What Makes Pennsylvania’s Agriculture Industry So Special?

Introduction

For those of you not familiar with my columns when I wrote on behalf of the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board, welcome.

To readers of my regular PMMB columns, welcome to an ever-so-slight change that I hope you’ll embrace.

It was time for me to leave Milk Marketing Board employment. Just behind missing my staff was going to be missing the opportunity to share my ruminations about the dairy industry through a Lancaster Farming column. When the opportunity to continue was presented, I jumped at the chance.

Mushrooms to Milkshakes

So here I am. Rather, here we are. A monthly column, “Mushrooms to Milkshakes,” that I hope to use to generate discussions about agriculture, in general, here in Penn’s Woods.

We certainly have a lot to talk about. There will be some on the dairy industry, of course, but also historical and current looks at other important sectors of Pennsylvania agriculture.

Then again, perhaps I should put “potatoes” somewhere in my column title, having just finished reading an article on how Pennsylvania has so many potato chip companies.

Agricultural Literacy and Research

The emphases for my career path, with few exceptions, have been the promotion of agricultural literacy through education in some form and the dissemination of meaningful agriculture- and education-related research to the general public.

Farming has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. And, like many of you, I fondly think about those good old days with a tendency to forget how difficult times were and how hard everyone had to work.

Also, like many of you, I have seen changes in all facets of life, including agriculture, that are sometimes difficult to fathom. We have lived through Sputnik, walking on the moon, the invention of cellphones, and the development of technologies so sophisticated they make my head spin.

Who would have thought? I can connect all my kitchen and laundry appliances to an app on my smartphone. My dishwasher tells me when it needs to be cleaned!

Changes in Agriculture

Aside from the obvious changes in the mechanization available to farmers to increase efficiency, I think the first big change in practice that I became aware of was a move to milking three times per day versus twice daily.

I was initially a skeptic and did read relevant research, but I was old school enough to think that a cow needed to be kept as long as possible to avoid the expense of purchasing a replacement.

I had to learn that the dairy business had changed to prioritize increased production per cow.

I also had somewhat of a rude awakening when I learned that alfalfa may not be the most important feedstuff in today’s modern dairy operation.

Exploring Pennsylvania Agriculture

For Mushrooms to Milkshakes, I plan to look at many other aspects of our agriculture industry in the commonwealth.

Some things of interest are related to the history of the fruit industry in south-central counties such as Franklin, Adams and York.

I particularly want to look at those pockets of local, unique agriculture practices and products to find out how they evolved.

For example, our wine industry is growing, and I am sure this has changed what crops are grown in certain areas (to grapes, of course).

And how did Pennsylvania become home to more local and family sausage and processed meat companies than any other state? I personally notice the difference in how plain breakfast sausage tastes when I travel to other states — ours is definitely better.

Fortunately, some of the larger grocery store chains in the South are beginning to sell Pennsylvania Lebanon bologna. Now we have to get scrapple into the markets there.

Promoting Economic Development

As I have written in my previous column, a lot of what we have in Pennsylvania springs forth from our values, and those are in place in part due to our unique cultural heritage.

It has always been my position that our state and local governments find ways to promote and encourage economic development — in agriculture and other sectors — within the context of this heritage.

Conclusion

There is so much to write about, and I look forward to doing so. If you have an idea for a column, please email me at cahardbarger49@gmail.com. This is your column too.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG 15: Life on Land

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 2.3: By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists, and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets, and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment.
• SDG 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.
• SDG 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading, and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labor-intensive sectors.
• SDG 9.2: Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries.
• SDG 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
• SDG 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for SDG 2.3: Agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers
• Indicator for SDG 4.7: Knowledge and skills acquired by learners related to sustainable development
• Indicator for SDG 8.2: Share of employment and gross domestic product in high-value added and labor-intensive sectors
• Indicator for SDG 9.2: Industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product
• Indicator for SDG 12.2: Sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
• Indicator for SDG 15.1: Conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: lancasterfarming.com

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