Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture 
Society Notes
December 18, 2017

Gold Medal to be Awarded to Dr. MeeCee Baker
The Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture will present its Gold Medal to Dr. MeeCee Baker at our January 4, 2018 meeting at the Union League. Register now so you won't miss this important event.
 
Next Event: Duncan Allison and John Urbanchuk Present Recent Study on Equine Activity
January's meeting continues successful trend of members presenting to the membership.
 
December Field Trip a Big Hit
The December field trip was a step back in time to an earlier era of colonial inns and locally produced spirits. Mountain Laurel Spirits then provided a wonderful in-depth tour of the value-added process of distilling a classic rye whiskey from grains grown in Pennsylvania.
 
RECENT NEWS
Farming Notes
November 2017
Anyone farming is only too aware of the challenging environment for farming over the last few years with income falling significantly during the last four years. ..   MORE>
NY Times: Weedkillers Give Monsanto Trouble in Europe and Arkansas
The decisions are a double blow to the agrochemical industry and particularly to the chemicals giant Monsanto. An appeals committee of European officials will convene this month...   MORE>
CBS Philly: A new study is out showing there is a lot of horsing around in the region. The equine industry in SE Pennsylvania generates $670 million to the regional economy. That’s the findings of a study commissioned by the Chester-Delaware County Farm Bureau. ..   MORE>
WaPo: A Growing Number of Young Americans are Leaving Desk Jobs to Farm
For only the second time in the last century, the number of farmers under 35 years old is increasing, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture...  MORE>
MEMBER UPDATES
PSPA is a Proud Supporter of CAST 

Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture is a proud supporter of CAST, The Science Source for Food, Agriculture and Environmental Issues. CAST, through its network of experts, assembles, interprets, and communicates credible, balanced, science-based information to policymakers, the media, the private sector, and the public. PSPA will be providing its members links to recent articles, news and publication in our monthly newsletter.  








How to Use the PSPA Library Online 

Last year the Historical and Library Committee worked on some reorganization of the online access to the PSPA Library and set-up some clear directions for use. On www.pspaonline's website, click “Resources,” then “ Library and Archive .” You will see a collection of options. Click “ How to Search the Penn Libraries Online Catalog ” and the instructions for use will come up. If you wish to learn more about the collections, on the website, click “Resources,” then “Library and Archive,” then “ Introduction ."


Wishing You the Happiest of Holiday Seasons.

At this season of the year we think of gifts and the plentiful generosity of Heaven. Agriculture is the very earthly representation of providential abundance and reminds us that all good gifts come from above. May you and yours experience the love of the season, the good gifts from above and the blessings of a healthy and prosperous New Year. Best wishes from the Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture!

"Agriculture is the greatest and fundamentally the most important of our industries. The cities are but the branches of the tree of national life, the roots of which go deeply into the land. We all flourish or decline with the farmer." BERNARD BARUCH, attributed, American Agriculture: A Brief History
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