Poultry Surpasses Dairy to Become Pennsylvania's Top Ag Industry | It’s official: Chickens are king in Pennsylvania. Poultry has edged out dairy to become the state’s No. 1 ag sector by revenue, according to USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture. | | | |
PA Wine Production Rises from 5th to 4th in Nation | The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture released findings from its 2023 study, Economic Impact of the Pennsylvania Grape & Wine Industry. The study, funded by the department's Wine Marketing and Research Program, found that the industry supports 10,756 jobs, paying wages of $518.2 million, and directly contributing $1.77 billion to the state economy annually. | | | |
Agvocating in the Salon Chair With Taylor Pool | The FarmHouse podcast talks with Taylor Pool who, on top of being a farmer, works on the sales team here at Lancaster Farming. She also works a part-time, off-farm job as a hairstylist. Pool is part owner-operator at Fantasyland Holsteins in Berks County, Pennsylvania. She farms with her mom, dad and sister. | | | |
Ag Literacy Week Celebrated in Berks | |
Ag Literacy Week was celebrated in Berks County schools March 11-15 by volunteers reading to 150 K-2 classrooms! The reading program is a project of the PA Friends of Agriculture Foundation, and the county’s efforts were coordinated and sponsored by the Berks Agricultural Resource Network (B.A.R.N.). | |
Shapiro proposes innovation grants for PA agriculture | As part of Shapiro's budget pitch, Pennsylvania farmers could see a new grant opportunity. The state Department of Agriculture, which would administer the program, has yet to specify what kinds of projects could get funding, and likely won’t release details unless the proposal is included in the budget, longtime agriculture secretary Russell Redding said during legislative hearings last month. | | | |
Agriculture Invests $5.8 Million To Protect 1,519 Acres On 22 Farms From Future Development | On February 15, the Department of Agriculture invested $5.8 million to protect 1,519 acres on 22 farms in 11 counties from future development ensuring that Pennsylvania farmers will have prime farmland to feed our families and economy in the future... | | | |
Penn State: Stable Profits, Land Preservation Matter To Farmers Debating Solar Energy Facility Leases | To solar or not to solar? While a stable and predictable profit is an important factor to Pennsylvania farmers considering leasing out their land for solar energy development, it’s not enough on its own, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers. | | | |
EPA Launches New Office to Strengthen Engagement With Agricultural and Rural Communities | On March 1, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it is establishing a new office to expand engagement opportunities with agricultural and rural communities... | | | |
FFA Next Gen Conference Prepares Members for a Career in Agricultural Communications | |
Next Gen Conferences go in-depth in a different subset of the more than 350 careers in agriculture each year. Open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, participants were selected through a competitive application process. There will be two additional Next Gen Conferences this year:
- Next Gen: Food Products and Processing Systems – June 25-29, 2024, in Minneapolis, Minn
- Next Gen: Environmental Services and Natural Resources Systems – Sept. 10-14, 2024, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
| | | |
 | |
Nakku Senketto was appointed by the USDA, Farm Service Agency (FSA) as the County Executive Director of Berks County, PA on January 29, 2024. She joined the Agency in September 2023 as a County Executive Director in training. “In the training program, she spent over a year, learning about the various FSA Suburban and Urban Agriculture programs throughout the state of Pennsylvania. She was keen to interact with producers in the service centers in the various counties, especially during acreage reporting and she appreciated spending time touring different farms to better understand their practices. She is committed to service and wholeheartedly supports the USDA Farm Service Agency Mission. Her initial interest in agriculture stems back from her connection to her Ugandan roots.”
Nakku previously served in varied capacities with the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense. She holds a B.A. in Global Business from Regis College in Wellesley, MA and M.A. in Administration from George Washington University, School of Business in Washington, DC.
Stop by the office to meet Nakku!
| |
Job Opportunities | Center for Dairy Excellence | The Center for Dairy Excellence is currently seeking applicants for the Dairy Education and Communications Intern role. This full-time hourly position (maximum 40 hours a week) will provide support to the Dairy Education Programs Manager in the execution, development and management of dairy education programs, assist the center staff with key projects and programs and gain exposure to both the dairy industry and agricultural education. | | | |
Jobs | Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. Berks County Conservation District | | | |
|
Cheese Apprentice | The Farmstead Table
We have a spot on our little team for someone who cares about good food and learning the craft of cheesemaking. 2-3 days/week, and Ideally one of those days is at a weekend market. (Students looking for a meaningful summer experience are welcome to apply.)
| |
Animal Care Workshop - April 23 | Center for Dairy Excellence | |
Tuesday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Zahncroft Dairy - 3993 Smaltz Road
Womelsdorf, PA 19567
Dairy producers: you and your employees are invited to one of four, free animal care workshops being held on dairy farms across the state this spring! Hosted by the Center for Dairy Excellence, PA Beef Council, the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania (PDMP) and Penn State Extension, the workshops will once again focus on hands-on skill-building to help you meet National FARM compliance.
| | | |
Everyday Biosecurity | March 27 | March 27, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Everyday Biosecurity is designed to provide dairy producers and industry professionals with an introduction to understanding everyday biosecurity principles and practices. Our aim is to equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to protect your dairy herds from infectious diseases, ensuring the health of your animals and the safety of dairy products. Everyday biosecurity is the first step to reaching the enhanced biosecurity that will be needed for a foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreak. | | | |
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! | |
USDA Improves Crop Insurance to Better Support Conservation Climate-Smart Practices | RMA | United States Department of Agriculture The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is updating the Federal crop insurance program to affirm the use of USDA conservation practices as Good Farming Practices for crop insurance. | | | |
PA's Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program - Pasa Sustainable Agriculture | Tune into this virtual event to learn more about Pennsylvania's Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program, with opportunities to share what elements of the program may or may not be working for you. | | | |
Dairy Margin Coverage Program (DMC) | |
The Dairy Margin Coverage program is a voluntary risk management program that offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed price (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer.
The program offers dairy producers: (1) catastrophic coverage, at no cost to the producer, other than an annual $100 administrative fee (which is waived in some cases); and (2) various levels of buy-up coverage.
| | | |
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. | | | | |
