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Agriculture

Agriculture Secretary kicks off Pennsylvania maple-tapping season

HARRISBURG — Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding recently kicked off Pennsylvania’s maple tapping-season at Dewy Meadows Farm in Warren Center, Bradford County, celebrating Pennsylvania’s maple syrup industry alongside the Pennsylvania Maple Producers Council and Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Council. “Pennsylvania agriculture is a sweet business to be in,” Redding said. “There’s no better place to tell that story than on a family-run maple farm like Dewy Meadows.” Pennsylvania is the nation’s 5th largest producer of pure maple syrup, producing nearly 200,000 ...

Governor announces grant opportunity for apprenticeship programs in organic agriculture

HARRISBURG — The Shapiro Administration has announced a new grant opportunity that will help more Pennsylvanians chart their own course in the organic agriculture industry. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) is inviting organizations to apply for grants up to $350,000 for earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship opportunities for Pennsylvanians interested in agricultural occupations, including certified organic farmers. “Organic farming has a bright future in Pennsylvania, so we need to make sure this growing agriculture sector has the robust workforce needed to ...

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 ...