Summer 2022 Grassroots Advocate Insert

SuSmeamsoenr 2022 PFB Nominating Committee to Meet For President Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s Pennsylvania Farm Bureau so by mailing the letter and re- Nominating Committee will meet members wishing to be consid- sume to the following address: to consider nominations for the ered as candidates must submit office of PFB President. a letter and resume to the PFB PFB Nominating Committee Nominating Committee no later PO Box 8736 The election for a two-year than July 29, 2022. They can do term will take place during PFB’s Camp Hill, PA 17001-8736 Annual Meeting in November. Rick Ebert of Westmoreland Apply Now for 2022 County is currently serving as Leopold Conservation Award PFB President. Nominating Committee Nominations are open for Sand County Foundation members include Kathy Raub, the 2022 Pennsylvania Leopold and national sponsor American Northampton/Monroe County, Conservation Award, which rec- Farmland Trust present the Leo- Tim Lesher, Northumberland ognizes farmers County, Brian Davis, Adams and landown- pold Conser- County, Dennis Hutchison, Som- ers who inspire vation Award erset County, Lisa Wherry, Wash- others with to private ington County, Duaine Mowrey, their dedication landowners in Jefferson County, Mark Shultz, to land, water 22 states for Columbia County and Justin and wildlife extraordinary Snook, Clinton County, who will habitat management on private, achievement preside as chair. The committee working land. in voluntary conservation. In will meet on Tuesday, August 23, Pennsylvania, the $10,000 award 2022 beginning at 10 a.m. is presented in partnership with The Heinz Endowments and 1

Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. our soil and water for future Pennsylvania Farm Bureau generations,” Pennsylvania Agri- c/o Justin Clapper “Many farmers across Penn- culture Secretary Russell Redding PO Box 8736 sylvania have poured their sweat said. “The Leopold Conservation and resources into practices Award recognizes farmers who Camp Hill, PA 17001-8736 that benefit the land, water and stand out among their peers as natural resources and climate excellent stewards of soil and Applications are reviewed by because they believe that en- water resources.” an independent panel of agricul- vironmental stewardship and tural and conservation leaders. smart farming go hand in hand,” Nominations may be submit- said Pennsylvania Farm Bureau ted on behalf of a landowner, The Leopold Conservation President Rick Ebert. “We are or landowners may nominate Award will be presented at the encouraging Pennsylvania farm- themselves. The application can Pennsylvania Farm Show in Janu- ers to showcase their dedication be found at www.sandcounty- ary. Pennsylvania’s 2021 Leo- to stewardship and innovative foundation.org/ApplyLCA. pold Conservation Award was approaches to conservation by presented to Brubaker Farms of applying for the 2022 Leopold The application deadline date Mount Joy in Lancaster County. Conservation Award.” is August 1, 2022. Applications must be emailed to award@ “Pennsylvania farmers not sandcountyfoundation.org. only feed our families and our If mailed, applications must economy, they pour their lives be postmarked by Aug. 1 and and livelihoods into improving mailed to: Pennsylvania Records 15th Case of Avian Influenza on May 18 A 15th case of Highly Patho- mal and Plant Health Inspection As of May 19th, Pennsylvania genic Avian Influenza was Service (APHIS). The 15th case has had 4.24 million affected reported on Tuesday, May 18th, came from a commercial duck birds between commercial flocks according to the U.S. Depart- breeder in Berks County with in Lancaster and Berks counties ment of Agriculture (USDA) Ani- 7,200 birds. and there are 338 confirmed 2

cases in 35 states. The total num- infected premises became part Nationally, Iowa leads the ber of affected birds in the U.S. is of a “control zone” within which nation with 15 commercial 37.95 million. all poultry and associated mate- flocks/premises confirmed to be rial are subject to permitting for infected with a depopulation of All of the affected premises any movement as well as other more than 13 million birds. have been quarantined through extensive restrictions. orders of special quarantine and For the latest news and all of the birds have been depop- USDA APHIS continues to information on avian influenza, ulated and composted on site. maintain its publicly available visit https://pfb.com/biosecuri- HPAI 2022 Confirmed Detections ty-is-key-in-preventing-avian-in- In addition, all commercial database for domestic poultry fluenza-spread/. poultry facilities within a 10-ki- and accompanying map. lometer (6.2 mile) radius of the Kyle Kotzmoyer Urges Members to Get Involved in Policy Development As we embark on another volved in the policy development works, we should all feel a slight summer of the policy develop- process this summer. bit of shame. Somewhere along ment process, I’m reminded of the way we missed the mark, but how little some of our members If you’re already a policy together we can only get better. know about the grassroots pro- development veteran, then get It takes many voices to grow and cess through which PFB policy your neighbor or daughter or unite our communities – don’t comes to life. With over 30,000 farmhand involved. Good policy let your voice be silent. members statewide, it wouldn’t stems from good ideas – ideas be unusual for a large portion that may be beyond the scope Kyle Kotzmoyer of our membership to be in the of what you’re familiar with. PFB, State & Local Government dark on the foundation of our Getting more members involved Affairs Specialist advocacy efforts. leads to more knowledge, input, and education for all of us. At the core of any grassroots membership organization are the Involving new individuals in members. And a grassroots or- the process may uncover a prob- ganization can only be successful lem that many of us didn’t know if its members water the grass. existed. As your new State & Local Affairs Specialist I’m putting out a call When decades long Farm for all of you to become more in- Bureau members call in and have no idea of how our PD process 3

African Swine Fever Virus Vaccine Passes Tests Required For Regulatory Approval Scientists with the U.S. normal virulence after being in- the department of animal health Department of Agriculture’s jected into swine. The reversion within each requesting country, Agricultural Research Service to virulence test is required to according to the USDA. announced this week that a vac- ensure that the vaccine’s weak- cine candidate for African Swine ened form of the ASF virus does The virus is causing profound Fever (ASF) passed a safety test not revert to its original state. economic losses to the swine in- required for regulatory approv- dustry, although there have not al, moving the vaccine closer to Safety studies are neces- been any outbreaks in the Unit- commercial availability. sary to gain approval for use in ed States. The highly contagious Vietnam and eventually in other ASF virus spread from Africa to The new results of the test countries around the world. the Republic of Georgia in 2007, show that USDA’s vaccine Future commercial use will and has swept through Central candidate does not revert to its depend on the approval from Europe and Asia, before reaching the Dominican Republic last year. The virus is not transmittable from pigs to humans. The weakened vaccine strain retains much of its genetic makeup and could genetically change when exposed to various external circumstances. All live attenuated vaccines are weak- ened versions of a virus and can be used as a vaccine because the live vaccine virus will not cause illness and can provide immunity. Photo credit: Lorraine Potochney-Kobold For more information, visit https://www.ars.usda. gov/news-events/news/ research-news/2022/ african-swine-fever-vi- rus-vaccine-passes-tests-re- quired-for-regulatory-approval/. 4

Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Submits Testimony on Exclusion of CAFOs from DEP’s Environmental Justice Policy Pennsylvania Farm Bureau permitting and reporting pro- by the EPA. Failing to comply Vice President Chris Hoffman cess already exists. Anyone that with the requirements and a fail- recently gave testimony to the operates a CAFO must obtain ure to maintain proper nutrient, Pennsylvania Department of En- a National Pollutant Discharge sediment and odor management vironmental Protection speaking Elimination System (NPDES) plans results in harsh penalties against the proposed inclusion permit which is administered by that farmers cannot afford. of Concentrated Animal Feeding the Department of Environmen- Operations (CAFOs) as a part tal Protection. As a part of an Pennsylvania Farm Bureau be- of the outlined Environmental agreement with the EPA, CAFOs lieves that adding on to already Justice Policy requiring public must maintain adequate manure existing legislation with this pro- participation trigger permits. storage, raw material storage posal would create unjust and and waste containment areas, unwarranted regulations to an Hoffman spoke against the in- along with proper setbacks and already stacked deck and would clusion of CAFOs in the proposed buffers. All of these things are re- be an overreach of government policy, as an already intensive ported, inspected and approved creating another hurdle for farm- ers trying to feed the world. USDA Bay Partnership Initiative to Benefit Pennsylvania Farmers The United State Department help farmers boost water quality will support Bay-area farmers, of Agriculture (USDA) announced improvements and conservation building on a $1.1 billion in- last week that it will invest an in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. vestment made by the USDA’s additional $22.5 million in con- Natural Resources Conservation servation assistance in 2022 to The new Chesapeake Bay Service over the past decade. States’ Partnership Initiative 5

USDA is also announcing a new wetlands, all of which align with from bay area farmers for addi- task force -- jointly with the U.S. the bay’s water quality objec- tional conservation support, as Environmental Protection Agen- tives to reduce nutrient loading, well as Farm Service Agency to cy (EPA) -- to better quantify the restore wetlands and install identify needs and opportunities voluntary conservation efforts of riparian buffers. for buffer management on acres farmers in the bay watershed. that may be coming out of the Practices include riparian buf- Conservation Reserve Program. The USDA Natural Resources fers, cover crops, waste storage Conservation Service will prior- facilities, and prescribed grazing For more information, visit: itize support of practices that among others. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ reduce nitrogen and sediment, wps/portal/nrcs/detail/nation- improve management of live- This funding will allow states al/newsroom/releases/?cid=N- stock and waste, and conserve to respond to the high demand RCSEPRD1920023. DEP Extends Energy Efficiency Rebate Program for Farmers The Pennsylvania Department (including fans, motors, and con- DEP has up to $10,000 avail- of Environmental Protection has trols such as variable frequency able for this program through extended the deadline for its drives) and milk pumping equip- State Energy Program funding rebate program for farmers that ment (including pumps, motors, from the U.S. Department of assists with the cost of energy and controls such as variable Energy. efficiency projects. frequency drives). All applications must be The Agriculture Energy Effi- Applications will be accept- submitted online through the ciency Rebate Program is offer- ed through June 30, 2022, on a Electronic Single Application ing rebates to defray the costs of first-come, first-served basis as system. For complete program installing LED lighting or variable long as funding is available. The guidelines and application frequency drives on the farm, available rebates will pay for 50% instructions, visit https://www. which can save energy while of the equipment costs, up to dep.pa.gov/Business/Energy/ saving money on utility bills. $2,000. Total funding to any one OfficeofPollutionPrevention/En- applicant will not exceed $5,000. ergy_Efficiency_and_Conserva- The rebate program has ex- Interested ag producers should tion/Agriculture_and_Farming/ panded its list of eligible equip- apply for a rebate voucher prior Pages/default.aspx. ment to now include all energy to purchasing and installing the efficient ventilation equipment equipment. 6

New CWD Detections Leads to Creation of New Disease Management Areas, Expansions In April, the Pennsylvania Octoraro Creek north to where it there is no evidence of CWD Game Commission announced meets the current boundary. being documented in humans, the creation of a new Chronic the Centers for Disease Control Wasting Disease Management Within a DMA, it is unlawful and Prevention does not recom- Area (DMA) and the expan- to remove or export any high- mend consuming the meat of a sion of DMA 2 and DMA 4. The risk parts of deer, use or possess CWD-positive animal. creation of the new DMA 7 was cervid urine-based attractants, due to a detection of CWD at a feed wild deer or rehabilitate Contact the Game Com- captive deer facility in Lycoming wild deer. It is already illegal to mission’s CWD Hotline at County. feed elk in all parts of the state. 1-833-INFOCWD, email IN- [email protected] or visit DMA 7 is about 450 square CWD affects members of the https://storymaps.arcgis. miles and will cover portions deer, or cervid, family, and the com/stories/ddfce74f- of Lycoming, Northumberland, disease always is fatal to the 89d24a91b116a84ddf126ac6 Montour, Columbia, and Sullivan deer and elk it infects. While counties. Sign Up To Be Counted in The DMA 2 is expanding in two 2022 Census of Agriculture locations due to CWD detections in both wild and captive deer. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is encourag- In early 2021, it was expanded ing farmers to sign up to participate in the 2022 Census of Agricul- to include all or parts of Adams, ture this summer. Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clearfield, Cumberland, Dau- All farmers and ranchers – whether rural or urban – that grow phin, Franklin, Fulton, Hunting- fruit, vegetables or animals count if $1,000 or more of such products don, Indiana, Juniata, Mifflin, were raised and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Census year. Somerset, Union, and Westmo- reland counties. DMA 4 will also expand after CWD detection in a captive facil- ity in southern Lancaster County. The expansion will follow the Susquehanna River south to the Maryland border and follow the 7

The Census of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Pork Producers taken once every five years, to Elect Delegates to National looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, pro- Pork Industry Forum duction practices income and expenditures for farmers. The election of pork producer delegate candidates for the 2023 National Pork Producers (Pork Act) Delegate Body will take The last day to sign up for place at 6:45PM, Thursday, June 16, 2022, prior to a meeting of the 2022 Ag Census is June 30, the Pennsylvania Pork Producers Council (PPPC) Board of Direc- 2022. If you have never received tors. The election and meeting will be held at the Pennsylvania a census and are new to NASS Farm Bureau Building inside the board room, located at 510 surveys, you can sign up online South 31st Street, Camp Hill, PA 17011. All Pennsylvania pork at https://www.agcounts.usda. producers are invited to attend. gov/static/get-counted.html. Any producer, age 18 or older, who is a resident of Pennsyl- The census will be mailed out vania and has paid all assessments due may be considered as a in November of this year with a delegate candidate and/or participate in the election. All eligible response deadline of February producers are encouraged to bring with them a sales receipt 2023. The results of the census proving that hogs were sold in their name and the checkoff de- will be revealed in the Spring or ducted. For more information, contact Pennsylvania Pork Produc- Summer of 2024. ers Council at 2215 Forest Hills Drive, Suite 39, Harrisburg, PA, 17112, or by phone at 717-651-5923. Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Members Participate in PSU Trustee Election UNIVERSITY PARK - Pennsylva- Guest speakers at the election PFB President nia Farm Bureau (PFB) members included Penn State University Rick Ebert from across the state participat- President Eric Barron, Pennsyl- ed in the Penn State University vania Secretary of Agriculture Ag Trustee Election at the Penn Russell Redding and Senior Asso- Stater Hotel on Thursday, May 5. ciate Dean and Professor Steve Loerch. PFB supported the re-elec- tion of Abe Harpster and Valerie Detwiler as Ag Trustees to the University Board of Trustees. Both Harpster and Detwiler were re-elected Thursday. Indicates Farm 8 Bureau at Work