2021 PA Veteran Farming Conference

Scheduled Presentations

 * indicates veteran

NRCS Projects On the Ground: Wendy Karrasch*, Veterans Special Emphasis Program Manager, NRCS will moderate as Paul McNamara*,St. Ann’s Cattle Company, Carlisle, and Tim Wagner*, Wayward Goats, Newville, share photos of projects on the ground and discuss the process of working with their local NRCS staff.

Farm Finance: Whether you need money to buy land, or are planning to scale up, there are options. Join Larry Daugherty* Heritage Farms; Farm Services Agency staff; and Mitch Freeman* of AgChoice Farm Credit as they discuss funding streams.

Set Yourself up for Success: Scaling Up from Farmstead to Sales for Produce, Poultry, Meat Producers Panel--Decoding the Regs on Prepared foods Panel.  Poultry, Beef, Produce/HACCP/FSMA; Josh Scheinberg*, PADA; Jeff Stoltzfus, Jon Campbell, Martin Buscovage, Rick Kralj Food Penn State Extension

Creating Consumer Friendly Bulk Meat Sales During Covid and Beyond: While the pandemic has increased demand for locally-grown meat and poultry, producers have grappled with bottlenecks at processors. Join Giana VanNice*, Blue Dog Farms; Matt Leroux, Cornell University for a session on overcoming obtacles creatively.

Legal Liability, Agritourism, & Insurance: Protect your assets proactively. Ross Pifer, Esq. Penn State Agricultural Law Center; Monet Bottenfield, Good Insurance Co., Farm Cert. Agent

Small Ruminants Session: FAMACHA & WormX; Goat lessons learned. Featuring Melanie Barkley, Penn State Extension with her guests Brion McClintock* & Alicia Decker*, The Tenpenny Farm; and Kaitlyn Leonard, Heritage Meadows Farm

Getting Started in Beekeeping TBD

Farm to Fork to Festival: Working with Chefs, Food Trucks Hear from executive chef Jason Puyear* what small producers need to know about selling to restaurants. Then, join Michael* and Sharon Reifsnyder and Larry Daugherty* as they share their experiences operating food trucks.

Grants Panel: What's Open, What's Coming, and how 3 Veterans Got their Grants: Dan* & Melissa Hubbard, Hubbard Family Ranch; James* & Becky Cornwell, Nine Pines Farm; Corey Read*, Shupp Hill Farm, moderated by PAVFP Director Mimi Thomas-Brooker.

With special short presentations like PA Beef Center of Excellence, AgrAbility PA, Keystone Plant 10 Million Trees Partnership, and more!

THANK YOU to the USDA 2501 program, AgChoice/MidAtlantic Farm Credit, Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Keystone Plant 10 Million Trees Partnership, and Food Moxie for their support!