On November 13, the Department of Agriculture announced the award of nearly $1.3 million to seven organizations for research on issues critical to sustaining and growing Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry.

Grant recipients include Penn State University, Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, PA Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Think and Grow Farms, and Western PA Conservancy.

“The agriculture industry contributes $136 billion to our state economy every year and supports 580,000 jobs,” Gov. Tom Wolf said. “These investments in cutting edge research are key to sustaining and growing the industry that feeds our communities and our economy.”

The grants, awarded by the Department of Agriculture, focus on a broad range of research topics including adapting to and reducing climate change, extending growing seasons in urban agriculture, combating animal disease, increasing farm productivity and profits, protecting pollinators, remote sensing to detect injured and sick livestock, controlling invasive species, and improving soil and water quality.

“Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry is challenged by rapid changes in climate, technology, and evolving animal and plant diseases,” said Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding. “Along with those challenges come opportunities to increase productivity, advance human and animal medicine, plant and environmental science, and food safety. Research is what fuels innovation and future prosperity.”

Among the grants awarded are--

-- PA Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Millheim, Centre County – $73,683 – Building Soil Health and Climate Resilience through On-Farm Citizen Science

-- Temple University, Philadelphia – $145,634 – Furthering Computational Approaches to Model the Spotted Lanternfly invasion and economic impacts

-- Temple University – $48,161 – Investigating the Role of Invasive Plants on the Prevalence of Lyme Disease in Pennsylvania

-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Pittsburgh – $41,268 – Bees of Barrens Habitats   

-- Pennsylvania State University – $89,394 – Spotted Lanternfly Host Preference and Impacts on Ornamental Trees     

-- Pennsylvania State University – $102,714 – Predicting Pollinator Responses to Climate Change

-- Pennsylvania State University – $180,000 – 2020-2021 Pennsylvania Farm Conservation Practices Inventory and Total Maximum Daily Load Cost Study

-- Pennsylvania State University – $64,918 – Evaluating Bio-pesticides Against Spotted Lanternfly   

-- University of Pennsylvania – $30,000 – A Novel Approach to Improve Productivity and Reduce Methane Emissions Based on Bacteria-archaea Networks in Rumen of PA Dairy Cows

-- University of Pennsylvania – $4,960 – Retrospective Analysis of Fatal West Nile Virus Encephalitis in Pa. Horses from 2009-2019 and Correlation with Climate, Human, and Avian Disease

Click Here for a complete list of grants awarded.

NewsClips:

275+ PA Environment & Energy NewsClips Are Waiting Here For You To Read Them

Related Articles:

Briefing: Positive, Bipartisan Environmental, Energy Bills The House & Senate Can Pass Before The End Of 2019

Auditor General DePasquale: State’s Unfocused Efforts On Climate Change Crisis Risks Lives, Cost Taxpayers $261 Million In 2018 Alone

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Report: Climate Change Is No Longer A Distant Threat For Farmers, It’s Here

[Posted: November 13, 2019]

11/18/2019