HARRISBURG, PA — Governor Josh Shapiro used the national spotlight of the 2026 Pennsylvania Farm Show on Wednesday to lay out an aggressive, data-driven case for why agriculture sits at the center of the Commonwealth’s economic future, promising sustained investment, faster permitting, and expanded innovation to keep Pennsylvania farmers globally competitive.
Speaking at the Farm Show’s Public Officials Luncheon, Shapiro told state and local leaders, farmers, and agribusiness executives that Pennsylvania’s 48,000 farms and nearly 600,000 agriculture workers are not just a legacy industry, but one of the strongest engines of statewide growth, generating $132.5 billion a year for the state economy.
The governor said his administration has made agriculture a cornerstone of its economic strategy since he took office, pointing to faster permitting, record investments, and new market development as proof that the sector is gaining momentum.
Moody’s recently reported that Pennsylvania now has the only growing state economy in the Northeast, a trend Shapiro directly tied to the state’s expanding agriculture sector.
“We’re putting agriculture at the center of our economic development strategy, and it’s working,” Shapiro said, describing farming not just as heritage, but as a forward-looking growth industry.
Among the initiatives highlighted was the Pennsylvania Farm Bill, which the administration has fully funded for three consecutive years, along with nearly $100 million to link farmers to food banks in an effort to reduce hunger while supporting in-state producers.
The governor also cited more than $82 million invested through the Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program to help farmers improve water quality, protect soil, and adopt sustainable practices — a move that has helped Pennsylvania dramatically improve its standing with the Chesapeake Bay Commission.
Shapiro also pointed to the state’s $10 million Ag Innovation Fund — the first of its kind in the nation — which has now grown and supported 88 projects statewide, helping farms modernize, expand, and adopt new technologies. Since its creation, the fund has already delivered more than $20 million in agriculture innovation funding.
From organic potato brands like Folkland Foods to hardwood producers, hemp growers, and dairy operations, Shapiro said those investments are allowing Pennsylvania farmers to boost production and tap into new markets. The launch of the PA Preferred Organics label and the creation of an Organic Center of Excellence have helped push Pennsylvania to more than $1 billion in organic sales this year, with the state now ranking number one nationally in organic poultry and organic mushrooms.
The administration has also moved to slash regulatory backlogs that long plagued farmers. Shapiro said the Department of Environmental Protection now has no permit backlog, a turnaround that has helped the Commonwealth go from one of the slowest permitting states in the nation to a model other states are now studying.
To support the next generation of farmers, Pennsylvania has launched 11 new agriculture apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships, while the state now boasts more farmers under 35 than any other state in the country — a statistic Shapiro said gives him confidence in the industry’s long-term future.
Still, the governor acknowledged the pressures farmers continue to face, from volatile markets and rising costs to rural broadband gaps, health care access, tariffs, and workforce shortages. He pledged that the state would remain a partner in tackling those challenges.
“Our history — and our future — runs right through Pennsylvania’s farmlands,” Shapiro said, closing his remarks. “When you succeed, Pennsylvania succeeds.”
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