Latinx Agricultural Network

The group was the recipient of the 2022 National Extension Award for Diversity, co-sponsored by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities' Extension Committee on Organization and Policy, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The award was presented during the association’s annual meeting November 6, 2022 in Denver, Colorado.

A strategic planning group at Penn State seeks to enhance engagement and continue to provide support to Pennsylvania’s Latinx agricultural community.

The Latinx Agricultural Network was created at Penn State to further improve the already ongoing efforts to reach out to the Pennsylvania Latinx agricultural community. Latinx is a gender-neutral term to refer to people with a Latin American heritage.

2021 Northeast Integrated Pest Management Center IPM Toolbox Presentation by Maria Gorgo-Gourovitch, Horticulture Extension Educator at Penn State.

December 10, 2024

The Extension Foundation's AgriProspects Workforce Development Network recently awarded Penn State Extension a competitive mini-grant to support its "Success Skills in Spanish 4 Ag" project, which focuses on workforce development for Spanish-speaking tree-fruit growers and poultry farmers.

October 15, 2021

Despite accounting for 18% of the total US population, Latinos hold just 5.3% of executive positions (Swerzenski et al., 2020). This article will outline the potential reasons for this underrepresentation as well as discuss ways that organizations can address this issue through the creation of a more inclusive and welcoming environment for Latinos to take on leadership roles.

December 3, 2024

Penn State Extension is excited to announce the launch of its new Facebook page, Penn State Extension en Español, a dedicated platform to serve the Spanish-speaking community.

February 8, 2024

Beekeeping can be a rewarding endeavor, providing additional income to households and positively impacting crop production through essential pollination services. In this engaging Spanish-language webinar series, expert Penn State instructors guide participants through the fundamental aspects of beekeeping, including the intricacies of honey bee behavior, the necessary equipment for successful beekeeping, valuable hive products and managing potential threats. The series also delves into the year-round care required to keep bees healthy and productive. Whether aspiring beekeepers or honey bee enthusiasts, the webinars empower learners with the knowledge and skills needed for successful beekeeping in a Spanish-speaking context.

January 10, 2024

This resource, in Spanish and English, is part of a series on "Cross-cultural Relationships in the Workplace." It will provide useful information to apply strategies to create a positive diversity climate in your organization.

August 30, 2021

Si Usted está buscando información sobre agricultura, Penn State Extension es el puente entre la ciencia que se investiga en Pennsylvania State University y Usted como parte de la comunidad agrícola. Por lo tanto, Penn State Extension proporciona información imparcial en la que se puede confiar. Usted encontrará información sobre diferentes temas agrícolas, incluyendo de hortalizas, frutas de árboles, bayas, uvas, lácteos, seguridad alimentaria de granjas, nutrición y salud y más en el sitio web de Penn State Extension. Usted puede encontrar la información de contacto de todos los educadores en el Penn State Extension directorio.

August 30, 2021

When you are looking for agriculture information, Penn State Extension is the bridge between the science conducted at the Pennsylvania State University and you, as part of the agriculture community. Two ways to connect to Penn State Extension are through the internet at our website and through our network of Extension Educators. At the Penn State Extension website, you will find information on different agriculture topics including vegetables, tree fruit, berries, grapes, dairy, farm food safety, health and nutrition, and more. Contact information for all of us is on the Penn State Extension website directory.

May 30, 2024

The Latin American Graduate Student Association is committed to providing a sense of belonging for students who share a common interest in Latin culture, heritage, and academic pursuits. LAGRASA is a platform for collaboration and cultural exchange among graduate students.

February 14, 2024

Latino agricultural professionals recognize the need to stay informed about new practices and technology advancements through continuing education. However, opportunities to learn in their native language of Spanish often are limited.

October 29, 2021

With funding from USDA NIFA award number 2017-70020-27236, Penn State Extension educators from the Food Safety and Horticulture teams developed bilingual Produce Safety educational materials and delivered trainings to Latino Fresh Produce Growers and Farmworkers in Pennsylvania.

April 14, 2023

Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching & Engagement (EXCITE) is an initiative funded through an Interagency Agreement with the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to address health disparities by reducing vaccination hesitancy. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Latinx community was over-represented in coronavirus cases and more likely to suffer severe health outcomes and harder economic impact. Despite Extension’s long history as a trusted source of information, effective messaging requires more than providing materials in Spanish to reach Latinx communities. Science-based, unbiased education credentials do not guarantee trust and acceptance from hard-to-reach audiences. Recognizing this, Penn State Extension developed strategic partnerships within the community to conduct education to reduce vaccine hesitancy among Latinx. A bilingual post-project survey indicated the target audience was reached, with 71% reporting the campaign increased their trust in the vaccine, 93% feeling the vaccine is safe (somewhat to very), and 93% feeling it is important for others to get vaccinated for health.

November 3, 2021

Jorge Manzo of McCleaf’s Orchard in Adams County inspects buds on a kiwi vine. He is one of many Spanish-speaking growers who take part in bilingual agricultural education provided by Penn State Extension.

April 27, 2022

An innovative community service-learning course, "Community Engaged Learning with Pennsylvania Farmworkers," offered by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, brings students of all disciplines together to teach and engage with immigrant farmworkers living in Centre County. Kathleen Sexsmith, assistant professor of rural sociology, and Adrian Barragan, assistant clinical professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences, are co-teaching the course. The three-credit course exposes students to immigration and local agricultural and labor issues through a language partnership with Spanish-speaking immigrants on local dairy farms.

October 29, 2021

Students in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences can fulfill their language requirements with a series of introductory and intermediate-level Spanish for Agriculture language and culture courses designed to benefit both students and industry. Tailoring the courses to agriculture is more than just vocabulary words. García Prudencio, who is trained as a forester and agroecologist, teaches with the goal of giving students the ability to convey clear and simple ideas and commands at the farm or job site.