Annual county extension dinner set for Nov. 12

COOLSPRING TOWNSHIP — The 97th Annual Meeting of the Mercer County Cooperative Extension Association is set for 7 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Leslie N. Firth Learning Center, home of Mercer County Cooperative Extension on Route 19 north of Mercer. The meeting includes a buffet dinner, a brief business meeting, staff report, Leslie N. Firth Scholarship presentations, and a presentation by Nina Redding, Adams County Extension Director.

Ms. Redding will present “The Magic of Laughter” focusing on the lighter side of life and the value of laughter.

The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. Dinner is $12 per person and reservations are due by Nov. 5.

Information and reservations: 724-662-3141, or mail reservations to P.O. Box 530, Mercer, 16137 with a check payable to “PSCE – Mercer County” and include the names of all attending.

This event is an opportunity to become better acquainted with all aspects of the extension program and to get acquainted with other extension supporters, volunteers, and participants.

Milk prices in Pa. get a boost to help farmers

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board is temporarily boosting the minimum price of milk across the state by a few cents a gallon to soothe hurting dairy farmers.

The three-member board voted Thursday to increase the premium paid to farmers by 23 percent.

For farmers, that means getting an extra 50 cents, or $2.65, per 100 pounds of milk. For consumers, that is expected to mean paying about 4 cents extra on a gallon of milk at retail. The higher price is effective Nov. 1 through Dec. 31.

In September, Gov. Ed Rendell asked the agency to help dairy farmers, saying Pennsylvania’s milk producers were facing prices that were 40 percent lower than the prior year.

Dairy prices have dropped amid low demand. Pennsylvania is the nation’s fifth-largest dairy state.

Pesticide update training set for Thursday

NEW WILMINGTON — Area crop producers are encouraged to attend a pesticide update training planned from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday at Deerfield Farms Crop Center, Route 208, New Wilmington.

A second session is set for Nov. 4 at the Atrium located on Route 422 west of Butler.