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Agriculture

Diet with dairy products important for busy schedule

Hi! My name is Ella Zimmerman and I am a Juniata County Dairy Maid. I am “on the go” all the time! I am in 4-H, Girl Scouts, play several instruments and play several sports. The recipe I am sharing is great for a busy schedule because it can be made ahead of time and bakes in about half an hour when you are ready for it. It also has several dairy products in it. It is important for me to eat dairy products because the nutrients in milk keeps my muscles, bones, teeth, skin and vision healthy. Also, the nutrients in milk releases energy from foods to reduce tiredness and ...

USDA to collect final 2023 crop production and stocks data

HARRISBURG — As the 2023 growing season officially comes to an end, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will contact producers nationwide to gather final year-end crop production numbers and the amount of grain and oilseeds they store on their farms. At the same time, NASS will survey grain facility operators to determine year-end grain and oilseed stocks. “These surveys are the basis for the official USDA estimates of production and harvested acres of all major agricultural commodities in the United States and year-end grain and ...

HARRISBURG — PA Farm Link has completed a new informational leasing resource, now available free to the public. Funded by the USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Program, PA Farm Link’s comprehensive long-term leasing booklet contains case studies of farmers actively farming with a lease agreement, lease agreement examples, and useful resources. The case studies included in “Long-Term Leasing on Farmland” consist of farm history, pros and cons of long-term leasing, advice for those interested in pursuing a long-term lease agreement and future plans. The booklet also includes two ...

USDA to conduct end-of-year hogs and pigs survey

HARRISBURG — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is contacting producers for the December Hogs and Pigs survey. This end-of-year 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. “According to the most recent Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report in September, there were 74.3 million hogs and pigs in the United States,” said King Whetstone, director of the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office. “The December survey and ...

USDA to collect 2023 oilseed data

HARRISBURG — As the 2023 growing season officially comes to an end, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will contact producers nationwide to gather oilseed data. The information will help determine the official USDA estimates of 2023 acreage, harvested yield, and price for oilseed crops in the United States. Data from the survey will benefit farmers and processors by providing timely and accurate information to help them make critical year-end business decisions and begin planning for the next growing and marketing season. NASS will ...

USDA expands access to school breakfast and lunch

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is giving an estimated 3,000 more school districts in high-need areas the option to serve breakfast and lunch to all students at no cost, by expanding the availability of the Community Eligibility Provision, commonly known as CEP. CEP is a simplified meal service option that allows schools to provide meals at no cost to all students without requiring families to apply for free and reduced-price meals. Instead, school districts receive federal funding based on a formula using existing data from SNAP and other programs, and local or ...