09/20/2021
Harrisburg, PA – The All-American Dairy Show returned to Harrisburg this weekend, featuring four days of showring competition, youth programming and dairy innovation to the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg.
09/16/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced today that the 106th Pennsylvania Farm Show will run from Saturday, January 8 through Saturday, January 15 and will be hosted at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg.
09/16/2021
The All-American Dairy Show, returns to Harrisburg this weekend for its 57th year. The event, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg, features four days of competitions highlighting the best of seven dairy cattle breeds in the Premier National Youth Show and Open Shows, as well as youth development programs and industry networking designed to grow and sustain a thriving dairy industry in the future.
09/15/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding joined Second Lady Gisele Fetterman and urban agriculture leaders at Braddock Farms in Allegheny County at a free vaccine clinic hosted by UPMC. There, they highlighted how Pennsylvania’s urban gardens and markets work to combat the health and food disparities emphasized by COVID-19.
09/14/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today announced the opening of the 2021-22 PA Farm Bill’s $500,000 Urban Agriculture Grant Program to grow agricultural infrastructure in urban food deserts to improve access to fresh, local food and provide opportunities for hands-on learning and community-building. With improved agricultural infrastructure, urban growers can prioritize access to sufficient, healthy, and culturally appropriate foods for their community.
09/10/2021
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture announced today the Spotted Lanternfly Compliance and Enforcement Team will be conducting spotted lanternfly permit and inspection record checks for businesses in Allegheny, Beaver, and Westmoreland Counties beginning on September 20.
09/10/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today announced a free COVID-19 vaccine clinic in partnership with UPMC will be hosted on Wednesday, September 15 from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Braddock Farm Stand, 1000 Braddock Ave, Braddock, PA 15104.
09/03/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today encouraged farmers and consumers to take precautionary food safety measures following severe flooding and power outages from the remnants of Tropical Depression Ida.
09/01/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today encouraged Pennsylvania farmers to apply for grants of up to $7,500 through the PA Farm Bill’s $1 million Farm Vitality Grant Program for organic transition planning assistance.
08/30/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today announced a free webinar series to connect military veterans who are considering starting or expanding an agriculture business with resources, funding and planning tools they need to succeed.
08/27/2021
At Hill Top Academy in Mechanicsburg today, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding was joined by Vonda Ramp, Pennsylvania's Director of Childhood Nutrition Programs, today where he revealed that over the past three years, Pennsylvania schools offering farm to school programming increased by more than 137 percent since last surveyed.
08/25/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today joined volunteers at Carversville Farm Foundation in Bucks County to harvest produce for the charitable food system.
08/19/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today encouraged rural Pennsylvanians to take advantage of the multitude of free COVID-19 vaccine clinics taking place at Pennsylvania’s upcoming agricultural fairs and events.
08/18/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Senator Elder Vogel, Chair of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, joined dairy leaders at Harrisburg Dairies today to highlight a new state law that strengthens dairy competitiveness in the marketplace by increasing consumer choice and reducing food waste. A recommendation of the Dairy Future Commission, Governor Tom Wolf signed Senate Bill 434 into law on June 30, 2021which offers milk sell-by date and best-by date labeling flexibility to dairy processors.
08/17/2021
Today, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced the opening of the 2021-22 PA Farm Bill’s $500,000 Farm to School Grant Program to improve access to healthy, local foods and increase agriculture education opportunities for children pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.
08/12/2021
oday at PennState's annual Ag Progress Days, Agriculture Russell Redding recognized the Bouse family, owners of Happy Mountain Bouse Farm in Towanda, Bradford County, the newest Century Farm in Pennsylvania. Siblings Margaret (Peggy) Bouse Heskell, Rose Bouse and G. Thomas Bouse and their family have farmed the land since purchasing it in1920.
08/12/2021
Today at PennState's annual Ag Progress Days, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding recognized six individuals and two county conservation district boards with 2020 and 2021 Conservation Excellence Awards. On behalf of the State Conservation Commission (SCC), Redding presented Distinguished Service and Training Excellence Awards to current and retired county, state and federal employees from Bedford, Cumberland, Lancaster, Lycoming and York counties. He presented Leadership Excellence Awards to the boards of the Montgomery and Washington County Conservation Districts.
08/10/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding was joined by Senator Jake Corman and Representative Emily Kinkead during a visit to a free vaccine clinic hosted by the Department of Health at Ag Progress Days in Centre County, Pennsylvania's largest outdoor agricultural exposition, today and encouraged rural Pennsylvanians to take advantage of similar opportunities occurring around the state.
08/09/2021
oday, Agriculture Russell Redding invited proposals for $460,000 in Commonwealth Specialty Crop Block Grants, created under the PA Farm Bill in 2019 and renewed a third time for the 2021-22 state budget. Eligible projects will stimulate market growth and enhance the competitive position of crops designated as high priority for their potential to feed Pennsylvania's economy and boost environmental sustainability.
08/09/2021
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture announced today the Spotted Lanternfly Compliance and Enforcement Team will be conducting spotted lanternfly permit and inspection record checks for businesses in Lackawanna County beginning on August 23.
08/04/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding was joined by Senator Amanda Cappelletti and Representative Mary Jo Daley at Maple Acres Farm in Montgomery County today to highlight the partnership between the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Farmers Union, and farmers across the state to keep locally grown produce safe for consumers.
07/29/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today encouraged farmers to apply for funding to strengthen the long-term health and vitality of Pennsylvania's farms through the 2020-2021 Farm Vitality Grant Program. One of the largest programs in Governor Tom Wolf's Pennsylvania Farm Bill, the Farm Vitality Program helps fund professional services for on-farm business planning.
07/23/2021
From Reading to Lancaster on Monday, Pittsburgh on Tuesday, and Philadelphia on Thursday, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding traveled Pennsylvania this week to visit the urban agriculture operations that are directly addressing food insecurity, improving quality of life, and infusing revenue into cities across the commonwealth.
07/19/2021
This week, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding will travel the commonwealth to visit 11 urban farms and ag operations in the cities of Reading, Lancaster, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia. At these and many more urban agriculture sites across the commonwealth, Pennsylvanians are coming together to tackle both local and global challenges like climate change, food insecurity, and poor health associated with a lack of access to nutritious foods.
07/15/2021
The personal protective equipment (PPE) stockpile currently being stored at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg will be moved to another site over the next few months, Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity, Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, and the Pennsylvania Department of General Services announced today.
07/14/2021
Secretary Russell Redding today announced the availability of $13 million in tax credits to Pennsylvania farmers for measures to improve soil and water quality. Tax credits are available through Pennsylvania's innovative, nationally-recognized conservation financing program, Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP).
07/09/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today thanked Governor Wolf and the General Assembly for making food security a priority, boosting farm income and putting fresh, local foods on the tables of Pennsylvanians in need. The 2021-22 state budget appropriates $22.688 million for the department’s anti-hunger programs. This includes $20.188 million for the State Food Purchase Program, an increase of $2 million, and $2.5 million for the Pennsylvania Agriculture Surplus System (PASS), an increase of $1 million.
07/08/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today commended Governor Tom Wolf and the General Assembly for once again funding the Pennsylvania Farm Bill. Funded for the third time at $13.6 million, the PA Farm Bill is a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive set of programs that resulted from bipartisan action to grow a stronger, more resilient agriculture industry.
07/07/2021
Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today called for proposals for projects designed to increase consumer awareness of Pennsylvania agriculture products and increase sales and exports. The department will award up to $303,000 in matching funds to PA nonprofits to reimburse up to 50% of costs for promotional and educational projects.
07/06/2021
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today announced the Pennsylvania Farm Show will host a Summer Food Fest, providing Pennsylvanians the opportunity to once again taste their PA Farm Show food-favorites as they countdown to the 2022 show.