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Agriculture

Administration agencies to address wildfires

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, and Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Mandy Cohen have announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further their joint work to protect communities from the impacts of wildfire smoke, while promoting land management practices that reduce the risk of large, severe fires. The four agencies – the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of the ...

4-H members receive Diamond Clover Award

UNIVERSITY PARK — At the recent Pennsylvania 4-H State Leadership Conference, 24 4-H’ers received Diamond Clover Awards, the highest achievement possible in the Pennsylvania 4-H program. The Clover Award Program encourages 4-H members to explore new projects and activities that will help them acquire the seven leadership life skills: communicating; decision making and problem solving; getting along with others; learning to learn; managing; understanding self; and working in groups. Engagement with the Clover Award Program is generally a multiyear process and consists of planning ...

Agriculture Counts: Census of Agriculture data now available

BY CHARLES BUTLER Acting Regional Director USDA-NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office Editor’s Note: This is a monthly column from the Northeastern Regional Field Office of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS-NERFO). The website is www.nass.usda.gov; for the reports mentioned below, click on the “Publications” tab. The results of the 2022 Census of Agriculture were announced, spanning more than six million data points about America’s farms and ranches and those who operate them down to the county level. The information collected directly from ...

Dairy of Distinction award applications due by April 15

UNIVERSITY PARK — Pennsylvania dairy producers are invited to apply for the Dairy of Distinction award from the Pennsylvania Dairy of Distinction Program. Applications must be submitted by April 15. This program was initiated in 1987 in Pennsylvania by Penn State retired dairy extension specialist, Steve Spencer. According to Mike O’Connor, retired Penn State extension specialist and current advisor to the program, the award is based on Spencer’s concept that attractive farmsteads promote a positive dairy image and will help to enhance consumer confidence in the wholesomeness of ...

Spruce Hill 2 + 2 to meet on March 19

PORT ROYAL — Learn more about problems that pester your crops while earning credits for your pesticide license on Tuesday, March 19 from 7-9 p.m. at Spruce Hill Grange, 20378 Rte. 75 in Port Royal. All updates will provide 2 core and 2 category PA pesticide license credits. Dr. Caio Brunharo, Penn State Assistant Professor of Weed Science, will present an overview of herbicide resistance in PA. Dr. Jamie Kopco, Penn State Extension Educator, will discuss protecting water resources from pesticide contamination and then speak about conducting a site analysis before pesticide ...

Manure management plan workshop in Snyder County

MIDDLEBURG — The Snyder County Conservation District will hold a free workshop to show farmers, livestock owners and horse operations how to write their very own manure management plans (MMPs). The workshop is set for Tuesday, March 12, 2024, at the Snyder Conservation District Office from 6-9 p.m. Participants will leave the workshop with knowledge and information to complete a manure management plan that meets current PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulations. MMPs are required by any person who raises or boards animals, produces or receives animal manure, ...