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On January 10, 2020

To Attend The Lancaster Crops Conference

Penn State Extension in Lancaster County is excited to announce this year’s Lancaster Crop Conference to be held on January 21, 2020 at the Lancaster Farm And Home Center. On tap is a wide range of important agronomic topics to assist and educate farmers and other agricultural professionals.  The opportunity will also be available for a minimum of 2 core and 2 category PA pesticide applicator points. Crop professionals can receive 3.0 Certified Crop Advisor points and 1.5 PA Nutrient Management points.

This year we will have a host of interesting topics and knowledgeable speakers. The meeting begins with “Realities of Hemp Production,” by Dr. Alyssa Collins, Director of the PSU Research Farm near Manheim. Alyssa will summarize what we’ve learned and what the prospects are after the first season of growing hemp for fiber, grain and CBD here in Lancaster County.  

Steve Groff, Owner, Cover Crop Solutions will present “Tips from 25 Years of No-Till, Cover Crops, and Soil Health.” Penn State’s new Weed Scientist, Dr. John Wallace will discuss: “Glyphosate and the Environment: Risks vs. Benefits.”  John will address the current controversy surrounding the herbicide Glyphosate, including whether it is carcinogenic and how toxic it is compared to other common agricultural chemicals.  In total there will be 10 presentations to choose from, with a wide variety of agricultural topics.

NOTE:  If you plan to grow Xtend (Dicamba resistant) soybeans in 2020, and apply Dicamba, you MUST receive PDA certified training on using this product.  Jeff Phillips, Bayer product rep will hold a special Dicamba training during the afternoon sessions. This training will have 1 core and 1 category PDA pesticide credit.

Numerous local agricultural companies including ag lenders, applicators, seedsmen, equipment dealers and others will be on hand and have displays to support the meeting and answer your questions.  This is a great opportunity to discuss your crop needs and see some of the latest product offerings. The Lancaster Conservation District, Penn State Extension and NRCS will also be present and available to answer questions.

The conference is held at the Farm & Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Rd., Lancaster, PA and runs from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM with registration at 8:30 AM. There is a $20.00 pre-registration fee ($25.00 for walk-ins) which includes lunch.  Reservations are much appreciated but not required. You can register in two ways:  On-line at extension.psu.edu/crops-conferences or by calling (1-877-345-0691).  Call the Lancaster office if you have specific questions at (717-394-6851

To Determine How Many Pesticide Credits You Currently Need

Is your pesticide license due to expire? Are you wondering how many points you need before March 31st? Are you scrambling to look for upcoming meetings? 

This time of year, Extension offices are flooded with calls from farmers asking questions about the number of credits they need to maintain their applicator’s license, and where they can find additional meetings. For private applicators, licenses expire on March 31 (on a 3-year cycle), so winter meeting season is an ideal time to obtain the necessary recertification credits. So, how do you know if you’ve met the requirements, and are able to renew your license? Extension Agronomist Dwane Miller explains the answer can be found on your computer-just a few short clicks away!

The PaPlants website: https://www.paplants.pa.gov/Index.aspx is a great place to obtain all kinds of information about your pesticide license. Once on their main page, Miller would encourage you to register to login into the site. This feature will give you the ability to view all the meetings where you received credits, renew your license by paying with a credit card, and a variety of other tasks.

The first step would be to register on the PaPlants site. In order to do that, you will need your PaPlants ID and PIN numbers. Your PaPlants ID and PIN are printed on your renewal form. If you do not have your renewal form, you can contact the department at 717-787-4843. To login or register, click on Logon/Register at the bottom left of the screen. Once you have registered and selected your User Name and Password, you will be able to login to the site. From there, you will have access to your account, and can view past attended meetings, renew your license, etc.

If you choose not to create a login, you can still access the number of credits you need, and when your license will expire. All you need is your applicator ID number and your last name. For more information go to: https://extension.psu.edu/how-to-look-up-your-pesticide-applicator-recertification-credits .

To Learn About Realty Transfer Tax Exemption for Preserved Farm Owners 

Recently Secretary Russell Redding announced that Pennsylvania’s more than 5,600 preserved farm owners would now be eligible to apply for a new realty transfer tax exemption through the Pennsylvania Farm Bill.

“We’re pleased to announce the availability of the PA Farm Bill’s Realty Transfer Tax Exemption for owners of preserved farms who transfer a farm to a qualified beginner farmer,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “These farmers have said ‘yes’ to Pennsylvania agriculture for perpetuity, Pennsylvania is now meeting that commitment with investments and services through the PA Farm Bill to secure a stronger future.”

Earlier this year, Governor Tom Wolf signed the first-ever Pennsylvania Farm Bill which included Act 13, which states that realty transfer tax will not be imposed on transfers of real estate that is part of Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program if the transfer is to a qualified beginning farmer. Qualified beginning farmers are defined as: someone who has demonstrated experience in the industry or a related field with transferrable skills; has not received federal gross income from agriculture production for more than ten years; intends to engage in agricultural production in Pennsylvania; and has obtained written certification, from the Department of Agriculture confirming qualified beginning farmer status.

To learn more about  Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Program go to: agriculture.pa.gov

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