on colony numbers, honey production, stocks and sales. The information helps evaluate conditions from year to year, and promote programs designed to ensure the viability of beekeepers and agricultural pollination services. This survey occurs in January and February of 2025, collecting data from more than 9,000 producers nationwide. “The survey results provide a ...