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Feb. 24, 2025

To celebrate National Ag Day and in conjunction with America250PA Berks, the Berks County Department of Agriculture is hosting a FREE lecture on Old Dry Road Farm along with a lunch and a tour of the farm.

Register now!

CHEMSWEEP - Program deadline is Monday, March 31.

Through CHEMSWEEP, applicators can dispose of unwanted pesticides legally and often for free. Most waste pesticides are incinerated. The rest go to hazardous waste landfills.


Every year, CHEMSWEEP operates in select counties. Licensed farmers, pesticide applicators, and businesses in these counties can join. If you're in agriculture, pest control, lawn care, or selling pesticides, check out the 2025 CHEMSWEEP map. Berks County is eligible, fill out the registration form here and submit it by March 31, 2025.

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Growing Berks Economic Development Plan - Adopted

The fact-finding portion of the county's ag study, Growing Berks: Agriculture's Economic Impact and a Roadmap for Its Future, is now complete. The study compiled available data, incorporated comments from personal interviews and focus groups and used the information to quantify the contribution of agriculture to the county and regional economy and identify key areas of strengths and weaknesses.

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Apply for our Berks County Outstanding Youth Awards

Outstanding 4-H Awards 

Two outstanding youth currently enrolled in a Berks County 4-H Club will be selected from active membership based upon age, achievements, participation, and accomplishments. Special consideration and attention given to community service and involvement in the Berks County Fair. Special recognition and a $350 cash award, compliments of Fulton Bank, will be presented during the awards ceremony. 

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Outstanding FFA Member Awards 

The winners of this award must be outstanding in their field of agriculture and a recent Keystone Award winner. The selection will be based on overall involvement in their respective organization on all levels with special consideration and attention given to community service and involvement in the Berks County Fair. Cash award of $350, compliments of Fulton Bank, will be presented to two outstanding FFA members at the awards ceremony. 

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America is turning 250 years old in 2026! Here in Berks County, we have some exciting things in the works.


Show Us Your Berks! Please help us show off our Amazing Ag Community! Please share with your friends and neighbors! We need your help to showcase our rich history of Agriculture. We are looking for stories, photos, collectibles and memorabilia to exhibit or showcase. Feel free to reach out to 610-378-1844 if you have any questions.


Please send contributions to:

DeptofAg@berkspa.gov

or

Berks County Department of Agriculture

1238 County Welfare Road

Leesport, PA 19533

County of Berks - Avian Influenza Resources

Sick birds or cows should be reported immediately. Sick livestock including chickens, turkeys or other birds contact: PA Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services 

24/7 hotline 717-772-2852 option1 and leave a message for the veterinarian.

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2024-2025 Pennsylvania Beef Industry Survey

The Pennsylvania Beef Producers working group invites you to complete a survey about the Pennsylvania beef industry. The working group is comprised of Pennsylvania producers and stakeholders who work together to monitor beef industry needs in order to create educational opportunities that improve performance and production. Funding for the survey has been provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Take the Survey

Penn State Extension's Retail Farm Market Benchmark Project

Do you operate a retail farm market? If so, your feedback is wanted!

The Retail Farm Market Benchmark Project survey is intended for operators of retail farm markets (on-farm markets, off-farm markets, and roadside stands) and is NOT intended for weekly community farmers markets. The purpose of this survey is to use the data to tell better the story of retail farm markets and what they mean to Pennsylvania.

The survey is brief and should take no more than a few minutes to complete. We will NOT include your business name in any reports or public data; it will be used for internal purposes only.

Take the Survey

Request a FARM Record-Keeping Book

The Center for Dairy Excellence has free copies of Animal Care Protocol Record-Keeping Books available for Pennsylvania dairy producers and veterinarians. The intent is to help Pennsylvania dairy farm families comply with National FARM requirements associated with record keeping. One book should cover three program years.

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Forage Production

Tuesday, Feb. 25 |10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Join us for the Forage Production workshop, where we’ll tackle challenges from last season and provide practical instruction on consistently producing high-quality forages. This event is designed for hay producers, livestock producers and grazers, offering valuable insights to improve your operation.

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2025 Philadelphia Flower Show

March 1 - 9 | Open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 pm; closes at 6 p.m. on March 9.

The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show is the nation’s largest and longest-running horticultural event and fundraiser featuring stunning displays by the world’s premier floral, garden, and landscape designers.

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Compliance with new Federal and State Business Entity Informational Filing Requirements

Wednesday, March 5 | Noon - 1 p.m.


Hear from Penn State Ag and Shale Law Staff Attorney Brook Duer and EmmaRose Strohl, Esq. of Barley Snyder as they discuss the impacts of two new filing requirements on agricultural businesses.

 

Business entities have two new governmental filing requirements in 2025, one arising from a new federal law and one under state law. Learn about them both and whether they apply to your business in this one-hour webinar. 

 

The Corporate Transparency Act was enacted by Congress in 2021 and requires that effective January 1, 2025, certain defined business entities, including many small or even one-person businesses, must file with the U.S. Department of the Treasury certain information (called “beneficial ownership information”) about the individuals who own or control the business. A federal court order has delayed the effective date of the requirement initially, but the court-ordered stay has been lifted and filing date is now March 21, 2025. 

 

The Pennsylvania General Assembly similarly enacted a new requirement for certain defined business entities, also effective January 1, 2025, to yearly file certain information, termed an “Annual Report,” with the Pennsylvania Department of State. The exact deadline varies by business type.   

 

Find out if these laws apply to your business, what information is required, and what preparation you need to be planning now, in order to potentially avoid penalties and be fully compliant with these two new legal requirements. 

 

More information and registration can be found here: https://pasbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/32242

C-CHANGE: Perceptions of Anaerobic Digesters in the Media

Tuesday, March 18 | Noon - 1 p.m.

Anaerobic digestion holds great promise for both the environment and farmers, but media coverage plays a powerful role in shaping public sentiment and adoption. This workshop dives into the narratives surrounding digesters, exploring the potential benefits alongside questions about their challenges. Join us for an engaging discussion on how media perspectives influence the advancement of this important technology.

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Find your next event, from credit courses to weekend family fun, on the Berks Ag Event Calendar. This calendar is a community effort to benefit farmers and non-farmers alike! Browse events by photo tiles, list, or calendar view. Search by titles, topics, audience or other criteria. Click the event title for more details on each event.

Berks Ag Event Calendar

Contact GRCA's Director of Lending and Business Outreach,

Kayla Hayick to learn more 610.898.7761 | khayick@greaterreading.org

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A cooperative effort between the GRCA and the Berks County Department of Agriculture through the support of the Berks County Commissioners.


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Questions?:

Contact Berks County Department of Agriculture at 610-378-1844 or DeptofAg@countyofberks.com