Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- June 7, 2005

Agricultural producers make PEACCE with the environment (:50)

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Suggested Intro:

AS AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS WORK TO MINIMIZE THEIR ECOLOGICAL IMPACT, A PROGRAM CO-SPONSORED BY PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES IS RECOGNIZING FARM OPERATIONS THAT TAKE STEPS TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. CHUCK GILL HAS DETAILS:

Story:

(:11) THE PENNSYLVANIA ENVIRONMENTAL AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION CERTIFICATION OF EXCELLENCE -- OR PEACCE -- PROGRAM RECOGNIZES LIVESTOCK OPERATIONS FOR ADOPTING ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND PRODUCTION PRACTICES.

(:13) PARTICIPANTS MUST COMPLETE AN ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS COURSE COVERING NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT, AIR QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS. PENN STATE EXTENSION ASSOCIATE ROBERT MEINEN SAYS PRODUCERS THEN HAVE TO UNDERGO AN ON-FARM ASSESSMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:

Meinen Actuality:
(:17) "IT'S FUNDED BY AMERICA'S CLEAN WATER FOUNDATION. AND THAT ASSESSMENT GIVES A VERY DETAILED REPORT TO THE PRODUCER OF WHAT THEY DO RIGHT, AND ALSO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THEY MAY HAVE ENVIRONMENTALLY. OUR PRODUCERS CAN THEN TAKE THAT CHALLENGE LIST AND USE IT AS A PUNCH LIST AND KNOCK OUT THEIR CHALLENGES, AND MAKE THEIR FARM MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SECURE."

(:09) MEINEN SAYS PRODUCERS WHO COMPLETE THE PROGRAM CAN ENHANCE THEIR PUBLIC IMAGE, AND MAY MINIMIZE THE RISK OF NUISANCE COMPLAINTS AND LAWSUITS. FROM PENN STATE, I'M CHUCK GILL.

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To learn more, follow these links:

PRODUCERS RECOGNIZED FOR ACHIEVING ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE (news from the College of Agricultural Sciences)

Pennsylvania Environmental Agricultural Conservation Certification of Excellence (PEACCE) (PDF format-- Adobe Acrobat Reader required)

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