from: www.media.pa.gov
Harrisburg, PA — Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today announced $498,161 in PA Farm Bill Agriculture & Youth Grants awarded to 47 organizations in 24 counties, funding projects that prepare youth to succeed in Pennsylvania’s $132.5 billion agriculture industry. Students and educators from Fox Chase Farm, the School District of Philadelphia’s 112-acre demonstration farm, and Variety — the Children’s Charity of the Delaware Valley joined Secretary Redding to make the announcement in the 2024 PA Farm Show’s So You Want to Be a Farmer area, where anyone can learn how to raise food or flowers for fun, for profit, or for a new career.
“To meet increasingly complex challenges tied to climate and marketplace changes, and rapidly evolving technology, Pennsylvania’s agriculture employers need innovative problem-solvers,” Secretary Redding said. “The Shapiro Administration is committed to making sure young people have the freedom to choose their own paths, and the preparation to pursue the opportunities ahead of them. These grants feed the hungry minds of those who will feed us tomorrow.”
The Shapiro Administration’s commonsense, bi-partisan budget for 2023-24 funds a fifth year of Ag & Youth Grants through the PA Farm Bill. Since 2019, Ag & Youth Grants have invested just under $2 million in 194 projects statewide. Overall, more than $150 million in projects and initiatives to grow Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry have been funded through the PA Farm Bill.
Grants awarded today support projects in Allegheny, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Butler, Chester, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Forest, Greene, Huntingdon, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Perry, Philadelphia, Union, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.
Fox Chase Farm received a $25,000 matching grant to fund an automated, mobile chicken house.
“This cutting-edge addition not only symbolizes the latest technology in free-range poultry production but also serves as a dynamic educational tool, aligning with the ever-evolving landscape of poultry science,” said Dr. Mandy Manna, leader of innovative agricultural education programs for the School District of Philadelphia. “We are not just cultivating futures; we are nurturing the next generation of agricultural leaders and placing the promise of innovation directly into the hands of our students. Together, we are building a legacy of excellence in agriculture education.”
The 2023-24 budget invests another $13.8 million in the PA Farm Bill, continuing support for Pennsylvania’s Commission for Agriculture Education ExcellenceOpens In A New Window, and supporting youth education and workforce development initiatives including the largest increase ever in basic K-12 education funding, expanded apprenticeships and career and technology training, and continued work to expand broadband internet access to allow students and employers in rural communities to compete.
“This grant will support Variety’s vocational programs for youth and young adults with disabilities,” said Variety — the Children’s Charity of the Delaware Valley CEO Dominque Bernardo, another grant recipient. “Our gardens and greenhouse are living classrooms, where students learn valuable skills to prepare them for permanent employment in the community. Ultimately, grant funds help connect our community with surrounding communities who visit our pop-up shops to purchase food grown by our participants and local food pantries who receive donated food.”
PA Farm Bill Ag and Youth Grants provide direct funding of up to $7,500 and matching grants of up to $25,000 to support projects, programs, and equipment purchases by youth-run organizations, and those with programs that benefit youth or promote agriculture, community leadership, vocational training, and peer networking. Past funded projects include agriculture career seminars and field trips, agricultural safety training, capital projects, and equipment purchases aimed at leading students to opportunities in agriculture and building the future workforce Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry needs.