UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- From nutrient management, sustainable agriculture and grazing management to worms, backyard composting and backyard gardens, the Natural Resource Conservation Partnership Area of Ag Progress Days, Aug.19-21, will offer something for everyone.

Encompassing almost five acres of the Ag Progress Days site, the Conservation Partnership Area, will feature a range of demonstrations, presentations, tours and exhibits. Federal, state and local agencies as well as private entities will be represented.

Tours will include a forest stewardship tour that leads visitors on an easy walking trail titled "Penn's Woods." A grazing tour will cover grazing assistance programs for producers and explain how warm-season grasses can be used for grazing, biofuels, soil conservations and wildlife habitat. A stream corridor tour will illustrate how forested riparian buffers can help improve a stream's water quality.

In the presentation tent, federal, state and local partners will offer information on Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), which can help farmers to protect the soil, improve water quality and provide wildlife habitat. A grazing forum will allow farmers to question coordinators from USDA'S Project Grass on what is working for most Pennsylvanians. Other programs will focus on dirt and gravel roads and the snakes of Pennsylvania.

The main exhibition tent will feature displays for kids and adults. The Fish and Boat Commission will display a fish tank and will offer fly-casting exhibitions. Interactive exhibits will include worm containers, touch boxes, tattoos and special displays on grazing and CREP.

Other exhibits will focus on nutrient management, farm energy, forestry, fencing and watershed conservation, and the benefits of buffers.

Looking like an outdoor shower, a rainfall simulator will demonstrate the benefits of analyzing field and pasture runoff, particularly as it pertains to nutrient management. Several grass plantings will show how native plantings can help keep soil healthy and conserve water. Livestock watering equipment and fencing types also will be demonstrated, as will no-till planting and injection systems.

Stop by the information booth on the main grounds or at the Natural Resource Conservation Partnership Area for times and details of the tours and presentations. Exhibits and demonstrations are ongoing.

For more information on the partners or activities in the Natural Resource Conservation Partnership Area, contact Stacy Mitchell, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, at (717) 237-2208.

Penn State's Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 19; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21. Admission and parking are free.

For more information, call (800) PSU-1010 toll-free until Aug. 21 or visit the Ag Progress Days Web site at http://apd.cas.psu.edu.

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Contact:

Cheryl Anthony cka106@psu.edu 814-863-0938 814-863-9877 fax

Chuck Gill cdg5@psu.edu 814-863-2713 814-863-9877 fax #213