Learn how you can advocate for a more fiscally and environmentally responsible farm safety net.

The Farm Bill expired over six months ago, and we’re still many hard conversations away from a new bill. One of the principal fault lines facing members of Congress is the tension between increased spending on the farm safety net (crop insurance and commodity supports) and preserving the Inflation Reduction Act’s historic investment in conservation. Congress has not identified enough funding to do both, so elected officials are aligning with one camp or the other.

The groups advocating for higher subsidies are large, well-funded, and well-connected. While the farm safety net is critical to our agricultural system, it is far from perfect. The crop insurance and commodity programs pick winners and losers, disincentivize conservation practices, and demand a price tag that cannot be sustained.

Convincing Congress to upend the safety net status quo is an uphill battle, and they won’t address this problem without farmer input. Do you want to advocate for a more fiscally and environmentally responsible farm safety net? Watch our evening webinar to learn more about this issue and identify opportunities to make your voice heard.

Recorded April 23, 2024

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post Farm Bill Fault Lines: Climate and the Farm Safety Net appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Learn more about Pennsylvania’s Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program with hear others share about what elements of the program may or may not be working for them.

In 2019, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program to provide tax credits to owners of agricultural assets who sell or rent to beginning farmers. The program was designed to improve land access for beginning farmers by incentivizing landowners to prioritize beginning farmers over other buyers or tenants. In this webinar, we provided an overview of how the program works and discussed whether or not it may be working.

Recorded April 9, 2024

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post PA’s Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Learn about the growing impact of severe floods and droughts on farms and other lands and the role farmers can play in directly mitigating flood and drought damage.

Two livestock farmers highlight their different approaches to 2023’s record-breaking flooding and drought conditions. Resources farmers can access to reduce exposure, take preventive measures, and help downstream neighbors are discussed.

Recorded: March 29, 2024

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post Flood Mitigation: A Roadmap for Pennsylvania appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

How can farms help mitigate floods and protect communities downstream? (Hint: it starts in our soil!)

The post Flood Impacts & Solutions appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

In large omnibus legislation like the Farm Bill, it’s easy for good ideas to get lost. Grouping proposed legislation into small packages focused around key issues can help get the attention of lawmakers—that’s where marker bills come in! 

Join us to learn how advocates use marker bills to build support among legislators and to raise public awareness and grow grassroots support for policy change. 

Policy experts from National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) will provide an overview of the legislative landscape and offer some real-world policy solutions to your on-farm challenges. 

We’ll dig into several marker bills that have already been drafted or introduced with the hope of inclusion in the 2023 Farm Bill.

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post Farm Bill 101: What Is a Marker Bill? appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

When it comes to stormwater management, do these temporary structures need to be regulated the same as permanent buildings? High tunnels are popping up across the landscape to help farms extend growing seasons, protect produce from an increasingly harsh climate, and provide a relatively inexpensive means of rotating crop locations.

In 2018, the Pennsylvania legislature passed a new law to clarify that these temporary structures should be regulated differently than permanent-based structures like greenhouses and barns. However, confusion still remains around the issue of stormwater management, and farmers in some Pennsylvania townships are being asked to meet costly, time-consuming requirements.

Recorded April 21, 2023

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post Clarifying Stormwater Regulations for High Tunnels appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

In February 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture created a first-ever Commission on Equity to analyze how USDA programs, practices, and policies can be improved to lower barriers to inclusion and access. The commission will also work to address discrimination and perpetuation of disparities among farmers who might benefit from USDA assistance. Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Redding is one of 15 members of the subcommittee on agriculture and rural economic development appointed to this prestigious group, and has had a front-row seat in the discussions to make changes and improvements. The diversity and quality of committee members is also remarkable, and looks nothing like any other previous USDA committees.

While the committee has only been operating for six months, recommendations are already forming, and USDA administrators are already taking actions to encourage access, equity, and a fairer playing field through executive action and through the courts.

Secretary Redding provides insight on the inner-workings of the committee. He also shares his personal philosophy on the importance of diversity and inclusion and discusses his approach to growing equity here in Pennsylvania.

Recorded October 26, 2022

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post Building Equity for U.S. Farmers: A Talk with PA’s Agriculture Secretary appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Find out how to recognize the early signs of diseases and take steps to prevent them. Taking an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach on sustainable and organic farms is all about planning, observation, and timely responses—nowhere is that more true than with plant disease.

Join Dr. Beth Gugino, Penn State University professor and extension specialist in vegetable pathology, to learn about observation and diagnostic tools you can use to recognize the signs of different diseases quickly, and how respond to before they get out of control.

This session is part of our IPM Perspectives series, featuring experts offering unique insights, tools, and techniques to help you manage pests on your farm in a more proactive and sustainable way.

Recorded August 23, 2022

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post IPM Perspectives: Vegetable Disease ID & Prevention with Dr. Beth Gugino appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Learn how a circular economy advocacy group, a zero-waste design firm, and a local restaurant teamed up to convince the City of Philadelphia that takeout customers deserve an alternative to single-use to-go containers. At the height of the pandemic, many people were ordering takeout to support their favorite local restaurants, but to-go containers were stacking up.

Find out how these groups worked together to change minds—and policy—in just a few short months!

Recorded October 14, 2022

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post Circular Success Story: How Philly Restaurants Won the Right to Reuse appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Whether you grow food, sell it, cook it, or just eat it—we all have a stake in gaining a deeper understanding of the links between soil health, plant health, and human health.

The concept of nutrient-dense food has been growing in popularity for decades, but how do we actually define and quantify it? During this webinar, we explore the science behind on crop nutrient density, including how it can be measured, what new research is uncovering, and what we still need to learn. We examine how factors like growing climate, management practices, and variety have the potential to broadly impact nutrient density.

The Bionutrient Food Association founder and life-long farmer Dan Kittredge and co-founder of OurSci Dan TerAvest have been studying samples from farms across the country to help us better understand connections between the way food is grown and its nutrient content. Pasa partners with The Bionutrient Institute and OurSci to measure the nutrient content of crops grown by several farmers participating in our Soil Health Benchmark Study. Farmer Steve Groff of Cedar Meadow Farm shares insights he’s gained from participating in this study.

Recorded July 27, 2022

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post Digging into the Science of Nutrient Density appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

One out of every six children in Pennsylvania faces hunger. USDA child nutrition waivers are expiring. How can we protect and support vital school and community meal programs today?

Tune in for this important conversation with a panel of representatives from Feeding PA, School Nutrition Association of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Farm to School Network, and the Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture and Education. We discuss how we might improve and expand on existing programs, as well as what potential new solutions could help address food insecurity through the school system.

We also discuss the crucial role that farms play in supporting school nutrition programs, and what can be done to reduce the obstacles to getting fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables to kids in our communities.

Recorded June 10, 2022

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post Listening Session: How Can We Help Schools Address Food Insecurity? appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Seed starting can be time consuming, messy, take up a lot of space, and have inconsistent results. Join three farmers with several decades of collective growing experience to learn about their best practices (and lessons learned) for seed starting at scale. Whether you want to increase your production space, or improve the efficiency of the space you have, you’ll find out about tools and techniques to germinate seeds faster, and grow healthier plants, and improve your bottom line.

Cassandra Madden from Nature Works Farm, Silvan Goddin from Grow Pittsburgh’s Garden Dreams Urban Nursery, and Megan Gallagher from be.wild.er farm share how each of their operations have fine tuned their seed starting systems to achieve results. We cover planting media, seeding techniques, watering, and greenhouse versus non-greenhouse-based production. Pasa’s Dan Dalton and Lisa Miskelly also share some great tips!

Recorded March 22, 2022

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post Step Up Your Seed Starting to Grow More at Any Scale appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Learn about the latest data from Pasa’s Soil Health Benchmark Study, get research updates from Rodale Institute, discover new soil health and decision management tools for your farm, and find out about funding opportunities to support soil health practices on your farm. Find a PDF version of our slides on Soil Health Funding Opportunities here.

Recorded March 29, 2022

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post New Soil Health Tools, Insights & Opportunities appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Crop planning is essential for improving yields and making the best use of your space and time. It can also help you prevent and manage weeds, pests, and diseases. Join Farm Manager Nick Lubecki from Grow Pittsburgh’s Braddock Farms to learn how crop planning can help you increase production and efficiency on your operation.

We discuss goal-setting, creating a crop plan that fits your growing system, selecting appropriate varieties, building your first (and second) crop plan, and different approaches to crop placement.

Recorded March 8, 2022

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post Creating Your First (& Second) Crop Plan appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Our policy staff, joined by Adrienne Nelson of National Young Farmers, gives a brief overview of what’s included in the current bill, set to expire in October 2023, with an emphasis on provisions related to conservation, forestry, and energy. Then hear what our audience had to share about their experiences working with existing Farm Bill programs and ideas for changes and improvements.

Didn’t get to join us live? It’s not too late to tell us what you want in the 2023 Farm Bill. Email our Policy Strategist Sara Nicholas to let her know what’s working and what could be improved. 

This listening session was supported by a grant from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

Recorded April 8, 2022

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post Listening Session: What Do You Want in the Next Farm Bill? appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) or bird flu has recently been reported in several nearby states and poses a significant threat to commercial and backyard (fewer than 75,000 birds) flocks. While reports of the impacts on pastured flocks have been limited so far, there is an increasing concern, particularly in areas with high concentrations of poultry operations.

Join Mike Badger of American Pastured Poultry Producers Association, Hannah Smith-Brubaker, Pasa’s Executive Director and a pastured poultry producer, along with Chris Pierce, President of Heritage Poultry Management Services, to learn about the current situation with HPAI in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Thanks to the Center for Poultry and Livestock Excellence for sponsoring this webinar.

Recorded March 9, 2022

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Risks to Pastured & Organic Flocks appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Hear from farmers and food safety professionals in this virtual discussion on wash-pack design. We use Grow Pittsburgh’s Garden Dreams as a case study for how to build a station that meets food safety requirements without breaking the bank. Farm Manager Hanna Mosca shares how Garden Dreams worked around the unique challenges of their space to retrofit an inexpensive and effective wash-pack system. We also get insights from seasoned food safety professionals who will highlight important considerations and address common concerns.

Additional resources

Click here to download a PDF with additional resources mentioned in the webinar.

Recorded December 1, 2021

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post Designing Your Wash-Pack Station for Food Safety appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Grants can help your farm upgrade, innovate, and grow. But the application process can have a steep learning curve and a quick turnaround. With no guarantee of funding, it’s important to ask yourself if a grant is right for your farm and worth the work.

Hear from a farmer who successfully—and unsuccessfully—applied for funding, a grants administrator, and consultants from Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers. Find out how to identify funding sources that make sense for your farm’s goals. You’ll also learn about the ebb and flow of funding cycles, the differences between grants and emergency funds, strategies for getting prepared to apply for grants, and resources for getting help.

Speakers

Lindsey Shapiro, Farmer and Co-Owner of Root Mass Farm
Raechel Sattazahn, Knowledge Center Director at AgChoice Farm Credit
Winifred McGee, Business Consultant at The University of Scranton SBDC
Elizabeth Hay, Business Consultant at Penn State SBDC Agriculture Center of Excellence
Tabitha Barbarito, Project Manager at Pasa

Recorded December 7, 2021

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post How (& How Not) to Apply for Agricultural Grants appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

A recent report by the Union of Concerned Scientists indicates that outdoor workers, particularly farmworkers, are 20 times more likely to die of heat-related illnesses than other workers. With increasingly extreme weather, the number of unsafe outdoor workdays is likely to climb. The Biden administration recently announced an effort to protect workers from heat stress, including plans to develop a federal heat standard. How is this issue being addressed at the state level? What steps can farmers take to lessen or mitigate the impacts on workers?

Hear from a group of panelists who address this issue from the farmer, farmworker, and policy perspectives.

Speakers

Elena Velez, LLC Certified Healthcare Interpreter
Jennifer Glenister, Operator at New Morning Farm
Nina Berryman, Farm Manager at Weavers Way Farm
Sara Nicholas, Policy Strategist at Pasa

Recorded November 19, 2021

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post Listening Session: Climate Impacts on Farmworkers appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Alley cropping is an agroforestry technique that incorporates trees between rows of crops to increase both biological and economic diversity. We’re working with local farms that will serve as demonstration sites for the benefits of alley cropping.

Learn about two farms adopting this agroforestry practice in the Keystone State.

Recorded December 1, 2021

Complete this form to watch the recording:

The post Alley Cropping: Planting Trees for Economic & Ecological Diversity appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.