Friday, Jan. 11: Special Presentations At PA Farm Show By DEP, Partners On Water Quality, Solar Energy, Peregrine Falcon Successes

Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell, DEP staff, and agency partners will team up to announce a new farm initiative and give presentations on water quality practices, solar energy, and the Harrisburg peregrine falcons at the Pennsylvania Farm Show on Friday, January 11.

In the morning, Secretary McDonnell will join public and private partners to announce the High-Performance Farm Initiative, which will foster innovative farming practices that promote environmental sustainability, economic value, public health, and soil and water quality, with an emphasis on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

In the afternoon, several presentations at the Ag 101 Stage in GIANT Expo Hall will share information, tips, and stories. Each presentation will be a half-hour, and speakers will be available for questions.

Schedule

-- 10:00: DEP Secretary McDonnell, Partners to Announce High-Performance Farm Initiative.  WHERE: GIANT Expo Hall (conservation display behind food court), Farm Show Complex and Expo Center

-- 1:00: A State Plan to Increase Solar Energy in Pennsylvania: What Could It Mean for You? – Dave Althoff, DEP Energy Programs Director. WHERE: Ag 101 Stage, GIANT Expo Hall, Farm Show Complex and Expo Center

-- 3:30: Farming Best Practices to Improve Local Water Quality – Doug Goodlander, DEP Bureau of Clean Water Environmental Program Manager, and Bill Chain Chesapeake Bay Foundation Senior Agriculture Program Manager. WHERE: Ag 101 Stage, GIANT Expo Hall, Farm Show Complex and Expo Center

-- 4:00: Good Forest Buffer Options for Large Landowners to Improve Local Water Quality – Katie Ombalski, Woods and Waters Consulting; Chesapeake Bay Watershed Phase 3 Plan Forestry Work Group.  WHERE: Ag 101 Stage, GIANT Expo Hall, Farm Show Complex and Expo Center

-- 4:30 to 5:30: Comeback Story of the Harrisburg Peregrine Falcons – Bert Myers, DEP Environmental Education Director.  WHERE: Ag 101 Stage, GIANT Expo Hall, Farm Show Complex and Expo Center.
(Photo: DEP's display at the PA Farm Show.)