The Chester County Agricultural Development Council (Ag Council) and Chester County Economic Development Council’s AgConnect are co-hosting a panel discussion on the recent release of the 2012 Ag Census data and what it means for the county.  The event will be held on Sept. 17 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Chester County Economic Development Council office (737 Constitution Dr., Exton).

Panelists include: King Whetstone II, USDA-national agricultural statistics service director for the northeastern region; Duane Hershey, dairy producer and owner of Ar-Joy Farms LLC; and Chris Alonzo, mushroom grower and owner of Pietro Industries.

The event includes a presentation on how the 2012 Census of Agriculture data was collected and what the numbers show for Chester County and the surrounding region. Farmers from the dairy and mushroom industries will also discuss the data and what challenges and opportunities they anticipate for their commodities in the years ahead.

Tickets are $25 ($20 until Sept. 1) and can be ordered online at www.chesco.org/agdev/events. Light refreshments will be provided beginning at 8 a.m. This forum is part of an ongoing series. Future topics include advances in farming technology, and the challenges and opportunities of setting up a secondary ag business.

For information about the forum, call Ann Lane at 610-344-6512. For assistance with registration or directions, call Jodi Gauker at 610-321-8226.