Progress — it's right at the center of Ag Progress Days. If progress is your goal, you won't want to miss key conversations with Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, and the events and exhibits you'll find in the PDA Barn. There's not an annual event that better fulfills Penn State's mission as a land grant university charged with research, teaching practical agriculture and science, and extending that knowledge to the public than Ag Progress Days.
Whatever your specialty, the size of your enterprise, or depth of your experience, Ag Progress Days offers valuable connections, resources, and inspiration — and the chance to be heard.
Local, state and federal policy makers and shapers, along with PSU College of Ag Sciences Dean Rick Rouse Roush and the College of Agricultural Sciences team will be there to hear your perspective on your successes and innovations and what got you there, as well as challenges to your growth.
Secretary Redding will join Dean Roush in a Town Hall on the PA Ag Economy on Tuesday at 1 p.m. A state-of-the-industry conversation about our strengths and successes, the hurdles we're facing and where we're headed together.
Redding and Roush and a host of other experts will be together again Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. for Transitioning Ag Businesses — to the next generation, to new employees, or to a new business model or product line. Don't miss these opportunities to stay informed and grow your future.
Visit the PDA Barn near the West 11th Street Main Entrance to ask an expert your questions on protecting your farm from devastating animal diseases like Hi-Path Avian Influenza and African Swine Fever, from invasive species and plant disease, and from food-borne illness outbreaks that could bring your operation to a halt and cost you dearly. Biosecurity and produce safety best practices will be among information offered by the department's bureaus of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services and Food Safety. Learn about effective management of pests, weeds and disease from our Bureau of Plant Industry.
Learn how PDA can support your generosity by funding the harvest, transport and processing of your excess products through the PA Agricultural Surplus System. Or learn how you can become a vendor in the Farmers Market Nutrition Program. The Bureau of Food Assistance will connect you to PASS and other programs that get what you produce onto the tables of hungry families in your community.
Learn more about the new Agriculture Business Development Center created under the PA Farm Bill and grants, low-interest loans, risk management, business planning and other resources available to support, multiply and protect your investments. Find out how you can market your products to consumers looking to buy local through the PA Preferred® Program or visit the PA WoodMobile to learn about valuable PA Hardwoods. Bureau of Market Development experts can point you in the right direction to feed your business growth.
Progress is not possible without protecting our soil, water and land resources. Join the Bureau of Farmland Preservation at 10 a.m. Thursday in the PDA Barn for the Century Farm Awards and the State Conservation Commission Awards at 11 a.m., recognizing those who have gone the extra mile to protect open spaces and productive farmland.
Looking to grow, diversify revenue streams, reach new markets, branch out into something new, protect your assets, recover, and prepare for market downturns or the next pandemic or disaster? Find expertise and information in the PDA Barn to feed your progress. See you at Ag Progress Days!
Schedule of Dept. of Agriculture Events:
College Connection: Ag Progress Days Town Hall Discussion on the Pa Ag Economy
When: Tuesday, August 10, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Where: Red Barn Annex
Transitioning Ag Businesses: Positioning for the Future
When: Wednesday, August 11, 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Where: Red Barn Annex
PA Hardwoods Development Council WoodMobile Dedication Ceremony
When: August 10, 2021, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Where: PA Dept. of Agriculture Exhibit Building (PDA)
Finishing Crossbred Beef X Dairy Cattle
When: August 11, 2021, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
This tour will cover the definition of beef dairy calves and the current marketplace for those cattle. The tour will include a visual observation of a load of crossbred beef dairy steers being finished at the PA Department of Agriculture's Livestock Evaluation Center.
Century Farm Awards
When: August 12, 2021, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Where: PA Dept. of Agriculture Exhibit Building (PDA)
State Conservation Commission
When: August 12, 2021, 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Where: PA Dept. of Agriculture Exhibit Building (PDA)
See the full schedule of Ag Progress Days at https://agsci.psu.edu/apd.