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JUST FOR FARMERS
Farms and Mosquito
Control | Web Resources |
Warren County Ag Resources |
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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
 The 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
 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
 Sustainable
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
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Farms and mosquito control
 Ponds
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.
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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)
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Mosquito Life History (58k)
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WEB RESOURCES - JUST FOR FARMERS
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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..
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 A 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
Web Links of Interest to Farmers
| AgChoice Farm Credit
Provides financing and related services to rural
Pennsylvania. |
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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. |
| The 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. |
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Cooperative
Extension in Warren County
Learn about the educational programs the Penn State
Cooperative Extension provide for farmers, you, family living and
community development |
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The Role of Production Agriculture in the Warren County Economy |
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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 |
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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. |
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PA Preferred
The Pennsylvania Preferred™ program assists Pennsylvania farmers by
encouraging consumers to purchase Pennsylvania products. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Pennsylvania Department
of Agriculture
Includes links to market reports, PDA initiatives, regional services, news
and upcoming agricultural events.
PDA Region 1 Contact Information |
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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. |
| Pennsylvania Farm Bureau
PFA provides farmers information on legislative issues, financial programs
and agriculture statistics. |
| Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education
SARE provides grants and information to improve
profitability, stewardship, and quality of life. |
| Warren
County Fair - August 5-13, 2006 |
PENN STATE Websites
| AgMap - 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. |
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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. |
| Dairy and Animal
Science at das.psu.edu
Newsletters, publications, 4-H programs, animal science
programs, ag events and more. |
| Future of Warren County Agriculture (from
PSU Publications and Other Resources)
The following are direct links to the publications on the
PSU Publications website
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| Pesticide
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. |
| Publications -
College of Agricultural Sciences
Publications, newsletters, Pennsylvania Impact Sheets,
video tapes and more available from the Pennsylvania State University
College of Agricultural Sciences |
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| Do you have a favorite agriculture website to share?
Send it to
info@warrenag.org |
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