Exhibitor and participant spaces are still available! | |
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Join the Berks County Department of Agriculture for the 12th annual Agricultural and Natural Resources Career & Job Fair on Thursday, Nov. 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. This year’s event will be at a new location: the Leesport Farmer’s Market at 312 Gernants Church Road, Leesport. The focus has expanded to also include a job fair element, so employment opportunities will be available. This event is perfect for both those looking for jobs, those exploring a new career path and educators who are interested in finding out the diverse careers that agriculture has to offer. It is free and open to all: high school students, college students and adults.
Participants should register here by Wednesday, Nov. 1 to be entered to win a door prize.
Agricultural and natural resources businesses that want to participate as exhibitors, please register here by Friday, October 6th to ensure a space.
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18 PA Farms, including ones in Lehigh and Berks, to be preserved from commerical development | Officials say the investment of both state and county dollars will purchase land development rights to preserve prime farmland. | | | |
USDA Paying Farmers to Plant Trees in Effort to Fight Climate Change | For farmers, trees offer multiple benefits, including a potential revenue stream and USDA funding. | | | |
Dept. Of Agriculture Invests $3.5 Million To Preserve 18 Farms, 1,336 Acres In 13 Counties | On October 12, the Department of Agriculture announced it preserved 1,336 acres on 18 farms in 13 counties, forever protecting them from residential or commercial development. | | | |
Field Border Incentive Program Pays Farmers to Reserve Field Edges for Wildlife | |
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Pheasants Forever hopes to make field edges more profitable for farmers and more beneficial for wildlife.
The organization recently launched the Field Border Incentive Program, which pays farmers to set aside the borders of crop fields to give a boost to wildlife and the Chesapeake Bay.
The program pays farmers to plant perennial grass and wildflower cover along the edges of crop field edges.
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Transitioning Land to a New Generation: Getting Started | Partnering with the nation’s leading experts in land transfer, we are creating an adaptable, skills-based curriculum. This curriculum will serve ag service providers working with a new generation of producers and landowners as they navigate the complex financial, legal, and interpersonal issues involved in land and business transfer. Transitioning Land to a New Generation: Getting Started builds on our previous Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, or BFRDP, grant project, Farmland for the Next Generation. It is part of many ongoing, multi-faceted partnerships with organizations committed to helping beginning producers succeed. | | | |
Whether you’re looking for local gift ideas, tips and recipes to use in your own home, or Berks County farm news, you can find it all on our blog and more. There’s something for everyone to read and enjoy. | | | |
Earn Income Tax Credits by Implementing Conservation Practices | |
REAP is a first-come, first-served program that enables farmers, businesses and landowners to earn PA income tax credits to offset the cost of implementing conservation practices. Tax credits provided by the REAP program help farmers offset the costs of implementing best management practices (BMPs) that benefit their farms and work to protect water quality at the same time. The 2023-24 REAP Application packet is now available and the commission will be accepting 2023-24 REAP Applications from Aug. 7 through Oct. 31, 2023. | |
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Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Recovery Reimbursement Grant for Implementation of Biosecurity Enhancement administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to provide reimbursement to farms, integrators, and allied industries, directly impacted by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) for the implementation of biosecurity enhancements. Reimbursements will be capped at $25,000.00 per premises. Funds allocated to this initiative are $2 million. All reimbursements are contingent on availability of funding.
Open for 90 days. Applications will be accepted until Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023.
If you have any questions, or need additional information, please contact Morgan Sheffield at 717-787-3568 or by email at msheffield@pa.gov.
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Funding Options for Farm Energy Efficiency Improvements | If your business is growing crops or raising livestock and poultry, your energy profile looks a lot different than a manufacturer or commercial building owner. You might need to move air, liquids or food around large areas. You may need to refrigerate fruit, milk or eggs. | | | |
Dairy Decisions Consultant Grants | Center for Dairy Excellence | The Center for Dairy Excellence assists dairy farm families in the decision-making process and serves as a catalyst for collaboration to strengthen the broader industry. The Dairy Excellence Foundation supports programs that cultivate and inspire that next generation of Pennsylvania dairy. | | | |
Small Business Advantage Grant | |
The 2023 Small Business Advantage Grant is now accepting applications for at least $1 million in available funds. This grant program is offered through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The purpose of this grant is to provide small businesses in Pennsylvania with grant funds for projects that increase energy efficiency, reduce pollution, or protect our waterways. Many different types of small businesses, from manufacturing to retail to agriculture, may be eligible for funding under this program. Funding is awarded first-come, first served so interested applicants should act fast! | |
List of conservation-related positions throughout Pennsylvania. | | | |
Jobs, internships & contracting opportunities - Pasa Sustainable Agriculture | These positions are full time and primarily remote, unless otherwise noted. If you are interested in a position but don't feel like you meet all listed qualifications, please consider applying anyway! We value a wide range of skills and experience, and we care most about how your passion can support Pasa's mission. | | | |
Passing the Torch: Interactive Transition Planning Workshop | Center for Dairy Excellence | The Center for Dairy Excellence assists dairy farm families in the decision-making process and serves as a catalyst for collaboration to strengthen the broader industry. The Dairy Excellence Foundation supports programs that cultivate and inspire that next generation of Pennsylvania dairy. | | | |
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Part 1: Ag Security Areas, Farmland Preservation, and Clean & Green
Monday, Nov. 6 | Noon - 1:30 p.m.
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Part 2: Right toFarm, ACRE, and the Agritourism Activity Protection Act
Monday, Dec. 11 | Noon - 1:30 p.m.
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Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management | Join Penn State Extension Specialists and Educators for an informative four-session workshop on Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management. This workshop aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the fundamentals that underpin effective farming practices and soil health. | | | |
Find your next event here, from credit courses to weekend family fun! This calendar is a community effort to benefit farmers and non-farmers alike! | |
Archived Newsletter and Grow Together Blog | |
Did you know we archive all of the newsletters? | |
The Grow Together blog features seasonal topics! | |
A cooperative effort between the GRCA and the Berks County Department of Agriculture through the support of the Berks County Commissioners. | | | | |
