(Photo Courtesy of Commonwealth Media Services)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(State College, PA) Governor Josh Shapiro spoke at the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences’ annual Ag Progress Days luncheon in State College on Wednesday. Shapiro talked about the commitment of his administration that is ongoing to support farmers, growers, and producers in Pennsylvania and to talk about the continued investments by his administration in the agricultural industry of Pennsylvania. The sector of agriculture in Pennsylvania is a major driver of economics for the state, annually contributing $132 billion to the economy and assisting close to 600,000 jobs. Historic support for Pennsylvania agriculture was delivered through the first two budgets from Shapiro. The proposed budget from Shapiro for 2025-2026 is building on that progress regarding investments to spur the innovation of them, get more strength for the food supply chain in Pennsylvania and protect against animal disease. According to Shapiro in his speech at the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences’ annual Ag Progress Days luncheon in State College on Wednesday, “Pennsylvania went from the bottom of the pack in the nation when it came to permiting times, and now we are leaders in the nation.” This is addressing permiting for farmers. Shapiro also noted that the government of Pennsylvania will both continue to back the famers in Pennsylvania and to back agriculture as central to both the strategy of growth and economy in Pennsylvania.