Deputy Secretary for Plant Industry and Consumer Protection, Fred R. Strathmeyer Jr. was a co-owner of Strathmeyer Forests Inc. of York, a family business specialized in Christmas tree and evergreen nursery production, for over 35 years. A Bloomsburg University political science graduate, Deputy Strathmeyer has represented both the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and the Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association at the state and national levels. He was appointed by former agricultural secretaries to serve on multiple committees and task forces.
As the deputy secretary for plant industry and consumer protection, Deputy Strathmeyer oversees the department’s bureaus of Plant Industry, Ride and Measurement Standards, Dog Law Enforcement, the State Horse Racing Commission, and the Hardwoods Development Council. He serves as the designated chair for the Governor’s Invasive Species Council, the Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Committee and the Amusement Ride Safety Board, to name a few, highlighting the department’s commitment to a sustainable and safe food supply, along with good stewardship of the land and natural resources.