Penn State Plans Survey Of Farm Conservation Practices In 14 PA Counties Starting In January

Starting in January 2022, farmers in 14 of the 43 Pennsylvania counties in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed will have a chance to self-report conservation practices implemented on their farms by completing a survey from Penn State.

The Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences is leading the survey effort, in partnership with PA Farm Bureau, PennAg Industries Association, PA Farmers Union, PA Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania, the Department of Agriculture, the State Conservation Commission, the PA Association of Conservation Districts and the Department of Environmental Protection, and local county conservation districts.

Following up from the successful 2016 and 2020 surveys, this year’s survey will focus on remaining Tier 2 and 3 counties, specifically:

-- Tier 2 Counties: Bedford, Centre, Cumberland, Lebanon

-- Tier 3 Counties: Columbia, Dauphin, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lycoming, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Tioga 

Farmers will be mailed an invitation letter and link to a secure online form for filling out the survey. Farmers will also have an option for filling out a paper version. 

All responses will be kept completely confidential and results reported will be in summary fashion without names or locations of participants.

The survey provides an excellent opportunity to get a broader baseline of data relevant to conservation practice implementation and meeting County Water Quality Action Plan goals for agriculture. 

County Water Quality Action Plan partners should look for details on the survey launch in January 2022 and encourage farmers to complete the survey. 

[Visit DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan webpage to learn more.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates.]

(Reprinted from DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Office Healthy Waters newsletter.  Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)

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-- Gov. Wolf Announces $17.4 Million To Improve Local Water Quality In 33 Counties In The Chesapeake Bay Watershed  

-- Franklin & Marshall College Launches Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative Based On Legacy Sediments Research

-- Artists Paint Storm Drain Art To Raise Water Pollution Awareness In York County 

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper: Volunteer Water Monitors Needed In Lycoming, Clinton Counties For New Stream Team Initiative; Feb. 8 Info Meeting 

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: After 45 Years, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Will Baker Reflects On The Bay At A Crossroads 

[Posted: December 17, 2021]  PA Environment Digest