By Blake Jackson
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding has announced that $501,123 in grants from the PA Farm Bill Agriculture & Youth Grants program have been awarded to 58 organizations across 29 counties.
The funding aims to support projects that prepare youth for success in Pennsylvania’s $132.5 billion agriculture industry. Labor & Industry Secretary Nancy A. Walker joined Secretary Redding at the 2025 PA Farm Show’s "So You Want to Be a Farmer" exhibit, which offers visitors the chance to explore careers in agriculture by learning how to grow food and flowers.
“Our young people hold the energy and potential that will power Pennsylvania tomorrow,” said Secretary Redding. “The Shapiro Administration is committed to empowering young Pennsylvanians by investing in opportunities for them to succeed. Our investments in agriculture education today will help Pennsylvania agriculture businesses meet increasingly complex challenges tomorrow.”
Governor Josh Shapiro’s bipartisan 2024-25 budget includes funding for a sixth year of Ag & Youth Grants through the PA Farm Bill. Since 2019, the program has allocated $3 million to 315 projects statewide.
One funded project, Variety – the Children’s Charity of the Delaware Valley, supports gardens and greenhouses that provide students with disabilities hands-on skills to prepare for permanent employment. In Philadelphia, the Fox Chase Farm project teaches elementary students how to raise poultry using innovative, automated systems.
Governor Shapiro has dedicated $13.8 million annually to the PA Farm Bill, continuing support for the Commission for Agriculture Education Excellence and workforce development initiatives.
The 2024-25 budget also includes the largest increase in basic K-12 education funding, a $30 million boost to Career and Technical Education (CTE), and expanded broadband access to help students and employers in rural communities.
“By investing in our young people through education and workforce development initiatives, the Shapiro Administration is investing in powering Pennsylvania’s bright future,” Secretary Walker stated. “We are setting our Commonwealth up for success by making targeted investments in programs that teach students the skills they need for careers with family-sustaining wages and benefits in growing fields, including – and especially – agriculture.”
The PA Farm Bill Ag and Youth Grants provide up to $7,500 for direct funding and matching grants up to $25,000 to youth-focused agricultural projects.
Grant recipient information, including funded projects and grant amounts, is categorized by county here.
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Categories: Pennsylvania, Education, Government & Policy