LEMOYNE, Pa. — The Pennsylvania State Grange commends the Senate Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee vote April 9 for voting to unanimously support the re-confirmation of Russell Redding as Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
Pennsylvania State Grange President Wayne Campbell said that the bipartisan vote reflects an understanding of Russell Redding’s stature as both an advocate for agriculture and as effective an administrator of the agency that protects food safety, combats natural threats to crops and promotes consumers’ purchasing PA Preferred products, among other things.
“Russell has consistently supported farming as well as consumer protection issues such as the integrity of our weights and measures,” Campbell said. “Most important is his leadership in helping achieve Gov. Wolf’s objective of having Cabinet-level agencies work together jointly to solve problems such as with Pennsylvania’s dairy industry and promoting agricultural science careers.”
The confirmation process now moves to the full Senate.
Redding has served as Secretary of Agriculture in both the Wolf and Rendell administrations. He is the former Dean of the Delaware Valley University School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences as well as the point person on farm legislation for the late U.S. Sen. Harris Wofford.
A number of Pennsylvania State Grange members were present at the Senate Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee meeting to show support for Secretary Redding as part of their Day on the Hill in Harrisburg.
— Pennsylvania State Grange