11/30/2020
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today applauded the state legislature for once again funding Governor Tom Wolf’s Pennsylvania Farm Bill in the 2020-21 Pennsylvania Budget. The first-ever Pennsylvania Farm Bill was signed into law in July 2019 and was transformative for the commonwealth’s leading industry.
11/25/2020
The Department of Agriculture today released data related to COVID-19 restaurant enforcement actions from November 16 through November 22, 2020. The information is specific to COVID-19 mitigation requirements for restaurants including social distancing, masking, and occupancy limits.
11/24/2020
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today announced that the CARES Act-funded Dairy Indemnity Program has distributed $7.6 million in direct relief payments to 1,550 dairy farmers in the commonwealth. Any dairy farmer who experienced losses due to discarded or displaced milk during the COVID-19 pandemic was eligible to apply.
11/20/2020
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today encouraged Pennsylvanians to make intentional shopping decisions as they prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday by actively seeking out ways to support Pennsylvania's farmers and purchasing Pennsylvania products for their Thanksgiving meal.
11/19/2020
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller today reminded Pennsylvanians to take advantage of food assistance programs and Thanksgiving baskets from local organizations to fill gaps in their holiday meal plans.
11/18/2020
The Department of Agriculture today released data related to COVID-19 restaurant enforcement actions from November 9 through November 15, 2020. The information is specific to COVID-19 mitigation requirements for restaurants including social distancing, masking, and occupancy limits.
11/18/2020
State Veterinarian Dr. Kevin Brightbill today urged Pennsylvania’s poultry industry, including backyard bird owners, to step up their biosecurity practices as East Asia and Europe report cases of Highly-Pathogenic Avian Influenza.
11/17/2020
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding invites singers statewide to enter “Oh, Say, Can You Sing?”, a star-spangled sing-off for the chance to inspire 2021 Pennsylvania Farm Show virtual viewers with their voices. Each morning, the 105th PA Farm Show will feature talented Pennsylvanians — individuals, members of the same household, or socially-distanced groups — singing the national anthem to kick off a day of virtual events. The contest, which ends on December 7, will determine who wins the honor of singing each morning.
11/12/2020
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today reminded Pennsylvanians that they can support PA agriculture while getting their Farm Show food fix at this weekend’s outdoor Fall Food Fest at Farm Show. The fest will take place at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center from November 13-15, 2020.
11/10/2020
The Department of Agriculture today released data related to COVID-19 restaurant enforcement actions from November 2 through November 8, 2020. The information is specific to COVID-19 mitigation requirements for restaurants including social distancing, masking, and occupancy limits.
11/10/2020
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding joined Hunger-Free Pennsylvania and Hunters Sharing the Harvest today to encourage Pennsylvania’s more than 850,000 licensed hunters to consider donating a deer to Pennsylvanians in need of food this hunting season.
11/09/2020
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Anthony J. Carrelli, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, toured U.S. Navy Veteran James Cornwell’s Nine Pines Farm in York, and U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Daniel Hubbard’s Hubbard Family Ranch in Gardners, Adams County on Friday, November 6, to highlight state support of veterans and engender consumer support for veteran-owned farms. Both farms received grants in September through the state’s $10 million Fresh Food Financing Initiative COVID-19 Relief Fund to expand access to fresh food in low-income communities during the pandemic.
11/09/2020
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Labor & Industry Deputy Secretary for Workforce Development Sheila Ireland will host a live panel discussion today on agriculture job training options through Pennsylvania’s three agriculture apprenticeship programs. The discussion will be livestreamed on the Department of Agriculture’s Facebook page today at 2:00 PM.
11/04/2020
The Department of Agriculture today released data related to COVID-19 restaurant enforcement actions from October 26 through November 1, 2020. The information is specific to COVID-19 mitigation requirements for restaurants including social distancing, masking, and occupancy limits.
10/30/2020
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced today that Pennsylvanians can get their PA Farm Show food fix at an outdoor Fall Food Fest in November. The fest will take place at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center from November 13-15, 2020.
10/29/2020
At Warrington Farms in Dillsburg today, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding commended Pennsylvania’s farmers who take part in the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System for their contributions of more than 4 million pounds of food to date in 2020 to Pennsylvania’s charitable food system amid the coronavirus pandemic.
10/28/2020
With the 2020 hunting season underway in Pennsylvania, the Department of Agriculture released recommended best management practices to help protect hunters and their families against Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
10/28/2020
The Department of Agriculture today released data related to COVID-19 restaurant enforcement actions from October 19 through October 25, 2020. The information is specific to COVID-19 mitigation requirements for restaurants including social distancing, masking, and occupancy limits.
10/24/2020
York Springs, PA - At Lerew’s Orchard in York Springs today, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and his wife, Nina, joined a volunteer gleaning operation through Project SHARE of Carlisle.
10/21/2020
The Department of Agriculture today released data related to COVID-19 restaurant enforcement actions from October 12 through October 18, 2020. The information is specific to COVID-19 mitigation requirements for restaurants including social distancing, masking, and occupancy limits.
10/21/2020
Secretary Russell Redding today called for research proposals that will strengthen and grow Pennsylvania’s poultry, swine, lamb, sheep and goat farming industries. Funded by the 2019 PA Farm Bill, $375,000 is available for projects to enhance biosecurity, diagnostic testing, veterinary telemedicine and other strategies to prevent, detect and manage animal diseases and protect the food supply.
10/20/2020
State Veterinarian Dr. Kevin Brightbill announced today that Pennsylvania has confirmed its first COVID-19 positive cat.
10/16/2020
The Department of Agriculture today expanded on competitive event opportunities for the virtual 2021 Pennsylvania Farm Show. More than 20 opportunities are available, with every competition having modified rules and regulations to effectively mitigate against COVID-19.
10/15/2020
At Appalachian Brewing Company in Harrisburg today, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Department of Community and Economic Development Deputy Secretary Carrie Lepore reminded Pennsylvania restaurants of the benefits of joining Open & Certified Pennsylvania.
10/14/2020
Consumers who purchased raw goat milk or raw goat milk yogurt, whey or cottage cheese on or before October 13 produced by Crystal Brook Farm, Lancaster County should immediately discard the products, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture said today. Tests completed during routine sampling indicated that the products tested positive for a disease-causing strain of E. coli bacteria.
10/13/2020
The Department of Agriculture today released data related to COVID-19 restaurant enforcement actions from October 5 through October 11, 2020. The information is specific to COVID-19 mitigation requirements for restaurants including social distancing, masking, and occupancy limits.
10/08/2020
Today, Pennsylvania safeguarded 2,224 acres on 25 farms in 17 counties, investing $5,655,426 through the state’s nation-leading Farmland Preservation Program. Preserved farms are protected from future residential, commercial or industrial development. They represent targeted investments in the future of farming and food security in Pennsylvania.
10/07/2020
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today expanded on the August announcement of a virtual 2021 PA Farm Show, previewing some of the PA Farm Show favorites and new events to be featured in January.
10/06/2020
The Department of Agriculture today released data related to COVID-19 restaurant enforcement actions from September 28 through October 4, 2020. The information is specific to COVID-19 mitigation requirements for restaurants including social distancing, masking, and occupancy limits.
10/01/2020
Today, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin and Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding reminded Pennsylvania restaurant owners that they may increase indoor capacity from 25 percent to 50 percent through a new self-certification process. Self-certification ensures that these businesses operate safely and instills customers and employees with confidence knowing they can dine and work safely but will not lead to additional inspections or penalties.