May 1, 2020
A $450,000 grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Peanut Research will aid researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences as they explore the potential to empower women farmers in northern Ghana through peanut production.
April 28, 2020
Trees, shrubs and woody vines are among the top food sources for honey bees in urban environments, according to an international team of researchers. By using honey bees housed in rooftop apiaries in Philadelphia, the researchers identified the plant species from which the honey bees collected most of their food, and tracked how these food resources changed from spring to fall. The findings may be useful to homeowners, beekeepers and urban land managers who wish to sustain honey bees and other bee and pollinator species.
April 28, 2020
Even before the recent news of the season’s first confirmed spotted lanternfly hatches in the Philadelphia region, homeowners in many parts of Pennsylvania were gearing up for their annual battle with the destructive pest.
April 27, 2020
In-person, nonessential events and programs sponsored by Penn State Extension through at least June 19 have been cancelled, postponed or moved to a virtual format due to the continuing coronavirus pandemic, the organization has affirmed.
April 27, 2020
In the most detailed study to date of epidemic spread, an international team of researchers has modeled measles dynamics based on over 40 years of data collected in England and Wales.
April 24, 2020
Penn State Extension will present a town hall-style, web-based seminar on May 7 to assist Pennsylvania agricultural stakeholders who rely on the H-2A visa program for temporary workers to operate their businesses.
April 24, 2020
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Is the novel coronavirus spread by food? As the extreme contagiousness of COVID-19 has become clear, that question has been asked over and over. The answer, according to food safety experts in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, is that there is no evidence that it can be spread via food or food packaging.
April 24, 2020
At a time when individuals should be supporting each other, there are those unscrupulous few who will seize the opportunity to take advantage of others. A Penn State Extension educator offers tips on how to avoid scams related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 24, 2020
Penn State Extension is hosting free webinars aimed at helping farmers and small business owners, including sole proprietors, understand the Paycheck Protection Program, a loan program designed to help businesses keep their workforce employed during the COVID-19 crisis.
April 23, 2020
In response to a sharp reduction in the demand for milk due to the COVID-19 outbreak, which has disrupted supply chains, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued emergency guidance that allows dairy farmers to discharge milk on their land.
April 23, 2020
Penn State’s PROmoting School-community-university Partnerships to Enhance Resilience (PROSPER) project is continuing to connect and engage Pennsylvania families and keep schools informed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 23, 2020
Whiteflies are among the most important agricultural pests in the world, yet they have been difficult to genetically manipulate and control, in part, because of their small size. An international team of researchers has overcome this roadblock by developing a CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing protocol that could lead to novel control methods for this devastating pest.
April 22, 2020
Many Pennsylvania residents are facing an increased risk for severe symptoms of the novel coronavirus while having limited access to medical services, and policy briefs from Penn State’s Pennsylvania Population Network (PPN) demonstrate why.
April 22, 2020
A common soil fungus might be enlisted as a powerful partner by corn producers to suppress pests and promote plant growth, according to Penn State researchers, who suggest promoting the fungus could be an especially valuable strategy for organic growers who struggle with insect control.
April 22, 2020
The COVID-19 outbreak is hitting Pennsylvania’s beleaguered dairy industry hard, and sadly, there is a segment that will not be able to sustain more economic body blows. However, the long-term outlook for dairy appears to be stable in the state, according to a Penn State Extension expert.
April 22, 2020
For those farm and food operations that have not ventured into the e-commerce world, there are numerous considerations behind the decision to strategically utilize e-commerce, beginning with the choice of platform to use, according to Penn State Extension educators.
April 20, 2020
To combat COVID-19 in both the treatment and testing arenas, Yong Wang, Penn State professor of biomedical engineering, has received two grants from the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences COVID-19 multi-institute seed grant fund.
April 20, 2020
Deanna Behring, assistant dean and director of international programs in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, is being lauded by her alma mater, Albion College, for her professional achievements.
April 20, 2020
In a study looking at the social networks of small-scale and minority specialty-crop farmers in Tennessee, Maryland, and Delaware, farmers who played a more prominent role in their network reported greater sales. The findings can help farming groups and agricultural support organizations leverage networks to enhance the farmers’ success.
April 19, 2020
During the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent cancellation of public events, organizers in the Office of Undergraduate Education still wanted to provide some avenue for undergraduates to gain the experience of communicating their research and be able to compete for prizes. Nearly 200 participants shared their research and creative work during the 2020 virtual Undergraduate Exhibition at Penn State.
April 16, 2020
As horticultural crop producers approach their busiest time of year, it has become apparent that the COVID-19 outbreak may impact their ability to source inputs, engage workers and operate their businesses in a normal fashion, according to a Penn State Extension expert.
April 16, 2020
At 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, Penn State will host its first virtual commencement. The ceremony will be livestreamed, and available internationally, at https://spring2020.commencement.psu.edu/.
April 16, 2020
The Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences recently launched a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee — the result of a conversation that sprouted from a mentoring relationship between a student and faculty member.
April 16, 2020
Economic losses due to soybean diseases in the United States from 1996 to 2016 amounted to more than $95 billion, according to a team of researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences who examined the long-term impact of soybean diseases on production in the U.S.
April 16, 2020
Growing up has its ups and downs even under normal circumstances, but the novel coronavirus is making that even more complicated, according to educators with Penn State Extension's food, family and health program team.
April 16, 2020
By collecting global Twitter data from the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, Penn State researchers developed a dashboard that tracks geotagged tweets to allow the opportunity for researchers and policymakers to assess public reactions to the pandemic.
April 15, 2020
Given the continuing challenge and uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic and to protect the health of students, faculty and staff, Penn State has made the decision to extend virtual delivery of courses into the summer. Further, the University will adjust tuition for the summer sessions in light of the ongoing pandemic and the persistent fiscal strain it is causing across Pennsylvania and the country.
April 15, 2020
With in-person training not currently available due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the pesticide-application industry still is receiving relevant information through Penn State Extension, which has ramped up online educational offerings.
April 15, 2020
Before Penn State alumna Tamela Serensits got her entrepreneurial feet, she got her sea legs as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy – traveling the world helping to protect freedom and leading critical decision-making when lives were on the line. That experience helped form her character, and commitment to her own startup company.
April 15, 2020
The election of agricultural interest trustees for the Penn State Board of Trustees is being temporarily deferred due to the coronavirus, the University announced today (April 15).
