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Agriculture

The Academy celebrates National Teach Ag Day

LEWISTOWN — Schools might focus on reading, writing and arithmetic, but Montana McKee knows the importance of agriculture to her education. “I want to be an agriculture teacher because I want to teach people the importance of agriculture and make an impact on the next generation of agriculturalists,” McKee explained. A junior at the Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology, McKee is considering becoming an agriculture teacher after high school. Students in the Agricultural Sciences program at the Academy recently celebrated National Teach Ag Day on Sept. 21, ...

‘PA Pumpkin Palooza: Where Gourds Go Glam!’ contest announced

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and PA Preferred have announced the “PA Pumpkin Palooza: Where Gourds Go Glam!” contest. Pennsylvanians are encouraged to get out to their local farm to find pumpkins to use as canvases during the autumn season. Artists are invited to use their painting or carvings skills to showcase their PA Pumpkins. Post your entry using #PAPumpkinPalooza23, but official submissions to the contest must be sent to agcontests@pa.gov by Oct. 20, 2023. Winners will be announced on Oct. 31, 2023.

Penn State’s Great Insect Fair returns to Ag Arena Sept. 30

UNIVERSITY PARK — Technology is an integral part of everyday life in the 21st century. Fittingly, Penn State’s 2023 Great Insect Fair will highlight the theme, “Bugs in the System,” focusing on the technology used in entomology. All are invited to attend the Great Insect Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at the Snider Agricultural Arena on the University Park campus. The Department of Entomology in the College of Agricultural Sciences sponsors the event. This year’s theme will engage visitors with high-tech videos, introduce specialized beekeeping equipment ...

Conservation District offering assistance for farm plan development

MIDDLEBURG — Any Snyder County farmer interested in having necessary plans to follow PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulations can apply with the Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) to help pay for development or update of a manure management plan (MMP), nutrient management plan (NMP), agricultural erosion and sedimentation (Ag. E&S) plan, and/or NRCS style conservation plan. All farms are required to develop and implement a written plan that covers their operation under the current regulations to maintain compliance. This will also help farmers thinking ...

Penn State Extension to offer ‘Beef Cattle Short Course’

UNIVERSITY PARK — Beef cattle producers, beef cattle nutritionists and small meat packers interested in learning about the cattle meat production process may want to attend “Beef Cattle Short Course,” a two-day workshop hosted by Penn State Extension with support from the Pennsylvania Beef Producers Working Group. The event will occur from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3, and from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4, at various locations within Penn State’s University Park campus, including the Snider Agricultural Arena and the Penn State Meat Laboratory. Tara Felix, ...

USDA to measure chemical uses on fruit crops

HARRISBURG — Interviewers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will interview nearly 600 Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York fruit growers to gather information for the 2023 Fruit Chemical Use Survey this fall. The survey will collect information on bearing acreage, pest management practices, including acres treated and application rates, and pesticide application, including acres treated and rates applied, to more than three fruit crops. In addition to Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, fruit growers in nine other states ...