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Front Page: Your Weekly News & Updates
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Wrap-up from the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference.
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New Slate of Officers Elected at 70th Joint Annual Conference
During the PACD Executive Council meeting on Thursday, July 13, new officers were elected.
They are:
- President - Charles Duritsa (Westmoreland County)
- 1st Vice President - Mike Price (Beaver County)
- 2nd Vice President - Donald Koontz (Mercer County)
Please welcome these board members to their new positions!
Photo caption: New PACD President Charles Duritsa presents outgoing President Glenn Seidel with a plaque during the PACD Executive Council.
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Awards Luncheon Recognizes Conservationists
The annual PACD/SCC awards luncheon took place July 12, 2017 at the Red Lion Hotel, Harrisburg, PA.
Among those recognized were:
- Legislator Leadership Award: Representative Martin Causer (McKean County)
- President's Award: Russell Redding, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture
- Ann Rudd Saxman Conservation District Director Excellence Award: Samuel Worley (Franklin County)
- Conservation District Employee Excellence Award: Robert Sweitzer (Centre County)
- Conservation District Employee Service Recognition Program Awards
- 40 Years of Service: Jacquelyn Rouse, Manager, Sullivan County
- 35 Years of Service: Gerald Heistand, Business Manager, Lancaster County; Bob McDonald, Conservation Technician, Mercer County
- 30 Years of Service: Mark Flaharty, Senior Ag Resource Conservationist, York County; Susan Moon, Assistant Manager, Somerset County; Sandy Thompson, Manager, McKean County; Deborah Wilson, Manager, Jefferson County
Click
here
to read a press release on the award recipients and
here
to
see photos of the awards luncheon.
Photo caption (left to right): Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding accepting the PACD President's Award, PACD Outgoing President Glenn Seidel, Secretary of Environmental Protection Patrick McDonnell, and PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh.
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Five Pennsylvania Farms Receive Clean Water Farm Award
PACD in conjunction with the award sponsor, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), presented the operators of five farms with the Clean Water Farm Award during its annual conference on July 12, 2017 in Harrisburg, PA. The honor is awarded annually to farmers who manage their daily farm operations in an environmentally conscious manner that helps to protect Pennsylvania's water quality.
DEP has sponsored this award for the past thirty-one years. Recipients receive a certificate signed by the DEP Secretary and a large Clean Water Farm Award sign to erect on their property.
The 2017 Clean Water Farm Award Recipients are:
- Billy Porter (Armstrong County)
- David and Beth Rice of BAD Farm (Berks County)
- Mark & Beth Steck of Green Valley Farm (Franklin County)
- Claude Bennett (Susquehanna County)
- Luke & Julie Hess (Tioga County)
Click here to read a press release on the recipients and here to see photos of the award recipients.
Photo caption: Beth and Dave Rice (center) accept the Clean Water Farm Award from (left to right) Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, Secretary of Environmental Protection Patrick McDonnell, PACD Outgoing President Glenn Seidel, and PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh.
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Soil Health Tour of Hershey Farms
During the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference, a soil health tour was held. The group visited Hershey Farms in Elizabethtown, PA. The farm is owned by Jim Hershey, President of the No-Till Alliance of Pennsylvania.
The tour was led by Joe Kraft, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Soil Scientist. Joe highlighted cover cropping, interseeding, and no-till as methods to encourage and maintain soil health.
PACD and the SCC would like to extend special thanks to Jim Hershey and NRCS for making this tour possible.
Click here to see photos of the tour.
Photo caption: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service State Soil Scientist Joe Kraft shows the group the soil from a cover crop field.
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Newly Misled Game Show Results
During the Hospitality Suite at the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference, several brave individuals participated in a new PACD game show, the "Newly Misled Game." Friends paired up to see how well they knew each other.
Congratulations to Karen Books and Fred Fiscus for winning the game.
Thanks to Allegheny, Armstrong, Susquehanna, and York Counties for providing the snacks for our hospitality suite!
Photo caption: Contestants play the Newly Misled Game during the Hospitality Suite.
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Conservation Districts in the News
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Upcoming Events
September 26, 2017
Red Lion Hotel Harrisburg Hershey, Harrisburg, PA
Conservation District Watershed Specialist Meeting
October 4-6, 2017
Toftrees Golf Resort, State College, PA
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