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Agriculture

Counties designated natural disaster areas

WASHINGTON — The USDA has designated three Pennsylvania counties as contiguous natural disaster areas for drought. This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans ...

USDA set to conduct quarterly hogs, pigs survey in September

HARRISBURG — The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is contacting producers for the September Hogs and Pigs survey. This survey is a comprehensive gathering of quarterly data on market hog and breeding stock inventories as well as pig crop and farrowing intentions in every state. "Pennsylvania inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1, 2024, was 1.44 million head. This was up 6.7% from June 1, 2023, and down 1.37% from March 1, 2024," said Kevin Pautler, acting director of the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office. NASS mailed ...

2024 Juniata Co. Youth Fair Livestock Auction results

Livestock Sale Owen Jacob’s Grand Champion Market Goat sold to Middleburg Livestock Auction for $1,600.00 Shalelyn Armstrong’s Reserve Champion Market Goat sold to Weis Markets, Inc for $1,600.00 Also sold were… Owen Jacobs, Bryan D Imes Auctioneering, $300; Cassi Parson, T&H Boer Goats/Lazy Hog Farms, $700; MiLee Wynn, Seed Consultants, Inc, $700; Bella Auker, State Representative Perry Stambaugh, $1,050; Jayson Varner, Tom Metz, $950; Conner Schlegel, Lost Creek Ag, $950; Lily Carvell, Juniata Veterinary Clinic, $1,050; Lily Carvell, Pennian Bank/Benner’s Butcher ...

Permaculture, risk management the topic of Extension webinar

UNIVERSITY PARK — For homesteaders or farm-scale operations interested in maximizing land functionality, sustainability and permanent systems, Penn State Extension is offering a webinar, “Living on a Few Acres: Permaculture and Risk Management,” from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 12. This session is designed for beginning producers and those with farm-scale operations. It will cover core principles of permaculture and holistic farm design, focusing on sustainable land use and risk management. This event can benefit anyone who is looking for more information about planning out their ...

Farm to Table Gala held on Aug. 15 in Belleville

BELLEVILLE — The Mifflin County Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee and the Young Agriculture Professionals partnered to hold the third annual Farm to Table Gala on Aug. 15 at Brookmere Winery and Vineyard. The goal of the event is to bridge the gap between local farmers and consumers by providing a healthy, nutritious meal almost entirely sourced from local farmers and to provide an opportunity to meet some local farmers. Chef K from Solid Gold Concessions planned and prepared the meal using locally sourced ingredients. The menu included assorted meat and cheese ...

Juniata Co. Fair baking contest information

20th annual Incredible Angel Food Cake contest PORT ROYAL — The Angel Food Cake contest is returning to the competitive exhibit lineup at the 170th Juniata County Fair this year. The Incredible Angel Food Cake contest, sponsored by Pennsylvania Egg Farmers and the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs, will be held on Saturday Aug. 31. All entries must be in place on Friday, Aug. 30, from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Entrants may not have won 1st place in this Angel Food Cake contest at any other fair in 2024. The winning cake will be eligible for competition at the PA Farm ...