Earlier this week, POLITICO cited Pennsylvania's position leading the nation in the percentage of its farmers who are under 35, recounting bipartisan efforts to attract young farmers as a possible "roadmap for the nation." The reportOpens In A New Window underscores challenges faced by the agriculture industry nationwide, illustrating the need for the critical investments in food production and rural communities Governor Josh Shapiro has proposed in his 2024-25 budget.
This week's celebrations of National Ag Week also included a ribbon-cutting announcing a Philadelphia area business expansion funded by a Shapiro Administration $10 million investment to grow Pennsylvania's powerhouse dairy sector: Governor Shapiro, Secretary Redding Celebrate MDVA's First Dairy Processing Facility in Pennsylvania, Expanding the Commonwealth's Dairy Industry and Creating Economic OpportunityOpens In A New Window
A tour of a PA Farm Bill-funded project feeding the future of agriculture by giving children across Pennsylvania broader access to fresh, locally-grown foods while supporting farmers, and inspiring children with hands-on career education: Shapiro Administration Takes Agriculture to the Classroom, Inspiring Youngest Pennsylvanians During Ag Literacy Week
"Pennsylvania lawmakers have prioritized agriculture, safeguarding more than 600,000 acres of farmland from commercial development since 1988 — more than any other state — and passing a tax credit for beginning farmers. State lawmakers also wrote the nation's first state-level farm bill in 2019, partially modeled on the federal farm bill, with a focus on workforce development, boosting conservation and organic opportunities and helping family farms plan for generational succession.
"It could offer a roadmap for the nation. With millions of acres of American farmland set to change hands in the next 20 years, state legislators and agricultural policymakers are warning of a crisis for domestic food production and fading vibrancy in rural communities. The U.S. has lost over half a million farms since the 1980s and the average age of the American farmer has ticked up to 58. Without reliable domestic food production, they say, America's ability to feed itself and address global food security could be in jeopardy.
"We have a vision for Pennsylvania agriculture," Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, who has served both Republican and Democrat governors for more than 20 years in top agriculture posts, said in an interview. "We see an opportunity here and we're going to invest in that and hopefully we can make a compelling case that this is an industry worth investing in."
"Beginning during Gov. Tom Ridge's (R) administration in the late 1990s, the state added agriculture to the list of industries supported by the state's 'economic development machine,' explained Redding, who was then serving as deputy agriculture secretary. Then, in Gov. Ed Rendell's (D) administration, the state added a new tool: a loan guarantee program for agriculture. Gov. Tom Wolf's (D) administration conducted a study of agriculture in the state, which helped expand the definition of agriculture to include urban farms and parts of the food supply chain beyond production, such as research and transportation.
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Photo Credit: pensylvania-dept-of-ag
Categories: Pennsylvania, Education, Rural Lifestyle