More than $300,000 in federal grant funding is now available for projects to help produce, market or access Delaware-grown fruit, vegetables and certain other crops. The Delaware Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program through June 3.

The Delaware Forest Service is sending a 20-person team of wildland firefighters to the Rocky Mountain region for a scheduled two-week assignment to battle wildfires for the National Interagency Fire Center. The crew departed Blackbird State Forest this morning and is headed to Denver, Colorado to be “pre-positioned” for a specific assignment.

Thirty Delaware farmers have fresh-cut and live Christmas trees available for First State families this holiday season, with local firs, spruces and pines in abundance - all easy to find at de.gov/christmastrees.

The Delaware Forest Service is now accepting applications for up to $40,000 in urban forestry grants for tree planting or tree management projects on public lands or community open space. Requests can range from $500 to $5,000 and must be matched on a 50-50 basis with non-federal funds or in-kind services (volunteer or staff time, equipment rental, etc.). The program is open to all municipalities, homeowner associations, and non-profit groups within the State of Delaware. In the past 10 years, the program has awarded more than $1 million to fund a wide range of tree projects throughout the First State.

Fruit and vegetable growers who want to learn about produce safety, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), developing food safety plans and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule are encouraged to attend several upcoming workshops. On March 16 and 17, the “Delaware FSMA Produce Safety Alliance Training, Produce Food Safety Updates, and Food Safety Plan Writing Workshop” will be held at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington. The workshop will be from 8 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day. Lunch will be provided and registration is free, courtesy of the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant and the Delaware Department of Agriculture.

Nearly $300,000 in federal grant funding is now available for projects to help increase the competitiveness of Delaware-grown specialty crops. The Delaware Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program through May 15, 2017.

U.S. Senator Thomas R. Carper joined public officials and schoolchildren to observe "Delaware Arbor Day" at Dover Air Force Base, which celebrated its 25th Year as a Tree City USA. The last Friday in April is commemorated as Arbor Day in the First State, an occasion to encourage tree planting and highlight the numerous benefits that trees provide: cleaner air and water, natural beauty, valuable wood products and food, reduced storm water runoff, and improved property values. The ceremony also honored the winners of the Delaware Forest Service's annual school poster contest and included a ceremonial tree planting of an American holly (Ilex opaca), Delaware's state tree.

Governor John C. Carney, Jr. and Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Delaware Forest Service and honored the wildfire crew that just returned from two weeks battling blazes in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. The crew, which left the First State on July 8 and returned on July 23, first tackled the 700-acre Wilson Fire near Meeker, Colorado – started by lightning on July 7. The firefighters then moved on to the Grizzly Fire before finishing up on the Dragon Fire – located just south of Rangely, Colorado. Delaware’s team included 17 state and federal firefighters from Delaware and three from West Virginia. "The Forest Service has done unbelievable work over 90 years," Governor Carney told the audience. "As we celebrate 98 years of the Delaware State Fair, we've got a lot of other milestones that are happening, including the recognition of Delaware's state forestry service for 90 years of operation and their tremendous work."

Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse is reminding farmers to complete the small grain production survey that has been sent out to nearly 300 producers by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The agency is taking a comprehensive look into the 2017 production and supply of small grains, which include wheat, oats, barley, and rye. 

The Delaware Forest Service is seeking new recruits for its upcoming wildfire training classes at the Delaware State Fire School (1461 Chestnut Grove Road, Dover, DE 19904). No previous experience is needed. Candidates should be over 18, physically fit, motivated to learn, and willing to travel for at least two weeks (usually during the summer) for out-of-state fire assignments. This year’s training will take place over two separate weekend sessions: The first is on October 21 and 22 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day (lunch included). The second is on November 4 and 5 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day (lunch included). The cost for each session is $50. Register by October 16 by contacting the State Fire School at (302) 739-4773 or email: fire.school@state.de.us.

The Delaware Forest Service's urban and community forestry program will hold its 7th Annual Delaware Arborist and Tree Care Seminar—a one and a half-day event on October 30 and 31, 2017 at the Delaware State Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall. Speakers include tree care experts, policymakers, and academic researchers who will incorporate classroom lectures, outdoor demonstrations, and vendor exhibits to cover tree pest and disease issues, tree care management, and best practices in worker safety and pesticide use. Attendees can earn continuing education credits toward International Society of Arboriculture and Maryland Licensed Tree Expert certifications, as well as Delaware pesticide credits. Cost is $95 for both days (meals and snacks included). To register, go to delawaretrees.com. For more information, email Kesha.Braunskill@state.de.us.

DOVER, Del. – The Delaware Department of Agriculture is offering two one-day courses in March to help farmers growing fruits and vegetables comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. “About 1 in 6 Americans gets sick each year from foodborne illness,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “The Food Safety […]

More photographs from the 2018 Delaware State Fair are available on Flickr. DOVER, Del. — Many Delaware youth and adult exhibitors are ready to showcase their agricultural exhibits at this year’s Delaware State Fair. Along with rides, food, and games, the state fair is a great opportunity for fair-goers to learn more about agriculture – […]

Twenty wildland firefighters from Delaware are battling the Copper Mountain Fire, a 180-acre blaze located four miles east of Eastport, Idaho on the Canadian border that is 20% contained as of August 12. Delaware's crew comprises part of  the 137 personnel currently assigned to the incident.  Michael A. Valenti of Dover, Delaware's state forester and crew boss for the team, reports that firefighters are working in rough terrain and completing very long hikes to and from the fire each day. 

The Delaware Forest Service's Urban and Community Forestry Program will hold its 8th Annual Delaware Arborist and Tree Care Seminar on Wednesday, October 10, and Thursday, October 11, 2018 at the Delaware State Fair Exhibit Hall, 18500 S. DuPont Highway, Harrington. The event offers a wide range of topics for tree care workers as well as anyone who wants to ensure the health of their community trees. The event brings together a diverse blend of industry insiders, policymakers, tree care experts, and academic researchers who will incorporate classroom lectures, outdoor demonstrations and vendor exhibits to provide the latest updates on tree health issues and practical hands-on training. Attendees are eligible to earn continuing credits from the International Society of Arboriculture, Maryland Licensed Tree Expert, and Delaware pesticide certification.  The cost is $95 for two days with breakfast, lunch and snacks included each day. All major credit cards accepted. Attendees can sign up by clicking the “Online Registration” icon at http://delawaretrees.com

The Delaware Forest Service's Urban and Community Forestry Program is offering grants up to $5,000 for tree planting projects on public land or to help communities complete a professional tree inventory. The competitive grants – open to all municipalities, homeowner associations, and certified 501(c)(3) non-profits in the State of Delaware – require a 50-50 match in either cash (non-federal funds) or in-kind services, which includes volunteer or staff time, equipment rental, or supplies. Applications will be judged on a competitive basis by a grant committee of the Delaware Community Forestry Council. Eligible projects must be performed on public lands within the community. Priority will be given to first time applicants, Tree Friendly Communities, and applicants that have passed an Urban Tree Canopy Goal Resolution (only applies to Municipalities). Complete details at https://delawaretrees.com.

DOVER, Del. — The countdown is on for many Delaware youth and adult exhibitors as they get ready to showcase their agricultural exhibits at this year’s Delaware State Fair. Along with rides, food, and games, the state fair is a great opportunity for fair-goers to learn more about agriculture – Delaware’s top industry. “By far, […]

Today’s announcement that China has made the decision to lift its ban on poultry imports is welcomed news for Delmarva poultry producers.

The Delaware Forest Service is looking for motivated recruits to enroll in wildfire training classes starting in February at the Delaware Department of Agriculture, 2320 S. DuPont Highway, Camden, DE. There is no cost for training and no previous experience needed. Candidates must be over 18 years of age, willing to learn, physically fit, and able to travel for at least two weeks at a time, usually in the summer months. Attendance at all classes is required for prospective wildland firefighters to achieve “red card” certification from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG). Students can register by filling out the online registration form by January 31, 2020. Complete details are at http://de.gov/wildfire.

Delaware's Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program is once gain offering up to $5,000 in matching funds for tree planting or tree management projects on public land or community open space. The competitive grants – open to all municipalities, homeowner associations, and certified 501(c)(3) non-profits in the State of Delaware (including churches and schools) – require a 50-50 match in either cash (non-federal funds) or in-kind services, which includes volunteer or staff time, equipment rental, or supplies. Requests can range from a minimum of $500 to a maximum of $5,000 in only one of two project categories: tree planting or tree management (i.e., professional tree inventory, hazardous tree removal, or pruning).  Application deadline is March 6, 2020.

 Regarding imposing of anti-dumping duty on all imports of Recordable Digital Versatile Disc [DVD] of all kinds origina

 Exempts specified goods when imported into India from Nepal, from the whole of customs duty subject to certain cond

 Furnishing remitter details in pass book / pass sheet / account statement for credits received by customers through NEFT / NECS / EC

Agency: DOT Closing Date: 6/4/2020

Agency: HSS Closing Date: 7/9/2020

Agency: NCC Closing Date: 5/18/2020

Agency: DSU Closing Date: 5/19/2020

Agency: OMB Closing Date: 6/3/2020

Agency: GSS Closing Date: 5/28/2020

Agency: HSS Closing Date: 6/5/2020

Today, many assets across multiple industries are becoming more instrumented and connected to enterprise platforms to provide additional insight into their health and operation. IDC estimates that Internet of Things (IoT) investment will reach $1.12 trillion in 2023. One important area for many industrial organizations that are focused in using [...]

An approach to enabling predictive maintenance for industrial assets was published on SAS Voices by Sanjeev Heda

Ever thought you could help save the rainforest without ever visiting the rainforest? Probably not, but now is your chance, and you can use it as your way to give back this Earth Day. This year, Earth Day celebrations will look different for everyone as we work to find meaningful [...]

Celebrate Earth Day virtually with your teen: Deforestation meets AI was published on SAS Voices by Lucy Kosturko

If you’re in state government, you're well aware of the unprecedented challenges that come with off-the-charts unemployment numbers due to COVID-19. Crashing websites at state unemployment insurance offices and multi-hour phone hold times for the millions of people who've lost their income due to the pandemic are only the most [...]

How analytics is helping state governments head off unemployment claims fraud was published on SAS Voices by Carl Hammersburg

When we interviewed supply chain expert Chris Tyas a few weeks prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had no idea that his 40 years of experience and knowledge in the consumer product goods (CPG) industry would soon have a profound impact on the supply chain and efforts to keep supplies [...]

The importance of the supply chain during the COVID-19 crisis was published on SAS Voices by Nancy Rudolph

[Jessica Curtis and Adam Hillman, both Forecasting Advisors at SAS, were co-authors of this post] The world has been dramatically impacted by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us are juggling a completely new lifestyle that was forced upon us overnight. As consumers find their way to a new normal, [...]

Retail forecasting through a pandemic was published on SAS Voices by Brittany Bullard

Although the main body of Section 2(q) expressly states that a respondent is an “adult male person”, the proviso widens the scope of proceedings by stating that an aggrieved wife or female living in a relationship in the nature of marriage can file a complaint against a relative of her husband/male partner. This rescinds the argument that the legislative intent was to exclude females. The Appeal was allowed with a direction to the Trial Courts to consider R2 and R3 as respondents in the proceedings.

The Hon’ble court after observing reports given by various technical authorities like the Varadharajan Committee and The Central Board for the prevention and Control of Water Pollution, held that the emissions generated by the coke/coal consuming industries are air-pollutants and have a damaging effect on the Taj and the people living in TTZ. The court directed the atmospheric pollution generated in TTZ to be eliminated and the industries to use natural gas as an industrial fuel and those industries who are not in a position to obtain gas connections to relocate themselves.

In Partnership with Wilmington University, DHSS Begins Yearlong Initiative to Train 1,000 Staff Members in Trauma-Informed Approaches to Assessing and Meeting the Needs of Clients NEW CASTLE (March 12, 2018) – The Department of Health and Social Services is partnering with Wilmington University to train more than 1,000 frontline DHSS staff in better assessing and […]

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is investigating a mumps outbreak among attendees of a February Hispanic dance festival in New Castle County. Officials have confirmed three cases of the mumps, all involving attendees of a social dance (Baile Mejicano or Mexican Dance) that took place at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington on Feb.10, 2018. DPH is recommending that anyone who attended the dance, contact their primary care physician to determine if they may have contracted mumps and if they and their family or close contacts need to receive vaccination against mumps.

DOVER – La División de Salud Pública de Delaware (DPH, por sus siglas en inglés) ha confirmado once casos de paperas asociados a un brote entre las personas que asistieron a dos diferentes bailes mexicanos en el condado de New Castle. Siete de los casos confirmados asistieron, o viven con personas que asistieron, al evento […]

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising Delawareans of a multistate outbreak of E. coli infections linked to chopped romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona, growing region. The lettuce could be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 and could make people sick. To date, there have been no confirmed cases reported in Delaware, but DPH urges consumers to take precautions to prevent illness.

While many Delawareans couldn’t be happier to see spring’s arrival and winter’s departure, the Division of Public Health (DPH) is warning residents that with warm weather comes ticks, fleas, mosquitoes and increased chances of vector-borne diseases. Whether staying home or traveling in the coming months, DPH wants to remind Delawareans of the risk of these diseases, which include Lyme disease, Zika, and West Nile Virus, and to share prevention tips.

Officials pushing vaccination message after flu spreads statewide and first flu-related hospitalization is confirmed  DOVER (Sept. 19, 2018) — While the “official” start of flu season is still two weeks away, the Division of Public Health (DPH) is urging residents not to wait to get vaccinated. Four cases of the flu now have been confirmed, […]

Increasing access to the overdose-reversing medication naloxone has been a key priority for the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) as state and local partners work together to develop solutions to address the opioid epidemic. In support of that, the Department’s Division of Public Health (DPH) is announcing sustained funding for naloxone for first responder agencies statewide.

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising Delawareans of a multistate outbreak of E. coli infections linked to romaine lettuce. The lettuce could be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 and could make people sick. To date, there have been no confirmed cases reported in Delaware, but DPH urges consumers to take precautions to prevent illness.

DOVER (Nov. 29, 2018) — December 1, 2018, marks the 30th annual World AIDS Day. For three decades, this day has united people around the world in the fight against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and AIDS. World AIDS Day encourages support for those living with HIV and remembrance for those who have died of AIDS-related […]

The Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens (GACEC) and its community partners, are pleased to report that the Heart 2 Heart Hugs campaign has now begun. Heart 2 Heart Hugs is focused on providing warmth, comfort, hugs and smiles for kids and young adults in Delaware who are homeless or in foster care. Donations of […]

Newark, Del. (January 30, 2019) – While the federal government has reopened, the country’s longest government shutdown continues to impact Delawareans, including the 136,000 individuals who utilize the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to purchase food. Because February SNAP benefits were issued early, this could result in some households having as much as a two-month gap […]

Senate Bill 25 would raise the legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21 DOVER, Del. – Surrounded by members of the General Assembly, advocates, students, and health care professionals, Governor John Carney on Tuesday announced his support for Senate Bill 25 – legislation that would raise the legal age for sales of […]

Protecting the Health of our Young People, and our State’s Future, by Raising the Minimum Sales Age of Tobacco Products from 18 to 21 Op-ed by Karyl T. Rattay, MD, MS, Director, Division of Public Health, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services It’s a fact that most smokers start using tobacco as youth: Eighty-nine […]