Marcellus Shale development offers pluses, minuses for Pennsylvania agriculture

Suggested Intro:

AS PENNSYLVANIA STATE LEGISLATORS DEBATE BILLS RELATED TO NATURAL-GAS DRILLING, SPECIALISTS IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES CONSIDER HOW MARCELLUS SHALE DEVELOPMENT WILL IMPACT ONE OF THE STATE'S TOP INDUSTRIES. GARY ABDULLAH REPORTS.

Story:

(:18)  FARMING AND AGRIBUSINESS ARE AMONG THE STATE'S TOP ECONOMIC DRIVERS, AND PENN STATE EXTENSION EDUCATOR GARY SHEPHERD SAYS NATURAL-GAS DRILLING CAN REPRESENT A TWO-SIDED COIN: THE SAME DEVELOPMENT THAT REMOVES LAND FROM PRODUCTION ALSO CAN PROVIDE FARMERS WITH MUCH-NEEDED CASH TO FUEL INNOVATION AND KEEP FARM FAMILIES IN BUSINESS:

Shepherd Actuality:

(:21) "FOR AGRICULTURE TO BE VIABLE IN PENNSYLVANIA, IT HAS TO FIND A PATH TOWARD PROFITABILITY, BALANCING THAT WITH THE NEEDS OF OUR ENVIRONMENT. THE MARCELLUS DEVELOPMENT, I THINK, GIVES PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THINK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE TOOLS, AND PERHAPS USE THEM TO MOVE FORWARD IN A WAY THAT'S REALLY GOING TO ENHANCE THEIR LIFESTYLE AS WELL AS THE BUSINESS."

(:13) A RECENT EXTENSION WEBINAR EXAMINING HOW SHALE GAS DEVELOPMENT AFFECTS AGRICULTURE CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT EXTENSION DOT PSU DOT EDU SLASH NATURAL GAS. FROM PENN STATE, I’M GARY ABDULLAH.

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"Webinar to look at natural gas development's effect on agriculture"