Penn Vet Showcases Vital Role in Pennsylvania Agriculture at 109th Pennsylvania Farm Show
At the 109th Pennsylvania Farm Show last week, with the theme ‘Powering Pennsylvania,’ the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s (Penn Vet) importance to the state’s agricultural industry was on full display during the eight-day event.
The Pennsylvania Farm Show, the nation’s biggest indoor agricultural exposition, is an annual extravaganza highlighting the state’s $132.5 billion agriculture sector. For those involved in animal agriculture around the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Penn Vet offers trusted education, biosecurity protocols, diagnostic and surveillance testing, and veterinary care, serving as an essential resource to the state’s largest industry.
Held at the Farm Show’s 24-acre Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg, Penn Vet students, faculty, staff, and leadership met with potential veterinary students, parents, public officials, alumni, farmers, and thousands of other attendees.
“The interactions that we had throughout the week underscored the value that Penn Vet, the state’s only veterinary school, delivers through the veterinarians we graduate,” said Penn Vet’s Chief Communications Officer Martin J. Hackett. “The Farm Show provides the School with a unique opportunity to connect with prospective students and the public, chat about animal health and our academic and research-oriented programs; and talk about the role we play in a healthy food system.”
One of those research programs, Penn Vet’s Center for Stewardship Agriculture and Food Security (CSAFS), founded at the School’s New Bolton Center (NBC) campus, plays a key role in advancing animal agriculture in Pennsylvania. The interdisciplinary CSAFS mobilizes Penn Vet faculty who research and practice in nearly 20 agriculture-related specialties, along with Penn-wide affiliate faculty, dedicated to broadening the understanding of animal agriculture and food systems; uniting agriculture, ecosystems, and public health; examining soil health; and exploring climate change mitigation and resilience.
“The CSAFS enables Penn Vet to capitalize on its niche strength in animal agriculture to drive sustainable agricultural and veterinary healthcare practices and methods,” said Hackett. “Our participation in the Farm Show underscores our commitment to supporting the future of animal agriculture. We are immensely proud to participate in this annual event that celebrates the ingenuity shaping the future of agriculture.”
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About Penn Vet
Ranked among the top ten veterinary schools worldwide, the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) is a global leader in veterinary education, research, and clinical care. Founded in 1884, Penn Vet is the first veterinary school developed in association with a medical school. The school is a proud member of the One Health initiative, linking human, animal, and environmental health.
Penn Vet serves a diverse population of animals at its two campuses, which include extensive diagnostic and research laboratories. Ryan Hospital in Philadelphia provides care for dogs, cats, and other domestic/companion animals, handling more than 30,000 patient visits a year. New Bolton Center, Penn Vet’s large-animal hospital on nearly 700 acres in rural Kennett Square, PA, cares for horses and livestock/farm animals. The hospital handles more than 6,300 patient visits a year, while our Field Services have gone out on more than 5,500 farm service calls, treating some 22,400 patients at local farms. In addition, New Bolton Center’s campus includes a swine center, working dairy, and poultry unit that provide valuable research for the agriculture industry.