YORK, Pa. — Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding celebrated local contributions to Pennsylvania agriculture at the 32nd Annual York County Agriculture Business Recognition Banquet on March 29 and urged business owners and leaders to continue to lend their voices in support of the industry.
During the event, Redding discussed the governor’s commitment to Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry and the importance of demonstrating leadership at all levels of the industry, from agricultural education to agribusiness owners.
“Agriculture contributes more than $135 billion to our economy each year and is one of our top employers — creating about one in seven Pennsylvania jobs — an impact that cannot be overstated or overlooked,” Redding said. “The Wolf Administration has made significant investments in agriculture, positioning it for continued success, but today’s leaders must continue to inspire the growth of future producers and business owners. Your leadership, advocacy and mentorship is setting the industry’s course for years to come.”
During the past three years, the Wolf Administration has invested more than $50 million in agriculture-related economic development projects; increased support for workforce development and agricultural education to help prepare students and workers for 75,000 anticipated job openings in the industry over the next decade; increased funding for farmland preservation by 45 percent; dedicated $3 million to connect charitable food systems with farmers, providing more than 6 million pounds of food to hungry families across Pennsylvania; and signed historic legislation that has created new markets for farmers and lowered their tax burdens. The administration has also begun work to expand broadband access to hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians, including more than half a million in rural communities.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, in partnership with Team PA, spent two years engaging stakeholders across the commonwealth as it developed its economic impact study, resulting in several strategic recommendations for the agriculture industry. Those recommendations include: capitalizing on branding and marketing opportunities; expanding infrastructure, including processing and manufacturing capacity, broadband and transportation; broadening workforce development and education opportunities; and diversifying products to strengthen markets and build resiliency.
Thursday’s event, hosted by the York County Agriculture Business Council, also presented the 2018 York County Farm Family and Agriculture Industry Award winners and the Tony Dobrosky Future Leader’s Award.
For more information about the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s programs and services, or to read the state’s Agriculture Economic Impact Study, visit the Department’s website at www.agriculture.pa.gov.
— Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
