UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Government officials will discuss agricultural innovation and other key issues affecting agriculture during events at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days, Aug. 11-13, at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Rock Springs as the permanent Ag Progress Days site.
State and federal government elected officials and agency representatives, Penn State experts and industry leaders will be on hand to engage with stakeholders on issues affecting Pennsylvania and U.S. agriculture during the three-day expo.
Ag Progress Days draws as many as 50,000 agricultural producers, consumers and families from Pennsylvania and beyond for displays, workshops, tours and demonstrations. A new addition this year is the FIRA Robotics Village — a special exhibit hosted by the College of Agricultural Sciences and organized by the Robotics Factory of Pittsburgh and GOFAR, a global accelerator of agricultural robotics.
Scheduled events include the following:
— Town Hall Discussion on Pennsylvania Agriculture, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, Red Barn Annex and via webinar. College of Agricultural Sciences Dean Troy Ott and Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding will discuss the current state of Pennsylvania agriculture, including emerging issues and opportunities, with a special emphasis on innovation. A question-and-answer session will follow the opening remarks.
— Joint Informational Meeting of the Pennsylvania House and Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committees, 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Aug. 12, Red Barn Annex. This meeting is open to the public, as space permits.
— Forum with U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, College of Agricultural Sciences Exhibits Building Theater. Thompson, who represents Pennsylvania’s 15th District and chairs the House Agriculture Committee, will provide the latest updates from Washington. This session will include a question-and-answer period.
In addition to the scheduled events, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Building will host exhibits and presentations on several state initiatives, including programs in animal and plant health, food assistance, food safety, farmland preservation and PA Preferred.
At other exhibit areas, visitors can learn about governmental services and programs that may help them address production or economic challenges.
Among the state and federal agencies represented at the event will be the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; the state Department of Environmental Protection; the Pennsylvania Game Commission; and several U.S. Department of Agriculture agencies, including the Agricultural Research Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Farm Service Agency, and National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Sponsored by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, 9 miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 11; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 12; and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 13. Admission and parking are free.
For more information, visit the Ag Progress Days website. X users can find and share information about the event by using the hashtag #agprogressdays, and the event also can be found on Facebook (@AgProgressDays).