HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – Governor Josh Shapiro, joined by US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and PA Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, announced at the PA Farm Show today that $26 million in USDA funding would be made available through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program.

Through a cooperative agreement with the USDA, Pennsylvania will administer the grant program to fund projects “that strengthen the state’s food systems by improving capacity and resilience in the middle of the supply chain for farm and food businesses and other eligible entities.”

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This Week in Pennsylvania

Shapiro said the funding will “reinforce our food supply chain and help us fund projects that ramp up food processing and distribution across Pennsylvania.”

Grant applications can range from $100,000 to $3 million and will be open from January 15 to March 30, 2024. Projects may start on July 1, 2024, and must be completed by May 2027 with applications contributing 50% of the total proposed project cost as a match to federal funding.

For historically underserved farmers and ranchers and small businesses that qualify under the Small Business Administration (including small, disadvantaged businesses, women-owned small businesses, and veteran-owned small businesses) the required match is reduced to $25%.

“At USDA, we recognize food businesses in the middle of the supply chain are essential to ensuring producers can get their product from the field to market and Americans have sustainable access to fresh, quality agricultural products,” said Secretary Vilsack. “Pennsylvania’s investments through USDA’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program will support these businesses by building stronger infrastructure which will contribute to a thriving agricultural economy within the state.”

“I think the future is really bright for Ag in Pennsylvania,” said Shapiro at the Farm Show on Wednesday.

Shapiro also said his budget steers capital to keep farmers on their land and includes cash for VO-Tech programs.

“When I think of tech, of course, I think of welding. Of course, I think of plumbing, but I also think of farming. We’ve got to make sure that those investments continue.”

Shapiro also praised Secretary Redding for working on Christmas to minimize another avian flu outbreak.

“Thanks to their incredible work over 36 or so hours, we’re able to contain that,” Shapiro said, “and it did not spread. What these folks did at the Department of Agriculture saved livelihoods.”

There was handshaking and milkshake drinking but Vilsack reminded everyone that food security is national security.

“Let me ask this question,” posed Vilsak. “Would you rather be the United States or China? The United States has the capacity with its 320 million people to feed every single American without importing a single thing. We grow and raise enough…China cannot feed its own people. It requires the United States and others to provide food for their people. Who do you think is more secure?”

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