Agriculture is the largest industry in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The state is home to nearly 53,000 farms, with agriculture employing 600,000 Pennsylvanians and generating $132.5 billion in economic impact each year. Pennsylvania is also a major hub for food and beverage manufacturing and employs more than 50,000 people across the state.
This week we visited dairy farms in central Pennsylvania and toured a poultry processing facility to see firsthand the impact agriculture has on the commonwealth and bring farmers’ concerns back to Washington as we reorient the federal government to put farmers first and restore rural prosperity.
From forestry to poultry, dairy cows to mushrooms, the commodities grown and the food produced in Pennsylvania are as diverse as the state itself. We stand together committed to ensuring Pennsylvania’s farmers continue to thrive and are given all the tools they need to continue producing farm-fresh foods and products that feed families and fuel our nation.
After years of sitting on the sidelines, Pennsylvania farmers finally have a seat at the table thanks to President Trump’s bold leadership. His administration will continue to be an unapologetic advocate for American agriculture and ensure the entire world can experience the joy that is farm-fresh food grown in the USA.
Leveling the playing field for American ag exports through trade negotiations will allow our locally grown goods to reach and satisfy consumers across the globe. There is now a clear path for President Trump to take the leverage he has established on trade and get wins for our farmers in new markets. Holding China accountable for intellectual property theft — including theft of agriculture innovations — is a critical step in defending the hard-earned progress of American farmers. And finally, by rolling back burdensome and useless Biden-era regulations, we’re ensuring our farmers are unshackled — free to innovate, expand production, and continue feeding the world.
Pennsylvania’s poultry industry is the eighth largest in the country, but the avian influenza has been ravaging flocks across the state. USDA has been working around the clock with farmers across the country to ensure their flocks are protected and the damage is minimized as much as possible. At the same time, we’re developing mitigation strategies to help our farmers in the future, all while doing everything possible to keep the price of eggs in check for American consumers. Since President Trump took office, wholesale egg prices have dropped 56%, a clear sign that his administration is delivering on the promises made during the campaign.
With 4,027 dairy operations, Pennsylvania ranks second only to Wisconsin and stands eighth nationwide in total milk production. Removing outdated, misguided regulations and implementing common-sense reforms to benefit dairy farmers across the country is a top priority.
One such reform that could pass during this Congress is the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which would bring whole and reduced-fat milk back to school lunchrooms across America. This is the kind of commonsense legislation our farmers want, and it allows schools to serve the milk that kids actually want to drink with the essential nutrients to help them learn and grow.
Pennsylvania is also home to House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson, who will work alongside Senate counterpart John Boozman on the new Farm Bill. In 2018, President Trump signed the Agriculture Improvement Act, which authorized programs essential to farmers. Now, with Pennsylvania’s own Chairman Thompson, the Agriculture Committees in Congress will once again craft this legislation, which USDA will then implement. It is the responsibility of lawmakers to create policies that help America’s farmers grow and prosper.
America is home to the safest, most abundant, most affordable food supply — and Pennsylvania’s farmers are a huge piece of that pie.
Agriculture is the lifeblood of Pennsylvania’s economy, and our farmers truly are the unsung heroes of the food supply chain. We pledge to work together to enact policies that promote the work Pennsylvania’s farmers do every day to feed their neighbors.