In large omnibus legislation like the federal 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! Marker bills are not intended to pass as standalone bills; they are introduced to show collective interest in an idea and build momentum. Earlier in May, we welcomed two policy experts from National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) to highlight a few key marker bills and, more importantly, to discuss what we can do as farmers to support them ..read more

Pasa’s Dairy Grazing Project Manager Lucas Waybright shares his notes from a recent field day, highlighting the ingenuity and adaptability required for grazing animals on pasture.  Happening soon: Join Lucas at Painterland Farms for a special two-day intensive on Regenerative Grazing with Ian Mitchell Innes May 18–19. Infrastructure Workshop & Pasture Rest Trial at Ben Blank’s Farm This April I organized a field day for our Dairy Grazing Project—a collaborative effort led by Pasa to help dairy farmers improve, expand, or begin grazing. Farmer Eli Mack of Mack Farms and Kencove Fence ..read more

We asked some of the recent graduates of our Diversified Vegetable Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship to share a bit about their experiences. They told us what they love about farming (as well as what they could do without) and reflected on how they’ve grown, and what memories, stories, and lessons they’ll carry with them as they keep growing. Pre-Apprenticeship graduates Diversified Vegetable Pre-Apprenticeship provides introductory hands-on training for people who want to explore sustainable farming as a career but have little to no prior farming experience. Our pre-apprenticeship p ..read more

Find your voice. Join Lindsey and local organizers from the National Young Farmers Coalition at our upcoming Farmer Storytelling for Policy Change workshop at the RE Farm Cafe at Windswept Farm in State College. Farming can be an isolating profession. Even though we share many of the same challenges—like extreme weather events damaging our fields, making it harder for us to feed our communities—it can often feel like we’re facing them on our own. So when I learned through my work with National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) about plans to organize a national “farmer climate action ..read more

On a chilly, almost-spring day in March, a group of new and beginning farmers gathered at The Seed Farm in Emmaus, Pennsylvania to learn about a versatile machine that could help them get growing.  Farmer Dean Buttacavoli of Cabbage Throw Farm shares safe operating tips with a BCS. photo by Katy Hunter, The Seed Farm Two-wheel, walk-behind tractors like the BCS are a powerful tool-of-choice for many small scale growers, and also play a role in larger operations. In addition to safe operation and basic maintenance, attendees got to hear from established farmers about how they’ve reall ..read more

Each year, we honor farmer, community, and business leaders who serve as examples for advancing sustainable agriculture through innovation and collaboration. I’m pleased to share this year’s award recipients. Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding  Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding speaks with Easton Community Gardens Manager Ross Marcus. Whether commissioning a Pennsylvania agriculture strategic plan, launching the Pennsylvania Farm Bill, or serving on the USDA’s Equity Commission Subcommittee on Agriculture, Secretary Russell Redding steadfastly serves Penns ..read more

I recently caught up with Delilah Miske, a second year apprentice in our Diversified Vegetable Apprenticeship program. She told me a story about land. What it has to teach us, how it can transform us, and how we can transform our relationship with it, over and over. She shared how apprenticing at Katydid Hill (formerly Tooth of the Lion) near her hometown has redefined her sense of the land she grew up thinking of as coal country. She also talked about what she’s learned through working with her mentor farmers to start her own enterprise and redefine the vision for the farm—homing in on the he ..read more

The House Agriculture Committee is gathering feedback about how the current 2018 Farm Bill is (or isn’t) working and how the next one can better serve farmers and food system professionals like you. Tell Congress how the 2023 Farm Bill can support a more equitable and sustainable future. Be sure to check the “Title II, Conservation” box! If you’re not familiar with the Farm Bill and its components, don’t worry—we’ve put together a list of four key sustainable agriculture policy needs. You can simply share the following messages when you submit your comments to the House Agriculture Committee ..read more

The Inflation Reduction Act is a huge win for sustainable agriculture, but there is still more work to do. Fortunately this historic piece of legislation presents new opportunities for the 2023 Farm Bill. On Tuesday, August 16, President Joe Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. While the Inflation Reduction Act may not have lived up to the original, more sweeping climate change mitigation aspirations of the now defunct Build Back Better Act, it is nonetheless a historic piece of legislation and ultimately fantastic news for sustainable farmers. It is the single largest fe ..read more

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