October 29, 2021 - State College, PA
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding joined agriculture educators and students to celebrate Pennsylvania's rich, agricultural heritage and promising future at the 150-year old Hess Farm in State College. With more than 13 million Pennsylvanians and countless others around the world relying on Pennsylvania agriculture for food, fuel and fiber and more than 590,000 jobs tied to the industry, Governor Tom Wolf is set to invest more than $106 million this year in programs that secure a strong future for the industry."Pennsylvania's history is rooted in agriculture. From the earliest chapters written by Pennsylvania's first settlers who came together and worked each other's fields - building lives for themselves and feeding their communities - to the pages we write today," said Redding. "Our actions today will write the next chapters. From the Farm Vitality Grant Program to investments in science and research, the Wolf Administration has committed more than $106 million this year to ensuring food will continue to fuel Pennsylvania for generations to come."The Hess Farm, which holds farmstead status with the National Historic Register, is the third stop on Redding's Food Fuels PA tour. Jeff and Cindy Harding, who own the farm now, look to continue that tradition by transitioning the farm to their children with support from a $7,500 Pennsylvania Farm Bill Farm Vitality Grant.
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