Yesterday, Governor Josh Shapiro and Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding visited Pennsylvania State University’s Dairy Research and Teaching Complex, for a ceremonial bill signing to highlight investments in agricultural innovation secured in the 2024-25 budget — including the first-of-its-kind in the nation, $10 million Agricultural Innovation Grant Program to help support new solutions and technologies, to build the future of American agriculture right here in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry plays a crucial role in the Commonwealth’s economy — more than 53,000 farms across the Commonwealth support over 600,000 jobs and contribute $132 billion to our state’s economy. The Agricultural Innovation Grant Program will be administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to offer grants to farmers and other agriculture businesses, to implement new agricultural technologies, conservation, and renewable energy innovations – expanding their potential to generate profits, enrich soil and water resources, and produce energy on the farm.