Gov. Josh Shapiro is putting Pennsylvania's farming future first with a hefty injection of cash for the state's agriculture. Shapiro's administration is rolling out $460,000 in grants for specialty crops that could fertilize economic growth and sustainability across the Keystone State. According to a press release from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the 2024 Commonwealth Specialty Crop Block Grants aim to propel market growth and improve competitiveness for crops like hardwoods, honey, and brewing grains.
Fuelled by bipartisan support, these grants, initially funded in Shapiro's 2023-24 budget, have made the cut again for the next fiscal year, seeking to sow seeds of opportunity and spur innovation in a $132.5 billion industry. The governor's proposed 2024-25 budget also tosses $10 million into an agriculture innovation fund to help Pennsylvania farmers upgrade and thrive amidst market and climate changes. As part of his strategy, Shapiro, with a strong emphasis on the agriculture sector's importance, delivers these initiatives.
"These grants are strategic investments in the future for Pennsylvania farmers," said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. "Investing in these products feeds prosperity and progress in communities across Pennsylvania. Investing in our farm businesses and their capacity to grow, innovate, and feed a rapidly growing population — as Governor Shapiro has proposed in his 2023-24 budget — is how communities across Pennsylvania will prosper tomorrow."
The high-priority specialty crops identified for grant eligibility include a bouquet of agricultural staples such as honey, hardwoods, fiber crops like hemp and flax, and essential brewing ingredients—hops, barley, rye, and wheat. Urban and rural communities shadowed by poverty will also see a silver lining with a designated percentage of funds earmarked for projects in areas where at least 20% of the population lives below the federal poverty line.
Past projects benefiting from this program stretch across a spectrum of agricultural research and development, such as studying hemp's environmental impact, brewing-crop teaching, and strategies for pest control in hemp and hardwoods. It even funded a honey and pollen diagnostics lab contributing to the buzzing sustainability scene statewide.
Keen participants looking to graft their innovation onto this funding opportunity will need to submit a proposal by 5 p.m. on April 19. The Department of Community and Economic Development's Electronic Single Application is the gatekeeper for submissions. For more information, proposal templates, and a map of past beneficiaries visit agriculture.pa.gov/pafarmbill under the Commonwealth Specialty Crop Block Program section.
.jpg){kind=link}