Economy Complicates Farm Bill Efforts

Feb 28, 2017 | News

As the elder statesman from an agricultural state, U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts has worked on crafting seven farm bills. But it is with some trepidation that the work begins to draft new legislation amid daunting challenges confronting farmers in the era of President Donald...

Accepted Vision for Ag Questioned

Feb 23, 2017 | News

“Food production must double by 2050 to feed the world’s growing population.” This truism has been repeated so often in recent years that it has become widely accepted among academics, policymakers and farmers, but now researchers are challenging...

Farmers Need Seasonal Workers – and Immigration Reform

Feb 22, 2017 | News

AS debate over federal immigration policy and enforcement has taken center-stage in Washington, D.C., it is worth remembering the potential impacts of these decisions on our state’s economy and particularly on the economy of rural Washington. Agriculture remains a...

Fifth of World’s Food is Wasted

Feb 22, 2017 | News

Almost 20 per cent of the food made available to consumers is lost through over-eating or waste, a study suggests. The world population consumes around 10 per cent more food than it needs, while almost nine per cent is thrown away or left to spoil, researchers say....

Bee Decline Threatens Crop Production

Feb 22, 2017 | Vegetables

The first-ever study to map U.S. wild bees suggests they are disappearing in the country’s most important farmlands — from California’s Central Valley to the Midwest’s corn belt and the Mississippi River valley. If wild bee declines continue, it could hurt U.S. crop...

Save the Bees? There’s an App for That!

Feb 20, 2017 | Vegetables

Let’s say a farmer wanted to plant wildflowers to nurture the bumble bees that pollinate her crops. Currently, she would have to walk through her fields, assess possible locations, take measurements, spend hours crunching costs and still only guess at the amount of...

Farm Food Safety Manual Workshop Planned

Feb 20, 2017 | News

Developing a Farm Food Safety Manual is essential towards becoming GAP/GHP or Harmonized GAP certified. Many farms also find the process to be instrumental in refining harvesting and post-harvest systems, through reducing risk and standardizing procedures. This...

Soil Health Workshop is March 17

Feb 17, 2017 | News

NRCS along with the Allegheny County Conservation District will be hosting a Western Pa. Regional soil health workshop on March 17 at the Atrium banquet facility, 1031 New Castle Road, Prospect. This event will feature Jay Fuhrer, District Conservationist from...

Mid-Atlantic Strawberry Program is Feb. 27 to Mar. 1

Feb 15, 2017 | Berry

Registrations are due February 20. The Mid-Atlantic Strawberry Programs will be held February 27 to March 1, 2017, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, this year.  The Programs begin with a Strawberry Field Walk on February 27 from 12:30 p.m. until dark at Hickory Ridge Farms...

USDA Conducting Organic Grower Survey

Feb 15, 2017 | News

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is conducting the 2016 Certified Organic Survey to gather new data on certified organic crops and livestock commodities in the United States. This effort is critical to help...