High Tunnel Tour and Regulation Discussion October 13

Hosted by PASA Sustainable Agriculture, this event takes place on Friday, October 13, 2023 from 9:30am - 2pm

High tunnels are popping up across the landscape to help farms extend growing seasons, protect produce from an increasingly harsh climate, and provide a relatively inexpensive means of rotating crop locations. However, officials at different levels of government in Pennsylvania are regulating their use differently, causing confusion and hefty fines for some farmers. Despite a 2018 bill enacted to exempt high tunnels from stormwater regulations, some townships are issuing violations and fines for erecting and using high tunnels.  

Join us on a tour of three neighboring vegetable farms in the Muddy Creek watershed of northern Lancaster County and hear from the farmers themselves on why they have chosen this method of growing, plus what issues they have or haven’t encountered with stormwater regulators and local officials.

After the tours, we’ll meet for lunch at one of the farms and have an opportunity to network, hear from policymakers, ask questions, and exchange ideas. Following the working lunch, we’ll hear from policymakers at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Agriculture, plus Representative David Zimmerman, who authored the 2018 high tunnel bill, and Penn State Extension.

Details and Registration available here, or call Maeve at 814-349-9856,  extension 714.