Workshops to be held to help Pennsylvania farmers understand regulations

Young farmers in Pennsylvania and anyone else interested in learning about compliance to certain agricultural programs will have an opportunity to learn about them at upcoming workshops.

The York County Conservation District and Penn State Cooperative Extension will be hosting a number of meetings and workshops to go over requirements for Manure Management and Ag Erosion/Conservation plan regulations, according to WHPTV, a CBS affiliate. These plans are designed to help agricultural and animal operators manage the resources on their land and prevent run-off into waterways.

Some of the specific topics that will be held starting on February 28 and ending March 20 will include the responsibility and role landowners must play in regards to water quality, what roles the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the York County Conservation District play in enforcing compliance and how to get help with creating a plan and putting it into practice.

Founded in 1938, the York County Conservation District is dedicated to helping locals deal with environmental and natural resource concerns. The entity accomplishes this by "providing conservation education, technical services, and financial assistance, in order to enable the citizens of York County be good stewards of our natural resources," according to its website.

Pennsylvania farms to be visited by agricultural officials

Randomly selected Pennsylvania farms will be visited by federal representatives probing conservation and farming practices' impact on the Chesapeake Bay watershed, according to The Reading Eagle.

The visits are part of a larger effort in the region as more than 1,500 farms in Delaware, Maryland, New York, Virginia and West Virginia also will receive the federal representatives through the end of next month.

"The National Agricultural Statistics Service wants to develop a science base for managing the agricultural landscape throughout the watershed in order to restore the health of the Bay," Reading-based field representative Elwood Blake with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection told the Reading Eagle. "The survey also will illustrate the good work of farmers, improve and strengthen technical and financial programs, and strengthen the bottom line of Pennsylvania's farm producers."

The representatives will ask farmers to show data on various production practices such as the application of chemical, fertilizer and manure, as well as how they handle integrated pest management. The federal officials also will look into adopted conservation practices.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service is under the umbrella of the U.S. Agriculture Department and it probes the gamut of agricultural issues in the nation.