Wolf Administration Launches Tour Highlighting How Food Fuels Pennsylvania, Powers Jobs, Innovation and Economy

​Peach Glen, PA – Agriculture Secretary Ruspromote Redding and Division of Group and Financial Enchancment Deputy Secretary Carol Kilko right now extremelighted Pennsylvania’s agriculture and meals manufacturing enterprise at Knouse Meals, kicking off the Food that Fuels Pennsylvania tour, a plan to spotlight the commonwealth’s agriculture and meals manufacturing enterprise and its workforce.

“Food gasolines Pennsylvania. And meals is powered by revolutionary farmers and meals processors Who’ve been and On A daily basis Shall be important,” said Secretary Redding. “From jobs, to the financial system, and our households at house, meals gasolines us all. It is a commonality that brings everyone to the desk all As a Outcome of of farmers and meals producers who feed the commonwealth and the world.”

Pennsylvania agriculture is a $132.5 billion enterprise that assists almost 53,000 farms and Greater than 593,000 jobs Yearly. Food manufacturing Is Amongst The numerous largest sectors of the commonwealth’s agriculture enterprise, assisting 140,000 jobs and contributing $22.4 billion to the state’s financial system annually.

Since taking office in 2015, Governor Tom Wolf has prioritized the success of Pennsylvania agriculture. In his first three years in office, Wolf invested Greater than $50 million in grants, loans, and tax credit To assist farmers increase their opperiodtions, improve their gear, set up conservation practices, and protect their farms. Then in 2018, Wolf commissioned The primary all-inclusive economic influence report for Pennsylvania agriculture, by way of Group Pennsylvania, which he used To write down a six-level plan for Pennsylvania agriculture that led to the proposal and funding of The primary-ever Pennsylvania Farm Invoice in 2019. The historic package deal of legal guidelines has since invested $37.2 million into Pennsylvania agriculture, with a dedication To take a place ancompletely different $13.6 million by June 2022.

Alongside Collectively with his historic Pennsylvania Farm Invoice, Wolf enhanced fundings in farmland preservation. Since 2015, He is devoted Greater than $253 million to the state’s nation-main farmland preservation program, An enhance of 132 % over the earlier administration’s funding. This $253 million mixed with fundings from counties has protectd almost 100,000 acres over the course of the Wolf Administration.

“Pennsylvania is famend For every its agriculture and meals manufacturing industries and the Wolf Administration has reprimaryed dedicated to assisting The enlargement Of these sectors—recognizing The primary contributions They current to the commonwealth,” said DCED Deputy Secretary Kilko. “These are companies offering meals and snacks we share with our households and Relations, and their success is essential to their capability to proceed To current communities with trusted merchandise And convey new jobs and alternatives to areas all by way of the state.”

People who work in agriculture and meals manufacturing are feeding the commonwealth and the world. These industries are gasolineing STEM careers, creating alternatives in meals science, engineering, enterprise and expert technical jobs. To Guarantee agriculture’s prosperity for meals To primarytain out there, accessible And pretty priced, A mannequin new period of agricultural staff Is required.

Pennsylvania faces an agricultural workforce scarcity, that at one level estimated a deficit of 75,000 staff as farmers retire and new know-how-based mostly places Discover your self to be out there. In recognition of workforce wants and agriculture’s significance to the financial system, the Wolf Administration partnered with Group Pennsylvania to as quickly as as quickly as extra analyze economic tendencies and workforce wants. The 2021 Financial Impact of Agriculture in Pennsylvania report defines the commonwealth’s distinctive agricultural panorama, quantified economics and workforce influences.

“Group Pennsylvania is Joyful with our partnership with the PA Division of Agriculture and the Wolf Administration to advance state-diploma agricultural economic and workforce development initiatives,” said Group Pennsylvania Director of Agriculture Covperiodge Packages Kelly Kundratic. “Our position in elevating the economic and workforce contributions of Pennsylvania’s important meals and farm companies to state, regional And native choice-makers has come into even sharper focus As a Outcome of of COVID-19 pandemic and revealed A clear case for addressing our meals methods’ economic and workforce wants regionally with state assist. We look forward to the proceedd partnership in advancing this mission.”

Knouse Meals is a Grower-Owned Fruit Coopperiodtive comprised of Greater than 100 household farms. The coopperiodtive started Greater than 100 years in the past as farmers growing their apple orchards needed a market to promote their fruit. Knouse Meals is now Definitely one of many largest processors and innovators of apple merchandise in North America, promoteing merchandise beneath the fashions Musselman’s and Fortunate Leaf. Farm households gasoline Knouse Meals’ extreme-extreme quality merchandise That are loved by consumers throughout the commonwealth and the nation.

Pennsylvania has laid A strong base of policy for The biggest method forward for the agricultural enterprise by way of the PA Farm Invoice and completely different revolutionary policy and economic development strategies. For extra information on the Wolf Administration’s work to strengthen the resilience of Pennsylvania agriculture go to agriculture.pa.gov.

Notice: Photograph and video of the event out there at PACast.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Shannon Powers – 717.603.2056; [email protected] 

 

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