Farming remains an important cog in Pennsylvania’s economy. This year’s state budget reflects that piece.

“Feeding a rapidly growing population in the face of increasingly complex climate, marketplace, and technological challenges requires feeding our agriculture businesses through commonsense investments aimed at solutions to those challenges,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “The Department is grateful that Governor Shapiro and the General Assembly have come together to help ensure that our industry is positioned to grow, and all Pennsylvanians have the opportunity to share the benefits of our growth.”

According to state Gov. Josh Shapiro the agricutlural sector supports more than 580,000 jobs statewide while putting food on tables around the world every day. The recent budget increases funding for the department by nearly 6.4%, feeding agricultural emergency preparedness and response to help cushion businesses against the blows of animal disease and invasive species outbreaks; feeding agriculture business profits while increasing consumer confidence in products labeled as organic; and feeding opportunities for healthy, locally grown foods in rural and underserved communities where availability is scarce.

Critical agriculture investments in the 2023-24 budget include:

¯ $31 million to help poultry farmers impacted by the hi-path avian influenza crisis pay for testing and get reimbursed for losses to their flocks. The $34 million Agricultural Preparedness and Response line item includes $3 million to help control invasive spotted lanternflies and leverages $3 million in matching funds from the USDA.

¯ $2 million to fund the Fresh Food Financing Initiative that will contribute to better health outcomes by improving access to PA-grown, processed, and produced foods.

¯ $2 million increase to the State Food Purchase Program to provide state funds for emergency food assistance for low-income Pennsylvanians. The increase to the $26.28 million line item will connect surplus food donated by farmers through the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System to food banks and food pantries statewide, and will connect low-income seniors to Senior Food Boxes filled with nutritious dietary staples.

¯ $1 million to create a new Organic Center of Excellence, one of the first-of-its kind, to empower and support organic farmers and businesses.

The budget invests $13.8 million in a fifth year of the PA Farm Bill, making critical investments in building the workforce, processing infrastructure, and marketing opportunities the industry needs, and in removing barriers standing between the industry and those who want to be part of its future.

Each year at the Warren County Fair, we have the opportunity to see local farmers — and the youth connected to those operations and 4-H– in person. State investments are vital to keeping this sector of our economy going.

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