Prospective and part-time farmers, as well as operators of small farms, can benefit from the “Starting and Improving Farms Conference” that will be held April 1-2 at Wyndham Garden Hotel in Boalsburg, Pa.

“This conference will help you begin your farm venture or provide information if you are seeking to diversify your existing farm,” says Lynn Kime, Penn State senior Extension associate in agricultural economics, sociology and education.

The first day will include a tour of Penn State facilities and farms in the State College area. Participants can join a tour featuring agritourism, horticulture or livestock enterprises. Each tour will highlight research at several Penn State facilities.

On the second day, a plenary session will cover the business aspects of beginning or diversifying a farm. Participants will learn about marketing their production, planning for their business and financing.

Breakout sessions will allow for discussion of the previous day’s tours and speakers. Extension specialists and educators will share details about their programs and work. Participants can network with other farmers and specialists specific to their area of interest.

The cost is $175; registration will be accepted through March 27. The fee includes breakfast, dinner and snacks on Saturday, and lunch on Friday and Saturday.  

More information is available on the Penn State Extension website at extension.psu.edu.

Scholarships available for Pa. dairy students

The annual Student Leader Scholarship program is now open for undergraduate students in Pennsylvania who are pursuing an education in a dairy-related field.

Ten $3,000 scholarships are available through a new partnership between the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, the Dairy Excellence Foundation and Tröegs Independent Brewing for the 2022-23 academic year. The application period began March 1, and applications must be submitted online by May 1.

The Student Leader Scholarships are offered annually to provide recognition, encouragement and financial assistance to outstanding students enrolled in academic programs that support the dairy industry. Undergraduate students and high school seniors entering college in the fall are eligible for these scholarships. One scholarship is specifically designated for an incoming freshman.

To qualify for the scholarships, students must demonstrate a commitment to working in the dairy industry. Recipients are selected based on academic performance; interest in a dairy-related career; evidence of leadership, character and integrity; and application compliance.

Pennsylvania residents who are full-time undergraduate students enrolled in a qualifying field of study, or high school seniors who are planning to enroll in a qualifying field of study, are given consideration for this scholarship.

Qualifying fields of study include dairy and animal science, agricultural marketing and business, nutrition, food science, agriculture and Extension education, agricultural communications, agricultural engineering, or related fields.

Students can receive the $3,000 scholarship twice during their undergraduate academic career. Students employed by the Center for Dairy Excellence as an intern or in another capacity are not eligible to apply during the period in which they are working for the center.

To submit an online application and learn more about the scholarship opportunities, visit centerfordairyexcellence.org/scholarships, or contact Michelle Shearer at 570-768-8316 or by email [email protected].

Get top beef genetics

Beef producers will have the opportunity to buy some of the best genetics in the Northeast at noon March 25 at Pennsylvania’s Livestock Evaluation Center in Pennsylvania Furnace.

The 49th Performance-Tested Bull Sale will be held live with an option to bid online.

Bulls enrolled in the program will have completed a 112-day test evaluating average daily gain, weight per day of age, feed efficiency, loin muscle size and fat deposition. All bulls must pass a breeding soundness exam to be considered for the sale.

The sale committee will evaluate bulls that complete performance testing and select the top-performing bulls for auction.

There are 150 bulls on test representing 10 beef breeds. All bulls are consigned by producers from Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Delaware and Connecticut.

BULL SALE: The 49th Performance-Tested Bull Sale will be at noon March 25 at the Pennsylvania Livestock Evaluation Center in Pennsylvania Furnace. There are 150 bulls on test representing 10 beef breeds.

The fastest-gaining bull at the 84-day mark was an Angus consigned by Grant Cash of York, Pa. The bull has gained 5.29 pounds per day on test. The leading Simmental bull on test is consigned by Palmer Cattle Co. of Linesville, Pa., and is gaining 5.16 pounds per day. The top-performing Hereford bull on test is consigned by Glade Haven Herefords of PennYan, N.Y., and is gaining 4.35 pounds per day.

The bulls on test include 96 Angus, 14 Simmentals, 14 Herefords, 11 Red Angus, five Black Herefords, two Limousin, one Shorthorn, one Pinzgauer, one Maine Anjou and five SimAngus. Final weights and information will be compiled into a catalog for the March 25 sale, available online at cowbuyer.com and mailed by request.

In addition to the bull sale March 25, the center will host a trade show sponsored by the Pennsylvania Cattlemen’s Association and the Pennsylvania Angus Association Finest Female Sale.

For more information about Pennsylvania’s performance testing programs and sales, contact Greg Hubbard at 814-238-2527 or [email protected], or visit agriculture.pa.gov.