HARRISBURG, Pa. –The Wolf Administration announced the second Dairy Innovation Forum, one of several initiatives to give Pennsylvania’s dairy producers resources and opportunities they need to sustain and grow their businesses in a challenging marketplace. The forum will be held during the 2019 All-American Dairy Show, in the PA Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg on September 17, 2019 from 12:30 to 4:30 pm.
“Pennsylvania’s dairy industry is vital to our heritage, our communities, and our economy,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “The resources and opportunities we will explore during this forum will give producers tools to innovate, strengthen and sustain their businesses in the future. The All-American Dairy Show provides a perfect backdrop of the finest in dairy livestock and dairy families to inspire a productive summit.”
The summit will showcase the Dairy Investment Program, a $5 million package of grants awarded earlier this year to support on-farm innovation, through research and development, organic transition, and value-added processing of products like cheese and yogurt. The grant program was funded again in the PA Farm Bill, which Governor Wolf signed in July.
The PA Farm Bill, a package of legislation that provides support for and continued investments in the commonwealth’s agriculture industry, was modeled after the governor’s six-point plan to cultivate future generations of Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry. The legislation provides for business development and succession planning, accommodations for a growing animal agriculture sector, removing regulatory burdens, strengthening the ag workforce, protecting infrastructure, and making Pennsylvania the nation’s leading organic state.
The summit will also include presentations on Food Safety Modernization Requirements, and resources available through the Dairy Check-Off program. For more information on the forum, or to register for the free event, visit the Center for Dairy Excellence website, centerfordairyexcellence.org.
For more information about the PA Farm Bill, and investments to support Pennsylvania agriculture, visit agriculture.pa.gov.
–Shannon Powers, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture