Non Profit Offers Regenerative Ag Workshops For PA Dairy Farmers

Harrisburg PA

21 April, 2022

7:52 PM

Description

By NCPA Staff, NorthCentralPA.com April 21, 2022 Dairy farmers in Pennsylvania may be seeking out advice on regenerative agriculture practices as more and more farms across the U.S. transition toward sustainable farming. Now's the chance to learn more from experts in the field. Soil Health Academy, a farmer education non-profit, will conduct a one-day workshop in the north-central Pa. region this June. The workshops are part of a larger effort to help Northeast dairy producers transition from conventional cropping and confined diary operations to more profitable and productive regenerative operations. The first on-farm workshop is scheduled June 7 in Waterloo, New York. A second on-farm workshop will be conducted June 9 at the Schrack Farm in Loganton, Pennsylvania. The workshop will feature practical insights and instruction by regenerative dairy experts Allen Williams, Ph.D., and Kent Solberg, both of whom are widely considered to be among the most preeminent pioneers, innovators and advocates in today's soil health and regenerative agricultural movement. "The curriculum is designed to broaden dairy producers' perspectives and to provide attendees with practical tools to increase management options, reduce vulnerability and strengthen natural resource and economic resilience for those producers," Williams said. Specifically, the workshop's topics will include: Cover Cropping for Soil Health, Nutrient Dense Feedstuffs, and profitability. Designing cropping and cover cropping systems that fit your context. Improving net profit per cow and per acre. How to design and implement practical and flexible grazing plans. How to prepare for extremes and increase farm resilience. Strategic input cost reduction. Waste and fertility management—Avoiding issues and effective application. "Milk production is a fast-paced, highly demanding profession," he said. "When provided with the practical knowledge and understanding to do so, dairy producers have the skills to transform their operations into highly efficient and profitable businesses. Through a combination of classroom and field exercises, we will provide producers with the know-how to build soil, animal and economic health." To learn more about these workshops and other SHA schools, or to become a business sponsor for either workshop, visit www.soilhealthacademy.org. Scholarships are available. NorthcentralPa.com provides the region with reliable, relevant, and real-time news, covering weather, community news and events, crime, police activity, local, regional, and national alerts, and PennDOT-reported road construction and conditions. We report on local and regional politics, offer a platform for nonprofits to report their news and events, and share obituaries. Scanner reports let readers know what's happening outside their homes the minute it happens.