Gov. Josh Shapiro's budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, announced in February, includes a $10.3 million investment in agriculture innovation.
State Rep. Paul Takac, a Centre County Democrat and a member of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, said Shapiro's proposal prompted him to introduce House Bill 2310. The legislation would establish a 13-member Agriculture Innovation Board to distribute grants to farms, agribusinesses and agricultural support services that have plans to implement innovative practices.
A month later, state Sen. Ryan Aument, a West Hempfield Township Republican, joined fellow GOP Sen. Elder Vogel Jr., who represents Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties, in introducing companion bill SB1269.
"Lancaster County farmland is some of the best in the world, so ensuring good stewardship of this land through best agricultural practices is absolutely critical," Aument said. "Helping our farmers gain access to cutting-edge agricultural technologies will also help ensure Pennsylvanians have better access to fresh, healthy food grown by Pennsylvania farmers and raised by Pennsylvania ranchers."
The board would be composed of the state secretaries of Agriculture and Community and Economic Development, a State Conservation Commission appointee and four state congressmen. The bills also list six board members who would be appointed by Shapiro, including a representative from a Pennsylvania university and a veterinarian.
Takac and Vogel said they want the board to encompass a broad range of perspectives to ensure the best projects are awarded grants. The board would provide reimbursement grants for three types of projects: innovation planning projects, on-site projects and regional impact projects.
"(An innovation planning project) might be a conceptual review of how a particular best practice or innovative new technology might be applied to farms, and what the impact might be," Takac said.
Grantees have to match at least 30% of the money provided in these grants, which would range from $7,500 to $50,000.
On-site projects implement new technologies that would benefit an individual farm or agribusiness. These grants range from $5,000 to $100,000. Regional impact projects would benefit multiple farms or agribusinesses. These grants range from $100,000 to $2 million.
Grantees would have to match at least 50% of the money provided in both on-site and regional impact project grants.
Takac's bill passed the state House on June 11; the Senate is still considering the companion bill.
Dr. Mark Gagnon, the Harbaugh Entrepreneur and Innovation Faculty Scholar at Pennsylvania State University's College of Agricultural Sciences, is excited by the state's recent emphasis on agriculture innovation.
"Pennsylvania has the diversity and the robustness in the agri-food sector to really grow it out," he said. "Taking the latest innovations and applying them within agriculture makes an awful lot of sense."
Takac and Vogel noted that the bill does not include funding. If Shapiro's proposed investment in agriculture innovation is shot down during budget negotiations, the legislation would be unfunded.
"If there's no money, there's no program," Vogel said. "If we don't get the $10 million appropriation through the budget process here, then it'll just be a lame duck legislation."
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