Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today reminded Pennsylvanians – from kids and parents, to homeowners, to farmers – the importance of taking steps to protect our valuable population of pollinators to protect the future of food security.

Earlier this week, Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Cheryl Cook and State Apiarist Karen Roccasecca joined The GIANT Company at their headquarters in Carlisle at their new, seven-acre pollinator field. The all native meadow will create a habitat for pollinators, birds, and other small wildlife while improving the quality of the soil and reducing runoff.

June 22-28, 2020 is National Pollinator Awareness Week. It’s a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what you can do to protect them and their valuable services to our ecosystem.

A pollinator is anything that helps move pollen to fertilize flowers. Bees and butterflies are the most commonly known pollinators, but they also include moths, birds, flies, and small mammals such as bats. More than 75 percent of the world’s food crops depend on pollination. Everyone can play a role in protecting pollinators and their vital work.

• Teach kids about the big job that bees and other pollinators have and teach practical ways for them to protect the population;
• Downsize your lawn – lawns don’t have much to offer pollinators so consider converting some of your grass to a garden bed full of heavy pollen and nectar producing plants;
• Grow native plants in your garden – pollinators and plants need each other to survive. Planting a diverse group of native plants that flower at different times of the year can make a huge different to pollinator populations;
• Avoid or limit the use of pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides in your home garden. They can kill pollinators and poison hives. If you do use them, follow the label directions carefully. Apply to plants when they are not flowering, at dusk and when the air is calm, to limit exposure to pollinators.

More bees mean a secure future for food availability, and it even means that our food tastes better. Farms with well managed pollination can increase their production by 24 percent and well pollinated plants produce larger, more uniform fruit. To foster a healthy natural pollinator habitat, farmers are encouraged to leave some areas of their farm under natural habitat and implement hedgerows.

Growers and beekeepers are also encouraged to sign up for FieldWatch and BeeCheck free, voluntary programs that allows participants to register their farmland and bee yards to protect it from chemical drift, which can affect honey bees, organic production, herbicide-sensitive crops, and pollinator protection efforts. The program encourages communication between beekeepers, sensitive crop growers, and pesticide applicators and will allow them to map bee yards, fields or pollinator gardens. Pesticide and herbicide applicators can also notify growers and beekeepers of spray applications through the program.

Registration for the 2020 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) National Training Program (NTP) virtual workshops will open in mid-July. You’ll receive an email with registration information. To help you plan, the dates for the sessions are listed below.  You’re invited to attend the session(s) of your choice to meet your schedule and learning needs. Sessions will be recorded for later viewing. Sessions will open at 12pm, with the live presentations starting at 1pm and conclude no later than 3:30pm (ET).

July 2020

28^th – Medicare Basics, Enrollment, & Eligibility
29^th – Introduction to Medicare Coverage Options (Part A and Part B)
30^th – Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) & Differences with Medicare Advantage

August 2020

4^th – Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage
5^th – Medicare Coverage Options: Medicare Advantage
6^th – Medicare Appeals and How Medicare Works with Other Insurance
11^th – Programs for People with Limited Income and Resources
12^th – Medicare Plan Finder Demonstration & Tips
13^th – Medicare Current Topics
18^th – Preventing Medicare Fraud
19^th – CMS’ Actions in Response to COVID-19
20^th – CMS’ Actions to Address Opioid Crisis
25^th – Social Security Benefits
27^th – Where Do I Find? (Online Resources)

September 2020

1^st – Tax Favored Programs & Medicare
3^rd – Medicare- Spanish Language Presentation

Session materials will be available for download during the events.

NOTE: Registration requests will be considered on a first-come, first-serve basis until each session reaches capacity. The number of attendees from the same organization may be limited. If any session reaches capacity, we’ll work to schedule an additional offering for a later date.

Now through June 26, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging is looking for your input on services and the issues affecting older adults to help build the next state plan. This plan will guide the direction of Pennsylvania’s aging services for the next 4 years. You can take the short, 3-5-minute survey in English or Spanish by visiting https://bit.ly/PAAgingStatePlan.

The Department of Aging will also host a virtual community conversation from noon to 1:30 PM on Tuesday, July 7 to discuss its State Plan on Aging for 2020-2024 and invites feedback from the public and community stakeholders throughout Pennsylvania. People interested in participating can be an observer only or can make comments for up to two minutes on aging issues that are important to them. Participants can join the conversation by WebEx on the internet, or can call 1-855-797-9485 and enter the access code:161 264 3439 when prompted.