May 12, 2025 - Sacramento, PA
Governor Josh Shapiro visited Sterman Masser Potato Farm in Schuylkill County to highlight how strategic Commonwealth investments - like the Shapiro Administration's first-in-the-nation Agricultural Innovation Grant Program - are strengthening Pennsylvania's agriculture industry, creating jobs, and driving economic growth. These investments provide grants, loans, and technical support to farmers and agricultural businesses adopting cutting-edge technologies, ensuring Pennsylvania remains at the forefront of the ag industry. The Governor's visit showcased how Pennsylvania is leading the nation in supporting farmers and delivering results for one of the Commonwealth's largest and most innovative potato growers. Sterman Masser, an eighth-generation family business with over 400 employees, received a $200,000 grant to purchase and install a state-of-the-art potato planter. This new equipment will boost planting efficiency, reduce fuel usage, and allow Sterman Masser to double the number of acres they plant and harvest - from 1,000 acres before this grant to 2,000 acres with their new equipment. As a result, for the first time in 50 years, Pennsylvania will see an increase in the number of acres used for potato planting and harvesting. "Our farmers are the backbone of our economy here in Pennsylvania - they put food on our tables, in our stores, and in our restaurants every day. If we want to compete and succeed as a Commonwealth, then we have to invest in our ag economy," said Governor Shapiro. "When I was campaigning to be Governor, I heard over and over again from folks in the ag industry that they needed access to capital to invest back in their operations. That's why we came together last year - Democrats and Republicans alike - to address that challenge and create a brand-new, first-in-the-nation Ag Innovation fund that's delivering real results like this new planter here at Sterman Masser."List of Speakers:Dave Masser, CEO of the Masser Family of CompaniesGovernor Josh ShapiroLela Reichart, Vice President of New Business Development Masser Family of CompaniesKent Heffner, President of the Schuylkill/Carbon County Pennsylvania Farm Bureau