NEWS YOU CAN USE  ~  OCTOBER 6, 2020
A monthly collection of recent news, upcoming events, and articles of interest
Alliance News
Alliance Directors to have Soil Health Presentation Professionally Recorded
As many of you know, No-Till Alliance Directors Lisa Blazure and Leroy Bupp are both veteran speakers in the no-till arena. To make their knowledge and expertise more accessible to all folks, the American Dairy Association Northeast is sponsoring a video production of a joint effort presentation to be used in an online conference (The Chesapeake Watershed Forum) at the end of October.

The title of their talk is, "Healthy Farms, Soils and Waterways." The plan is to have a full 45 minute version of the demo and a 20 minute version for the conference. Stay tuned for links to the videos on the PA No-Till website and an upcoming newsletter.
No-Till Alliance Winter Soil Health Meetings
With many meetings, workshops and conferences being cancelled, some members have asked if the Alliance will be offering soil health meetings in February of 2021 as has been the case in recent years. The board has had preliminary discussions on this topic and, while no decision has been made, they remain hopeful that these meetings can be held in some manner. Look for more information in the future.
Director Ben Peckman Finalist for Conservation Award
Alliance Director Ben Peckman of Slate Ridge Dairy Farm is one of three finalists selected for the 2020 Pennsylvania Leopold Conservation Award®. Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, this prestigious award recognizes farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who inspire others with their dedication to land, water and wildlife habitat resources in their care.

Ben has used cover crops to improve the soil’s ability to infiltrate and hold water. Grants and cost-share programs from conservation stakeholders have allowed him to install pollinator plots, solar panels, manure storage facilities, a silage leachate collection system, and a methane digester on his mid-sized dairy. In addition to demonstrating how to plant corn into living cover crops, he has partnered with Penn State Extension to study how grazing cover crops impacts soil health. Congratulations Ben!
“Soil Health for Kids 101” Updated
Readers of this newsletter may recall this item from April. These two young guys (photo below, left) started learning “Cover Crop and Soil Health 101” at an early age while in the field with their dad and PA No-Till Alliance Director, Matt Ulmer. 

At that time, they were checking out the green cover on a field where their dad was preparing to plant corn. They recently returned to the field (photo below, right) after silage was harvested to inspect the residual cover and the deep root structure present in the field.
Ag Articles of Interest
2020 Keystone Crops & Soils Conference Cancelled
It has been announced by the sponsors, PennAg Industries and Penn State Extension, that the 2020 Keystone Crops and Soils Conference, originally scheduled for Oct. 21-22, has been cancelled. Penn State Extension will be taking steps necessary to ensure that approved web-based opportunities are available for those needing certification credits this year. Check extension.psu.edu for on-line courses in various categories. 
PA Agronomic Education Conference to be Held Virtually
The PA Agronomic Education Conference scheduled for January 21-22 will be offered virtually on the same dates. Two credits in each of 4 categories will be offered through the conference. Be on the outlook for information about registration and other details.
Are You a CCA Looking for CEUs?
Information and Resources Available
Curious about how to find CEUs during this time of cancellations and postponing of events? Please refer to the information and resources below from the national CCA office.

  • Online CEUs -Subscription format allows a year of unlimited access to most online offerings for $100.

  • Live Webinars - free to view live as long as you register ahead of time. (If you can’t watch them as they air, you do have access to the recordings for 30 days after they air as well.)
 
Additional resources: 
 
Also, don't forget that you are able to self report up to 20 of your CEUs each cycle. That would be for any meetings, trainings, plot tours, etc. that you attended over the course of the 2 years that did not have sign in sheets or board approved credits. Just log in to certifiedcropadviser.org, hover over "My Account" at the top, hover over "Certifications" in the drop down menu, and then click on "Self Report CEUs." 
PA 4R Alliance to Host Nutrient Management Webinar Series
Webinars Continue This Wednesday, October 7
The PA 4R Alliance is hosting a Fall 2020 Nutrient Management webinar series on Wednesdays: October 7 and October 14 to learn about topics related to applying the Right Nutrient Sources at the Right Rate, Right Time, and Right Place. This series, which is geared toward conservation as well as industry professionals, will share insights about how to incorporate these topics into conversations with the farmers you serve. Act 38 Nutrient Management & Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) CEC’s will be awarded. Program includes:
 
Wednesday, October 7 from 11 AM -12 PM  (Register here)
Module 2. Managing Nitrogen with Cover Crops, Dr. Charlie White, Penn State Extension
 
Wednesday, October 14 from 11 AM -12 PM (Register here)
Module 3. Up Your Fertilizer Game -- Advancing Fertilizer Management with 4Rs, Eric Rosenbaum, PA4R Executive Director and owner of Rosetree Consulting, LLC
 
Registration required for each of the three sessions! Click here to register today. Contact Katie Turner at katie.turner@tnc.org with any questions.
$100,000 in Scholarships Available to Ag Students
The Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement is giving away ten scholarships, each worth $10,000 to local students planning to pursue a career in agriculture. That’s right – they’re giving away $100,000 directly to ag students in our community!

The scholarship program is open to all high school seniors or currently enrolled college students residing in MidAtlantic Farm Credit’s territory who are planning to work in the agriculture industry. This could mean you're planning to be a farmer, food scientist, veterinarian, ag educator, engineer, or even a Farm Credit employee!
 
Apply Now! The deadline to submit your application is Friday, January 8, 2021. 
Agriculture is More Than Farming
New Website Launched to Promote Careers in PA Agriculture
A new website for students showcasing careers in Pennsylvania’s agricultural and food industry is now available. AgandFoodCareersinPA.com highlights careers in the agriculture and food industries and shares the message that “agriculture is more than farming.”
 
The website includes 50 different career pages with an interview-style video, an infographic about the career, a job description, responsibilities, education requirements, salary information, a job outlook and more. These pages give students the opportunity to learn about the careers and discover their place in agriculture and food.
 
Additionally, the website includes free teacher resources for educators looking to promote agriculture in their classrooms. Resources include web scavenger hunts for both middle and high school students, a lesson bank, interest surveys and more.
 
The website is a project of the Workforce Development Committee with the Grow PA Agriculture initiative. Grow PA Agriculture was started in 2014 as an industry collaboration of agribusinesses and organizations to support the growth of Pennsylvania’s agricultural industry. Focus areas include workforce development, regulatory reform and economic development.
Thank You Alliance Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Lancaster Farming
MM Weaver and Sons
Stroud Water Research Center

Silver Sponsors
AgChoice and Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit
DuPont Pioneer
Gro-Mor Plant Food, Inc.
Melvin Weaver & Sons

Bronze Sponsors
American Dairy Association North East
Bayer CropScience
Fulton Bank
King's AgriSeeds
PA Grain Processing, LLC
Univest Financial Corporation

Sponsor
Bottom Line Ag Supply
Hostetter Grain, Inc.
Rosetree Consulting
The Mill
TIMAC USA
Pennsylvania No-Till Alliance
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