Welcome! It is my pleasure to serve as President of the Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture during 2025-2026.
The Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture was formed in 1785 for the purpose of exploring and promoting best practices in agriculture. Today, that mission continues to promote and also expand our knowledge of the many aspects of our diverse and economically important agriculture industry.
As American prepares to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we are reminded that one of the founding members of the Society – Charles Thomson – served as Secretary of the Continental Congress, and actually signed the first official copy of the Declaration on July 4, 1776. This year, the Society will be involved in America250 to help commemorate this important, historical event (https://america250.org/).
The Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture conducts monthly meetings with various topics to encourage learning about current and new technology and how it impacts agriculture, our natural resources, and sustainability particularly within food production systems. I invite you to get involved in these monthly events, but also encourage you to lend your expertise with our Society’s committees and working groups.
To support the next generation in agriculture, the Society also provides students with scholarships to support their educational goals and opportunities that lead to the pursuit of successful careers in agriculture and the food industry. Also, the Society’s archives are located in the University of Pennsylvania Library, and the historical and impactful information is available for research scholars and also the general public.
My background in agriculture began as a young lad, by working on my father’s mushroom farm in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Today, I am a Professor of Plant and Soil Science at the Pennsylvania State University’s Berks Campus in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Please let me know if I can help get involved with the Society. If you are not a member, then I hope you will join us in person or during one of our virtual meetings. And please consider membership in the Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture, the nation’s oldest scientific society. For more information, please visit https://pspaonline.com or contact pspaonline@gmail.com.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to seeing you.
Best wishes!
Dr. Michael (“Mike”) Fidanza
President of the Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture