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Agriculture

2023 Pa. State 4-H Horse Show held in Harrisburg

By ANDREA KOCHER Equine Extension Specialist HARRISBURG — The 63rd annual Pennsylvania State 4-H Horse Show was held Oct. 26-29 at the Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. More than 600 youth from over 50 counties participated in 80 performance classes throughout the weekend. There were over 1400 entries shown by youth who qualified for the show. The State 4-H Horse Show is the final competition of the year for 4-H horse members enrolled in performance horse projects. To be eligible for the show, members must advance through qualifying competitions at ...

USDA invests more than $1.2 billion in rural cooperatives

DENVER — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that USDA is investing more than $1.2 billion in loans and grants to spur economic development, catalyze rural prosperity and advance equity through rural cooperatives in 36 states and Puerto Rico. Last month, USDA celebrated its 59th annual National Cooperative Month and the vital role cooperatives play in helping people build bright futures in rural America. “Cooperatives serve as one of our most important partners in delivering critical goods and services to rural communities,” Secretary Vilsack ...

Free workshop hosted by Penn State Extension

LEWISTOWN — Penn State Extension Mifflin County officials say older farmers are often concerned about how they will step away from their businesses and still pass them along to the next generation or operators. They also worry about their retirement living expenses and how Social Security or Medicare fits into the picture. That’s why Penn State Extension is hosting a free in-person workshop, “Setting the Stage for Succession: Retirement Planning,” from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, at the Penn State Extension office, 152 E. Market St., Suite 100, Lewistown, to assist ...

Ensuring that your first Thanksgiving feast is food-safe

UNIVERSITY PARK — Hosting your first Thanksgiving gathering can be a challenge, whether it is for a party of four or 20. Planning and preparation are key, and as part of that, first-time cooks should be sure to incorporate good food safety practices, according to a food safety expert in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. “Food safety considerations are always important but can be challenging for those who are planning their first holiday event, especially when they are preparing more food than they normally prepare,” said Martin Bucknavage, senior food safety ...

Minimum dairy pricing policy could expand production, affect water quality

UNIVERSITY PARK — A dairy pricing policy originally proposed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic could have resulted in dairy farmers getting 10% more for their products if the policy had been passed, according to a Penn State study. The research, led by College of Agricultural Sciences researchers and based on a model of livestock production in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, found that this price increase could have led to an approximately 13% expansion of the local dairy industry. Additionally, the model suggested that an increase in livestock production also would lead to ...

$1 million in grants to boost sales of Pennsylvania crops

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is accepting proposals for $1 million in grants to increase the competitiveness of the state’s horticultural specialty crops including fruit, nut, vegetable, nursery, honey, and floral products. Projects will be funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant program, which is administered by the state. “Pennsylvania leads the nation in floriculture, mushrooms, and other specialty crops,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “These grants feed Pennsylvania grower profits by increasing ...