The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture exists to ensure a vibrant economy, a successful future for Pennsylvania agriculture and to safeguard the public through:
- Targeting investments to grow opportunities and remove barriers
- Protecting human, animal, environmental, and plant health through regulatory oversight
- Promoting of and educating the public about Pennsylvania’s agriculture products and sectors
- Conserving farmland and natural resources for the prosperity of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s farm families continue to be the stewards of more than 7.1 million acres of farmland. With $10.28 billion in cash receipts annually from production agriculture, Pennsylvania farmers and agribusinesses are the leading economic drivers in our state.
In addition to production agriculture, the industry also raises revenue and supplies jobs through support services such as food processing, marketing, transportation farm equipment. In total, production agriculture and agribusiness contribute nearly $132.5 billion to Pennsylvania’s economy.
In preparation for the Department’s FY 2024-2025 House and Senate budget hearings, the following narrative was prepared to reflect the current programs and priorities.
FY 2024-2025 Budget Narratives: