Preservation efforts reach milestone acreage
HARRISBURG -- The Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Board set a new record by preserving the state's 400,000th acre Thursday, Governor Ed Rendell said. The approved farmland included three Northampton County farms, which gives the county 10,302 acres preserved on 94 farms since 1991.
FFA, 4-H receive investment of more than $300,000
ROCK SPRINGS -- Two Pennsylvania agricultural youth organizations received a more than $310,000 investment from the state Department of Agriculture on Aug. 20.
The FFA and 4-H received the funds from Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff in a ceremony at Ag Progress Days. State FFA officers accepted $71,000 in fair funds, which will be divided among 143 chapters that are home to more than 8,000 students. State 4-H officers received $242,000 to provide local program support to more than 105,000 members in Pennsylvania.
Sugar farmers hope import plan doesn't hurt prices
NEW ORLEANS -- Southern sugar farmers, struggling with rising fuel and production costs, say the federal government's decision to allow more foreign sugar into the U.S. to ensure adequate supplies is premature and could depress their prices.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced that as a precautionary measure, it was increasing imports of refined sugar by what's expected to be a net-gain of 2 1/4 tons this year to avert any shortages that could arise with disruptions in production or refining.
Some trade groups and southern farmers dispute USDA's assertion that there's a tight market and question the government's involvement before their
