HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania farmers and communities will benefit from a program that provides communications and outreach services on issues affecting agriculture, land use, environment and planning, according to Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff.
Ombudsman
Beth Futrick, a Tyrone native employed by the Blair County Conservation District in Hollidaysburg, was named as one of two Pennsylvania agricultural ombudsmen.
Shelly Dehoff has served as an agricultural ombudsman since 2002 in the Lancaster County Conservation District office.
They will act as liaisons between the agricultural industry and local communities and will help foster understanding between the groups.
Two grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture pay for the ombudsman program.
Grant recipients are host conservation districts in Blair and Lancaster counties, which employ the agricultural ombudsmen.
The State Conservation Commission provides oversight and assistance to the program.
Contact information
Futrick can be reached at 814-696-0877, ext. 5 and Dehoff can be reached at 717-299-5361, ext. 5.