Investment in agricultural research doesn't benefit just the 2 percent of the population involved in farming. It's a matter of national security, job creation, energy independence and human health. That's according to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who visited Penn State this week (May 16) to tour College of Agricultural Sciences research facilities and commemorate this year's 150th anniversaries of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Morrill Act of 1862, which created the land-grant university system. (more)
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will visit Penn State on Wednesday, May 16, to deliver an address commemorating the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and highlighting the groundbreaking research and innovation that takes place at land-grant universities, such as Penn State. Vilsack's address will take place at 11 a.m. in Berg Auditorium (Room 100) in the Life Sciences Building on the University Park campus. The event is free and open to the public. (more)
Free public gardening workshops will be a featured attraction when the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Centre County hold their annual Garden Fair and Plant Sale, May 19. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Ag Progress Days grounds at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College on state Route 45. (more)
A new, free publication offered by Penn State Extension examines how water is used and affected during production of natural gas from deep shale formations. (more)
A reorganization of Penn State Extension that has been under way during the last two years has taken additional steps toward completion. In a move to implement a new model of program delivery, the organization has appointed program leaders who will spearhead development of statewide educational programming that is structured around expertise and focused on addressing the needs of key industries and audiences. In addition, to streamline the administration of offices statewide, Extension has named 19 district directors -- each of whom will oversee two to five county offices -- as well as two directors who will manage the offices in the urban counties of Allegheny and Philadelphia. (more)
Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Centre County will hold their annual Garden Fair and Plant Sale, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 19. The event will take place at the Ag Progress Days grounds at Rock Springs, 2710 W. Pine Grove Road, Pennsylvania Furnace, Pa., 9 miles southwest of State College on state Route 45. (more)
A new website developed by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and Penn State Extension offers assistance in land management at all stages of shale-gas infrastructure development. The "Marcellus Shale Electronic Field Guide" is an unbiased manual aimed at presenting the best possible options in Marcellus Shale development for Pennsylvania's future. (more)
Tractor Supply Company (TSC) stores in Pennsylvania are joining with Penn State Extension's 4-H youth-development program to support local youth with the 4-H TSC Paper Clover Campaign. The national in-store fundraising effort will benefit state and local 4-H programming in each of the communities where a Tractor Supply Company store is located. (more)
To support the state's growing winemaking industry, Penn State Extension has hired Denise Gardner, a sensory scientist for Vinquiry Enartis in Windsor, Calif., to become the new extension enologist for Pennsylvania, effective May 2. (more)
Last year an epidemic of late blight disease on tomatoes not only forced many home gardeners to throw out their plants but also threatened the crops of thousands of growers throughout the state. Along with cool, wet weather, the distribution of infected plants through big-box stores spurred along the widespread outbreak. With springtime approaching, Beth Gugino, assistant professor of plant pathology, offers some tips that home gardeners can start thinking about now. (more)
