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Wondering how you can do what you love with less stress and more financial security? Consultant Julia Shanks shares her agriculturally focused take on seven popular business management techniques to help you get your farm business running as smoothly as possible.

Agroforestry is the intentional integration of trees or shrubs with crop and animal production. It mixes agriculture and forestry practices to support profitable and sustainable farms, ranches, and woodlands. USDA offers a range of resources to support agroforestry across your working land.

Tick bites can pose a threat to our health; moreover Tick exposure can occur year-round, but ticks are most active during warmer months (April-September). This site has useful information to help you prevent tick bites and reduce the risk of acquiring Lyme Disease.

Exposure to heat can cause illness and death. The most serious heat illness is heat stroke. Other heat illnesses, such as heat exhaustion, heat cramps and heat rash, should also be avoided. There are precautions that can be taken any time temperatures are high and the job involves physical work.

For many farmers and ranchers interested in acquiring land, purchasing major equipment, and even establishing conservation practices, access to credit is a must. However, many producers and aspiring producers of color, as well as female producers, have reported facing discrimination when attempting to obtain agricultural loans from private lenders as well as from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In response to these claims, Congress included a provision in the 2018 Farm Bill requiring the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate and publish its findings on how socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers (SDFRs) are accessing agricultural credit.

Held for the first time ever in Philadelphia, PA the 2019 PA-WAgN symposium was a huge success. There were more than 200 women farmers, growers, and food advocates in attendance making the 2019 symposium our largest yet.  We had diverse representation from rural and urban audiences and across the food systems sector, also making this year’s symposium our most diverse to date.  With more than 30 presenters, 10 workshops, lightning talks and dynamic presentations, this year’s symposium was certainly one for the books!

Racial injustice is one of the many ills of this country that extends far beyond policing and PA-WAgN is committed to identifying and addressing this historical and current oppression through our work and in particular through the work of PA-WAgN's Women's Rural Urban Network (WRUN). There is always more we can do to show up for racial justice and we hope you will consider ways that you can be a racial transformer in your own life.

(From Foodtank.com) Throughout the United States and around the world, millions of people gather in June for Pride Month, a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and honor their contributions to the world. Over the past several years, the U.S. has made significant strides toward equality for people of all genders and sexualities, with landmarks such as the legalization of same-sex marriage by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 and the election of Danica Roem, Virginia’s first openly transgender candidate, in 2017. And on June 15, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Despite this progress, LGBTQ+ people continue to experience discrimination that negatively impacts their physical and mental wellbeing. Transgender and gender-nonconforming people in the U.S., particularly Black transgender women, remain at increased risk of fatal violence and sexual assault. Studies also show that LGBTQ+-identifying folks—especially people of color—face higher rates of food insecurity than their straight and cisgender counterparts. And while many LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. have access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), some food banks and pantries have denied services to people due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. In the face of this discrimination, LGBTQ+ community leaders around the globe continue to fight for lasting change. In honor of Pride Month, Food Tank is highlighting collectives, farms, and other organizations that are working to strengthen LGBTQ+ representation in the food system and give back to their communities.

Recordings are now available for the 3-part essentials class series PA-WAgN hosted in partnership with The Quiet Creek Herb Farm and School of Country Living. Located in the 'Farminar' Tab on our website you will find recordings for the Hand Sanitizers Class, Plant Propagation Class, and Herbal Soap Making Class.

PA-WAgN (Pennsylvania Women's Agricultural Network) is going through an organizational transition, and we need to hear from our membership about your experiences and thoughts about the future of PA-WAgN. We have created a survey to get your feedback about how to shape PA-WAgN's mission, activities, and structure. The survey takes between 10-20 minutes. It asks about your participation over the past few years at PA-WAgN events and your priorities for PA-WAgN in the future. We know that in the current state of the world, an organization seeking your input may be the last thing on your mind. Still, we hope that those with capacity consider participating as COVID-19 has shown the importance of continued investment and participation in agriculture.