It's no secret, the cost of just about everything is going up. Perhaps you've heard people complaining about how food has become more expensive.

While the cost to the consumer is increasing, so is the cost to the producer. Not only is the cost of the fuel to operate equipment increasing on an almost daily basis, but other supplies such as fertilizer are also increasingly more expensive.

To help ensure that producers are receiving quality fertilizer, the state Department of Agriculture has started an on-farm bulk fertilizer sampling program. Both the fertilizer industry and the state agency want to provide assurance to manufacturers and growers that they are producing and receiving quality fertilizers.

Butler County growers are encouraged to contact Dennis Culley at the Department of Agriculture at 724-443-1585 or at dculley@state.pa.us to schedule sampling. Sampling is done while the fertilizer is still on the delivery truck. Once the fertilizer has been unloaded and is in the producer's control, sampling cannot be done. So it is important that producers make arrangements prior to a scheduled delivery.

The fertilizer industry has encouraged PDA to increase the number of random samples throughout the state. Producers obtaining fertilizer in bulk are encouraged to participate.

National Animal Identification System

Butler County livestock and poultry producers are invited to participate in an update program on the National Animal Identification System to be held at 7:15 p.m. Thursday at the Penn State Beaver campus. The session will be held in the general classroom building, Room 115A.

For a copy of the program brochure and directions to the Beaver campus, contact the Butler County Extension Office at 724-287-4761.

This material is submitted by Donna Zang, Extension director, and the staff of the Penn State Extension office at the Sunnyview Home complex.