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.”
Source: pa.gov
Photo Credit: Penn State
Categories: Pennsylvania, Government & Policy