Webinar Discusses An Inventory Of Farm Conservation Practices In Pennsylvania

Apr 25, 2017

By Bryan Swistock

Many PA farmers are voluntarily implementing water quality protection practices such as planting streamside forest buffers.

There is much interest into what extent Pennsylvania farmers are using water quality protection practices. Conservation practice adoption is well-documented for practices that are implemented with federal or state financial assistance.

Yet, while it is known that farmers adopt water quality protection practices without public financial support, there is no systematic accounting for these investments. In consequence, these self-financed practices are not accounted for in tracking the progress towards water quality goals, including cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay.

On March 29, 2017, the Penn State Water Resources Extension team hosted a webinar on An Analysis of the Pennsylvania Farm Conservation Practices Inventory for Purposes of Reporting Practices to the Chesapeake Bay Program. The presenter was Matt Royer, the Director of the Agriculture and Environment Center in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State University.

This webinar reported on an initiative recently undertaken to address this data gap, a survey of water quality practice adoption by Pennsylvania farmers located in the Chesapeake Bay watershed conducted in 2016. The webinar provides a background on this issue and then discusses the methodology used in the survey, the statistical methods used to analyze the data, and the results found from the research team.

To view the entire 57-minute recorded webinar along with a PDF of the presentation slides, visit the Penn State Extension Water Resources Webinar series at:

http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/courses/water-resource-webinars/webinars/an-analysis-of-the-pennsylvania-farm-conservation-practices-inventory-for-purposes-of-reporting-practices-to-the-chesapeake-bay-program

Source: psu.edu

Video: AJ Armstrong Takes the Helm as Manitoba Seed Growers President

The Manitoba Seed Growers Association (MSGA) held its first annual SeedLink Conference in Brandon last week, where a new president was appointed to take the helm of the organization.

A.J. Armstrong of Armstrong Seeds in Boissevain took the gavel from Past-President Tom Greaves. In a sit-down interview, Armstrong shared insights into his personal journey within the seed industry. Born into a family deeply rooted in seed cultivation, he took the reins of the family business in 2003, building on a legacy initiated by his father in 1980.

Regulatory modernization emerged as a significant focus of the conversation. While acknowledging the complexities of the process, Armstrong expressed optimism about the potential benefits for seed growers once the regulatory framework is finalized.

Discussing the dynamics of working with family in a business setting, he stressed the importance of open communication.

Operating with a streamlined team that includes his mom as the bookkeeper, his father as the “gopher” handling specific tasks, and a dedicated employee for day-to-day operations, the Armstrong family has successfully navigated the intricate balance of personal and professional relationships.

Open discussions about roles, responsibilities, and business plans contribute significantly to the smooth functioning of a family-operated seed business,” he said.

SeedLink is a new event; the decision to explore a return to a two-day annual meeting format sparked enthusiasm among industry partners, including key players and sponsors like SeCan, FP Genetics, Canterra Seeds, and numerous others.