Today, Governor Josh Shapiro spoke at the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences’ Ag Progress Days to highlight the critical investments the 2023-24 bipartisan budget makes in the future of Pennsylvania agriculture.
Pennsylvania’s agriculture sector is a major economic driver for the Commonwealth, contributing $132 billion a year to the economy and supporting over 580,000 jobs in Pennsylvania. The historic, bipartisan budget Governor Shapiro signed into law last week includes $1 million to create a new Organic Center of Excellence, $2 million in the Fresh Food Financing Initiative, and $31 million to help poultry farmers impacted by the hi-path avian influenza crisis, and more.
“Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry and farmers are not only an important part of our heritage, but a key driver of our economy. Pennsylvania is home to nearly 53,000 farms that cover 7.3 million acres and support 1 in 10 jobs across our Commonwealth,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “If we work together and partner with our farmers, our Commonwealth can lead this country and the world as an agricultural powerhouse. My Administration will continue to partner with Penn State and our leaders in ag to help build the future of this industry – and we’ll start by investing in our farmers right now.”
Penn State’s Ag Progress Days, hosted by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and held each year in August, is Pennsylvania’s largest outdoor agricultural exposition that brings together over 400 exhibitors from the United States and Canada. The exposition showcases the educational programs, research, and latest innovations in agricultural equipment and technology that helps to make Pennsylvania a national leader in agricultural production.
In his budget address in March, Governor Shapiro proposed critical investments in the future of Pennsylvania agriculture to help make Pennsylvania a global and national leader – and the bipartisan 2023-24 budget makes those critical investments to support farmers and the agriculture industry, including:
- $31 million to help poultry farmers impacted by the avian flu crisis pay for testing and get reimbursed.
- $13.8 million to fully fund the Pennsylvania Farm Bill for the fifth year.
- A $2 million investment in the Fresh Food Financing Initiative that will contribute to better health outcomes by improving access to PA-grown, processed, and produced foods.
- $1 million to create a new Organic Center of Excellence, which will grow the state’s ability to support this sector of the industry.
Source : pa.gov