The Wayne Tomorrow – Agriculture Committee is looking for your help.

 What do we need to keep our land in agriculture? What can be done to introduce or keep youth involved in agriculture?  We need your thoughts and suggestions and have created a survey to gather your input.  

 The survey will help us answer those questions. Please take about 20 minutes and go through the survey. To access the survey click the link below. If you would like a hard copy of the survey contact; Bob Muller at the Wayne Conservation District, 648 Park Street, Honesdale PA 18431, Telephone – 570-253-0930. The deadline for completing surveys is April 21^st.

 The results of these surveys will be combined with the results from a series of meetings held with representatives from Wayne County’s agricultural community.  The meetings were helpful, but now we need to hear from more representatives from the community.    Help us shape the future of Agriculture in Wayne County – fill out your survey today. 

Wayne Tomorrow Ag Survey

The Pa Department of Environmental Protection has posted a proposed policy affecting the Sewage Planning Modules in Special Protection Waters. Special Protection waters are those classified as High Quality and Exceptional Value. The policy was published in the PA Bulletin on March 2, 2013 and is open for comment until May 2, 2013. Click the link below for a copy of the policy.

Proposed Sewage Policy

The Wayne Conservation District is holding its 43rd Seedling Sale.  The sale is a fund raiser to help offset costs for operations and help fund several contests including our annual Perry/Westgate Memorial Scholarship.

Please click here for your copy of the order blank.

The deadline for ordering is March 22nd.

The PA Department of Environmental Protection adopted a new fee schedule, effective February 16, 2013, for permits related to water resources. These permits are specific to Chapter 105 of the PA Clean Streams Law. Example of permits affected include, General Permits, Joint permits for water obstructions and encroachments and dam permits.

To check the fee schedule please go to the water resources section of this website and click on “Water Related Permits”

If you have any questions please contact our office.

The State Department of Environmental Protection enacted new permit review and issuance guidance effective November 14, 2012. The guidance is referred to as “Permit Decision Guarantee.

The process applies time limits for specific steps in processing department wide permits. The guidance also references incomplete applications and the effects that will have on the decision for permit issuance.

For more information on Permit Decision Guarantee and Standard Operating Procedures click the link below.

DEP Permit Decision Guarantee

The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has recently released new guidelines related to Manure Management on Pennsylvania farms.

Every farm in Pennsylvania that land applies manure or agricultural process wastewater (generated on the farm or received from an importer), regardless of size, is required to have and implement a written Manure Management Plan. This includes manure and agricultural process wastewater application by various types of equipment and/or direct application of manure by animals on pastures and in Animal Concentration Areas (ACAs). In other words, farms that do not mechanically apply manure but which do have pastures or ACAs still need a manure management plan.

In order to assist with the development of a Manure Management Plan DEP has developed a Manure Management Plan Workbook. The workbook contains the necessary information for developing a manure management Plan. The plan must include the information identified in the workbook.

To further assist with maps for your agricultural operation Penn State in cooperation with DEP has developed a web based mapping program title PA One Stop.  This program works best with Mozilla Firefox.

If you have any questions or need assistance with your manure management plan or your agricultural operation please contact the Wayne Conservation District at 648 Park Street, Honesdale Pa 18431, Telephone 570-253-0930.

Links to information;

Manure Management Plan Workbook

PA One Stop

A new million-dollar grant program for private landowners in the Upper Delaware River Basin to implement forestry practices has been launched.  Forest owners in three states will be eligible to receive financial assistance for implementing sustainable forest management practices on their property.

The Common Waters Fund will provide incentives to qualifying landowners to implement forest stewardship plans, watershed forestry management practices, and/or conservation easements over the next two years.  

For more information click here  Common Waters Fund