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Agriculture

3 Pa. counties designated natural disaster areas

WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has designated three Pennsylvania counties as contiguous natural disaster areas due to severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides. This Presidential disaster declaration 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 ...

USDA moves to limit salmonella in raw poultry products

The Agriculture Department recently announced plans to limit salmonella in poultry products in the U.S., a proposal that officials say will keep contaminated meat off store shelves and lead to fewer illnesses. Under the proposed new rule, poultry companies would have to keep salmonella levels under a certain threshold and test for the presence of six particularly sickening forms of the bacteria, three found in turkey and three in chicken. If the bacteria exceeds the proposed standard and any of those strains are found, the poultry couldn’t be sold and would be subject to ...

USDA to gather farm conservation data

HARRISBURG — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is reaching out to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural landowners to gather in-depth information about the conservation practices they use. Nearly 12,000 operators nationwide will receive the 2024 Conservation Effects Assessment Project survey. Data obtained will support the third set of national and regional cropland assessments delivered by USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP), a multi-agency ...

2024 Class of USDA 1890 National Scholars announced

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced 91 scholarships awarded through the USDA 1890 National Scholars Program, one of the Department’s efforts to develop the next generation of diverse food and agriculture professionals. The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program is a partnership between USDA and the 19 historically Black land-grant universities that were established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890 and is administered by USDA’s Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE). “The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program is an important pathway ...

4-H animal science contests attract youth across Pa.

UNIVERSITY PARK — Pennsylvania 4-H'ers recently competed in animal science knowledge contests at Penn State's University Park campus. Youth aged 10-18 participated in events such as the dairy bowl, horse bowl, hippology contest, livestock skillathon, and rabbit and cavy bowl and skillathon. They also competed in animal judging events for dairy, horse and livestock and in a new meat judging contest for seniors. "These events deepen youths' knowledge of their 4-H project interests," said Kirsten Dubbs, Penn State Extension 4-H animal science specialist. "Our dedicated 4-H volunteers ...

Exhibits, demos are a staple of Penn State’s Ag Progress Days

UNIVERSITY PARK — Farmers and others involved in production agriculture looking to explore the latest agricultural goods, services, equipment and technology can find everything they need at Penn State's 2024 Ag Progress Days. The event will be held Aug. 13-15 at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, Centre County. The event will feature more than 400 commercial and educational exhibits, along with various field demonstrations and workshops. Exhibitors will cover nearly every product category, including field machinery, milking systems, animal genetics, ...