Farmers support Wolf's agriculture budget
Gov. Tom Wolf's proposed $24 million agriculture budget maintains funding for existing programs that farmers rely on and provides funding for new initiatives.
The agriculture budget, which Wolf dubbed the Pennsylvania Farm Bill, will be discussed and possibly revised by the House and Senate, along with the rest of the 2019 budget, before returning to the governor for final approval.
The farm bill is part of Wolf's proposed $163.2 million budget that increases the Department of Agriculture's budget by nearly $11.4 million, or 7.5 percent. The department budget increase combined with $13 million in agriculture funding and tax credits make up the $24 million Wolf is proposing as investment in the state's agriculture industry.
“Pennsylvania has a long, proud history of agriculture, and this comprehensive package of funding opportunities and resources will help expand this important industry,” Wolf said last week when he unveiled the bill.
Wolf said the $24 million included in the bill represents funding meant to chart a path for a dynamic and prosperous farming economy in Pennsylvania. He said the bill will provide more opportunities and hope by creating more jobs and income for farmers.
While he agrees the farm bill will help, William Thiele, co-chairman of the Butler County Farm Bureau's government relations committee, said Wolf's budget won't resolve all the issues facing dairy farmers, including falling milk prices. Thiele, who also owns Thiele Dairy Farm in Cabot, said the budget will not raise milk prices, increase milk exports or get more people to drink milk. He added that the bureau is working on that.
He noted that U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-15th, introduced a bill in January allowing flavored and unflavored whole milk to be offered in school cafeterias.
When the previous administration removed whole milk from school and allowed only skim milk to be served, it led to children no longer drinking milk as they grew up, he said.
“It's not something that can happen overnight,” Thiele said. “They're at least trying to help us. They're recognizing that we're here. It's good. It's not anything bad. It's a step in the right direction. The state government is recognizing that we need help in areas,” Thiele said.
He pointed out that Wolf's proposal includes funding to promote and assist organic farming.
“They're pushing the organic side of it. They want to get you to become organic, which is a very hard thing to do because of all things you have to do to transition into it,” Thiele said.
Maintaining funding for the Penn State Extension, which provides science-based information and technical assistance to farmers, and Penn VET, the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine, which conducts education programs and research into the link between animal science and human well being, is one of the reasons the farm bureau supports the bill.
“We like the fact that programs administered by Penn State will be funded in an adequate manner,” said Mark O'Neill, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau spokesman.
The bill maintains funding for the Pennsylvania Dairy Investment program for research and development, organic farming, value-added processing and marketing grants; increases funding for the Center for Dairy Excellence, which provides resources and programs to strengthen dairy farms; and creates the Center for Animal Agriculture Excellence to assist poultry, swine, sheep, lamb, goat and rabbit agriculture.
O'Neill said funding for the Center for Dairy Excellence is typically eliminated in initial agriculture funding proposals, but Wolf's bill would increase the allocation.
The bureau is also pleased by a provision in the bill that would create the Pennsylvania Agriculture Business Development Center, which would help farmers create business, transition and succession plans.
“A succession plan for the next generation to take over the farm, it can be expensive and awkward for families,” O'Neill said.
The bill enhances agricultural trade programs by streamlining a variety of market promotion initiatives under one program and providing $470 million in additional funding, said Rick Ebert, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau president.
“Ultimately, farmers want to sell their products on the open market to consumers locally, across the nation and around the world. We need to continue to strengthen existing trade agreements and work on new deals with other nations to expand our client base and enhance income for farm families,” Ebert said.
Wolf's budget also eliminates funding for agricultural research conducted by the state Agriculture Department, the agricultural promotion, education and exports program and the food marketing and research program.
“We don't panic. We don't get too upset about it. Typically, we have been successful talking to lawmakers throughout the process and typically those programs get funding. The governor's proposal is always a work in progress because the House and Senate have to approve a bill and send it to the governor,” O'Neill said.
