Ag Workforce Tour Visits Farms in Chester and Lancaster Counties

Pequea Valley High SchoolCredit: Commonwealth Media Services

KINZERS, PA — Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding kicked off an Ag Workforce Tour yesterday, visiting Pequea Valley High School in Kinzers, PA, and farms in Chester and Lancaster counties. The tour celebrates the agriculture jobs that will be available post-graduation and Pennsylvania’s programs preparing them for these in-demand, rewarding careers.

“It’s not a surprise that Pennsylvania has the highest percentage of agricultural producers under 35 years old in the nation,” said Redding. “You can’t feed the world without first nourishing young minds. That starts with solid agriculture education that inspires students to apply their interests in a field that has plentiful opportunities for meaningful, rewarding careers, then connecting them with those opportunities through hands-on experiences in the classroom and in learn-while-you-earn apprenticeships.”

At Pequea Valley High School in Kinzers, he toured a hands-on, award-winning program with classes in ag mechanics, animal science, plant science, food science, and environmental science.

Then at the creamery at Birchrun Hill Farm in Chester Springs, the tour demonstrated sustainable crop production and innovative, processing supported by training through AgConnect Industry Partnerships.

The last stop on yesterday’s tour was Joel Meyers’ Farm in Elizabethtown, a family-owned swine farm that receives management and animal health training through a partnership with AgVentures and Penn State Extension’s Animal Care Apprenticeship Program. Both farms highlight the technical and scientific aspects of careers in farm management and food production.

Pennsylvania’s $132.5 billion agriculture industry fuels more than 593,000 jobs across the commonwealth, paying nearly $33 billion in wages each year. As the industry innovates, and current workers retire, new opportunities are continually available, with jobs ranging from farm managers to high-tech equipment mechanics, and from field biologists to entomologists to veterinarians. All must be equipped to adapt to changing consumer needs, new technology, and climate challenges.

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Through the Commission for Agriculture Education Excellence, the Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture and Education have produced a comprehensive agricultural education report for schools across the commonwealth. In coordination with the Departments of Agriculture and Education, the 15-member commission is charged developing a statewide plan for agricultural education. In addition to the commission, the Wolf Administration invests in future generations of agriculturalists through Pennsylvania Farm Bill programs, including the Ag & Youth Grant Program, Farm to School Program, and Farm Vitality Grant Program.

“During our first Ag Workforce Week, we honor the individuals and families involved in agriculture throughout the state and also the programs that help support the industry,” Redding continued. “Programs like Industry Partnerships and state registered apprenticeship programs are critical to building stronger, more competitive industry through training, networking, recruitment, and collaboration – taking careers in ag to the next level.”

At one point, Pennsylvania anticipated a workforce deficit of 75,000 workers as farmers and laborers retire and new technology-based positions become available. Governor Tom Wolf has addressed this concern by creating and funding agriculture education opportunities through the PA Farm Bill and supporting agricultural apprenticeships that are preparing the next generation of agriculture and food workers.

Since 2018, Governor Tom Wolf’s PAsmart initiative has invested more than $30 million in job training and science and technology education. As part of the PAsmart initiative, seven state-certified agriculture apprenticeships, two pre-apprenticeships, and Apprenticeship Ambassador Network Grants support schools, students, workers, and businesses across the commonwealth to help Pennsylvanians develop skills for in-demand jobs, and, in turn, support businesses in creating a skilled workforce.. As of August 2022, the Apprenticeship Training Office, within the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, supports 883 unduplicated program sponsors and 1,596 occupation-specific registered apprenticeship programs across the commonwealth, with 16,576 registered apprentices currently active.

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“Apprenticeship is a proven workforce development model that improves representation, offers meaningful employment, and engages individuals with in-demand industries like agribusiness,” said Shuana Davis, the director of partnership development with the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board (PA WDB). “Through grant funding and collaboration, we can create innovative, inclusive educational and training opportunities that lead to better-paying jobs for Pennsylvania’s and help address the evolving needs of the agribusiness industry.”

PA WDB is the governor’s business-led, industry-driven policy advisor on workforce development that is aligned with the commonwealth’s education and economic development goals. The PA WDB’s mission is to ensure that Pennsylvania’s entire workforce system, covering many agencies and programs, meets employers’ needs for skilled workers and workers’ needs for career and economic advancement.

The Workforce Development Board also oversees Pennsylvania’s Industry Partnership program. Industry partnerships coordinate and align workforce, education, economic development, and other public and community partners to support an industry sector. Led by regional businesses, these partnerships work to build stronger, more competitive industries though training, networking, recruitment, and collaboration to address business identified challenges.

The tour will continue on Friday, November 11, with visits to Forever Heart Farm with visits to Moon Township, Allegheny County, and Heritage Farms in McClellandtown, Fayette County, two veteran-owned farms benefiting from state investments to foster opportunities for military veterans to put their skill to work in agriculture.

Farmworkers are the backbone of the agricultural industry. Learn about Pennsylvania’s farmworker data through this new tool from the Department of Agriculture, Team Pennsylvania, and Econsult. Data from this tool are intended to help guide policy decisions and also inform diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the department.

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To learn more about ag workforce development and related programs, visit the department’s website.

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