The 2003 Mercer County Ag Day is scheduled for Feb. 17, at Mercer County Career Center on Route 58 north of Mercer.

Registration will begin at 8:45 a.m., with time to visit the agribusiness sponsors. The formal program is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and will feature Dr. Marvin Hall, Penn State forage specialist.

Dr. Hall will lead a discussion on making high-quality haylage and baleage. He will also update the group on forage insects, which will include a discussion of the Cereal Rust Mite. This mite has been attacking timothy fields in Pennsylvania over the last several years with some areas resulting in yield losses as high as 70 percent.

Other topics to be addressed include: Crop insurance, pesticide exposure, identifying agronomic problems in corn and field sprayer calibration.

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has assigned 2 core credit and 2 category 01 credits to this program.

Reservations are due by Tuesday to the Mercer County Extension Office. There is a $5 registration fee which includes lunch. To register, call the extension office at (724) 662-3141 Ext. 305; or mail your name, address and registration fee to Mercer County Extension, Box 530, Mercer 16137.