PA Dept. of Agriculture Weekly Roundup
  Governor Shapiro and Secretary Redding Celebrate Dairy Month, Highlight Budget Investments in Agriculture at Reinford Farms in Juniata County Governor Josh Shapiro and Secretary Redding toured Reinford Farms in Juniata County to celebrate dairy month and highlight the Governor’s budget proposals to support the farmers and small businesses who make Pennsylvania a national leader in agriculture. Reinford Farms is a multigenerational farm in Juniata County, covering 1,300 acres and currently housing 750 milking cows and 800 young cattle.Governor Shapiro’s budget proposes critical investments in Pennsylvania’s $132 billion agriculture industry, including $13.8 million to fully fund the Pennsylvania Farm Bill for the fifth year, a $1 million investment for the creation of a new Organic Center of Excellence, $500,000 for a new Center for Plant Excellence, and $2.5 million for the Farmland Preservation Program – ensuring resources will be available for counties to produce food and feed Pennsylvania’s economy.RecapSee More    Shapiro Administration Awards More Than $390,000 to Grow PA Hemp Industry Secretary Redding announced $392,265 in grants to three agriculture nonprofits to fund projects aimed at growing fiber and food hemp markets, sales, and awareness in Pennsylvania. “Pennsylvania has been making history, building a new hemp industry from roots up,” said Secretary Redding. “These grants feed the growth of an industry that was once a staple of Pennsylvania’s economy and is once again growing opportunities for new businesses, farm income, jobs, and climate-smart, environmentally sound products.”Read MorePA Hemp Industry   Agriculture is always growing to meet the needs of a growing world. We can’t grow and feed the world without the vital contributions of our workforce — seasonal and year-round guest and resident workers. They deserve our deepest gratitude and recognition. We must all work together to ensure that everyone is engaged in feeding that growth and thank them for dedicating their time and talents to seeing that mission completed.See More   Secretary Redding had the honor of speaking at the 94th FFA State Convention held in the Bryce Jordan Center at Penn State, celebrating the 15,166 Pennsylvania FFA members that have chosen to have a seat at the table of agriculture.See More Secretary Redding took a trip to Rohrbach’s Farm Ag Camp to visit with campers as they immersed themselves in agriculture as he was by joined Pennsylvania Farm Bureau President, Chris Hoffman. During the day, the campers learned about all things soil.See More In celebration of the PA State Grange’s 150th Anniversary event, PDA Executive Deputy Secretary, Greg Hostetter, shared remarks as he commemorated the Pennsylvania Grange’s anniversary by highlighting the work done by the organization by way of community service and legislation. It’s with these opportunities that helps grow members as individuals, unifying their local communities.See More The PA Timber Show recently took place in Pennsylvania Furnace. The goal of the PA Timber Show is to put attendees “in the driver’s seat” with a hands-on experience of the state-of-the-art machinery that is being used across the timber industry.See More   Grant Opportunities! Local Meat Capacity Grant Program provides up to $75 million in grants to fund innovative projects designed to build resilience in the meat and poultry supply chain by providing producers with more local processing options and strengthening their market potential. Application deadline: July 19, 2023. Organic Market Development Grant has approximately $75 million available to support the development of new and expanded organic markets. Application deadline: August 8, 2023. Looking for a truly unique career opportunity? The Pennsylvania WoodMobile is currently searching for a FULL-TIME PA WoodMobile Coordinator! If you love traveling and have a passion for educating others about the importance of Pennsylvania’s hardwoods, this may be the perfect place for you.ApplyUnderstanding the Basics of the Farm Credit SystemJune 23 from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm The Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law, alongside the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Business Development Center, will present the next webinar in the Understanding Agricultural Law educational series: “Understanding the Basics of the Farm Credit System,” presented by attorney Douglas Durkin. This webinar will explain the structure, funding, and operations of the Farm Credit System (FCS), including the unique lending requirements imposed by Congress such as who is eligible for FCS services, how those services may be obtained, and many of the issues on which outside attorneys interact with the FCS, including real estate transactions, subpoenas, subordinations, easements, and solar leases. Learn More |