The Center for Dairy Excellence is opening a new Dairy Excellence Grant program for dairy producers who are looking to improve cow comfort, milk production per cow, or overall efficiency on their dairy farm.
This state-funded competitive grant program offers up to a 50%, or up to a maximum matching level of $5,000. Applications will only be accepted from March 1 to 31, with selections made and winning applicants notified by April 25.
Improvement projects can include anything related to improving dairy farm efficiency, cow comfort, milking facilities, housing facilities, or feeding systems.
The project should focus on improving milk production per cow and/or enhancing overall farm profitability and efficiency.
Pennsylvania dairies are largely weathering the pandemic, but a new report finds that farmers could improve their ability to cope with drastic events.
âThe key question here is how do we help Pennsylvania farmers to become more resilient,â said Veronica Villena, the Penn State professor of supply chain and information systems who conducted the study for the Center for Dairy Excellence.
Itâs clear from the survey that the pandemic has taken a toll on farms.
Out of 700 farms that responded to a survey last summer, 60 said they had dumped milk between March and May, when the pandemic disrupted supply chains.
The farm received the Commissioner s Award of Dairy Excellence. 2:27 pm, Feb. 18, 2021 ×
The Kleingartner Dairy Farm of Gackle has received the Commissioner’s Award of Dairy Excellence, announced the North Dakota Department of Agriculture.
The Kleingartner Dairy Farm is run by Sue and Ross Kleingartner and their two children. The Kleingartners are currently milking 100 cows, which include seven dairy breeds.
The Kleingartners have a long family history of dairying and have been milking themselves for 26 years. Their grown children are the fourth generation on the farm. The family also raises about 600 head of sheep and 350 head of beef cattle, along with crops to feed their animals.
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DEFEATING DEPRESSION: It’s been a tough couple of years for farmers, made even more stressful by the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’re not feeling well and think you have depression, ask for help. Watch for warning signs and get help if you need it.
Jan 25, 2021
It’s been a while since I’ve written a column. So if you’ve missed me, sorry, I’ve been away for too long.
Sometimes I need to step away to find the right things to say. Other times, in fact most times, I get inspired by what other people have to say.
Sara Fern Fitzsimmons, TACF Director of Restoration and Northern Appalachian Regional Science Coordinator
The American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was once found throughout the forests of the Appalachian Mountains and was a primary component of Pennsylvania’s forests. In the 1800s, plant importation brought with it a devastating fungal disease that all but eliminated the American chestnut from its original range. Researchers at Penn State have been on the forefront to restore this species, exploring the many facets required for the reintroduction of disease-resistant populations.
The Appalachian forest ecosystem is vastly different now than it was over 100 years ago when the American chestnut was often the dominant species of a stand. Invasive and exotic vegetation, introduced diseases and pests, ravenous and excessive deer herds, overdevelopment, and threats of climate change face a species made effectively dormant by introduced disease.