September 16, 2024 - State College, PA
Governor Josh Shapiro and Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding visited Pennsylvania State University's Dairy Research and Teaching Complex for a ceremonial bill signing to highlight investments in agricultural innovation secured in the 2024-25 budget - including the first-of-its-kind in the nation $10 million Agricultural Innovation Grant Program to help support new solutions and technologies to build the future of American agriculture right here in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's agriculture industry plays a crucial role in the Commonwealth's economy - more than 53,000 farms across the Commonwealth support over 600,000 jobs and contribute $132 billion to our state's economy. That's why Governor Shapiro's Economic Development Strategy places agriculture at the forefront, and his 2024-25 budget proposal allocates additional funding to support the growth of new businesses and reinforce Pennsylvania's national reputation as a leader in agriculture. "In my Administration, we know economic growth and opportunity flow right through our farmlands - and that is why we have put agriculture front and center in our economic development strategy and in the bipartisan budget I signed this summer," said Governor Shapiro. "We're proud to announce the $10 million secured for the Agricultural Innovation Grant Program as we continue working to ensure Pennsylvania leads the nation in agriculture, as the first state to create a dedicated program like this. We're talking game-changing projects - alternative fuel tractors, methane digesters powering entire farms, and cutting-edge robotic milkers being developed right here at Penn State. This first-in-the-nation initiative is going to help fund game-changing projects - and thanks to our bipartisan work, the future of farming is happening right here in Pennsylvania." List of Speakers:Dr. Troy Ott - Dean of Penn State's College of Agricultural SciencesRussell Redding - Secretary, PA Dept. of AgricultureRep. Paul TakacDr. Christina Grozinger - Professor of Entomology, Penn State UniversityGovernor Josh Shapiro
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