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Pennsylvania
Historical and Museum Commission
Bureau of Archives
and History
Pennsylvania State Archives
Under section I of the Act of March
13, 1895, establishing a Department of Agriculture, the Office of Secretary of
Agriculture was created to administer the activities of the newly created department.
The secretary is appointed to a four year term by the governor with the advice
and consent of the Senate, and is charged with the responsibility to "encourage
and promote agriculture and related industries throughout the Commonwealth."
This primary responsibility is accomplished through numerous programs and services,
mostly mandated by law. These programs and services range from animal and plant
disease control and eradication programs, agricultural product inspection and
regulatory programs, marketing and agricultural promotional services to grants
and subsidies.
Administrative Correspondence,
1936-1938, 1941-1956, 1958-1971, 1987-1989, 1997-2003.
(72 cartons)
{series #1.1} [Holdings]
Between
1936-1971, arranged alphabetically by subject or correspondent, and thereunder
chronologically by date of correspondence. From 1987 on, organized loosely in
chronological order and thereunder in some instances by subject.
Incoming,
outgoing, and interdepartmental correspondence between the Secretary of Agriculture
and bureau directors, department heads, and citizens. There are large groupings
of material from the administrations of Secretaries Miles Horst (1941-1953), W.
C. Hennings (1955-1963), and Leland H. Bull (1964-1969). Information found includes
regulations for disease control and the licensing of health officials; codes for
building inspection; reports to the secretary regarding insect infestation, livestock,
and crop disease; recommendations from inspectors; research data; agricultural
statistics; and transcripts of legislation. Also included are budget figures,
policy statements, program evaluations, statistics on damage from Hurricane Agnes,
department reports, contracts and agreements, press releases, publications, newspaper
clippings, and occasional photographs. Prior to 1953, the files are almost exclusively
from the Farm Show Commission, except for several folders of contracts and agreements
from 1936-1938. The majority of files from 1998-2003 relate to Agriculture Secretary
Samuel E. Hayes, Jr., and consist of event invitations, and regret and thank you
letters, with a smaller portion of files relating to constituent mail; farm easement
legislation; crop loss programs in response to the drought of 1999; county fairs;
and farmland preservation. Also contains correspondence with the Governor, 1959-1962
(continued beyond 1962 in Correspondence with the Governor and
Cabinet Members, 1963-1975 {series #1.2}. Administrative correspondence
is also found in Executive Office Correspondence File, 1955-1975
{series #1.3} and Interdepartmental Correspondence File,
1970-1975 {series #1.4}.
Annual Reports,
1877-1991 (not inclusive).
(6 boxes)
{series #1.19} [Holdings]
Arranged chronologically by year of volume.
Published annual reports
of the State Board of Agriculture. Also bound within the annual reports are a
list of board members, board committees, board reports and publications, minutes
of the transactions of the Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society, the report
of the Pennsylvania Dairyman's Association, the report of the State Horticultural
Association of Pennsylvania, and the annual report of the Pennsylvania State College.
Some annual reports are bound into multi-year volumes.
Correspondence
with the Governor and Cabinet Members,
1963-1975.
(6 cartons)
{series #1.2} [Holdings]
Grouped
chronologically by year, and thereunder arranged alphabetically by subject or
correspondent.
Letters referred to the Secretary of Agriculture by the
Governor, cabinet members, committee chairmen, and deputy secretaries. Information
found in the records include addresses of cabinet members, their deputies and
public information officers; newsletters and columns printed by various commissions;
brochures on community planning; outlines for a Consumer Protection Act (1972)
and a Bureau of Consumer Affairs; drafts of reports and presentations; proposals
for new programs; and lists of the governor's appointments. Correspondence with
the Governor prior to 1963 is filed in Administrative Correspondence,
1936-2003 {series #1.1}. Administrative correspondence is also found in Executive
Office Correspondence File, 1955-1975 {series #1.3} and Interdepartmental
Correspondence File, 1970-1975 {series #1.4}.
Executive
Office Correspondence File,
1955-1975.
(22 cartons)
{series
#1.3} [Holdings]
Grouped chronologically
by date of correspondence, and thereunder arranged alphabetically by subject.
Correspondence, pamphlets, news clippings, and other documentation received
by the Office of the Secretary. The files provide information on topics such as
the Appalachia Poverty Program, department and state budgets, the Dairy Council,
the Farm Show complex and activities, the National Association of State Departments
of Agriculture, United States Department of Agriculture, disaster relief, professional
associations, publications, reports, Pennsylvania State University, national conventions,
and legislation. Similar correspondence is also found in Administrative
Correspondence, 1936-2003 {series #1.1}, Correspondence
with the Governor and Cabinet Members, 1963-1975 {series #1.2} and Interdepartmental
Correspondence File, 1970-1975 {series #1.4}.
Interdepartmental
Correspondence File,
1970-1975.
(9 cartons)
{series #1.4} [Holdings]
Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Correspondence and memorandums
to and from staff of the Department of Agriculture, citizens, business owners,
and local government officials. Subjects covered include the Dog Law, animal shelters,
animal testing, Farm Show, food safety, product labeling, consumer education,
rural development, rural transportation, pesticides, and various agricultural
industries. Similar correspondence is also found in Administrative
Correspondence, 1936-2003 {series #1.1}, Correspondence
with the Governor and Cabinet Members, 1963-1975 {series #1.2} and in
Executive Office Correspondence File, 1955-1975 {series
#1.3}.
Press Office Photographs,
1890-2003.
(37 cartons, 11 boxes)
{series #1.5} [Holdings]
Arranged alphabetically by subject. Between 1992-2003, grouped chronologically,
and thereunder by subject.
Photographs, negatives, slides, and motion
picture films produced by the Department of Agriculture's Press Office. The photographs,
negatives and slides record events, department executive staff, honored guests,
animal and plant diseases, promotions, buildings, exhibits, and agricultural products.
Examples include construction of the Department of Agriculture building, 16th
National Plowing Contest, Farm Show livestock parades and champions, Crow abatement,
Anti-Inflation Gardens, antique farm machinery, and aerial views of areas affected
by Oak Wilt. Also included are two 400 foot 16 mm color and sound motion picture
reels titled "Silent Servants" and "Beyond Tomorrow", ca.
1960s, which are short promotional clips developed by the Department of Agriculture.
Scrapbooks,
1918-1940.
(1 microfilm roll,
#6642)
{series #1.37} [Holdings]
Arranged chronologically by year, and thereunder grouped chronologically
by date of newspaper article.
Microfilm of news clippings arranged in
bound scrapbooks. The news clippings provide information on topics such as crop
estimates, increases, declines, and total yield in production; statistics on crops,
livestock, orchards, acreage, machinery, and farmers; estimates and reports on
weather conditions, disasters, and diseases that impacted agricultural production;
state farm shows and awards; information on records, standards, and surveys collected
by the Department of Agriculture; cost of production and information on prices
for agricultural products; and political legislation and social groups affecting
Pennsylvania farmers. In 1924, the selected news clippings are more politically
focused, and there are references to World War I wartime wheat production and
Prohibition. In 1924-1930 and 1940, articles focus on decline in prices and financial
losses for Pennsylvania farmers. The 1940 news clippings are predominantly about
publicizing farm shows statewide. The news clippings are not always labeled with
dates or title of newspaper; however, the scrapbooks contain clippings from a
variety of sources and towns across the Commonwealth.
Between
1900 and 1916, farm organizations held their annual meetings in Harrisburg, usually
with a display of exhibits. In August 1916, the Secretary of Agriculture, Clark
E. Patton, invited agricultural groups to discuss the possibility of a combined
farm show and this meeting resulted in the staging of the Pennsylvania Corn, Fruit,
Vegetable, Dairy Products and Wool Show on January 23, 1917. To coordinate the
many activities involved in producing the annual shows, a State Farm Products
Show Committee was created in December 1917. A motion was passed by the Committee
in February 1927 recommending that it be reorganized as an agency of the Commonwealth,
and that a provision be made for an advisory board to be composed of representatives
of participating organizations. Thus, the State Farm Products Show Commission
was created in April 1927. The Commission is now responsible for various agricultural
and athletic events, as well as numerous types of commercial and trade
shows. In addition to the Farm Products Show, it sponsors three other major annual
shows: the Pennsylvania All-American Dairy Show (1964-present), the Pennsylvania
Livestock Exposition (1957-present), and the Pennsylvania National Horse Show
(1947-present). Other events such as the Shrine Circus, Sportsman's Show, Automobile
Show, political rallies and basketball games are also supervised by the Commission.
Exhibition and Show Lists,
2007-2009.
(3 cartons)
{series #1.35} [Holdings]
Grouped by year and thereunder grouped by subject.
Premium lists,
catalogs (entry lists) and sale lists for the Keystone International Livestock
Exposition, the All-American Dairy Show and the Pennsylvania Farm Show. The premium
lists include information such as judges, times, eligibility, and rules for each
show division and section. The exhibition catalogs list all exhibitors and sponsors.
Information provided for each exhibitor includes: exhibitor number, name, farm
name, city and state where farm is located, animal's name, registration number,
date of birth, sire, dam, and breeder. The Sale of Champions program provides
a list of Farm Show champion and reserve champion animals and their purchasers.
Brochures for Keystone International Livestock Exposition and All-American Dairy
Show contests are also included.
Farm Products
Show Commission Minutes
1927-1997.
(2 cartons)
{series #1.6}
[Holdings]
Arranged chronologically
by date of meetings. Between 1985-1987, arranged chronologically by year, and
thereunder loosely by subject.
Minutes from the meetings of the Farm
Show Products Commission. Meeting topics include financial statements, budgets,
building plans, and exhibits. Some other issues included the approval of judges
for the various contests, theatrical and musical guests and performers, and health
regulations for livestock. The meetings also discuss livestock sales, purchasing
new property, designating parking areas, and records of prize money awarded.
Farm Show Contracts, Correspondence and Exhibits,
1985-1994.
(2 cartons)
{series #1.21} [Holdings]
Arranged chronologically by year and thereunder by subject.
Correspondence, exhibit contracts, and premium lists related to the annual Farm
Show. Information found in the records include exhibitors' contracts and type
of exhibits; invoices and financial data involving vendor fees; and floor plans
showing layout of exhibits and community booths.
Official
Farm Show Program Souvenir Books,
1979-2002 (not inclusive).
(1 carton,
1 box, 1 volume)
{series #1.32} [Holdings]
Arranged chronologically by year.
Official program souvenir
books from the Annual Farm Show include greetings from the Secretary of Agriculture
and Governor; daily schedules of events and meetings; photographs of various Future
Farmers of America Chapters and commodity queens; exhibitor map and lists; advertisements;
and news features relating to the Department of Agriculture. Also included in
this series is a History of the Pennsylvania Farm Products Show, 1937,
and a reprint from The Telephone News, "The Fabulous Farm Show",
March 1963.
Farm
Certifications,
1977-1986.
(1 carton)
{series #1.34} [Holdings]
Arranged chronologically by year and thereunder by date of application.
Applications
from Pennsylvania farmers who sought exemption from costs associated with sewer
and water line installation under Act 71: The Farmland Water and Sewer Exemption
Act. The records contain information about the land owner, property in question,
assessment from water and/or sewage company, documentation that the land was and
would continue to be devoted to agricultural use, types and amounts of commodities
produced, and documentation from owners that they met the minimum requirements
of Act 71. Included in the files are correspondence, memos, land deeds, profit
and loss statements, maps, and in some cases, photographs. One file includes an
appeal with information from the hearing and related documents.
Temporary Emergency
Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) Files,
1985-1987.
(1 carton)
{series #1.38} [Holdings]
Grouped by subject.
Files of the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).
As part of a national initiative, TEFAP provided cheese, butter, honey, rice,
flour, cornmeal, and nonfat dairy milk to qualifying low-income people in every
county in Pennsylvania. Includes: reports, correspondence, memorandum, bulletins,
county surveys, evaluations, program rules, corruption investigations, and publications.
The Bureau of Plant Industry was
established in 1919 when the Bureau of Economic Zoology, which had operated within
the Department of Agriculture since 1897, was reorganized and renamed. A new organizational
structure for the Bureau became effective in December of 1971, and included the
following divisions and sections: Entomology Division (Regulatory Section, Survey
Section, Taxonomy Section, Pest Management Section); Plant Pathology Division
(Survey Section, Diagnostic Laboratory Section, Clean Stock Program Section, Regulatory
Section); Botany and Seed Division (Laboratory Section, Seed Certification Section.)
At that time, the Entomology Division also assimilated the duties of the Division
of Nursery Inspection, which had existed within the Bureau since 1917. Later in
1974, the Division of Feed, Fertilizer, and Lime Control and the Pesticide Program
were transferred from the Bureau of Foods and Chemistry to the Bureau of Plant
Industry, providing greater expertise in the use of pesticides to more effectively
implement the Pennsylvania Pesticide Control Act of 1973. The Bureau is responsible
for maintaining and protecting Pennsylvania's agriculture from destructive plant
pests and protecting consumers from purchasing low quality plants or plant material
due to pest-associated problems. It fulfills this mandate by conducting surveys
to detect new or unusual pests, monitoring known pests to determine population
levels, providing accurate identification of the species, generating studies of
the organism and its relation to other organisms, making available to the public
the results of research dealing with the control or management of the pests, and
regulating crop growers and nurseries to assure "pest free" or superior
quality propagating stock.
Lantern
Slide File,
1905-1944.
(31 boxes)
{series #1.25} [Holdings]
Partially arranged by type of insect and plant disease.
Contains approximately 3,500
3x5 glass lantern slides primarily created from the Photographic
Negative File, 1905, 191-1944 {series #1.7} for educational and study
purposes. Most bear descriptive information and the number of the negative from
which each was taken. Others are illustrations taken from books, maps, charts
or graphs. There are also title slides prepared by staff for use in lectures.
A few were purchased from commercial photographic firms such as William, Brown
& Earle, Co., Philadelphia; the Edmondson Co., Cleveland, and from Mrs. M.
V. Slingerlund. Infrequently, lantern slides are hand-colored. Though originally
arranged by subject, this order has been lost, and the file is presently unarranged.
Photographic Negative File,
1905, 1911-1944.
(6,469 negatives)
{series #1.7} [Holdings]
Arranged numerically by photographic negative number.
Contains over 5,000 5x7 or
4x5 glass or film negatives created and used by the bureau for technical and publicity
purposes. Each image, arranged numerically, is housed in a folder bearing a number
and descriptive information. Plants and insects often bear their Latin taxonomic
names. A contact print is occasionally filed with the negative. Subjects cover
day-to-day activities of the bureau and other bureaus of the department, special
events, animals, insects and plants. Activities and events show staff at work,
the Insect Collection Room, exhibits, egg testing, and treating plant diseases
at experimental farms and orchards all over the state. Animals include domesticated
and wild animals and birds, most native to Pennsylvania. Insects are either beneficial
or harmful to farm and forest production. Many views are technical studies of
an insect at various stages of development: egg, larva and adult. Most are devoted
to bees and beekeeping, with views of various apiaries throughout the state. Plants
are primarily vegetable, fruit, and nut crops, shown at planting, cultivation,
harvesting and processing. Examples are shown of healthy plants and those damaged
by the above insects and typical diseases. Miscellaneous subjects include views
of pruning and spraying trees in Capitol Park, Harrisburg; orchards owned by Governor
William Sproul; farm machinery; greenhouses; flour mills; the town of Somerville,
N.J., during a 1920 gypsy moth infestation; the Heinz Tomato Canning Factory,
Chambersburg; and "war gardens" cultivated by anthracite and bituminous
coal mining families.
Reports and Related Records,
1917-1971.
(1 carton, 5 boxes, 1 flat file)
{series #1.8} [Holdings]
Arranged chronologically by date of report or date correspondence was
received. Carton 6 is loosely grouped by subject.
Reports and records
sent to the director of the Plant Industry Bureau from various departments and
inspectors. Information found includes annual, biennial, and monthly reports,
lists of certified greenhouses and nurseries, reports of inspectors, project proposals
and evaluations (often with maps and photos incorporated), plant pest prosecution
files, reports on plant pathology, and drafts of federal and state regulations.
The records provide data on insect infestation (Japanese Beetle, Blueberry Maggot,
Gypsy Moth) and plant diseases (Dutch Elm Disease, White Pine Blister Bust). Prior
to 1923, there are scattered records dealing with introduced pests, historical
materials, and general bureau activities.
White
Pine Blister Rust Lantern Slides,
circa 1920s.
(1 box)
{series
#1.39} [Holdings]
Unarranged.
Contains eighty-six color images on glass lantern slides used in a training
program for forestry employees to assist in the recognition of white pine blister
rust and its control through the elimination of the black currant bush (Ribes
species). Most slides are labeled with a description, location information and
date. Slides include: images of disease on white pines and the control procedures
and activities carried out to eradicate Ribes. Subjects include sites all over
the Northeastern United States. Some slides are labeled U.S. Department of Agriculture
and contain a number relating to its photographic negative. For more lantern slides,
see also Lantern Slide File, 1905-1944 {#1.25}.
The Bureau of Markets was established in
1917 to assist the producer, processor, wholesaler, and retailer in the promotion
and sale of Pennsylvania agricultural commodities. The divisions of the Bureau
included: Fruits and Vegetables; Poultry and Eggs; Livestock and Dairy; Marketing
and Consumer Services; Market Development; and Fair Fund Administration. In 1871,
the branches of Fruits and Vegetables and Poultry and Eggs were transferred to
the Bureau of Foods and Chemistry, and the Division of Market Development was
expanded into the Bureau of Agricultural Development in 1982. The Bureau furnishes
advice and assistance on the marketing of farm products; compiles and distributes
information concerning the supply, demand, prevailing prices, and commercial movement
of farm products; assists in the organization and conduct of public markets and
cooperative marketing associations; establishes standards for the grading of principal
farm products; maintains an inspection service which assures purchasers of high
quality products and certifies the grades of farm products at farm shipping points,
receiving points, and canneries to meet the needs of intrastate, interstate, and
foreign commerce; and licenses dealers in agricultural products. The Bureau administers
the disbursement of the Pennsylvania Fair Fund to state and county fair organizations,
statewide agricultural organizations and qualified youth organizations. The Bureau
is also responsible for the enforcement of certain laws pertaining to agricultural
marketing and the administration of the "General Agricultural Commodities
Act of 1968." This act permitted the Bureau to order the development of promotional
and research programs for agricultural programs.
Glass
Lantern Slides of Pennsylvania Market Houses,
[ca. 1920].
(1 box)
{series #1.9} [Holdings]
Unarranged.
Lantern
slides of interior and exterior views of public markets in Pennsylvania, ca. 1920.
The slides, in a slotted wooden container, are arranged as for a lecture. There
is no index to the lecture, and most markets are unidentified. Identified items
include the Farmers' Market, Lancaster; Broad Street Market, Harrisburg, and the
South Side and Diamond Markets, Pittsburgh.
The
Division of Crop Reporting was created in 1924 as a cooperative program of the
Statistical Reporting Service, the United States Department of Agriculture, and
the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The Division was responsible for reporting
facts on the state's agricultural activities at the county level to support the
reports at the state and national level. The Division obtained information from
farmers and agri-businessmen on prospective and current supplies of agricultural
products. Basic data for crop and livestock estimates was obtained from producers
by mail, telephone, and personal interview. Bulletins released include weekly
weather and crop condition reports; monthly crop reports which list state and
national acreage, prices, and stocks; and listings of crop and livestock producers.
The forecasts and estimates reach those engaged in agricultural production, marketing,
research and development. The Division was also responsible for state surveys
of roadside markets, irrigation machinery custom rates, as well as the state and
national surveys of farm production expenditures. In addition, the Bureau conducted
inventories of agricultural products and machinery (that is, number of commercial
fruit trees, grapevines, motor vehicles), and responded to requests for data made
by mail, telephone, or in person.
Farm
Census Correspondence,
1924, 1927-1928.
(5 folders)
{series
#1.10} [Holdings]
Grouped chronologically
by date of correspondence.
Correspondence to and from the Department
of Agriculture, county commissioners, and the local assessors dealing with issues
arising from the Triennial Assessments. Correspondence typically consists of the
Department of Agriculture questioning the accuracy of the latest census of farms
reported by the local assessor, and the responses from the assessors explaining
the reasons for the reduced number of farms. These replies are interesting because
they show the disdain of the local assessors toward their appointed duties and
the Department of Agriculture. Other topics discussed include instructions given
to the local assessors by the county commissioners. Also contained in this series
are copies of the Individual Farm Schedule used to record the data, and copies
of Act 153 that required the Triennial Assessments, explained the headings, and
gave instructions to the local assessors.
Farm
Census County Summaries,
1924-1927.
(1 box)
{series #1.11} [Holdings]
Arranged alphabetically by name of county, and thereunder by year of
report.
Annual assessment report summaries for the Triennial Farm Census.
Information provided by the 1924 reports of each township and borough in the county
and includes the number of farms and whether they were owned, rented or managed;
number of males and females in the family; total acres of farm land; number of
acres for winter wheat, rye, oats, corn (for grain and silage), buck wheat, potatoes,
tobacco, tame hay, and alfalfa hay; number of bearing and nonbearing apple trees;
number of bearing peach trees; number of animals including horses, mules, dairy
cattle, other cattle, swine, sheep, and hens and pullets; number of bee hives;
number of silos; amount of equipment such as tractors, trucks, and automobiles;
whether the farm is equipped with a radio; and whether the farm is equipped with
electricity supplies by either a individual plant or a central station. In addition
to the previous information, the 1927 census also recorded then number of males
and females in the family who were under ten years of age, and whether the farm
was equipped with running water in the kitchen, a furnace heating system, milking
machines, gas engines and telephones.
Farm Census
Returns,
1924, 1927.
(58 boxes)
{series #1.12} [Holdings]
Grouped by year of report, and thereunder arranged alphabetically by
name of county, and thereunder by name of borough or township.
Annual
assessment reports for the Triennial Farm Census as completed by the local assessor
for each borough or township. Information provided by the 1924 census returns
includes the name of the occupant or person operating the farm and whether they
were owned, rented or managed the farm; number of males and females in the family;
total acres of farm land; number of acres for winter wheat, rye, oats, corn (for
grain and silage), buck wheat, potatoes, tobacco, tame hay, and alfalfa hay; number
of bearing and nonbearing apple trees; number of bearing peach trees; number of
animals including horses, mules, dairy cattle, other cattle, swine, sheep, and
hens and pullets; number of bee hives; number of silos; amount of equipment such
as tractors, trucks, and automobiles; whether the farm is equipped with a radio;
and whether the farm is equipped with electricity supplies by either a individual
plant or a central station. In addition to the previous information, the 1927
census also recorded if the farm had running water in the kitchen, a furnace heating
system, milking machines, gas engines and telephones.
Farm
Census Summary Lists,
1924-1928.
(10 folders)
{series #1.13}
[Holdings]
Arranged numerically
by report number.
Summaries compiled from the data gathered during the
Triennial Farm Census of 1924. Examples of topics covered by the summary lists
include total number of farms in each county, number of peach growers by county
with individual names listed, individual dairy farmers in Perry County, individual
tobacco farmers by county, number of motor trucks on farms in each county, and
individual sheep owners in Crawford county. Most of the summary lists include
the names of individual farmers and their addresses.
Correspondence,
legal, and related files of the Horse Racing Commission. Files contain information
relating to the creation and later termination of transfer accounts for purposes
of telephone betting; the sale of Keystone Racetrack to Philadelphia Park; financial
reports; applications for licenses; legislation; research studies documenting
the testing of race horses for illegal performance enhancing drugs; and investigative
proceedings. Also included are files, reports, correspondence, and legislation
related to the merger of the Horse and Harness Racing Commissions.
Meeting Minutes and Reports,
1968-1997.
(10 cartons, 3 volumes)
{series #1.29} [Holdings]
[RESTRICTED]
Arranged chronologically
by year and thereunder arranged chronologically by date of meeting.
Agenda
packets that include minutes from the meetings of the Horse Racing Commission,
the bulk of which belonged to Commissioner Ben H. Nolt, Jr. Meeting topics include
financial concerns, such as funding and budgets, purse and stake standards, and
wagering; legislation affecting the sport in general and gambling specifically;
licensing; personnel matters, including organization of Commission, disciplinary
and conduct issues; rules, protocols, standards and regulations for horse racing;
and approval of racing schedules. In some instances, miscellaneous files and reports
along with related correspondence are included with the minutes.
Note:
These records are currently RESTRICTED due to the interfiling within meeting
minutes of Executive Sessions of Commission Meetings, which are closed to the
public. Please contact the Pennsylvania State Archives if you have questions about
this series.
16th
Annual National Plowing Contest and Conservation Exposition Scrapbook,
1958.
(1 box)
{series #1.24} [Holdings]
Arranged by subject.
For the first time in the history of the National
Plowing Contest, the annual exposition was held east of Ohio and on a single farming
operation in Pennsylvania on the Milton Hershey Farms in 1958. This scrapbook
documents activities leading up to and including the 16th Annual National Plowing
Contest and Conservation Exposition. Referred to as the "World Series of
Agriculture", the objectives of the competition were the advancement of conservation
and the selection of champion level land and contour plowmen to represent the
United States in the 1959 World Plowing Matches in Northern Ireland. More than
30 specially-designed soil, water, forest, fish and wildlife conservation projects
and demonstrations were held during the six-day schedule of events, including
the folk festival Pennsylvania Dutch Days. Formats found in the scrapbook include
competition rule books, press releases, publications, photographs and newspaper
clippings. The scrapbook contains documents relating to county, regional, state,
and national contests; the Queen of the Furrows competition; the Plowmen's Banquet;
the National and Pennsylvania Agriculture Days; Sheep Dog Trials; Poultry Federation;
aviation; commercial exhibits; and other events related to the exposition.
Agricultural History Files,
1928-1995.
(1
carton)
{series #1.22} [Holdings]
Arranged by subject.
Subject files and related documents concerning
the history of Pennsylvania and the Department of Agriculture. Files include legislation;
press releases; published and unpublished manuscripts including drafts; photographs;
news bulletins and clippings; reports, pamphlets, and articles; and in some cases
architectural drawings and floor plans. Subjects include a history of the Commonwealth,
the Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Association; national and
state agricultural policies and legislation; and historical information on the
Pennsylvania State University and the state's crops, economy, and farming situation.
Bicentennial Farm Files,
2004-2005.
(1
carton)
{series #1.28} [Holdings]
Arranged randomly.
Similar to the Century Farm Program, the Bicentennial Farm Program is designed to recognize farms that have been owned by the same family for at least two hundred consecutive years. To be recognized, a farm must have been owned by a family for at least two hundred years, and the family must still be living there on a permanent basis. Also, the farm must consist of at least ten acres of the original holding or be grossing more than $1,000 annually from the sale of farm products.
Types of documents included in the files are
the application forms, certificates of recognition, correspondence, maps and blueprints,
copies of deeds and warrants, photographs, newspaper clippings, and family histories.
Information provided on the notarized application forms includes names and family
relationships of owners, street address of property, acreage, date of original
purchase by the family's ancestors, a legal description of the land from a deed
or tax statement, and a listing of the chain of ownership during the occupancy
of the property. Additional historical information which may also be found includes:
name of original seller, acreage at the time the farm passed into the family,
cost of the land per acre at that time, birthplace and previous residence of first
family owner, whether or not the farm was a "homestead", occupation
of first owner, number and names of first owner's children, where the children
moved if known, whether the original house still stands and is in use, date present
home was built, and any other historical data deemed relevant by the applicant.
In some cases, Bicentennial Farm applications and certificates dating after 2005
are interfiled within the Century Farm Files, 1976-2010
{series #1.20}.
Century Farm Files,
1976-2012.
(5 cartons, 2 boxes)
{series #1.20} [Holdings]
Grouped alphabetically by county name and thereafter arranged alphabetically
by surname of owner. From 2005 to present, arranged chronologically by year.
The Pennsylvania Century Farms Program was initiated in 1976 to recognize Pennsylvania families who have been farming the same land for at least one hundred years. The idea of a Century Farms Program, aimed at emphasizing the importance of economic and rural heritage and traditions, was originated by the New York Agricultural Society in 1937. Farms which had been in the same family for over 100 years were honored in ceremonies at Albany as members of the Order of Century Farms. In 1948 the Bradford County Historical Society of Pennsylvania began its own program, similar to the one in New York, and today, the Commonwealth's program is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. To be recognized, a farm must have been owned by a family for at least one hundred years and the family must still be living there on a permanent basis. Also, the farm must consist of at least ten acres of the original holding or be grossing more than $1,000 annually from the sale of farm products.
Contains application files for the Century Farms
program. Types of documents included are the application forms, certifications
of recognition, correspondence, maps and blueprints, copies of deeds and warrants,
photographs, newspaper clippings, and family histories. Information provided on
the notarized application forms includes names and family relationships of owners,
street address of property, acreage, date of original purchase by family's ancestors,
a legal description of the land from a deed or tax statement, and a listing of
the chain of ownership during the family's occupancy of the property. Additional
historical information which may also be found includes: name of original seller,
acreage at the time the farm passed into the family, cost of the land per acre
at that time, birthplace and previous residence of first family owner, whether
or not the farm was a "homestead", occupation of first owner, number
and names of first owner's children, where the children moved if known, whether
the original house still stands and is in use, date present home was built, and
any other historical data deemed relevant by the applicant. In some cases, bicentennial
farm files dating after 2005, such as those found in Bicentennial
Farm Files, 2004-2005 {series #1.28}, are filed within this series.
Photographs, Publications and Videotapes,
1907-2002.
(5 cartons)
{series #1.23} [Holdings]
[APPOINTMENT
REQUIRED]
Unarranged.
Photographs, negatives, publications and video recordings produced by the Department of Agriculture's Press Office. Events documented include the Farm Show, Ag Progress Days, and miscellaneous activities and demonstrations of the Department and its staff. Also included in this series are ten video recordings with promotional and educational clips, interviews, reports and raw footage. Publications included are reports of activities and finances, programs, bulletins, and booklets.
To
view special media, please make an appointment in advance by contacting the Pennsylvania
State Archives.
Speeches and Related
Records,
1987-1992.
(1 carton)
{series #1.26} [Holdings]
Arranged chronologically.
Speech files from the Department of Agriculture's
Press Office during the term of Governor Robert P. Casey. Most speeches include
date, venue (conference, meeting, event), and intended speaker.
State Agricultural Land Preservation Board
The State Agricultural Land Preservation Board (SALPB) was created by Act 149 of 1988 as part of a statewide program to assure that Pennsylvania farmers would have land resources necessary to provide farm products for the people of the Commonwealth and the nation. The mission of the SALPB is to conserve and protect agricultural lands by purchasing agricultural easements that restrict and limit the conversion and development of farmland for non-farm use, while allowing farmers to retain ownership of their property. The SALPB provides the counties of Pennsylvania with the funding and oversight needed to purchase such easements when they are voluntarily offered by the land owner. This program is a furtherance of Act 43 of 1981, the Agricultural Area Security Law. Agricultural conservation easements provide compensation to landowners in exchanged for their relinquishment of the right to develop their private property, which benefits Pennsylvania farmers by permanently protecting a family's farmland while providing cash incentives that can be used for retirement and expansion or improvements to their property, etc.
Meeting
Minutes,
1989-1998.
(7 cartons)
{series #1.33}
[Holdings]
Arranged chronologically
by year and thereunder by date of meeting.
Minutes from the meetings
of the State Agricultural Land Preservation Board. Topics include financial reports,
allocation of state funds, easement purchases, and in some cases relevant legislation
or state laws. Included with the minutes are agendas, sign-in sheets, meeting
notices, related correspondence and applications for easement purchases. Applications
include a description of the farm, quality of the farmland tract, contributions
to agricultural productivity, likelihood of conversion to non-farm use, conservation
practices, discussion of purchase price, and comparison of farm against the minimum
criteria. Each report includes an analysis of the farm land, including soil classifications,
soil maps and topographical maps; summaries and assessments of the property, including
acreage, crops, livestock, and current buildings; a ranked list of properties
proposed for easement purchase; and a statement of costs.
Agriculture of Pennsylvania Reports,
1877,
1879-1894.
(17 volumes)
{series #1.16} [Holdings]
Arranged chronologically.
Annual reports of the State Board of Agriculture
are included in this series. Information present includes a list of board members,
board committees, board reports and publications, minutes of the transactions
of the Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society, the report of the Pennsylvania
Dairyman's Association, the report of the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania,
and the annual report of the Pennsylvania State College.
Quarterly
Reports,
1878-1894.
(4 volumes)
{series #1.17} [Holdings]
Arranged chronologically.
Quarterly reports of the State Board of
Agriculture are included in this series. Lists of board members, committees, and
local farmers institutes are present, as well as copies of papers and reports
covering various topics in some way related to agriculture in Pennsylvania.
Annual Reports,
1877-1885, 1892-1894.
(4
volumes)
{series #1.18} [Holdings]
Arranged chronologically.
Annual reports bound into multi-year volumes
are contained in this series. The information is identical to that present in
Series #1.16.
Annual
Reports of the County Soil and Water Conservation District,
1943-1969.
(2 cartons)
{series #1.15} [Holdings]
Arranged alphabetically by county and thereunder chronologically by date
of the report.
Reports compiled by each county and sent to the State
Soil and Water Conservation Commission and interested members of the community.
Each report furnishes information from cooperating agencies such as the Pennsylvania
Game Commission, Highway Department, Fish Commission, Department of Forest and
Waters, Agricultural Extension Service, Vocational Agriculture, United States
Soil Conservation Service, and each county's Planning Commission. Frequently,
the names, addresses, and phone numbers of these agencies as well as those of
the county directors are noted. In addition, the reports often contain descriptions
of the types of conservation practices being used, progress reports, and financial
statistics. Many county records contain only scattered reports before the year
1956, and only Lebanon and Lehigh counties include records after 1967.
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