Breaking News

Agriculture

USDA now accepting applications for Organic Certification Funds

HARRISBURG— Through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP), USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will cover up to 75% of organic certification costs at a maximum of $750 per certification category. FSA is now accepting applications, and organic producers and handlers should apply for OCCSP by the Oct. 31, 2024, deadline for eligible expenses incurred from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024. FSA will issue payments as applications are received and approved. “Costs associated with obtaining organic certification can be a barrier for Pennsylvania producers wanting to get ...

Penn State Dairy Products Evaluation team places high at national contest in April

UNIVERSITY PARK — The Penn State Dairy Products Evaluation Team recently competed in the Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest in Milwaukee, placing high in several categories. The team earned the following awards in the April 17 contest: First Place Butter, Third Place Cheddar Cheese and Third Place Cottage Cheese. Team members included undergraduate students Grace Hwang, Ryland Curran and Fletcher Kanas and graduate students Ashley Ohstrom, Andy Paff, Auja Bywater (alternate) and Paige Sullivan (alternate). All are food science majors. Individual awards won by team ...

Dairy ambassador in Juniata County shares experiences

Hello. My name is Kera Bentz, I am the 18-year-old dairy ambassador on the Juniata Dairy Promotion Court. I have participated on the dairy court for six years now, and every year since I have learned and grown a passion for the dairy industry. My journey started in 2019 as a 13-year-old dairy ...

Beef Summer Field Day to include stockmanship

LEBANON — The Pennsylvania Cattlemen's Association is once again hosting the annual Beef Summer Field Day on Saturday, Aug. 10 to help beef producers learn more about their industry through several well-known speakers.       The field day, which will take place at Wen-Crest Farms, 549 Schaeffer Rd., Lebanon, begins with a presentation from Dr. Ron Gill, professor and Extension Livestock Specialist from Texas A&M University. Dr. Gill, who will speak on "Stockmanship and Stewardship," has won multiple awards in the beef industry education sector and specializes in ...

Penn State Extension provides advice on the spotted lanternfly

UNIVERSITY PARK — With spotted lanternfly egg-hatch season in full swing, residents in numerous Pennsylvania communities are preparing for the arrival of this pest, known for its appetite for the sap of grapevines, hardwoods and ornamental plants. Fortunately, Penn State Extension publications can help. Authored by researchers and extension educators in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, the Spotted Lanternfly Management Guide features comprehensive information, illustrations, charts and photos on the pest's biology, behavior, plant damage and management, as well as a ...

​​Combining pest treatments may help honey bees survive winter

UNIVERSITY PARK — Winters can be tough on managed honey bee colonies, with beekeepers in the United States reporting that one-third of their colonies die each winter. A new study by Penn State researchers has found that using not one but multiple pest treatments may be important for helping bees make it to spring. The researchers found that beekeepers who used a combination of treatments for Varroa mites — tiny parasites that can weaken and spread diseases to honey bees — had higher winter colony survival than those who used only one type of treatment, according to the study ...