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Lets Grow!  Warren County

   JUST FOR FARMERS
     Farms and Mosquito Control | Web Resources | Warren County Ag Resources

PA STARTFARMING: Support For Beginning Farmers
This Penn State website supports beginning farmers through classes, workshops, demonstrations, and information for: farm dreamers, new farmers, and diversifying farmers. Whether you are dreaming of starting a small farm, or are in the first few years of production Penn State's beginning farmer program offers tools and techniques to help you succeed.  Visit: http://startfarmingpa.ning.com/

"Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" Project Launches Website
Know Your FarmerThe U.S. Department of Agriculture launched a new website for the "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative. In response to the ongoing national conversation about developing local and regional food systems, the website was formed to support small and mid-sized farms. The new website is a USDA-wide effort to create new economic opportunities by better connecting consumers with local producers. Visit the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food website.

USDA STILL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR ORGANIC INITIATIVE
HARRISBURG, PA- March 18, 2010 – Dave Brown, Acting State Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Pennsylvania has announced that applications are still being accepted for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) organic initiative.

Pennsylvania farmers transitioning to organic agriculture or those who are certified organic are encouraged to apply for assistance to implement conservation practices on their land. The cutoff date for the first ranking was March 12th. However, applications will be accepted and considered for 2010 contracts as long as funds are available. Applications not funded in 2010 can be retained for consideration in 2011.

NRCS in Pennsylvania has set aside $760,000 to support organic agriculture. Approved applicants may be eligible to receive up to $20,000 per year, totaling up to $80,000 over six years.

The EQIP organic initiative is designed to provide financial assistance in the form of payments of 75 percent of the average cost of a conservation practice, or 90 percent of the average cost of a conservation practice if the producer is in a traditionally underserved group, such as limited resource, beginning, or minority farmers.

Technical and financial assistance is available for a large number of conservation practices. Core practices that receive additional consideration as part of the application evaluation process include conservation crop rotation, cover crop, prescribed grazing, nutrient and pest management, conservation cover, field border, riparian herbaceous cover, riparian forested buffer, and windbreaks.

For more information about EQIP or to apply, go to www.pa.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/, or contact your local USDA Service Center.

MEET THE FUTURE OF WARREN AGRICULTURE
4-H member TARA SLeeMAN
Tara Sleeman
6/1/10 Tara Sleeman of the Scandia Trail Blazers is one of 1,500 Warren County youth who take part in the 4-H programs. A seventh grader at Eisenhower High School and active in 4-H for 6 years, Tara is the daughter of Heather Wilcox. 

In case you’ve forgotten the meaning of the 4-Hs, here is a quote from the 4-H website:

"I Pledge my Head to clearer thinking, my Heart to greater loyalty, my Hands to larger service, and my Health to better living, for my club, my community, my country, and my world." More...

Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches and Communities: Federal Programs for Sustainable Agriculture, Forestry, Entrepreneurship, Conservation and Community Development
SARESustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) offers a free on-line guide for anyone seeking help from federal programs to foster innovative enterprises in agriculture and forestry in the United States. Specifically, the guide addresses program resources in community development; sustainable land management; and value-added and diversified agriculture and forestry. Thus, it can help farmers, entrepreneurs, community developers, conservationists, and many other individuals, as well as private and public organizations, both for-profit and not-for-profit.

The guide can also help USDA and other agency employees become aware and take better advantage of the enormous array of federal programs and resources available to their clients in supporting agricultural and forestry innovations. This edition constitutes the guide's fifth printing and third complete update, incorporating programs from the 2008 Farm Bill.  Visit: http://www.sare.org/publications/ruralplaces.htm to access this guide and links to other resources

Farms and mosquito control
MosquitoPonds and natural pools that livestock drink from may become serious mosquito-breeding areas. Animal waste adds nutrients to the water that benefit mosquitoes, and hoof prints create puddles where mosquitoes may be isolated from predators. If feasible, fence animals out of ponds and create a single access area. This keeps the animals from trampling the entire edge, although if too much room is left between the pond and fence, animals may still create ruts. Paving the access point can reduce puddles, but be sure to provide good footing for the animals. Weed control reduces hiding places for mosquitoes. It may be necessary to treat these ponds regularly with a biological larvicide or to introduce insect-eating fish if they are not already present. However, do not introduce fish unless the pond is man-made and isolated from natural waters.

Troughs and other containers that provide water for animals can easily become a source of mosquitoes. The ground surface around the troughs often becomes roughened by animal hooves, producing hundreds of small water pockets. Permanently correct this potential source of mosquitoes by providing drainage or paving the area. Temporary improvement can be had by flushing out the water every week if drainage outside the trough area is good, or by treating the water with a biological larvicide. Do not add chemical insecticide to water that livestock may drink. Clean cattle tanks and watering troughs regularly to prevent mosquitoes from multiplying.

You can Help Fight the Bite!

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Empty Standing Water around your home

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Wear long sleeves and pants

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Remember to apply DEET bug repellant

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Report Freshly Dead Birds

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Horse owners: Vaccinate your horses!

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If you have large numbers of mosquitoes around your home, have us come check it

West Nile Virus Contact Information (61k)

Mosquito Life History (58k)

 
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WEB RESOURCES - JUST FOR FARMERS

bulletWarren County Agriculture Resources
adapted from Services for Agricultural Producers
bulletTax Questions
bulletResources on WarrenAg.org
bulletWeb Links of Interest to Farmers
bulletPenn State Websites
 

SUCCESS STORY: Warren County Future of Ag Program
"Two years ago, the Warren County agricultural community found itself in need of help. Farming businesses as well as the county’s economic base was in a decline. The agricultural community and consumers were in need of a healing process regarding an issue with use of local farmland. Government officials, consumers, farmers, and agency personnel got together to address these problems through the Future of Agriculture program. The main goals of the effort were to help small family farms remain while retaining their quality of life, county wide economic development, and consumer appreciation of local agriculture and their concerns."
More..

Ag Map - a Penn State websiteA Penn State website offering free directory listings for producers. Includes a database of agricultural business listings, the latest news and a way of connecting and sharing with other growers, producers and business owners

TAX QUESTIONS - Answers Just for Farmers

Where Can I find the Sales Tax regulation devoted to farming activities?
Answer: The Sales Tax regulation devoted to farming activities is found in the PA Code.

Download: The 2004 Sales and Use Tax Brochure on Farming
Note: This link is to a PDF file.  It requires Adobe Acrobat ® to download and open this file.  If you prefer, you can order a hard copy by email. Request the brochure from: ra-forms@state.pa.us.
 

Links on the WarrenAg website

bulletJust Cows
Web Resources for Dairy and Beef Producers
bulletMade in Warren County - Maple Syrup (includes information for producers via the Penn State Extension website.)

Web Links of Interest to Farmers

bulletAgChoice Farm Credit
Provides financing and related services to rural Pennsylvania.
bullet Center for Farm Transitions
A new PA initiative, the "Center for Farm Transitions" will provide information to help new farmers take over existing operations by identifying niche market opportunities and business plans.
bulletThe Center for Rural Pennsylavania
A legislative branch of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.  It includes access to rural demographics, fact sheets, grant programs, and grant projects.
bullet Cooperative Extension in Warren County
Learn about the educational programs the Penn State Cooperative Extension provide for farmers, you, family living and community development
bullet The Role of Production Agriculture in the Warren County Economy
bullet Living Science Web
Information on food, agriculture and natural resources careers with the USDA.  Each year they need new college graduates to fill 50,000 jobs in the food, agricultural and natural resource system.
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National Pork Board

Information for producers, consumers, news, and many other links

bullet PAgrows
A service of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, this website specializes in helping farmer, food processors, farmers market operators, and other agribusinesses put all of the pieces of the lending puzzle together. Many links for borrowers, lenders, grants and loans are available.
bullet PA Preferred
The Pennsylvania Preferred™ program assists Pennsylvania farmers by encouraging consumers to purchase Pennsylvania products.
bullet PASA - Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture
Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) is a nonprofit organization working to improve the economic and social prosperity of Pennsylvania food and agriculture. We work with the farmers that grow our food, the consumers that eat the food, and those concerned with the ecological well-being of our environment and natural resources.
bullet Penn Soil Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council
The mission of this organization is to provide the local leadership necessary to develop and implement a plan that will improve the economy, environmental and social well-being of the people through accelerated planning and development of the natural resources in the project area consisting of Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango and Warren Counties.
bullet Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Includes links to market reports, PDA initiatives, regional services, news and upcoming agricultural events.
     PDA Region 1 Contact Information
bullet Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at Marketplace for the Mind
Links to information about Ag organizations, PA Ag Statistics, and agencies related to Ag in Pennsylvania.
bulletPennsylvania Farm Bureau
PFA provides farmers information on legislative issues, financial programs and agriculture statistics.
bulletSustainable Agriculture Research and Education
SARE provides grants and information to improve profitability, stewardship, and quality of life.
bulletWarren County Fair - August 5-13, 2006

PENN STATE Websites

bulletAgMap - Promoting Pennsylvania Agriculture. 
Includes a database of agricultural business listings, the latest news and a way of connecting and sharing with other growers, producers and business owners.
bullet Agromedicine at Penn State
Agromedicine is a partnership of health and agricultural professionals, which promotes the health and safety of agricultural producers, workers, their families and consumers of agricultural products. Agromedicine addresses the health and safety concerns of agriculture, including forestry and fisheries, through collaboration of colleges of agricultural science and medicine and their partners.
bulletDairy and Animal Science at das.psu.edu
Newsletters, publications, 4-H programs, animal science programs, ag events and more.
bulletFuture of Warren County Agriculture (from PSU Publications and Other Resources)
The following are direct links to the publications on the PSU Publications website
bullet Survey instrument (Word document)
bullet Complete survey results (note: this Word file is > 1.5 MB in size)
bullet Executive summary of survey results (Word document)
bulletPesticide Education Program
The Pesticide Education Program strives to educate all pesticide applicators and users across the Commonwealth about pest management alternatives, including the safe, proper, and legal use of pesticides. The program promotes responsible decision-making, which will protect pesticide users, public health, plant and animal health, and the environment.
bulletPublications - College of Agricultural Sciences
Publications, newsletters, Pennsylvania Impact Sheets, video tapes and more available from the Pennsylvania State University College of Agricultural Sciences
 
Do you have a favorite agriculture website to share?  Send it to info@warrenag.org

    

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Questions or problems regarding this web site should be directed to info@warrenag.org
Copyright © 2010  Future of Warren County Agriculture Task Force. All rights reserved.
Updated:  02/05/10