MANHEIM, PA — Farmers across Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna River Basin will receive more than $5.5 million in state-supported funding to reduce water pollution and improve farm sustainability following an announcement by the Shapiro administration on Thursday.
What This Means for You
- New funding supports cleaner waterways and healthier local ecosystems
- Farmers receive financial help to adopt environmentally sustainable practices
- Investments aim to protect the Chesapeake Bay and regional drinking water
The funding includes grants for both individual farms and conservation organizations to implement practices that reduce nutrient runoff — excess nitrogen and phosphorus that can pollute streams and rivers — while improving long-term farm productivity.
Where the Money Is Going
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture awarded $392,119 in Sustainable Agriculture Grants to 16 farms and more than $5.1 million in Public-Private Partnership grants to six conservation organizations.
The projects span multiple counties, including Lancaster, York, Adams, Centre, Lebanon, and others within the Susquehanna River Basin, a major water system that feeds into the Chesapeake Bay.
Officials said the grants are funded through the Pennsylvania Most Effective Basins program, a state, federal, and private partnership designed to meet water quality goals tied to the Chesapeake Bay cleanup effort.
How Farms Will Reduce Pollution
Funded projects focus on keeping nutrients in the soil rather than allowing them to wash into nearby waterways.
Approved practices include planting cover crops to absorb excess nutrients, rotating livestock grazing areas to protect soil, planting trees for conservation, and using silvopasture — a method that integrates trees with livestock grazing to improve soil health and diversify farm income.
Some projects will also use precision agriculture technology, including sensors that collect real-time field data to help farmers apply fertilizers more efficiently and reduce runoff.
State Officials Highlight Economic and Environmental Impact
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said the funding is intended to support both environmental goals and the financial stability of farms.
“These grants are both an acknowledgement of Pennsylvania’s leadership, and a tool that will help sustain their farms, and help give them the credit they deserve for improving the quality of life for our entire region,” Redding said.
Farmers and conservation leaders also pointed to collaboration as a key factor in advancing sustainable practices.
“Partnerships that bring the right expertise to the table are how real progress happens,” said Hannah Kinney Smith, executive director of Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.
Broader Chesapeake Bay Effort
The investment is part of a larger effort to restore waterways that feed into the Chesapeake Bay, which relies heavily on the Susquehanna River for freshwater.
State officials reported measurable progress in recent years, including reductions in nitrogen pollution, restoration of stream miles, and expanded planting of forest buffers along waterways.
Pennsylvania has also invested more than $1 billion in water quality and conservation efforts over the past four years, according to state data.
Next Steps and Additional Resources
State officials said projects funded through the grants will continue to be monitored and measured as part of Pennsylvania’s long-term water quality improvement plan.
More information about the programs and ongoing efforts is available at agriculture.pa.gov.
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