May 21, 2026 - Worcester, PA

ADVISORY - MONTGOMERY COUNTY - Expanding Career Opportunities for All: Shapiro Administration to Welcome Students for Accessible, Hands-On Agriculture Career Exploration

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture will invite 2nd-12th-grade students from southeast and southcentral PA to explore how agriculture touches their daily lives and brings their science and technology lessons to life in the world outside the classroom. Farm City Day at Variety - The Children's Charity of the Delaware Valley is one example of the Shapiro Administration's commitment to creating meaningful career opportunities in ag for Pennsylvanians of all ages and abilities, investing in the skilled workforce ag employers need to keep Pennsylvania a national agricultural leader for decades to come. Pennsylvania currently leads the nation in the percentage of farmers under 35 - and under Governor Shapiro's leadership, the Commonwealth has created more apprenticeship opportunities and training programs to train young Pennsylvanians who want to work in agriculture.

Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Labor & Industry Secretary Nancy A. Walker will try out Variety's adaptive tools and explore features that help students with disabilities navigate gardens, greenhouses, and planting during the career-learning field trip coordinated by the department.

Students and educators from public and private schools, as well homeschool students will spend their school day exploring Variety's sustainable organic and sensory gardens and greenhouses, and interacting with horses and rabbits, and "milking" a life-size cow simulator. They will meet people whose jobs make our food healthier and more plentiful and learn how they use worms, compost, chemistry, and trees to make soil and water healthier.

WHAT:
2026 Farm City Day

WHO:
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding
Labor & Industry Secretary Nancy A. Walker
Variety CEO Dominique Bernardo
State Senator Maria Collett
State Representative Matt Bradford
Educators and students from across southcentral and southeast Pennsylvania

WHEN:
Thursday, May 21 at 9:45 a.m.

WHERE:
Variety - the Children's Charity of the Delaware Valley
2950 Potshop Road, Worcester, PA 19490

RSVP:
Media wishing to attend should RSVP to Shannon Powers, shpowers@pa.gov.

• Full Advisory