Gov. Shapiro visits Penn State to celebrate PA’s first Ag Innovation Fund. Here’s how it works
Calling it a “momentous day for Pennsylvania agriculture,” Rep. Paul Takac joined Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro for a ceremonial bill signing Monday in State College for Takac’s Ag Innovation Bill.
The Ag Innovation Bill (HB 2310) was formally signed into law by Shapiro in July and gives farmers and agriculture businesses grant opportunities through a new Agriculture Innovation Fund. The fund — the first of its kind in the nation — has $10 million in it this year, although Takac, D-College Township, expects that amount to grow in the coming years.
During the press conference and bill signing at the Dairy Research and Teaching Complex at Penn State’s University Park campus, the governor and agriculture leaders applauded the bill and spoke about the opportunities it will give Pennsylvania farmers.
Takac said it’s important to help Pennsylvania farmers and companies take advantage of new technologies and best practices, which can range from drones, robots and remote sensors, to renewable energy and artificial intelligence.
The Agriculture Innovation Fund will provide grants to farmers, food processors, cooperatives and technical service providers to adopt innovative technologies and practices, Takac said. By doing this, they’ll be able to work more efficiently, have more profits and sustainable practices, while benefiting the environment and climate, he said.
“It could also create new revenue streams for Pennsylvania farmers, increasing their economic resiliency and their sustainability. These are reimbursement grants that require matching funds, so a real partnership. They’re available to both individual farms and businesses as well as projects with a more regional impact as well,” Takac said.
Shapiro said he knew one of the state’s key pillars of economic success and opportunity had to be centered around agriculture. To be the first state with an Ag Innovation Fund is something he’s proud of.
“When I think about innovation, I don’t only think about the life sciences centers in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, or the sprawling suburban office parks where innovation is occurring. I think about farms and centers like this in rural communities all across Pennsylvania. The reason I’m saying this is, innovation plays just as important of a role in our skyscrapers as it does in our farmlands. We need to treat both areas with the same level of respect and investment, and we are doing that now in Pennsylvania thanks to Representative Takac’s bill and the work that’s being done in the Department of Agriculture,” Shapiro said.
Troy Ott, Dean of Penn State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences, said the program will ensure competitiveness, resiliency, environmental stewardship and vitality for farms and agribusinesses in Pennsylvania. The reimbursement grants will increase production efficiency, encourage sustainable practices, utilize renewable energy and sequester carbon, he said.
“This is exciting for me, from my perspective as Dean of the College of Agriculture and as a scientist, because it represents the tangible impact of research done at Penn State and other land-grant universities around the country. It is a legacy of a partnership between Penn State and Pennsylvanians, more than 150 years old, to discover and implement science-based solutions to improve agriculture,” Ott said.
Innovation and technology in farming that also benefits the environment and climate isn’t new, Shapiro said. But he said it hasn’t been “adequately funded” at the state level until now. The state’s budget is an “extraordinary budget for agriculture,” Pennsylvania’s Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said.
“It has things that we’ve only dreamt of. We have a Western lab for the first time. We have continued funding for ag conservation funding ... We have recovery funds in the event that we have hi-path (avian influenza), we have new food and food security support. But among that, we also now have for the very first time, an Agricultural Innovation Fund,” Redding said.
Christina Grozinger, professor of entomology at Penn State, said because Pennsylvania has one of the most diverse farming systems in the country there are many opportunities for research and innovation.
“That is why we’re very excited about the Agriculture Innovation Fund. It will drive the growth of small businesses that will take our research and turn it into tools that farmers can use, and it will also create a community of farmers that know how technology can be used on their farms and who we can work with later as we start developing new research projects and new innovations,” Grozinger said.
This was Takac’s first bill to be signed into law. Shapiro — who later stopped by the Penn State Berkey Creamery to campaign for Kamala Harris and speak to young voters — highlighted that the bill passed a divided legislature with strong bipartisan support. He also praised Takac for his bipartisan work to prioritize agriculture.
“This is my first legislation to be signed into law, and I’m proud and grateful that it’s something that will have such a significant positive impact on farmers, families and our communities across this great commonwealth,” Takac said.
The program is administered by the Department of Agriculture in consultation with the state’s Conservation Commission. Final grant determinations will be made by an independent board. Grant applications open Sept. 30 and run through Nov. 26. More information on the grant guidelines and procedures will be posted online at agriculture.pa.gov on Sept. 28.
